Risk Alert: Burnout warning for clinicians
30 January 2012Clinicians who fail to seek help for health problems could be jeopardising patient safety.
Hot topics at MDDUS London office
30 January 2012
A NEW series of MDDUS Hot Topic workshops to be held in our London offices have now been confirmed.
Join now for FY1 YEARBOOK OFFER!
30 January 2012
Calling all 2012 graduates – sign up for MDDUS graduate membership now and get your 2012 school yearbook.
Submit your nominations for the BMJ Group awards 2012
30 January 2012
ONLY one month remains to submit entries for the 2012 BMJ Group Improving Health Awards.
Hopes for simpler interdeanery transfers
30 January 2012
TALKS are underway aimed at streamlining the process of transfers of trainees between deaneries.
GP training could be extended in 2013
30 January 2012
GP training could be extended from three to four years as early as 2013 if new proposals are given the green light.
Summons Winter 2012 puzzle solution
01 January 2012
Solution to the Summons Winter 2012 crossword puzzle.
Risk Alert: Confidential paper records
23 December 2011
Even in an era of increasing digitisation it does not pay to be careless with 'hard copy'.
22 December 2011
MDDUS is pleased to report that our magazine for foundation year doctors and final year medical students has won a gong for ‘Best Magazine Design: Business & Professional’ at the 2011 Professional Publishers Association (PPA) Scotland Awards.
MDDUS course: Leading through uncertainty
22 December 2011
MDDUS training and consultancy is pleased to announce that its redesigned five-day leadership programme for doctors ‘Leading through Uncertainty’ has proved very popular with members – both GPs and hospital doctors.
Keep us informed of private practice earnings
22 December 2011
SHOULD there be any change in your private practice earnings please inform MDDUS immediately so that a revised subscription for next year can be calculated.
Entries open for BMJ Group awards 2012
22 December 2011
ENTRIES have opened for the 2012 BMJ Group Improving Health Awards
MDDUS principal sponsor of 2012 RCGP conference
22 December 2011
MDDUS is pleased to announce that it will be the principal sponsor of the 2012 RCGP Annual National Conference to be held on 4-6 October at the SECC in Glasgow.
Most F2 doctors get specialty place
22 December 2011
MOST trainees who successfully completed the foundation programme in 2011 went on to find a specialty training place.
Risk Alert: Think before removing patients
30 November 2011
REMOVING a patient from your practice list without good reason could invite even worse difficulty.
Clarity on medical services for overseas visitors
30 November 2011
UNCERTAINTY over qualifying criteria for overseas visitors seeking access to NHS services is a common issue among GP practices according to NHSScotland Counter Fraud Services (CFS).
New guarantee on hospital digs
30 November 2011
NEW standards to improve the quality of hospital accommodation for trainee doctors have been introduced following a BMA campaign.
More than half of trainees are female, report shows
30 November 2011
MORE than half of foundation year doctors are female, according to a new report.
Risk Alert: Treat on need not eligibility
28 October 2011
MAKE the care of the patient your first concern when dealing with asylum seekers and undocumented migrants.
MDDUS coverage for London Olympics
28 October 2011
MDDUS is pleased to offer access to indemnity for members working in a voluntary capacity at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.
Juniors spend over £17K on postgrad training
28 October 2011
JUNIOR doctors are spending an average of £17,114, mostly of their own money, on royal college, exam and professional fees during postgraduate training, according to new figures from the BMA.
Hot topics at MDDUS – coming soon
28 October 2011
NEW dates will be announced soon for the next series of MDDUS Hot Topic workshops in early 2012.
Full MRCP not required for ST3 training
28 October 2011
JUNIOR doctors applying for specialty training year 3 (ST3) places in England and Wales will no longer have to have passed all the examinations for membership of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP) to be able to accept an offer of a post.
Summons Autumn 2011 puzzle solution
01 October 2011
Solution to the Summons Autumn 2011 crossword puzzle.
Risk Alert: Have you read the small print?
30 September 2011
Make sure you are not signing something you might later come to regret.
Keynote speaker takes PM conference into orbit
28 September 2011
What does your average medical or dental practice share with NASA? Quite a bit when it comes to being a safety critical organisation. This is the theme of the keynote address given by Stephen Carver of the Cranfield School of Management at the 2012 MDDUS Practice Managers’ Conference being held on 1-2 March 2012 at the Fairmont St Andrews.
27 September 2011
Adam Campbell explores a range of new developments in gaming and other simulation technologies being used to help train doctors and dentists
Risk Alert - Sneaking a peek at patient records
26 August 2011
Clinicians should resist the temptation to access patient records without a sound clinical reason to do so
26 August 2011
HEALTHCARE professionals are being asked to name their favourite health apps that will help patients make informed decisions about their care.
26 August 2011
Assessing whether an adult patient has the capacity to decide about their medical treatment can be daunting. MDDUS medical adviser Dr Barry Parker offers some advice
Revised FP curriculum for trainees
25 August 2011
TRAINEES entering the 2012 foundation programme will be working to a revised curriculum.
