Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34408029›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2021

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

Asta Medisauskaite, Henry Potts, Faye Gishen, Kirsty Alexander, Shah-Jalal Sarker, Ann Griffin

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Asta MedisauskaiteResearch Department of Medical Education, University College London, London, UK a.medisauskaite@ucl.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0002-0404-775X
Henry PottsUCL Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK.
Faye GishenUCL Medical School, University College London, London, UK.
Kirsty AlexanderResearch Department of Medical Education, University College London, London, UK.
Shah-Jalal SarkerUCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
Ann GriffinResearch Department of Medical Education, University College London, London, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

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 MEASURES: Attitudes 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.

Indexed as

PhysiciansAttitude of Health PersonnelCross-Sectional StudiesHumansIntentionProfessionalismmedical education & trainingmedical ethicsprotocols & guidelinesrisk management

Identifiers

PMID34408029
PMCPMC8375764

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.