Ethics and Sexual Health Decisions

Question 1

What are the four principles of medical ethics?

Answer 1

Autonomy
Non-maleficence
Beneficence
Justice

Question 2

What are the GMC duties of a doctor? (14)

Answer 2

• Make the care of your patient your first concern
• Treat every patient politely and considerately
• Respect patients’ dignity and privacy
• Listen to patients and respect their views
• Give patients information in a way they can understand
• Respect the rights of patients to be fully involved in decisions about their care
• Keep your professional knowledge and skills up to date
• Recognise the limits of your professional competence
• Be honest and trustworthy
• Respect and protect confidential information
• Make sure that your personal beliefs do not prejudice your patients’ care
• Act quickly to protect patients from risk if you have good reason to believe that you or a colleague may not be fit to practice
• Avoid abusing your position as a doctor
• Work with colleagues in the ways that best serve patients’ interests

Question 3

What is the GMC Confidentiality guidance on Serious Communicable Diseases 2017?

Answer 3

You may disclose information to a person who has close contact with a patient who has a serious communicable disease if you have reason to think that:

1. the person is at risk of infection that is likely to result in serious harm
2. the patient has not informed them and cannot be persuaded to do so