Staff suitability and fitness
Failure to ensure that employed staff possess good character, necessary qualifications, skills, experience, and physical and mental fitness for their roles.
86 items
1 source
16 inquiries
Source spread
Where this theme appears
Staff suitability and fitness has been flagged across 1 independent accountability source:
86 inquiry recs
This theme has been identified in one data source. As more data is added, cross-references may emerge.
Browse by source
Source-grouped records are useful for tracing where a concern came from. Large sections show the 50 strongest matches for that source; counts still show the full theme total.
Inquiry Recommendations (86) — showing 50 strongest matches
FR-8 — Registration in Young Offender Institutions
Recommendation: The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009-2017 Investigation Report, dated February 2019) that the UK government introduces arrangements for the professional registration of staff in roles responsible for the care of …
Gov response: We accept the need for registration, noting that internal registration is most appropriate for the young offender institution and secure training centre workforce. We are exploring proposals for how it could operate.
Accepted in Part
No update 2+ yrs
FR-7 — Registration of Care Home Staff
Recommendation: The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Interim Report, dated April 2018) that the UK government introduces arrangements for the registration of staff working in care roles in children's homes, including secure children's homes. Registration should be with an …
Gov response: We accept that rigorous registration of staff working in care roles in children’s homes is essential and we are looking at how best to implement this as part of the Stable Homes, Built on Love …
Accepted in Part
No update 2+ yrs
63 — Extend TRA jurisdiction to teaching assistants
Recommendation: The Department for Education should amend the Teachers' Disciplinary (England) Regulations 2012 to bring all teaching assistants, learning support staff and cover supervisors within the misconduct jurisdiction of the Teaching Regulation Agency. The Department for Education and the Welsh Government …
Gov response: On 30 June 2022, the UK government stated that anyone undertaking teaching work can be referred to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) and this could include teaching assistants and learning support staff. The TRA does …
Accepted
42 — Church in Wales provincial safeguarding officers
Recommendation: The Church in Wales should make clear that the operational advice of provincial safeguarding officers must be followed by all members of the clergy and other Church officers. It should be enshrined in policy that those who are volunteers and …
Gov response: On 7 April 2021, the Church in Wales stated that its safeguarding policy, procedural documents and training materials would make it clear that the operational advice of provincial safeguarding officers should be followed by all …
Accepted
No update 2+ yrs
31 — DBS and training compliance for Church officers
Recommendation: Individuals engaged in regulated activity who have failed to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service check or complete compulsory training should not be permitted to hold voluntary offices within the Church. Failure by ordained clergy to comply with either requirement …
Gov response: On 27 June 2019, the Church of England agreed that those in regulated roles who have failed to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service check or complete mandatory safeguarding training should not be allowed to …
Accepted
27 — Professional registration for custodial care staff
Recommendation: As the Inquiry set out in its Interim Report, professional registration of the workforce in settings responsible for the care of vulnerable children complements regulation of institutions by a separate, independent regulator. The government has agreed in principle that professional …
Gov response: On 5 November 2021, the Ministry of Justice stated that it had reviewed the evidence it collected through a targeted consultation on professional registration. On 4 May 2022, the Ministry of Justice stated that it …
Accepted in Part
No update 2+ yrs
24 — Registration of children's home care staff
Recommendation: The Chair and Panel recommend that the Department for Education introduces arrangements for the registration of staff working in care roles in children's homes. Registration should be with an independent body charged with setting and maintaining standards of training, conduct …
Gov response: The Government agrees in principle that further workforce regulation could provide an effective additional means of protecting children. We are mindful that introducing professional registration for all staff in care roles in children's homes would …
Not Accepted
R9 — GP certification of fitness for NHS employment
Recommendation: We recommend that consideration be given to how General Practitioners, might, with the candidate's consent be asked to certify that there is nothing in the medical history of a candidate for employment in the nhs which would make them unsuitable …
Unknown
R7 — Criteria for management referrals to occupational health
Recommendation: We recommend that procedures for management referrals to occupational health should make clear the criteria which should trigger such referrals (para 5.5.14).
Unknown
R6 — Sickness records available to occupational health
Recommendation: We recommend that the possibility be reviewed of making available to Occupational Health departments any records of absence through sickness from any institution which an applicant for a nursing post has attended or been employed by (para 5.5.14).
