'Trust, Assurance And Safety - The Regulation Of Health Professionals In The 21st Century', General Medical Council, UK
We agree with the Government and with the Chief Medical Officer for England that the White Paper provides the basis for a lasting settlement in relation to professional regulation.
We are particularly delighted that the White Paper incorporates so many of the proposals we published in November last year. They were designed to ensure a regulatory system that commands the confidence and support of all those who receive and provide healthcare.
-- The Secretary of State has recognised the importance of our statutory role in controlling entry to the register and the standards for entry. We are pleased that our model of interlocking functions has been endorsed. This includes our three board model for education training, which would bring together the coordination of all stages - undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing professional development.
-- An extension of our role in defining and assuring standards of practice.
-- We suggested in 1998 that there should be a system of 'revalidation' of doctors. We are looking forward now to being able to begin re-licensing and re-certification as soon as practicable. We will build on our existing strong relationships with the medical Royal Colleges as the custodians of specialist standards to deliver this.
-- To ensure public confidence, we believe the GMC must be seen to be independent. In our package of proposals on healthcare professional regulation, we suggested that the composition of the council should be changed to ensure a balanced membership with equal proportions of medical and lay members. We also support clear accountability to parliament.
-- We have already agreed to introduce the civil standard of proof flexibly applied and will implement this when the appropriate legislation has been passed.
-- This White Paper proposes a major extension of the GMCs role in developing GMC 'affiliates.' This is a bold proposition and we will participate fully in its development. The vast majority of doctors in this country are good doctors delivering high quality healthcare under demanding circumstances. However, a small minority are not; and we are determined to work closely with local healthcare management on the early identification of problems and on appropriate remedies, to ensure that patient safety is enhanced.
The White Paper confirms that the GMC will be the sole investigating authority for serious complaints against doctors. The GMC sets the standards which determine whether a doctor loses their licence. Under these proposals the GMC will now gain a right of appeal which we have long sought over cases where we consider a decision is too lenient.
The White Paper says an independent body should carry out the adjudication of cases. This is an incremental change: we have already introduced independent panels. This goes a step further. We will now work constructively to achieve a smooth transition to the new arrangements.
The GMC has already undertaken a very significant programme of reform. However, there is more to do. Regulation is a dynamic process - it should not stand still. It must be scrutinised, challenged and improved to take account of our changing society and the changing healthcare environment.
Our priority now is to end the uncertainty for patients and doctors. We believe we can do that. We look forward to working with all those who must be placed at the heart of the regulatory system - patients and the public, doctors, the medical schools and Royal colleges, the NHS and other healthcare providers.
In November 2006 we argued for an independent and accountable system of medical regulation that would:
-- Put patient safety at its heart
-- Be independent of government as the dominant healthcare provider and independent of dominance by any single group.
-- Provide an integrated regulatory framework based on the GMC's four interlocking functions: controlling entry to the medical register; setting standards for medical education and training; determining the principles and values that underpin good medical practice; and taking firm but fair action against doctors when those standards have not been met.
-- Ensure that professional regulation and workplace regulation connect in a coherent manner that reflects their distinct but complementary roles.
-- Be objective, fair, accessible and transparent so as to command the confidence and support of those receiving and providing healthcare.
-- Be suited to the local context in all four UK countries.
The four inquiries tragically demonstrated what can go wrong when a tiny number of doctors depart from the high standards that are rightly expected of them.
We believe that the proposals in this White Paper provide the basis for effective regulation in the future.
Professor Sir Graeme Catto, President, General Medical Council
The General Medical Council licenses doctors to practise medicine in the UK. Our purpose is summed up in the phrase:
Regulating doctors
Ensuring good medical practice.
The law gives us four main functions:
-- keeping up-to-date registers of qualified doctors
-- fostering good medical practice
-- promoting high standards of medical education
-- dealing firmly and fairly with doctors whose fitness to practise is in doubt
http://www.gmcpressoffice.org
"Ai încredere, asigurarea ºi Securitate - Regulamentul din sistemul de sãnãtate în secolul 21", Consiliul Medical General, Marea Britanie - 'Trust, Assurance And Safety - The Regulation Of Health Professionals In The 21st Century', General Medical Council, UK - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate