The GMC in Scotland - Recent activity

GMC Reception

The General Medical Council (GMC) office in Edinburgh was the venue for a reception hosted by Niall Dickson, Chief Executive at the GMC and Andrew Harris, Head of Scottish Affairs in May.

The well attended event of invited guests included Dr Richard Simpson MSP, Professor Massimo Pignatelli, Head of University of Glasgow Medical School, Cathy Cairns, Director for Scotland at the Nursing & Midwifery Council and John Anderson, Head of Professional Practice at the General Teaching Council for Scotland amongst a number of representatives from other key Scottish interest groups.

Mr Dickson welcomed guests by thanking them for the vital role that they play in the work of the GMC, highlighting the issues facing the GMC over the next 12 months including the launch of revalidation. He also commented on the changing face of healthcare in the UK and the challenges this has, not only for the GMC but our fellow health regulators, before stressing the importance of continuing to foster close relations with devolved administrations.

GMC attends Aberdeen Professionalism Day

Aberdeen Medical School held their annual Professionalism Day early in May for fifth year medical students ahead of their final exams and Foundation One placements.

The event gave the General Medical Council the opportunity to present to and meet with students and answer any questions they had. GMC Council Member Professor Jim McKillop presented to attendees on the GMC’s relationship with students and how this will change in the future. Tista Chakravarty-Gannon, Regional Liaison Officer and Justin Hynd, Communications Administrator manned an exhibition stand where students could ask questions about the GMC, our guidance and their registration.

GMC makes most of Scottish political party conference season

Staff from the GMC office in Edinburgh travelled the length and breadth of the country to attend various Scottish political party conferences in March.

The conference season began in Dundee and Inverness with Scottish Labour Party (2-4 March) and the Scottish Lib Dem Party (2-4 March) events respectively before moving on to Glasgow for SNP (10-11 March) and finally Troon for the Scottish Conservatives (23-24 March).

At each conference we welcomed numerous MSP’s and MP’s to our stand where we discussed the work of the GMC including our plans for revalidation. Notable visitors included, Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg MP; Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore MP; Scottish Labour Party Spokesperson on Health, Jackie Baillie MSP; and Scottish Conservative Party Spokesperson on Health, Jackson Carlaw MSP amongst a number of other parliamentarians.

New Head of Scottish Affairs

Mr Andrew Harris has joined the General Medical Council (GMC) office in Scotland as Head of Scottish Affairs, succeeding Jane Malcolm.Andrew joins the GMC from NHS Health Scotland where he was Head of Organisational Performance. He has a strong background in Scottish public policy generally and a particular interest in population health and wellbeing, having previously worked as a civil servant for the Scottish Government and in an Edinburgh-based public policy think-tank.

GMC presents at Dundee professionalism day

GMC Council member Dr Mairi Scott gave a presentation to final year medical students at Dundee University on June 10. Dr Scott gave students an in-depth insight into the GMC, including its role, functions and organisation. She initiated a discussion with the students about the types of behaviour expected from medical students and doctors and answered questions regarding registration, education and revalidation.

Staff from the Scotland office ran a stand with information on the GMC, our current work and a demonstration of Good Medical Practice in Action, the GMC’s interactive web section which brings the GMC’s ethical guidance to life.

Edinburgh medical students get in on the action

Fourth year students at Edinburgh medical school attended a pre-registration event with the GMC on June 9. Staff presented on the GMC and the registration process and informed students about current GMC work in education and training.

Following the presentations the students had their ID checked as part of the pre-registration process and attended demonstrations of Good Medical Practice in Action, the GMC’s interactive web section which brings the GMC’s ethical guidance to life.

GMC Presents at Aberdeen Medical School Professionalism Day

Dr Hamish Wilson CBE presented to final year students at Aberdeen medical school on May 10. The presentation was part of the school's second annual event for students on professional values; Support & Sanctions for Doctors. Dr Wilson's presentation introduced students to the role, functions and operation of the GMC.

Dr Wilson was joined on a panel by Professor Sir Graeme Catto, former President of the GMC, to take questions from students and discuss case studies of medical ethical dilemmas. Staff also ran a stall demonstrating the GMC's online interactive medical ethics website, Good Medical Practice in Action, and discussing other aspects of the GMC's role in medical education and training.

Patient and Public round table discussion 24th March

GMC Scotland hosted a discussion meeting for patients and public organisations on the FTP reform and adjudication consultations. The meeting was led by Paul Philip, Deputy chief Executive and Director of Standards and Fitness to Practise, and attended by representatives from Community Health Partnership Patient Forums, the RCGP Scotland Patient Forum, and organisations including the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman, Independent Advice and Support Service and the Scottish Mediation Network. The meeting was positive and constructive and we are grateful to all the attendees for their help with this important work.

