‘Questioning can turn into inquisition’

Press, 10 November 1982, Page 30

‘Questioning can turn into inquisition’

PA Wellington Danger was evident in allowing legitimate questioning of doctors’ activities to turn into an inquisition, the chairman of the New Zealand Medical Association. Mr J. D. P. Hopkins, has said.

"We live in a society today which certainly rightly questions most things but appears to be coming more and more disinclined to accept any of the answers." Mr Hopkins said. Whether it be the Church, the law. the police, or the Judiciary, none were immune from the danger of allowing perfect legitimate questioning to turn into an inquisition, he said. "I called it a danger because by its very nature, an inquisition in discovering the bad. often destroys the good." Much of today’s image of

medicine was highlighted by the various sections of the news media. Mr Hopkins said. . "Anything to do with health care is tackled with much enthusiasm, particularly in the investigative field." The disciplinary mechanism to deal with complaints about doctors was effective and simple. In a year, there were about 200 complaints serviced through the disciplinary mechanism.

However, the figure became in proportion when related to the fact there were at least 12 million general practitioner-patient contacts a year and probably another five million within hosp.tals and in specialist practice, he said.

"Furthermore, most of the complaints that are dealt with turn out to be simple

breakdowns in communication." There could be an excess of about 800 medical graduates by the late 1980 s. Mr Hopkins said.

However, while acknowledging there would be an excess. Mr Hopkins said that he did not believe the problem would be as great as many suggest. This was in part because between 40 and 50 per cent of the intakes of medical schools were now women.

Some younger graduates would be paying more attention to the quality of their own lives than their seniors had done. The opportunity for part-time practice and practice-sharing between husband and wife were also factors which might alter how the medical force was used in the future, he said.