New reports are needed because of the changing context (the rise in multimorbidity, personalised medicine, increasing use of information technology and artificial intelligence, the evolving role of women in society and medicine, and the severe stress on the health system) and because ideas of professionalism evolve. There have been many reports on professionalism, including one in 2005 by the College itself. But I’m now convinced that working to improve medical professionalism can both keep the NHS sustainable and help doctors feel better in their work.
Indeed, I don’t think that I could have done until I spent two months earlier this year editing the Royal College of Physician’s latest report on professionalism.
I wonder how many medical students and doctors could confidently define “medical professionalism.” Few, I suspect.
