The candour threshold
Health bodies in England must comply with the statutory duty of candour – but many doctors remain unclear on how and when it applies. Dr Michael Devlin cracks the code.
2015, issue 2
2015, issue 2
2015, issue 2
In focus
Leader
When your career is threatened
Claims for negligence are an increasing hazard for doctors, but so are police investigations and interviews, which can threaten a career. The MDU supports and robustly defends members throughout.
Interview
In defence of doctors
Although it's rare, doctors can and do face accusations of serious criminal offences. The MDU's in-house legal team provides the specialist support they need.
Feature
A deadly mistake
MDU member Dr Rajendra Nayak-Kokkarne knows first-hand the profound distress an accusation of manslaughter arising from clinical practice can cause, and how the MDU's support can help.
Masterclass
The effective apology
Feature
Lung cancer diagnosis
Atypical symptoms can mask the presence of lung cancer. Here we analyse MDU claims for delayed and missed diagnosis of primary lung cancer.
Feature
Best practice in monitoring chronic conditions
Feature
Anti-social media
The use - and misuse - of social media can have unfortunate repercussions for doctors.
Feature
Access all areas?
Feature
Why are they all looking at me?
In focus
In your own words
In focus
The SARAH Act
A ‘responsible approach’ to helping people in an emergency, as in the case of footballer Fabrice Muamba, will be taken into account by a court under the new SARAH Act. Also in this section: New GP member benefit and Make compensation fair for all.
Medico-legal dilemmas
Voluntary erasure - and other medico-legal queries
A selection of medico-legal dilemmas from our files
Claims analysis
'Drop hands' offer
A bariatric band became unclipped and the patient sued.
Claims analysis
Misleading signs of PE
A patient initially reported calf pain.