What's this about doctors consulting with children? The General MedicalCouncil (GMC) is consulting with children and parents about draftguidance for doctors. Serious mistakes have been made in the past,exemplified perhaps by the Alder Hey scandal in which consultantsretained the organs of child patients without parental consent, or thefailure in Bristol to investigate the high rate of infant deaths thattook place during paediatric cardiac surgery. These incidents led topublic inquiries in which the need to communicate with and respect therights of both children and their parents were highlighted.
What about all of the other moves to improve patient and publicinvolvement in health? To date, the needs and voices of children havebeen notably absent in local patients' forums. However, the NationalService Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Servicesprovides a good practice guide that places children, young people andtheir families at the centre of health care.
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