BMA toolkit ‘to help doctors with vulnerable patient care’

The British Medical Association (BMA) has issued new guidance for doctors regarding the treatment of vulnerable patients, stating that healthcare professionals have a duty to flag up any suggestion of abuse.

Commissioned by the Department of Health, the Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults document points out that there is legislation in place to protect people if they choose to speak out about possible neglect.

Dr Tony Calland, chairman of the BMA's Medical Ethics Committee, noted that the guidance is there to support doctors and understand which adults have the capacity to protect their own interests.

"The way doctors deal with these possible situations demonstrates how complex caring for vulnerable adults can be. There is no 'one size fits all' solution," he added.

This week, the BMA's chairman of council Dr Hamish Meldrum lamented a lack of sexual equality in the NHS, following the High Court ruling that denies widowers of female staff the same rights as widows of male employees.