Scotsman- News in Brief – 15/07/06
The UK's Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, in a 200-page report following the Shipman murders, said that
Doctors would face a more robust testing process every five years. This thorough review of medical regulation was set in place following the Harold Shipman inquiry - the GP who was able to kill 250 patients before he was caught.
In a move to increase public confidence, the checks are designed to make sure doctors are still fit to do their job, to determine if they should stay on the medical register. It was further suggested that some of the powers in overseeing the work of doctors could be stripped from the General Medical Council (GMC) Sir Liam proposed that the GMC would focus on the assessment and investigation of complaints and suggested the creation of an independent tribunal, which would adjudicate on doctors'
fitness to
practise.In a move criticised by doctors, Sir Liam proposed that the burden of proof required in fitness-to-practise cases would also be lessened to civil standards of "on the balance of probability", from criminal standards of "beyond all reasonable doubt".
The inquiry was highly critical of GMC practices and the broader arrangements for medical regulation. Yesterday, Sir Liam focussed on patient safety and he said there must be "a robust revalidation process". "At present, a senior doctor can go through a 30-year career without undergoing a single assessment of their fitness to practise, whereas an airline pilot would face over 100 checks over a similar timescale," he said. The new proposals concerning all doctors would mean that prior to re-licensing they would undergo general five-yearly checks on performance and in addition, specialists, consultants and GPs would have to be re-certified by the relevant Royal College in their particular.
President of the GMC Sir Graeme Catto while welcoming Sir Liam's proposals on revalidation was cautious about other recommendations "We will continue our drive to create a modern, independent system of medical regulation which delivers for patients and commands the support of doctors," he said. BMA chairman, James Johnson was critical of plans to change the burden of guilt in fitness-to-practise cases. "Patient safety is paramount and no-one wants to put people at risk by bad practice, but it seems wrong to be able to take away a doctor's livelihood because of something found on a balance of probability, rather than proving something beyond reasonable doubt. It opens the door to miscarriages of justice."
Ann Alexander, a lawyer said: "The families of Shipman's victims deserve such a thorough reform to a system that failed them. We must maintain this momentum for change to safeguard not only our lives, but also the reputation of the NHS both in this country and throughout the world." A Scottish Executive spokesman said: "Public safety is paramount. That is why we welcome these reviews, which look to improve safeguards for patients. We look forward to using the consultation period to analyse in detail the implications of the report's recommendations."
Despite fears of a catastrophe by environmentalists a contentious plan to transfer
oil between tankers in the Firth of Forth is to get the go-ahead. Millions of tonnes of crude oil could be pumped from Russian ships to super tankers for onward shipment, following the decision by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).Campaigners, MEPs and local authorities last night pledged to fight the plans and to block the
transfers by either taking legal action or by launching a major European Union investigation.
Ranged against the scheme are the RSPB, the Scottish Green Party and Friends of the Earth Fife, as well as Edinburgh and East Lothian councils. RSPB Scotland fears that the firth's habitat will be put at increased risk under the proposals, including three designated Special Protection Areas for seabirds, which are important r round for a wide variety of birds.
Opponents have also described the consultation as a "sham" as it focussed on the contingency plans that should be put in place in case of an oil spill and did not consult the public on whether or not the transfers should get the go-ahead. Melbourne Marine Services (MMS), a Sunderland-based company, is proposing to pump about 7.8 million tonnes of Russian crude every year between tankers lying four miles off the Fife coast. Forth Ports, the harbour authority, stands to earn more than ¤6 million a year from the transfers and is in favour of the idea to transfer crude at rates of up to 3,000 tonnes per hour.
A Scottish Executive spokesman said that the MCA made it clear that approval of the plans was subject to several amendments and that any final decision would not discharge Forth Ports from its statutory duty in relation to the European union's habitat directive. Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid- Scotland and Fife and a Green speaker on the environment said the amendments, which go into technical details on how to respond to oil spills, paid scant regard to human health and marine mammals and birds.
Scottish National Party MEP, Alyn Smith, speaking from Brussels, said that if Forth Ports sanctions the transfers, it would be in breach of the European habitats directive, which makes specific requirements for the protection of the environment. "This decision is condemning the Forth to a potential environmental disaster." He added that the EU's commissioner for the environment was looking at the case.
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