Vol. 2 No. 1, 2009

A new year and a fresh edition of New Doctor has arrived. I thought I’d take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new editor-in-chief. I spent most of my clinical years as an anaesthetist, but decided that I wanted a change in direction so I went back to college (any excuse) and studied for a masters in medical law and ethics at King’s College in London. Upon completion of my course I went on to work as a risk manager, before joining MPS as a medicolegal adviser.

Medicine, the law and the environment we work in are constantly changing. Our aim is to make you aware of the wider picture, by delivering practical information and tips on the day-to-day medicolegal issues that you may encounter in your career.

In this edition we have a great guide to the pitfalls of treating children and their families. Dr Mónica Lalanda discusses the medicolegal risks for new doctors when dealing with children. Managing children is often more complicated than treating adults so it essential to be familiar with the dangers involved. We also have an insight into a career in cardiology from Dr Nick Boon, a consultant cardiologist based in Edinburgh, and Dr Peter Scott, a trainee in Northern Ireland. In addition, Dr Oliver Hulson gives us an insight into surgery with a humorous description of a day in his life working as an FY1. I’m sure his sentiments will echo your own experiences.

On a more serious note, Julie Wilson, MPS risk manager, looks at errors both in work and play. Unfortunately errors will occur, but as you will discover it is important that we learn from them, and take the opportunity to disseminate the lessons learnt. This allows not only an opportunity to reduce risk but also, and more importantly, to reduce the likelihood of harm to the individual, patient or staff member. I hope you enjoy this issue of New Doctor. We welcome hearing from you with comments and ideas.

Dr Angelique Mastihi, Editor-in-chief