WelcoMe to SeSSionAl Gp
editor’s letter
sessional gps regularly tell Mps about the unique hurdles that salaried and
locum doctors face in daily practice, which gp partners do not
a
s a medicolegal following categories: especially for locum gps. and explores the difficulties
adviser at Mps ■ failure to appreciate sara Williams explores how of treating non-english
and a doctor who legal and professional your body language could speakers in the cultural
previously worked as a gp, responsibilities impact on your clinical melting pot that is uK
i am pleased to have been ■ problems in clinical practice. other essential general practice.
given the role of editor- management principles are tackled in the Working as a gp your skills
in-chief of Sessional GP, ■ Medication errors following articles on consent may be called upon when
a new annual magazine ■ administration errors and medical records. you least expect it. i look at
for all sessional gps. ■ failure of communication, cases form the heart medicolegal dilemmas that
We hope that this including inadequate of Mps’s signature you may encounter during
magazine will provide medical records. publication Casebook, routine activities like taking
you with useful and but we’ve selected three the children to school.
practical advice on how vital legal concepts cases that illustrate the Sessional GP ends on
to avoid the problems although doctors are not interplay between practices the musings of cumbrian
commonly encountered expected to be infallible, and locums and how portfolio gp dr euan
by sessional gps. the law requires that they things can go wrong. lawson, who describes
Having worked with exercise a reasonable locums as the ray Mears
sessional gps, we standard of skill and practical problems of the gp world, and
understand how important it care at all times. it is vital the last part of the tackles the peculiarities
is that you understand your to remember to never magazine is devoted to that this presents.
legal responsibilities from undertake a task that is tackling the practical reality as this is a new
day one, whether you’re beyond your competence in which sessional gps publication, we welcome
salaried or working as a nor without the right work. dr richard fieldhouse, feedback. if you would like
locum. Being familiar with equipment; when in doubt, founder of the nasgp, to comment on our choice of
the red flags that co-exist seek help from a more investigates whether it is a articles, or suggest an article
in day-to-day practice is an experienced colleague. myth that locum gps are for the next issue, contact:
essential safeguard against in most Mps cases where becoming more mobilised sara.williams@mps.org.uk
possible legal actions. doctors have unwittingly and working in organised
fallen foul of the law, they groups. sarah Whitehouse
first impressions were not aware of the legal and sara Williams
locum gps are in a principles that underpin acknowledge that locums
unique position that could their practice, or they did can feel excluded from
possibly expose them to not understand the inter- the complaints process,
more medicolegal risk than relationship between medical and ask whether the
partners. unlike permanent practice and considerations new complaints system
gps, locums often only have such as consent, will encourage practices to
one opportunity to make confidentiality, record better involve locums.
a good first impression, keeping and communication. locum gp dr
and a bad impression can using Sessional GP, Judith Harvey
provoke some patients we’ve honed in on several of identifies the
to seek redress, when, these important medicolegal top risks for
in most cases, there principles to illustrate what locums in what
has been no human salaried and locum gps she describes
error. Mps’s experience should be familiar with, as the “risk
is that a breakdown in in order to avoid sticky sink” that
communication and situations. the magazine is the nHs.
patients’ dissatisfaction is divided into medicolegal sara Williams
with a doctor’s manner and features, case studies builds on dr
attitude frequently give rise and practical problems. Harvey’s points,
to complaints and claims. the medicolegal
Most incidents leading features begin with an dr richard Stacey
to medicolegal problems article on how essential editor-in-chief
fall into one of the good communication is,
4 sessional gp | voluMe 1 | 2009 www.mps.org.uk
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