GMC exhibit at Parliament

Staff from the GMC's Edinburgh office exhibited at the Scottish Parliament on March 21 and 22 ahead of the dissolution of the 2007-2011 session of Parliament and fresh elections in May. Set up outside the entrance to the debating chamber, the exhibition gave staff the opportunity to promote our consultations on proposed reforms to our fitness to practise procedures and our core guidance to doctors, Good Medical Practice, to Members of the Scottish Parliament and their staff.
The Scottish Parliament was dissolved on March 23 and elections take place on Thursday May 5. The new parliamentary session will begin on May 11 when the newly elected MSPs will be sworn in.

A new regulator for Scotland: Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland

From 1 April 2011 a new public body will begin operating in Scotland: Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland. This body has been created by the Public Service Reform (Scotland) Act 2010. Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland, or SCSWIS for short, will be an independent organisation with its own Board responsible for its governance. It will be funded by the registration and continuation fees it charges and by Scottish Government. It will operate independently to scrutinise and improve care, social work and child protection services for the benefit of the people who use them. At SCSWIS, we will work to improve care, social work and child protection in a number of ways. We will:

• provide public assurance and protection of vulnerable individuals and act as a catalyst for improvement
• ensure our scrutiny and improvement activity is informed by a systematic analysis of risk and targeted where it is needed most
• provide information on quality of care so that people who use and choose services and their carers and those responsible for commissioning services can make informed choices
• inspect against the regulations associated with the new Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, the National Care Standards and other agreed national benchmarks
• organise our scrutiny and improvement activity, including inspections, around risk; targeting poorly performing services
• make more use of unannounced inspection
• implement national centralised registration and complaints functions
• develop our workforce to be more skilled at identifying and analysing risk
• develop new validation processes for self-evaluation
• coordinate joint planning of scrutiny and improvement activity and multi-disciplinary inspections with HIS and other scrutiny bodies.

For the latest information on changeover and how the new body will work, visit

www.scswis.com or get in touch with the Care Commission www.carecommission.com , by telephoning 0845 603 0890 or emailing enquiries@carecommission.com.

How to get in touch with SCSWIS from 1 April:

Website: www.scswis.com
Email: enquiries@scswis.com
Telephone: 0845 600 9527

An evening with Edinburgh Medical Students

Staff from the GMC office in Edinburgh exhibited at the University of Edinburgh Careers evening early in March. The evening gave the GMC an opportunity to meet with fourth year medical students ahead of provisional registration in June and also to reaffirm the role the GMC will play throughout their career. As well as providing copies of our core guidance including Good Medical Practice, Medical students: professional values and fitness to practise, students were given information on the GMC's new interactive website Medical Students: Professional values in action.

GMC attend Scottish Lib Dem Conference

GMC Scotland attended a busy pre-election Scottish Liberal Democrat Conference in Perth on the 4th and 5th of March. The Conference was an opportunity to promote the FTP reforms and Good Medical Practice consultations with delegates and observing organisations. Useful links were also made with RNIB Scotland in respect of input to the forthcoming Learning disabilities website.

To view the consultations please click on the links below:     FTP Reforms     Good Medical Practise

GMC present to NCPAS

Jackie Bell, GMC Scotland, delivered a presentation and Q&A session on the reform to FTP procedures consultation at the NHS Scotland Complaints Personnel Association (NCPAS) meeting on the 11th February (held at the GMC Scotland Office). As well as NHS complaints officers, attendees include representatives from the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman, Scottish Government, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, Health Rights Information Scotland and staff from the Independent Advice and Support Service.

Stephen Farnworth, newly appointed as GMC Investigations Manager for Scotland/Wales and Northern Ireland, was also present and discussed various procedural points. Issues raised included a request for a presentation on the closer working with Medical Directors project at a future meeting.

GMC engage with students in Glasgow

The GMC and partner organisations held the last in a series of UK-wide medical school events in Glasgow in November.   Supported by the Kings Fund, The Royal College of Physicians London, University of Liverpool, NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement and Student BMJ, the events were designed to facilitate discussion with students around issues of professionalism, leadership, and education and assessment. Approximately 100 students from Glasgow Medical School attended the event which saw the launch of the report The 21st Century Doctor: Understanding the Doctors of Tomorrow, which was based on discussions at previous events.  

Speakers included Professor Jill Morrison, Dean for Learning and Teaching, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences, Mark Jennings, Director of Health Care Improvement, King's Fund and Dr Richard Horton, Editor in Chief, The Lancet. Students were able to discuss issues in-depth in small groups, including whether student registration should be introduced. The event finished with a question and answer session. Professor Jim McKillop, Chair of the Undergraduate Board of the GMC, who is based at Glasgow Medical School joined the panel. Professor McKillop also presented to first year students at Glasgow Medical School on 14 December. He explained the role of the GMC and our work in medical education.

Staff from the GMC's Edinburgh office were present to guide students through Good Medical Practice in Action, our online case-study website, and Medical students: Professional values in Action, our new interactive website in which users play the part of a medical student and decide what to do in work placement dilemmas. We also signed students up to our student e-newsletter.

