Deprofessionalising doctors?

doi:10.1136/bmj.324.7338.627

BMJ 2002;324:627-628 ( 16 March )

Editorials

Deprofessionalising doctors?

The independence of the British medical profession is under unprecedented attack

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

A patient seeing a doctor professionally in the United Kingdom has expectations of professional conduct that far exceed whatis expected of citizens generally or employees of most institutions.This sense of professionalism is important to patients as it motivatesdoctors. The underpinnings of that professionalism, establishedover 150 years, have in the last 150 days all beenquestioned.

The medical profession in the United Kingdom first emerged through the medical royal colleges in 1505. The 1858 Medical Actunited the medical profession and, almost 150 years ago, createdthe General Medical Council $---$ a structure through which the professioncould develop an ethical code,¹ systematise education, andpunish erring members. The council derives its authority fromparliament; its membership includes 25% of lay members, soon toincrease to 40%; it elects its own president; and it has beena model for other professions, such as the General TeachingCouncil.

Postgraduate education developed later, and the . . . [Full text of this article]

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Rapid Responses:

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What doctors do privately is a very public affair: Paul S McDonald
bmj.com, 15 Mar 2002 [Full text]
Why is it so difficult for doctors to put patients at the centre of their own care?: Mark Halladay
bmj.com, 18 Mar 2002 [Full text]
Only the bad should fear: Jay Ilangaratne
bmj.com, 18 Mar 2002 [Full text]
No symmpathy here!: Albert Garib
bmj.com, 22 Mar 2002 [Full text]
Sir Denis' views deserve more respect than this: James A Willis
bmj.com, 22 Mar 2002 [Full text]
Defining professionalism: the place of career development: Adam J Poole (BSc MRCS)
bmj.com, 23 Mar 2002 [Full text]
Professionalism, transparency and public accountability: John Hopkins, et al.
bmj.com, 23 Mar 2002 [Full text]
Controlling doctors?: Roger M. Goss
bmj.com, 29 Mar 2002 [Full text]
A fair trial?: Stephen Fava
bmj.com, 5 Apr 2002 [Full text]