Final Report > Chapter 28: Public Involvement Through Empowerment > What is the agenda for public involvement? > Assuring the competence of healthcare professionals

Assuring the competence of healthcare professionals

15 We are concerned here with the network of measures designed to assure the competence of healthcare professionals. This is the other side of the coin of concern for safety and quality. The public are entitled to be involved at all levels and stages: in both setting and agreeing the systems for assuring competence and in their operation. [8] As regards individual healthcare professionals, assuring competence embraces initial registration, the continuing monitoring of performance through continuing professional development (CPD), appraisal and revalidation, and the application of disciplinary measures when necessary. Historically, the public has only been involved in the last of these. However, we see them all as an interrelated whole in which the involvement of the public is essential if a truly patient-centred service is to emerge.

16 In particular, we would expect the public to have a role in those bodies charged with setting standards for education and training and with controlling access to the professional register. Involvement of the public in these activities serves at least two valuable functions. First, the public can participate in the process of setting and reviewing the criteria for admission to the profession. [9] After all, the professional is going to be caring for the public as patients. Secondly, public participation in this process serves as a warranty that the public's interests are being safeguarded and as a reminder that the profession exists for the public.

Footnotes

[8] We note the initiatives of various Royal Colleges in involving the public in their activities: The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has had a patient liaison group since 1983, the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCSE) since 1999. Equally proposals are under consideration for expansion of the representation of the public on the General Medical Council (GMC)

[9] This would be in addition to involvement in the selection of those admitted to university to study to become healthcare professionals, which we referred to earlier