CONTENTS IN THIS ISSUE
FORTH VALLEY ROYAL HOSPITAL in Larbert – opened in 2010 – sits on a hillside, bright and modern like some future vision of the NHS. And the analogy does not end there – below the main floors of the hospital in a network of corridors a fleet of box-like robot porters trundle about transporting clinical waste and dirty linen, delivering food and dispensing drugs. An automated pharmacy employs robots who take deliveries of drugs and stack them on shelves for dispensing using a barcode system. It seems fitting that the hospital should also house the new
Scottish Clinical Simulation Centre with its family of automated patient simulators – the most sophisticated among them having its own working physiology that breathes out CO2
gas. In this
issue (page 12) I report on my recent visit to the centre to watch some medical students undergo technical skills training using a patient mannequin nicknamed Reg. Centre director, Dr Michael Moneypenny, needs little
prompting to imagine a day when patient simulators will walk 12 12
MEET THE MANNEQUINS Summons editor Jim Killgore
watches a group of medical students put through their paces at the Scottish Clinical Simulation Centre
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BLAZING A TRAIL Joanne Curran talks to Dame Elish Angiolini about her remarkable legal career and new role as a non- executive director on the MDDUS Board
16 18
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Cover image: Walking by Lisa Harvey
The birth of Lisa Harvey’s son was the inspiration for this screenprint. Finding with amazement that parenthood creates new, powerful feelings of protection, Lisa created a series of works about her desire to nurture her child’s innocence for as long as possible. Lisa graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in 2000.
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.
SPRING 2013
CLINICAL RISK REDUCTION New GMC guidance targets some
common pitfalls in primary care prescribing
HIDDEN COSTS Disagreement over fees is an
increasing source of dental patient complaints. MDDUS dental adviser Doug Hamilton highlights some common pitfalls
Editor:
Jim Killgore Associate editor: Joanne Curran
Editorial departments: MEDICAL Dr Jim Roger DENTAL Mr Aubrey Craig LEGAL RISK
Simon Dinnick Peter Johnson
Please address correspondence to:
Summons Editor MDDUS Mackintosh House 120 Blythswood Street Glasgow G2 4EA
jkillgore@mddus.com
Design and production: CMYK Design 0131 556 2220
www.cmyk-design.co.uk
and talk and not appreciate being killed by trainee doctors – or consultants. “Will I dream?” In February the GMC published new prescribing guidance
after pointing out a few months previous that as many as one in 20 prescriptions written by GPs contains an error. On page 16 Dr Mary Peddie highlights some common prescribing pitfalls encountered by our medical advisers. And more pitfalls on page 18 but these to do with dental charges and the need to be up front about treatment plans and costs. MDDUS is pleased to welcome Dame Elish Angiolini as a new
non-executive director on our Board. Joanne Curran speaks to this top QC (page 14) on her remarkable career thus far – and on page 10 His Honour David Pearl provides some future vision for the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, the arms-length adjudication service for GMC-registered doctors.
Jim Killgore, editor
REGULARS 4 Notice Board
6 News Digest 8 Employment Law: But I believe it!
9 Ethics: Everybody’s and nobody’s responsibility?
10 Q&A: His Honour David Pearl 20 Case studies: Aggressive refusal, Firm rebuttal, Cold reply
22 Addenda: A sharp exit, Skull saw, Crossword and Vignette: Maurice Pappworth, research ethicist and medical educator
Printing and distribution: L&S Litho
Summons is 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
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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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