Selection of rapid responses

Learning respect, and abuse of privilege

Editor - In response to the article "Learning respect" and the response of Ashley Williams who considers the words "uncorrupted by medical training" insulting, there are perhaps some useful learning issues.

Firstly, the person "uncorrupted by medical training" may actually be a medical student, not a lay person. Whether it was by jest, or not many a true word is spoken in jest and often people get upset precisely for that reason. The person concerned may have chosen to disassociate herself from her training.

Secondly, is it an issue of learning respect? The whole practice of "using" other people without consideration stemmed from an old fashioned patronising attitude that used to prevail, that "doctors were gods" who could do what they liked. Their castle (the hospital) was where their "study material" came to receive their "benificence." Since they were "gods," with a social status elevated way above others, who knew everything, and since people who were sick were "under their power," it was assumed that they would cooperate like servants, and see the need to be used in such a manner.

It is pleasing to see that some of the younger generation do not feel comfortable with such practices.

It is the issue of "control." The person who consents should be able to have control over the procedure. There should be intelligent and relaxing dialogue first, and the person being examined should say when to start, and also be able to give a commentary such as whether someone is being too rough, and even suggestions on how it could be done in an easier fashion.

But ultimately, the main issues for doctors today are the development of good communication skills and the realisation that though they ultimately hold a position of power over patients, with that power comes a greater responsibility, and the need to constantly realise that that power is a privilege, not a right. Hilary Butler, freelance journalist

Professional suicide

Editor - The article is desperately depressing. It is an insult to the vast number of doctors who live their whole professional lives striving to practise ethically and with respect for their patients. It is rank arrogance to imply that specialties other than their own uniformly treat patients without respect and to appear to assume the mantle of perfection themselves, implied by their holier than thou tone. The condescension of what one can only hope is a feeble attempt at humour by Hunt is unbelievable they should remember that pride corrupts too. Too many individual doctors do not exhibit high enough standards, but their characters are formed by more than just medical education. Many doctors who try to practise ethically and with respect do so because of formative experiences during their medical training some positive and some negative, perhaps particularly in the old days, but things have changed.

Change needs to be achieved by positive reinforcement for those who practise well and an example to and training of those who do so badly. The profession risks death by a thousand media cuts at present. Self inflicted injury of this sort is stupid. Simon Grant, consultant in obsetrics and gynaecology, Truro

Time to learn respect indeed

Editor - I have had five hospital births. Never was I under a general anaesthetic with students lining up to learn how to do pelvic exams on me. I've been wide awake, though and crying for the students to stop touching me but having my pleas go largely unnoticed in the interest of "science" (that is what I was told). I have heard similar stories from hundreds of women; stories of women feeling like "meat" to be palpated and observed by doctors, nurses, and students. It's time to learn respect indeed, medical men and women; learn quickly and well. Because more and more women are abandoning your cruel brand of "care" in childbirth: a brand of obstetrical care that leads to so much suffering in women spiritually, physically, and mentally. Leilah McCracken, writer, childbirth researcher

I have a dream

Editor - It never ceases to amaze me the way observations deemed wholly unacceptable when applied to a racial group are absolutely right on when applied to an occupational group.

If one were to suggest that members of an ethnic group were, by definition, arrogant, corrupted, and in need of re-education one would be echoing the darkest moments of the last century. The obligatory canard about communication skills ignores the fact the doctors are drawn from, and therefore representative of, a human population which has widely varying communication skills just as it has widely varying skin colour.

A great American once said that people should be judged by the content of their character and not by the colour of their skin. In Britain today one might add; and not by the letters after their name. John Hopkins, general practitioner, Darlington