Is Liam Donaldson the new José Mourinho?

doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7574.878

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Zosia Kmietowicz

London

In an audio interview available on bmj.com England's chief medical officer, Liam Donaldson, told Sue MacGregor why doctors should be appointed rather than elected to the GMC and why his job is like managing a top football team

The chief medical officer for England, Liam Donaldson, has publicly defended his proposal to overhaul the body for regulating doctors, the General Medical Council, by replacing the current system of electing members to the board with one in which they would be independently appointed.

Credit: MARK THOMAS

The proposal to set up a public appointments commission for appointing members to the GMC was among a package of reforms recommended by Professor Donaldson in a report on reforming medical regulation published in July (BMJ 2006; 333: 163).

A group representing nearly 700 doctors and patients forwarded a question to the broadcaster Sue MacGregor for a BMJ interview with Professor Donaldson last week on how his proposal would lead to better doctors and safer care for the public.

In response to a suggestion that his proposition was just a means of putting doctors in the hands of politicians Professor Donaldson said: “It [the proposal] isn't political. [And] there …