MDDUS
INSIGHT
SECONDARY

Going hungry on shift

Tired young doctor with coffee cup
Row of burnt matchsticks Risk

Burnout risks patient safety

The rising incidence and severity of reported burnout among NHS staff is not just a wellbeing issue.

Elderly woman being clinically monitored at home Innovation

Virtual wards in action

One initiative to ease pressure on overstretched hospital services.

Nurse drawing blood Best practice

Are you delegating safely?

Clinicians can delegate responsibility for a task but not accountability.

Email security graphic Case file: Complaint

Wrong email attachment

...Ms J sends a formal letter of complaint expressing her distress at having personal and private information mistakenly disclosed...

Woman with abdominal pain Case file: Claim

Gut pain

...it is claimed that Dr C neglected to adequately examine Ms R and failed to diagnose her appendicitis...

Surgeons performing caesarean section Case file: Advice

Post-incident meeting

...Dr N should be allowed to review the patient records before providing responses to questions relating to her involvement in the care provided...

Feature

The surprising history of medical defence

Allan Gaw recounts how increasing litigation in the late Victorian era led to the establishment of mutual medical defence.

Inclusive people graphic Viewpoint

A place of acceptance

Medico-legal adviser Dr Gordon McDavid offers a personal perspective on the workplace challenges facing LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals.

Dr Jane Elizabeth Waterston Vignette

Frank and fearless

Jane Elizabeth Waterston - Scottish teacher and the first woman physician in southern Africa.

Clinician looking at online patient records Best practice

Altering clinical records – do’s and don'ts

Clinical records should be made contemporaneously - but there are occasions when it's reasonable to alter an existing record.

Distressed woman Mental health

Support in a time of crisis

A free service that recognises an essential duty to care for the mental health and wellbeing of healthcare professionals.

Making decisions Ethics

Hard choices – on difficult decisions

Professor Deborah Bowman reflects on the complexities of making difficult decisions.

News

Minimising risk as a GP locum

21 March 2024

Shocking level of sexual harassment directed at female surgeons

15 September 2023

Updated NICE guidance could lead to around 100,000 fewer colonoscopies

31 August 2023

“World first” rollout of cancer jab that cuts treatment time

31 August 2023

Updated GMC guidance highlights support for doctors to “speak out”

22 August 2023

Digital phonelines a positive step says RCGP

18 August 2023

GPs to order “fast-tracked” tests for heart and respiratory conditions

11 August 2023

More News

MDDUS Updates

Professional pitfalls in social media use

02 October 2023

Get 20% off Income Protection for the first two years*

28 September 2023

MDDUS group cover

28 September 2023

MDDUS at the RCGP conference

22 September 2023

Advice for doctors during industrial action

19 September 2023

Notice of Annual General Meeting

21 August 2023

Advice for junior doctor members during industrial action

31 July 2023

MDDUS Updates

Editor: Dr Greg Dollman

Managing editor: Jim Killgore

Associate editor: Joanne Curran

Email: insight@mddus.com

Editorial departments

Medical: Dr Susan Gibson-Smith

Legal: Joanna Jervis

Insight Secondary is published quarterly by The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland, registered in Scotland No 5093 at 206 St Vincent Street, Glasgow G2 5SG.

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in Insight Secondary are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of MDDUS.

View previous issues of Insight Secondary

Insight Secondary is published quarterly and distributed to MDDUS members through the UK who work in secondary care

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Insight Secondary Care Q3 cover

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