healthmedicinet

22 August 2014
Last updated at 00:31

Doctors can be suspended or struck off medical registers if they cause serious harm

The General Medical Council says it plans to toughen sanctions against doctors who harm patients.

Under the proposals, doctors could be forced to apologise or face stricter measures if they had failed to say sorry on previous occasions.

The medical regulator also wants to be able to restrict practice of those who have made mistakes and since retrained, even if their work has improved.

Views of the public and specialist groups are now being sought.

Suspensions and restrictions

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These measures are a step in the right direction but they are not yet wide enough and comprehensive enough”

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Peter Walsh
Action Against Medical Accidents

The GMC, which regulates all doctors in the UK, says the intention is to protect patients in the small number of cases where the public expects stronger action.

It has powers to restrict practice, suspend or permanently remove doctors from a register that allows them to work.

Extensive guidelines are already in place but the regulator says certain situations merit much stricter measures.

For example, according to new proposals doctors who fail to raise concerns about a colleague’s ability to practise safely could face harsher penalties than currently.

GMC chief executive Niall Dickson said: “Doctors are among the most trusted professionals, and rightly so.

“In the vast majority of cases one-off clinical errors do not merit 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 they should be held to account for their actions.

‘Not wide enough’

“There have been occasions when we have been prevented form taking action in cases because the doctor has been able to show that they have subsequently improved their practice,” Mr Dickson said.

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

Peter Walsh, from the charity Action Against Medical Accidents, told the BBC: “These measures are a step in the right direction but they are not yet wide enough or comprehensive enough to make it a genuinely patient-centred process. “

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “After the tragic failings at Mid Staffs [hospital], we are taking steps to improve patient safety and ensure doctors are held to account for poor care.”

The consultation closes on 14 November and the the outcome will be published next year.