www.independent-practitioner-today.co.uk
June 2022 Issue 143 £12.50 Proof that you can flourish after Covid
INDEPENDENT PRACTITIONER TODAY
The business journal for doctors in private practice
In this issue
How to hang onto staff
Recruitment specialist Keith Hague says leadership is the key to staff retention P12
You'll miss out if you don't go green
Jamie Foster spells out what sustainability means for private doctors P24
Prof Mark Whiteley on his clinic's resurgence n Page 14
Decrypting new ways of investing Dr Ben Holdsworth warns of the ten points you should remember about cryptocurrencies P34
GMC guidance change is labelled ‘confusing’
By Robin Stride Independent practitioners are being exhorted to respond to GMC proposals which a defence body fears could have unintended consequences on doctors’ working lives. The MDU’s concerns follow the launch of its ‘forensic’ analysis of the Council’s consultation proposing a shake-up of Good Medical Practice, reported by Independent Practitioner Today last month. Defence experts have voiced strong reservations about the scale and nature of t he proposed changes and believe some are unclear and fail to reflect the realities of medical practice. Dr Caroline Fryar, the MDU’s director of medical services, said: ‘It is really important that all doctors read the consultation and envisage how they can see it working in practice. Ultimately, the guidance must work for doctors and we are keen to hear from members so we can ensure their views are heard.’ Asked if she thought some proposals could lead to doctor confusion and result in them getting into trouble with the GMC, she In association with
Dr Caroline Fryar, the MDU's director of medical practice replied: ‘There is a legitimate concern that some of the proposed changes lack clarity. ‘The guidance is one of the main tools used by the GMC in its fitness-to-practise processes. That’s why it is so important that this guidance – when finalised – is in the best possible shape. Every paragraph and every word of Good Medical Practice matters. That’s why we are being so forensic in our study of this new version’. Dr Fryar said it would be too confusing and not in the interests of
the profession if Good Medical Practice was updated every couple of years. But the MDU was struck by the scale and nature of the proposed changes. ‘Indeed, we feel that some of the proposed changes do not reflect the realities of medical practice.’ She appreciated the GMC had, however, committed to a meaningful consultation with doctors. ‘The GMC is clearly investing considerable resource in reaching out to the profession and other stakeholders to discuss their proposed changes – and a threemonth consultation period is a considerable one. ‘We believe the GMC will be receptive to constructive, considered and evidenced-based feedback. We always work collaboratively with the GMC to support the best interests of our members, and that’s the spirit in which we are approaching this crucial consultation.’ The draft updated Good Medical Practice runs to 16 pages and provides detailed guidance for doctors covering areas including ‘working with colleagues’, ‘working with patients’, ‘professional capabilities’ and ‘maintaining trust’.
GMC chief executive Charlie Massey has described Good Medical Practice as the bedrock that helps guide ethical practice in a world of increasingly complex medicine. Launching the consultation, he said: ‘This update is designed to reflect the type of fair, inclusive and compassionate workplaces we all want to see and that are good for doctors as well as for patients. ‘There is a lot of evidence of the damage bad workplace cultures can do to patient safety and, ultimately, to the UK’s ability to retain the healthcare professionals it needs. Toxic cultures can also spread online, undermining public trust in the medical profession. ‘It is important our guidance reflects the reality of what doctors face and the cultures many are working in, and that it supports them to be able to do the best for their patients and for their colleagues. ‘We want this guidance to be relevant and helpful now and for years ahead and, to achieve that, we need to hear from those who will use it. That is what this consultation is all about.’ ➱ continued on page 3