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News: MEPs back GMC call

25 May 2009

MEPs back GMC’s call to share information across borders.

MEPs in the European Parliament have voted in favour of amendments to the Draft Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross–Border Healthcare.

The GMC has been leading the campaign for a legal duty upon regulators across Europe to inform each other proactively when action is taken against a doctor’s registration. Without it, the GMC believes that patient safety is at risk because doctors could be employed unwittingly in one EU member state despite having been suspended or even struck off in another EU member state.

The Directive is now with the Council of the EU which will decide whether to accept the changes that could make it a legal requirement for member states to exchange information about doctors’ disciplinary records.

Paul Philip, Deputy Chief Executive of the GMC, said: ‘The vast majority of doctors do a good job under increasingly difficult circumstances but patient safety must come first. The Patients’ Rights Directive in Cross-Border Healthcare is an important development in EU healthcare.

It is clearly vital that all healthcare professionals are fit to practise, and the effective exchange of information between member states is the key to making sure this happens.’

A British Medical Association spokesperson said: ‘It is essential that there is a legal requirement for regulatory bodies in member states to exchange information about doctors’ disciplinary records. In this way doctors who have been struck off or suspended will be prevented from travelling to other countries and treating patients.