Cross-sectional exploration of the impact of the Dr Bawa-Garba case on doctors’ professional behaviours and attitudes towards the regulator

Abstract

ObjectiveThis paper examines the impact on doctors’ attitudes towards the General Medical Council (GMC) and on professional behaviours (reflective practice and raising concerns) following the Dr Bawa-Garba case.DesignA cross-sectional survey designed using the theoretical lens of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) was administered from September 2017 to February 2019. By chance, this coincided with critical events in the Dr Bawa-Garba case.SettingPrimary and secondary care settings across a broad geographical spread in England.Participants474 doctors.Outcome measuresAttitudes towards the GMC and two professional behaviours in TPB dimensions.ResultsAttitudes towards the GMC became more negative during the period that the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service and GMC suspended and subsequently erased Dr Bawa-Garba from the medical register. Specifically, confidence that doctors are well regulated by the GMC and that the GMC’s disciplinary procedures produce fair outcomes was rated more negatively. After this period, overall attitudes start to recover and soon returned close to baseline; however, confidence in how the GMC regulates doctors and their disciplinary procedures improved but still remained below baseline. There was no change in doctors’ attitudes or intention to reflect or raise concerns.ConclusionsThe lack of change in doctors’ attitudes towards the GMC’s guidance, the approachability of the regulator, defensive practice and professional behaviours as a response to the Dr Bawa-Garba case demonstrates the resilient and indelible nature of medical professionalism. At the time, professional bodies reported that repairing doctors’ trust and confidence would take time and a significant effort to restore. However, this study suggests that attitudes are more fluid. Despite the high-profile nature of this case and concerns articulated by medical bodies regarding its impact on trust, the actual decline in doctors’ overall attitudes towards the GMC was relatively short lived and had no measurable impact on professionalism.

An Innovative Workshop Embedding Pathology Service Users into the Undergraduate Biomedical Science Curriculum

“…In line with this, respondents were in favour of incorporating more patient-focused speakers, as sharing their direct experiences will improve the services within public health. Students also expressed a preference for the opportunity to discuss high-profile cases involving pathology services that affected patient outcomes, such as the case of Dr. Bawa-Garba [ 31 ]. Students recognised inequalities in the way that Dr. Bawa-Garba was treated in relation to other medical professionals involved with the patients, highlighting the need for embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion training in education and as part of CPD [ 32 ].…”

Medical student perceptions of reflective practice in the undergraduate curriculum

“…However, it is also important to acknowledge the legacy of the Bawa-Garba case on RP. Following the trainee doctor’s written reflections being subpoenaed as evidence in a manslaughter case, deep insecurities continue to endure within the profession ( Dyer & Cohen, 2018 ; Medisauskaite et al , 2021 ). Despite the GMC updating their guidance ( GMC, 2021 ), three out of four doctors acknowledged that they had reduced the amount of written reflection in their professional portfolio as a result of this case ( BMA, 2018 ; Furmedge, 2016 ).…”