The Wisheart affair: paediatric cardiological services in Bristol, 1990-5

Key messages The Wisheart affair has had an immense impact on the public's confidence in doctors and on the morale of the medical profession in the United Kingdom Several very senior colleagues of the three defendants, who are close to the Bristol scene, share a grave concern at the way in whic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMJ 1998-10, Vol.317 (7166), p.1144-1145
Main Author: Dunn, Peter M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Auditing standards
Biological and medical sciences
Cardiology
Cardiology - legislation & jurisprudence
Child health services
Committees
Councils
Defendants
Dhasmana, Janardan
Education and Debate
England
Evidence
General aspects
Guilty verdicts
Health professions
Heart surgery
Humans
Investigations
Malpractice - legislation & jurisprudence
Medical sciences
News media
Patient Advocacy
Pediatrics
Pediatrics - legislation & jurisprudence
Physicians
Professional misconduct
Roylance, John
Surgeons
Surgical specialties
Trials
Wisheart, James
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Summary:Key messages The Wisheart affair has had an immense impact on the public's confidence in doctors and on the morale of the medical profession in the United Kingdom Several very senior colleagues of the three defendants, who are close to the Bristol scene, share a grave concern at the way in which the surgeons were tried by the media and found guilty by the General Medical Council's professional conduct committeeacting as prosecutor, judge,and jury While it is essential that the GMC should continue to regulate the medical profession, its disciplinary process requires urgent modification Hopefully, next year's public inquiry will resolve these concerns Finding the charges proved In June 1998 the professional conduct committee of the General Medical Council announced that it had found the charges proved. Few doctors would disagree with the view that the GMC is best placed to regulate the medical profession, provided that in highly specialised areas, such as cardiac surgery, peers from the same specialty are always included on the professional conduct committee.
ISSN:0959-8138
0959-8146
1468-5833
1756-1833
DOI:10.1136/bmj.317.7166.1144