Protect “Good Medical Practice” in Australia: safeguard the Medical Board Code of Conduct.

The fixation of a few in subgroups of subgroups of our society are twisting reality to identify with their chosen identity beliefs. Surely it is dangerous to enforce the health industry and other major societal structures to accommodate without their own conscience, to disagree with their patient or potential patient. Conscience is the rights of humans. Animals aren't gifted with conscience. Therefore I ask is the Medical Board empowering doctors to be humans or forcing them to become animals and not have a conscience in their practice? If it is the latter then seriiusly it's time for a NO vote, and open this all up to public debate. Health industry should not be forced into a seemingly Marxist framework, on such matters of great contraversy. We are meant to be a democratic nation, please let's conduct such decision-making accordingly. Let's not let go of the rights of healthcare workers of Australia, for one minority group.

I disagree strongly with the proposed changes to the Drs independance and views that Doctors could be forced to accept ‘cultural beliefs and practises’ that are opposed to good medical practise. Keep the act as it is  

Doctors are professionals, not cultural puppets. They should not be forced to do things that they KNOW will harm the patient. I am disgusted.

Doctors are trained to exercise clinical judgment to foster patient health, and patients are entitled to freely give informed consent. There are cultural practices which have far reaching consequences and many of them are not a matter of saving a life. It is in patients' interest to have attained adult capacity and freedom for informed consent. Further, doctors must be able to discuss the implications of different courses of actions to make sure that patients understand and to maintain their own conscience with reference to the standard ethic of "first, do no harm."

The Medical Board's Code of Conduct must not be changed. It needs to affirm the Hippocratic Oath and its Code of Conduct. To even suggest that a medical decision must be left solely to the 'cultural' dominance of a patient's or family's milieu - without medical information or intervention - is to pursue a dangerous precedent for the medical profession. This new Code seems to be one of censorship for Drs with dissenting views. This is a freedom of speech/freedom of religion issue as well. The new Code will put an end to Drs abilities to discuss and debate various issues from a medical perspective. Section 2.1 of the code warns doctors, “you need to acknowledge and consider the effect of your comments and actions outside work, including online, on your professional standing.... You should acknowledge the profession’s generally accepted views ... when your personal opinion differs". Try that line of reasoning with people who oppose vaccination. Do you think any Dr should not vent his/her views of the benefits of vaccination on Twitter, Facebook, in letters-to-the-editor, public presentations, etc. Which cultural views are driving the Medical Board of Australia to this anti-medical Drs view? This is a clear violation of freedom of speech, especially outside the world of medical practice. The Medical Board already has a GP before it on what the person stated on Twitter. This demonstrates what this code will do to clamp down on freedom of speech and thought. Section 1.2 of the Code of Conduct states that “serious or repeated failure” to meet its standards may result in Drs losing their rights to practise medicine. In an Australia that promotes freedom of speech, this threat is a distinct attempt to close down dissenting views. It needs to be rejected - decisively. This change of Code looks too much like Big Brother's tentacles intruding into the medical profession to shut down those who have ethical and other reasons to speak up. Plea

These vague proposals could be interpreted to be detrimental to competent medical care.

Multiculturalism means we are supposed to believe all cultures are good, but how can we accept evil practices, under the guise of 'culture,' such as FGM?

We do agree whit it !

The proposed changes should not be accepted as they are inconsistent with good medical practice.

I think it would be disadvantages to our health to tell doctors what they can and cannot discuss with their patients.

Australian Dr's have a very good reputation world wide why do anything that will wreck this continuing.

Free debate is healthy, conscience is assential

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Yes! Need this

Doctors are have a professional Medical Code of conduct to make clinical decision take away

In our "free" western society it surely seems like there are more & more rules being made every week. Rules that are actually causing people to lose the freedom to make their own choices, which is actually beginning to sound more like communism & dictatorship - you WILL act accordingly, whether your conscience objects, or else!

Doctors, in my understanding, are always to do the best they can to assist in the patient's needs. If cultural mores stands in the way of "best practice" then it is not the doctor who makes a decision not to proceed, it is up to the patient to opt out. If not then the doctor is put into a position where he or she is forced to act unethically, and guilt can follow.

Legislation should never impinge on medical judgement!

I certainly want my doctor to feel free to say anything that is or might be medically relevant to my health and well-being, regardless of what he or she thinks are my beliefs or cultural practices. And I do not want my doctor to be in a position where he or she could be threatened by another because of what they advised them.

This new Medical Board proposal must not go ahead. Please terminate it. Thanks Lindsay