Promoting professionalism and excellence in Scottish medicine

While reflecting the responses of Medical Specialty Advisers, the themes and suggestions outlined in this survey are likely to find an echo in the views of other healthcare professional groups in Scotland. That echo is amplified by the powerful sense of relationships, responsibilities and partnership working that pervades the responses to the CMO's questionnaire. In conclusion, many of the views expressed are much in keeping with those described in the report: Doctors in society: Medical professionalism in a changing world. The picture that the profession paints in this survey is a positive and encouraging one--of a developing and improving NHS--but also recognising the significant challenges that lie ahead. Specialty Advisers are strongly committed to its founding principles and future development, offering a growing number of examples of professionalism and excellence in practice. For the future provision of NHS services in Scotland, there is a strong view that doctors must rise to the occasion. They need to be meaningfully engaged in optimising existing services and planning the development and delivery of new integrated models of care, focused on the needs of patients. Key themes emerge for consideration and action: Promoting better medical leadership at all levels of the service; More effective team working; Increasingly evidence based services underpinned by a strong research base; Doctors as role models for doctors in training and other health professionals; Doctors as advocates for health services and the health needs of the population. All comprise the values, behaviours and relationships that define and promote professionalism and excellence for Scottish medicine in the 21st century.