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Welcome to Medical Protection’s guide to professionalism, a publication that takes a closer look at what it means to be a professional.

Why are medicolegal issues important?

Ms Q experienced a surgical complication while under the care of Dr G. In this video, find out how Medical Protection supported Dr G when Ms Q pursued a claim and made a complaint to the Medical Council.

A 45-year-old woman underwent an abdominal hysterectomy for fibroids. The consultant anaesthetist induced general anaesthesia before performing a spinal anaesthetic at L3/4.

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.

A disagreement between a specialty trainee and her consultant lies at the heart of a regulatory hearing following a patient’s death.

Miss F, an overweight 11-year-old, attended her GP, Dr A, complaining of knee pain and clicking for two months following a twisting injury whilst playing football...

Patient A, a 57-year-old male, was admitted to the ICU of a private hospital with kidney and liver failure, and in a coma. There was no living will and family members gave a history of long-standing alcohol abuse.