Inherent risks in remote consulting
Online consulting offers real promise as a means of easing pressure on hard-pressed primary care services - but there are some inherent risks.
Challenging authority
WHAT do healthcare staff do when faced with a bad decision by someone senior? 'Authority gradients' are a prime consideration in safe team working.
The importance of being flexible
IN any clinical setting, adopting too rigid an adherence to protocols can add risk. Sometimes a more flexible approach is required
Safe delegation
DELEGATION utilised carefully and with due safety is a practical way of enhancing the delivery of care – but remember you delegate a task, not full responsibility.
Winter pressure equals burnout
PRESSURES in the NHS always increase at this time of year – and so inevitably does the risk of burnout amongst doctors. Long hours and a hard-working culture might seem "all part of the job" but not at the expense of patient safety and personal health.
Watching the watchers
Do you make use of video surveillance in your practice? The Information Commissioner’s Office has significantly revised its CCTV code of practice and these changes must be considered in addition to requirements from the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and developing technologies.
Antibiotics – damned if you do…
CERTAIN things are sadly inevitable as winter approaches, including the upsurge in demand for antibiotics. How do you balance that with the risks of overprescribing?
Altering patient notes
CLINICAL notes are an important record of the encounters between medical or dental staff and their patients. Altering them in a less than honest or straightforward way can result in serious consequences.
Confusion over administering flu jabs
FLU season will soon be upon us and questions regarding healthcare assistants (HCAs) administering flu vaccinations are already being raised on a regular basis with the MDDUS advisory service. Practice adviser Helen Ormiston addresses confusion over the necessary requirements.
Prying into patient data
A SPATE of recent cases prompts a reminder of the potentially serious consequences of prying into patients’ medical records without a legitimate reason.