Medico-Legal
The results of the last survey Feb 2020
I appreciate that I keep on reiterating it, but again we see so much practice variance. Who is right and who is wrong? Is there a right or wrong approach? And does it matter? I think it probably does matter....
The results of the last survey Oct 2019
Another fascinating response which once more highlights the massive variation in practice. I completely acknowledge that ophthalmology is an art as well as a science and therefore there will be variances in practice and there will not be one ‘right’...
The results of the last survey Aug 2019
Thank you once again for participating in the survey. Some fascinating results once again. Almost one in five of us do not cancel cataract surgery on the day if the blood pressure (BP) is high, which I am surprised about....
Ophthalmology survey results August/September 2019
I am delighted to see another great response to the practice variance survey. I am extremely grateful to all of you who took part and would encourage those of you who didn’t to try this survey. It literally takes mere...
Ophthalmology survey results June/July 2019
Firstly may I thank all of you who took the time to answer the survey. I hope you will agree that the findings are very interesting. From a medicolegal perspective we always consider the Bolam test which can be summarised...
How does your practice compare?
One of the lovely things about clinical meetings and conferences is the ability to meet with your peers and ask questions of them about their practice. Often the questions are not earth shattering, for example, it could be as simple...
A missed opportunity
Back in 2000 Sir Liam Donaldson wrote a piece of work commissioned by the then Secretary of State for Health entitled “An Organisation with a Memory”. We are now 18 years on and still some of the recommendations from them...
The most frequent complaints and claims in ophthalmology – a Medical Protection Society (MPS) analysis
The authors look at the reasons behind medico-legal cases reported to MPS and share key learning points. Complications following ophthalmology surgery are rare, however, medico-legal cases are not uncommon due to the significant impact they can have on patients’ lifestyles....
The Case of Dr Bawa-Garba – Do we truly have a ‘no blame’ culture?
Eye News’ medico-legal specialist shares his thoughts on the recent acquittal of Dr Bawa-Garba. On 13 August 2018 the Court of Appeal ruled that Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba should be reinstated on the UK medical register. The Court of Appeal rejected...
The Case of Dr Bawa-Garba – Where does the buck stop?
The case of Hadiza Bawa-Garba has left all of us in the UK medical profession with an uncomfortable taste in our mouths. We all know that we work under pressure and we will inevitably make mistakes. We all know that...
Biometry and IOL choice errors
In the next instalment of this series I focus on problems associated with biometry and intraocular lens (IOL) selection for cataract surgery. I have taken previous medicolegal cases I have dealt with and tried to extract some learning points and...
Just sign here: the intricacies of consent in the post-Montgomery era
The consent process is a vital part of the patient pathway and is far more than just getting the patient to sign on the dotted line. In my work in litigation I often see issues around informed consent resulting in...
