NHS management wasting millions on suspensions: NAO

There is a pressing need for the Department of Health, Strategic Health Authorities and NHS trusts to improve their management of suspensions of clinical staff, according to the head of the National Audit Office, Sir John Bourn.

Today’s report to Parliament, highlighted concerns about the length of time clinical staff are being formally suspended or sent on ‘gardening leave’, and the fairness, openness and transparency of the whole process.

Between April 2001 and July 2002, over 1,000 clinical staff were excluded on full pay from the NHS at an estimated annual additional cost of some £29 million.

According to the National Audit Office, the need for effective management plans, the numbers of exclusions and their length suggest that basic management principles are "not being followed".

Better management of exclusions would result in additional resources being available for health services. For example, if exclusions were limited to six months, there would be additional resources worth some £14 million a year, the NAO said.

NAO chief Sir John Bourn said: "At present, however, there is evidence of many cases of exclusion being allowed to drift on without resolution or proper management. This represents a serious waste of resources for the NHS and can harm the career and even personal wellbeing of the accused clinicians themselves.

"The Department of Health should now take further steps to achieve a system for managing the exclusion of clinical staff in which both staff and patients can have confidence."

Cases can continue for months and years with delays occurring at each of the principal stages: informing clinicians of the allegations, providing documentation, undertaking clinical investigations and assessments, and implementing recommendations. For the clinician, exclusion can result in reduced self-esteem and depression; and a number never work again, even if exonerated.

(gmcg)