Welcome
Welcome to the very first edition of Practice Matters Ireland, a magazine for the whole practice team.
Merging MPS’s GP publications, Your Practice and GP Trainee, Practice Matters Ireland aims to provide practical tips on risk management and medicolegal issues for your whole practice, whether you are singlehanded or part of a large clinic.
MPS has identified the top ten risks in general practice based on the Clinical Risk Self Assessments (CRSAs) we carried out in practices throughout the UK and Ireland in 2012.
In this edition, we look in more detail at some of these common risk areas including: how to reduce risk when repeat prescribing; staff training and medicines management protocols for practice nurses; and how to set up a chaperone policy. We focus on the most common risk area in general practice – communication – as part of our careers section.
We also consider the often-overlooked role GP locums can play in helping to reduce risk in your practice, by providing a fresh pair of eyes to spot any potential medicolegal pitfalls.
We hope you enjoy this edition and would be interested to hear your comments, as well as any topics you would like us to feature in future editions.
Dr George Fernie – Editor-in-Chief,
MPS Senior Medicolegal Adviser
Disclaimer: All information is correct at the time of publishing (February 2014)