Raising Concerns Flashcards
What is the duty of a Doctor in line with raising a concern?
All Doctors have a duty to raise concerns where they believe that patient safety or care is being compromised by the practice of colleagues or the systems, policies and procedures in the organisation in which they work.
Doctors must also encourage and support a culture in which staff can raise concerns openly and safely
If patients are at risk because of inadequate premises, equipment, or other resources, policies or systems, you should put the matter right if that is possible. You must raise your concern in line with GMC guidance and your workplace policy. You should also make a record of the steps you have taken.
If you have concerns that a colleague may not be fit to practise and may be putting patients at risk, you must ask for advice from a colleague, your defence body or the GMC. If you are still concerned you must report this, in line with GMC guidance and your workplace policy, and make a record of the steps you have taken.
Do you have to wait for proof before raising a concern?
No - you will be able to justify raising a concern if you do so honestly, on the basis of reasonable belief and through appropriate channels, even if you are mistaken.
What steps must be taken to raise a concern?
You should first raise your concern with your manager or an appropriate officer of the organisation you have a contract with or which employs you - e.g. the consultant in charge of the team, the clinical/medical director or a practice partner (if your concern is about a partner, it may be appropriate to raise it outside the practice, e.g. with the medical director or clinical governance lead).
If you are a doctor in training, it may be appropriate to raise your concerns with a named person in the deanery e.g. the postgraduate dean or director of postgraduate general practice education.
Must be honest and objective about your concern and acknowledge any personal grievance that may arise from the situation, but focus on the issue of patient safety.
You should keep a record of your concern and any steps you have taken to deal with it.
When should you contact the GMC about a concern?
If you cannot raise the issue with the responsible person or body locally because you believe them to be part of the problem
If you have raised your concern through local channels but are not satisfied that the responsible person or body has taken adequate action
If there is an immediate serious risk to patients, and a regulator has responsibility to intervene.
When can you consider making your concerns public?
If you:
- Have done all you can to deal with any concern by raising it within the organisation in which you work or which you have a contract with, or with the appropriate external body, and
- Have good reason to believe patients are still at risk of harm, and
- You do not breach patient confidentiality
From whom can you get advice if you are unsure whether to, or how to, raise a concern?
- A senior member of staff
- The GMC’s confidential helpline
- MDU/royal college/BMA
- The regulatory body in charge of a colleague in another profession or other system regulators
- Public Concern at Work - a charity which provides free, confidential legal advice to people concerned about wrongdoing at work and are not sure whether, or how, to raise a concern
How do you act on a concern?
You have a responsibility to act on a concern promptly and professionally.
You can do this by putting the matter right (if possible), investigating and dealing with the concern locally, or referring serious/repeated incidents or complaints to a senior management or the relevant regulatory authority.
