The CQC is the regulator for health and social care in England. It monitors, inspects and regulates general practices to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety.

You can get direct assistance from Medical Protection by requesting a Clinical Risk Self Assessment (CRSA), which is a systematic approach that identifies risk and develops practical solutions, as one of the benefits of membership. Our experience has been that a CRSA is invaluable in assisting practices in preparing for their CQC inspection and also post-CQC inspection, to assist with issues raised by the CQC inspector.

The CQC wants to define what good quality care looks like in order to be able to effectively inspect and rate practices.

An information portal can simplify the storing, sharing and management of local information held by your practice and is an important device for reducing risk. We’ve teamed up with the National Association of Sessional GPs (NASGP) to help you find a simple and effective solution.

Endurance athlete and GP Dr Andrew Murray reflects on working in Mongolia and why he decided to run from Scotland to the Sahara

In this issue we share a case where a locum GP raised concerns about patient safety in a practice he had worked at for three months

Prescribing can be a risky business, especially when prescribing for different kinds of patients such as older people or children who can be particularly vulnerable. Charlotte Hudson talks about the risks and what you can do to make sure you avoid them.

Dr Euan Lawson, a locum GP from Cumbria, explains why every GP, including locums, should have an open door when not consulting.

Kirsty Plowman considers how complaints can affect you and offers tips for tackling any you may receive

Medicolegal Adviser Dr Marika Davies explains how to maintain professionalism when dealing with trivial requests from patients

If I accidentally bump into someone and hurt them walking along the street, my immediate reaction is to say sorry, regardless of whether it was or wasn’t my fault. What happens when we place a similar analogy into a doctor/patient context?

Dr Mark Dinwoodie, Director of Education at Medical Protection, discusses the importance of reflection and Dr Ayaz Khalid, a foundation doctor, shares his top tips for reflective practice

There is no escaping the fact that ‘Dr Google’ is becoming more and more influential in GP consultations. At Medical Protection, we commissioned a YouGov online survey of 2021 British adults to look at the pros and cons of seeking medical advice from the internet.

Dr Rachel Thomas reflects on the memories of her first day as a F1 doctor

Read about a members experience on applying for funding for your elective.

When planning your elective, its essential to stay organised and have the right measures in place to help make your experience as stress free as possible.