ABSTRACT
In addition to the legal system, Healthcare professionals are also subject to regulation by their employers and the professional bodies. The government has also established a new Special Health Authority-the National Clinical Assessment Authority (NCCA)—which will monitor the professional performance of doctors (it is planned to expand this to include all healthcare professionals once the effectiveness of the Authority has been demonstrated). Where the employer has doubts or concerns about the doctor’s clinical performance, the matter may be (but does not have to be) referred to the Authority. The Authority, acting as an advisory body, will investigate and make recommendations to the employer. The responsibility for resolving the problem always remains with the employer. The doctor may self-refer to the NCCA if he wishes any doubts about his performance to be resolved (see NHS Executive (2001)).
