Medical regulation throughout the Covid-19 pandemic

Medical regulation during the Covid-19 pandemic requires that not only doctors, but also the public, other doctors, healthcare employers and the Medical Council recognize that these are indeed unprecedented times, he writes Lloyd Mudiwa

T.The Medical Council has a duty to take action in the public interest if a clinician is believed to have serious deficiencies in their practice and may restrict the physician's registration which would limit or waive their right to practice medicine in Ireland . The medical regulator received a record number of new complaints totaling 431 (485 doctors) in 2019, the highest number in a calendar year, according to the council's latest annual report (Medical Council receives record complaints).

With this in mind, it is important for Kingram House to recognize that the Covid-19 pandemic is ongoing and will have a significant impact on Irish healthcare across the country for a long time to come.

The healthcare system and its staff have and will continue to come under unprecedented pressure during this past and continuing challenging time for doctors.

The role of the doctor
In deciding the best course of action at any given time, even during these challenging times, clinicians should consider what is in their own area of ​​competence and safety while deciding what is best for the patient. Doctors should identify any areas of practice in which they are not competent.

They should strive to follow their clinical judgment and best practices as much as possible. relevant clinical guidelines; and the Professional Conduct and Ethics Guide for Registered Physicians (Changed) 8th Edition 2019, as far as practicable, in the current climate.

The council encourages doctors to remain calm and use their clinical and professional judgment.

In recent years, according to the report by the Chief Executive of the Medical Council for 2019, the medical regulator has received an increased number of complaints related to "communication" between doctor and patient, from 126 in 2017 to 170 in 2019.

In this issue of the Irish Medical Times (page 10), Medical Protection Society's clinical risk educator Diane Baylis explains why good communication is essential to ensuring safe patient care and potentially reducing the likelihood of complaints and claims against doctors.

Regardless of doctors following the above recommendations, emergencies and unusual situations arise.

The other role of the council
While the Council has a legal role to play in protecting the public by promoting the highest professional standards among doctors practicing in Ireland, it is now more important than ever to balance this with its other role – supporting doctors.

So it is good that Kingram House has already reassured practitioners that it recognizes that the present times call for temporary changes in normal practice and that it, as a regulator, will take this into account.

It is recognized that the Covid-19 pandemic requires physicians to work flexibly and that this may involve working outside of their normal clinical practice and under unfamiliar circumstances.

This will be difficult and practicing in such situations can be very stressful, recognizes the Medical Council.

While health professionals are encouraged to use professional judgment and assess all risks to ensure that patients receive safe care as a priority, by acting responsibly and sensibly, and being able to explain their actions and decisions when necessary, the Council Recognize This In unprecedented times challenges will arise and the current state of affairs is new.

This requires the Council to communicate extensively with the public, employers and other health professionals that complaints about health care professionals are taken into account regarding the specific facts of the case and the particular situation in which the doctor is working.

Not only does the Council appreciate the amazing hard work and professionalism of its registrants, but should continue to support them during this difficult time.

It should encourage doctors to take care of themselves, eat well, rest as much as possible, and take care of their own health.

The role of the patient
Likewise, the Medical Council should inform patients that Covid-19 will have a significant impact on the healthcare system in the months and possibly years to come, and that doctors will work incredibly hard to ensure they are receiving adequate care.

That doctors and health teams are under significant pressure and the effects of Covid-19 mean they have to deliver care in different ways and may need to rearrange non-urgent care and some treatments may be delayed.

All health care workers will, in exceptional circumstances, do their best to ensure that they are protecting patients and the health of the country in general. And the public can help by understanding the pressures on health workers right now and making sure they are treated with respect and empathy.

The council should also emphasize the importance of patients taking action, e.g. B. Following all relevant health service guidelines, self-isolating, practicing good hand hygiene, physically distancing yourself and being careful as this will help reduce pressure on health workers and keep everyone otherwise safe.

Fitness to practice
The council must also emphasize that it can only react to serious complaints and the practicality of a doctor.

Nor can it hurt to remind the public and other health professionals to address their complaints directly to the doctor or health care provider locally (where care was obtained) first. Most complaints can be dealt with successfully on site when the opportunity arises.

With that in mind, complainants should be advised that the role of the Medical Council is determined by the law of the country (in this case the Medical Practitioners Act 2007) and that the medical regulator can only handle complaints against individual doctors on the basis of seven reasons .

These reasons include professional misconduct, poor work performance, a relevant medical disability (a physical or mental disability (including alcohol or drug addiction) that may affect a doctor's ability to practice medicine or a certain aspect of medicine) and a Failure to meet one or more of the conditions attached to a physician's registration.

The other grounds are for failure to comply with an obligation given to the Medical Council or for taking any action set out in consent given in a previous investigation, a violation (violation) of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 and a conviction in the state for a Offense which may be tried on charge or if convicted out of state for an offense which may be tried on charge in the Irish courts.