Should you mention death when the risk is small?
When consenting for a procedure, wherever there is a risk of death – no matter how small – would you always mention this risk?
Read moreWhen consenting for a procedure, wherever there is a risk of death – no matter how small – would you always mention this risk?
Read moreA procurator fiscal investigates all sudden and suspicious deaths in Scotland, conducts fatal accident inquiries and handles criminal complaints against the police. There are 11 procurator fiscals, each covering a specific geographical location within Scotland, who between them investigate around 14,000 sudden deaths each year
Read moreWhen treating a patient who is close to death, clear communication and collective decision-making are as important as any clinical intervention
Read moreConfidentiality is at the centre of maintaining trust between patients and doctors. But what are your obligations to a patient after they have died?
Read moreGuidance from NHS England underlines the importance of clear and honest communication when treating a patient who has reached the end of life.
Read moreFrom April 2019, the new role of medical examiner will be introduced into the process for investigating the deaths of patients. Dr Ben Lobo, consultant physician, geriatrician and medical examiner, and Dr Ewen Ross, medicolegal consultant at Medical Protection, look at what this means for you
Read moreA 48-year-old man underwent abdominoplasty and liposuction. At the pre-operative visit, the consultant anaesthetist proposed general anaesthesia along with a spinal anaesthetic for the purpose of post-operative pain relief.
Read moreThis guide focuses on anaesthesia-related medicolegal cases. It looks at claims and causes, including COVID-19's impact, common themes, and risk management for UK-based anaesthetists.
Read moreWhen patients fail to attend an appointment, it can be hugely frustrating for a number of reasons. It is also very costly, according to recent NHS England data that suggests up to 15 million general practice appointments are being wasted each year – at an estimated cost to the NHS of £216 million.
Read moreIf you have ever been unfortunate enough to receive a letter of claim, you will be aware of how stressful the process can be. Another aspect is the often high sums of money involved. Stephen Preater, costs adviser at Medical Protection, is part of an expert in-house team that is dedicated to controlling the amounts sought by claimants
Read moreWe have made a list of the things to remember when it comes to making and retaining good patient records.
Read moreRemoving patients from the practice list is an emotive issue and should only be used as a last resort. The reasons for removing a patient from the list can be varied, but it should not be in response to patients lodging a complaint or failing to comply with treatment.
Read moreGood 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.
Read moreThe regulations on NHS complaints in Wales are designed to make complaints handling open and accountable, fair and proportionate, and patient-focused. The emphasis is on resolving concerns in a timely fashion, openly and honestly, and a philosophy of “investigate once, investigate well”.
Read moreAs 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.
Read moreYou'll notice a few things have changed on our website. After asking our members what they want in an online platform, we've made it easier to access our membership benefits and created a more personalised user experience.
Why not take our quick 60-second tour? We'll show you how it all works and it should only take a minute.
Take the tour Continue to site
Use the top navigation bar to access essential links from any page of the site.
Should you need to contact us, our phone numbers are always visible.
Start your search by choosing your profession and/or area of interest through the two dropdowns.
We'll save your profession in the "I am a..." dropdown filter for next time.
Narrow your search based on theme, field, format, article, type or location.
Based on the pages you visit, we'll also provide useful links under the 'More' tab.
Now you've seen all of the updated features, it's time for you to try them out.