scholarly journals The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine – Foundation, function and future

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Boyd ◽  
Peter Stonier ◽  
Konrad Obiora ◽  
Ben Cottam

The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine was established in the United Kingdom (UK) in 1989 to develop and maintain competence, ethics and the highest professional standards of practice in the discipline. This article charts the founding principles and history of the Faculty, details its composition and membership, and outlines the major functions and achievements of the organisation in the context of the development of the discipline of pharmaceutical medicine. The recognition of pharmaceutical medicine as a medical specialty in the UK is described together with the associated certification programme Pharmaceutical Medicine Specialty Training, which enables pharmaceutical physicians to become certified practitioners in the specialty with the UK General Medical Council (UK GMC).

2021 ◽  
pp. 096853322199751
Author(s):  
Joseph TF Roberts ◽  
Victoria Moore ◽  
Muireann Quigley

In response to slow progress regarding technological innovations to manage type 1 diabetes, some patients have created unregulated do-it-yourself artificial pancreas systems (DIY APS). Yet both in the United Kingdom (UK) and internationally, there is an almost complete lack of specific guidance – legal, regulatory, or ethical – for clinicians caring for DIY APS users. Uncertainty regarding their professional obligations has led to them being cautious about discussing DIY APS with patients, let alone recommending or prescribing them. In this article, we argue that this approach threatens to undermine trust and transparency. Analysing the professional guidance from the UK regulator – the General Medical Council – we demonstrate that nothing within it ought to be interpreted as precluding clinicians from initiating discussions about DIY APS. Moreover, in some circumstances, it may require that clinicians do so. We also argue that the guidance does not preclude clinicians from prescribing such unapproved medical devices.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 75-78
Author(s):  
Sheerja Bali ◽  
Asha Rajeev

The United Kingdom is a sought-after destination to gain overseas experience and long-term employment for doctors trained in India. However, for many the path is unclear. This article aims to explain the various opportunities and the steps involved in securing a job in the National Health Service (NHS) for an Indian dermatologist. The steps to obtain the General Medical Council license to practice include demonstrating competency in English and passing the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board examinations. Once the doctor is eligible to practice, career options are working as Core Medical trainee, Staff grade and Associate Specialists and Specialty doctors (SAS) or a locum consultant. One can become a consultant in the UK without retraining in dermatology through Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration. In the NHS, a dermatologist typically works for 8 h a day on the weekdays. Time is allotted for professional development through the Continuing Professional Development sessions. Doctors earn well in the UK although the cost of living is high.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1597-1604
Author(s):  
Mark Ashley

The UK law on consent to medical treatment is derived from statutes (acts of parliament and their subordinate statutory instruments) and case law which develops as individual cases are decided by the courts. Regard must also be had to guidance published by the General Medical Council, which all UK-registered medical practitioners are expected to follow. Further detailed guidance on consent is provided by the Royal College of Surgeons.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 369
Author(s):  
Jay Kotecha ◽  
Milo Hollingworth ◽  
Hiren C. Patel ◽  
Robert Lenthall

Background: There is a disparity between the number of interventional neuroradiologists (INRs) in the UK and the number needed to provide a comprehensive 24/7 interventional neurovascular service. It is recognized that trainees from other specialties such as neurosurgery may be able to provide INR services after appropriate training. At present gaining skills in INR is not a mandatory requirement of the neurosurgical training curriculum in the UK. The views on this issue of current neurosurgical trainees are unknown. We aimed to address this knowledge gap. Methods: We performed an anonymized online survey to gauge the opinion of neurosurgical trainees about their attitudes to INR training and service provision. Results: 90/265 (34%) UK neurosurgical trainees responded to the survey. About 56% of respondents reported they were likely or very likely to pursue interventional training if a curriculum was approved by the general medical council. About 80% thought training should take up to 2 years. About 90% of those very likely or likely to pursue INR wanted a hybrid neurosurgical practice and 92% were willing to provide endovascular services out of hours. Conclusion: The responses described suggest that a significant proportion of neurosurgical trainees would pursue INR training and have realistic expectation regarding out of hours commitment and length of training.


