Hernias: Surgery

(asked on 2nd April 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford on 25 March (HL14391), how they ensure that all consultant general surgeons are fully trained to maintain their skills in carrying out non-mesh hernia repair treatments.


This question was answered on 10th April 2019

Consultant surgeons go through a standardised training and education process and must pass examinations and have confirmation of their surgical competence by their supervisors before they can join the General Medical Council’s (GMC) Specialist Register.

Unless they are on this Specialist Register they cannot practise as consultant surgeons in England. As practising surgeons, they are expected to maintain a Licence to Practise through the GMC's process of revalidation that must be renewed by application every five years and which is associated with annual appraisal. This includes reflection on their performance, continuing professional development, any involvement in serious incidents or complaints, feedback from multi professional colleagues and patients and quality improvement activities.

Typically, the Medical Director of a hospital trust employing surgeons will ensure that numbers and outcomes of surgical procedures carried out by a consultant surgeon are included in their appraisal reflection and discussion. Consultants and their appraisers have a professional responsibility to inform the Medical Director if they have concerns about surgical performance including for non-mesh hernia repair treatments.

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