A protocol for liaison between the police and the medical profession in dealing with crime committed by health professionals was implemented after being proposed in this journal in 2003. However, rather than using their diverse skills to scrupulously investigate allegations of medico-crime, the police and health professions presume the accused is guilty and work together to prove this, disregarding any evidence to the contrary, thereby undermining the right to a fair trial. Whereas both were criticised in the past for failing to protect patients, they are likely to receive future criticism for contributing to serious miscarriages of justice.
DiazJ.GriffithR.NgJ.ReinertS.FriedmannP.MoultonA. (2002) ‘Patients' Use of the Internet for Medical Information’Journal of General Internal Medicine17(3): 180–185.
HaffertyF. (1988) ‘Theories at the Crossroads: A Discussion of Evolving Views on Medicine as a Profession’The Milbank Quarterly66(Suppl 2): 202–225.
18.
HeskethW. (2003) ‘Medico-crime: Time for a Police-Health Professions Protocol?’The Police Journal76(2):121–134.
19.
HeskethW. (2005) ‘Medico-crime in the UK: An Introduction’ in Garwood-GowersATingleJ.WheatK. (eds) Contemporary Issues in Healthcare Law and Ethics. Edinburgh: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.
20.
HeskethW. (2011) Conceptualising Medico-Crime in the UK: Three Case Studies of Health Inquiries Involving GP Offenders. The University of Ulster, 1 April. Doctoral thesis.
PauffleyA. (Chairwoman) (2004) Committee of Inquiry: Independent Investigation into How the NHS Handled Allegations About the Conduct of Clifford Ayling. Department of Health, Command 6298.
RosenthalM., with a Foreword by HoffenbergRaymondSir (1995) The Incompetent Doctor Behind Closed Doors. Buckingham: Open University Press.
31.
SalterB. (2000) Medical Regulation and Public Trust: An International Review. London:King's Fund, 1–36.
32.
SalterB. (2000) ‘Change in the Governance of Medicine: The Politics of Self Regulation’ in GladstoneD. (ed) Regulating Doctors. London: The Institute for the Study of Civil Society.
33.
SalterB. (2001) ‘Who Rules? The New Politics of Medical Regulation’Social Science and Medicine52: 871–883.
SmithJ. (2003) (Chairman) The Shipman Inquiry. Third Report – Death Certification and the Investigation of Deaths by Coroners. 14 July. Command Paper Cm 5854. [Online] <http://www.the-shipman-inquiry.org.uk/thirdreport.asp>.
SmithJ. (2004) (Chairman) The Shipman Inquiry. Fifth Report – Safeguarding Patients: Lessons from the Past – Proposals for the Future. 9 December. Command Paper Cm 6394. [Online] <http://www.the-shipman-inquiry.org.uk/fifthreport.asp>.
WhincupM. (1985) Law and Practice of Dismissal in the Health Service: The General Principles of Law and Forty NHS Case Studies. Market Drayton: Mercia.
