There will be a UK-wide review into bonus payments given to NHS consultants, the Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley has announced. Clinical Excellence and Distinction Awards recognise and reward the exceptional contribution of NHS consultants, over and above that normally expected, to the values and goals of the NHS and to patient care.
The awards were first introduced in 1948, and some 60 years later the schemes have remained largely unchanged. The review, commissioned by the four UK Health Departments, will be led by the independent Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB). The DDRB will work closely with a range of external stakeholders, including NHS organisations, the British Medical Association and the independent committees which make awards in the devolved administrations. Andrew Lansley, Secretary of State for Health, said: “We want to continue to reward and recognise those individuals who give outstanding patient care and go beyond the call of duty, but we must ensure that the system is effective and affordable.”
