NOTICE BOARD
MDDUS seeks GDP as non-executive director MDDUS is seeking a general dental practi- tioner to serve as a non-executive director on its Board. The MDDUS Board is made up of a combination of executive directors and non-executive directors. The non- executives come from a variety of backgrounds and bring their skills and experience to the governance of the Union. The Board is charged with determining strategy and policy, and monitoring the operation of the company. We are interested in hearing from
practising GDPs and would be particularly interested in any who are based in England, where our membership continues to grow steadily. The Board meets seven times a year and in addition each Board member serves on one Board committee. The committees often meet on the same day as the Board in order to reduce the travel and time commitment. Non-executive directors receive annual remuneration and necessarily incurred locum expenses, as well as reimbursement for all travel and other costs associated with Board work. This is an excellent opportunity for a
practitioner who is keen to broaden their experience of business and support their colleagues at a strategic, Board level in an area of some considerable importance to medical and dental professionals. Interested applicants can forward a
brief CV and covering letter to Professor Gordon Dickson, Chief Executive of MDDUS at Mackintosh House, 120 Blythswood Street, Glasgow G2 4EA, or email
gdickson@mddus.com. Informal enquiries are also welcome and Prof Dickson can be reached on 0845 270 2034. To learn more about the role see our
FAQ (right) with dentist and non-executive director Robert Donald.
New online risk resource on consent
MDDUS has launched the second module of a free interactive online risk resource
FAQ: Being a non-executive director is…
Robert Donald is a GDP in Nairn, chair of the Scottish Dental Practice Committee (SDPC) of the BDA and a regular columnist in Dentistry Scotland magazine. He is also a non- executive director on the MDDUS Board. Here he provides some insight into the role.
What attracted you to becoming a non- executive director in the first place? Throughout my dental career I have been actively involved at a local, national and UK level in striving to improve the terms and conditions of my colleagues. As a non-executive director, I am able to continue to support my colleagues at a strategic level in the company.
What kinds of matters are discussed at the board? My main responsibility is the effective governance of the company and I discuss all of the issues that relate to this. This includes approving budgets, monitoring expenditure, agreeing the strategic plan and setting membership subscriptions.
Do you also become involved in Committee work? All non-executive directors serve on at least one Board committee. I serve on the audit committee which meets three times a year and the nominations committee which meets less often.
Is it very time consuming? We have about seven to eight Board meetings a year. These are usually held on a Friday morning followed by lunch.
designed specifically for GPs, practice managers and practice staff. This one is on basic principles of consent. The e-Learning Risk Resource highlights
some of the most common areas of medico-legal risk in general practice and offers guidance and practical advice on achieving best practice. Each module
The committee meetings are usually held on separate days. You also need to set aside time to read the papers for each meeting!
How important is your clinical dental experience in the role? One of our strategic aims is to deliver a service second to none, continually improve that service and to operate in a manner that most efficiently meets member’s needs. With over 30 years experience as a practising dentist, I am fully aware of the pressures that my colleagues operate under. I can call upon this experience to make sure our strategic aims are delivered .
What was the steepest part of your own “learning curve” as an MDDUS director? Some of the actuarial risk concepts and accountancy jargon can be a bit daunting at the beginning but the chief executive and the finance director regularly provide helpful support.
What do you enjoy most about the role? Meeting and working with like-minded directors who strive to provide a unique and valued service to our members and prospective members.
contains a series of multiple choice questions and scenarios designed to explore your knowledge of the topic, followed by more detailed explanations to illustrate each point. The Consent module can be accessed
now in the Training and Consultancy section of
mddus.com.
impact upon practice income or may even be regarded as a breach of NHS Terms of Service. ● RCS PUBLISHES COSMETIC STANDARDS Only qualified healthcare professionals should be allowed to carry out cosmetic
SPRING 2013
procedures, according to new standards from the Royal College of Surgeons. Professional Standards for Cosmetic Practice recommends that only surgeons should provide cosmetic surgery and only appropriately-trained
medical staff should provide non- surgical cosmetic treatments such as Botox. Access at
www.tinyurl.com/axnmeqc ● ADDICTIVE MEDICINES A consensus statement aimed at reducing patient addiction to
medicines such as tranquilisers and painkillers has been published by the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Access the Addiction to Medicines Consensus at
www.tinyurl.com/dyjh4hw
5
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24