The government has announced new proposals to protect NHS whistleblowers.
Under the proposals, NHS managers who silence whistleblowers or endanger patients through misconduct could be barred from working in the NHS.
A public consultation will be launched on Tuesday 26 November seeking views on the the proposals to regulate health service managers, ensuring they follow professional standards and are held to account.
The Department of Health and Social Care will also consult on whether to introduce a new professional duty of candour on managers.
The changes come as part of work to get the NHS back on its feet.
Karin Smyth, minister of state for health, said: "To turn around our NHS we need the best and brightest managing the health service, a culture of transparency that keeps patients safe, and an end to the revolving door that allows failed managers to pick up in a new NHS organisation.
"Earlier this month the Secretary of State promised that as part of our 10 year plan for health we will reform the NHS so that it rewards success and acts decisively on failure.
"Today’s announcement builds on that promise and help us build a health system that protects patients and is fit for the future."
Currently there is no single regulatory framework for the thousands of clinical and non-clinical managers in the NHS, in the same way there is for doctors and nurses.
It is hoped that regulation will prevent individuals with a record of poor performance or misconduct from continuing to work in the health service and will deliver on the government's manifesto promise to introduce professional standards and regulate NHS managers.
The consultation will run for 12 weeks, and the department will then consider responses.
Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, said: "It is right that NHS managers have the same level of accountability as other NHS professionals, but it is critical that it comes alongside the necessary support and development to enable all managers to meet the high quality standards that we expect.
"We welcome this consultation and already have a range of work underway to boost support for managers in the NHS and to help set them up to succeed – this includes creating a single code of practice, a new induction process and a new set of professional standards, which will ultimately help drive improvements in productivity and patient care."
Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association said: "We welcome this public consultation on government proposals to regulate health service managers. Patients tell us that accountability and transparency is often lacking in their healthcare journeys.
"We encourage everyone who has experienced NHS care, especially those who have felt unheard by the system, to contribute their views. We will support patients to engage with this consultation as genuine partnership with patients builds a safer healthcare service."
