603DX

Another reported instance of this sort of thing in the world of healthcare:

BBC News - Medway NHS patients recalled amid nursing fraud probe

I have doubts regarding the effectiveness of checks on the validity of claimed qualifications in the health services. Two close relatives of mine were employed as junior doctors in different hospitals for short terms in several regions of the UK as a normal part of their post-qualification experience, in the early 1990's. Neither of them were ever required to produce any evidence of their medical training at any of these hospitals. They simply turned up on the appointed day and were accepted at face value, as what they said they were. They were very surprised at the apparent sloppiness of this situation, and so was I.

Is it too much to expect that the credentials of those we entrust with our health and wellbeing will have been thoroughly checked and verified?

DX Wombat

It is usually the job of someone in the Human Remains Dept, aka Personnel, to check up on CVs. HR/PD staff are often overworked and short staffed so it may be possible that some facts may not be known immediately prior to employment because of the workload at one or more of the hospitals involved. This is not to be regarded as an excuse, just a possible explanation. yes, it should be simple, but where human beings are involved that isn't always the case. Here In Bradford we had a "GP" who practised for many years before being discovered to be unqualified. Several of the District Midwives of the time had expressed their concerns but absolute proof was difficult to obtain. I have tried to find the case on t'internet but can't, sorry.

Cacophonix

No proven credentials and you are in his hands...

603DX

Isn't that the coat of arms of the British Medical Association on his forehead? Or am I mistaken ....

gingernut

Not sure of the exact details of this case, but prima facia, it appears that the naughty nurse was posing as being qualified, when in fact, she was not.

The term "nurse" is protected in law, and the ability to check whether or not is registered, is straightforward enough Search the register | Nursing and Midwifery Council

The difficulty comes when the nurse is in fact registered, but tells porkies about what duties they are competent to perform.....so for example, I, myself, am highly competent, at, dealing with kids with fevers, but have never performed a smear test in my career.

The process relies on self reporting, and unfortunately the Governing Body (The NMC) do not have sensitive enough measures to sort the goodies from the baddies.

The good news is, that the checks and measure in place to protect women undergoing smear tests, (she was probably picked up as a result of her failure rate) have prevented further damage.

Anyway, must dash, got some work to do....

gingernut

Oh dear, didn't mean to kill the thread

Anyway, the patients of the doc in Bradford raised a petition to reinstate him even when they knew he wasn't qualified. Prob'ly 'cos he listened a lot.

Which may go some way to demonste that medicine is more of an art than a science??

Having said that, I do like staring at my dentists certificates as she enters my mouth with her instruments of torture.