The General Medical Council (GMC) recently updated its Good medical practice guidance putting wider emphasis on the topic of handovers, delegation and referral.
Our medico-legal team have produced a summary of the updated guidance in the article below as well as other helpful articles, case studies and relevant training resources.
These resources are part of our ongoing commitment to provide you with the highest standard of support and be #OnYourSide throughout your career.
A guide to clinical handovers, delegation and referral
An update on the latest medical practice guidelines on delegation and referral, and guidance on delivering and receiving clinical handovers.
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Best practice: Ensuring safe handovers between primary and secondary care
MDDUS medical adviser Dr Annabelle MacGregor looks at some common pitfalls in the handover of patient care between primary and secondary care.
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Minimising risk as a GP Locum
Working in unfamiliar surroundings means locum GPs need to take extra steps to mitigate risks and ensure patient safety is not compromised. Dr Naeem Nazem offers some tips on avoiding the pitfalls
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It's all in a good handover
Good clinical handovers are vital when transferring the care of a patient between different services. This case study examines what can happen when important information is missed during the handover process.
The importance of a good handover in a secondary care setting
Comprehensive handovers are essential when working with complex patients. This case study reviews a complaint which arose following a patient death where a poor quality medical handover was cited as a contributory factor.
Primary care delegation
A GP partner Dr N contacts MDDUS. Their practice has received correspondence from the Ombudsman, following a complaint by a patient Mrs G that her diagnosis of lung cancer was delayed.
Some related CPD and training you may find useful
Team communication: Safer MDT working in secondary care
Clinicians working in a secondary care environment might also be interested in the following upcoming three-hour CPD course on Team communication: Safer MDT working in secondary care which includes tips and tools to improve handovers and delegation.