The GMC: expediency before principle: GMC reforms may damage the NHS

doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7485.252-a

BMJ 2005;330:252 (29 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7485.252-a

Letter

The GMC: expediency before principle

GMC reforms may damage the NHS

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

EDITOR—In his editorial Smith doubts that the GMC canreform.¹ This paves the way for more political overreactionto Dame Janet Smith's reports of the Shipman inquiry.

The desire to achieve a culture of strict regulation is resultingin the appointment to the GMC of lay members selected for theiranti-doctor sentiment by an anti-doctor government administration.Medicine may be justifiably considered a special case, but theproposals for accountability and disciplinary procedures gofar beyond those of the judiciary and civil service.

A disproportionate level of punitive action is proposed, withprocedures becoming like criminal investigations for suspecteddepartures from standards of professional conduct. Underlyingthis is often a test of attitude rather than competence, withdraconian suspensions of caring clinicians for being "off message"with a Department of Health tainted with government spin.

The witches of Salem approach to the retention of tissue atAlder Hey, . . . [Full text of this article]

John J Turner, consultant physician

University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool L9 7AL JOHN.TURNER@aht.nwest.nhs.uk