GMC Good Medical Practice
Function
Describes what it is to
be a good doctor
Principles
Patient care first concern
Up to date knowledge and skills
Prompt action if safety compromised
Good partnership with patients and colleages
Act openly, honestly and integrally
Duties of a
doctor
Communication, partnership, teamwork
Treat patients individually with respect (polite, considerate, respect confidentiality)
Work as a partnership with patients (listen, give suitable information, respect decisions, support caring themselves)
Work with colleagues in patient interest
Safety and quality
Prompt action if patient safety/care is compromised
Promote health of patients and public
Maintaining trust
Honest, open and integral
Never discriminate patients/colleagues
Never abuse patient's trust
Knowledge, skills and performance
Patient care is first concern
Good standard of practice (work within competence,
keep knowledge and skills up to date)
Knowledge, skills,
performance
Recording
work
Apply knowledge
and experience
Develop and
maintain
Competent in all aspects
(practice, management, teaching)
Keep skills up to date
Take part in activities to maintain skills
and support offered by employer
Know guidelines
Keep up to date with GMC, law and other reg
Work within limits of competence
Required level of English
Good
standard
of care
Providing
care
Prescribe treatment within competence
Provide treatment based on EBM
Take all steps to alleviate pain/distress
Consult colleagues
Respect patient's right to 2nd opinion
Check your tx compatible with pt's other tx
Avoid prescribing to self, family, friends
Gain consent before any exam, investigation, tx etc.
Make good use of resources
Assess patient and examine
Provide suitable investigations/treatment
Appropriate referrals
Document clearly, accurately and legibly,
at the time of event or ASAP
Keep personal records securely
Included info
click to edit
Clinical findings
Decisions and actions
Info provided
Drugs and tx
Who and when
Safety and
quality
Respond to
safety risks
Risk from
own health
Contribute/comply
with systems
Quality assurance
and improvement
Reviews and audits of own work and team,
acting effectively on outcomes
Regularly reflect on own care
Review pt feedback
Promote culture that staff can raise concerns
Take prompt action if patient
safety/dignity compromised
Consider needs of vulnerable adults
and children (safeguarding)
Offer help in emergency situations in clinic or community
(own safety, competence, other options)
Patient safety
Respond to public health requests
Report incidents involving
medical devices
Contribute to AE recognition
Contribute to enquiries
Basic care needs
(inform someone who can act)
Inadequate premises/equiptment
(raise concerns with workplace)
Colleague fitness to practice
(advice from colleague, defence body, GMC)
Record all actions taken
Consult a suitable colleague if you have a transmissible illness or illness that can affect performance (don't rely on own judgement)
Immunised against serious communicable diseases
Register with GP outside your family
Communication,
partnership,
teamwork
Teaching, training,
support, assessment
Effective comms
Working with
colleagues
Listen to patients, respect views,
answer questions honestly
Give info they want/need
in a way they can understand
Consider patient family/friends and
provide them with information and support
Be readily accessible to patient
and next of kin for info and support
Treat fairly and respectfully
Aware of behaviour influencing others
Collaborate and respect skills
Work within contracted post to ensure
adequate medical cover
Contribute to teaching and training
doctors and students
All managed staff should
have appropriate supervision
Honest and objective references/appraisals
Willing to mentor juniors
Support colleagues with issues with
performance or health (but patient safety first)
Continuity/coordination
of care
Safe transfer
between HCPs/social
Share relevant information
when handover/delegating
Check that named person has
taken over responsibility
Be satisfied that delegate has
appropriate skills to care for pt
Partnership
with patients
Individuals (dignity, privacy)
Fair treatment and respect
Polite and considerate
Share info needed
to make decisions
Progress of care, roles of team
Who in team responsible for what,
information sharing amongst HCPs
Condition, progression,
tx options (risks and benefits)
Other info e.g. teaching, research
Treat info as confidential
(even after death)
Support pt to
care for selves
Advise on lifestyle choices
Support them to make changes
Inform patients if
conciencious obj to tx
Right to see another doctor
Provide enough info to get help
Do not express dissaproval/judgement
Maintaining
trust
Treat pt and
colleagues fairly
Honesty and
integrity
Respect for patients
No sexual or improper emotional
relationship with pt/family
Do not express personal beliefs
to exploit vulnerability or cause distress
Open and honest
when things go wrong
Put it right ASAP
Apologise
Explain what happened
and likely consquences
Priority to pts based
on clinical need
Investigations based on assessment
of needs and priorites and effectiveness of tx
Don't deny tx because
condition may put you at risk
(take all steps to minimise this risk)
Do not discriminate based
on personal views
Consider and respond to disabled
patients and make reasonable adjustments
Respond promptly and honestly to complaints,
apologise where appropriate
End relationship with pt only when breakdown
prevents you providing good clinical care
Ensure adequate insurance so pt not
disadvantaged if they claim against you
Provide GMC number when requested
Conduct justifies patients' trust and
public trust in the profession
Honest about experience, qualifications, role
Act honestly when working in research
(follow guidance and governance)
Communicating info
Honest in all comms with pt and colleagues
Maintain pt confidentiality when
communicating publically
Be factual when advertising services
Writing reports
Info correct
Don't deliberately leave out
relevant info
Legal/disciplinary
proceedings
Honest when
giving evidence
Don't leave out relevant info
Check info correct
Cooperate with
formal enquiries
Be clear on limits of
competence and knowledge
Inform GMC
Police caution/criticism
Charged/guilty of criminal offence
Professional body finding for FTP
Inform relevant organisations
about any suspension or restrictions
Finances
Honest in dealings with pts,
employer, insurers etc.
Don't allow interests to affect
prescribing, tx or referrals
Be open about COI and declare
Don't accept from pts or colleagues any
gift that may be seen to affect how you prescribe/tx/refer