In this booklet
- Introduction
An introduction to this booklet on the risks in hospital practice.
- Understanding your legal responsibilities
Make sure you don't unwittingly fall foul of the law
- Consent
The importance of obtaining valid consent
- Patients who lack capacity
How to assess whether a patient has capacity to make informed decisions about their care
- Advance directives
What you should know about treating patients who have made advance directives
- Confidentiality
How to avoid breaching your patients' confidentiality in hospital
- Computerised and electronic records
What you should know about keeping electronic medical records
- Problems in clinical management
Advice on keeping good medical records
- Medication errors
Examples of how medication errors can occur in secondary care
- Prescribing for children
The risks involved in prescribing for children in hospital
- Administrative procedures
A look at some of the common administrative errors that can occur
- Sharing care with colleagues
- Communication between specialties
Things to remember when referring a patient for further treatment
- Keeping patients informed
What to do when discharging a patient and making follow-up arrangements
- If things go wrong
What to do if you make a mistake
- References
- Appendix: Web resources
- Appendix: MPS publications