Medical ethics clashes with team priorities

Jose Mourinho’s actions in criticising Dr Eva Carneiro and physiotherapist Jon Fearn for attending an injured player on the pitch at Chelsea must be vigorously challenged. The General Medical Council’s ‘Good Medical Practice’ states that the doctor must make the care of the patient the first concern and take prompt action if the doctor thinks that patient safety, dignity or comfort is being compromised.

The treatment of Dr Eva Carneiro by Chelsea was unprofessional, carried out in public and should have consequences. Her judgement was denigrated despite her obvious concern for the injured player. Public humiliation is no way to treat any club doctor.

The attendant massive publicity demands that the British Medical Association and the professional bodies involved in sports medicine insure that medical ethics are respected. The Premier League and the Professional Footballers Association must censure Chelsea and publicly assert support for good professional standards in their medical services. There should be no equivocation.

Professor William Tormey

Biomedical Sciences

Ulster University

Coleraine

Northern Ireland

Phone 00353872544646

There are no financial associations and no conflicts of interests