Medical Self-Regulation Crisis and Change

Self-regulation constitutes an important aspect of the regulatory and oversight process governing professionals. This book focuses directly on medical self-regulation in the context of both the wider regulatory framework and that of other regulatory models. Through a critical consideration of recent events, including high-profile and controversial cases, it is demonstrated that the self-regulatory process has failed and that only fundamental restructuring and a radical change in attitudes on the part of members of the profession can repair the damage. Attention is also given to the recent changes, current proposals for change and to alternative regulatory models. Medical Self-Regulation will be of international interest, appealing to policy makers, as well as students and practitioners in the fields of medicine, medical law and sociology and professional regulation.

Contents: Preface; Part 1 Crisis: The background to medical self-regulation: The General Medical Council - powers and failings; Criminal convictions and the General Medical council; Doctors’ attitudes to self-regulation; Trust and the medical profession; The NHS complaints and disciplinary processes. Part 2 Cases: The Bristol Royal Infirmary; Rodney Ledward; William Kerr and Michael Haslam; Clifford Ayling; Richard Neale; Harold Shipman. Part 3 Change: Whistleblowing; Lay participation in the regulatory process; Self-regulation in a 'no fault' culture;Crisis and change; Revalidation - the GMC's big idea; Conclusions and future directions; Bibliography; Index.

Mark Davies is Senior Lecturer in Law at Sussex Law School, University of Sussex, UK.