Dated - July 6, 2015
Dear Colleagues,
During each five-year term of the Medical Council, our guidance on good professional practice is reviewed and revised. The purpose of this guidance is to ensure that the medical profession and the public have a clear understanding of the standards of practice expected from doctors.
We want to ensure that the guidance we provide is inclusive, relevant and useful. In 2014, we received feedback about how we can improve our current publication (2009 Edition) from 1,327 registered doctors and 37 partner organisations, including representatives from public/patient interests, other healthcare professionals, interest groups for doctors, health service employers, indemnity insurers, healthcare educators and trainers, government and other healthcare regulators. We also sought the views of the community on issues such as the important characteristics required to be a good doctor.
The responses we received to our survey highlighted a number of topics which required in depth review, as well as some additional topics which have been included in the new guide, namely Social Media, Equality and Diversity, Doctors in Leadership and Management Roles and Doctors as Trainers. Further consultation has been ongoing and research undertaken to support a series of workshops to review and develop the guide.
We have now reached the final step in a thorough consultation process to seek the views of the public, doctors and partner organisations and are inviting views on our draft new edition (attached), prior to finalisation.
A short questionnaire is available online at the below link. You will need to review the attached draft new guide before completing this questionnaire.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CXRVS5N
We would be very grateful if you could complete this questionnaire and submit it to us on or before close of business on 7th August 2015.
If you experience any difficulties in completing the survey, technical or otherwise, please contact us before the above deadline at guide@mcirl.ie.
Yours sincerely
Prof. Freddie Wood
President
Dr Audrey Dillon
Vice President and
Chair, Ethics and Professionalism Committee
Medical Council, Kingram House, Kingram Place, Dublin 2