Advice centre

Good doctors are good communicators. Professor Allan Gaw, from the National Institute of Health Research, shares his top tips to help you improve your communication skills

Recently a patient with terminal pancreatic cancer presented acutely with bowel obstruction and was admitted to hospital under our team. We discussed DNACPR with the patient, and he was in agreement that this would be appropriate to have in place. The following day, however, his wife was very unhappy this had not been discussed with her, and she asked to have the DNACPR order removed. To what extent are we as clinicians obliged to discuss a DNACPR decision with relatives, having already discussed this with the patient?

The GMC is introducing a new revalidation assessment next year for doctors based overseas and those not currently undertaking medical practice to support their revalidation.

GP practices are required to produce an annual infection control statement to demonstrate their compliance with guidelines on infection prevention and cleanliness.

A common dilemma on the advice line is requests for medical records by the police or social services. Senior Medicolegal Adviser Dr Pallavi Bradshaw shares her advice

Have you been allocated a responsible officer? Are you familiar with the RCGP’s credit system? If not, read medicolegal adviser and portfolio GP Dr Rachel Birch’s shares her practical revalidation checklist