BMA holds firm on presumed consent
19 November 2008
In responding to the announcement that the government’s Organ Donation Taskforce will not be recommending moving towards a system of presumed consent the BMA has vowed to hold firm on the issue.
GDC defines registrants’ scope of practice
19 November 2008
A new document setting out the skills and abilities required of different members of the dental team has been published by the GDC after consultation.
New GMC website for patient complaints
19 November 2008
A new online information centre to guide patients who want to make a complaint against a doctor has been launched by the GMC.
19 November 2008
A general lack of awareness among health professionals and the public of the risk of CO poisoning has led the CMO and Chief Nursing Officer for England to issue a Dear Colleague letter highlighting symptoms and management.
New guidelines on diagnosing death
14 November 2008
New guidance intended to remove ambiguities in the way death is diagnosed and confirmed by doctors has been launched by The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.
Smoking cessation therapy risk
13 November 2008
The smoking cessation drug varenicline continues to generate Yellow Card reports for suspected adverse reactions, according to the MHRA.
13 November 2008
A new guide for general practitioners to help them support carers has been published The Princess Royal Trust for Carers in partnership with the RCGP.
Pain control in cancer – new guidelines
13 November 2008
New guidelines on managing pain in adults with cancer has been issued by The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN).
6 November 2008
A new booklet designed to guide witnesses through the GMC’s hearing process has been launched this week.
Bereaved families get new rights
6 November 2008
New cremation regulations in England and Wales will allow bereaved families to inspect the medical forms of a deceased family member before a cremation takes place.
Ensure competence in implant dentistry
30 October 2008
New revised ‘Training standards in implant dentistry’ published by the Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) are the gold standard in ensuring competence in implantology, according to the GDC.
Standardised records to improve patient safety
30 October 2008
Definitive standards for patient hospital records have been developed by the Royal College of Physicians in partnership with NHS Connecting for Health, and agreed by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.
28 October 2008
The NPSA is urging GPs to ensure that children receiving the combined pre-school vaccine (Infanrix-IPV+Hib) are given the Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) component of the vaccine.
Suspension of marketing authorisation for anti-obesity drug
27 October 2008
Prescribers should not issue any prescriptions for the anti-obesity drug rimonabant, and should review the treatment of those who are currently taking this medicine according to recommendations by the European Medicines Agency.
Data security lapses prompt new standard in Scotland
15 October 2008
A new NHSScotland standard on mobile data protection has been launched in response to recent incidents involving the discovery of unencrypted data on portable electronic devices.
15 October 2008
The Department of Health has confirmed the formation of an implementation team for the introduction revalidation for doctors in England.
Complaints 'do not improve NHS'
13 October 2008
Vital lessons which could be learned from complaints to the NHS are ignored, a public spending watchdog says. (BBC News)
New significant event audit 'how-to'
10 October 2008
New guidance for general practice teams enabling them to learn from patient safety incidents and 'near misses' has been launched by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA).
Guidance on non-surgical cosmetic procedures needs further development
9 October 2008
Feedback on interim guidance for dental professionals carrying out non-surgical cosmetic procedures, including Botox, has prompted the GDC to give the matter further consideration.
BMA loses its challenge on ARF
6 October 2008
The High Court has turned down a BMA application for a judicial review of the General Medical Council’s (GMC) decision to abolish the exemption from the annual retention fee (ARF) for doctors aged over 65.
MHRA warning on ergot-derived dopamine agonists
6 October 2008
In the new edition of Drug Safety Update the MHRA has warned that chronic use of ergot-derived dopamine agonists is associated with a risk of fibrosis, particularly cardiac fibrosis.
New specialist list in ‘special care dentistry’
3 October 2008
The General Dental Council has opened a new specialist list in ‘special care dentistry’.
BMA challenges abolition of ARF exemption
2 October 2008
The GMC has acted unlawfully in abolishing without due consultation the over-65 exemption from paying its annual retention fee (ARF), the BMA accused in a judicial review heard yesterday in the High Court.
