Website Links GMC Library

The guidance library

The following is a list of the guidance currently available at www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/library

Core guidance

Ø      Good Medical Practice (GMP, May 2001) is our core guidance document for doctors. All other guidance flows from and supports the principles in GMP. The guidance is currently being reviewed with a view to publication of a revised version later this year.

Ø      The duties of a doctor (1995) is a summary of the 14 core values that all doctors should uphold at all times which appear on the inside front cover of GMP and all our other core guidance booklets. The duties of a doctor is being reviewed along with GMP.

Ø      Confidentiality: Protecting and providing information (April 2004) includes advice about when disclosure may be justified, safeguards to consider in sharing information with third parties and detailed FAQs.

Ø      Research (February 2002) outlines the responsibilities of doctors conducting research into ill health and disease that involves people, their tissues, organs or data. It includes advice about participants' consent and confidentiality and ethical approval of research.

Ø      Seeking patients' consent: the ethical considerations (November 1998) expands on GMP about doctors' responsibilities in obtaining patients' consent to investigations and treatment.

Ø      Serious Communicable Diseases (1997) applies the principles in Seeking patients consent and Confidentiality to the treatment and care of patients, and provides advice about the responsibilities of doctors who may have such diseases.

Ø      Withholding and withdrawing life-prolonging treatments: Good practice in decision-making (2002) is a guide for doctors facing difficult decisions about treatment for patients who are nearing the end of their life.

Ø      Management for Doctors. Following nearly two years' further work, we have published new guidance on Management for Doctors.  This new booklet develops the essential elements of good standards of practice and care described in Good Medical Practice with a particular focus on management in healthcare.

Supplementary guidance

In addition to the core guidance booklets, we issue supplementary guidance from time to time on specific issues that have arisen. These take the form of statements, FAQs or short essays and are published in GMC today as well as being available on our website.

Ø      Accountability in Multi-Disciplinary and Multi-Agency Mental Health Teams (2005)

Ø      Antenatal Testing for HIV (2000)

Ø      Doctors shouldn't treat themselves or their families (1998)

Ø      Giving expert advice (1998)

Ø      Guidance for doctors who are asked to circumcise male children (1997)

Ø      Intimate examinations (2001)

Ø      Making and using audio and visual recordings of patients (2002)

Ø      Media inquiries about patients (1996)

Ø      Prescribing Medicines - Frequently Asked Questions (2004)

Ø      Priorities and Choices (2000)

Ø      Referring patients with personal injuries (2002)

Ø      Reporting gunshot wounds (2004)

Ø      Target payments for preventative health measures (2003)

Ø      Transplantation of organs from live donors (1992)