Unknown
R5 — Health screening for newly qualified nurses
Recommendation: We recommend that nurses should undergo formal health screening when they obtain their first posts after qualifying (para 5.5.13).
Unknown
R4 — No nursing employment where major personality disorder
Recommendation: We recommend that no candidate for nursing in whom there is evidence of major personality disorder should be employed in this profession (para 5.4.11)
Unknown
R1 — Sickness-absence record for entrants to nursing
Recommendation: We recommend that for all those seeking entry to the nursing profession, in addition to routine references the most recent employer or place of study should be asked to provide at least a record of time taken off on grounds …
Unknown
F191 — Recruitment for values and commitment
Recommendation: Healthcare employers recruiting nursing staff, whether qualified or unqualified, should assess candidates' values, attitudes and behaviours towards the well-being of patients and their basic care needs, and care providers should be required to do so by commissioning and regulatory requirements.
Gov response: The government published "Hard Truths: the Journey to Putting Patients First" (Cm 8777) on 19 November 2013, responding to all 290 recommendations of the Francis Report. This followed an initial response "Patients First and Foremost" …
Accepted
COVID-M2.1 — NI CMO Independence
Recommendation: The Department of Health (Northern Ireland) should reconstitute the role of the Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland as an independent advisory role. The Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland should not have managerial responsibilities within the Department of Health …
Gov response: No formal response published by this government.
Unknown
25 — Amendment of Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
Recommendation: The Chair and Panel recommend that the Home Office ensures that the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 is amended so that, where a fitness to practise hearing has been conducted by the keeper of a relevant register and has resulted …
Gov response: The DBS is in the process of establishing single points of contact at a strategic level with all Keepers of Registers and Supervisory Authorities. By the end of August, the DBS will have had meetings …
Not Accepted
R8 — Apply ANHSOP Chairman's suggestion in practice
Recommendation: We recommend that further consideration be given to how the suggestion of the Chairman of the Association of NHS Occupational Physicians (see para 5.5.16) could be applied in practice (para 5.5.17).
Unknown
WATE-(24) — Mandate stringent, independent vetting for all foster parent applications, especially staff
Recommendation: Similar vigilance should be mandatory in relation to all applications for approval as foster parents. In particular, any application to foster by a member of a local authority's child care staff should be stringently vetted by a social worker who …
Unknown
WATE-(23) — Periodically audit Social Services staff recruitment and management vigilance
Recommendation: Social Services Departments should be reminded periodically that they must exercise vigilance in the recruitment and management of their staff in strict accordance with the detailed recommendations of the Warner committee917; and compliance with them by individual local authorities should …
Unknown
FENN-96 — Allocate physically suitable staff to roles, ensuring station safety balance
Recommendation: London Underground shall only allocate staff to a role for which they are physically suitable. In the cause of safety, a proper balance must be ensured at each station.
Unknown
BRIS-89 — Involve public, employers, and professional groups in revalidation processes
Recommendation: The public, as well as the employer and the relevant professional group, must be involved in the processes of revalidation.
Unknown
BRIS-88 — Mandate periodic revalidation for all healthcare professionals in employment contracts
Recommendation: Periodic revalidation, whereby healthcare professionals demonstrate that they remain fit to practise in their chosen profession, should be compulsory for all healthcare professionals. The requirement to participate in periodic revalidation should be included in the contract of employment.
Unknown
BRIS-87 — Incorporate periodic appraisal requirement into General Practitioners' terms of service
Recommendation: The requirement to undergo periodic appraisal should also be incorporated into GPs’ terms of service.
Unknown
BRIS-86 — Expedite implementation of regular appraisal for all hospital consultants
Recommendation: The commitment in ‘The NHS Plan’ to introduce regular appraisal for hospital consultants must be implemented as soon as possible.
Unknown
BRIS-85 — Mandate periodic appraisal for all healthcare professionals in employment contracts
Recommendation: Periodic appraisal should be compulsory for all healthcare professionals. The requirement to participate in appraisal should be included in the contract of employment.
Unknown
BRIS-80 — Involve NHS and public in establishing selection criteria for healthcare professionals
Recommendation: The NHS and the public should be involved in (a) establishing the criteria for selection and (b) the selection of those to be educated as doctors, nurses and as other healthcare professionals.
