1 Tomorrows Doctors - health and safety in medical education Chris Taylor Health and Safety Executive

2 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

3 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

4 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 topics should be included in the undergraduate medical syllabus

5 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

6 Strategy 2 - timing The GMC was planning to revise Tomorrows 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)

7 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

8 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

9 Progress 2002 The latest draft of tomorrows doctors was produced in January It contains the following objectives:

10 Tomorrows 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

11 Tomorrows Doctors 2002 Graduates must be able to take account of the principles of risk management when they practise.

12 Tomorrows 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

13 Tomorrows 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.

14 Tomorrows 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)

15 Tomorrows Doctors - next steps Agreeing the final changes with the GMC Developing the detailed guidance for Medical Schools Monitoring Implementation Looking into Post-graduate training

16 Tomorrows Doctors - Lessons Demands on undergraduate time Timing is critical Profession has to be ready to accept change It can be done!