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.

The regulations on NHS complaints in Wales are designed to make complaints handling open and accountable, fair and proportionate, and patient-focused. The emphasis is on resolving concerns in a timely fashion, openly and honestly, and a philosophy of “investigate once, investigate well”.

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.

From 25 May 2018, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (1) will come into force and will have a direct effect in every EU country.

The Mental Capacity Act states that a person lacks capacity if they are unable to make a specific decision, at a specific time, because of an impairment of, or disturbance, in the functioning of mind or brain. This factsheet sets out the things to look for when assessing the capacity of a patient.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (the Act) aims to protect people who lack capacity, and maximise their ability to make decisions or participate in decision-making. The Act is underpinned by five statutory principles. This factsheet sets out these principles and how they should be applied.

There is a certain ambiguity surrounding chaperones and what exactly their purpose is. Below are common questions that Medical Protection receives about chaperones.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has been a criminal offence in the UK since 1985 and the legislation was re-enacted in the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003. Five official reports on the subject have been published since November 2013 and MPS has produced this guidance for members.

New regulations on NHS complaints in Wales came into force on 1 April 2011. The regulations, along with guidance, are designed to make complaints handling open and accountable, fair and proportionate, and patient-focused – with a view to seeking continuous improvement.

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.

Making and using audio and visual recordings of patients can benefit medical training, research and treatment. However, it poses risks for doctors regarding consent and confidentiality.

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.

The Care Act (2014) sets out the framework for local authorities to use (alongside health and social services)to protect adults considered at risk from abuse or neglect.

The GMC states that “Whether or not you have vulnerable children or young people as patients, you should consider their needs and welfare and offer them help if you think their rights have been abused or denied.” Surgery consultations, home visits, accident and emergency admissions and contact with other professionals who work with children help to build up a picture of a child’s situation.

Medication errors account for approximately 20% of all clinical negligence claims against doctors in both primary and secondary care. The costs associated with adverse events and inappropriate prescribing in the UK has been estimated at more than £750 million per year. This factsheet gives advice about avoiding prescribing errors.

A doctor’s primary concern is to do their best for their patients; this includes giving advice and treatment, and arranging investigations in accordance with the current evidence base and the patient’s best interests.

Certain circumstances can mean you are obliged to disclose information about a patient, even if you do not have their consent; under other circumstances, disclosure may be justifiable. This factsheet gives you further information about these circumstances.