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Mykl Roventine via Creative Commons
Family affair
One-third of GPs breaking rules over treatment of relatives
Medical Council’s ethical guidelines discourage doctors from treating their own relatives.
ONE-THIRD of GPS and five per cent of consultants are in breach of Medical Council guidelines advising against the treatment of family members, according to a report in the Medical Independent.
The ethical guidelines say it is “not advisable” for doctors to treat their own family members, unless it is a medical emergency or a minor illness, or provide them with prescriptions.
Two hundred GPs participated anonymously in the study. The survey results showed high levels of self-care by the doctors, and the doctors said they were much more likely to be approached for care by distant relatives rather than close family members.
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