The GMC: expediency before principle

"No one loves the General Medical Council, but being unfair to doctors as proposed by Smith(1) is surely no solution. Reform must be based on logic and fairness.

Dame Janet Smith’s recommendations appear to start from the presumption that every doctor is a nascent Shipman(2). If implemented doctors will be subject to such a draconian regimen of oversight that it will be relatively easy to destroy a colleague’s career by starting a few rumours or disaffected patients starting a juggernaut of a quasi-legal process which would make Jarndyce and Jarndyce look like summary justice(3). The current system is bad enough and has been well manipulated, for example against David Southall(4)"

Dr Ellis, welcome to our world ! Not so much appreciated when the shoe is on the other foot, is it?

Parents wrongly accused of MSBP have been subject to a " draconian regimen of oversight " in which it has been all too easy to destroy families. We are not talking careers, we are talking about families torn apart by disaffected doctors starting a few rumours, but because it was a doctor who started the rumour it is taken as fact and never questioned. I guess that it's exactly what you are doing too. Have you ever bothered to speak to families who have been wrongly accused of child abuse? Have you ever sat and looked into the eyes of Mr & Mrs Cannings, or Mr & Mrs Clark? If you did would you see the pain and suffering that they have endured reflected within? I dare say not, you are only interested it would appear in the destruction of careers!

While you are on the subject of " manipulation " maybe you would like to consider how the system set in place to protect vunerable children appears to have been "manipulated" by some of your fellow professionals!

Competing interests: Parents !