02 FYi


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Welcome News


MAJORITY OF HOSPITAL PATIENTS POSITIVE ABOUT


CARE, SURVEY SHOWS THE majority of hospital inpatients in England were happy with the care they received but those with a mental health condition highlighted areas for improvement, a new survey has found. Most patients said they had confidence in the doctors and nurses


Welcome to your FYi


WHETHER it’s seeing a new patient, documenting a ward round or assessing a patient individually, trainee doctors’ clinical entries form the cornerstone of the medical records for most hospital patients. With such hectic schedules it is crucial to resist the temptation to cut corners. My article on page 10 offers practical advice on common risk areas. Is artificial intelligence the


key to improving healthcare in the future? On page 12, doctor turned AI advocate Matt Fenech believes that, while there is huge potential for technology, it will be some time before robots replace flesh and blood clinicians. Dealing with stress is a hot


topic for trainees and on page 4 we look at a new initiative outlining eight “high impact” actions to beat burnout. Speaking up to question a


senior colleague’s decision can be tricky but failing to do so


could cost lives. Risk adviser Alan Frame talks authority gradients on page 6. We’ve all heard of placebos


but do you know their fascinating history? Dr Allan Gaw goes back to pre-revolutionary France to tell us more on page 5. On the topic of history, the


WHO’s Surgical Safety Checklist marks its 10th anniversary this year. Jim Killgore takes a closer look at this life-saving initiative on page 7. From stroke care and


infectious diseases to managing meningitis and multiple sclerosis, neurology is a challenging and varied specialty. Read all about it in our career article on page 8. Finally, our case study on


page 14 examines an alleged delayed referral in a hysterectomy patient with a slow-healing wound.


• Dr Naeem Nazem Editor


treating them and had a better overall experience compared to previous years. However, they were less positive about arrangements and


information received when leaving hospital. Those with a mental health condition also reported a poorer than average experience in a number of areas. The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) annual national patient


survey asked more than 70,000 adults across every NHS acute trust in the country about the care they received. The responses to the 2017 survey show a number of


improvements, particularly in relation to patient’s interactions with hospital staff. In 2017, the majority (82 per cent) thought they were ‘always’ treated with respect and dignity, (compared to 78 per cent in 2009) and slightly more people said they ‘always’ had confidence in the nurses treating them (78 per cent in 2017 compared to 77 per cent in 2016 and 72 per cent in 2009). In contrast, patients aged 16 to 35, those with dementia or


Alzheimer’s disease and those with a mental health condition reported having less confidence and trust in the staff caring for them. Chief inspector of hospitals Professor Ted Baker said it was


“encouraging” to see some areas of improvement and praised healthcare professionals who worked “tirelessly” to provide high quality care. But he noted the “continued disparity” between the experiences


of those with a mental health condition and those without and said hospitals must address the issue.


PRAISE FOR SCOTTISH MEDICAL SCHOOLS


RECRUITMENT MEDICAL schools in Scotland have been praised by the General Medical Council for innovative schemes to recruit students from disadvantaged and diverse backgrounds. The regulator commended all five schools for working together on


EDITOR:


Dr Naeem Nazem MBChB BSc (Hons) MRCP LLB (Hons)


MANAGING EDITOR: Joanne Curran


ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Jim Killgore


DESIGN: Connect Communications www.connectmedia.cc


CORRESPONDENCE: FYi Editor MDDUS Mackintosh House 120 Blythswood Street Glasgow G2 4EA


t: e: 0333 043 4444 jcurran@mddus.com w: www.mddus.com


initiatives designed to widen access to those on a low income and those from ethnic minorities. At Glasgow School of Medicine more than a fifth of students are from


poorer backgrounds thanks to programmes such as summer schools and a pre-medical course which guarantees entry following successful examinations. Aberdeen School of Medicine also


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 Articles of Association. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in FYi are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland.


has an outreach programme to help students from deprived backgrounds by guaranteeing entry should they meet the minimum academic requirements for the course. They also help students in remote and rural areas through the innovative use of information technology to aid their learning. In its review of medical education


and training north of the border, the GMC said: “The Scotland Deanery and NES deserve great credit for the support they provide to the boards and medical schools.”


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