GMC attends Scottish Labour conference

Staff from the GMC's Edinburgh office attended the Scottish Labour Party conference on October 29 - 31 in Oban. Delegates were able to visit the GMC's stand to learn about our plans for Revalidation. Delegates could also view Good Medical Practice in Action, our online ethics game and Patient's Help, our website with information on how to give feedback to the NHS, including complaints.

Several prominent politicians also visited the stand, including the Scottish Labour leader, Iain Gray, Health Spokespeople Jackie Baillie and Richard Simpson. Staff also attended relevant fringe events.

GMC exhibit at SNP Conference

The GMC Edinburgh office exhibited at the Scottish National Party Conference in Perth in October. The very busy Conference saw members of staff enjoy lively discussions about the work of the office in Scotland. Delegates were also given demonstrations of Good Medical Practice in Action and Patients' Help. Both are interactive computer systems which have been designed to allow users to interact with the GMC.

Good Medical Practice in Action allows users to view a series of ethical dilemmas, make choices and compare their choices with GMC guidance, while Patients' Help is an information centre which provides people with accurate and up-to-date information to help determine the best organisation to assist them with their enquiry. Staff also attended a variety of health related fringe meetings, which gave delegates with expert insight into specific health issues the opportunity to talk to us about common themes, such as communication.

Revalidation Consultation

The General Medical Council has responded to feedback from our consultation on revalidation in 2010. Several events were held around the UK with the Edinburgh office playing host to a large number of key stakeholders on 20 October 2010. Attendees were welcomed by GMC Council Member Dr Hamish Wilson CBE, before Niall Dickson, Chief Executive gave an overview of the revalidation consultation. Una Lane, Director of Continued Practice and Revalidation at the GMC gave a presentation on the revalidation consultation response, while Dr Aileen Keel CBE, Deputy Chief Medical Officer spoke to attendees on behalf of the Scottish Government. The event was ended by a lively Question & Answer session chaired by Professor Jim McKillop, GMC Council Member.

GMC takes a fresher approach to student engagement

   
Above: Dan Wynn, Scottish Affairs Officer demonstrates Good Medical Practice in Action to new medical students at the University of Edinburgh.

September's Scottish medical school freshers fairs attracted students and, for the first time, the GMC. The fairs allowed us to raise awareness of our role with new medical students. Staff held stalls and gave out copies of our core guidance, Good Medical Practice, the outcomes we expect medical schools to achieve for their students, Tomorrow's Doctors, and Medical students: professional values and fitness to practise. Students were able to try out the GMC's interactive medical ethics case study website, Good Medical Practice in Action. Staff also signed up over 200 students to the GMC's student e-newsletter. Feedback from the students was universally positive with many interested to find out more about our work.

GMC Chair’s Visit to Scotland: 15th & 16th September

Above: Professor Sir Peter Rubin, Chair of the GMC (centre) with Dr Chris Provan, Member of the GP Sub-Committee, Hamish Wilson, GMC Council Member, Professor Gillan Needham, Postgraduate Medical Dean, North of Scotland Deanery and Jane Malcolm, Head of Scottish Affairs, during his visit to the North East of Scotland.

GMC Chair, Professor Sir Peter Rubin undertook a two day whirlwind tour of the North East of Scotland in the middle of September. During his successful visit to NHS Grampian, Sir Peter Rubin met with working doctors from across the spectrum, including groups of trainees, GPs, consultants and Aberdeen Medical School staff.  He also enjoyed a tour of the new Suttie Centre for Teaching and Learning. The day was completed with a lively ‘Meet and Greet the GMC’ session, where local doctors had an open forum to chat with Professor Rubin. Warm thanks to Dr Gillan Needham, Post Graduate Medical Dean, who made the visit possible. Professor Rubin and his colleagues were then whisked away to St Andrews, where following a fascinating visit to Bute Medical School, he delivered a keynote speech on medical education at the UKCEA Conference.

GMC exhibit at CAS Conference

 
Above: The GMC stand at the Scottish Citizens Advice Bureau Service Annual Conference.

The GMC office in Edinburgh exhibited at the Scottish Citizens Advice Bureau Service Annual Conference in September. The event brings together over 400 Bureaux workers from around Scotland including managers, frontline staff, Independent Advice and Support Service (IASS) personnel and volunteers. The GMC stand was briskly busy, allowing us to highlight our Child Protection call for evidence, Confidentiality and Treatment and care towards the end of life: good practice in decision making. We also promoted Patient's Help and Good Medical Practice in Action allowing delegates the opportunity to experience both interactive web tools. Also exhibiting at conference were the Health Professions Council, the General Optical Council, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, Long Term Conditions Alliance and Consumer Focus Scotland.

Scotland Against Cancer Conference

Staff from the GMC Edinburgh attended and exhibited at the recent Scotland Against Cancer Conference which was held in the Stirling Management Centre, University of Stirling.

The event gave the GMC the opportunity to publicise its guidance, in particular the Good practice in research and Consent to research guidance which sets out the good practice principles that doctors are expected to understand and follow if they are involved in research.  

