This circular forms part of the implementation of the NHS Plan, published in July 2000, bringing patient interests to the forefront of NHS thinking. It also replaces existing guidance HSG(97)36 Issue of Alert Letters about Hospital and Community Medical and Dental Staff. It advises NHS and other healthcare organisations in England of the new alert letter system for notifying, on a confidential basis, employers within the healthcare sector in the United Kingdom about a health professional, where there are reasonable grounds to believe: they pose a serious potential or actual risk to the safety of patients, clients and carers or to staff; and/or their performance or conduct has been such as to seriously compromise the effective functioning of a clinical team or local primary care services; and they are believed likely to be working or seeking work elsewhere in a health or social care setting.
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