What is good medical practice?

We are reviewing Good Medical Practice, our core ethical guidance, and want your views on the issues covered by each section.

Good Medical Practice will be the basis for every doctor’s appraisal when revalidation begins so we need your help to make sure it is relevant to every doctor’s practice.

The survey we carried out earlier this year helped us identify some of the headline issues and themes for the current review. You can read the results of that survey here.  Now we want to generate as much debate as possible around big issues – from doctors’ private lives and conscientious objection through to health inequalities – so we can make sure the guidance is both useful and relevant. 

Each month we will be asking for your views on a different issue through thought provoking articles you can comment on, quick polls you can answer and an ‘ethical soap’ following the experiences of Julia, a GP. This month we hear from our Chair Peter Rubin, Lord Smith (Chair of the Environment Agency and a former cabinet minister) and Donna Keenan, Northern Ireland nurse of the year, who give their personal views as doctor, patient and nurse,about what makes a good doctor.

How can I join the debate?

You can take part, or just keep informed about the review’s progress, through our dedicated review web pages. We will consult on the full draft new guidance in October this year.