The conference also allowed us to publicise our guidance Treatment and care towards the end of life: good practice in decision making with many delegates showing interest in how our guidance might impact on their care and treatment to help them recover.

Staff also attended conference workshops on The Patient Experience and Long-Term Care. For more information on the Scotland Against Cancer Conference log on to: http://www.scotlandagainstcancer.org.uk/

Call for evidence on the role of doctors in child protection

The GMC is asking all those involved in child protection, or who have knowledge and experience about the issues, to submit evidence about doctors' roles and responsibilities in child protection, including doctors from all areas of practice, health professionals, social workers, police, lawyers, children and young people and their families and carers.

This call for evidence will help the GMC develop guidance that will help doctors involved in this complex and challenging area of practice to interpret and apply the standards expected by the GMC.

Our team in Edinburgh has arranged for over 80 organisations to receive detailed in information about our call for evidence and hope that we will receive both oral and written evidence from a wide range of individuals and organisations.

Read more information on the GMC’s Call for evidence on the role of doctors in child protection.

Equalities and Diversity event

The General Medical Council is developing its Equality Scheme for 2011 - 2014 and our office in Edinburgh held a small stakeholder event on Friday 10 September 2010. This focus group looked at issues including making the GMC's services accessible for all interest groups, how we can help doctors to provide high quality care and how we might use our influence with other organisations to create positive change.

Aberdeen Pre-registration Event 30 June 2010

Above: Dan Wynn, Scottish Affairs Officer presents on the work of the GMC to Aberdeen Medical students

Staff from the GMC’s Edinburgh office delivered the student Pre-Registration Event at the University of Aberdeen on 30 June. Some 200 final year students turned up to hear about the work of the GMC in education, registration, guidance and fitness to practise. The students then had their ID verified as the first stage in the process of obtaining provisional registration with the GMC. All students require provisional registration before they can start the next stage of their training as Foundation Doctors. The GMC holds pre-registration events at all 32 medical schools in the UK and verifies the ID of 7,500 students annually.

End of life care briefing

 

Above: Dr Peter Keihlmann, Scottish Government National Clinical Lead Palliative Care e-Health, Sharon Burton, GMC Senior Policy Advisor, Dr Elizabeth Ireland, Scottish Government National Clinical Lead for Palliative Care, Michael McMahon MSP and Craig Stockton, Chief Executive of Motor Neurone Disease Scotland.

The GMC held a briefing session on our new guidance Treatment and care towards the end of life: good practice in decision making in the Scottish Parliament on 24 June. Held jointly with the Scottish Government, which has just published a new NHS Scotland Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) policy, there were sixty attendees from across the health sector. The event was sponsored and chaired by Michael McMahon MSP. Dr Elizabeth Ireland, Scottish Government National Clinical Lead for Palliative Care introduced the new guidance, and  Dr Peter Keihlmann, Scottish Government National Clinical Lead Palliative Care e-Health introduced the NHS Scotland DNACPR Policy. Craig Stockton, Chief Executive of Motor Neurone Disease Scotland, gave a patient’s perspective, warmly welcoming the guidance. Sharon Burton, GMC Senior Policy Advisor, thanked those involved in producing the guidance and called for further partnership working to incorporate it into practice.

GMC pre-register Edinburgh medical students

Above: Rebecca Morris from the GMC's Registration & Resources Directorate prepares to pre-register medical students in Edinburgh.

Staff from the GMC’s Scotland office and the Registration & Resources Directorate attended a student pre-registration event at Edinburgh medical school on 3 June. Nearly 200 final year medical students had their ID checked as part of the GMC’s process for registering graduates. The team gave the students a presentation on the work of the GMC and highlighted the GMC’s guidance. Students were asked where they would be most likely to turn for professional ethical guidance. Most answered that they would speak to a senior colleague first. The students were also introduced to the GMC’s interactive website, Good Medical Practice in Action, in which the user plays the role of a doctor faced with ethical dilemmas involving patients.

GMC present to Aberdeen medical students

GMC Council member Dr Hamish Wilson gave a presentation on the role of the GMC to the final year students at Aberdeen medical school on 26 May. The presentation was part of an all-day event for the students on medical professionalism which also involved the British Medical Association and the Medical Defence Union. Following the presentation Dr Wilson answered questions on registration, self-regulation and Fitness to Practise. Staff from the GMC's Edinburgh office ran a stand distributing guidance, the GMC's consultation on revalidation of doctors and other material. Many of the students also took part in a demonstration of Good Medical Practice in Action, the GMC's interactive case studies website.

GMC holds revalidation workshops in Stirling

Above: Professor Peter Rubin, Chair of the General Medical Council who addressed 150 doctors at specially arranged workshops on revalidation.

