08/03/2004
Complaints make doctors wary of assisting in child protection
The level of complaints against paediatricians who undertake child protection duties is deterring many from working in the area, according to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH).
Child protection work, in which paediatricians work with social workers, nurses and others to deal with suspected cases of child abuse, has been an area of "growing concern", especially since the Laming Report into the tragic death of Victoria Climbie, the college said.
According to a survey, conducted by the RCPCH, in which more than three-quarters of all UK paediatricians responded, 14% of all respondents reported that they had been the subject of a formal complaint about their child protection work. The number of complaints has increased dramatically, from fewer than 20 in 1995 to over 100 in 2003, the survey found.
Of these complaints, 79% were dealt with locally, 8% went to independent review, while 11% were serious enough to be referred to the doctors’ regulatory body, the General Medical Council (GMC).
However, of local complaints – 76% were dropped, 21% were found unproven, and only 3% were upheld. Complaints considered by the GMC saw 41% dropped and 59% found not proven. In spite of investigations, none of these complaints were upheld by the GMC.
(gmcg)
Child protection work, in which paediatricians work with social workers, nurses and others to deal with suspected cases of child abuse, has been an area of "growing concern", especially since the Laming Report into the tragic death of Victoria Climbie, the college said.
According to a survey, conducted by the RCPCH, in which more than three-quarters of all UK paediatricians responded, 14% of all respondents reported that they had been the subject of a formal complaint about their child protection work. The number of complaints has increased dramatically, from fewer than 20 in 1995 to over 100 in 2003, the survey found.
Of these complaints, 79% were dealt with locally, 8% went to independent review, while 11% were serious enough to be referred to the doctors’ regulatory body, the General Medical Council (GMC).
However, of local complaints – 76% were dropped, 21% were found unproven, and only 3% were upheld. Complaints considered by the GMC saw 41% dropped and 59% found not proven. In spite of investigations, none of these complaints were upheld by the GMC.
(gmcg)
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