Cosmetic interventions review highlights importance of managing patient expectations, say MPS
Identifying whether a patient’s expectations are realistic and ensuring they give valid consent to the intended surgery are essential steps prior to a cosmetic procedure, says the Medical Protection Society (MPS) in response to the Department of Health’s Review of the Regulation of Cosmetic Interventions
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Recall of typhoid vaccine highlights the importance of documentation
Conference helps surgical trainees get to grips with ethical issues
More than 100 surgeons in training attended the joint Medical Protection Society (MPS) and Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT) conference – Getting to grips with law and ethics – on Friday. The conference gave an insight into the challenges of complex ethical and medicolegal issues, and ways to aid safer practice within surgical specialties.
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Convenience shouldn’t compromise confidentiality, says MPS on GPs using tablet devices
Think twice before disclosing full patient records to insurance companies
Communicating with patients by fax and email - Northern Ireland
Electronic communication can provide a useful and alternative point of access for patients. However, you should make sure that, if sensitive information needs to be sent electronically, safeguards are in place to avoid breaching patient confidentiality. This factsheet sets out the potential risks of electronic communication.
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Fairness to all: A look at Membership Governance
Many members of MPS will have very few medicolegal cases in the course of their career. But what happens to those who need assistance rather more frequently? Sarah Whitehouse finds out more.
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Communicating with patients by fax and email - Wales
Electronic communication can provide a useful and alternative point of access for patients. However, you should make sure that if sensitive information needs to besent electronically, safeguards are in place to avoid breaching patient confidentiality. This factsheet sets out the potential risks of electronic communication.
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Communicating with patients by fax and email - Scotland
Electronic communication can provide a useful and alternative point of access for patients. However, you should make sure that, if sensitive information needs to be sent electronically, safeguards are in place to avoid breaching patient confidentiality. This factsheet sets out the potential risks of electronic communication.
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MPS welcomes information sharing but highlights need for safeguards
The Medical Protection Society (MPS) has welcomed the Department of Health’s strategy to transform the use of information across healthcare. The world’s leading medical defence organisation believes that the principles will support communication, improve knowledge and promote shared decision making, however, patients need to be aware of the potential risks.
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Managing medicolegal risks during the holiday season
MPS guidance for doctors working in slimming clinics
The management of obesity in the private sector has come under increasing scrutiny from the MHRA and GMC, resulting in regulatory action being taken against some doctors.
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Mental Capacity Act 2005 - Best interests tests - England and Wales
The best interests principle in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (the Act) states that any act done or decision made on behalf of an adult lacking capacity must be in their best interests. This can cover financial, health and social care decisions.
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Parental responsibility
Parental responsibility refers to the rights and responsibilities that most parents have in respect of their children. This factsheet gives advice on who has parental responsibility and where responsibility lies in situations in which there are disagreements over the best interests of the child.
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MPS Opinion: Spreading the use of HIV testing
Late diagnosis of HIV in adults continues to be an important issue in the UK but for too long it has been absent from healthcare’s topical agenda. With national audit data showing that 24% of deaths of HIV-positive adults in the UK in 2006 were due to a diagnosis of HIV being made too late for effective treatment,1 and further data showing that around one third of all HIV infections in UK adults remain undiagnosed, and approximately 25% of newly-diagnosed individuals have a CD4 count of less than 200 – an indicator of late diagnosis – there is clearly a lack of timely opportunity to improve early diagnosis.
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A duty to treat …and to tell?
Removing patients from the practice list - Wales
Removing patients from the practice list is an emotive issue, risking criticism from bodies such as the Ombudsman, the GMC and the media and should only be used as a last resort. The reasons for removing a patient from the list can be varied, but it should not be in response to patients lodging a complaint or failing to comply with treatment.
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Parental responsibility - Scotland
Parental responsibility refers to the rights and responsibilities that most parents have in respect of their children. This factsheet gives advice on who has parental responsibility and where responsibility lies in situations in which there are disagreements over the best interests of the child.
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Being open
Never underestimate the power of saying sorry when mistakes are made, says Dr Stephanie Bown, MPS Director of Policy and Communications.
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