Accessing patient records – when is it ok? When is it not?
Doctors are allowed to access records to provide direct patient care – but what if you need to look at a record for another reason?
Risk: Don't get caught out on indemnity
You wouldn't drive a car without insurance, so it's vital healthcare professionals don't practise without appropriate indemnity cover in place.
Case file: Printed scan report
...Dr K agrees to print out a copy of his patient's CT scan report. But his line manager tells him this is not permitted...
Innovation: Real-time TB diagnosis on the street
An innovative mobile find and treat service on the streets of London is being enhanced with supercharged connectivity.
Probity – the hidden pitfalls
Even doctors who pride themselves on being open and honest at all times can sometimes fall foul of the rules.
Health and care system “gridlocked”
ONLY two in five people are able to leave hospital when ready to do so, which is contributing to record-breaking waits in emergency departments and dangerous ambulance handover delays, according to the Care Quality Commission.
Remove employment barriers to tackle NHS crisis, says GMC
THE General Medical Council is calling for a relaxation in rules preventing specialty and associate specialist (SAS) and locally employed (LE) doctors from undertaking a wider range of work, such as in primary care.
MDDUS responds to the GMC workforce report
MDDUS chief medical officer Dr John Holden welcomes moves to reduce red tape but says more must be done to improve doctors' working conditions.
Fewer operations lead to growing NHS waiting list
THE waiting list for hospital treatment in England has reached a new record of seven million and analysis suggests this is due to fewer operations being carried out rather than a post-pandemic surge in demand.
Older patients use NHS more but complain less
MORE patients over age 55 years used the NHS in England (66 per cent) than those under 55 years (57 per cent) during the pandemic, but fewer (25 per cent) would have been willing to complain compared to under 55s (34 per cent).