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Press Release

MDU hits the road as demand increases for legal and ethical talks

5 September 2011

Expertise in medical law and ethics was more in demand than ever in 2010 as the Medical Defence Union (MDU) spoke to doctors at 2066 events and GP practice seminars during the year, an increase of nearly four per cent on 2009. 2011 looks to be even busier with 1402 talks and seminars already given or requested to date.

Of more than 80 different medico-legal topics covered, confidentiality, consent and complaints were the most commonly-requested during 2010 but there were also talks on subjects such as the medico-legal aspects of family planning; living wills and advance directives; urological injuries in obstetric and gynaecological surgery; and spinal surgery and risk management.

Head of MDU advisory services, Dr Michael Devlin said: “Most of the time, our medico-legal advisers are on the end of the phone for the 23,000 members who contact us each year for urgent medico-legal advice. However, we also think it's important to help members understand and apply medical law and ethics to their everyday practice as this can help pre-empt the sort of problems that lead to complaints and claims. We do this, not just through traditional lectures, but through discussing scenarios in clinical practice so doctors can understand the practical implications.

“Our advisers work from home rather than the MDU's London office which means they are able to attend events in all corners of the UK. For example, on Thursday 15 September this year, there will be four MDU advisers talking about different aspects of the law and risk management to medical students, GP trainees and orthopaedic specialists in London, Dublin, Swansea and Inverness.”

MDU GP Liaison Team Manager, Paul Archer said: “Our popular GP seminars are run for the whole practice team by our GP liaison managers and cover a range of 12 topics, from Breaking bad news to Good record-keeping. Each training seminar lasts no more than an hour and is free to practices which are members of our GROUPCARE scheme. Members tell us that they are informative and entertaining in equal measure.”



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Medical Defence Union

Medical Defence Union

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