Nasogastric tubes are widely used in the world’s hospitals, yet in spite of fierce campaigning to expose the dangers, patients are still dying from the complications of wrongful insertion.

When treating a patient who has reached the end of life, clear communication and collective decision-making are as important as any clinical intervention, says Sarah Whitehouse

Last year a French psychiatrist was charged with manslaughter after failing to recognise the danger posed by her patient. Sara Williams investigates how to balance the interests of risky patients and the public

Dr Peter Mackenzie, Head of Membership Governance at MPS, looks at the reasons why claims in a range of surgical specialties are settled

I wake up bolt upright at 5.30am. I look in the mirror and realise I’ve inadvertently left my false eyelashes on from the previous day’s telly. They hang rather precariously from my upper lids – my mascara is half way down my cheeks and my hair is doing a good impersonation of Jedward. My husband rolls over and states that I look like a drag queen and promptly falls back to sleep.

If you are unsure about a prescription, or mishear on a ward round, always seek clarification, never guess

Good Medical Practice advises doctors that they must be honest and trustworthy when signing forms, reports and other documents. It also requires doctors to make sure that any documents they write or sign are not false or misleading

Legible notes must be kept primarily to assist the patient when receiving treatment. But, secondly, should there be any future litigation against your hospital the notes will form the basis of the hospital’s defence. Notes are a reflection of the quality of care given so get into the habit of writing comprehensive and contemporaneous notes.

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We can provide you with expert advice on a wide range of topic areas, doctor to doctor, over the phone, via email or through our extensive online resources.

We understand that your primary focus during your training is to pass all elements of the MRCGP assessments, therefore we can provide you with additional benefits to help improve your performance in consultation and support your preparation for your exams.

In this issue we share a case where a locum GP raised concerns about patient safety in a practice he had worked at for three months

With the General Election now past, the Government needs to act swiftly and decisively to protect GPs from its decision to reduce the personal injury discount rate - a decision which has substantially pushed up the cost of settling large clinical negligence claims.

A tailored package of advice and support means newly qualified GPs can get more protection from the outset of their careers, the Medical Protection Society has announced today.

The GMC has revised its Confidentiality guidance for all doctors practising in the UK

Vanessa Perrott, Medical Protection’s Head of Education Development and Delivery, examines how complaints can be used as a learning tool

The importance of lifelong learning in medicine is well-recognised. Dr Vanessa Perrott, Head of Education and Delivery, and Dr Karen Ellison, Medicolegal Adviser, discuss reflective practice as part of this process

We are extremely disappointed and concerned by the decision to reduce the Personal Injury Discount Rate so significantly. This decision will increase the cost of settling future loss claims against our members at a time when the cost of clinical negligence is already at a worryingly high level.