NOTICE BOARD
GPs performing minor surgery
FOR many years, minor surgery has been a significant aspect of the service provided by GPs. As the profile of GPs, their contracts and provision of medical service changes, we feel it important to emphasise our MDDUS member- ship policy with regard to those GPs performing minor surgery.
Providing GPs
performing minor surgery are working within the scope of their competence and the RCGP and other guidance on good practice in minor surgery, then the MDDUS GP subscription for those working at least seven sessions per week is
sufficient. For those GPs working part-time, with a GP subscription lower than seven sessions per week, cover will still be provided as long as the minor surgery carried out is part of their contract and on patients registered to their practice. For those part-time GPs who carry out minor surgery on patients who are not registered with their practice, they should ensure they increase their membership to the GP grade of membership for seven sessions per week to ensure adequate and appropriate indemnity is in place, irrespective of the number of sessions they undertake in practice. For information call our Membership Department on 0845 270 2038.
Be alert for oral cancer FAILURE to spot intraoral
malignancy can have serious repercussions for patients – and also dentists, says MDDUS dental adviser Rachael Bell. Mouth Cancer Action Month was held
in November to raise awareness and improve understanding of oral cancer among both the public and the profession.
Remote prescribing risks TECHNOLOGY is becoming an increasingly
prominent feature in medical and dental practices – with a growing number of routine patient contacts being made remotely using telephone, email, text and even video-links. However, practitioners must know the limits of such patient interactions, particularly when it comes to prescribing. Remote prescribing is generally not encouraged but
there are occasionally circumstances where it is appropriate. This might apply to rural practices, and where a delay in providing a prescription would be detrimental to patient care. Both the GMC (since July 2012) and the GDC have banned practitioners from
prescribing Botox and other injectable cosmetics by phone, email, video-link or fax. Before prescribing Botox or other injectable cosmetics, the GMC instructs
doctors to have face-to-face consultations with patients to ensure they fully understand the medical history and reasons for wanting the treatment. And before prescribing any other drug remotely, the regulator requires doctors
to adequately assess the patient’s condition and states they must be confident they can justify the prescription. The GMC’s Good Practice in Prescribing Medicines lists several conditions doctors must meet, including ensuring the treatment and/or medicine(s) are not contra-indicated for the patient, adding: “Where you cannot satisfy all of these conditions, you should not use remote means to prescribe medicine for a patient.” The GDC takes a similar line, advising dentists in a statement issued in
September 2011 that “remote prescribing in dentistry is acceptable in some instances but should only be used in exceptional circumstances. It should not be used in relation to non-surgical cosmetic procedures.” It adds: “Direct examination and diagnosis is preferable to remote prescribing.” When remotely prescribing any drug it is important to make a clear,
contemporaneous record of all care provided and medicines prescribed. Doctors and dentists must also bear in mind that, as the remote prescriber, you retain responsibility for the appropriateness of the prescription and any potential consequences of it, whether or not you have personally spoken to the patient. Where a practitioner is considering offering remote prescribing services, i.e. to an online pharmacy, they must ensure that, in addition to the above guidance, they are only prescribing to patients in the UK as MDDUS indemnity does not extend to overseas work.
MDDUS is reminding dentists of the crucial role they play in the early detection of the disease through routine screening and educating patients on the risks and warning signs. Cases involving failure to diagnose and refer patients with oral cancer feature regularly among clinical negligence claims made against MDDUS members and in GDC fitness to
● BMJ GROUP AWARDS Nominations have opened for the BMJ Group Improving Health Awards 2013 - celebrating excellence in research and clinical practice in 15 different categories. MDDUS is headline sponsor of
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the awards and is also proud to sponsor the Primary Care Team of the Year category. Winners will be announced at a London ceremony on May 9, 2013. For more information go to
http://groupawards.bmj.com
● WARNING OVER PORTABLE DENTAL X-RAY UNIT The MHRA has issued a warning concerning a portable dental X-ray unit with inadequate shielding that could give rise to unsafe radiation doses. Tests conducted on the Tianjie
Dental Falcon device made in China revealed a lack of sufficient shielding in the X-ray tube. The MHRA advises practices having purchased this or any non CE- marked (EU compliant) device to stop using it and replace with a
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