This is the title of a two page article in today's Independent on
Sunday, by Dr Richard Horton, editor of the Lancet.
"Most doctors work hard and care deeply about their patients. But, as
in any other sphere of life, there are rogues and charlatans among
them. What is ofetn forgotten is that the weaknesses of individual
doctors reflect much greater failings by the grand institutions that
run medicine."
"The (Bristol) hearing raised two vital issues that apply to every
aspect of medicine. First, is your doctor being honest with you? In
Bristol lies were told about the success rates of operations being
performed. But do you know whether your GP or hospital doctor has a
good track record for treating your illness or not? the most likely
answer is no. Yet you should.
. . Second, can your doctor be trusted? Trust lies at the heart of the
doctor-patient relationship and yet Bristol revealed that
inexperienced and incompetent surgeons were allowed to operate freely
on children."
Strong stuff. Expect more from his programme about the medical
establishment 'The Citadel' which goes out this Thursday on Channel 4
at 11pm.
--
Dr Ian Trimble http://www.sherwood.demon.co.uk/
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