GP practice reference checking — CQC compliant references for every surgery appointment

Reference checking requirements for GP practices

GP practices registered with CQC must comply with Regulation 19 for all staff employed in roles connected to regulated activity. This includes GPs themselves, GP registrars, practice nurses, nurse practitioners, healthcare assistants and administrative staff in patient-facing roles. Written employment references covering three years of history, with safeguarding suitability questions and documented audit trail, are required before any of these individuals begin work. For locum GPs, the same standard applies even for short-term placements.

Locum GP reference checking — the compliance gap

Locum GPs are placed at short notice — sometimes within 24 to 48 hours of a surgery needing cover. The time pressure creates a compliance shortcut that CQC inspectors frequently find in GP practice files. References for locum GPs are deferred, abbreviated or skipped entirely. Yet a locum GP has full access to patients and patient records, prescribing authority and clinical decision-making responsibility.

RefAssure returns most references in 1 to 3 days — making compliant reference checking achievable for the majority of locum GP placements. GP surgery managers can set up a reference in under 2 minutes, automated chasing handles the follow-up, and a CQC-ready PDF is generated on completion. From 99p per reference with no subscription or monthly fee.