The New Zealand medical journal
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To explore the personal and professional effect on general practitioners (GPs) of receiving a complaint against them to the (former) Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, when the complaint did not proceed to a formal hearing. ⋯ The impact of a complaint on the self of the doctor suggests a shame response. There may be a need for the relevant professional college to establish a rapid response 'crash team' to minimize the negative personal and professional effects of a complaint, even when the complaint does not proceed to a formal hearing.