The Medical Profession (Responsible Officers) Regulations 2010

Responsibilities of responsible officers: prescribed connection under regulation 12

13.—(1) Subject to paragraph (6), the responsible officer for a designated body has the following responsibilities relating to the evaluation of the fitness to practise of every medical practitioner who has a prescribed connection with that body by virtue of regulation 12.

(2) The responsibilities referred to in paragraph (1) are—

(a) to take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure that the medical practitioner undergoes regular appraisals in accordance with paragraph (3);

(b) to take all reasonably practicable steps to investigate concerns about a medical practitioner’s fitness to practise raised by patients or staff of the body for whom the medical practitioner is the responsible officer, or arising from any other source;

(c) where appropriate, to refer concerns about the practitioner to the General Council;

(d) where a medical practitioner is subject to conditions imposed by, or undertakings agreed with, the General Council, to monitor compliance with those conditions or undertakings;

(e) to make recommendations to the General Council about the medical practitioner’s fitness to practise;

(f) to maintain records of the medical practitioner’s fitness to practise evaluations, including appraisals and any other investigations or assessments.

(3) The responsible officer must take reasonably practicable steps to ensure that appraisals under paragraph (2)(a)—

(a) are carried out by the body for whom the medical practitioner is the responsible officer; and

(b) involve obtaining and taking account of all available information relating to the medical practitioner’s fitness to practise in the work carried out by the practitioner during the appraisal period.

(4) Procedures under paragraph (2)(b) must include provision for the medical practitioner’s comments to be sought and taken into account where appropriate.

(5) Responsible officers must co-operate with the General Council and any of its committees, or any persons authorised by the General Council, in connection with the exercise by them of any of their functions under Part 3A or 5 of the Act.

(6) Where a responsible officer is nominated or appointed in accordance with regulation 5(2) (Department of Health: two responsible officers), the division of responsibilities under paragraph (1) for each responsible officer is to be determined by the Department of Health.