Makes most agents look honest

[SueEllen]

Disgraceful, but far from surprising.

In truth how possible is it to actually verify that a foreign doctors qualifications are genuine, let alone that references are worth the paper they're printed on?

It's common knowledge and a matter of record that corruption is rife at educational establishments and government departments in other parts of the the World so even if the checking processes were rigorous confidence can't be better than limited.

Doctors have to be on the GMC register to work in the first place. To get on the register if the doctors are from a European and quite a few other countries they have to prove their qualifications are equivalent. If they aren't then the doctor has to do more training and testing to get British qualifications otherwise they aren't put on the register.

Some companies and institutions do check applicants degrees by contacting their universities directly and referees as a matter of course regardless of what job the person is being recruited for. In other words there are enough safe guards in the system if it's done properly.

It should be noted the story states:

Etherson admitted altering and falsifying applicants' references as well as the 'UK work experience' sections of a number of their CVs,

and:

The doctors whose CVs were altered were qualified abroad and were unaware of the scam.

The scam was obviously stating that a doctor had more experience then s/he actually said they had to make more money as as now the doctor was eligible for a more senior role.

[tractor]

Disgraceful, but far from surprising.

In truth how possible is it to actually verify that a foreign doctors qualifications are genuine, let alone that references are worth the paper they're printed on?

It's common knowledge and a matter of record that corruption is rife at educational establishments and government departments in other parts of the the World so even if the checking processes were rigorous confidence can't be better than limited.

And that is part of the risk management that should be in place. If something is not verifiable, even down to the differences between qualifications in different countries, then the risk should be conidered too great.

There are tests that could be conducted both practical and thoretical to determine an applicant's knowledge and experience. Agents clearly would never be qualified or able to provide those tests so they should be part of the selection process and conducted by the hirer prior to appointment. Instead, a manager looks at the roster, says we need 5 locums today and an agent provides 5 people whose clinical experience might only extend to castrating livestock in their own country

One of the big problems with outsourcing business processes is that those that do it increasingly seem to think that all risk is transferred in the process. It is not and it will take a few high profile cases to put things back into kilter. Unfortunately.

[TykeMerc]

Disgraceful, but far from surprising.

In truth how possible is it to actually verify that a foreign doctors qualifications are genuine, let alone that references are worth the paper they're printed on?

It's common knowledge and a matter of record that corruption is rife at educational establishments and government departments in other parts of the the World so even if the checking processes were rigorous confidence can't be better than limited.

[tractor]

....

Recruitment consultant Ross Etherson faked NHS doctors CVs | Daily Mail Online



why doesn't the NHS have a fixed margin with all agencies?
Why aren't the Agencies directors facing prosecution?

Why does the NHS not actually check them but instead believe an ex-mobile phone salesman? This simply shows that most Human Remains depts aren't worth a It also shows that due diligence consists purely of box ticking and the introduction of random targets by ministers who couldn't manage a household budget force them to chase the numbers rather than maintain quality and manage risk properly.

You cannot even get in the financial industry without an autopsy FFS!

[vetran]

Recruitment consultant Ross Etherson faked NHS doctors CVs | Daily Mail Online

'Shameful' recruitment consultant faked CVs and references so inexperienced foreign doctors could get locum jobs in British hospitals and put patients at risk
Ross Etherson faked references and CVs at Midas Medical Recruitment
Seven doctors were employed at two NHS trusts on basis of documents
Judge said it was 'purely luck' that no patients were harmed by the scam
Etherson pleaded guilty to fraud and blamed a 'culture of deceit' at Midas
The recruitment consultant was handed a two-year suspended sentence

why doesn't the NHS have a fixed margin with all agencies?
Why aren't the Agencies directors facing prosecution?