New scheme will allow doctors easier access to provide short term support across NHS organisations

Following initial discussion with the RCS, NHS Employers and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) have developed and launched the Certificate of Fitness for Honorary Practice. This is in response to problems with NHS consultant doctors being able to work temporarily or for short periods elsewhere in the NHS or at universities.

The existing system requires checks to be resolved before consultants can transfer between organisations, and this can often be a lengthy process, taking up to several weeks. However, consultants who are successfully eligible for the new certificates will immediately be able to carry out short-term, ad hoc or urgent activity in other hospitals and universities. The Certificate is intended to reduce the paperwork required for consultants to move between organisations so that they may more easily undertake short periods of work such as:

• emergency or occasional treatment of a patient (eg to cover sick leave).
• promoting continuity of care of a patient.
• allowing a consultant to provide short-term specialist training to other clinicians in the area of his/her expertise.
• allowing a consultant to receive short-term training/continuing professional development to expand their skills in an area of practice that is new to them, or in innovative techniques and technology.

Further information including how to access and use the Certificate is available from the NHS Employers website.