New guidelines have been issued to simplify the Care Quality Commission (CQC) registration process for GPs.

The document is designed to help those in GP jobs establish whether they are compliant with the CQC`s essential standards.

GPs had previously complained that CQC registration was lengthy and complex.

The BMA`s General Practitioners Committee (GPC) said the new guidance would help to make the task less burdensome.

The committee has been working with the CQC for 12 months in a bid to improve the registration process and ensure that compliance is monitored in a "proportionate" manner.

A toolkit was launched last year to help with registration. Since then, changes have been made to the process, which are incorporated into the new guidelines.

GPC chairman Dr Laurence Buckman said: "We`ve produced this guidance to help GPs and practice managers through the process, trying to make it as straightforward as possible, however we believe all practices should already be able to fulfil and demonstrate the essential standards through the work they currently do."

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Workers in GP jobs have been called on to provide better support to people with hearing disabilities.

The appeal comes after new findings suggest that patients who use sign language without an interpreter`s help sometimes struggle to communicate with their doctor.

Data showed that two in five British Sign Language (BSL) users said they feel confused after visiting their GP because of poor interpretation, while more than two in three were not given an interpreter`s help despite stating they needed one when they booked an appointment.

As a result a group of organisations, which includes the charity Action on Hearing Loss, have issued a call to those in GP jobs to improve the services available for deaf patients. They have also urged providers of healthcare to employ those who are only qualified sign language interpreters to act as a support for people with hearing loss.

"It`s essential that there is clear communication between patients and health professionals, so that medical information is conveyed without any confusion," said Jackie Ballard, chief executive of Action on Hearing Loss.

"We want standards in communication for people with a hearing loss to be improved and meet the legal requirements of the Equality Act 2010."

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The inclusion of salaried and locum GPs by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) should be compulsory before they are granted authorisation, the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has declared.

The call was made by Dr Su Stone, a GP locum and clinical lead for the RCGP`s sessional GPs in commissioning project.

But she admitted it was a long-term aspiration and added: "We`re hoping in the future to make including sessionals compulsory for CCG authorisation, but that`s a bit of a dream."

She spoke as the college launched two surveys, one for sessional GPs and one for emerging CCGs, to establish the levels of their involvement across England. It intends to help poor performers by identifying examples of best practice.

It will also seek to discover the barriers preventing the inclusion and engagement of salaried and locum GPs .

The surveys - which close on April 6 - are being undertaken by the RCGP in collaboration with other groups including the General Practitioners Committee, the National Association of Primary Care and National Association of Sessional GPs.

Dr Stone said that if the survey results showed that a large number of sessional GPs were being excluded from commissioning it would give the RCGP more strength to take action to improve the situation.

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GPs and other doctors will be prevented from signing contracts containing `gagging clauses` under newly launched guidance.

The GMC implemented the new rules on Monday with the message that those working in GP jobs have a "duty to act" over issues relating to patient safety.

Under the rules, doctors are unable to sign contracts which contain clauses banning them from flagging up issues relating to patient safety and the quality of care relating to regulators such as the Care Quality Commission.

The new guidance also prevents management-level doctors from talking up such contracts among GPs and other doctors.

GMC chief executive Niall Dickson said: "Our guidance makes clear that doctors have a duty to act when they believe patient safety is at risk, or when a patient`s care or dignity is being compromised.

"The guidance explains when doctors need to raise concerns and advises on the help and support available to them, including how to tackle any barriers that they may face."

Copyright Press Association 2012