Probity
The fundamental partnership that exists between patient and doctor is based on honesty, trust, confidentiality, mutual respect, responsibility and accountability.
Doctors must be honest and trustworthy when signing forms, reports and other documents. You should make sure that any documents they write or sign are not false or misleading. This means that doctors must take reasonable steps to verify the information in the documents, and must not deliberately leave out anything relevant.
You may encounter families who don’t want certain information visible on the death certificate, but doctors have a legal and professional obligation to complete the certificate truthfully.
Doctors must be honest and trustworthy when signing forms, reports and other documents
Survival tips
- Probity means being honest and trustworthy and acting with integrity.
- Be honest about your experiences, qualifications and position.
- Be honest in all your written and spoken statements, whether you are giving evidence or acting as a witness in litigation.
- You must be open and honest with any financial arrangements with patients and employers, insurers and other organisations or individuals.
- Never sign a form unless you have read it and you are absolutely sure that what you are saying is true.
- If you are uncertain double check your work with a senior.
- Assume that all records will be seen by the patient and/or others, eg, the Medical Council or a court.
In his haste to get back to theatre he unfortunately forgets to write up the postoperative instructions
Scenario
Dr T is in the second week of his surgical training. Following an uneventful cholecystectomy at which he assisted, Dr T is delegated the responsibility of writing up the post-operative plan on the consultant’s instructions. He sets off to do this but is distracted when a colleague speaks to him about another patient. In his haste to get back to theatre he unfortunately forgets to write up the postoperative instructions for hourly urine output monitoring before the patient returns to the ward.
Some hours later Dr T is called to see the patient who is complaining of abdominal pain. When he assesses her Dr T realises that the patient has not passed urine since the operation. Dr T quickly alters the chart to include the instructions that he had previously omitted. Dr A, a registrar, saw Dr T alter the record.
Dr A confronts Dr T about his actions, but Dr T pleads with him not to say anything. Meanwhile, the patient has come to no harm. Dr A calls MPS for advice. A medicolegal adviser suggests that Dr A raise the matter with Dr T’s consultant or supervisor. Dr A does this, and Dr T receives firm advice from his consultant, who addresses it as a training issue, but makes it clear that if his actions were to be repeated, Dr T could face disciplinary action.