GMC good medical practice Flashcards
What are the 5 key themes of good medical practice?
Creating respectful, fair and compassionate workplaces
Promoting patient-centred care
Helping to tackle discrimination
Championing fair and inclusive leadership
Supporting continuity of care and safe delegation.
Creating respectful, fair and compassionate workplaces - What are the musts and new sections
Communicate clearly, politely and considerately - Work collaberatively and be willing to lead or follow depending on circumstance
Take steps to make sure people can talk about errors or concerns safely.
You must treat colleagues with kindness, courtesy and respect’
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You must listen to colleagues…communicate clearly, politely and considerately…recognise and show respect for colleagues’ skills and contributions…work collaboratively with colleagues and be willing to lead or follow as the circumstances require’.
There’s a new ‘must’ paragraph for doctors with formal leadership or management roles - they must ‘take active steps to create an environment in which people can talk about errors and concerns safely’
Promoting patient centred care - What are the musts and new sections
Open dialouge with focus on what matters to patient
Ensure patients have understanding to make informed decisions
New - Check for other treatmenet / care -> make sure compatible with whats proposed
New - Should perform regular redication reviews to make sure all appropriate
You must listen to patients and encourage an open dialogue about their health, asking questions to allow them to express what matters to them’ (paragraph 29)
‘You should check patients’ understanding of the information they’ve been given, and do your best to make sure they have the time and support they need to make informed decisions if they are able to’ (paragraph 31).
A new section ‘Caring for the whole patient’ encourages doctors to ‘support patients in caring for themselves’ (paragraph 38). Doctors should ‘ask patients about any other care or treatment they are receiving…and check that any care or treatment…[they] propose, provide or prescribe is compatible’ (paragraph 39).
There’s also a new ‘should’ paragraph to review medications regularly ‘to check that the medications continue to meet the patient’s needs and are optimised for them’, and doctors should ‘consider the overall impact of the patient’s treatments, and whether the benefits outweigh any risk of harm’ (paragraph 40).
Helping to tackle discrimination - What are the musts
Formal leaders must make sure people are supported adequately
Consider how your life experience / culture influence interactions
Respect for other peoples cultures
The following paragraphs have also been added, to encourage witnesses to these behaviours to take action. This is split into:
a ‘you should’ paragraph for all doctors, with suggestions about the kinds of actions to take, while acknowledging that speaking up can be difficult (paragraph 58)
and a ‘you must’ paragraph for doctors in formal leadership or management roles, who must ‘make sure such behaviours are adequately addressed, make sure people are supported where necessary, and make sure concerns are dealt with promptly, being escalated where necessary’ (paragraph 59).
There are also new paragraphs which aim to prevent discrimination by encouraging doctors to seek to understand themselves and others:
‘You must take steps to…develop and improve your performance and the quality of your work…[including] regularly reflecting on your standards of practice and the care you provide, including…considering how your life experience, culture and beliefs influence your interactions with others and may impact on the decisions you make and the care you provide’ (paragraph 13)
‘You should be aware of the risk of bias, and consider how your own life experience, culture and beliefs influence your interactions with others, and may impact on your decisions and actions’ (paragraph 54)
‘You must show respect for and sensitivity towards others’ life experience, cultures and beliefs’ (paragraph 55).
Championing fair and inclusive leadership - What are the musts
Fair access to training
Make sure concerns raised are dealt with
Must be available on duty to offer advice
Be aware how behaviour will influence your team and others
make sure that all staff have equal access to training, development and employment opportunities (paragraph 64)
‘[make] sure that any concerns raised with…[them] are dealt with promptly and adequately’ (paragraph 76).
There are also expectations that all doctors will be inclusive and compassionate towards colleagues:
‘You should be willing to offer professional support to colleagues, including students, for example through mentoring, coaching, teaching or training. This type of support is especially important for those new to practice in the UK, those returning from a period away from practice, and those who cannot easily access support’ (paragraph 63)
‘When you are on duty you must be accessible to colleagues seeking information, advice, or support’ (paragraph 50)
‘You should be aware of how your behaviour may influence others within and outside the team’ (paragraph 53).
Supporting continuity of care and safe delegation - What are the musts
Share relevant patient information promptly to whoever may need it
Ensure named clinician takes over patient care
Give clear instructions when handing over patient care
promptly share all relevant information about patients…with others involved in their care, within and across teams’ (paragraph 65a)
‘[share] information with patients about the progress of their care, who is responsible for which aspect of their care, and the name of the lead clinician or team with overall responsibility for their care’ (paragraph 65b).
There is also more detail on what to do when finishing a shift or transferring a patient’s care:
‘you must be confident that information necessary for ongoing care has been shared’ (paragraph 65c)
‘you must check, where practical, that a named clinician or team has taken over responsibility when your role in a patient’s care has ended’ (paragraph 65c and 65d).
Duties around delegation have been clarified. The person delegating a task must:
‘give [any person you delegate to] clear instructions and encourage them to ask questions and seek support or supervision if they need it’ (paragraph 66).
The person being delegated to must:
‘prioritise patient safety and seek help, even if…[they’ve] already agreed to carry out the task independently’ if they’re not confident they can carry out the task safely (paragraph 67).
What are the duties of medical professionals registered with the GMC
Knowlege+skills
Patients and communication
Collegues and culture
Trust and professionalism
Knowledge, skills and development
Provide a good standard of practice and care, and work within your competence.
Keep your knowledge and skills up to date.
* * Only doing things I am competent to do ie lines
* Update skills - APLS following paeds arrest
* Sitting exams ***
Patients, partnership and communication
Respect every patient’s dignity and treat them as an individual.
Listen to patients and work in partnership with them, supporting them to make informed decisions about their care.
Protect patients’ personal information from improper disclosure.
* Spend time with patients to see what matters to them -> informed descion making Eg AVR choice in horse rider
* Encripted and annoymised research*
Colleagues, culture and safety
Work with colleagues in ways that best serve the interests of patients, being willing to lead or follow as circumstances require.
Be willing to share your knowledge, skills and experience with colleagues, whether informally or through teaching, training, mentoring or coaching.
Treat people with respect and help to create a working and training environment that is compassionate, supportive and fair, where everyone feels safe to ask questions, talk about errors and raise concerns.
Act promptly if you think that patient safety or dignity may be seriously compromised.
Take care of your own health and wellbeing needs, recognising and taking appropriate action if you may not be fit to work.
* Team working and teaching eg lines or sit down talks on ECGs with HOs
* Available emotionally to discuss concerns or worries
* Look after self - Eg councilling
* Raised concerns about arrest with consultant
Trust and professionalism
Act with honesty and integrity, and be open if things go wrong.
Protect and promote the health of patients and the public.
Never unfairly discriminate against patients or colleagues.
Never abuse patients’ trust in you or the public’s trust in your profession.
* * Admit mistakes
* Educate patients
* Never discriminate
* Don’t abuse patients trust - eg asking for support about valves*
