In the Health Secretary's recent address naming Lady Justice Thirwall as the chair of the independent inquiry into the crimes committed by Lucy Letby, Tom Kark's Fit and Proper Person Test is given further consideration.

In Steve Barclays address to parliament, he discussed Tom Kark KC's 2018 review of the health service, specifically how it evaluates its's board members and thereby improves patient safety by strengthening board governance.

The Kark Review led to 5 recommendations for the regulation of board members, a number of which were accepted and incorporated into the NHS Boards new Fit and Proper Persons Test (FPPT) framework.

After the issue of patient safety was once again raised in light of the tragedies at the Countess of Chester Hospital, the health secretary emphasised his consideration of the 5th recommendation which was the ability to disbar directors for serious misconduct. It was initially excluded from being incorporated into the FPPT as it was believed that by taking on Tom Kark's wider proposals, the goverment had mitigated it's need.

The Health Secretary has now isclosed that he has asked the DHSC to "revisit" this 5th recommendation with NHS England.