Editorial
Sir Graeme Catto on how quality can be recognised in defining the role of a doctor
The patient tensed; over the doctor’s shoulder, a disembodied head was again staring through the window.
My father apologised and left his surgery to haul me off the roof explaining that my behaviour was not to be tolerated in the new NHS. Sixty years on and that prescient focus on quality is re-emphasised in Lord Darzi’s Next Stage Review.
Quality in patient care, in the way patients’ views and outcomes are paramount and quality in the lifelong education and training for staff are all welcome components of this work.
Lord Darzi, whose review was for England only, highlights the importance of professionalism as part of his emphasis on quality. That is a message for everyone in the profession and we have a clear interest in influencing how quality can be recognised in defining the role of a doctor.
This is an opportunity for all doctors to play a part – not just the leaders of the medical Royal Colleges, BMA and other organisations – in setting the agenda, and influencing the tone and future developments for our work.
But how can you, as an individual doctor, make your voice heard?
Here’s one thought. We are reviewing ‘Tomorrow’s Doctors’ – our guidance which sets the outcomes for undergraduate medical education. It will go out for consultation towards the end of the year with a new edition to be published by the summer of 2009.
The consultation will be placed on our website and it is open to every doctor to contribute, if they wish. If quality is to be a buzzword with any meaning, you can play a part in ensuring that it is ingrained from the very beginning of a doctor’s career. That’s just one example of how every doctor can look around and make a personal contribution.
The Next Stage Review provides other opportunities. If more change is on the way, it needs to be delivered in partnership with, and not in spite of, the profession. Partnership is a two-way thing. Complaining about the outcome, without engaging in the process, isn’t truly a partnership.
So perhaps it is time for us to get involved. If one outcome of the Darzi review is to get doctors more engaged in the development of the role of the doctor of tomorrow, then I, for one, think it is helpful.