Healthcare Law and Professionalism COPY

Question 1

what are the potential issues with the GDC.

Answer 1

Fear: of the GDC and getting struck off

Relationship with other bodies

annual retention fee

skill mix on panel

cumbersome and lengthy process

Question 2

“GDC culture of fear ensures that nobody in dentistry now chooses to broadcast their errors”

what issues might this cause for dentist

Answer 2

dentist cannot reflect

cannot learn from mistakes - Bill Schaeffer, written evidence to UK Parliament GDC accountability hearing, February 2015

Question 3

“many of us are now too scared to undertake advanced dental procedures for fear that we make mistakes, the GDC will destroy our livelihood”

Answer 3

prevents us from developing skills.

Question 4

GDC - Standards for the dental team include.

Answer 4

1. Put patients’ interests first
2. Communicate effectively with patients
3. Obtain valid consent
4. Maintain and protect patients’ information
5. Have a clear and effective complaints procedure
6. Work with colleagues in a way that is in patients’ best interests
7. Maintain, develop and work within your professional knowledge and skills
8. Raise concerns if patients are at risk
9. Make sure your personal behaviour maintains patients’ confidence in you and the dental profession

Question 5

who can complaint to the GDC

Answer 5

Patient
colleague
member of public

Question 6

what is the next stage in process once a complaint to the GDC has been made?

Answer 6

letter to registrant from GDC Caseworker advising of fitness to practice

Question 7

what should you do when you receive a letter to registrant from GDC Caseworker advising of fitness to practice?

Answer 7

contact your indemnity organisation if you have one.

Question 8

if you work in a hospital setting you are only covered for what with the hospitals insurance?

Answer 8

you are only covered for claims for compensation - NHS Indemnity

Question 9

what must you not do when you have received a letter to registrant from GDC Caseworker advising of fitness to practice

Answer 9

do not email caseworker

do not give any information relating the incident.

Question 10

what happens during the initial triage stage?

Answer 10

patients will be asked to complain to original dentist, which gives dentist opportunity to deal with it.

Patient can reject this proposal and proceed with GDC.

Question 11

the complaint case is handled by case examiners which are part of the investigating committee, they include two members which include?

Answer 11

1 lay
1 registrant

Question 12

case examiners have allot of power, with these powers they can do the following:

Answer 12

1. Take no action
2. Send a letter of advice

3.Agree undertakings (take further training)

4. Issue a published warning, posted on GDC Register on website or unpublished warning
5. Send forward to a Practice Committee

If cant agree refer to full Investigating Committee

Question 13

the interim orders committee runs parallel to other processes, what can they do?

Answer 13

interim orders such as conditions or suspension, may be imposed for up to 18 months where IOC are ‘satisfied that is necessary for the protection of the public or is otherwise in the public interest, or is in the interests of the person concerned…’

Question 14

there are three practice committees what are they?

Answer 14

1. Professional Conduct Committee
2. Professional Performance Committee
3. Health Committee

Question 15

what is the worst sanction that can be placed on a registrant?

Answer 15

erasure - cannot apply for restoration for 5 years.

Question 16

the professional conduct committee do a two stage test as to whether there is impaired fitness to practice, what do they assess?

Answer 16

1. do the proven facts amount to misconduct
2. is the registrant’s fitness to practice currently impaired?

Question 17

the following is a list of?

1. perform a basic periodontal examination
2. diagnose the presence of periodontal disease
3. undertake detailed periodontal assessment in light of the BPE score of 3 in four sextants recorded by the hygienist
4. treat patients periodontal disease
5. accurately record patients bone loss
6. provide further periodontal assessment and/or treatment

Answer 17

Typical GDC periodontal charges

Question 18

what is meant by insight?

Answer 18

the capacity to gain an accurate and deep understanding of something.

-admission of deficiencies and reflective learning is required.

Question 19

what is meant by remediation?

Answer 19

the act or process of remedying something that is undesirable or deficient

it is important that you can demonstrate to the GDC that you now understand where you went wrong and that you have remedied or are actively remedying the situation.

Question 20

what can you do to prove that you have undertaken remediation?

