After a serious car crash, Dr C is called before an inquest – Medical Protection is called in to support.

Gross negligence manslaughter is a topical issue in healthcare, but cases against doctors are still comparatively rare. Dr John Jolly, head of member risk education and Dr Richard Stacey, head of policy and technical, look at a more common cause of criminal cases brought against members of Medical Protection: sexual assault.

The case of Dr Bawa-Garba and the resulting collision between the medical community and the criminal justice system, sent shockwaves around the world. Dr Richard Stacey, head of policy and technical at Medical Protection, analyses criminal cases handled by MPS in 2017 to gauge the likelihood of further charges of gross negligence manslaughter.

An inquest is a fact-finding exercise that is conducted by the Coroner and, in some cases, in front of a jury. The purpose of an inquest is to find out who the person was and, how, when and where they died. This factsheet gives further information about what happens at an inquest.

Three-year-old Matthew was brought to the local A&E department by his mum, Mrs U. She told Dr M, the attending doctor, that Matthew had fallen from a chair three days ago and, although he seemed unharmed at the time, he was now refusing to walk.

A female patient at a medical centre consulted GP Dr F and was subsequently sent for further treatment at another department within the building.

The duty, which was introduced by the government through regulation 20 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, applies to NHS organisations such as trusts and foundation trusts, to secondary care clinicians, and to bodies including GP practices, dental practices and care homes.

An inquest is a fact-finding exercise that is conducted by the coroner and, in some cases, in front of a jury. The purpose of an inquest is to find out who died – when, where, how and in what circumstances. This factsheet gives further information about what happens at an inquest.

“Respect for the autonomous choices of persons runs as deep in common morality as any principle.” – TL Beauchamp and JF Childress, Principles of Biomedical Ethics (2001)

The General Medical Council (GMC) guidelines Doctors’ use of social media establish the standards expected from every doctor practising in the UK. The guide details the principles of conduct for using social media and explains how doctors can put these principles into practice.

The General Medical Council (GMC) guidelines Doctors’ use of social media establish the standards expected from every doctor practising in the UK.

The General Medical Council (GMC) guidelines Doctors’ use of social media, establish the standards expected from every doctor practising in the UK.