Anil Kumar JAIN

On 11 February 2021, Dr Jain attended a British Medical Association committee meeting to discuss citations in support of applications for Clinical Excellence Awards. Dr Jain failed to declare a conflict of interest during the committee’s discussion of the application of someone with whom he had a close personal relationship. This conduct does not meet the standards required of a doctor. It risks bringing the profession into disrepute and it must not be repeated. The required standards are set out in: Good medical practice which states: 81. You must make sure that your conduct justifies patients’ trust in you and the public’s trust in your profession. 95. If you are faced with a conflict of interest, you must be open about it with patients and employers, declare it in line with local and national arrangements, and be prepared to exclude yourself from decision making. You must follow our more detailed guidance in Identifying and managing conflicts of interest. Identifying and managing conflicts of interests which states: 7. Conflicts of interest may arise in a range of situations and can include: a. direct financial interests b. indirect financial interests c. other direct or indirect personal or professional interests. 8. Patients must be able to trust medical professionals with their lives and health. And trust can be damaged by the perception that a medical professional may be prioritising their own interests above patient care, even if the medical professional is confident their interests have no influence over the way they practise. 9. For this reason, you should treat a potential or perceived conflict of interest the same as you would an actual conflict of interest. And you should not rely solely on your own assessment of whether a conflict exists, but seek advice – eg from a colleague who doesn’t have the same interest.

10. To justify patients’ trust you must manage potential conflicts of interest by: (a) avoiding conflicts of interest wherever possible (b) being open about your interests i. with your employer or contracting body ii. with patients iii. when communicating publicly as a medical professional (c) formally declaring conflicts of interest – and updating declarations if there is a change – in line with local and national arrangements (d) taking mitigating steps to prevent your interests affecting – or being seen to affect – the way you propose, provide or prescribe treatments, refer patients, or commission services. 14. If an employer or a patient asks you directly about an interest you have that may conflict – or be seen to conflict – with your professional responsibilities, you must be open and honest in response. This warning will be published on the medical register in line with our publication and disclosure policy, which can be found at www.gmc-uk.org/disclosurepolicy.