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It can be tempting to offer advice to people you know and who are not close friends or family, but there are things to consider, Abi Rimmer hears
Alison Whiting, policy officer for standards at the General Medical Council, says, “In our core guidance, Good Medical Practice , we say that wherever possible doctors should not provide medical care to anyone with whom they have a close personal relationship.
“There are several reasons for this. It can be difficult for patients in these circumstances to be open and honest about their medical history and treatment, and doctors may come under pressure to provide a particular treatment or find it difficult to be objective about a patient’s need for it.
“We don’t forbid doctors from treating their family or friends if it may be reasonable for them to do so, where no other doctor is available—for example, in an emergency or if they work in a remote rural area. But we do urge caution and careful consideration of the risks, as well as the alternatives available for meeting the patient’s needs. We also impress the importance of record keeping, which can sometimes fall by the wayside when relationships are both professional and personal.
“We do not define what a ‘close personal relationship’ is, as each situation must be considered on its own merits.
“The pitfalls of treating an acquaintance can vary—providing care to …
Concerns about breaching patient confidentiality and how to deal with complaints from patients whose driving license is withdrawn top the list of DVLA queries to the Medical Defence Union (MDU), explains medico-legal adviser Dr Kathryn Leask.
A legal change means healthcare providers in England must ensure staff receive training in learning disability and autism, explains Dr Kathryn Leask, Medical Defence Union (MDU) medico-legal adviser.
Our reviewer Kathy Hubbard thoroughly enjoyed a ‘rambunctious and cheerfully anarchic’ production of the panto classic ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’, which had its opening night on Tuesday
Patients with online accounts will soon be able to see new entries in their records. MDU medico-legal adviser Dr Kathryn Leask answers key questions on how it will affect GPs and their practices.
MDU medico-legal adviser Dr Kathryn Leask explains the importance of having proper systems in place to communicate test results and provides a checklist to help practices do this.