Good Medical Practice: Providing good clinical care

1. 2. Good clinical care must include:
2. 1. a. adequately assessing the patient's conditions, taking account of the history (including the symptoms, and psychological and social factors), the patient's views, and where necessary examining the patient
   2. b. providing or arranging advice, investigations or treatment where necessary
   3. c. referring a patient to another practitioner, when this is in the patient's best interests
3. 3. In providing care you must:
4. 1. a. recognise and work within the limits of your competence
   2. b. prescribe drugs or treatment, including repeat prescriptions, only when you have adequate knowledge of the patient's health, and are satisfied that the drugs or treatment serve the patient's needs
   3. c. provide effective treatments based on the best available evidence
   4. d. take steps to alleviate pain and distress whether or not a cure may be possible
   5. e. respect the patient's right to seek a second opinion;
   6. f. keep clear, accurate and legible records, reporting the relevant clinical findings, the decisions made, the information given to patients, and any drugs prescribed or other investigation or treatment
   7. g. make records at the same time as the events you are recording or as soon as possible afterwards
   8. h. be readily accessible when you are on duty;
   9. i. consult and take advice from colleagues, where appropriate;
   10. j. make good use of the resources available to you.