The regulation of health professionals
February 2007
Message from BMA Chairman, James Johnson
"The BMA will be studying the details of all the Government's proposals to analyse their likely impact on doctors. Today's press release highlights our immediate concerns and states our continued opposition to the shift from a criminal standard of proof to a sliding scale based on the lower civil standard of proof. The proposals for regional GMC affiliates need to be carefully dissected to ensure sufficient doctors are involved in the GMC function at this level.
Similarly we will be examining the proposals for the changes to death certification with a view to seeing if they are workable and will be submitting comments to the consultation process. Many of the reforms set out in the White Paper will require primary legislation. Other measures involve secondary legislation. The BMA will be following these processes in every detail and briefing politicians and opinion formers to press home the Association's views."
The White Paper and related documents, press release from the BMA and from the Department of Health and comment by the BMA health policy unit may be downloaded from the links below.
Review of proposals
- Tom Smith, policy analyst at the BMA, highlights today's reports on the regulation of health professionals
- BMA warns of the risks of medical regulation proposals
- Department of Health "Historic reform to the regulation of health professions". ( Department of Health website.)
- Executive Summary of the White Paper "Trust, Assurance and Safety - The Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century. " Download as a pdf (64k) or a Word document.
- The White Paper "Trust, Assurance and Safety - The Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century" is a pdf document (287k) .
- "Safeguarding patients: The government's response to the recommendations of the Shipman Inquiry's fifth report and to the recommendation of the Ayling, Neale and Kerr/Haslam Inquiries." (pdf 900k)
- "Learning from tragedy: Overview of the Government's action programme in response to the recommendations of the Shipman Inquiry." (pdf 235k)