Contractual issues top among calls from practice managers
27 July 2011
CONTRACTUAL issues are a hot topic for practice managers seeking employment law advice, according to new figures from MDDUS.
MDDUS membership for physicians assistants
27 July 2011
MDDUS has introduced a new associate grade of membership for healthcare professionals who are working as physicians assistants.
27 July 2011
Professor Sue Black’s work in the field of forensic anthropology has helped convict killers and find justice for victims of war crimes. Here she speaks to Joanne Curran of MDDUS FYi magazine
Risk Alert: Can a patient be a 'friend'?
26 July 2011
FACEBOOK and Twitter have blurred personal and professional boundaries - but doctors and dentists should think twice before 'friending' patients. Link to full article
Foundation recruitment to use new methods
26 July 2011
ALL final year medical students applying to enter the 2012 foundation programme will have to pass a new aptitude test.
New code for employing juniors
26 July 2011
A NEW code of practice has been agreed with NHS employers in Scotland on how they should treat junior doctors.
Summons Summer 2011 puzzle solution
30 June 2011
Solution to the Summons Summer 2011 crossword puzzle.
Risk Alert: Emailing patient data
28 June 2011
MAKING a mistake when emailing confidential patient information could have serious consequences for doctors and dentists.
28 June 2011
ANTIPSYCHOTIC drugs are still routinely used to manage symptoms in people with dementia despite the fact that the majority are inappropriate and potentially dangerous. Professor Alistair Burns is part of an initiative to change this
27 June 2011
MDDUS was a major sponsor of the National Association of Primary Care Commissioning Conference held recently at the Olympia in London.
SoundBite Issue 03 puzzle solution
24 June 2011
Crossword puzzle solution from Issue 03 of SoundBite magazine.
27 May 2011
POSTING an off-colour remark via Twitter or on Facebook might not seem the worse thing - but for doctors and dentists there can be more at stake.
Recruitment info for FP 2012 online now
27 May 2011
JUNIOR doctors can find out about recruitment to the Academic Foundation Programmes 2012 online.
European medical directory – read the fine print
26 May 2011
MDDUS continues to get calls from members who have inadvertently signed contracts to advertise their details in a 'European Medical Directory'.
26 May 2011
Are you not working due to retirement, maternity, paternity leave or ill health? You can put your membership on hold.
Alarm over early exam schedule
26 April 2011
CONCERNS have been raised over moves to make trainee doctors sit royal college exams early.
Risk Alert: A dangerous misunderstanding
15 April 2011
WHY do some patients fail to follow medical advice? The answer could be a simple communication failure.
Summons Spring 2011 puzzle solution
13 April 2011
Solution to the Summons Spring 2011 crossword puzzle.
Risk Alert: Bribery by any other name
28 March 2011
2011 will see the new UK Bribery Act come into force, meaning an even closer eye on the cherished freebie.
Responsible for S12 Mental Health Act Assessments?
28 March 2011
MDDUS has undertaken a review of the risks associated with doctors specialising in S12 Mental Health Act Assessments.
GMC publishes unified training standards
28 March 2011
A NEW publication from the General Medical Council sets out the standards expected in postgraduate training and education.
Risk Alert: Take care with patient falls
24 February 2011
A SURPRISING number of patients suffer injury when falling in hospital or in medical or dental practices and improper handling can make things significantly worse.
GMC consultation on fitness to practise reforms
23 February 2011
The GMC has proposed major changes to the way it handles cases involving concerns about doctors.
Code for recruitment of junior doctors
23 February 2011
A CODE of practice has been developed for the recruitment of junior doctors in England and Wales.
Risk Alert: Being rude to colleagues threatens patient safety
28 January 2011
Rudeness and a lack of mutual respect among clinical teams can compromise patient safety and add to the risk of complaints and potential litigation.
Summons Winter 2011 puzzle solution
5 January 2011
Solution to the Summons Winter 2011 crossword puzzle.
20 December 2010
The MDDUS exists to support, protect and defend its members. It does this sensibly yet robustly when required. It can only do it, however, if members provide us with the core information that we need.
Risk Alert: Common sense approach to home visits in poor weather
20 December 2010
Doctors must make every reasonable effort to undertake home visits to ill patients but should avoid creating further problems by becoming snowbound or having an accident while travelling in adverse in the winter conditions.
Risk Alert: Caution urged over patient gifts
26 November 2010
CHRISTMAS is fast approaching and your patients might take the opportunity to offer a gift - but could accepting it compromise your professional judgement?
Perspective: There may be trouble ahead...
26 November 2010
FORMER GDC president Hew Mathewson gets to grips with the issue of dental fraud and the thorny subject of fees.
Online help for trainees on good medical practice
26 November 2010
CARTOONS and interactive quizzes have been posted online by the General Medical Council in a bid to help students learn about good practice.
