Dr Fiona Godlee
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QUARTER ONE / 2017 INSIGHT A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION FOR MEMBERS DR FIONA GODLEE DEMENTIA DENTISTRY ON MAKING AN APP FRIENDING DILEMMA Profile of the BMJ editor A new toolkit offers guidance What goes into the Is it ever okay to accept a and campaigning medical on providing dental care to development and testing of a Facebook Friend request from journalist dementia patients medical app? a patient? QUARTER ONE / 2017 Editor Dr Barry Parker 10 12 Managing editor Jim Killgore Associate editor Joanne Curran Editorial departments Medical Dr Richard Brittain Dental Mr Aubrey Craig Legal Simon Dinnick Design and production Connect Communications 19 0131 561 0020 www.connectmedia.cc Printing and distribution L&S Litho Correspondence Insight Editor MDDUS Mackintosh House 120 Blythswood Street Glasgow G2 4EA Photograph: Magda Rakita Photograph: [email protected] 4 MDDUS news 16 Case files QUARTER ONE / 2017 INSIGHT 6 News digest Decade of neglect, Google gaffe, A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION FOR MEMBERS Transgender records, Recurrent cancer, 8 Briefing Out of scope, He said, she said Can we reduce overtreatment? 20 Dilemma 9 Risk Do I accept a “Friend” request from Free will in consent a patient? DR FIONA GODLEE DEMENTIA DENTISTRY ON MAKING AN APP FRIENDING DILEMMA Profile of the BMJ editor A new toolkit offers guidance What goes into the Is it ever okay to accept a and campaigning medical on providing dental care to development and testing of a Facebook Friend request from journalist dementia patients medical app? a patient? 10 The accidental editor 21 Ethics COVER IMAGE Adam Campbell meets Dr Fiona A vice-like grip on virtue Nor any drop to drink, Gail Lemasurier Godlee, the forthright BMJ editor not Screenprint, 1993 afraid to take a stand 22 Addenda Gail studied fine art printmaking at Manchester Book choice: A is for arsenic, 12 Making a medical app Metropolitan University and graduated in 1990. Object obscura: Laennec stethoscope, Matt Wickenden describes how an She moved to Edinburgh and joined Edinburgh Crossword and Vignette – innovative medical app was custom Printmakers, working on community arts projects. Dame Cicely Saunders, innovator created for use by respiratory specialists She is now an art psychotherapist and works full in palliative care time in the NHS. 14 Dementia friendly dentistry Dental care for patients with Art in Healthcare works with hospitals and dementia presents some obvious healthcare communities across Scotland to challenges – but also opportunities encourage patients, visitors and staff to enjoy and engage with the visual arts. For more information visit www.artinhealthcare.org.uk Scottish Charity No SC 036222. Insight is published quarterly by The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland, registered in Scotland No 5093 at Mackintosh House, 120 Blythswood Street, Glasgow G2 4EA. Tel: 0333 043 4444 • Fax: 0141 228 1208 • Email: General: [email protected] • Membership services: [email protected] • Marketing: [email protected] • Website: www.mddus.com The MDDUS is not an insurance company. All the benefits of membership of MDDUS are discretionary as set out in the Articles of Association. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in Insight are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland. MDDUS INSIGHT / 3 MDDUS News FROM THE EDITOR YOU may be wondering what happened to Summons. Well after some long thought and discussion – informed by a recent readership survey – we have decided that now is the time to relaunch the magazine under a new name – Insight. Summons has been the title of the MDDUS membership journal since 1989 when it was little more than a newsletter. It has undergone various revamps over the years under the same name – and for longstanding members has been a familiar and regular item in the letterbox. But the name has always been a source of debate, with some members finding it “quirky” and memorable, and others less than amused receiving a regular “Summons in the post”. So we have opted for a title “We have opted that is decidedly more positive for a title that is and aspirational – our aim to offer more positive members helpful and interesting “insights” and aspirational into good practice MDDUS advice line there to be used and proactive risk – our aim to management. MDDUS is keen to dispel the myth that contacting the advice line impacts on We have also taken individual subscription rates. Members are encouraged to seek advice from this opportunity to our team of experienced medico-legal and dento-legal advisers at the earliest offer members make a few changes opportunity – and are not penalised for doing so. on the inside in MDDUS chief executive Chris Kenny said: “As we have repeatedly made helpful and response to