SEXY DOCS AND BUSTY BLONDES - PRESS COVERAGE OF PROFESSIONAL MISCONDUCT CASES BROUGHT BEFORE THE GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL

This paper presents an analysis of press coverage of the General Medic al Council Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) during 1990 and 1991. All tabloid press coverage during this period was compared with PCC mi nutes to establish what kinds of cases were reported. The analysis rev eals that the press gave undue attention to hearings involving sexual misconduct by General Practitioners and that the majority of patients reported as suffering from such misconduct were young women. The paper goes on to document the ideological assumptions underpinning this cov erage and considers the consequences for the doctor-patient relationsh ip.