dileMMAS
dilemmas
Working as a gp your skills may be called upon
when you least expect it. Dr Richard Stacey, Mps
Medicolegal adviser, gives advice on how to deal
with tricky situations
dilemma 1. poor-performing colleagues
Y
ou’ve started locuming in front of a patient. is complaint. so it is important
at a large practice. this ever oK to do? to be careful with regards to
during afternoon what you say, bear in mind
surgery you see a 30-year- A medicolegal opinion that you were not party to
old patient who saw their Mps commonly sees the consultation and the
usual gp a fortnight ago. complaints or claims that symptoms may have evolved
the patient is complaining have been instigated by a in the intervening period.
of the same symptoms she patient only after another
described on her first visit. clinician made a comment. the GMc advises:
upon examination, you in most cases, it’s not that ■ When working in a team:
make a different, “obvious” the doctor has advised the you must respect the
diagnosis. surprised that patient to pursue a claim or skills and contributions
the other gp missed it, you complaint, but that they have of your colleagues.
garble: “dr evans should made a comment that has ■ You must treat your
have seen that. i can’t been construed by the patient colleagues fairly and with
believe he missed it”. You as criticism, snowballing respect, and not unfairly
have criticised your colleague into an official claim or discriminate against them
by allowing personal views
to affect your professional
relationship with them.
■ You must not undermine
patients’ trust in their
care, or in the judgment
of those treating them, by
making unfounded and
malicious criticisms.
raising concerns about a
colleague’s performance
as a locum can be tricky,
especially if the doctor
in question is employing dilemma 3. requests for references
you. However, the gMc is
clear. if you do have serious an acquaintance, who you have also seen as a patient at another surgery, sees you when you’re shopping in
concerns about a colleague’s town. He asks if you could write him a character reference for a new job. although as an acquaintance you
fitness to practise you should would have no qualms about doing this, as a gp, you are aware of his previous history of depression. What do
not keep it to yourself, as you do?
the safety of patients must
come first at all times. A medicolegal opinion
Y
r
if you have concerns, an in this dilemma the problems encountered would be similar to those in dilemma 2. How do you manage an
a
r honest explanation should informal consultation? You may not see a problem with writing the reference, and may be happy to do it, but if
l
i
B
be given to your contracting something went wrong you would be liable.
t
o
o
H
body, or an appropriate in this dilemma you are in an awkward position. it would be best to explain that, as you have seen him in
e
p
c
person locally – pct, medical surgery, you would not be the best person to provide a reference of the type he is requesting.
i
e
n
director, responsible officer,
c
/
s
etc. these bodies will have
t
o
o procedures in place to deal
H
p
J
with accusations of this kind.
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eriKa craddocK/sciencepHotoliBrarY
26 sessional gp | voluMe 1 | 2009 www.mps.org.uk
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