www.mddus.com DRUG DRIVING LAW


COMES INTO FORCE A NEW offence for driving with certain medications over specified blood concentrations came into effect in March. In July 2014 the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory


Agency (MHRA) informed doctors of the new offence which is being enforced in England and Wales. It is intended to bring enforcement more in line with that for drink driving and operates in addition to the existing law on drug-impaired driving. Police will employ roadside tests to check if drivers have taken any of


the specified controlled drugs. The type and level of the drugs will then be confirmed by a blood test taken at a police station. The list of controlled drugs falls into two broad groups: so-called “zero tolerance” or commonly abused drugs, such as cannabis or heroin, and mainly licensed medicines though still with significant liability to be abused, such as benzodiazepines and methadone. The new law sets out a statutory “medical defence” for patients taking medicines in accordance with instructions. Any individual taking a controlled drug from the specified list and in excess of the set limits without a “medical defence” can be prosecuted under road traffic laws. It is important to stress that under existing legislation it is still against


the law to drive if your driving ability is impaired by any medicine. More information can found on the MHRA website. The date of enforcement in Scotland is dependent on approval of


regulations by the Scottish Parliament. The introduction of a similar offence in Northern Ireland is under consideration.


WARNING ONWAITING ROOM MUSIC


DOCTORS playing music in their practices must have relevant licences or risk legal proceedings. MDDUS has received calls from members asking what the licence requirements are for playing music in waiting areas, with reports of a crackdown by royalties companies. MDDUS Head of Dental Division


Aubrey Craig said: “Any business that plays recorded music in public is legally required to have relevant licences – and medical and dental practices are no different. “Regardless of whether it’s the


radio, cd, mp3 or other form of music being played, the licences need to be paid to protect the copyright of those who create, produce and publish the music or performances.” Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL)


collects and distributes licence fees for the use of recorded music on behalf of record companies and performers, while Performing Right Society (PRS for Music) collects and distributes for the use of musical compositions and lyrics on behalf of songwriters, composers and publishers. “Both organisations are separate


independent companies and, if you play music in the practice, it is likely you will need both licences,” said Craig. “Those who fail to obtain the correct licence face legal proceedings as a result of ‘infringing copyright’.” Further details can be found at the PPL and PRS for Music websites.


ONLINE GMC RESOURCE ON DEMENTIA AND


MENTAL HEALTH DEMENTIA and mental health are the subjects of an online resource being promoted by the GMC. The Dementia and mental health website


contains a mixture of guidance, case studies, scenarios, articles and tips to prepare doctors for caring for the growing number of older patients. New updates to the resource include a


‘mythbusters’ leaflet produced by the GMC from Professor Alistair Burns CBE, NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Dementia, which tackles five common myths related to treating patients with dementia, such as “it isn’t possible to live well and have a good and rewarding life with dementia”. The resource also contains new opinion


pieces from the Alzheimer’s Society and the National Dementia Carers Action Network, who provide different perspectives on helping older patients living with dementia and mental health issues. Access the resource at:


www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/26081.asp


DROP IN GP TRAINING APPLICATIONS THE number of doctors applying to start GP training has fallen for the second year in a row, according to new figures from Health Education England. Between November 11 and December 4, there was a drop of 6.2 per cent in UK GP applications to the 2015 programme, with the current total at 5,112. This is a slight improvement on 2014 when HEE reported a sharper fall of 9.7 per


cent in applications to 6,031. The figures follow reports in October last year highlighting


an overall vacancy rate for GP training posts in England of 12.4 per cent with only 2,688 trainees recruited. In some parts of the country vacancies were as high as 30 per cent. Despite the declining numbers, HEE has insisted it is still


“well on course” to meet its government target of having 3,250 GPs in training by August 2016, a deadline which had already been pushed back from August 2015.


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