Answer 20

1. proof of CPD
2. Audit
3. Awareness of Guidelines
4. peer review and mentor
5. PDP/reflective log improvements in records

Question 21

examples of non-clinical and other issues considered by the GDC include?

Answer 21

1. criminal charges
2. illegal practice
3. dishonesty
4. operating out of scope
5. professional disputes
6. behaviour on social media

Question 22

what should you do when a patient contacts you through your private profile?

Answer 22

you should explain that it is not appropriate to mix social and professional relationships and where appropriate direct them to your professional profile.

Question 23

if you use professional social media to discuss anonymised cases for the purpose of discussing best practice what must you ensure?

Answer 23

you must ensure that the patient or patients cannot be identified.

Question 24

as a registrant when using social media, you must?

Answer 24

a. Maintain and protect patients’ information by not publishing any information which
could identify them on social media without their explicit consent.

b. Maintain appropriate boundaries in the relationships you have with patients.

c. Comply with any internet and social media policy set out by your employer.

Question 25

it is important that when you share something online it will be there permanently.

Question 26

when referring what must you consider?

Answer 26

1. when to refer
2. how to refer
3. urgent or routine
4. who to refer to

Question 27

when should you refer?

Answer 27

1. when you dont know what to do
2. when there’s something that’s very worrying
3. when you mess something up.
4. when the patient wants another opinion
5. when guidelines tell you to

Question 28

how should you refer?

Answer 28

how you refer is different depending on the system available such as:

1. electronically by standard form
2. letter
3. phone - no evidence of phone call so make sure you follow up with letter.
4. secure email - recipient can be on holiday or sick, so may receive late, so make sure you follow up with email.
5. combination
6. dialing 999

Question 29

if a referral is urgent what must you do?

Answer 29

if urgent state plainly why?

Question 30

what are the degrees of urgency required to get a referral

Answer 30

cancer is suspected

potentially airway threatening swelling

life-threatening sepsis

medical emergency in surgery

major child/adult protection issue

suicide risk

Question 31

ulcer present for 4 weeks, what would be the referral pathway for this

Answer 31

guideline for urgent referral

Question 32

who can we refer patients to?

Answer 32

dental hospital

district general hospital

another GDP

private dental specialist

general medical practitioner

other health professional

medical specialist

Question 33

what are the key features of a referral letter?

Answer 33

1. contact details of patient
2. are you looking for advice only or treatment
3. state priority
4. compact summary of major issues & history
5. RELEVANT social/medical history
6. any other concerns you may have
7. relevant enclosures - may need to send pictures
8. may need to copy the letter to anyone else
9. try not to blame
10. keep it courteous - this letter may be seen by others.

Question 34

when writing to patients how must you write?

Answer 34

write in plain language

Question 35

what is crown indemnity

Answer 35

is indemnity provided by the hospitals

Question 36

when you qualify you are put on a cycle - how long is this cycle

Answer 36

5 year cycle

mandatory annual reporting by a deadline

specific criteria (development outcomes)

recommended topics

mandatory reflection

Question 37

if a development outcome does not appear on a form, what does that mean?

Answer 37

it means it is not valid as a CPD

Question 38

Why do we appraise?

Answer 38

The appraisalprocess allows provision of positive feedback as well as identifying areas for improvement and barriers eg health issues. It gives an opportunity to discuss a personal developmental plan to enhance skills. It motivates people.

Question 39

Why is appraisal important in healthcare?

Answer 39

Appraisal is essential to maintain the public, employer, self and other healthcare workers confidence in the safety & effectiveness of the dental profession

Question 40

the abbreviation HIS stands for

Answer 40

health improvement scotland: a body that visits practices and sets standards

Question 41

the abbreviation CQC stands for

Answer 41

care quality commision - same as HIS but for england instead.

Question 42

the abbreviation NES stands for

Answer 42

NHS education for scotland

Question 43

the abbreviation NHSBSA stands for

Answer 43

NHS Business Authority - they payout for NHS primary dental care in england.

Question 44

the abbreviation SPPA stands for

Answer 44

Scottish Pension payment agency

Question 45

what are the 4 main groups of barrier to raising concerns?

Answer 45

cultural/systemic

workplace

personal

process barriers