Shipman inquiry finds GMC has "fundamental flaws"

doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7481.10

BMJ 2005;330:10 (1 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7481.10

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Shipman inquiry finds GMC has "fundamental flaws"

Clare Dyer, legal correspondent

BMJ

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

The General Medical Council, which regulates UK doctors, has"fundamental flaws" and its responsibility for disciplinaryhearings that decide whether a doctor is fit to continue topractise should be handed over to an independent body, the Shipmaninquiry concluded this week.

In a hard hitting report that she acknowledged would be "bruising"for the GMC, the inquiry's chairwoman, the appeal court judgeDame Janet Smith, said the council should no longer act as bothinvestigator and judge under its new fitness to practise procedures.From November, these have replaced the old disciplinary regimeunder which panels decided whether doctors had been guilty ofserious professional misconduct ( BMJ 2004;329: 1366[Free Full Text], 11 Dec,News Extra).

Dame Janet said it was inappropriate for the same body to carryout the investigative and judicial function and that she wouldhave made the recommendation to hive off the final . . . [Full text of this article]

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Where do we draw the line: Itai Chabvapasi Matumbike
bmj.com, 16 Dec 2004 [Full text]
GMC's Fitness to Practise Under Fire: Rita Pal
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Re: GMC's Fitness to Practise Under Fire: Carl Henshall
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What else can a doctor do?: jonathan nicholas allcock
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