# 2852
The UK, with most of their medical care delivered through the NHS (National Health Service), has an advantage over the United States when it comes to devising pandemic plans for doctors.
They can promulgate rules and regulations, and just about everyone in the medical profession will receive, and have to abide by them.
Here in the United States, most doctors are independent contractors who run their own businesses. What little pandemic information they've received has come from professional journals.
In early January of this year, GP's in the UK were issued official pandemic guidance, and were told they must create individual pandemic plans for their surgeries (offices).
The UK pandemic plan for General Practitioners, emphasizes that during a pandemic, the public should not rush to their GP if they have the flu.
GP's will not stock or dispense antivirals during a pandemic. Access to antivirals will come from calling a National Pandemic Flu Line service.
Still, it is expected that the burden on doctors will be enormous during a pandemic.
Today, in anticipation that many doctors will be `out with the flu' during a pandemic, new guidelines have been issued that relax rules on doctors practicing outside of their specialties, and other `good medical practices'.
Non-working or retired doctors will be asked to return to service during a pandemic, and `Appraisal, performance review and attending educational events would be put on hold.'
This report from HealthCare Republic.
Doctors to work outside normal practice in flu pandemic
02-Mar-09
Doctors can work outside their normal field of practice during a flu pandemic, new GMC guidance states.
The pandemic guidance comes into force once the Chief Medical Officer announces a UK Level 3 alert, meaning there is a new virus outbreak after sustained human-to-human transmission.
In a pandemic the GMC ‘strongly encourages’ retired and non-working doctors to go back to work if asked. The council would have powers to rapidly re-register retired doctors.
During the pandemic, the right to work outside one’s normal field of practice would also apply to doctors treating patients with conditions other than flu, Pandemic Influenza: Good Medical Practice – Responsibilities of doctors in a national pandemic says.
Appraisal, performance review and attending educational events would be put on hold.
The revised GMP (Good Medical Practices) document is available HERE as a 24 page pdf file.
