Ethical Dilemmas

We are often asked if it is okay for GPs to treat other GPs and/or staff from the practice? This is an ethical dilemma which needs to be discussed and the whole team should know your policy.

One practice we recently assisted with accreditation, talked about this at their team meeting. All the GPs decided that they were happy to see other GPs and staff members as patients, but they would review this decision in a year’s time. The practice used their knowNOW! intranet to record this discussion and decision in the ‘Ethical Dilemma Register’ – practices need to document situations that create ethical dilemmas and the actions taken. The practice manager set a reminder in the ‘Reminder Manager’ (also on knowNOW!) to review it in another year. By looking at the Register, the surveyor could see at a glance that they were adhering to the 5th Standards in relation to ethical dilemmas.

Reference: Criterion C2.1>E – Our clinical team considers ethical dilemmas.

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