When a patient asks for a second opinion, it’s natural for doctors to worry that their expertise is being challenged, or to feel nervous that they’ve done something wrong.

However, patients have a right to make informed decisions about their healthcare, which includes asking for a second opinion on a diagnosis or treatment recommendation.

Under the Code of Conduct, doctors have a professional obligation to support a patient’s request to consult another doctor and facilitate continuity and handover of care.

Fortunately, it’s not only patients who can benefit from a second opinion.