When planning your elective, its essential to stay organised and have the right measures in place to help make your experience as stress free as possible.

This workshop has been developed to help nurses who are working in specialist roles to increase awareness of the potential for things to go wrong and to practice safely, particularly with regards to prescribing.

We have recently received several enquiries from members regarding their responsibilities when reporting cases of FGM in general practice. Read our action points for GP practices.

The GMC has issued a statement to doctors who may be asked to cover rota gaps which they feel they cannot safely cover.

Professor Allan Gaw, from the National Institute for Health Research - Clinical Research Network, shares his advice on what to think about when interacting with other healthcare professionals

According to a recent study, patients displaying ‘difficult’ behaviour increase GPs’ risk of getting a diagnosis wrong. Kirsty Plowman reports

At the start of April 2016 a new system for firearms licensing was introduced to improve information sharing between GPs and police and to reduce the risk that a medically unfit person may have a firearm or shotgun certificate.

By many measures, healthcare has never been safer: it is a safer time to have a baby or an anaesthetic or indeed a better time to have a heart attack, and yet as a GP you are more likely to be sued than ever before. Kirsty Plowman reports

We are aware that members have received a Patient Safety Alert from NHS England warning about the risks associated with the failure to prioritise home visits in general practice.

One of the greatest challenges a doctor will face during their career is in ensuring they respond well when things go wrong. Even the most experienced doctors make mistakes but it can be particularly difficult to deal with when you are one of the more junior members of the team.

With the introduction of the new criminal offence of wilful neglect, there are now more criminal sanctions for doctors than ever before. There also seems to be more coverage of cases involving doctors which in my experience has all created a much greater awareness of, and fear about, the potential to end up in front of a judge.

The BMA has announced further industrial action in its ongoing dispute with the Department of Health over the proposed junior doctor contracts. The first ‘emergency care only’ action is to take place 6 – 8 April, with full withdrawal of labour on 26 and 27 April.