Son of foreign doctor victim welcomes new measures
Dr Stuart Gray Credit: ITV News Central
The son of a man who died from a fatal overdose given by a foreign doctor, has told ITV News that he welcomes new language measures.
Dr Stuart Gray's father died in 2008, after a German doctor – who had already failed an English test – gave him ten times the required amount of painkillers for kidney pain.
"It's common sense. This is five years too late, but at least action is now being taken," said Dr Stuart Gray.
Those coming to the UK from outside the EU already face strict language tests. However, new measures will mean all doctors wanting to practice in the UK will now need to pass a language assessment.
The new checks were announced after cases in which foreign doctors were said to have provided sub-standard care.
Criminal convictions for nearly 1,000 medical staff
Nearly 1,000 doctors and surgeons have criminal records including child porn and sexual assault offences, it was reported today.
Some 927 physicians with convictions are practising, the General Medical Council (GMC) revealed in a Freedom of Information response to the Daily Mirror.
927 physicians with convictions are practising, according to Freedom of Information figures. Credit: Hugh Macknight/PA Wire/Press Association Images
The figures showed that 25 doctors had convictions for actual bodily harm and three for grievous bodily harm, while three were caught in possession of indecent images of children.
There were also two convictions for causing death by dangerous driving, two of drug trafficking, and two of cruelty to children.
'Time pressures on GP's lead to prescription errors'
Professor Tony Avery, who led the research on prescription errors, has said that mistakes creep because of the time pressures on GPs and the fact that prescribing often happens at the end of a consultation when time is short.
Report: Prescribing is a skill that requires practice
The author of a report into errors in prescriptions has said that "prescribing is a skill" which he advised doctors to "take time to develop and keep up-to-date". Professor Tony Avery of the University of Nottingham's medical school, said:
GPs must ensure they have ongoing training in prescribing, and practices should ensure they have safe and effective systems in place for repeat prescribing and monitoring. I'd also encourage doctors to share their experiences of prescribing issues both informally within their practices, and also formally where appropriate through local or national reporting systems.
'Time pressures and lack of training to blame for faulty prescriptions'
Researchers who concluded that one in 20 prescriptions are in error also found that GPs take prescribing very seriously. They blame deficiencies in training, time pressures and lack of robust systems for ensuring that patients receive necessary blood tests.
GPs are typically very busy, so we have to ensure they can give prescribing the priority it needs. Using effective computer systems to ensure potential errors are flagged and patients are monitored correctly is a very important way to minimise errors. Doctors and patients could also benefit from greater involvement from pharmacists in supporting prescribing and monitoring.
– Professor Sir Peter Rubin, chairman, General Medical Council
A pharmacist collects a prescription Credit: REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
Around one in 20 prescriptions written by family doctors contains an error, a medical watchdog has warned. Around one in every 550 items was judged to contain a serious error.
The most common of the prescribing or monitoring errors were lack of information on dosage, prescribing an incorrect dosage and failing to ensure that patients were properly checked with blood tests.
The research was commissioned by the General Medical Council (GMC).
