The General Medical Council imposes conditions on Basildon University Hospital’s anaesthetics training after concerns about patient safety and trainee wellbeing
The General Medical Council (GMC) has placed conditions on the anaesthetics training programme at Basildon University Hospital amid serious concerns about patient safety, training quality, and the working culture for trainee doctors. The regulator says evidence of sustained improvements in supervision, staffing, and professional behaviour must be shown before doctors in training can return to the department.
GMC imposes conditions on Basildon Hospital after trainee safety concerns
The GMC imposed conditions on Basildon University Hospital after reports of failures to protect trainees from sexual misconduct, misogyny, undermining behaviour, and inadequate staffing.
Anaesthetics trainees are currently absent from the department due to these concerns, and the GMC requires evidence of change before lifting conditions or allowing their return.
The conditions are:
- Processes are in place to ensure the anaesthetics department is appropriately staffed with qualified educators to provide clinical supervision, support manageable rotas, and oversee the delivery and monitoring of educational opportunities for doctors in training.
- There are processes in place to foster a culture in which doctors in training can openly and safely raise concerns about patient safety, wellbeing, education, and training without fear of adverse consequences. The trust must make sure this culture also supports adherence to clinical guidelines and standards, encourages learning from mistakes, and drives continuous improvement.
- There are appropriate mechanisms in place that ensure doctors in training are not subjected to sexual misconduct, misogyny and undermining behaviours and that processes are followed in line with the principles and policies of equality, diversity and inclusion.
- There are governance systems that monitor and demonstrate quality in patient safety, education, and training, with accountability at the board level. The trust must identify a named executive-level lead responsible for overseeing and delivering the required improvements within the department.
Enhanced monitoring started in early 2025
In July 2025, enhanced monitoring of anaesthetics training at Basildon University Hospital will be implemented to ensure that deaneries, trusts and health boards act where significant risks to training or patient care are identified. Where serious concerns are not made, the GMC may go on to impose conditions on a training programme’s approval or remove doctors in training.
In May 2025, NHS England – East of England removed doctors in anaesthetics training from the department due to serious failings affecting training quality and patient care.
Professor Pushpinder Mangat, Medical Director and Director for Education and Standards at the GMC, said: “We work to make sure that education and training prepare doctors to deliver good, safe patient care by setting high standards and expected outcomes.
‘We need assurance that the required standards and the conditions imposed are being met, including the creation of a working culture where doctors can raise issues openly, without fear of repercussions.”
