MHPS Investigations
Challenges of an MHPS Investigation
An MHPS investigation is an assessment of the conduct of doctors and dentists, carried out within a framework produced by the Department of Health.
Managing the performance of doctors can be one of the hardest and most complex jobs in healthcare. Views about the special status of doctors, the lack of familiarity managers have with clinical skills and performance standards, and the reluctance to challenge poor practise mean that managing doctors’ performance can be a real challenge.
Using our experience of handling some of the most sensitive investigations in the healthcare sector, we have helped a number of NHS trusts with investigations under the MHPS (Maintaining High Professional Standards) framework. We act as case investigator, collecting evidence for the case manager. Our independence, experience and discretion is particularly useful when handling difficult cases.
If you need advice or assistance with an MHPS investigation, please book a free consultation or simply call us on 020 7494 5670 so we can confidentially discuss the performance issues affecting your organisation.
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Understanding how to evaluate performance
In our experience healthcare managers undertake an MHPS investigation only as a last resort because they know how long and complicated the process can be. Much can be done to avoid starting down the MHPS road. Prompt action should be taken by managers to identify and address performance problems with a doctor at an early stage. The key is to spot the issue, and to address it with the practitioner directly as soon as it happens. Ignoring the problem, and putting off this discussion almost always leads to the issues persisting.
Sometimes the performance issue will be limited to one individual but, more often, the performance of the doctor’s team will also be affected. To make the problem clear to the doctor, it is essential for managers to be specific about the issue, to explain where the performance falls short of the standards expected, and to describe the effects of their performance failures on the team and, most importantly, the patient. And it is also important to help the doctor understand what’s expected and to help them with the practical steps they need to take to correct their performance.
MHPS case support
In many cases, simply raising the issue promptly in a constructive way will be enough for those involved to see what needs to be done better. However, we know that some issues are more difficult to address and, in some cases, an MHPS investigation may be needed. That can be a big step to take, especially as the stakes for those involved are so high.
Conducting an MHPS case will put serious demands on managers to conduct fair and thorough investigations. At Verita, we have carried out the investigation in a number of cases where the MHPS process has been used and experience tells us that complex cases need to be handled carefully. We also know that MHPS cases are often assigned to inexperienced managers or to fellow doctors, who might never have had to investigate colleagues before.
Our investigative experience
As specialists in investigations we are always happy to support or advise those carrying out investigations of this sort, or take on the investigation ourselves. We would much rather do that, than be called in to carry out an investigation after an internal one has gone wrong! An MHPS investigation is never easy – but there is so much to be gained from carrying it out to a high standard and to a reasonable timetable.
If you would like to know more about how Verita can help with your MHPS investigation, please book a free consultation or contact Verita founder Ed Marsden at Verita on [email protected] or call 020 7494 5670. We are always happy to talk through the issues around MHPS.
Key Team Members & Associates
David Scott is Verita’s associate director and HR expert, specialising in people and the workplace. He is an experienced human resources director, having worked at Board/Executive level for more than 20 years, including senior positions at British Telecommunications plc, HM Prison Service and United Utilities plc.
David has been interim HR director of First Group, the Strategic Rail Authority and was interim Director of Workforce and Strategic HR at Kent and Medway Strategic Health Authority from 2004-2005.
He is responsible for the development of our MHPS Case Manager Training Course.
Ed Marsden
Ed Marsden has a clinical background in general and psychiatric nursing and NHS management, and has worked for the Department of Health and the West Kent Health Authority as director of performance management.
He combines his responsibilities as Verita’s founder with an active role in leading complex consultancy and investigations. He worked with Kate Lampard to provide independent oversight of the 40 or so investigations carried out by the NHS into allegations about Jimmy Savile. Recent work includes leading a review of patient safety at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, and investigating the work-related death of an NHS manager.
Peter Killwick
Peter has 25 years of consulting experience covering a variety of strategic and operational issues in a wide range of sectors including healthcare.
He has extensive experience of conducting complex investigations within the NHS, both at operational and commissioner level, including several cases involving allegations raised by whistle-blowers.
Find out more
David Scott leads our MHPS investigation service. To find out more, please contact David Scott on 020 7494 5670 or [email protected]
MHPS Investigation Insights
MHPS investigation FAQs
Maintaining High Professional Standards (MHPS) is the NHS framework for managing performance, conduct and capability issues for doctors and dentists in the UK. An MHPS investigation aims to discover and evaluate evidence gathered in these areas when concerns are raised.
As with other workplace investigations, MHPS cases can be investigated internally within an organisation. However, it is often essential to reassure the subject of an investigation that they will be investigated by someone trained and accredited, who will be completely impartial and unfamiliar to them.
Fresh eyes and an unbiased approach lead, in our experience, to outcomes that subjects and their employers can trust.
A Case Manager is responsible for commissioning an MHPS investigation and for ensuring it is conducted thoroughly and fairly in line with the NHS framework. The Case Manager is often the decision-maker after the investigation.
They are normally responsible for appointing the Case Investigator, whose role is to carry out the investigation, to gather and evaluate the evidence and to report the findings to the Case Manager. Case Investigators should not be involved in decision-making in MHPS cases.
Straightforward MHPS case investigations can be delivered in 2-3 months. More complex cases – where there are overlapping concerns about performance, conduct and capability can take much longer, depending on the amount of evidence that needs to be gathered and evaluated.
Cases where the subject disputes the allegations can also take longer than those in which they acknowledge the concerns.
Personal conduct is behaviour that is not connected directly to a doctor or a dentist’s clinical performance. Clinical competence is about whether a doctor or a dentist is meeting accepted NHS and GMC standards for their treatment of patients.
Yes. Clients commonly seek advice about whether or not to initiate an MHPS investigation and, if they do, about the establishment of an investigation plan and identification of the case Investigator and case Manager.
Experienced Verita Case Investigators are always happy to discuss such issues before a client opens an MHPS investigation. We can also help clients who need to train their own Case Managers through our CPD-accredited training course.