Patient-specific Botox rules are "common sense"
1 October 2008
New GMC guidance that warns GPs to prescribe Botox to named patients only is common sense and errs appropriately on the side of caution, says the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS).
Concern over mouth cancer checks
30 September 2008
Many dental surgeries do not routinely provide appointments within a week for patients suffering from symptoms of mouth cancer, a survey suggests. (BBC News)
Revised GMC guidance on reporting convictions
25 September 2008
An increase in the range of offences settled by paying fixed penalty notices rather than being subject to formal charges has prompted the General Medical Council to issue amended guidance on reporting criminal offences and related matters.
Avoid routine use of Ritalin in ADHD says NICE
24 September 2008
Parent-training programmes should be offered as first-line treatment in most children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder, according to new guidance issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
Extra funds for dental decontamination
15 September 2008
An extra £5 million in funding for dentists to improve decontamination facilities in their surgeries has been pledged by the Scottish Government.
GMC consults on revised confidentiality guidance
11 September 2008
The General Medical Council has launched UK-wide consultation for the review of its current guidance on confidentiality.
Survey highlights memory stick risks
05 September 2008
Hospital doctors are taking dangerous risks with electronic patient data according to the results of a survey conducted by two London medics and published in the Health Service Journal.
Doctors split on organ donation
3 September 2008
Intensive care doctors have told the BBC they are deeply concerned about any radical change to the law on organ donation. (BBC News)
Referral urged for suspected familial hypercholesterolaemia
2 September 2008
Patients at risk of familial hypercholesterolaemia should be referred for diagnostic testing to determine if early treatment is necessary to prevent unnecessary illness and early death from coronary heart disease.
ARF exemption decision now on hold
29 August 2008
The GMC has put on hold steps to withdraw the age exemption for payment of the annual retention fee (ARF) for doctors who are 65 or over.
Online info and updates on revalidation
22 August 2008
A new section on the GMC website has been launched to provide information and updates on developing proposals for licensing and revalidation.
Dentists 'pull out more teeth'
21 August 2008
Dentists are more likely to pull teeth out or fit false ones than provide fillings or crowns under an NHS deal introduced two years ago, figures show. (BBC News)
e-leaflets aid in recovery from surgery
13 August 2008
A series of online 'leaflets' have been developed to aid patients recovering from common surgical procedures.
12 August 2008
Doctors should inform police when treating patients for wounds inflicted in a violent attack with a knife, blade or other sharp instrument according to new interim guidance from the GMC and Department of Health (England).
Depression goes unrecognised in elderly
12 August 2008
A majority of over 65s are being denied treatment for depression according to a report published by Age Concern.
Measles fears prompt MMR campaign
7 August 2008
The government has launched a campaign to raise MMR vaccination rates in England amid growing concerns about a measles epidemic. (BBC News)
Warning on suicide risk with antiepileptics
6 August 2008
Antiepileptic drugs have been associated with a small increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviour according to a Europe-wide review of data from clinical trials which has been highlighted by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Improvements reported in controlled drug management
6 August 2008
Monitoring and management of controlled drugs (CD) has improved post-Shipman according to a report published by the Healthcare Commission.
More funding for dental decontamination
6 August 2008
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has pledged £75 million of capital funding to Scottish health boards which in part will be allocated to the upgrading of decontamination facilities in GDP premises.
Warning on employing unregistered DCPs
4 August 2008
The GDC has issued a warning to dentists employing or commissioning work from unregistered dental nurses or technicians.
Reduce antibiotic prescribing for RTIs
1 August 2008
NICE has published a short clinical guideline on appropriate prescribing of antibiotics for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in adults and children in primary care.
Online pregnancy guide for patients
1 August 2008
An online maternity guide to provide patients with “the latest and most comprehensive advice on all aspects of pregnancy” has been launched by NHS Choices.
