Good medical practice for occupational physicians

Standards that are expected of doctors engaged in occupational medicine practice Society demands the highest standards of professional competence and ethical conduct from doctors. The working population expects no less, and insists on equally high standards of proficiency in care and conduct from occupational physicians. However, defining what exactly constitutes good medical practice and acceptable standards of professional competence and conduct is not so easily done. For example, how can the questions posed in the above scenarios be answered? Yet answers and guidance are needed, not only for the public, workers, and employers, but also for occupational physicians. The Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM) has prepared a publication, Good Medical Practice for Occupational Physicians ,1 which attempts to provide some answers to these questions, and act as a guide for occupational physicians. In essence, this publication offers a specialty specific interpretation of the UK General Medical Council (GMC) document entitled Good Medical Practice .2 But why the need for a specialty specific interpretation? In occupational medical practice, patient consultations may often be in the form of routine medical examinations. These examinations are …