The GMC recently consulted on proposals for revalidation of all practising doctors. Revalidation will build on annual appraisal and will demonstrate that a doctor is up-to-date and fit to practise. The GMC’s Chair, Professor Peter Rubin, spoke to approximately 150 doctors at two events on revalidation in Scotland on 12 May. The events at Stirling Royal Infirmary consisted of presentations from Professor Rubin and Richard Marchant, the GMC’s Assistant Director, Regulation Policy. Presentations were followed by Question & Answer sessions in which doctors asked about a range of issues regarding revalidation and associated processes.

Mairi Scott presents to RCGP South East Faculty

 

Above: GMC Council Member, Dr Mairi Scott with Professor Mike Pringle from the RCGP

General practitioners gathered in Dundee to hear about the plans for revalidation from Dr Mairi Scott, GMC Council member, and Dr Mike Pringle from the Royal College of General Practitioners. There was real interest in the consultation and a lively discussion covered multi source feedback, the role of the Responsible Officer and the phasing in of revalidation.

GMC at political party conferences

Staff from the GMC's Edinburgh office held stands at the Scottish Conservative, Scottish Liberal Democrat and Scottish Labour Party conferences during February and March 2010. The stands were briskly busy as delegates, particularly doctors or other health professionals, MPs and MSPs, visited us to discuss the latest developments in medical regulation. The revalidation of doctors was the main focus at all but there was also considerable interest in the GMC's role in medical education and our guidance to doctors.

Scottish Government Health Directorates/GMC revalidation road shows

Over 160 doctors and health professionals attended Scottish Government Health Directorates/GMC revalidation roadshows in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh in March. Each roadshow saw GMC Director for Continued Practice and Revalidation, Una Lane, present on the GMC's revalidation consultation with further presentations from a number of senior officials from the Scottish Government Health Directorates, the NHS in Scotland and the Scottish Royal Medical Colleges. Presentations were followed by lively question and answer sessions which we have captured and fed into the consultation. View Una Lane’s presentation (Powerpoint).

GMC at the Aberdeen Revalidation Roadshow

Above: Una Lane, Acting Director for Continued Practice and Revalidation addresses delegates at the SGHD Revalidation Roadshow in Aberdeen

The Scottish Government Health Directorates are holding a series of Revalidation Roadshows across Scotland the first of which took place on in Aberdeen on March 4. The very well attended event saw Acting Director for Continued Practice and Revalidation, Una Lane, present on the GMC’s revalidation consultation followed by a lively question and answer session in which both Ms Lane and Dr Alastair Cook, Senior Medical Officer at the Scottish Government Health Directorates addressed delegate queries. A further two events take place at the Beardmore Hotel and Conference Centre in Clydebank, Glasgow on March 18 and at the Scottish Health Service Centre in Edinburgh on March 25. For further details log onto SHSC Events at http://www.shsceventsbookings.co.uk/. View Una Lane’s presentation (Powerpoint).

Revalidation consultation Scottish launch  

Above from left: Niall Dickson, Chief Executive, General Medical Council; Catherine Clark, Head of Regulation Unit, Scottish Government Health Directorates; Audrey Cowie, Professional Advisor, Regulation & Workforce Standards, Scottish Government Health Directorates; Jane Todd, Head of Scottish Affairs, General Medical Council; John Mullett, Policy Officer, Scottish Government Health Directorates; Una Lane, Acting Director of Continued Practice & Revalidation and Ben Jones, Assistant Director of Strategy and Planning, General Medical Council following the GMC's revalidation consultation briefing in Edinburgh.

The Scottish launch of the GMC's key consultation on revalidation of doctors took place on 2 March. The event was attended by approximately 30 people from groups representing doctors, patients, the Scottish Government, medical educators and the NHS. Una Lane, Acting Director of Continued Practice and Revalidation, gave an overview of the consultation ahead of a lively and constructive question and answer session.

View the presentation accompanying the overview (Powerpoint)

Revalidation is a new way of regulating the medical profession that will:

• help doctors to positively demonstrate that they are up to date and fit to practise throughout their careers
• encourage patients and carers to provide feedback on the medical care that they receive from doctors
• facilitate employers to establish strengthened systems of clinical governance including annual appraisal

We want to know what you think about our plans and proposals including:

• how the revalidation process will work
• what doctors and employers will have to do
• how patients should be involved
• how this change in medical regulation will be introduced across the UK

To have your say or to find out more please visit www.gmc-uk.org/thewayahead.

GMC attends Edinburgh Medical School careers fair

Staff from the GMC's Scotland office attended the University of Edinburgh Medical School careers fair on Friday 26 February.

After speaking with representatives of specialities which they were interested in the students were able to spend time at the GMC's stand to hear why our work is so vital to their future careers.

Staff explained our role in setting the outcomes and standards of undergraduate medical education, how registration with the GMC works and our imminent merger with the Postgraduate Medical Education & Training Board (PMETB).

We also distributed copies of our guidance and publicity about Good Medical Practice in Action, our interactive website where users take on the role of a doctor to deal with ethical dilemmas presented through patient case studies.

We plan to attend next year's careers fair which will be held on approximately the same date.

