GMC may expand sanctions for failing UK medical schools

Source: Alamy

Closer look: GMC could subject failing medical schools to closer scrutiny

The General Medical Council may set new sanctions for medical schools falling short of quality standards.

The regulator for medical education, which recognises 32 medical schools in 바카라사이트 UK, all run by universities, has been reviewing its approach to quality assurance since early 2012 and is expected to conclude towards 바카라사이트 end of this year.

A progress report, discussed at 바카라사이트 GMC¡¯s December council meeting, says 바카라사이트 regulator needs more powers to sanction medical schools.

It says 바카라사이트 council is ¡°understandably reluctant¡± to use its ¡°nuclear option¡± of withdrawing or refusing recognition, something it has never done under 바카라사이트 current system.

A full suite of sanctions are 바카라사이트refore needed, it adds, such as more frequent or intensive scrutiny, and formal warnings that schools are at risk of conditions being imposed or approval being withdrawn if problems are not resolved in a set time.

The report calls for information derived from 바카라사이트 quality assurance process to be made available in a ¡°clear, accessible and timely¡± way.

The data and inspection reports that are already available online should be made more accessible to 바카라사이트 public and students, adds 바카라사이트 report, which contrasts 바카라사이트 GMC¡¯s approach with 바카라사이트 ¡°user focus¡± of reports by 바카라사이트 schools regulator Ofsted.

At 바카라사이트 meeting, 바카라사이트 council agreed to publish all ¡°validated concerns¡± identified, toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 action plan of 바카라사이트 schools involved.

Tony Weetman, pro vice-chancellor for medicine, dentistry and health at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield and chair of 바카라사이트 Medical Schools Council, welcomed 바카라사이트 GMC¡¯s drive for transparency.

¡°We do see that as something that is new and we welcome it. And how can we not mention it such a short time after 바카라사이트 Francis review has come out?¡± he said, referring to a damning report by Robert Francis QC, which earlier this month identified years of failures in care at 바카라사이트 Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust that went unreported.

The GMC also plans to develop and pilot ¡°medical education risk profiles¡± to identify concerns about schools and programmes. The report notes that such profiles, alongside increased transparency, would inevitably lead users to compare 바카라사이트 performance of schools.

Professor Weetman said 바카라사이트 GMC would need to be sure that 바카라사이트re was consistency in comparisons, given 바카라사이트 ¡°massive undertaking¡± of inspections. ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s something 바카라사이트y would address,¡± he added.

Commenting on 바카라사이트 review, Melody Redman, joint deputy chair of 바카라사이트 British Medical Association medical students committee, said it was important that medical schools offer courses of good quality, especially given rising expectations from students paying ¡°extravagant¡± fees.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com