Doctor-patient relationships
Duty of candour?
This guidance discusses the scope of the medical obligation to tell patients the full truth about potentially available treatment options.Ethical responsibilities in treating doctors who are patients
This guidance from the Ethics Department discusses whether doctors should ever treat their friends or families and the ethical issues raised where doctors believe that either their health, or the health of their colleagues is effecting patient care, and addresses the issue of whether doctors should self-treat.Firearms
Guidance in response to enquiries from doctors concerned about being asked to certify the ‘fitness’ of their patients to hold firearms by acting as countersignatories or referees to firearms and shotgun applications and about notifying the relevant authorities about an individual who legally holds firearms or shotguns but whom they believe is unfit to do so.Incentives to GPs for referrals or prescribing
This guideline from the Medical Ethics Department is issued primarily in response to requests for advice from doctors about the acceptability of receiving inducements from health care providers or product manufacturers.Accepting donations from patients - August 2007
This guidance covers an area which is governed by both contractual and ethical perspectives. Both emphasise the need for transparency and accountability when considering accepting donations from patients.Removal of patients from GP lists
This briefing paper explains the background to why GPs remove patients from their lists and gives advice on how to deal with the situationPatients requesting a second opinion
Guidance notes for working consultants on receiving requests from NHS patients for second opinions