Non-therapeutic circumcision of male children is carried out for religious or ritual reasons and is generally not available on the NHS.1 There is also a significant issue related to the appropriateness of the facilities in which the operation is carried out and a lack of formal training and certification in circumcision.
Removing patients from the practice list is an emotive issue and should only be used as a last resort. The reasons for removing a patient from the list can be varied, but it should not be in response to patients lodging a complaint or failing to comply with treatment.
Good medical records – whether electronic or handwritten – are essential for the continuity of care of your patients. Adequate medical records enable you or somebody else to reconstruct the essential parts of each patient contact without reference to memory. They should therefore be comprehensive enough to allow a colleague to carry on where you left off.
Patients who are kept informed about their condition and are involved in deciding on the appropriate treatment are more likely to comply with the treatment you suggest, and less likely to complain if things go wrong.
The medical consultation is a challenge to both doctor and patient, whether in the community or in hospital. The need for more detailed discussions with patients, along with their increasing autonomy and right to make choices in relation to their clinical care and treatment, has affected the traditional role of the doctor-patient relationship. This has made maintaining appropriate professional boundaries in the doctor-patient consultation more challenging, however, the guidance from national and regulatory bodies is clear that it is always the health professional's responsibility to do so.
An inquest is a fact-finding exercise that is conducted by the Coroner and, in some cases, in front of a jury. The purpose of an inquest is to find out who the person was and, how, when and where they died. This factsheet gives further information about what happens at an inquest.
Parental responsibility is a legal term which refers to all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which a parent of a child has in relation to the child and his/ her property.
Respect for patients’ autonomy is expressed in consent law; to impose care or treatment on people without respecting their wishes and right to self-determination is not only unethical, but illegal. The approach to consent in Northern Ireland is currently governed by common law.
Good medical records – whether electronic or handwritten – are essential for the continuity of care of your patients. Adequate medical records enable you or somebody else to reconstruct the essential parts of each patient contact without reference to memory. They should therefore be comprehensive enough to allow a colleague to carry on where you left off.
Removing patients from the practice list - Northern Ireland
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Removing patients from the practice list is an emotive issue, risking criticism from bodies such as the Northern Ireland Ombudsman, the General Medical Council (GMC) and the media and should only be used after careful consideration and as a last resort.
Consent – Children and young people - Northern Ireland
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Valid consent is just as important when treating children and young people as it is with adults. In some situations children are able to give consent themselves, and sometimes others need to take the decision on their behalf. This factsheet sets out the basic information to enable you to obtain the appropriate consent from children and young people.
Doctors may, on occasion, receive a request from a patient’s employer, an insurer or from a government department, for a medical report to be delivered directly to the relevant department, without the patient seeing it.
There is a certain ambiguity surrounding chaperones and what exactly their purpose is. Below are common questions that Medical Protection receives about chaperones.
Raising concerns and whistleblowing - Northern Ireland
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One of the most difficult situations faced by any clinician is when you are concerned that a colleague’s behaviour, health or professional performance may be placing patients at risk. This factsheet outlines your duty to raise concerns when patients may be at risk of harm.
Reporting deaths to the Coroner - Northern Ireland
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If a death occurs in a violent or unnatural manner, in custody, or suddenly but without certain cause, a coroner has a duty to enquire into the death. This factsheet sets out the role of a coroner, the reporting process and what will happen once you have reported a death to the coroner.
Confidentiality – Disclosures relating to patients unable to consent - Northern Ireland
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You owe a duty of confidentiality to all your patients, past or present, even if they are adults who lack capacity. You may be asked to provide information from the medical records of patients who are incapable of giving consent, are aged under 18, or have died. This factsheet gives you further information about dealing with these circumstances.
Clinical negligence claims – What to expect - Northern Ireland
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A clinical negligence claim is a demand for financial compensation for alleged harm caused by substandard clinical care. Common reasons for claims include failure or delay in diagnosis, or incorrect treatment. In fact, many claims arise out of poor communication.
Needlestick injuries can be classified as any piercing wound caused by a hypodermic needle, or by other sharp instruments or objects such as scalpels, mounted needles, broken glassware, etc. This factsheet sets out the main concerns for healthcare professionals and what to do when needlestick injuries happen.
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Initiatives to transform the NHS are changing the way GPs and consultants work. At-scale arrangements are increasingly common and clinical contracts are frequently delivered through private organisations and limited companies.
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