Fishburn Hedges gives GMC a change of image

The General Medical Council has published two review documents, designed by Fishburn Hedges, examining the changing culture of the medical establishment.

The documents coincide with a period of high-publicity change for the UK healthcare sector. The conduct of a number of doctors and hospital units has come under public scrutiny over recent months, and the difference in healthcare levels in various geographic areas has received widespread publicity.

The new reports look at the work of the GMC since 1995. “We are witnessing the fashioning of a new relationship between the medical profession and the public, and an approach to medical regulation to which all major stakeholders must contribute,” says GMC president Sir Donald Irvine in his foreword to the reports.

Regulations are key to the changes – new rules introduced over the past five years represent the first major changes in medical regulations since 1858, says Irvine.

It was felt important for the reviews to reflect the transparency and accountability of the GMC, says a Fishburn Hedges spokeswoman.

The design uses a flexible grid system, with white space used to increase legibility. “Sound bite” quotations are interspersed throughout the document. Contemporary illustrations were created in-house at the consultancy.

A summary version of the review is being distributed to 190 000 registered doctors, with the full review destined for opinion formers and other medical bodies.