Equality and Human Rights Commission

This section focuses on the health of medical practitioners. It comments on point 79 of the GMC's guidance.

79. If you know that you have, or think that you might have, a serious condition that you could pass on to patients, or if your judgement or performance could be affected by a condition or its treatment, you must consult a suitably qualified colleague. You must ask for and follow their advice about investigations and treatment and changes to practice if necessary. You must not rely on your own assessment of the risk you pose to patients.

It is essential to disclose those issues that can affect the safety of patients. This has traditionally led to many doctors feeling obliged to relinquish their medical careers.

Doctors are legally entitled to those adjustments that overcome the barriers they face when working with an impairment.

They also should be free from harassment or victimisation from colleagues when they work with an impairment.

If no adjustment can be made to reduce the risk chance, then they should still be given an opportunity to modify or change their duties.

A study undertaken in 2003/2004 by Roberts, Boursicot & Butler assessed the views of different sectors of society and how they felt about disabled people studying medicine.

The study found that most patients had no real problems with ‘disabled doctors’. The patients surveyed felt that this actually would make them better able to empathise with most patients.

Most professions are now overcoming traditional attitudes to work with people with impairments. So, disclosure should be less of a stigma for a doctor.

It is likely that patients will encounter more disabled doctors in the future, and this can be a positive issue, particularly as such doctors will be well placed to advise and sign post them on disability issues.