GMC stand at the Scottish Conservative Party Conference

The General Medical Council office in Scotland exhibited at the recent Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party conference in Perth.

The 12 February event was well attended by party members and the wider policy community. The GMC stand attracted a lot of attention as delegates and interest groups joined us to discuss a varied range of topics including the new licence to practise, revalidation, EEA doctors and end of life issues.

Conference itself heard leader of the Conservative Party, David Cameron, MP, state his commitment to Scotland and desire to work closely with the Scottish Parliament.

GMC showcases communication initiatives

Above: Attendees at the SRCF. Back row, left to right; Jim Bellany (Chartered Institute of Bankers), S Wilkie (Care Commission), Peter Markham (Web Editor, GMC), Jackie Bell (Scottish Projects Officer, GMC), Glenise Borthwick (GTC Scotland), Amanda Waugh (SSSC), Alan Stewart (OFCOM). Front row, left to right; Val McEwan (Law Society of Scotland), Dan Wynn (Scottish Affairs Officer, GMC), Gillian Meighan (Law Society of Scotland).

Peter Markham, the GMC's Web Editor, and Jackie Bell, Scottish Projects Officer, presented at a meeting of the Scottish Regulatory Communications Forum (SRCF) on Monday 1 February 2010.

The Forum brings together communications staff from regulatory bodies with a presence in Scotland to discuss current issues and share best practice. Members include the GMC, General Teaching Council Scotland, Care Commission, Scottish Social Services Council, Law Society of Scotland, OFCOM and The Institute of Bankers.

Peter Markham gave a presentation on the GMC's interactive websites; Good Medical Practice in Action (in which the user takes the part of a doctor and decides how to deal with a range of ethical dilemmas) and Patients' Help (which advises users on the GMC's role in complaint handling, and on other routes to making a complaint about health care).

He was followed by Jackie Bell who spoke of the need for face to face work to engage with particular groups. This was illustrated by some examples from the End of Life consultation including rural and remote communities in the Highlands, work with HIV Scotland and facilitated sessions with BME Carers. These presentations helped to inform the afternoon session of the meeting which focussed on the use of online social media to engage with interest groups.

Working with NHS Scotland Counter Fraud Services

The purpose of the NHS Scotland Counter Fraud Services (CFS) is to protect the NHS in Scotland from fraud. Only a very small number of healthcare professionals, staff and patients seek to defraud the NHS, and it is the aim of CFS to identify those areas of misuse of resources and reduce it to an absolute minimum.

CFS are very pro-active in raising awareness of fraud and in partnership with other NHS Scotland organisations, their pro-active methods in prevention and deterrence have successfully delivered savings and recoveries of £5.5 million for the NHS in Scotland, in the year 2008-09.

The General Medical Council signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the CFS in January 2008 which helps both organisations work together effectively and efficiently to protect, promote, and maintain the health and safety of the public.

The MoU, while not affecting statutory functions or amending any other policies or agreements which are already in place, is an agreed framework for co-operation and collaboration between both organisations.

Click to read NHS Scotland Counter Fraud Services agreement

Click to view NHS Scotland Counter Fraud Services website

GMC at CHRE Conference

Jane O'Brien, Assistant Director Standards & Fitness to Practise Directorate will address the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) conference, iLEARN/uLEARN on March 15 at The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

The event will cover how local hospitals, nurses, dentists, doctors or other healthcare professionals are regulated and will bring together a number of individuals who are involved in making decisions that may affect healthcare.

If you would like further information on attending the event please contact the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence on 020 7389 8030 or by emailing reception@chre.org.uk.

Revalidation Consultation

The General Medical Council consultation on revalidation will be launched week commencing 1 March 2010.
 
The consultation will until May 2010 and the GMC is hoping to encourage stakeholders to be involved in the process as it is an important opportunity to help shape the policies that will form the basis of revalidation. To register an interest, please email revalidation@gmc-uk.org.

The Scottish Government Health Directorates will also be holding a series of revalidation roadshows in March. The events will be held in Aberdeen at the Doubletree by Hilton on March 4, the Beardmore in Clydebank, Glasgow on March 18 and at the Scottish Health Service Centre in Edinburgh on March 25.

If you would like further information on attending one of these roadshows please email Lisa Muxworthy at lmuxworthy@nhs.net or visit http://www.shsceventsbookings.co.uk/

Busy time for Chair in Scotland

Professor Peter Rubin, Chair of the General Medical Council, enjoyed a very busy schedule when he visited the GMC office in Edinburgh in December to meet with key Scottish stakeholders.

Not only did Professor Rubin meet with representatives from the Scottish Government Health Directorates and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, he also met with Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Well-being, Nicola Sturgeon MSP and a group of sessional/locum general practitioners.

Professor Rubin's meeting with Ms Sturgeon saw him formally introduce the GMC as a highly effective professional regulator with a strong commitment to Scotland. He also updated the Cabinet Secretary on general GMC policy and progress around the merger with PMETB, the progress towards Office of the Health Professions Adjudicator, the GMC's EU activity, revalidation, telemedicine, our work with Scottish Medical Directors, forthcoming guidance, publications and consultations.

