What we want from a Chief Medical Officer.........See also: viagra online pharmacy | cialis online pharmacy |
 What is a CMO for? Firstly, it should be someone with a background of clinical medicine. This is why Ken Calman was a good CMO and his predecessor and successor were not (Acheson and Donaldson). Secondly, he or she should be respected by their colleagues. Respect has to be earned the hard way and is easily lost. Thirdly the CMO needs to advise the Government. This does not mean telling them what they want to hear. Often, it is what they don't want to hear. He/she need to make soundings within the profession to gauge the way in which the health service works. If he/she is at variance with the profession, then they should be clear as to why they are taking decisions that do not get professional support. Fourthly, the CMO needs to communicate the Government position to the profession effectively in order to gain the support of the profession. Furthermore, they need to have been shown to have made good decisions on their way to becoming CMO. There should be no skeletons. This will be an enormous challenge. We are approaching huge change in the NHS that many doctors and clinicians suggest will be the beginning of the end of the NHS. Can the next person do it? | Other posts: | |||||
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