UK doctors warned to not allow personal beliefs to affect patients' treatment

Family doctors in Britain have been told not to allow their personal, religious or moral beliefs to affect a patients' treatment.

The General Medical Council (GMC) in Britain has issued new guidelines on the matter because of the growing number of GPs who have asked for such advice.

Under new GMC guidelines, GPs who are against abortion must reveal their views to women seeking abortions and refer them to another doctor and doctors who wear veils for religious reasons should remove them in circumstances in which they pose an obstacle to communication.

Doctors have sought guidance where patients' personal beliefs might affect treatment such as the refusal of blood products by Jehovah's Witnesses or the circumcision of a male child for religious or cultural reasons.

The new guidelines were published to ensure GPs know how to act in such situations.

John Jenkins, chairman of the GMC standards and ethics committee, says the new guidance balances doctors' right to practise in accordance with their views and beliefs, and patients' right to receive timely and appropriate medical care.

He says it is clear that doctors must not mislead patients about the options available to them or leave them with nowhere to turn.

The guidelines also cover the provision of fertility treatment for gay couples and circumcision of male children when there is no medical reason for the procedure.

While the GMC readily acknowledges that doctors have personal beliefs that may affect their day-to-day practice, it warns that these must not in any way compromise healthcare or lead to discrimination against patients.

The guidelines are expected to fuel tensions between anti and pro-abortion campaigners as according to a recent survey 20 per cent of GPs refused to send a woman for an abortion because they believed the procedure was morally wrong.

Jane O'Brien, the GMC's head of standards and medical ethics, said that in cases where a GP was anti-abortion, few doctors would not refer patients on to another person.

The Patients Association has welcomed the new guidelines and says they will reassure patients that doctors are expected to put care first, over and above their own personal views.

Doctors too appear to support the guidelines and say doctors are in a position of power in relation to their patients and the guidance makes it clear that any attempt to impose their religious or political views would be an abuse of that power.

Others admit to witnessing prejudice among doctors towards patients and say it is vital that doctors put their personal prejudices aside.

The guidance will be posted on the internet.