Meeting with sessional/locum doctors over lunch, Professor Rubin was joined by Council members Hamish Wilson and Ros Levenson and supported by Jane Todd, Head of Scottish Affairs and Jackie Bell, Scottish Projects Officer. The meeting was designed to further the ongoing communication work with sessional GP's, and encouraged sessional GP's to discuss their views and issues on GMC policy.

GMC exhibit at Scotland Patients Association event

Staff from the GMC Edinburgh offices held a stand at the Scotland Patients Association conference on 4 November. The conference was attended by patients and professionals involved in healthcare and consisted of a series of talks by patients or their relatives who had experienced, in their perception, a poor standard of care from the NHS. The Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing, Nicola Sturgeon, visited the conference to hear about some of the stories and to talk about the Scottish Government's work to improve clinical standards in the NHS.

GMC host NCPAS in Edinburgh

On 30 October the GMC office in Edinburgh hosted a special meeting of the NHS Complaints Personnel Association Scotland (NCPAS). NCPAS is an unofficial forum for Complaints Officers working in NHS Scotland. It seeks to spread good practice and provides an opportunity for networking and discussion. The GMC is an affiliated member.

Around 30 complaints officers from across the NHS in Scotland attended the seminar, which focussed on the new GMC confidentiality guidance. Michael Keegan, Policy Adviser with the GMC's Standards & Ethics Team, presented on the guidance and  led a case study based workshop, generating some very interesting discussion .

http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/ethical_guidance/confidentiality.asp

GMC fitness to practise procedures were also addressed. NCPAS have indicated that the event was very useful and we are planning similar joint events in the future.

GMC at 2nd Annual Regulation Conference

Paul Philip, Deputy Chief Executive of the GMC, spoke on medical revalidation at the second annual Scottish Government Regulation Conference held in Edinburgh on October 27 and 28. The two day event was hosted by the Scottish Government Health Directorates in partnership with the UK health professions regulators and the GMC office in Edinburgh had a very well attended stand.

Above: the GMC stand at the second annual Scottish Government Regulation Conference

Day one was chaired by former GMC President, Professor Sir Graeme Catto and focussed on the progress made on the implementation of the UK White Paper Trust, Assurance and Safety – The Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century in Scotland and included presentations from the Chief Nursing Officer and the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland.

Day two was chaired by Dr Moira Livingston, Chair of the Department of Health UK working group on Extending Professional Regulation and focussed on UK work on extension of professional regulation to new groups and on progress made following the pilot for the Regulation of Healthcare Support Workers in Scotland. Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing, Nicola Sturgeon delivered the keynote address.

GMC exhibits at SNP Conference

The GMC Scotland team manned a busy stand at the lively Scottish National Party Conference in Inverness. Delegates were very interested in the work of the GMC, particularly in the new Confidentiality guidance, the forthcoming introduction of the Licence to Practise and end of life care.

Above: GMC staff members Jackie Bell and Dan Wynn speak with a delegate at the SNP Conference

We demonstrated Patients' Help live on screen and attended a variety of health related fringe meetings, which gave delegates with expert insight into specific health issues the opportunity to talk to us about common themes, such as communication.

Launch of "Confidentiality" in Scotland

The new guidance on confidentiality was launched at the GMC Scotland office on the 8th October. Designed as a feedback session for many of the organisations involved in the consultation, the event was chaired by Council Member Dr Mairi Scott and speakers included Kim Kinghan, Scottish Government Information Governance Lead and Roy Kilpatrick, CEO of HIV Scotland. The launch was attended by a wide spectrum of stakeholders including the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, Scotland Patients Association, Scottish Government, Medics Against Violence, Scottish Social Services Council, Royal Colleges and BMA. Both the guidance itself and the inclusiveness of the consultation process across Scotland were welcomed and highly commended by those involved.
 
Kim Kinghan, Scottish Government Information Governance Lead said, "The GMC guidance was clear and concise, in what is an emotive and often poorly understood area."

Roy Kilpatrick emphasised the need for looking at individual context when making decisions and thanked the GMC for working closely with HIV Scotland on this issue.

The Q& A was lively and well informed and the feedback was excellent. Attendees were keen to emphasise the need work together to ensure that the principles of the document become embedded in everyday practice.

Thinking about becoming a doctor? GMC Council member visits George Heriot's School Edinburgh

On his death in 1624, George Heriot left around 25,000 Pound Scots - equivalent to several tens of millions today - to found a hospital and school to care for "puir, fatherless bairns" (Scots: poor, fatherless children) of Edinburgh.

GMC Council Member, Dr Mairi Scott, visited George Heriot's School on the 7th October to talk to prospective medical students.

The session was part of Heriot's ongoing "bioethics" course which also caters for those hoping to study Law. After an introduction and Q&A on the role of medical regulation, the group considered some ethical case studies in a lively discussion session and looked at our interactive website, Good Medical Practice in Action.

