Regular readers here will know I have scant regard for the General Medical Council. I consider them arrogant, overbearing amateurs, inadequately supervised or regulated. An organisation that seems to think itself above the law, with human rights breaches proven against it in the high court, and maintaining a system heavily skewed against any doctor that comes it’s way.
You would have thought that having the GMC as a regulator would be enough wouldn’t you?
I have mentioned before that there are several other bodies that also have regulatory powers over doctors, but until today I had never heard of the “Health, Education & Social Care Tribunal,” which has recently banned a doctor from working in the NHS. The media seem unsure as to the function of this body as well, the headline claiming that the doctor has been “struck off”, while admitting further down in the article that the GMC has done no such thing.
The medical profession is fast becoming the most over-regulated profession in Britain. The plethora of bodies involved constitute a chaotic mess that inhibits the proper professional conduct of doctors rather than enhancing it. We are all perpetually looking over our shoulders wondering who might be scrutinising us.
We no longer have double jeopardy, it’s now multiple. The possibility exists that we might have to defend ourselves several times for the same perceived offence. For the many bullies high up in the NHS it’s a gift. As soon as one body rejects a charge against your victim, simply send the complaint to another. I have seen this happen. A NHS Trust sent a file of complaints against a Consultant to NCAS. NCAS rejected the entire document in a single afternoon on the grounds that it’s contents were spurious. So the Trust sent the same folder to the GMC, who took somewhat longer to do the same.
This is tyranny and should be addressed. Over to you BMA.
what a rant
ReplyDeleteIt's a very interesting discourse. Why does anyone want to join the medical profession if the situation is really as bad and as tyrannical as made out here and by other people? They do study and take up medicine, and increasingly they are women not men. There must be strong counterbalancing benefits. Discussion would be good. Very few doctors I have had contact with in every day and emergency health care have been the subject of disciplinary procedures - in fact none.
ReplyDeletestandard bullshit, history rewriting, remixing, recompiling, absolute absurdity; this has nothing to with being a doctor, it has a lot to do with being fully psychotic half of whom was ditched from gaga's 'just dance'. really, nothing to talk about.
ReplyDeleteHoly crap. And to think I thought you were going to post some meme about the regulation of the cell cycle or some other stupid thing they teach us about in Biology.
ReplyDeleteThis is disgusting. The GMC has always been a prolapsed haemorrhoid in the anus of every doctor. But you turning to the BMA for help is about as useful as asking the Human Torch for help in a fire - they haven't exactly been The Avengers when it comes to doctors' rights.
(Okay yes, if you couldn't tell, I've just watched The Avengers.)
Also, just so you know old boy, I stole a post of yours to fill some space:
ReplyDeleteHow Different Specialities React
I did credit you, so I hope you got a few hits out of it.
1. Angry Medic - firstly, be good so the GMC doesn't trawl you. Trust me, its not the first time they have done it. You are young......... and there is no anonymity on the net.
ReplyDelete2. BMA???? Dr Zorro............ :). Baby, BMA members occupy the GMC :).
3. This Tribunal is supposed to be better but I have not seen any evidence of it. It is a bit like the CHRE - a lipservice body. In any event, despite the slight changes, the primary investigation conducted by the GMC will still contain high levels of mistakes [ ref Isobel Allen's study]
Well written babe - a light while everyone else is in the dark
Ritz
PS Ur lovely :).
BMA?, yes I know full well that expecting anything useful from the BMA is pissing into the wind. I live in hope that one or two of them reads this blog and is shamed, if they are capable of such a thing.
ReplyDeleteRe Isobel Allen. Do you have a link or reference?
The BMA is potentially the cause of the problems at the GMC. The vested interests are quite clear. They both live in a symbiotic relationship while consuming large amounts of doctors subs.
ReplyDeleteSadly, no one has had the vision to set up a new trade union. It would only require 5K to set up but Remedy UK won't do it and neither will anyone else.
To be fair to old BMA, they did challenge the GMC on one aspect but lost http://www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/registration_news/3217.asp. Sadly, other aspects are ignored.
Isobel Allen's study is here http://www.psi.org.uk/news/pressrelease.asp?news_item_id=24 . I have also recently summarised the case law related to the GMC. This can be read here http://helpmeinvestigate.com/health/2012/02/16/how-does-the-general-medical-council-work/
I am quite positive everyone reads your blog Dr Zorro. Doing something about it appears difficult for many. Establishment interests are entrenched. Instead of challenging it, most working doctors essentially fund a system that fails them. Then rationality was never a strong point for many of them. It is easier to be blind than to open ones eyes to see the reality of the GMC.
1. Revalidation will increase covert investigations on doctors.
2. Complaints against doctors have already hiked up phenomenally.
3. There is no screening mechanism to protect doctors from vexatious complaints.
4. All complaints - cleared or continued are held on their database.
5. The failure of the legal system and reduction of legal aid will push further complaints through the GMC.
6. Medical Students are subject to GMP sadly. I trust you read this paper http://www.mediafire.com/view/?zgyojjdz322. The most useful thing Angry Medic can do with his Cambridge intellect is to dissect this paper until it is in tatters. Technically, the GMC or the Medical Schools should not be controlling medical students in this way. There is a reason for the Medical Act - it means that people have to be registered under it to be accountable. Medical Students are learners - ie not registered under the Medical Act. The GMC fails to see this.
So in summary, the GMC have effected supreme control from student to consultant. Their control is also unchallengeable given Lord Walton's totalitarian approach to the Medical Act amendments at the House of Lords. Walton being an Ex President.
A system that cannot be challenged is effectively totalitarian. And this is the system paid for by all doctors in this country. Sadly, they only see it when they themselves are subjected to GMC procedure. By then, it is too late.
Rita Pal
PS Apologies for the length here. I had to detail the risks properly.
For a interesting summary - here is Wilmshurst's viewpoint http://www.mediafire.com/view/?xytts4ysg5wst04
ReplyDelete