Vol. 18 no. 1 - January 2010

As medical professionals, we work in constantly changing times, having to adapt to new medical situations as and when they present – a fact we are aware of with the current H1N1 virus.

In a changing medical climate, the principles of good medical practice remain a reassuring constant. Good handovers, strong communication skills, accurate record keeping, and being prepared to reconsider a diagnosis made by another doctor – or yourself – when conditions present recurrently, or new signs and symptoms emerge, all remain the same. We find ourselves having to defend our professional judgment not only when clinical diagnosis or treatment is under scrutiny.

Even though treatment may be appropriate and successful, doctors have to ensure that they follow good medical practice outlined above in all aspects of their professional practice, be it writing a report, offering an expert medicolegal opinion, or obtaining consent.

The case reports focus on negligence, but this issue of Casebook sheds some light on the other diverse ways in which doctors are called to exercise their professional judgment, and the ways in which you may be held to account.

What’s more, there is often a great length of time between a clinical event and a problem arising – and our case reports in this edition illustrate one of the great strengths underpinning MPS’s ability to assist our members – occurrence-based indemnity.

Dr Stephanie Bown
Editor-in-chief, MPS Director of Policy and Communications

Disclaimer: All information in this issue is correct at time of publishing (January 2010)