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"This wider responsibility for the overall quality of care delivered to patients is a part of what it means to be a professional, and we look to the GMC and the NMC to ensure that failure to act on it is regarded as a serious breach of professional obligation.

We do so because we believe that true professionalism involves intolerance of the second best, and because we believe it is this intolerance which is the best safeguard of the standards of care delivered to patients.

At a time when there are significant concerns about standards of care in some parts of the health and social care system it is important that the professional regulators step up to the plate. Professionalism is about standards, and both public and professional opinion look to the regulatory bodies to give an uncompromising lead in this area."