Advice centre

One of the main factors to consider when you start out in private practice is that you are running a business. It sounds obvious, but with little or no financial training it is easy to fall into the trap of not running your private practice like a business, and this almost always leads to financial loss. The second article in this series looks at the practical steps required to run your private practice as a business.

Not only is it important to be well equipped to deal with the challenges and pitfalls that might arise unexpectedly, but also to be prepared to speak to the press or deal with media enquiries following a patient’s treatment.

Dr Gabrielle Pendlebury, Medicolegal Consultant at Medical Protection, advises on how best to manage a scenario where a patient doesn’t want to know the risks

High profile cases have put the spotlight on the consent process and clinicians are increasingly aware of the risks; however, Medical Protection data shows a number of claims alleging that a clinician failed to explain alternative treatment options. Dr Emma Green, Medicolegal Consultant at Medical Protection, looks at the case law surrounding therapeutic options, GMC guidance on consent, and how these impact on the information provided to patients during the consent process.

Time to refresh yourself on the eight core pillars of person-centred care.

A consultant in England contacted the Medical Protection advice line after she found a human skeleton in her loft while in the process of moving house.

MPS response to the Department of Health and Social Care consultation on Healthcare regulation: deciding when statutory regulation is appropriate

Here are some frequently asked questions about making the big move into private practice, answered by Medicolegal Consultant, Dr Karen Ellison.

Edward Leigh of The Center for Healthcare Communication argues that good communication with your patients has the potential to lower the chance of malpractice claims - even when mistakes are made.