The General Medical Council is to debate changes to the way it deals with doctors who are facing criminal investigations.

New proposals to be discussed on Wednesday would allow the council to suspend doctors from the medical register immediately - to effectively stop them from practising - if they are being investigated by the police.

Under existing rules, doctors who are being investigated over their professional performance cannot be given an interim suspension from the medical register while an inquiry is carried out.

Shipman case

They must currently be accused of serious professional misconduct or have been convicted in a criminal court to warrant suspension.

The GMC also wants to be able to allow the committee hearing cases of misconduct to include more members of the public in its deliberations.

The review follows criticism of the way the GMC handled the Harold Shipman case.

But it was the deaths of a number of babies following heart surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary that provided the spur for the council to consider reform.

Protecting the profession

It was criticised for not acting quickly enough once problems were identified - and then allowing one of the surgeons to continue practising after being found guilty of professional misconduct.

During the Shipman trial, the chief executive of the GMC, Finlay Scott, admitted the case has damaged public confidence in the medical profession.

At the heart of this is the suspicion that the council - made up mainly of medics - is more inclined to protect the profession than the public.

The proposals are to be debated by the GMC at its headquarters on Wednesday, and while some critics will say they do not go far enough, a failure by members to agree them will be viewed with concern by ministers.