Guidance on Personal Beliefs and Medical Practice

Guidance on Personal Beliefs and Medical Practice Jane O’Brien Assistant Director Standards and Fitness to Practise Why?     Key themes in the review of Good Medical Practice:  Equality and diversity  Partnership between doctors and patients Rise in public awareness of the issues Rise in enquiries to the GMC Recognition of the importance of beliefs in lives of patients and doctors. What? Does not establish new policy, but explains and puts into context the principles in Good Medical Practice. Looks at the impact of personal beliefs held by patients and doctors on the practice of medicine. Explains in more detail the scope of ‘conscientious objection’. Looks at some of the issues where problems may arise: circumcision of male children; dress and other expressions of faith; refusal of blood products. Consultation Sent to over 3000 individuals and organisations Promoted in national and medical media Available on our website 107 responses; vast majority broadly supportive Opposition from BMA principally on grounds that exercise of conscientious objection could provide a cover for discrimination Questions – Answer both 1. The draft guidance allows doctors to exercise a conscientious objection to treatments (eg abortion, fertility treatment). a. b. Can these treatments be defined and limited? If so, should the GMC do so? 2. The draft suggests enquiring about or acknowledging patients’ beliefs may be helpful in some cases? a. Is it ever appropriate for doctors to raise personal beliefs or religious issues in a professional medical context? b. If so, what safeguards can prevent doctors from proselytising or putting pressure on patients? Questions – answer one or more 3. Should doctors be allowed to refuse to provide circumcision where it is requested for religious or cultural reasons? 4. Should doctors be barred from wearing face veils when working with patients? If not in what circumstances should they remove them? 5. Should doctors be entitled to refuse to sign cremation forms, if they have a religious or other objection to cremation.