GMC calls for evidence on the role of doctors in child protection

The General Medical Council is asking doctors, other health professionals, social workers, police, lawyers, children and young people as well as their families and carers, to submit evidence about doctors’ roles and responsibilities in child protection work. The GMC wants to hear from those who have experience in this area and have examples both of what works well and any problems or concerns.
 
This evidence will help the working group to understand the difficulties doctors can face and identify areas where additional guidance would be of value. The new advice from the GMC will be designed to help doctors to meet the standards of professional conduct and performance that is expected in this difficult and sensitive area of work. 

The call for evidence will be open until 24 September, 2010. The Working Group will then develop draft guidance and a major public consultation will be held next year, which will allow everyone with an interest in child protection the opportunity to comment on the draft guidance. 

The call for evidence asks respondents to answer questions covering four areas:

• Consent and confidentiality: This question asks what problems may arise in relation to consent and confidentiality when doctors work with children and their families.
• Relationships with parents and carers and the wider family: This question asks for examples of circumstances where a child’s and family’s needs and rights have been met and respected, or occasions where they have been in conflict and how this conflict was managed by doctors. 
• Doctors working in partnership: The first question on this asks for views or experiences about how well doctors work with other doctors, professionals and agencies, when there is the possibility of harm to a child. The second question asks about the factors which help or hinder clarity about the roles and responsibilities of doctors and other professionals when concerns arise about neglect or abuse.
• Doctors’ knowledge, skills and experience:  This question asks what training and other support doctors need to undertake their particular roles in child protection.

Niall Dickson, Chief Executive of the GMC, said:

“We are keen for anyone who has been involved in child protection to share their views and experiences. We want to know what is and what is not working and how matters could be improved.  This will help us produce clear and effective guidance for doctors to support them when working with families or treating children who may have been neglected or abused.”

The new guidance, which is expected to be published at the end of 2011, will apply to all doctors that work to protect children and will complement and support current guidance, including 0-18 years: guidance for all doctors; Consent: patients and doctors making decisions together and Confidentiality.

To respond to the consultation, please visit http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/news_consultation/7487.asp.  For further information, please email standards.consult@gmc-uk.org.

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