Taking on the responsibility of non-resident on-call shifts can be daunting, but there are things you can do to prepare, Abi Rimmer hears
Benjamin Millette, consultant in intensive care medicine and anaesthetics, says, “Undertaking non-resident on-call (NROC) shifts is a specific skill that few doctors get training in. It can take some getting used to, particularly if you’ve been doing resident on-calls for most of your career so far.
“Firstly, make sure you are set up to do NROC. Confirm that the switchboard has your mobile number, that your phone is charged, and that you have a signal wherever you’ll be.
“Consider having a ‘go bag’ ready if you need to leave the house in a hurry. Ensure you have access to clinical information systems from home if your organisation’s IT setup permits it, so that you can review patient information without needing to go in. Know the team who are on call; it may be worth a phone call to gauge their skillset and let them know in what si
The government has launched a UK wide consultation on proposals aimed at reducing vape use among children and young people.
The announcement follows government plans to raise the legal age for buying cigarettes in England by one year every year, so that children who turn 14 this year will never legally be sold a cigarette.1
The eight week long public consultation,2 launched on 12 October, will seek views from across the UK on measures such as restricting vaping products with “child friendly” flavours and packaging.
While selling vapes to children …
The Royal College of Physicians will meet later this month to discuss doctors’ concerns about physician associates. It has hosted the Faculty of Physician Associates, the professional membership body for the UK’s physician associates, since 2015.
The news of the meeting came after the Royal College of Anaesthetists said it would hold an extraordinary general meeting about anaesthesia associates on 17 October, after a call from its members.1
Physician associates and anaesthesia associates are among the roles identified for expansion by the 2023 NHS Long Term …
A patient went temporarily blind after his GP missed the symptoms of a stroke, an investigation by the parliamentary and health service ombudsman has found, and then went on to have another stroke.
A 75 year old man visited his GP in Darlington complaining of dizziness, lightheadedness, and a numb foot after a stroke. He should have been immediately sent to hospital, but doctors missed the signs and instead diagnosed him with a “dropped …
Medical school places in England will increase by 205 in 2024, the government has announced, subject to consultation.
This follows an ambition set out in the NHS long term workforce plan to double the number of medical school training places to 15 000 by 2031,1 with the increase originally set to start in 2025.
Ministers have written to the Office for Students the independent regulator of higher education in England asking it to consult on the best approach to expanding medical school places.
The government said the OFS had already begun the process of allocating the 205 additional places for 2024. The places …