Warnings to doctors over the harmful effects of the valproate medications – which, if taken by girls or women of child-bearing potential, can cause birth defects and developmental disorders in children – have been circulating for years.

Both legislation and the GMC’s guidance emphasise that doctors should presume that adults have the capacity to consent to or refuse a proposed treatment unless it can be established that they lack that capacity.

Dr Emma Green, medicolegal consultant at Medical Protection, recalls a harrowing experience encountering a violent patient and considers the impact on confidentiality when reporting criminal behaviour or assault.

Medical Protection Society (MPS) has recently submitted our response to the review of Good medical practice carried out by the General Medical Council (GMC) .

A consultant in England contacted the Medical Protection advice line after she found a human skeleton in her loft while in the process of moving house.

Medical Protection speaks to Clara Munro, one of the creators and presenters of Doctor Informed, an upcoming podcast from The BMJ that aims to keep hospital doctors equipped with the skills to develop their daily practice.

As the vaccination programme against COVID-19 continues in the UK, the usual laws around patient consent still apply. But what if your patient lacks capacity to consent? Dr Jayne Molodynski, Medicolegal Consultant at Medical Protection, offers advice and guidance

The rapid adoption of remote consulting, or telemedicine, has been one of the most notable changes that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought upon healthcare worldwide. Dr Rob Hendry, Medical Director at Medical Protection, looks at its impact

The COVID-19 pandemic has had major implications for everyone’s mental health, and clinicians are no exception. Dr Rachel Morris shares some tips from her wellbeing toolkit that all the practice can use

Some medical professionals are now acting as social media influencers – using their social media profiles to generate interest in topics, products, brands and services. As with all online communication it is an area that offers benefits and risks. Dr Beth Walker, Medicolegal Consultant at Medical Protection, looks into the issue further

Hopefully it will never happen to you, but it’s good to know what to expect if you ever need to appear before a fitness to practise panel. Here we explain why they happen, how to prepare, and the possible consequences for your medical career.

Essential advice about protecting yourself online. The article looks into cases and GMC guidance around online activity and social media, with key things you need to know as a medical student and junior doctor.

Tips on how to manage your physical and mental health at medical school and beyond.

Dr Philip White, Medicolegal Consultant at Medical Protection, looks at the potential impact of subtle changes of wording in the GMC’s new consent guidance

Medical Protection offers a confidential 24/7 counselling service to any members experiencing work-related stress, or stress that they feel could impact their practice. Find out more here

The GMC expects medical students to be honest and trustworthy, and to act with integrity, and this equally applies to academic work.

A recent Supreme Court decision, Darnley v Croydon Health Services NHS Trust [2018] UKSC 50, has raised questions about the role of non-clinical staff in patient care. The judgment criticised the actions of a receptionist in an Accident and Emergency (A&E) department – Joseph McCaughley, litigation solicitor at Medical Protection, looks at the ramifications of the case

New data protection regulations came into force on 25 May and MPS is committed to fulfilling its legal obligations – correct redaction and anonymisation is one way that you can play your part in safeguarding data.

In this series we explore the key risk areas in general practice