GMC to update its advice for doctors reporting patient safety concerns
GPs are being asked for their views on updating GMC guidance for healthcare professionals reporting concerns to improve patient safety.
The regulator has opened a consultation today focusing on two GMC documents – Raising and acting on concerns about patient safety and Leadership and management – which will inform ‘the first significant updates’ since they were published in 2012.
The consultation invites suggestions on how to ‘foster inclusive, discrimination-free environments’ where all team members feel ‘respected and valued’ and ‘reduce barriers to raise concerns’.
It is open to doctors, physician and anaesthesia associates (PAs and AAs), patients, healthcare bodies and stakeholder organisations, as well as other individuals working in healthcare.
The GMC said healthcare workers ‘must speak up’ if they spot patient safety concerns, and healthcare leaders ‘must act when issues are raised with them’.
The consultation asks respondents if the guidance requires ‘a new paragraph to explicitly prohibit our registrants from victimising those who raise concerns’.
It also clarifies that the role of PAs and AAs was not within the scope of feedback on patient safety – saying it would continue to use the current PA and AA titles until new legislation was passed.
Another suggestion for respondents to consider is to amend the title of the guidance to reflect the fact that even concerns not directly linked to patient safety ultimately do impact patient safety.
GMC medical director and director of education and standards Professor Pushpinder Mangat said: ‘Our guidance is there to provide support and confidence, as well as practical help, for people to speak up when necessary. But speaking up is no good in isolation. Leaders and managers have a duty to act when concerns are raised with them.
‘Whenever we update guidance, it is important we hear views from a range of respondents. Their voices and real-life experiences will be instrumental in ensuring our guidance is clear, relevant, and helpful, and reflects the needs of everyone it affects.’
This follows on from the GMC’s annual training survey results which found more than one in five trainee doctors were hesitant about escalating concerns about patient care.
When asked about reporting discrimination without fear of adverse consequences, 69% of female GP trainees said they felt confident compared to 80% of male trainees.
In feedback collected by the GMC’s Outreach teams, the regulator said doctors, PAs and AAs reported choosing not to report bullying or inappropriate behaviour because of a ‘lack of belief that speaking up will lead to meaningful change’, including no action being taken when they had previously done so.
Earlier this year, the 10-year health plan outlined proposals for the CQC to take on responsibilities for monitoring GP practices’ freedom to speak up functions.
