Employers - use CDU or NCAS?

Helping a doctor or dentist who is in difficulty is often a challenge and requires time. There are clear NHS guidelines for employing Trusts in this situation, including the appointment of a Case Manager who may need to create some time to facilitate the processes effectively. Advice and help is available from the NHS National Clinical Assessment Service (NCAS) and the Career Development Unit, but the service offered from each is essentially different and many doctors or dentists in difficulty may need the involvement of both services.

What the CDU does
The Career Development Unit provides personal coaching and career guidance for doctors and dentists at all stages in their career. It therefore does not confine itself to practitioners whose performance gives cause for concern but also provides help for high flyers. This can be helpful in avoiding any stigma felt by the doctor or dentist.

As part of the Oxford Deanery, the Career Development Unit is well placed to facilitate access to remedial training and local educational resources. The CDU Performance Improvement Plan, unlike the NCAS, is facilitated and supervised by the CDU coach who can also ensure the demonstration of clinical competence using local or national assessments such as elements of the Summative Assessment used for GP registrars.
If a practitioner has already had a full assessment from NCAS or GMC/GDC, then the CDU can translate the educational recommendations into a locally resourced programme.

What to expect from the CDU