All our Consultants at Greater Lancashire Hospital are independent practitioners and have personal responsibility for the care they deliver. They are required to operate according to Greater Lancashire Hospital policies and procedures when practicing within our Hospital. Many of our Consultants are employed by the NHS, and may also work across a number of other independent providers.

Every Consultant is listed on the General Medical Council (GMC) medical register and undergoes a thorough vetting and approval process before being granted “practising privileges” to undertake practice at Greater Lancashire hospital. Their Practising Privileges are subject to regular review by our Hospital Director and Matron.

Your relationship with each Consultant involved in your treatment (including anaesthetists) exists as a separate legal relationship alongside your relationship with Greater Lancashire Hospital. If you are a private patient, you or your insurer will usually be invoiced separately by each Consultant involved in your treatment, and by the hospital, although in some instances we act as a fee collecting agent for the Consultants to make the payment process easier.

Whilst Consultants are responsible for clinical decision-making and the quality of the care they deliver, Greater Lancashire Hospital is responsible for ensuring that there are systems of monitoring and oversight in place, designed to ensure that Consultants in compliance with their practising privileges, practise and deliver care and services in accordance with our policies.

All Consultants are required to maintain adequate minimum levels of medical malpractice indemnity cover, in keeping with GMC guidance, and Greater Lancashire Hospital undertakes checks to ensure that all indemnity certificates are in place.