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Factsheet 01/02/2015

Medical records - England

Medical records - England

Time to read article: 3 mins
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Good medical records – whether electronic or handwritten – are essential for the continuity of care of your patients. Adequate medical records enable you or somebody else to reconstruct the essential parts of each patient contact without reference to memory. They should therefore be comprehensive enough to allow a colleague to carry on where you left off.

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Factsheet 30/01/2015

Access to health records - Northern Ireland

Access to health records - Northern Ireland

Time to read article: 4 mins
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Providing access to medical records is essentially a confidentiality issue; therefore, the starting point is whether or not the patient has consented to disclosure. If not, access should be denied, unless there is some other clear justification for allowing access.

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Factsheet 30/01/2015

Mental Capacity Act 2005 – Court of Protection and deputies

Mental Capacity Act 2005 – Court of Protection and deputies

Time to read article: 2 mins
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The Mental Capacity Act (the Act) established the Court of Protection, whose role it is to protect individuals who lack capacity and make rulings on difficult decisions about their care and welfare. This factsheet gives you more information about the role of the Court of Protection.

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Factsheet 22/01/2015

Safe prescribing - Northern Ireland

Safe prescribing - Northern Ireland

Time to read article: 3 mins
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Medication errors account for approximately 20% of all clinical negligence claims against doctors in both primary and secondary care. The costs associated with adverse events and inappropriate prescribing have been estimated at more than £750 million per year. This factsheet gives advice about avoiding prescribing errors.

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Factsheet 14/01/2015

Statement of fitness for work - Northern Ireland

Statement of fitness for work - Northern Ireland

Time to read article: 2 mins
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Fit note is an informal name for the Statement of Fitness for Work. The Statement intends to advise patients who are on sick leave for more than seven days on whether, with extra support from their employer, they could return to work.

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Factsheet 14/01/2015

Statement of fitness for work - Scotland

Statement of fitness for work - Scotland

Time to read article: 2 mins
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Fit note is an informal name for the Statement of Fitness for Work. The Statement intends to advise patients who are on sick leave for more than seven days on whether, with extra support from their employer, they could return to work.

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Factsheet 14/01/2015

Statement of fitness for work

Statement of fitness for work

Time to read article: 2 mins
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Fit note is an informal name for the Statement of Fitness for Work. The Statement intends to advise patients who are on sick leave for more than seven days on whether, with extra support from their employer, they could return to work.

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Factsheet 14/01/2015

Confidentiality – General principles - Wales

Confidentiality – General principles - Wales

Time to read article: 5 mins
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Confidentiality is at the centre of maintaining trust between patients and doctors. As a doctor, you have access to sensitive personal information about patients and you have a legal and ethical duty to keep this information confidential, unless the patient consents to the disclosure, disclosure is required by law or is necessary in the public interest. This factsheet sets out the basic principles of confidentiality.

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Factsheet 14/01/2015

Confidentiality – General principles - Scotland

Confidentiality – General principles - Scotland

Time to read article: 6 mins
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Confidentiality is at the centre of maintaining trust between patients and doctors. As a doctor, you have access to sensitive personal information about patients and you have a legal and ethical duty to keep this information confidential, unless the patient consents to the disclosure; disclosure is required by law or is necessary in the public interest. This factsheet sets out the basic principles of confidentiality.

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Factsheet 14/01/2015

Confidentiality – General principles - Northern Ireland

Confidentiality – General principles - Northern Ireland

Time to read article: 6 mins
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Confidentiality is at the centre of maintaining trust between patients and doctors. As a doctor, you have access to sensitive personal information about patients and you have a legal and ethical duty to keep this information confidential, unless the patient consents to the disclosure; disclosure is required by law or is necessary in the public interest. This factsheet sets out the basic principles of confidentiality.

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Factsheet 05/01/2015

Clinical negligence claims – What to expect - Scotland

Clinical negligence claims – What to expect - Scotland

Time to read article: 3 mins
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A clinical negligence claim is a demand for financial compensation for alleged harm caused by substandard clinical care. Common reasons for claims include failure or delay in diagnosis, or incorrect treatment. In fact, many claims arise out of poor communication. This factsheet outlines the main stages in the legal process of a claim and what it means for you. If you receive a complaint, and this is not being dealt with by your NHS or other employer, you should contact MPS immediately.

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Factsheet 01/12/2014

Giving evidence - Northern Ireland

Giving evidence - Northern Ireland

Time to read article: 4 mins
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As a doctor, you may be asked to give evidence in many different types of tribunals, including criminal or civil courts, the coroner’s court and employment or mental health tribunals. This factsheet gives further information about what to expect and how to prepare.

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17/11/2014

Life in the locum lane

Life in the locum lane

Time to read article: 6 mins
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Dr Robin Chesters had been a partner in a practice for six years before he bit the bullet and decided to launch his career as a locum GP. Sara Williams asks: What’s so great about locuming?

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14/11/2014

Care in the community

Care in the community

Time to read article: 5 mins
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One of the biggest risks in treating elderly patients in nursing homes is communication. Dr Rachel Birch, a sessional GP and MPS medicolegal adviser, reviews a case where communication failure led to patient harm. she then answers typical medicolegal queries around community care

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Factsheet 04/11/2014

Removal of medical equipment after death - Wales

Removal of medical equipment after death - Wales

Time to read article: 2 mins
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If a patient dies and the death is reportable to the coroner, you should leave all equipment in place until you have discussed the case with the coroner’s officer. This factsheet gives you further information about what to do.

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Factsheet 03/11/2014

Removal of medical equipment after death - England

Removal of medical equipment after death - England

Time to read article: 2 mins
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If a patient dies and the death is reportable to the coroner, you should leave all equipment in place until you have discussed the case with the coroner’s officer. This factsheet gives you further information about what to do.

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Factsheet 03/11/2014

Communicating with patients by fax and email - England

Communicating with patients by fax and email - England

Time to read article: 3 mins
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Electronic communication can provide a useful and alternative point of access for patients. However, you should ensure that, if sensitive information needs to be sent electronically, safeguards are in place to avoid breaching patient confidentiality. This factsheet sets out the potential risks of electronic communication.

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