GMC REFORM PROPOSALS welcome BUT NOT ENOUGH

Published: 22 Aug 2014

AvMA welcomes the GMC proposals announced today overall. Getting  rid of the red tape that prevents the GMC taking action over some doctors it finds have seriously breached acceptable standards is particularly welcome. However, the proposal to force doctors to ‘apologise’ is misguided. A forced apology is no real apology. Instead the GMC should be tougher over breaches of the ‘duty of candour’ (involvement in cover-ups) but take into account genuine insight and genuine openness and apologies when mistakes have been made. There is also a need for more wholesale reform of health professional regulation, putting patients and patient safety at the centre. It is regrettable that the Government could not find time in this parliament for the long overdue health professional regulation Bill.