What does 'Informed Consent' entail? Our expert panel provide insight into how doctors can properly obtain 'Informed Consent'?

Resources

• consent-section-4.pdf (nsw.gov.au)
• Standards for general practices (5th edition)
• medicalboard.gov.au/codes-guidelines-policies/code-of-conduct.aspx
• Avant - Informed consent and communicating information

Reference to any specific views, information or opinions does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Medical Council of NSW . The views, information or opinions expressed by individuals in podcast episodes are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of the Council. The Council does its best to ensure information is complete, relevant and up to date, but is not responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information shared by individuals.

In this episode, your host Dr Annette Pantle joins Professor Anne Duggan and Dr Liz Marles from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, and Dr Kiely Kim from MDA National to discuss how doctors can maintain good continuity of care for their patients in an increasingly complex health system.

For more information on medical records, listen to our podcast: Medical records: are you doing the right thing for your patients - Megaphone 

Listen to more episodes here: Medical Council of NSW - Megaphone

Other resources:

• RACGP - How can GPs encourage continuity of care?
• RACGP - The duty to follow up
• 10 keys to good patient-centred record keeping | Medical Council of New South Wales (mcnsw.org.au)
• Medico‐legal risks associated with fragmented GP care | InSight+ (mja.com.au)
• Continuity of medication management | Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

Burnout: are you at risk — and what you can do about it

In this episode, your host Dr Martine Walker joins Professor Leanne Rowe and Dr Peter Baldwin to discuss how doctors can manage burnout and maintain good mental health.

The Essential Network: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/the-essential-network/

Professor Rowe’s website and book: https://everydoctor.org

Other resources:

• Black Dog’s app for JMOs called Shift: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/research-projects/shift/
• Hand n Hand Peer Support: https://www.handnhand.org.au
• Doctors Health Advisory Service: http://www.dhas.org.au
• Doctors 4 Doctors: https://www.drs4drs.com.au
• Professor Gordon Parker's burnout research and book: https://www.businessthink.unsw.edu.au/articles/lockdown-burnout-work-symptoms-strategies

How are complaints about NSW registered health professionals, such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, chiropractors and physiotherapists managed? What is the role of NSW health professional councils, Ahpra and the HCCC? What do you do if a complaint is made about you? 

In this episode, we explain the role of each health regulator in protecting the public and ensuring health professionals practice safely and how regulation works in NSW. We bust some myths on mandatory notification and also provide tips on what practitioners/students should do if they are the subject of a complaint.

Features host Dr Martine Walker and special guests, Dr John Sammut, President, NSW Medical Council, Tony Kofkin, Complaint Operations, Healthcare Complaints Commission (HCCC) and Kym Ayscough, Executive Director, Regulatory Operations, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra).

Medical records: are you doing the right thing for your patients? explores medical records from both a practitioner and a patient perspective. Our host, Dr Martine Walker chats with special guests Dr Patrick Clancy, senior medical advisor at Avant and Dr Candace Newberry, GP for over 30 years and Medical Council hearing member for six years. Medical records are often at the heart of complaints to the NSW Medical Council. This podcast examines the importance of good record-keeping in ensuring quality patient care, what medical notes should include with examples of poor and good practice.

Additional information:

The legal standard for medical records in NSW is the Health Practitioner Regulation (New South Wales) Regulation 2016. The relevant sections include:

• Part 3 – Matters relating to the medical profession (available at https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2016-0543#pt.3)
• Schedule 4 – Records kept by medical practitioners and medical corporations in relation to patients (available at https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2016-0543#sch.4).

Read our online  article by Dr Walid Jammal on patient centred record keeping:  https://www.mcnsw.org.au/10-keys-good-patient-centred-record-keeping

Listen to our other podcasts

Visit your podcast show page  to explore other NSW  Medical Council podcasts  https://player.whooshkaa.com/shows/medical-council-nsw

In Part 2 we hear from Dr Simon Cowap, GP and educator in conversation with Dr Martine Walker, GP and medical advisor with the NSW Medical Council. How should practitioners respond to potentially addicted patients and ensure safe and appropriate care for patients with chronic pain?

We would love your feedback on this podcast episode and/or hear your ideas for future episodes! Drop us an email us at the NSW Medical Council.

Resources:

Faculty of Pain Medicine ANZCA opioid calculator: www.opioidcalculator.com.au (also available as an App)

RACGP Guidelines Prescribing drugs of dependence in general practice 

Federal Dept of Health Prescription Shopping Programme  A 24 hour service available to help prescribers check a patients prescribing history in order to make informed choice about treatment.

Opioid Risk Assessment Tool A brief, self-report screening tool designed for use with adult patients in primary care settings to assess risk for opioid abuse among individuals prescribed opioids for treatment of chronic pain.

Australian Prescriber Dealing with drug seeking behaviour

Part 1 contains vital information for NSW medical practitioners as we discuss prescribing opioids and drugs of addiction. What are the rules in NSW and what do doctors need to know? We hear from Dr Brian Morton AM, GP and NSW Medical Council member, and Mr Bruce Battye, Director of the NSW Pharmaceutical Regulatory Unit in conversation with Dr Martine Walker (GP and Medical Advisor with the NSW Medical Council).

We would love your feedback on this podcast episode and/or hear your ideas for future episodes! Drop us an email  at the NSW Medical Council.

Need more information?

NSW Ministry of Health Pharmaceutical Services hub – Resources for NSW medical practitioners on prescribing including guidance on rules related to S4D and S8 drugs and latest news. https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pharmaceutical/doctors/Pages/default.aspx

NSW Ministry of Health Legal requirements for prescribing drugs of addiction in NSW

NSW Medical Council Are you equipped to write that script?is short article which explains what an Authority to Prescribe is and when it is required by NSW doctors. Our website has a range of good practice resources on prescribing.

NPS MedicineWise website: has a wide range of best practice and professional development resources on prescribing for medical practitioners including information on amended PBS listings and TGA changes.