The educational material, which included Medical students - professional values and fitness to practise and a range of GMC guidance to doctors, was welcomed and further material was requested.

Licensing roadshow comes to Scotland

The GMC will introduce a licence to practise for doctors in November 2009. This change in medical regulation has implications for the employers of doctors and our licensing team has arranged a series of meetings across the UK to look at the practical details and to ensure that the transition is managed smoothly.

The Edinburgh event took place on 17 September and was attended by a wide range of employing organisations including the Scottish Government, NHS Boards, the independent sector and the universities.

Chaired by Ben Jones, Assistant Director Registration Policy Implementation (pictured above), presentations covered the policy detail, changes to paperwork and the online register and information sharing.

GMC exhibit at Citizens Advice Scotland Conference 2009

The General Medical Council attended and exhibited at this years Citizens Advice Scotland Conference at the Edinburgh Conference Centre within the grounds of Heriot-Watt University.

The annual conference coincided with the Bureau Service’s 70th Anniversary and was very well attended by CAS and Independent Advice and Support Service (IASS) workers who collected copies of GMC publications including Consent: patients and doctors making decisions together, GMP in Action 3 and How to complain about a doctor.

Delegates took great interest in the online Patients’ Help guidance. This interactive tool was written with IASS input and assists patients to identify the correct sources of information and support.

GMC pre-reg Aberdeen medical students

The General Medical Council visited the University of Aberdeen in July to pre-register medical students ahead of their graduation next year. Pre-registering students ensures the GMC has the correct and relevant information ahead of a student’s graduation and granting of provisional registration. Over 200 fourth year medical students were pre-registered at the event held at the University’s Foresterhill Campus, and feedback from students has been very positive.

Scottish Affairs Officer Dan Wynn, accompanied personnel from the Registration Directorate to the event. He gave a presentation on the role the GMC has in medical education, registration, ethical standards and assessing doctors’ fitness to practise.

To visit the University of Aberdeen Medical School website click the following link:

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/medicine-dentistry/

Visit to University of Aberdeen - July 2009

The General Medical Council visited the University of Aberdeen in July to pre-register medical students ahead of their graduation next year. Pre-registering students ensures the GMC has the correct and relevant information ahead of a student’s graduation and granting of provisional registration.

Over 200 fourth year medical students were pre-registered at the event held at the University’s Foresterhill Campus, and feedback from students has been very positive. Scottish Affairs Officer Dan Wynn, accompanied personnel from the Registration Directorate to the event.

He gave a presentation on the role the GMC has in medical education, registration, ethical standards and assessing doctors’ fitness to practise.

To visit the University of Aberdeen Medical School website click on www.abdn.ac.uk/medicine-dentistry/

End of life treatment and care: Scottish consultation events - May 2009

As part of the consultation process on the new draft guidance, End of life treatment and care: Good practice in decision-making, the GMC recently held a series of events in Inverness, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Above: Sharon Burton, Senior Policy Advisor, David Oxenham, Marie Curie in Edinburgh and GMC Council Member Professor Jim McKillop at the End of Life Consultation event in Glasgow.

All three events were very well attended by doctors, health professionals, carers and patients. The response from attendees was very positive. The events were supported by Scottish members of the Council and by staff from the GMC's Standards & Ethics Team.

The End of life treatment and care: Good practice in decision-making guidance is intended mainly for doctors, but may also help patients and the public, and other health and social care staff, to understand what they can expect from doctors involved in caring for patients who are dying. The consultation is open until 13 July. Further details are available at www.gmc-uk.org/end_of_life_care

Tomorrow’s Doctors consultation - Spring 2009

The General Medical Council recently consulted on a revised edition of Tomorrow’s Doctors, our guidance to medical schools on the knowledge, skills and behaviour we expect from medical graduates.

Above: Professor Jim McKillop, GMC Council Member, addresses delegates at the Tomorrow’s Doctors workshop held at our Edinburgh office.

As part of the consultation, we recently ran workshops for public and patient interest organisations; medical students; and employers and medical educators at our office Scotland. In total over 30 people attended each workshops which were also attended by GMC Council members Dr Mairi Scott, Hamish Wilson and Professor Jim McKillop.

Each workshop was chaired by Professor McKillop and Martin Hart, Assistant Director for Education at the GMC, gave a presentation on Tomorrow’s Doctors and posed a number of tailored questions to each audience.

The conversation was wide-ranging, lively and very informative. Feedback from participants was very positive with Stonewall Scotland commenting, “We welcome the commitments to equality and diversity made in Tomorrow’s Doctors. We believe this is a strong document that addresses many of the concerns we’ve had for a long time.”

The consultation ended on 27 March but to access Tomorrow’s Doctors 2009: a draft for consultation and the impact assessment undertaken for the consultation on the draft guidance click on the link below.

http://www.gmc-uk.org/tomorrowsdoctors/