Welcome to UK practice: case studies

Being a successful doctor in the UK is about more than clinical competence. You'll need to apply the principles and values set out in our core ethical guidance:Good medical practice. These case studies will help you to check your understanding of the guidance and how to apply it to your daily practice.

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Respect for patients (4)
Discussing risk with patients
This case study asks questions about treatment risks. This includes sharing information, assessing risk, working in partnership with patients and finding out what matters to them.
Communicating with a patient with minimal English
In this case study you'll be asked about a patient’s communication needs. This includes methods of sharing information and providing appropriate support to patients.
A 15 year old's capacity to consent
This case study will explore consent for young people. This includes assessing a young person’s capacity as well as issues around confidentiality, safeguarding and sharing information.
Possible abused patient
This case study will cover communicating with a patient who may be a victim of abuse. This includes communication skills, supporting decision-making, sharing information with family and the use of chaperones.
Confidentiality (4)
Disclosing information to the police and others
In this case study you'll be asked to consider different scenarios where patient information is requested by other people or agencies. This includes topics such as disclosure for the safety of others, the duty of confidentiality and using patient information for education purposes.
Clinical audit
This case study will cover a doctor’s role in clinical audit. This includes consent and confidentiality, working in multi-disciplinary teams, information governance and security.
Disclosing patient information
In this case study you'll be asked to consider sharing patient information. This will include taking photographs, sharing information with relatives, dealing with patients who lack capacity and confidentiality after a patient’s death.
Serious communicable disease
This case study asks questions about serious communicable diseases such as TB or HIV. You'll be asked to consider patient confidentiality, consent and disclosure to public health authorities.
Team working (2)
Patient with complex needs
In this case study you'll be asked about caring for a patient with complex needs. Topics will include assessing capacity, artificial nutrition and hydration and resolving disagreements.
Patient choice and the wider healthcare team
This case study will cover a doctor’s role in the multidisciplinary team. This includes working in partnership, communication within the team and sharing information.
Professional knowledge and skills (4)
Human rights
Test your knowledge on UK legislation, mental capacity and the ethics of treating your own family.
Responding to risks to patient safety
Answer questions about safety and quality. This includes contributing to and complying with systems to protect patients, responding to risks to patient safety and protecting patients and colleagues from any risk posed by your health.
Taking up a new post
This section asks questions about communication, partnership and teamwork. This includes communicating, establishing and maintaining partnerships with patients.
Treating colleagues fairly and reporting
This section asks questions about maintaining trust. This includes showing respect for patients, treating patients and colleagues without discrimination and acting with honesty and integrity.
Raising concerns (4)
Raising concerns in a GP surgery
In this case study you'll be asked about raising concerns in a GP setting. This includes acting on concerns about patient safety, dealing with complaints and raising concerns within the practice.
System pressures and competence
This case study asks questions about concerns in a pressurised system. You'll be asked to consider incident reporting, taking consent and raising concerns in a training environment.
Best interest decisions
This case study covers caring for a patient who lacks mental capacity. You'll be asked questions about the views of relatives, legal considerations and responsibility for decision-making.
Working with others
This case study ask questions about raising concerns when working with colleagues. This will include supporting others to reflect and when to escalate concerns about a colleague’s performance or conduct.
Welcome to UK practice workshop
Our free half day workshops explore some of the ethical issues that you're likely to encounter in your daily practice. We bring our guidance to life using interactive scenarios and it's a perfect opportunity to meet other doctors. 
Book your place at a workshop