The relationship between patients and their family doctor should be built on trust and honesty. Without such a basis, it will be difficult for either party to gain much from a consultation.

Just what makes the perfect GP is perhaps hard to define, though doctors' leaders today took a step towards such a definition. The British Medical Association and the Royal College of General Practitioners published details of what they think makes the ideal GP.

Details of what constitutes a good or bad GP were being set down in two documents that will be sent to doctors, patient groups and NHS organisations.

This is the first step towards the 'testing' of family doctors, who would in effect be regulating themselves, in the hope of heading off possible scandals and re-building public confidence. As workers in many other areas of public life now face such testing and regulation, it is only fair that family doctors should also experience such rigours.

Today's announcement from doctors' leaders comes as a family doctor from Tadcaster Medical Centre stands before the General Medical Council after testing patients for HIV without their permission. Dr John Alaistair Nicholls admits failing to obtain the consent of his patients, but denies that there was "insufficient clinical indication" to justify testing them for the virus.

The precise rights and wrongs of Dr Nicholls's behaviour will be decided by the GMC, but general points can be drawn from this case. When patients see their family doctor they need to have complete faith that the doctor is being open and honest with them. This is especially so in relation to sensitive matters such as sexual issues. If the patient later learns that they have been subject to tests without their knowledge, that is surely a cause for concern.

The HIV test is particularly delicate, not least because simply having had the test can later cause difficulties with insurance companies, as one of Dr Nicholls's patients discovered.

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