Apart from certain treatments carried out under the Mental Health Act and some forms of fertility treatment, there is no legal requirement to obtain written consent, but most health organisations have policies stipulating when written consent should be obtained. Employees are expected to be familiar with these and adhere to them.

Dr Stephanie Bown, MPS Director of Policy and Communications, examines why keeping accurate, detailed records is so important when it comes to continuity of care.

The GMC’s latest advice around social media has caused much debate. Here chair of the GMC, Professor Sir Peter Rubin responds to the criticism, and new GP Dr Laura Davison comments on the guidance

Deputy chair of the BMA Dr Richard Vautrey gives an insight into his busy life

In April the clinical landscape of the NHS will undertake the biggest change since its inception in 1948. In his analysis of the changes, Dr Simon Abrams raises concerns over potential conflicts of interest.

MPS clinical risk manager Diane Baylis shares risk advice for practices in how to prepare for a CQC inspection.

Doctors may, on occasion, receive a request from a patient’s employer for a medical report to be delivered directly to the HR department, without the patient seeing it. However, before any medical report can be provided, you must be satisfied that the patient has given valid consent to the release of the information.

Dr Laura Davison, a GP registrar from Milton Keynes, shares her thoughts on topical issues facing GP trainees. Here she explores how to break the ice in general practice

Kate Taylor, MPS Clinical Risk Manager, highlights the importance of infection control in general practice

Dr Paula–Jane Marrett, Dr Fiona Boyd and Beverley Chapman recently won the poster competition at the annual Patient Safety Congress. They share their research and findings

MPS statistics suggest that a case relating to the delayed diagnosis of melanoma is opened every two weeks. Dr Pawan Randev argues that skin lesion photography is a way of improving feedback on dermatology referrals

More than half of UK practices have removed patients from their practice list in the last three years. Medicolegal adviser Dr Jayne Molodynski investigates

Clinical Risk Manager Julie Price shares simple tips for handling test results

In the world of NHS reform, there’s little room for anything else but doublethink. Dr Euan Lawson, a locum GP from Cumbria, shares his views

MPS Director of Policy and Communications, Dr Stephanie Bown, fears that a duty of candour proposed for GPs will not inspire the cultural change the NHS requires