Abstract
As doctors, patient safety should be our primary concern; this and other duties of a doctor are clearly set out in the General Medical Council's (GMC) Good Medical Practice. However, several high-profile inquiries into patient safety have raised concerns about how our most vulnerable patients are protected from harm. The Department of Health (DH) has recently issued new guidance to doctors and healthcare commissioners in the hope of improving safeguarding practice in England and Wales. The aim of this article is to summarise the key messages contained in the guidance, as well as providing practical advice on how GPs can meet their safeguarding responsibilities.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.British Medical Association (2011 ) Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults: a Toolkit for General Practitioners , London : BMA .
2.Commission for Health Improvement (2003). Investigation into Matters Arising From Care on Rowan Ward, Manchester Mental Health & Social Care Trust . Retrieved from www.elderabuse.org.uk/Documents/Abuse%20Report%20-CHI%20Rowan%20Ward.pdf .
3.Department of Health (2000). No Secrets: Guidance on Developing and Implementing Multi-agency Policies and Procedures to Protect Vulnerable Adults from Abuse . Retrieved from www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_4074540.pdf .
4.Department of Health (2009). Safeguarding Adults: Report on the Consultation of the Review of No Secrets . Retrieved from www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_102981.pdf .
5.Department of Health (2011). Safeguarding Adults: the Role of Health Service Practitioners . Retrieved from www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_125233.pdf .
6.Equality and Human Rights Commission (2009). Promoting the Safety and Security of Disabled People . Retrieved from www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/research/promoting _safety_and_security_of_disabled_people.pdf .
7.Foundation Trust for Gloucestershire (2011). Gloucester Reasonable Adjustment Tool . Retrieved from www.improvinghealthandlives.org.uk/securefiles/121103_1258//Gloucestershire%20Reasonable%20Adjustment%20Tool%20Hard%20Copy.pdf .
8.General Medical Council (2006). Good Medical Practice . Retrieved from www.gmc-uk.org/static/documents/content/GMP_0910.pdf .
9.General Medical Council (2008). Consent Guidance: Patients and Doctors Making Decisions Together . Retrieved from www.gmc-uk.org/static/documents/content/Consent__English_0911.pdf .
10.Mencap (2010). Health and Social Bill: a Memorandum Submitted by Mencap . Retrieved from www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmpublic/health/memo/ m18.htm .
11.National Patient Safety Agency (2006). Manchester Patient Safety Framework . Retrieved from www.nrls.npsa.nhs.uk/resources/?EntryId45=59796 .
12.NHS Information Centre (2010). Access to Healthcare for People with Learning Disabilities: Analysis of Primary Care Data to Support the Work of the Independent Enquiry into Access to Healthcare for People with Learning Disabilities . Retrieved from www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/LD/Access_to_Healthcare_for_People_with_Learning_Disabilities.pdf .
13.RCGP. Core curriculum statement 1: Being a General Practitioner. Retrieved from www.rcgp.org.uk/gp-training-and-exams/~/media/Files/GP-training-and-exams/Curriculum-2012/RCGP-Curriculum-1-Being-a-GP.ashx http://www.rcgp-curriculum.org.uk/pdf/RCGP-Curriculum-1-Being-a-GP.pdf .
14.RCGP. Clinical statement 3.05: Care of older adults. Retrieved from www.rcgp.org.uk/gp-training-and-exams/~/media/Files/GP-training-and-exams/Curriculum-2012/RCGP-Curriculum-3-05-Older-Adults.ashx .
15.RCGP. Clinical statement 3.10: Care of people with mental health problems. Retrieved from www.rcgp.org.uk/gp-training-and-exams/~/media/Files/GP-training-and-exams/Curriculum-2012/RCGP-Curriculum-3-10-Mental-Health-Problems.ashx .
16.RCGP. Clinical statement 3.11: Care of people with intellectual disability. Retrieved from www.rcgp.org.uk/gp-training-and-exams/~/media/Files/GP-training-and-exams/Curriculum-2012/RCGP-Curriculum-3-11-People-With-Intellectual-Disability.ashx http://www.rcgp-curriculum.org.uk/pdf/RCGP-Curriculum-3.11-People-With-Intellectual-Disability.pdf .
17.RCGP. Clinical statement 3.14: Care of people who misuse drugs and alcohol. Retrieved from www.rcgp.org.uk/gp-training-and-exams/~/media/Files/GP-training-and-exams/Curriculum-2012/RCGP-Curriculum-3-14-Drug-and-Alcohol-Misuse.ashx .
18.Social Care Institute for Excellence (2011a). Prevention in Adult Safeguarding . Retrieved from www.scie.org.uk/publications/reports/report41/files/report41.pdf .
19.Social Care Institute for Excellence (2011b). Safeguarding Adults at Risk of Harm: a Legal Guide for Practitioners . Retrieved from www.scie.org.uk/publications/reports/report50.pdf .
20.UK Government (2005). Mental Capacity Act (2005). Retrieved from www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/contents .