Working group to provide child protection guidance for doctors

molly.garboden@rbi.co.uk The General Medical Council (GMC) has announced the creation of a working group to produce new guidance for doctors involved...

The General Medical Council (GMC) has announced the creation of a working group to produce new guidance for doctors involved in child protection.

The group has 14 members, including seven doctors from a number of specialities and seven lay members. Members include consultant paediatricians, a parent advocate and the UK strategic lead in health for Barnardo’s. Lord Justice Thorpe, deputy chair of the Family Justice Council and Lord Justice of Appeal, will chair the group.

The group will review the content of relevant GMC guidance against significant developments regarding doctors’ roles in child protection.

Niall Dickson, GMC chief executive, said: “Providing doctors who work in child protection with guidance that will help them in their day-to-day work is vital. We need to build confidence in what will always be a difficult area of practice.”

The group has been asked to produce the new guidance by the end of 2011 and will issue a call for evidence this summer.

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