NEWS DIGEST


of which will underpin our work in improving care for the medical patient.” The commission is expected to report in Spring 2013.


BDA expresses concern over online patient feedback


NHS Choices allows serious but unsubstantiated anonymous allegations to be made about dental practitioners and is often too slow in moderating inappropriate comments, according to the BDA. The “Patient feedback” feature on the NHS Choices website allows for individuals in England to comment on the dental care they receive or that of a friend or family member. It is not intended as a formal complaint procedure. The BDA has appealed to NHS Choices


Hospital continuity of care ‘poor’


OVER a quarter (28 per cent) of consultant physicians rate continuity of care at their hospital as poor or very poor according to a survey carried out recently by the Royal College of Physicians. In addition, 27 per cent judged their hospital as poor or very poor at delivering stable medical teams for patient care and education. The RCP believes the results reinforce


previous concerns of the increasing pressures NHS Trusts are facing due to the rise in acute admissions, an ageing population with increasingly complex conditions, and cuts in budgets and staffing. In order to address all these issues, the President of the RCP is setting up a Commission on the Future Hospital to be chaired by Professor Sir Michael Rawlins. Professor Rawlins said: “I am delighted


to chair the Future Hospital Commission, which could not come at a more appropriate time. As the Commission begins, it will be able to take into account the changes to the commissioning and care delivery processes of the NHS arising from the Health and Social Care Bill, and the conclusions of the Francis Inquiry, both


IN BRIEF


l DENTISTS PREFER ONLINE CPD A recent survey conducted by the GDC found that online learning is the preferred learning style of over half of dental registrants. Almost 6,000 registrants responded to the survey as part of an ongoing review of attitudes


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following feedback from a number of BDA members about the way that the site allows unsubstantiated critical comment to be made about practitioners anonymously with an often-slow process for moderating inappropriate comments. The BDA is also concerned that many primary care trusts appear to be retaining the editing rights for practice profiles on the website, despite previous assurances that the ability to edit would be opened up to practices as the feedback functionality on the site was rolled out. Dr John Milne, Chair of the BDA’s


General Dental Practice Committee, said: “Dentists have very reasonable concerns about the way that malicious or even fictitious feedback can be given anonymously via the NHS Choices website. We’re asking NHS Choices to take those concerns on board and act to ensure that this facility isn’t abused and that the way the site is moderated and edited is fair and efficient.”


“Gagging clauses” unacceptable says GMC


DOCTORS should not sign contracts with “gagging clauses” to stop them from raising concerns about poor quality care according to new GMC guidelines.


towards mandatory CPD. The survey also found that 85 per cent of registrants feel they understand the GDC’s current CPD requirements but 26 per cent want the GDC to be more prescriptive about CPD requirements in the future. View the full survey at


www.tinyurl.com/778qrgf l END-LIFE-CARE SUPPORT


Practical toolkits for physicians and recommendations for trusts to improve end of life care have been published by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) as part of a new report which recommends that all


physicians discuss options for end of life care early on so that patients and their carers have more time to make choices. Access at


www.rcplondon.ac.uk l WOMEN IN FORTIES MOST DENTAL PHOBIC Researchers at Sydney University in Australia have


SUMMONS In a guidance document published in


February – Raising and acting on concerns about patient safety– the GMC instructs doctors that they “must not enter into contracts or agreements with your employing or contracting body that seek to prevent you from or restrict you in raising concerns about patient safety. Contracts or agreements are void if they intend to stop an employee from making a protected disclosure.” It further points out that The Public


Interest Disclosure Act 1998 protects individuals making disclosures that ‘tend to show’ that the health or safety of a person is or may be endangered. Niall Dickson, Chief Executive of the


General Medical Council, said: “These clauses are totally unacceptable. Doctors who sign such contracts are breaking their professional obligations and are putting patients, and their careers, at risk.” The GMC has also published new guidance on Leadership and management for all doctorshighlighting how registrants also have responsibility for the safety and well-being of patients when performing non-clinical duties – including when they are working as a manager. Both guidance documents came into effect in March. Access at www.gmc-uk.org


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