Unknown
BRIS-79 — GMC's 'Good Medical Practice' to inform medical school selection and curricula
Recommendation: The attributes of a good doctor, as set down in the GMC’s ‘Good Medical Practice’, must inform every aspect of the selection criteria and curricula of medical schools.
Unknown
BRIS-78 — Widen medical school access for diverse academic and socio-economic backgrounds
Recommendation: Access to medical schools should be widened to include people from diverse academic and socio-economic backgrounds. Those with qualifications in other areas of healthcare and those with an educational background in subjects other than science, who have the ability and …
Unknown
P2-13 — Mortuary Manager professional background prerequisite
Recommendation: A professional background in the field of mortuary services should be made a prerequisite for the post of Mortuary Manager.
Gov response: The Government has agreed to accept in principle this recommendation subject to further work to determine its full impact.
Accepted in Part
In progress
P1-3 — Criminal record checks compliance
Recommendation: Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust must assure itself that it is compliant with its own current policy on criminal record checks and re-checks for staff. The Trust should ensure that staff who are employed by its facilities management provider …
Gov response: Implemented. The Trust mandates contractors to renew security clearances every 3 years. Policy on criminal record checks is being followed for both direct staff and contractors. (Source: Trust assurance statement, February 2024; confirmed in Written …
Accepted
IHRD-14 — Clinician Competence Assessment
Recommendation: The experience and competence of all clinicians caring for children in acute hospital settings should be assessed before employment.
Gov response: Competence assessment processes incorporated into recruitment procedures for paediatric roles.
Accepted
F188 — Aptitude test for compassion and caring
Recommendation: The Nursing and Midwifery Council, working with universities, should consider the introduction of an aptitude test to be undertaken by aspirant registered nurses at entry into the profession, exploring, in particular, candidates' attitudes towards caring, compassion and other necessary professional …
Gov response: The government published "Hard Truths: the Journey to Putting Patients First" (Cm 8777) on 19 November 2013, responding to all 290 recommendations of the Francis Report. This followed an initial response "Patients First and Foremost" …
Accepted in Part
F172 — Proficiency in the English language
Recommendation: The Government should consider urgently the introduction of a common requirement of proficiency in communication in the English language with patients and other persons providing healthcare to the standard required for a registered medical practitioner to assume professional responsibility for …
Gov response: The government published "Hard Truths: the Journey to Putting Patients First" (Cm 8777) on 19 November 2013, responding to all 290 recommendations of the Francis Report. This followed an initial response "Patients First and Foremost" …
Accepted
F23 — Responsibility for regulating and monitoring compliance
Recommendation: The measures formulated by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence should include measures not only of clinical outcomes, but of the suitability and competence of staff, and the culture of organisations. The standard procedures and practice should include …
Gov response: The government published "Hard Truths: the Journey to Putting Patients First" (Cm 8777) on 19 November 2013, responding to all 290 recommendations of the Francis Report. This followed an initial response "Patients First and Foremost" …
Accepted
77 — CSA experience for Chief Officer progression
Recommendation: The Chair and Panel recommend that any police officer (or staff equivalent) who wants to progress to the Chief Officer cadre must first be required to: have operational policing experience in preventing and responding to child sexual abuse; and achieve …
Gov response: The Home Office agrees that there is a need within the police to raise the profile and status of work to tackle child sexual abuse. However, the Home Office is concerned that the Inquiry's recommendation …
Not Accepted
FR-11 — Extend Disclosure Regime Overseas
Recommendation: The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Children Outside the United Kingdom Phase 2 Investigation Report, dated January 2020) that the UK government introduces legislation permitting the Disclosure and Barring Service to provide enhanced certificates with barred list checks …
Gov response: We accept the need to review whether disclosure arrangements can be further strengthened for those working with children overseas, and we will consider the scope of further strengthening the regime, taking into account the findings …
Accepted in Part
No update 2+ yrs
FR-10 — Improve DBS Referral Compliance
Recommendation: The Inquiry recommends that the UK government takes steps to improve compliance by regulated activity providers with their statutory duty to refer concerns about the suitability of individuals to work with children to the Disclosure and Barring Service, including: all …
Gov response: We accept the need to improve compliance with statutory duties to inform the Disclosure and Barring Service about individuals who may pose a risk of harm to children. We will work with the relevant bodies …
Accepted in Part
No update 2+ yrs
FR-9 — Greater Use of DBS
Recommendation: The Inquiry recommends that the UK government enables any person engaging an individual to work or volunteer with children on a frequent basis to check whether or not they have been barred by the Disclosure and Barring Service from working …
Gov response: We accept subject to further assessment of feasibility and impact, taking into account the findings of the Bailey Review of Disclosure and Barring Regime published in April 2023.