Risk Alert: Student work placements
29 October 2010
BUDDING doctors and dentists rely on work experience to get a foot on the career ladder - but these placements are not risk-free for practices.
A guide to inter-deanery transfers
29 October 2010
THE BMA has compiled a guide to help junior doctors who need to move between deaneries during their training programme.
Summons Autumn 2010 puzzle solution
6 October 2010
Solution to the Summons Autumn 2010 crossword puzzle.
Risk Alert: Equal under the law
24 September 2010
BIG changes are looming in the world of equality legislation that will have an impact on every workplace.
Perspective - Private lives, public debate
24 September 2010
A RADIO programme might seem an unlikely forum for serious ethical debate - but there may be no better place.
24 September 2010
MDDUS held its 2010 annual general meeting in London for the first time ever.
24 September 2010
Magazine columnist and dentist Robert Donald attended his first annual general meeting as an MDDUS board member in September.
Risk Alert: Delegate with care
27 August 2010
ARE your staff working within their competence? The responsibility - and liability - could rest with you.
Know your rights over contracts, BMA says
27 August 2010
JUNIOR doctors should know their rights and understand their contracts, the BMA has said as part of a new campaign.
Risk Alert: Clinical records for clinical matters only
20 July 2010
Make sure only clinical information is filed in a patient's medical or dental records.
Perspective: Farewell, 12 good men and true
20 July 2010
Could dedicated health courts be the answer to resolving medical malpractice cases in the future?
Summons Summer 2010 puzzle solution
15 July 2010
Solution to the medical crossword in Summons Summer 2010: causes of breast lumps
GMC launches new ethical scenarios on end of life care
15 July 2010
The GMC has updated its Good Medical Practice in Action website with a brand new set of ethical scenarios including case studies aimed at helping doctors and patients better understand the new guidance on end of life care.
Risk Alert: Erasure by oversight
28 June 2010
Don't risk being removed from the medical or dental register by missing an ARF payment or not keeping your details up to date.
28 June 2010
Is it time we tackled the nation's poor health by paying people to be more healthy?
Catto and Mathewson appointed MDDUS 'special advisers'
28 June 2010
MDDUS is pleased to announce that former GDC Chair, Mr Hew Mathewson, and former GMC Chair, Professor Sir Graeme Catto, have been appointed as honorary special advisers to the Union.
Dental indemnity for cosmetic treatment
28 June 2010
MDDUS now offers indemnity for dentists providing non-surgical cosmetic treatment, including Botox.
25 June 2010
A NEW guide on applying for your first hospital job as a doctor has been published.
Risk Alert: Don't deal with the GMC/GDC alone
24 May 2010
Doctors and dentists should resist the temptation to respond to GMC or GDC correspondence on their own.
Perspective: The fine art of saying 'no'
24 May 2010
Do we live in a "culture of spoiled children of all ages who think that the only answer to any question is a resounding 'yes'"?
Perspective: Protecting the 'worried well'
19 April 2010
Full body scans and health MOTs are becoming increasingly popular, but how safe are they?
Risk Alert: 'Bigging up' the CV
19 April 2010
Competition for jobs can sometimes be fierce, but resist the temptation to 'big-up' a CV with lies or half-truths.
Academic recruitment process for 2011
19 April 2010
THE process for recruitment to academic foundation programmes beginning in August 2011 has been announced.
Summons Spring 2010 puzzle solution
7 April 2010
Solution to the medical crossword in upcoming Summons Spring 2010: causes of wheeze
19 March 2010
Common things occur commonly - but rare is common too. It's a curious paradox with major implications for healthcare in the UK
Risk Alert: Medico-legal risk in assisted suicide
19 March 2010
The risks faced by doctors who assist in a suicide have been set out for the first time in a new policy from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
19 March 2010
THE role of junior doctors in reporting cases of infectious diseases has been outlined in a new online guide.
15 February 2010
Be sure to keep within your clinical competence in making workplace recommendations on medical ‘fit notes’.
Perspective: Help at last for troubled medics
15 February 2010
Is the new NHS Practitioner Health Programme the answer for doctors and dentists battling health problems?
15 February 2010
New guidance has been published advising junior doctors how to make a banding appeal.
Risk Alert: Beware dangerous side-effects in chronic asthma treatment
15 January 2010
MDDUS has dealt with a number of recent cases in which doctors have failed to adequately monitor long-term steroid treatment of patients with chronic asthma leading to serious side-effects.
Perspective: Do ‘generics’ threaten patient safety?
15 January 2010
The Department of Health in England is keen to increase the use of generic drugs in a bid to cut the annual £9 billion UK bill for branded drugs. Politicians say the move is "sensible" but it has received mixed reactions from doctors.
New national standards on medical records
15 January 2010
A NEW set of national standards on what medical records should contain has been published.
Sampling specialties – a guide
15 January 2010
A NEW guide to making the most of taster days has been published online by the BMJ.
Notice Board items are archived in the online searchable MDDUS Resource Library.