"Doctor Shipman was known to have a drug abuse problem and we need to look at how the situation can arise that such doctors can have no monitoring, " said Dr Harden.

BBC: GPs' leader backs guidelines review

The authors make the sobering point that mortality rates for doctors vary so much that, even if he had been constantly monitored, Harold Shipman (a British doctor who murdered at least 200 patients) would have racked up a body-count of several dozen before coming to official attention.

ECONOMIST: Statistics

He called on the governmnet to clarify rules surrounding the disclosure of information about a doctor to a third party following the Shipman case.

BBC: Doctors turn on the GMC