26 September 2008

A question

Suppose you were a young doctor about to complete your pre-registration year. You would be looking forward to the certificate that you need to be able to practise. And suppose on your very last day as a pre-registration doctor a patient's relative complained to the General Medical Council about you. You need your certificate to get your next post. What do you think the GMC would do? Would they say there is as yet no evidence against you so we will issue your registration certificate pending an investigation or would they say a complaint has been received so you cannot be registered? Which do you think would be fair given that anybody can loose off a complaint at any time about any doctor? Would it be fair for a doctor's career to go on hold or for their livelihood to be taken away on the basis of an uninvestigated complaint? How long do you think investigating the complaint would take?

That wasn't a question. It was several questions. Dr Grumble intends no criticism. He just wonders what would happen in such a scenario. Does anybody know?

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