LETTERS Patients come first
Sir: Alasdair Palmer's article (Now then, what seems to be the trouble?', 29 July) contains several errors and half-truths. He asserts that the GMC has put the protec- tion of doctors before the protection of patients. This is wrong.
Mr Palmer quotes from GMC guidance to doctors but from a version long out of date. Our current message is unequivo- cal:
It is any doctor's duty, where the circum- stances so warrant, to inform an appropriate person or authority about a colleague whose professional conduct or fitness to practise may be called into question, or whose profes- sional performance appears to be in some way deficient. Arrangements exist to deal with such problems, and they must be used in order to ensure that high standards of medi- cal practice are maintained.
A doctor who ignores this duty would place his or her own registration at risk. The message will be further reinforced when the guidance is updated later this year. This will emphasise that 'the safety of patients must come first at all times'.
It is not true that doctors are secretly restored to the Register after erasure. All applications for restoration are heard in public. Between 1979 and 1993, 125 doctors were erased from the Register. In the same period only 32 were restored.
As a result of the GMC's initiative, the Medical (Professional Performance) Bill will become law in the autumn. For the first time we will be able to tackle doctors whose professional performance is seriously defi- cient. We are confident that our new proce- dures, which have the support of the pro- fession as a whole, will bring major benefits for patients.
Today sees the publication of the Department of Health report, Maintaining Medical Excellence. Our president-elect, Sir Donald Irvine, was a member of the work- ing group which produced the report. The recommendations are intended to dovetail with the GMC's guidance to doctors and fitness to practise procedures.
There should be no doubt about our commitment to the high standards of care to which patients are entitled.
Finlay Scott
Chief Executive and Registrar, General Medical Council, 178-202 Great Portland Street, London W1
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