Blog
Rayner my parade! The importance of specialist advice.
Jemma Brimblecombe
9 April 2015
Patient safety at the heart of whistleblowing recommendations to GMC
On 26 March 2015, the GMC published Sir Anthony Hooper QC’s independent review of how it engages with individuals who consider themselves to be whistleblowers. As part of the review Sir Anthony has made recommendations to the GMC on how to deal with referrals made about a doctor who has blown the whistle.
10 March 2015
The changing face of prescribing antibiotics – implications for practitioners
Fears of growing antibiotic resistance have been circulating for some time. These fears have recently peaked and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has, in response, published draft guidelines on the prescriptions of antibiotics. Antibiotics have been in circulation for roughly 60 years; the more antibiotics are used the more the diseases that they are designed to attack resist them. Resistance must be prevented so that antibiotics remain effective in the future...
30 January 2015
GMC research into suicide while under fitness to practice investigation triggers reform
Between 2005 and 2013, 28 doctors undergoing fitness to practise investigations died of confirmed or suspected suicide. Last month the General Medical Council (GMC) published a report commissioned into whether its fitness to practise procedures are adequately managing cases of vulnerable doctors who are under investigation.
22 January 2015
Clued up on candour?
Startling new research this month revealed that two in three medical and dental professionals are unaware of the new statutory duty of candour and how it may impact on their practice.
21 January 2015
Case update: Route to registration on the GMC specialist register: CCT or equivalent?
GMC v Nakhla [2014] EWCA 1522
Mr Nakhla (“N”) had trained and worked in Egypt prior to 2005 and had worked in the UK as a surgeon since 2006. In 2008 he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS). He had been working as a locum consultant orthopaedic surgeon with a speciality of lower limbs, in particular knees and hips. In 2012 he applied to the GMC to become registered as a specialist in Trauma and Orthopaedic surgery. Such registration is a pre-condition for any permanent NHS consultant role.