The model job description for the "named doctor" developed by the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health lists 12 duties that include responsibility for the organization of training and clinical supervision of all doctors who are in regular contact with children. Nottingham City Hospital created the post of the named doctor in child protection in 1998. Under this program, training and induction sessions for staff were properly organized for the first time, and child protection work was audited and the results analyzed. In addition to a named doctor, a named nurse was also appointed to assume specialized duties in child protection. This paper outlines the responsibilities of the named doctor under the following general areas: training, supervision, governance, management, and communication. This paper also discusses the organization and updating of the training program for the hospital's pediatric department and other departments, the availability and clarity of mandated child protection procedures, and the adherence of auditing to model child protection procedures. The paper notes that over three audits conducted from 1999 through 2002, performance scores gradually increased in the following areas: referral pattern, referrals followed up in writing in the required time period, and the quality of the information sent to social services. Recommendations for the future are to include peer review meetings to discuss cases, greater interagency involvement at updating sessions, and a more effective method of recording child protection treatment issues in the case notes. Further, national standards should be set for auditing child protection in hospitals. 1 table, 1 figure, and 14 references