>ergo there is no need to think about injury prevention (???)<
The decline in RTA deaths over the past few decades has been due to
preventative measures e.g. seat belts, drink driving laws etc. "Doctoring"
has only had a minor effect (15%), although important if you are that
individual.. Therefore we must all take an interest in the "bigger" picture
if society is to further reduce RTA deaths. Prevention is better than cure.
I didn't say that. Injury prevention takes place with accident prevention
and injury mitigation. Injury mitigation is through car design such as
crumple zones, SRS and WHIPS etc. Accident prevention needs the Police to
keep drugged and drunken drivers off the road. As a professional body we
can advise Government on effective ways to do that, but ultimately it is up
to the Police and the Judiciary to enforce it. As doctors we have the sole
responsibility of giving our casualty the best care we can, and in
accordance with GMC guidelines only breaking confidentiality when it is
essential for the greater good. When we start making judgements about the
degree of culpability of a patient we are putting our emotions in front of
our best treatment and that is a dangerous place to go. The Police aren't
stupid and are much more aware of how an accident occurs than we are. They
are also aware of the way someone could get let off because proper process
was not followed. We are the advocate of the patient not the Police, or as
I understand the International Federation of Islamic Doctors put it
"Doctors are instruments of God's mercy, not instruments of His justice".
Therefore I say again, stick to treating the patient, leave justice to the
Police.
Vic Calland
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