CONTENTS
IN THIS ISSUE I JUST want to say one word to you. Just one word. Haptics. Apologies here to The Graduate– but this is the key message in Adam Campbell’s article on virtual reality (VR) training on page 12 of this issue. Haptics is defined by Wikipedia as “tactile feedback technology that takes advantage of a user's sense of touch by applying forces, vibrations, and/or motions to the user” – or say in the case of an advanced surgical simulator, mimicking the firmness of arterial tissue when placing a stitch. The technology holds great promise according to Professor
Mike Larvin, director of education at the Royal College of Surgeons of England: “If we had really good VR with the proper haptic feedback, we could get trainees through far more exercises before they got on to a real patient. So when it comes it is going to contribute greatly to safety.” Adam’s article also looks at how other VR and gaming technologies are being applied to the training of doctors
Rooney champions the value of team resource management skills
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Cover image: The Park by Alison Mountain. The painting was gifted to the Art in Healthcare Collection in 1997. Alison Mountain trained in Fine Art at Leeds University and at the Slade School of Art in London, working alongside figurative artists
such as William Coldstream, Euan Uglow and Lucien Freud. She also holds a BDes and MDes in Illustration and Printmaking from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee, and has taught at Scottish Further and Higher Education Colleges across the country. Art in Healthcare (formerly Paintings in Hospitals
Scotland) works with hospitals and healthcare communities across Scotland to encourage patients, visitors and staff to enjoy and engage with the visual arts. For more information visit
www.artinhealthcare.org.uk, Scottish Charity No: SC 036222.
AUTUMN 2011
Dr Terry Simpson looks at a new audit tool for assessing dental records
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Editor:
Jim Killgore Associate editor: Joanne Curran
Editorial departments: MEDICAL Dr Gail Gilmartin DENTAL Mr Aubrey Craig LEGAL Simon Dinnick RISK Peter Johnson
CLINICAL RISK REDUCTION Acute febrile illness in
children – Dr David Willox highlights the risks
HOW’S YOUR RECORD KEEPING?
and dentists. On page 14, Helicopter Emergency Medical Services pilot
Andy Rooney relates an incident in which his team respond to a road traffic accident in horrendous weather conditions. He then looks at how considering “human factors” is essential in avoiding catastrophic errors. Dr Terry Simpson provides a highly practical solution to
auditing dental record keeping (page 18). The method, commissioned by the Lothian Committee for Quality in Dentistry, utilises a gathering tool with “Yes”, “No” or “NA” questions and yields a single compliance figure that can be used to measure future progress. Few GPs will have not at some time experienced anxiety
and diagnostic uncertainty when faced with an ill and feverish child. Dr David Willox offers advice on avoiding pitfalls in diagnosis and referral (p 16).
Jim Killgore, editor
VIRTUAL TRAINING Adam Campbell explores
simulation technologies being used to help train doctors and dentists
THE HUMAN FACTOR Helicopter pilot Captain Andy
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REGULARS 4 Notice Board 6 News Digest 8 Q&A: Dr Nigel Carter 9 Ethics: An ethical ending 10 MDDUS: Mutual aims, mutual protection 20 Case studies: A call regarding a sick child, Unreasonable behaviour, Presume nothing 22 Addenda: The ‘treacly pot’, the ugly duchess, Crossword and Vignette: Sir Ronald Ross
Please address correspondence to:
SummonsEditor MDDUS Mackintosh House 120 Blythswood Street Glasgow G2 4EA
jkillgore@mddus.com
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www.cmyk-design.co.uk
Printing and distribution: L&S Litho
Summonsis published quarterly by The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland, registered in Scotland No 5093 at Mackintosh House, 120 Blythswood Street, Glasgow G2 4EA. • Tel: 0845 270 2034 • Fax: 0141 228 1208
Email: General:
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marketing@mddus.com • Website:
www.mddus.com The MDDUS is not an insurance company. All the benefits of membership of MDDUS are discretionary as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in Summons are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland.
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