The Patients Association responds to GMC consultation on Fitness to Practice

[Guest guest]

The Patients Association responds to GMC consultation on Fitness to

Practice

The Patients Association have responded to

the General Medical Council's Fitness to Practice Consultation.

The role of the General Medical Council (GMC)

is to ensure that doctors upheld standards and that patients are treated

safely. In cases where doctors have failed in their duty, the GMC may hold a

Fitness to Practice panel whereby the actions of the doctor are examined in a

manner similar to a court. These hearings are open to the public and patients

involved in the case may be asked to give evidence. The proposal outlined in

the GMCs consultation is to replace the Fitness to Practice panel with a

consensual approach to decision-making whereby the doctor and the GMC discuss

the case behind closed doors. The outcome would be recorded but the discussion

would not be open to the public and we are concerned about the lack of

transparency in the process. Patient witnesses and lay person involvement in

this process is essential.

To read our full response, please click on

the link below

http://www.patients-association.com/dbimgs/GMC%20FTP%20FINAL%20080411.pdf

[Guest guest]

Having read this article, and through my avenue of complaints, which I have not

ben very satisfied with the outcome of.

I have now been informed (although I do not agree) that I do not have any

clinical need of Thyroxine, but in turn have received no explanation as to why I

was put on it in the first place which was when I was placed on Pimozide, and in

turn many other drugs, plus the fact that my weight went up and up, and so did

the ammount of thyroxine.

The Health Ombudsman would not procede with my case unless further information

came to hand.

Could the fact that I have now been informed that I do not have a clinical need

for Thyroxine, and the question that has not been answered as to why I was put

on it in the first place be classified as further information, and that the

Ombudsman could proceed with an investigation into this.

Is there also some avenue here that in turn would push for better diagnostics

and treatment for Hypothyroidism, especially where drugs in turn are causing it.

Kathleen

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