GMC imposes conditions on anaesthetics at Basildon University Hospital amid concerns for trainees and patients

The General Medical Council (GMC) has placed conditions on the Anaesthetics training programme at Basildon University Hospital, part of Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, following serious issues relating to patient safety and the quality of postgraduate medical education.

As the regulator responsible for setting the standards of postgraduate medical training, and checking they are being met, the GMC has taken this action to address a range of issues including failures to protect doctors in training from sexual misconduct, misogyny and undermining behaviours, as well as inappropriate staffing levels within the department.

Doctors in training in anaesthetics are currently not working in the department due to the concerns, and the GMC will require evidence of change before conditions can be removed and before they can return.

Professor Pushpinder Mangat, Medical Director and Director for Education and Standards at the GMC, said:

‘We work to make sure that education and training prepares 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.’

As part of efforts to ensure doctors in training receive the highest standards of training, the GMC gathers information from a range of sources including its annual national training survey, which captures feedback from doctors, their trainers and intelligence from its outreach teams who work closely with trusts.

If risks or concerns are identified, the GMC may investigate and introduce enhanced monitoring to protect patients and training quality. If serious concerns remain the GMC may introduce conditions until satisfactory improvements are made.

Further information

• Enhanced monitoring of anaesthetics training at the trust was put into place in July 2025. Enhanced monitoring is the process used by the GMC to make sure 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.
• NHS England – East of England removed doctors in anaesthetics training from the department in May 2025 due to serious failings affecting training quality and patient care.

The conditions are:

1. There are processes put in place that ensures 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.
2. There are processes put in place to foster a culture where doctors in training can openly and safely raise concerns about patient safety, wellbeing, education, and training without the 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.
3. There are appropriate mechanisms in place that ensures 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.
4. There are governance systems which monitor and demonstrate quality in patient safety, education and training with accountability held at board level. The trust must identify a named lead at executive level who will be responsible for oversight and delivery of the required improvements within the department.

Read more about enhanced monitoring.