Prescribing and related regulatory matters
This article is intended to be of assistance: To medical doctors and other qualified persons undertaking or participating in medication reviews. To other staff who may be assisting doctors with arrangements for medication reviews. In understanding some of the complexities of prescribing as against ‘prescription‘. Gaining a deeper appreciation of the risks to be considered and managed. Appreciating the regulatory framework surrounding prescribing. To trainee doctors or other practitioners, who prescribe or re-write prescriptions. [Disclaimer at end of this articleRead More …
Mental State Examination – what’s that?
In January 2012, I touched on Mental State Examination (MSE) rather briefly. I pointed out an example of what is a substandard MSE. In this post I go into the depths of what a MSE is. A few general statements first. In General MSE is important. However, it’s value is not to be overestimated for reasons that will be explained later. Not all patients will give full access to their mental state. A very important part of the MSE isRead More …
The importance of questions, inquiring and interviewing
Questions and questioning are obviously important in obtaining information from patients. An interview may include questions but it need not. An assessor can obtain information from pure observation. However, to understand a patient’s internal state, or their motivations, or their risks in different domains, the assessor must ask something. I’ll focus on the word ‘ask’ in a while because questions are taken as ‘the thing’, in terms of asking. [There is a ‘Fat disclaimer’ at the end of this article.] Read More …
The nature of expertise
The use of ‘expertise’, is about extending your vision and appreciation of something that you do not normally know about. Let me start from the endpoint of expertise with an example. Put yourself in the following situation. After months of suffering with abdominal pain and gaining no lasting relief from using various home remedies, you finally decide that you’re going to see a doctor. What are you looking for when you see the doctor? I’d suggest the following: To beRead More …
Diminished responsibility–the new law
This is an exploration of how the latest amendment to the Homicide Act 1957 (by S52 of the Coroner’s Act 2009) will apply. It is a graphical representation, for ease of visualisation and understanding. Diminished Responsibilty – Homicide Act 1957 – As Amended by Coroner’s Act 2009 I note importantly that: 1. S2(1) – contains a number of clauses that work conjunctively. 2. S2(1A) underpins S2(1)b 3. S2(1)c in being underpinned by S2(1B), creates an exceedingly high bar by introducingRead More …