2013 ◽  
Vol 95 (6) ◽  
pp. 200-202
Author(s):  
NJG Bauer ◽  
A Wilson ◽  
RJ Grimer

The General Medical Council is assigned the role of safeguarding and maintaining the health and wellbeing of the public by the Medical Act 1983. All doctors and surgeons in the UK are bound by their professional standards and regulations. Surgeons have to abide by the standards set by The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS), which are deemed 'reasonable, assessable and achievable by all competent surgeons'. One of these standards is the overriding duty to ensure that 'all medical records are legible, complete and contemporaneous'. It is vital that all medical and surgical notes document each consultation or procedure that the patient has undergone during his or her stay in hospital.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sneha Barai

UNSTRUCTURED The UK General Medical Council (GMC) explicitly states doctors have a duty to ‘contribute to teaching and training…by acting as a positive role model’. However, recent studies suggest some are not fulfilling this, which is impacting medical students' experiences and attitudes during their training. As such, doctors have a duty to act as role models and teachers, as specified by the GMC, which it seems are not currently being fulfilled. This would improve the medical students’ learning experiences and demonstrate good professional values for them to emulate. Therefore, these duties should be as important as patient care, since this will influence future generations.


Author(s):  
Ros Scott

This chapter explores the history of volunteers in the founding and development of United Kingdom (UK) hospice services. It considers the changing role and influences of volunteering on services at different stages of development. Evidence suggests that voluntary sector hospice and palliative care services are dependent on volunteers for the range and quality of services delivered. Within such services, volunteer trustees carry significant responsibility for the strategic direction of the organiszation. Others are engaged in diverse roles ranging from the direct support of patient and families to public education and fundraising. The scope of these different roles is explored before considering the range of management models and approaches to training. This chapter also considers the direct and indirect impact on volunteering of changing palliative care, societal, political, and legislative contexts. It concludes by exploring how and why the sector is changing in the UK and considering the growing autonomy of volunteers within the sector.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Malpass ◽  
Kate Binnie ◽  
Lauren Robson

Medical school can be a stressful experience for students, resulting in stress-related mental health problems. Policy recommendations from the General Medical Council (GMC), the body responsible for improving medical education in the UK, recommend the use of mindfulness training to increase well-being and resilience to stress. Students participating in an eight-week mindfulness training between Autumn 2011 and Spring 2015 were invited to complete a free text survey at the end of their mindfulness course. In addition, six qualitative interviews were conducted lasting between 60 and 90 minutes. Interviews used a topic guide and were recorded and transcribed verbatim. We used the framework approach to analyse the data. Students reported a new relationship to their thoughts and feelings which gave a greater sense of control and resiliency, an ability to manage their workload better, and more acceptance of their limitations as learners. The small group context was important. Students described improved empathy and communication skills through building inner awareness of thoughts and feelings, noticing judgments, and developing attentive observation. The findings show how resiliency and coping reserve can be developed within medical education and the role of mindfulness in this process. We present a conceptual model of a learnt cycle of specific vulnerability and describe how MBCT intercepts at various junctures in this self-reinforcing cycle through the development of new coping strategies that embrace an “allowed vulnerability.”


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin N. Danson ◽  
Malcolm White ◽  
John R. M. Barr ◽  
Thomas Bett ◽  
Peter Blyth ◽  
...  

Abstract The first demonstration of laser action in ruby was made in 1960 by T. H. Maiman of Hughes Research Laboratories, USA. Many laboratories worldwide began the search for lasers using different materials, operating at different wavelengths. In the UK, academia, industry and the central laboratories took up the challenge from the earliest days to develop these systems for a broad range of applications. This historical review looks at the contribution the UK has made to the advancement of the technology, the development of systems and components and their exploitation over the last 60 years.


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