July 2008
A communication from the General Medical Council
July 2008, Issue 47
What's New?
Welcome to the July edition of the GMC e-bulletin
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GMC launches new guidance for expert witnesses
The GMC has launched new guidance for doctors who act as expert witnesses.
The guidance explains the role of the expert witness and sets out the duties which doctors have when undertaking expert witness work.
Expert witnesses remain bound by the principles of good practice laid down in the GMC’s core guidance, Good Medical Practice. The new guidance, Acting as an expert witness expands on these principles and clarifies how they would apply in the context of providing expert evidence in court or tribunal cases.
The guidance emphasises that medical expert witnesses must:
- Recognise their overriding duty to the court and to the administration of justice
- Give opinion and evidence within the limits of professional competence
- Keep up to date in their specialist area of practice
- Explain where there are a range of views on a particular question
- Take appropriate action where they change their opinion
Acting as an expert witness was published on 25 July 2008. Click here to view the guidance.
GMC welcomes CMO’s report on Revalidation
The GMC has welcomed the publication of a report by the Chief Medical Officer for England, Sir Liam Donaldson, on the future of medical revalidation.
The report, Medical Revalidation: Principles and Next Steps, endorses the GMC’s plans for revalidation by stressing the importance of robust local systems, enhanced appraisal and a phased implementation. The report says that:
“(Revalidation) should be seen primarily as supportive, focussed on raising standards, not a disciplinary mechanism to deal with the small proportion of doctors who may cause concern”.
Click here to download the full report from the Department of Health website.
GMC publishes new Revalidation web pages
The GMC website now includes updated information on Licensing and Revalidation. The new pages provide some background information and explain what the introduction of Revalidation and the Licence to Practise will mean for doctors, their employers and patients.
Click here to view the new website pages.
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