Medical Regulation, Fitness to Practice and Revalidation: A Critical Introduction

Medical sociology has traditionally been focused on the governance of “troublesome” social groups, including the unwell, the deviant, and the criminally insane. But recently the discipline has also begun to explore how the state ensures the public is protected from acts of medical malpractice, negligence, and criminality. Against the background of a series of high-profile scandals—including the case of Dr. Harold Shipman, who murdered over two hundred of his patients—this topical and authoritative book examines how the regulation of doctors has been modernized by the introduction of a quality assurance process tied to medical relicensing. In examining the history and current use of this process, John Martyn Chamberlain questions the validity of the claim that revalidation serves the public interest by ensuring individual doctors are fit to practice. Highlighting areas of good practice and areas for further research and development, this book will be required reading for scholars of medical sociology, medical education, health policy, and related subjects.