Personal Beliefs and Medical Practice
Personal Beliefs and Medical Practice guidance launched today
17 Mar. 2008
New supplementary guidance for doctors was published online today.
Personal Beliefs and Medical Practice was developed in response to increased numbers of enquiries to the Standards and Ethics Team about issues arising from personal religious, moral or other beliefs - both doctors' and patients'.
It expands on some of the principles in Good Medical Practice (2006) and explains how those principles apply to particular situations and dilemmas that doctors may face in the course of their work.
The guidance deals with questions such as:
- Is it ever appropriate for doctors to discuss matters of religious faith with their patients?
- A patient asks for abortion advice from a doctor who believes it is morally wrong. Is that doctor expected to refer the patient to a colleague?
- Does the GMC have a view on whether female Muslim doctors should be able to wear a face veil at work?
- A doctor has been asked to circumcise a male child. There is no medical reason for the procedure. Should they refuse?
You can read the full Personal Beliefs guidance here.
Media Coverage
The publication of the guidance has been covered by a very positive article in The Times, focusing on the requirement in the guidance for doctors to be open with patients about their ethical objections.
The Times also includes a comment piece on the new guidance. It concludes that although the guidance acknowledges that personal beliefs are central to the lives of doctors and patients, it does not give permission for patients to demand 'anything and everything'.
You can view The Times' article here.
Broadcast mentions include interviews with Jane O'Brien on Good Morning Scotland and Good Morning Wales. You can listen to these interviews, via the following link:
Good Morning Wales (Click on the 'Listen Again' Link, right side of screen)
Jane O'Brien promotes Personal Beliefs guidance on BBC Radio 4
10 Apr. 2008
Assistant Director of Standards and Ethics, Jane O'Brien was interviewed on BBC Radio 4's 'You and Yours' programme on Wednesday (9 April), promoting the GMC's new guidance, Personal Beliefs and Medical Practice.
Interview
As part of our work to promote the new guidance, Jane led a discussion for around 15 minutes on the BBC Radio 4 programme yesterday.
Jane focused on what the guidance will mean for patients and patient-care as well as for doctors. Dr Evan Harris MP and Peter Saunders from the Christian Medical Fellowship gave their views on the guidance, which they broadly supported.
Listen to the interview
To listen to the interview, click on the link below, and select the final link on the page. The interview started around 30 mins into the programme:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/progs/listenagain.shtml
Guidance
The supplementary guidance, which was launched online on 17 March expands on some of the principles in Good Medical Practice and explores how they apply to a range of situations and dilemmas that doctors face in day to day practice.
The guidance was developed in response to an increasing number of enquiries about issues relating to personal religious and moral beliefs - both doctors' and patients'.