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“Tomorrow’s Doctors” - health and safety in medical education

Chris TaylorHealth and Safety Executive

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Background:

medical staff are exposed to risks at work (violence, manual handling, stress, infections)

they often manage staff exposed to the same risks

they generally receive no training in occupational health and safety

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Background

Health Services Advisory Committee Aim - to ensure doctors are engaged in

health and safety (h&s)

HSC program on risk education professions where safety is critical

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Objectives

To persuade the General Medical Council that H&S awareness should be a part of undergraduate medical training

To produce guidance on what H&S topicsshould be included in the undergraduate medical syllabus

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Strategy 1 - preparation

Find some sympathetic doctors - eg occupational health physicians and safety managers from the medical schools

Find examples of existing good practice- eg University of Wales “professional development” days

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Strategy 2 - timing

The GMC was planning to revise “Tomorrow’s Doctor” in 2001

Government Initiative on clinical risk management (patient safety) created a good opportunity

Concern among young doctors about occupational risks (eg stress, hepatitis)

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Strategy 3 - tactics

Contact Heads of Medical Schools to agree an approach avoid concerns or hostility

Then GMC Education Committee involving the sympathetic doctors

from the medical schools

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Progress 2001

GMC agreed to add h&S objectives to tomorrow’ doctor Joint Working Group between HSAC and the Council for Medical Schools:

drafted objectives for GMC; and outline Guidance for Medical Schools

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Progress 2002

• The latest draft of tomorrow’s doctors was produced in January 2002.

• It contains the following objectives:

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Tomorrow’s Doctors 2002

• ‘‘The graduate must recognise the duty to protect patients by taking action if a colleague's health, performance or conduct is putting the patient at risk’’

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Tomorrow’s Doctors 2002

• Graduates must be able to take account of the principles of risk management when they practise.

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Tomorrow’s Doctors 2002

• Graduates must be aware of current developments and guiding principles in the NHS, for example:

• Clinical governance• The significance of health and safety• Risk assessment and management• The importance of teamworking

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Tomorrow’s Doctors 2002

• Students must have opportunities to practise communicating in a variety of media ….. There should also be guidance about how to cope in difficult circumstances, for example:

• Dealing with difficult and violent patients.

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Tomorrow’s Doctors 2002

• “the graduate must be aware of the importance of their own health*, and its effect on his or her ability to practise as a doctor” (*and the common health risks arising from healthcare)

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Tomorrow’s Doctors- next steps

• Agreeing the final changes with the GMC

• Developing the detailed guidance for Medical Schools

• Monitoring Implementation

• Looking into Post-graduate training

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Tomorrow’s Doctors - Lessons

Demands on undergraduate time Timing is critical Profession has to be ready to accept

change It can be done!