Legislation

This page provides information on current relevant legislation regarding the publishing of medical service information. This is provided by the General Medical Council's "Good Medical Practice November 2006". - General Medical Council -

Providing and Publishing Information about your Services

60. If you publish information about your medical services, you must make sure the information is factual and verifiable.

61. You must not make unjustifiable claims about the quality or outcomes of your services in any information you provide to patients. It must not offer guarantees of cures, nor exploit patients' vulnerability or lack of medical knowledge.

62. You must not put pressure on people to use a service, for example by arousing ill-founded fears for their future health.

Financial and Commercial Dealings

72. You must be honest and open in any financial arrangements with patients.
In particular:
 a. you must inform patients about your fees and charges, wherever possible before
     asking for their consent to treatment.
 b. you must not exploit patients' vulnerability or lack of medical knowledge when making
     charges for treatment or services.
 c. you must not encourage patients to give, lend or bequeath money or gifts that
     will directly or indirectly benefit you.
 d. you must not put pressure on patients or their families to make donations to other
     people or organisations.
 e. you must not put pressure on patients to accept private treatment.
 f. if you charge fees, you must tell patients if any part of the fee goes to another
     healthcare professional.

73. You must be honest in financial and commercial dealings with employers, insurers and other organisations or individuals.
In particular:
 a. before taking part in discussions about buying or selling goods or services, you must
     declare any relevant financial or commercial interest that you or your family might
     have in the transaction.
 b. if you manage finances, you must make sure the funds are used for the
     purpose for which they were intended and are kept in a separate account from your
     personal finances.