3 ON THE COVER


8 On the defensive When you are preoccupied with the threat of litigation, you may start to practise defensively, says Sara Williams.


7 A potted history of medicine Sarah Whitehouse trawls the medicolegal archives for some historical horror stories.


12 Sympathy in the surgery Is crying in front of your patients ever acceptable? Sarah Whitehouse finds out.


15 Membership Governance Dr Peter Mackenzie, MPS Head of Membership Governance, explains the support on offer to those members that need it most.


ALSO THIS ISSUE


4 Your MPS In addition to MPS Medical Director Dr Priya Singh’s regular column, you can also read about the latest offerings from Educational Services and find out what MPS has been up to in YOUR part of the world.


6 Headlines and deadlines The latest news on legislation, events and open consultations in the UK.


16 On the case Dr Rob Hendry, MPS Head of Medical Services (Edinburgh), introduces this issue’s selection of case reports.


17 Case reports 17 Missed opportunities 18 Heart of the matter 19 To operate or not to operate? 20 Cuts and bruises 21 Repeat offender 22 Inappropriate delegation 23 A pain in the buttock


24 Over to you A sounding board for you, the reader – what did you think about the last issue of Casebook? All comments and suggestions welcome.


26 Book reviews This issue, freelance journalist Sian Barton reviews Sick Notes, while Dr June Tay tells us all about Direct Red: A Surgeon’s Story.


GET THE MOST FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIP


Visit our website for further Casebook issues, a wealth of publications, news, events and other information:


www.mps.org.uk  5 Welcome


Dr Stephanie Bown – Editor-in-chief MPS Director of Policy and Communications


I am very pleased to welcome you to your new-look Casebook.


All the usual sections and content are still there but we took the opportunity to bring the look and feel more up- to-date with modern journals and magazines. We hope you find the layout attractive and refreshing, as well as easier to navigate.


As you know, MPS is a mutual organisation and and we are committed to giving you the very best in advice and support. The redesign of Casebook reflects this commitment – it has been redesigned with you, our members, in mind, and demonstrates that we are constantly striving to find new ways to improve our level of support to you.


18


We are proud to be an international organisation, albeit with a UK head office, and see Casebook as an important route for ensuring that local voices are aired and heard, and that local issues are covered. The redesign allows for each regional edition – Ireland, South Africa, the UK, Asia, New Zealand and the Caribbean and Bermuda – to be a bespoke version that has received dedicated care to make it more relevant to the issues that you face.


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Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors. Pictures should not be relied upon as accurate representations of clinical situations. © The Medical Protection Society Limited 2011. All rights are reserved.


ISSN 1366 4409


Casebook is designed and produced three times a year by the Communications Department of the Medical Protection Society (MPS). Regional editions of each issue are mailed to all MPS members worldwide.


GLOBE (logo) (series of 6)® is a registered UK trade mark in the name of The Medical Protection Society Limited.


MPS is not an insurance company. All the benefits of membership of MPS are discretionary, as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.


Follow our timely tweets at: www.twitter.com/MPSdoctors


We recognise that every member of MPS is an individual with different needs and interests, and is of equal importance in a mutual organisation. It is this approach that ensures our various editions of Casebook are as unique as can be. This is demonstrated in this issue, in the article that caters for those members who can benefit from extra support in their practice.


“Introducing…Membership Governance” is on page 15.


I do hope you find this first edition of the new Casebook an informative and entertaining read. If you have any comments or suggestions on the new layout, please do let us know.


Cover: © FOTOCROMO/iStockphoto.com


EDITORIAL


UNITED KINGDOM CASEBOOK | VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 1 | JANUARY 2011 www.mps.org.uk


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