Labour

Annual assessments important in making NHS more accountable - Burnham

Andy Burnham MP, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary, responding to the announcement that doctors will face regular assessment and revalidation, said:

“We welcome today's announcement. It was the policy of the Labour government and I'm pleased to see it being introduced. Asking doctors to undergo annual assessments has an important role in making the health service more accountable and improving standards of patient safety in the NHS.

“The move encourages doctors to focus on their interaction with patients, which has been neglected in the past and can often shape a person's experience of care.

“Britain has one of the best clinical workforces in the world and this will only strengthen the medical profession. The move towards these regular checks began following the Dr Shipman scandal and, not least for the families who lost loved ones, we need a system that never lets that happen again.”