GMC is accused of having altered the burden of proof in Southall case

doi:10.1136/bmj.b1446

Published 7 April 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b1446
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b1446

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GMC is accused of having altered the burden of proof in Southall case

Clare Dyer

¹ BMJ

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

The General Medical Council’s decision to strike the paediatricianDavid Southall off the medical register was "essentially gearedto the maintenance of public confidence in the profession,"the GMC’s counsel, Robert Englehart QC, told the HighCourt in London last week.

A GMC fitness to practise panel found in December 2007 thatDr Southall was guilty of serious misconduct for accusing amother of murdering her child and ordered him to be struck off(BMJ 2007;335:1174; doi:10.1136/bmj.39420.690845.DB). He isappealing against the findings of fact, the misconduct decision,and the sanction of erasure.

"They weren’t saying this is a sanction which is requiredbecause patients are at risk," said Mr Englehart. "They weresaying this is a sanction which is right for this sort of behaviourfor the maintenance of public confidence in the profession."It was quite obvious that the panel had taken account of "all. . . [Full text of this article]

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