NHS staff will come under stricter vetting procedures when applying for jobs in future.

At a meeting last week the Bury Health Care NHS Trust chief executive, Mr Phillip Bacon, announced that a watchdog group had been set up to ensure that all the necessary procedures, in line with government guidelines, were being followed.

The group, led by Mr Bacon, will include consultants, doctors and hospital who will be responsible for regularly checking the staff vetting procedure.

Mr Bacon said: "The trust has a very good appointment procedure but I do not think there is any harm in auditing these procedures and having all the safeguards." He added: "There is no room for complacency as the consequences for patients can be so severe if things go wrong. That is why I want to ensure we take all the necessary measures and maintain a high standard."

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