We heard last week that the General Medical Council is considering taking tougher action on doctors who make mistakes when caring for their patients. Under the plans, the GMC could force complacent doctors to apologise to mistreated patients and restrict practice for doctors that refuse to do so.
Naturally, in patient care, the key word should be care. However, it seems that this is becoming less and less of a priority for the GPs that just want to get us in there for our 10 minute slot and fob us off with the cheapest prescriptions (that’s if they prescribe anything at all) or tell us we’re making it up. Where are we meant to turn when we can’t trust the doctors we’re putting our lives in the hands of?
On the other side of the argument, it’s said that this could and has led doctors to self-harm and even suicide. How are doctors meant to treat us properly when they have so many ridiculous targets to reach and figures to consider? They’re only human too, right?
Have you ever suffered unnecessary trauma due to doctors making mistakes? Tweet us @diabetescouk or leave a comment below.
