Medical Council Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics Mr Bill Prasifka Medical Council Chief Executive

Professional Conduct and Ethics 3 rd Century BC …Into whatsoever houses I enter, I will enter to help the sick, and I will abstain from all intentional wrong-doing and harm, especially from abusing the bodies of man or woman, bond or free. And whatsoever I shall see or hear in the course of my profession, as well as outside my profession in my intercourse with men, if it be what should not be published abroad, I will never divulge, holding such things to be holy secrets. Now if I carry out this oath, and break it not, may I gain for ever reputation among all men for my life and for my art; but if I transgress it and forswear myself, may the opposite befall me. - Hippocratic Oath

Provides principles-based guidance to doctors NOT a legal code Clarifies standards of care patients should expect Purpose

Doctors, representative bodies Patients/public, advocates Medical educators and trainers Professional indemnifiers Employers Department of Health Medical Council Who uses the Guide?

Listening to complaints Your Training Counts Public attitudes to doctors’ professionalism Profession Interest Groups Community Employers Indemnity Insurers Educators Other Regulators Government Subject Experts Emerging themes Workshops Policy Careful drafting NALA approval Review Process CONSULT RESEARCH RESPOND

Swimming Upstream

Professionalism is at the core of the patient-doctor relationship and is absolutely fundamental for patient safety and the delivery of high-quality care

Chapter 1 Purpose Chapter 2 Professionalism Chapter 3 Partnership Chapter 4 Practice Chapter 5 Performance What’s New?

Purpose of the Guide Implications for doctors Supreme Court Interpretation a ‘failure to meet the standards of competence… expected of medical practitioners’ means a ‘serious’ failure. Grounds for complaints Chapter 1

Chapter 2 Professionalism

Equality & diversity Consent Social media Relationships between colleagues Clinical handover Chapter 3 Partnership

Protection & welfare of vulnerable people Confidentiality – disclosure Medical records – recording Prescribing Telemedicine Conscientious objection Leadership & management roles – Advocacy Practice Chapter 4

Culture of patient safety Adverse events Maintaining competence Doctors in teaching & trainin g roles Chapter 5 Performance

The Fundamental Need for Advocacy

Sport: Highlighting the imperative for advocacy

Fundamental Principles

Partnership

# Doctors in Management Roles

34 Working with one’s colleagues towards common goals77.0%Acting in a responsible fashion towards society70.6% 35 Being sensitive to the cultural background of colleagues and patients76.5%Being attentive to the needs of colleagues69.9% 36Showing leadership skills and initiative75.9%Showing leadership skills and initiative69.9% 37Behaving with composure75.3%Behaving with composure69.6% 38 Showing altruism towards patients i.e. Selflessness towards patients74.4%Being punctual69.4% 39Being attentive to the needs of colleagues73.4%Being accessible to patients67.4% 40Avoiding a cynical approach in one’s job71.3%Being mindful of one’s personal appearance56.8% 41Acting in a responsible fashion towards society66.5% Showing altruism towards patients i.e. Selflessness towards patients55.8% 42Conforming to social norms63.8%Avoiding a cynical approach in one’s job55.8% 43Being mindful of one’s personal appearance60.5%Being physically fit (Non-evidence-based item)42.0% 44 Being well- read outside one’s professional area (Non-evidence-based item)51.7% Being well- read outside one’s professional area (Non-evidence-based item)36.0% 45Being physically fit (Non-evidence-based item)48.8% Having a good sense of humour (Non-evidence- based item)35.1% 46 Having a good sense of humour (Non-evidence- based item)47.8%Earning a high salary (Non-evidence-based item)32.1% 47 Speaking with a refined accent (Non-evidence-based item)26.6%Conforming to social norms31.4% 48Always being busy (Non-evidence-based item)21.5% Speaking with a refined accent (Non-evidence-based item)10.4% 49 Being psychically attractive (Non-evidence-based item)21.2% Being physically attractive (Non-evidence-based item)7.4% 50Earning a high salary (Non-evidence-based item)18.8%Always being busy (Non-evidence-based item)5.2% Leadership

“Surgeons have a moral and professional duty to know what they are doing, how well they are doing it and to use that information to help them improve, otherwise they have no right to be doing it at all.” Prof Sir Bruce Keogh Medical Director NHS England The Guardian 2010

Putting Principles into Practice

Further supports: Booklet to support patients in their interactions with doctors Joint guidance on good prescribing practices Educational tools Spotlight on ethics in our E-zine What Next?

Thank you