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Welcome News


Welcome to your


THE concept of candour is one all dentists should be familiar with. But do you know the difference between your professional duty and your statutory duty? Dental adviser Sarah Harford explains on page 6. Patients who identify as


lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans (LGBT) often have complex health needs that can increase their risk of oral health issues. Building trust is key and it is crucial that practices provide a safe and inclusive environment. Find out more about caring for this patient group on page 10. As public awareness of


orthodontic treatment increases, many general practitioners now provide a range of options. Specialist Robbie Lawson advises how to avoid key clinical risks when dealing with both adolescent and adult patients (page 8). Dentistry can be a stressful job


but dental business coach Alun Rees has some useful techniques to improve resilience and beat


burnout on page 4. He recommends taking control of your appointment book and never taking work home. NHSE dental adviser Dr Nishma


Sharma reflects on her career so far and highlights her top tips for new dentists on page 5. Key to success are trusting your team, following your instincts and most importantly taking care of your own physical and mental health. For elite athletes, looking after


their teeth may not top their list of priorities. But Dr Julie Gallagher believes it should be. The dentist and keen triathlete discusses her fascinating research into the link between athletes’ oral health and their performance on the field (page 12).


Our case study on page 14


looks at a wrong-site extraction following an alleged failure to carefully assess a patient’s radiograph.


• Doug Hamilton Editor


NEW GUIDANCE ON


REMOTE PRESCRIBING NEW guidance on remote consulting and prescribing has been published by 13 healthcare organisations, including the GDC. The guidance sets out “high level principles” of good practice


designed to safeguard patients who access medical and dental care online, via video link or by phone. Among the key points, it states that healthcare professionals with


prescribing responsibilities should: • understand how to identify vulnerable patients and take appropriate steps to protect them


• carry out clinical assessments and medical record checks to ensure medication is safe and appropriate


• raise concerns when adequate patient safeguards aren’t in place.


EDITOR: Doug Hamilton BDS LLM MJDF RCS (Eng)


MANAGING EDITOR: Joanne Curran


ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Jim Killgore


DESIGN: Connect Communications www.connectmedia.cc


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


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


The principles apply to all those involved in providing consultations and medication to patients remotely, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists and opticians. GMC chief executive Charlie Massey, said: “These principles will


remind all healthcare professionals of the importance of prioritising the safety and welfare of patients when prescribing medication remotely, and will help facilitate a culture where unsafe practice is called out and acted on.”


The principles were welcomed by MDDUS joint deputy head of medical division Dr Susan Gibson-Smith. She said: “It is reassuring to see healthcare regulators and organisations reinforce the need to mitigate against the risks associated with clinicians treating patients remotely when they have little or no access to their medical records. “For example, contact with vulnerable patients requires a heightened


SoundBite 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 SoundBite are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland.


GPst 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.


level of awareness, as in our experience issues can arise if safeguarding clues are missed during remote consultations, or when arrangements for following up with the patient are not adequate.” She added: “We are also reassured that the principles advise UK-based healthcare professionals on important considerations should they be asked to provide remote services to patients abroad, emphasising the potential indemnity and regulatory difficulties with this.”


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