Can I treat an acquaintance?

The pitfalls can varyAlison Whiting, policy officer for standards at the General Medical Council, says, “In our core guidance, Good Medical Practice, we say that wherever possible doctors should not provide medical care to anyone with whom they have a close personal relationship.“There are several reasons for this. It can be difficult for patients in these circumstances to be open and honest about their medical history and treatment, and doctors may come under pressure to provide a particular treatment or find it difficult to be objective about a patient’s need for it.“We don’t forbid doctors from treating their family or friends if it may be reasonable for them to do so, where no other doctor is available—for example, in an emergency or if they work in a remote rural area. But we do urge caution and careful consideration of the risks, as well as the alternatives available for meeting the…
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