Accepted in Part
In progress
41 — Create diocesan safeguarding officers
Recommendation: The Church of England should create the role of a diocesan safeguarding officer to replace the diocesan safeguarding adviser. Diocesan safeguarding officers should have the authority to make decisions independently of the diocesan bishop in respect of key safeguarding tasks, …
Gov response: On 29 March 2021, a joint response from the National Safeguarding Steering Group, the House of Bishops and the Archbishops' Council stated that Canon C30 and the associated Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor Regulations would be amended …
Accepted
No update 2+ yrs
BRIS-84 — Trusts must ensure CPD resources meet patient needs and professional aspirations
Recommendation: Trusts and primary care trusts must take overall responsibility through an agreed plan for their employees’ use of the time allocated to CPD. They must seek to ensure that the resources deployed for CPD contribute towards meeting the needs of …
Unknown
BRIS-83 — Provide incentives, funding, and time for healthcare professional continuous professional development
Recommendation: Trusts and primary care trusts should provide incentives to encourage healthcare professionals to maintain and develop their skills. The contract (or, in the case of GPs, other relevant mechanism) between the trust and the healthcare professional should provide for the …
Unknown
BRIS-82 — Make Continuing Professional Development (CPD) compulsory for all healthcare professionals
Recommendation: CPD, being fundamental to the quality of care provided to patients, should be compulsory for all healthcare professionals.
Unknown
BRIS-71 — Establish a single body to coordinate all healthcare professional regulatory bodies
Recommendation: In addition, a single body should be charged with the overall co-ordination of the various professional bodies and with integrating the various systems of regulation. It should be called the Council for the Regulation of Healthcare Professionals. (In effect, this …
Unknown
BRIS-70 — Establish single regulatory bodies for each distinct healthcare professional group
Recommendation: For each group of healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses and midwives, the professions allied to medicine, and managers) there should be one body charged with overseeing all aspects relating to the regulation of professional life: education, registration, training, CPD, revalidation and …
Unknown
BRIS-68 — Involve NHS Leadership Centre in all healthcare professional education and development stages
Recommendation: The NHS Leadership Centre should be involved in all stages of the education, training and continuing development of all healthcare professionals.
Unknown
BRIS-66 — Identify and train potential NHS leaders, investing in leadership skills development
Recommendation: Steps should be taken to identify and train those within the NHS who have the potential to exercise leadership. There needs be a sustained investment in developing leadership skills at all levels in the NHS.
Unknown
BRIS-63 — Provide healthcare management education for all aspiring clinical professionals
Recommendation: All those preparing for a career in clinical care should receive some education in the management of healthcare, the health service and the skills required for management.
Unknown
BRIS-58 — Formally assess non-clinical patient care competence for initial professional qualification
Recommendation: Competence in non-clinical aspects of caring for patients should be formally assessed as part of the process of obtaining an initial professional qualification, whether as a doctor, a nurse or some other healthcare professional.
Unknown
P2-74 — HTA require suitable qualified staff with enforcement
Recommendation: The Human Tissue Authority, and/or the new inspectorate, should require the organisations it licenses to ensure that any individual who provides care to deceased people is suitably qualified, experienced and supervised. The regulatory regime should set minimum standards on the …
Gov response: This recommendation is under consideration.
Response Unclear
P1-6 — Review policies on mortuary access
Recommendation: Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust must review its policies to ensure that only those with appropriate and legitimate access can enter the mortuary.
Gov response: Implemented. Policies have been reviewed and updated. Access is now controlled via individual swipe cards with appropriate restrictions. (Source: Trust assurance statement, February 2024; confirmed in Written Ministerial Statement HCWS132, 15 October 2024)
Accepted