reader clear to the BMA and a number of LMCs who raise this issue, we can give a feedback. Our case categorical assurance that the underwriting and pricing decisions of MDDUS interesting studies section has are not affected by the number of times members contact the organisation for been expanded from advice. ‘insights’” two to four pages “Indeed, MDDUS positively encourages members to make use of the advice along with the range line available to them as a benefit of membership. We believe seeking our of case types – as advice will assist the member in adopting safer clinical practice and we would stories are always never penalise them for contacting us for advice.” more compelling when considering risk. We have added a couple more semi-regular features – a Briefing page that picks apart a current regulatory or medico- legal issue in more detail and also a Dilemma page to alternate with occasional first person is required then please inform us accounts of particular difficulties faced by Subscription immediately so that a revised renewal members. notice can be issued. Design-wise, we have tried to make the pages renewal advice We realise that it may be difficult a little less text heavy as the one thing all our to predict accurately the extent of members have in common is hefty workloads MEMBERS receiving their annual your future work – we will allow you and often little time to wade through long renewal notice in 2017 should note to make reasonable adjustments at articles. We hope you will appreciate this new- that the subscription has been any time during the year and up to look magazine and we welcome any feedback calculated on the basis of the NHS one year following the end of each or suggestions – as it is your Insight. post, private earnings or sessions membership year. Please note that declared to us at the time of joining or we may require proof of earnings Dr Barry Parker last renewal (whichever came later). or clinical activity, as set out in the You should check this carefully and MDDUS Membership Agreement. ensure that it remains appropriate MDDUS provides direct debit for the year to come.If any change facilities for your convenience, 4 / MDDUS INSIGHT / Q1 2017 News including the option to spread the increasing claims frequency and the ratio of q subscription fee over 10 monthly payments at costs to damages. NEW MDDUS no extra cost (which the majority of members “It is by no means unusual for costs to TELEPHONE take advantage of ). This also ensures exceed damages by a very substantial degree, NUMBERS continuity of renewal. even if the claims are promptly settled with Our new contact numbers Membership is provided on an annual basis the minimum necessary investigation,” make it easier for and should you decide not to renew, please Kenny added. “This is due to the very members to get in touch. contact our Membership Services Department considerable front-loading of legal cost Contact our main on 0333 043 0000 at least seven days prior by claimant lawyers before a claim is even switchboard on 0333 043 to your renewal date. Once payment is taken, intimated to the practitioner. 4444 and our membership annual membership is deemed to have "Money expended in compensating for team on 0333 043 0000. commenced and cannot ordinarily be cancelled. clinical accidents should, as far as possible, These are charged at the Failure to maintain direct debit payments may find its way to the injured patient and not same rate as normal local result in this facility being withdrawn. disproportionately to the lawyers supporting or national landline (‘01’ or those patients’ claims. ’02’) numbers. "The proposals will ensure far tighter GPs working management of costs at the level of q the individual case, but it will PRACTICE AND in minor surgery have the right incentive effects CORPORATE SCHEMES in ensuring that strong cases Members with Practice or MDDUS recognises that are selected and prepared Corporate Scheme GPs may undertake a in the most cost-effective membership should note range of relatively minor manner. That enhances, that it is their invasive procedures, such rather than subtracts from, responsibility to ensure as contraceptive implant access to justice. that membership is being or coil fitting, joint "MDDUS will continue adequately maintained by injections, acupuncture to work together with the a scheme administrator, or minor surgery for skin Department of Health and such as the practice lesions and "lumps and NHS England to ensure early manager. Failure to bumps". We will extend the and successful change." maintain adequate cover, benefits of GP membership to for example failing to include work as described above where inform us of a return to it accounts for less than 50 per cent of GDC reform work following maternity a member’s clinical time and where it is or paternity leave, cannot provided to NHS patients.