Medical Council wants better patient safeguards

SAFEGUARDS to protect patients from incompetent doctors and substandard hospital care are not yet in place, according to the Medical Council.

Dr Lynda Sisson, the council’s director of competence assurance, said medicine could learn a lot from the aviation industry where the safety of passengers is paramount.

Speaking ahead of the council’s conference on competence, performance and assessment which takes places on March 31, Dr Sisson said: “Systems guaranteeing patients that they will be cared for by safe doctors in a safe environment are not yet in place.”