GP to be investigated by the GMC

If someone makes a complaint to the GMC they , like the police, have to investigate it. It does not mean that the matter will go any further. We shouldn’t confuse following due process with the merits of the case.

Yes marye I can see a protocol has to be followed. Unfortunately in this case the GP is so pissed off he may well throw in the towel. Maybe a solution could be put in place to head off this nonsense, whereby veil wearing women may be asked to remove their veils in consultations if their speech is muffled by it

But Terri don’t you see that your OP didn’t really say that? FWIW I think the GP has rather thrown his toys out of the pram by going to the press and I’m quite concerned by his behaviour ie his reaction. We are only getting his side of the story really and as it was in fact the hospital that referred him there may be more to this than we are being told. Hospitals don’t refer lightly as it’s a lot of work once they do. I have no idea what normally happens in consultations with veil wearing women but given the current climate, either side could be mischief making.

But there is no need for her to remove her veil to be heard he should just ask her to speak up if everyone speaking to a a Muslim lady asked them to remove their veil there wouldn’t be much point in them wearing them
sounds as if there is more to this than showing in that short preview

As I understand it the woman did not complain - either at the time or later - it was her husband who lodged the complaint (who wasn't at the consultation). My sympathies are with the GP - I wonder what would have happened if he had said he was unable to treat the child because he didn't have full information

OK Marye maybe you have a point regarding this particular case. Nevertheless I don't think it's unreasonable to ask women in a one to one consultation to remove her veil for audible clarity. If I remember rightly Jack Straw would ask his veil wearing female constituents to do that very thing at his surgeries when he was an MP.

I’m not discussing the merits of this particular case as we have only one version of what happened. The husband apparently complained to the hospital and they decided to refer the doctor. This case is being whipped up and we all know why.

The investigation of the case will hopefully determine whether his alleged behaviour was reasonable or not.

Perhaps female Muslim women should like the wives of Gurkhas never have a one to one consultation

ab why are you advocating that? Or is your tongue firmly in your cheek?

Because maryeliza our GP’s and hospitals respect our Gurkha community and respect the fact that ‘one to one’
consultations are not acceptable for them.

I’m still not getting your point ab. How is the issue of veil wearing women and consultations ( assuming there even is a real issue) solved by a blanket acceptance of not having one to one consultations?

Muslim woman would have a female doctor
The medical problem was the small child not the lady herself
Why didn’t the doctor ask her to speak up or tell her he couldn’t understand her there is absolutely no need to ask her to remove her veil otherwise how do these women get on in shops or banks or any other daily transaction
When I lived in HK I was in bed in hospital next to Gurkha women Anniebach there was no special treatment (except they were as strong as their husband and seemed totally fearless)

The consultation in this case anyway concerned the health of a child

Subtle use of the word “blanket” there maryeliza.

I agree that there seems to be an element of trouble causing here. Complaints quite rightly have to be investigated although it seems some investigations are more rigourous than others.
I think if my child was ill the last thing I would be concerned about was veil removal.

BB x posts. The GMC investigation would look at the issues you raised BB - that’s what I mean about only hearing one side of the story. How amazing that this incident has been raised at a time when the front runner for PM (god help us all) is someone who compares burkha wearing women to letterboxes and terrorist. What a nasty little country we are

Bluebell I didn’t say the women were not strong or fearful,
they are not submissive, I lived next door to a Gurka family
and certainly know they are not submissive to their husbands, just they do not attend medical appointments unaccompanied.

soda the ‘facts’ as we have them is that she did remove the veil so the consultation could proceed - she did care about her child getting appropriate care. See how the debate develops?

Oh well abyou know all about all Gurkha families? FWIW I know a GP who practices in an area where many Gurkhas have settled and there are some interesting and serious issues about the provision of healthcare for Nepalese women and girls which are not solved but rather exacerbated by not having one to one consultations. It’s looking down the wrong end of the telescope

Sounds like the doc needs a hearing aid.

Rubbish that he couldn't hear.

From what I read it was a drop in type surgery so possibly no female GP available. The local Stoke newspaper reported that the woman's husband sat outside the surgery glowering allegedly which begs the question why he didn't either take the child in or at least accompany his wife when it became clear his wife was being summoned by a male GP

No idea what FWIW means

For what it's worth Annie