Helen Salisbury: How the duty of kindness could suppress legitimate debate

Good Medical Practice is a guide produced by the General Medical Council (GMC) that sets out the standards expected of doctors. A new version, coming into force next month, contains some substantial changes.1 The first is that, in anticipation of the GMC’s suggested future role as regulator of physician associates and anaesthetic associates, the guidance is no longer aimed solely at doctors—indeed, the word “doctor” is almost entirely absent, having been replaced by the more ambiguous “medical professionals.” The second change is the inclusion, for the first time, of a “duty to be kind,” which has already sparked debate in The BMJ.23 This duty will apply to our interactions with patients and colleagues, and it’s hard—at first glance—to see why it should be controversial.If we think for a moment about the people we care about, of course we want them to be treated with kindness, including when they’re seeking healthcare…
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