No to presumed consent for organ donation
30 July 2008
A Welsh Assembly committee has rejected legislation to introduce presumed consent for organ donation.
GMC guidance on being an expert witness
28 July 2008
New guidance for doctors who act as expert witnesses has been launched by the GMC.
24 July 2008
All patients suspected of having a stroke should be admitted as quickly as possible to an acute stroke unit, either from the community or by being transferred from A&E.
Drink and drugs "no excuse" for violence against NHS staff
24 July 2008
Tough revised guidelines governing the prosecution of violent offenders who target NHS staff make it clear that drink and drug abuse will not be seen as an excuse for such behaviour.
More on HPV immunisation in Scotland
23 July 2008
The Scottish Government has released an HPV Immunisation Model Local Enhanced Service (LES) for GP contractors providing background on the programme and detailing payment arrangements.
Donaldson launches revalidation report
23 July 2008
Doctors will be required to renew their professional registration every five years and patients will play an important role in this process according to a report by England CMO, Sir Liam Donaldson.
GDC statement on non-surgical cosmetic procedures
17 July 2008
Non-surgical cosmetic procedures outside the immediate mouth area such as Botox and dermal fillers do not fall within in the scope of dentistry according to a new policy statement issued by the General Dental Council.
New guidance on NHS records in Scotland
14 July 2008
A new best practice guide to NHS records management has been issued by the Scottish Government eHealth Directorate.
GDC expands tooth whitening duties
14 July 2008
The GDC has confirmed that dental hygienists and dental therapists can carry out tooth whitening on the prescription of a dentist if they have the necessary additional skills.
GMC statement on EU "health tourism"
4 July 2008
The GMC has responded to a European Commission proposal to make it easier for patients to get medical treatment elsewhere in Europe.
Infections 'the biggest NHS fear'
2 July 2008
Picking up an infection is the public's main concern about hospital care, a UK-wide BBC poll shows. (BBC News)
Health and student fitness to practise
1 July 2008
New draft guidance from the General Medical Council recognises that poor health can affect a medical student's fitness to practise either directly or by contributing to misconduct.
25 June 2008
The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) has published a new guideline on the diagnosis and management of chronic kidney disease.
Surgical checklist saves lives
25 June 2008
A new safety checklist for surgical teams to use in operating theatres has been launched by the WHO as part of a drive to make surgery safer around the world.
NICE gives okay to obesity drug
25 June 2008
The drug rimonabant has been approved for use in England and Wales for the treatment of obesity with a proviso on risks for patients with pre-existing depression.
Risky warfarin co-prescribing prevalent
23 June 2008
A recent study conducted in Scotland found that 68 per cent of patients prescribed with warfarin were concomitantly issued with a prescription for at least one potentially interacting medicine.
Dental staff - keep vigilant for signs of abuse
12 June 2008
Dentists and dental care professionals have a responsibility to raise concerns about potential abuse or neglect of children and vulnerable adults, says the GDC.
Reporting convictions to the GMC
12 June 2008
Amended GMC guidance will make specific reference to the obligation of doctors to inform the GMC of any warnings for the possession of cannabis or fixed penalty notices for disorder or anti-social behaviour.
Amputee sues over late diagnosis
12 June 2008
A woman who lost a leg to bone cancer is suing her doctors after the disease was not diagnosed for six months. (BBC News)
60 years of the NHS in Scotland
12 June 2008>
A website charting the history of the NHS in Scotland has been launched to mark the 60th anniversary of the health service.
GMC introduces civil standard of proof
5 June 2008
The new civil standard of proof in GMC fitness to practise hearings has come into effect as of 31 May 2008.
5 June 2008
Guidance on the early diagnosis and management of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in children and young people is a key feature of new guidelines issued by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN).
GMC to end age exemption from ARF
5 June 2008
Exemptions from paying the annual retention fee (ARF) for GMC registrants over the age of 65 are to be ended having been judged contrary to laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of age.
News articles are archived in the online searchable MDDUS Resource Library.