healthmedicinet

Doctors who are found to be bullying others will also be dealt with more
severely.

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the General Medical Council, said: “Doctors
are among the most trusted professionals, and rightly so, and they deserve
to be treated fairly.

“In the vast majority of cases one-off clinical errors do not merit any action
by the GMC.

“But if we are to maintain that trust, in the small number of serious cases
where doctors fail to listen to concerns and take action sooner to protect
patients, they should be held to account for their actions.

“There have been occasions when we have been prevented from taking action
in serious cases because the doctor has been able to show that they have
subsequently improved their practice.

“We believe that doctors and patients want stronger action in these serious
cases.

“It is also right that patients or their families are told what went
wrong and if appropriate they should be given a full apology.

“We believe this should be taken into account when deciding what if any
sanction needs to be imposed to protect future patients and uphold the
reputation of the profession.”

The results of the consultation, which will run until November, will form the
basis of guidance on the sanctions doctors should face for various offences,
similar to sentencing guidance used by courts of law.

Mr Dickson added: “The guidance on which we are consulting today is vital
for Case Examiners and the independent panels who decide on the sanctions
doctors should face, both to protect patients and uphold the reputation of
the profession.

“We want patients, doctors and other professionals to give us their
views – this consultation is a chance to make sure the action we take is
fair to doctors while never losing our focus on protecting the public.”

Peter Walsh from the patient safety charity Action against Medical Accidents
(AvMA) said: “We welcome the proposal to enable the GMC to take regulatory
action against doctors who have shown no insight following serious
complaints that have been upheld about them.

“It is not acceptable that they have not been able to even when they have
wanted to in cases like those involving doctors involved in the Mid
Staffordshire and Gosport War Memorial hospitals scandals.

“However, we are frustrated that changes are being made in a piecemeal
fashion, when wholesale changes are required to the GMC’s and other
regulators procedures.

“There needs to be more transparency and patients need to be given the
right to an independent review of decisions not to investigate concerns
about health professionals, and access to specialist independent advice.

“It is disappointing that the Government is not taking forward the long
awaited Bill on health professional regulation in this parliament.”