Interactive tool brings GMC guidance to life for doctors

We are happy to announce the launch of a second set of scenarios on the GMC's excellent online resource, Good Medical Practice in Action.

The General Medical Council has updated the ‘Good Medical Practice in Action’ website with a set of new interactive scenarios that allow users to role play a doctor faced with a series of tricky ethical dilemmas.

Users who visit www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/case_studies/index.asp can watch and listen to one of four patients’ consultations.  As each dilemma unfolds, you can decide which option is the best match to the GMC’s guidance in Good Medical Practice and other supporting ethical guidance.  Practising doctors discuss the ethical issues for each dilemma in a ‘Case Notes’ section. There are also links to the guidance itself and any other relevant information.

The case studies deal with a variety of issues in both hospital and GP settings, and involve children as well as adults as patients.

Scenarios include:

• Andrew who is receiving chemotherapy for cancer.  Andrew’s parents ask Dr Simpson not to inform him about his condition, as he is too young.  Should Dr Simpson tell Andrew?
• Christopher is five years old and is being bullied at school because his ears stick out. His parents are separated and they do not agree about whether his ears should be surgically pinned back.  What should Dr Williams do?
• Suzie has noticed a change in the colour and appearance of a mole on her leg and seeks treatment for it, but does not want Dr Austin to explain the more grisly aspects of the procedure.  Should Dr Austin tell her anyway?
• Shannon is 27 and has a severe learning disability.  Shannon’s mother tells Dr Oloko she isn’t feeling well, and that she thinks something is hurting her.  When Shannon can’t explain what’s wrong how should Dr Oloko go about making a diagnosis?

Dr John Jenkins, Chair of the GMC’s Standards and Ethics Committee, said: “Following the huge success of Good Medical Practice in Action earlier this year, this is a welcome opportunity to expand on and improve the content of the web zone.  There are more challenging situations to help doctors and patients engage with our ethical guidance.  While the site is designed to help doctors, patients and students in medicine and other healthcare professions have also used it and this is something we would keenly encourage.

"Good Medical Practice in Action’ has already received 5,000 hits after its initial launch in February 2008."

For a full list of the GMC’s ethical guidance, go to: www.gmc-uk.org/guidance