GMC invited to counter claims made in Shipman inquiry
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《英国医生杂志》
A letter from the Shipman inquiry to the General Medical Council, leaked to the doctors?magazine Pulse last week, accuses the GMC of a catalogue of failings in regulating doctors in the United Kingdom.
The media portrayed the letter as heralding a savaging for the GMC in the inquiry抯 final report. In fact, it is a so called "Salmon" letter, sent as a matter of natural justice to anyone facing criticism in an inquiry and inviting them to counter accusations made against them before the final report is drawn up.
It summarises criticisms made in evidence to the inquiry under 17 headings, including investigations, administration, policies, attitude, and practice.
The inquiry, chaired by Dame Janet Smith, an appeal court judge, is looking into how the GP Harold Shipman, Britain抯 most prolific serial killer, managed to kill at least 215 patients before he was exposed. Early in his career, Shipman, who had a 1976 conviction for forging prescriptions for pethidine, appeared before the GMC but was allowed to rehabilitate himself and return to practice.
The letter accuses the council of being self serving, biased in favour of doctors, and too secretive and of acting through "expediency rather than principle."
A GMC spokeswoman said: "All the points in the letter are already in the public domain, as they emerged in evidence at the inquiry. The GMC has acknowledged deficiencies in our past procedures, and, after successfully lobbying for the necessary changes in the law, we are currently implementing the biggest reform programme in the history of medical regulation."(BMJ Clare Dyer legal corr)
The media portrayed the letter as heralding a savaging for the GMC in the inquiry抯 final report. In fact, it is a so called "Salmon" letter, sent as a matter of natural justice to anyone facing criticism in an inquiry and inviting them to counter accusations made against them before the final report is drawn up.
It summarises criticisms made in evidence to the inquiry under 17 headings, including investigations, administration, policies, attitude, and practice.
The inquiry, chaired by Dame Janet Smith, an appeal court judge, is looking into how the GP Harold Shipman, Britain抯 most prolific serial killer, managed to kill at least 215 patients before he was exposed. Early in his career, Shipman, who had a 1976 conviction for forging prescriptions for pethidine, appeared before the GMC but was allowed to rehabilitate himself and return to practice.
The letter accuses the council of being self serving, biased in favour of doctors, and too secretive and of acting through "expediency rather than principle."
A GMC spokeswoman said: "All the points in the letter are already in the public domain, as they emerged in evidence at the inquiry. The GMC has acknowledged deficiencies in our past procedures, and, after successfully lobbying for the necessary changes in the law, we are currently implementing the biggest reform programme in the history of medical regulation."(BMJ Clare Dyer legal corr)