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GMC PUSHES FORWARD WITH SINGLE MEDICAL


LICENCE EXAM PLANS for a single exam to assess all doctors seeking to practise in the UK have been given the green light by the General Medical Council. All UK and international medical graduates (IMGs) would have to sit


Welcome to your FYi


FOR the first time, statistics show there are now more over-65s in the UK than there are under-16s. As life expectancy rates rise, it is clear that whatever specialty we choose trainee doctors will increasingly be called upon to undertake clinical rotations caring for older people. In his article on page 6, MDDUS medical adviser Dr Greg Dollman looks at some of the key elements of caring for this patient group – focusing on the need for compassion, respect and dignity. We all know what it’s like to


work a busy shift with a never ending to-do list. But no matter how much we want to get out the door at the end of the day, it is crucial to leave time to handover relevant, accurate information to ensure patient safety. MDDUS medical adviser Dr Naeem Nazem offers advice on page 10. With so many medical apps on the market, it is


more important than ever to carefully consider which ones we use. Our article on page 12 provides some tips on choosing and using them wisely. Can pursuing interests outside medicine make us better doctors? Dr Allan Gaw investigates on page 4. All doctors must demonstrate


competence in 15 core procedures by the end of their first foundation training year. On page 5, F1 doctor Priya Mistry shares her experiences of carrying out intramuscular injections, ECGs and peak flow. It’s one of the most


competitive specialties - our career article on page 8 looks at cardiology. Finally, on page 14 we follow


the case of a man whose suspected heartburn turns out to be far more serious.


• Dr Anne Parfitt-Rogers Editor


the test before being granted a licence to practise medicine. It is hoped EU graduates would also take the exam, but it is not yet clear how this would be enforced due to European rules on freedom of movement. The GMC has approved a plan to work with partners to develop the


new test, provisionally titled the UK Medical Licensing Assessment (UKMLA). It would replace the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board test (PLAB) which is currently only taken by IMGs. GMC Chair Professor Terence Stephenson said: “We believe it would be


fairer and more reassuring for the public for there to be a standard for entry to the register that everyone can rely on. Over time we are confident that the UKMLA will help to drive up standards and that it could become an international benchmark test for entry to medicine. “Our aspiration is that this assessment should apply to any doctor joining the medical register.” Chair of the BMA’s council Mark Porter said he looked forward to


seeing how the GMC’s proposals would work in practice, adding: “Patient safety should be a priority, [but] it is also important that the process of examination is not overly burdensome for those who have just graduated from UK medical school training.”


EDITOR: Dr Anne Parfitt-Rogers


ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Joanne Curran Jim Killgore


MEDICAL CONTENT EDITOR: Dr Naeem Nazem MBChB BSc (Hons) MRCP LLB (Hons)


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FYi is published by The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland, Registered in Scotland No 5093 at Mackintosh House, 120 Blythswood Street, Glasgow G2 4EA. 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.


NEW MEASURES TO SUPPORT


SCOTTISH WHISTLEBLOWERS WHISTLEBLOWING cases in Scotland are to be scrutinised by a new independent national officer. The officer will be responsible for reviewing the way cases are


handled by NHS Scotland as part of a package of measures to protect whistleblowers unveiled by the Scottish Government. “Whistleblowing champions” will also be appointed to each health


board as an “oversight and assurance mechanism”, extra training will be provided for NHS staff, and legislation will be introduced to create a statutory duty of candour. It follows the recommendations made by Sir Robert Francis QC in his


Freedom to Speak Up review which looked at the treatment and experiences of whistleblowers across the UK. Similar measures are being introduced in England and Wales with


recently announced plans for a national ‘whistleblowing’ lead to be located in the Care Quality Commission, ‘Freedom to Speak Up Guardians’ to be appointed in all local NHS organisations and whistleblowing training for healthcare workers.


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