Doctor asks GMC not to behave in a negligent manner

I have just emailed the General Medical Council, the body that rules and disciplines the medical profession, ever on the look-out for professional negligence on our part. This is what I wrote:


Dear GMC official

I am a retired GP, too old to be re-drafted...

I am deeply concerned to read that there are about 500 experienced doctors who are awaiting official registration before being allowed to practice.


Please read the report here: https://www.ft.com/content/eb0f0510-6eb3-11ea-89df-41bea055720b

The fact that their exams have had to be postponed because of the pandemic compounds the problem.
The obvious solution in the present pandemic situation is to set aside the normal procedures and allow these doctors to move into the wards to replace colleagues who have died, fallen ill, or are self-isolating (possibly unnecessarily, due to the regrettable lack of Covid-19 tests). Their placements would be probationary, and their colleagues could notify the GMC if there are any worries about their competence or communication skills.

I hope to see a statement from the GMC before the weekend explaining what fast track measures, along the above lines, will be put in place and I hope that these doctors will be on the wards within a week or two.

Any failure to do this would I am sure be viewed by the medical profession as a whole, and by the general public, as an act of professional negligence.

Thank you for your anticipated action

Keep safe and well

Richard Lawson MB BS, MRCPsych dob ...