How would you cope in the media spotlight?
BMJ 2005; 330 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/sbmj.050272 (Published 01 February 2005) Cite this as: BMJ 2005;330:050272
- Dawn Boyall, media relations manager1,
- Matthew Lee, medicolegal adviser1
- 1Medical Defence Union, London
How would you manage the full glare of the media if you were involved in a high profile case and journalists were pursuing you? Dawn Boyall and Matthew Lee from the Medical Defence Union have some practical advice
While many doctors hope it will never happen to them, figures produced by the Medical Defence Union (MDU) reveal that more and more doctors are being approached by journalists investigating accusations about care or treatment. Last year the MDU answered 160 new requests for help from members contacted by the media for comment about a patient's care or treatment. This represents a 25% increase on 2002, when 130 members asked for help.
Journalists on your doorstep
The calls came from doctors involved in a range of cases that were hitting the headlines. Some sought advice because they found themselves the subject of national newspaper campaigns, while others were facing General Medical Council hearings and needed advice because they had been contacted by journalists or doorstepped by photographers. Doctors are trained to tackle complex and distressing situations with calmness and authority, but when approached by the media it can be difficult to remain objective.
One sided reporting
Anyone who has picked up a national newspaper and read about a GMC hearing or a medical negligence trial will know that the reporting of these cases can be very one sided. Because doctors have a duty of confidentiality they are unable to comment on patients' cases, so it is usually the patient's side that is represented. And given that the allegations are often deemed to be far more newsworthy than the doctor's defence, it can be frustrating, to say the least, for the doctors concerned. …
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