FOR INDEPENDENT HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
Governance of medical practice you can stand behind
An independent review of how your organisation meets the expectations of the CQC, GMC, NHS England and PHIN, with a clear, prioritised plan to close any gaps.
LED BY
Dr Lorcan Sheppard
Special Advisor
Former NHS Consultant
10+ years as a Chief Medical Officer in independent healthcare
Responsible Officer since 2012
Working relationships with the GMC, CQC and PHIN
More scrutiny, more regulators, less room for error
Independent providers answer to the CQC, GMC, NHS England and PHIN, often all at once. Since the Paterson Inquiry, each of them expects clear evidence that the doctors working in your organisation practise safely, and that you would know quickly if they did not.
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Most providers have the policies in place. The real question is whether they would stand up if something went wrong.
QUESTIONS WORTH ASKING
If a concern were raised about a consultant tomorrow, would your process stand up?
Are GMC guidelines built into your quality assurance processes?
Do your doctors address consultation letters to the patient, or only to their GP?
How we can help
Start with a full review, or bring us in for the area that matters most to you right now.
FLAGSHIP REVIEW
Governance of Medical Practice Review
We measure how your organisation works today against statutory requirements and national guidelines, from CQC Regulations and Responsible Officer duties to GMC guidance. You get a clear picture of where you stand and a prioritised plan to close the gaps.
The standards we review against include
CQC Regulations
GMC Good Medical Practice
Paterson Inquiry
Responsible Officer Regulations
ISCAS Code of Practice
PHIN
GIRFT
How a review works
1
Discovery Call
A 30-minute conversation about your organisation, your concerns and what the review should cover.
2
Interviews & Sampling
We speak to key people and look at real cases to see how your policies work in practice.
3
Document & Policy Review
We review your policies, governance framework and records against each relevant standard.
4
Report & Action Plan
You receive our findings, a prioritised plan and a summary for your board. We can stay on to help you deliver it.
What you receive
âś“ A written report benchmarked against each framework
âś“ A RAG-rated gap analysis
âś“ A board-level summary
âś“ A prioritised action plan
âś“ Optional support to put the plan into practice
WHY HEALTHCARE LEGAL
We have rebuilt legal and governance functions inside the NHS. We bring the same rigour to your organisation.
Our founders ran NHS legal departments, and our Special Adviser has led medical governance in independent healthcare for over a decade. Together we understand both the law and how medicine is really practised.
25+
years combined NHS legal experience
2012
acting as a Responsible Officer since revalidation began
Finalist, HSJ Partnership Awards 2026: Best Consultancy Partnership with the NHS
Frequently asked questions
Find out where you stand
Send us a short message and we will arrange a call at a time that suits you.
We will talk through where you are now, what is worrying you, and whether we are the right people to help. No obligation.