5. Maintaining Trust

Question 1

What are the overriding key themes of “Maintaining trust”?

Answer 1

1. Show respect for patients
2. Treat patients and colleagues fairly and without discrimination
3. Act with honesty and integrity
4. Communicating information
5. Openness and legal or disciplinary proceedings
6. Honesty in financial dealings

Question 2

How does the GMC require you to show respect for patients?

Answer 2

1. You must not use your professional position to pursue a sexual or improper emotional relationship with a patient or someone close to them
2. You must not express your personal beliefs (including political, religious and moral beliefs) to patients in ways that exploit their vulnerability or are likely to cause them distress
3. You must be open and honest with patients if things go wrong

Question 3

What should you do if a patient under your care has suffered harm or distress?

Answer 3

1. Put matters right (if that’s possible)
2. Offer an apology
3. Explain fully and promptly what has happened and the likely short-term and long-term effects

Question 4

How must you prioritize patients?

Answer 4

You must give priority to patients on the basis of their clinical need if
these decisions are within your power. If inadequate resources, policies
or systems prevent you from doing this, and patient safety, dignity or
comfort may be seriously compromised, you must follow the guidance
in the previous deck

Question 5

What must the investigations / treatment your provide / arrange be based on?

Answer 5

1. The assessment you and your patient make of their needs and priorities
2. Your clinical judgement about the likely effectiveness of the treatment options
   Note - You must not refuse or delay treatment
   because you believe that a patient’s actions or lifestyle have contributed
   to their condition

Question 6

What must you do if a patients medical condition may put your health and safety at risk?

Answer 6

1. You must not deny treatment to patients because their medical condition may put you at risk.
2. You should take all available steps to minimize the risk before providing treatment
3. You must make other suitable alternative arrangements for providing treatment

Question 7

How should you proceed of you believe your colleague may be discriminating against patients / colleagues by allowing their personal views to affect their professional relationships / the treatment provided / arranged?

Answer 7

You must not unfairly discriminate against patients or colleagues by allowing your personal views to affect your professional relationships or the treatment you provide or arrange.
You should challenge colleagues if their behaviour does not comply with this guidance, if the behaviour amounts to abuse or denial of a patient’s or colleague’s rights.

Question 8

How must you treat disabled people?

Answer 8

You must consider and respond to the needs of disabled patients and should make reasonable adjustments to your practice so they can receive care to meet their needs

Question 9

How should you respond to complaints?

Answer 9

You must respond promptly, fully and honestly to complaints and apologise when appropriate.
You must not allow a patient’s complaint to adversely affect the care or treatment you provide or arrange

Question 10

When should you end a professional relationship with a patient?

Answer 10

Only when the breakdown of trust between you and the patient means you cannot provide good clinical care to the patient

Question 11

What financial assurances need to be made in the UK?

Answer 11

You must make sure you have adequate insurance or indemnity cover so that your patients will not be disadvantaged if they make a claim about the clinical care you have provided in the UK.

Question 12

What should you do if someone you have contact with in your professional role asks for your registered name and/or GMC reference number?

Answer 12

You must give this information to them

Question 13

How does the GMC require you to act with honesty and integrity?

Answer 13

1. You must make sure that your conduct justifies your patients’ trust in you and the public’s trust in the profession
2. You must always be honest about your experience, qualifications and current role
3. You must act with honesty and integrity when designing, organising or carrying out research, and follow national research governance guidelines and our guidance

Question 14

How does the GMC require you to communicate information?

Answer 14

1. You must be honest and trustworthy in all your communication with patients and colleagues
2. You must make clear the limits of your knowledge and make reasonable checks to make sure any information you give is accurate

Question 15

What does the GMC say about communicating publicly?

Answer 15

When communicating publicly, including speaking to or writing in the media, you must maintain patient confidentiality.
You should remember when using social media that communications intended for friends or family may become more widely available

Question 16

What does the GMC say about advertising your services?

Answer 16

When advertising your services, you must make sure the information you publish is factual and can be checked, and does not exploit patients’ vulnerability or lack of medical knowledge

Question 17

What does the GMC say about writing report and when completing or signing forms, reports, and other documents?

Answer 17

1. You must be honest and trustworthy when writing reports, and when completing or signing forms, reports and other documents.
2. You must make sure that any documents you write or sign are not false or misleading
3. You must take reasonable steps to check the information is correct
4. You must not deliberately leave out relevant information

Question 18

How must you act when giving evidence to courts or tribunals?

Answer 18

1. You must be honest and trustworthy when giving evidence to courts or tribunals.
2. You must make sure that any evidence you give or documents you write or sign are not false or misleading
3. You must take reasonable steps to check the information is correct
4. You must not deliberately leave out relevant information

Question 19

How must you act with formal inquiries and complaints procedures?

Answer 19

1. You must cooperate with formal inquiries and complaints procedures and must offer all relevant information while following the guidance in Confidentiality
2. You must make clear the limits of your competence and knowledge when giving evidence or acting as a witness

Question 20

What must you inform the GMC of without delay?

Answer 20

1. You have accepted a caution from the police or been criticized by an official inquiry
2. You have been charged with or found guilty of a criminal offence
3. Another professional body has made a finding against your registration as a result of fitness to practice procedures
4. If you are suspended by an organisation from a medical post, or have restrictions placed on your practice, you must, without delay, inform any other organisations you carry out medical work for and any patients
   you see independently

Question 21

How does the GMC require you to show honesty in financial dealings?

Answer 21

1. You must be honest in financial and commercial dealings with patients, employers, insurers and other organisations or individuals
2. You must not allow any interests you have to affect the way you prescribe for, treat, refer or commission services for patients

Question 22

What must you do if you are faced with a conflict of interest?

Answer 22

If you are faced with a conflict of interest, you must be open about the conflict, declaring your interest formally, and you should be prepared to exclude yourself from decision making

Question 23

How should you proceed if someone offers you a gift?

Answer 23

You must not ask for or accept – from patients, colleagues or others – any inducement, gift or hospitality that may affect or be seen to affect the way you prescribe for, treat or refer patients or commission services for patients. You must not offer these inducements