Sunday 27 June 2010

"I think we've relied on an assumption that doctors, when they come out of medical schools, are competent to prescribe."

A seven-month-old baby boy died after doctors gave him 12 times the correct amount of anti-epileptic drugs he should have received in 24 hours, an inquest heard.
A mistake? A single doctor's error compounded by tiredness and overwork?

Well, not really:
Medical staff involved in his care, including a consultant paediatrician, a specialist registrar and a senior house officer, were suspended from prescribing medicine and could still face disciplinary action.
'Could'? In any other profession, that would be a 'will'...
After Lucas's death, the senior registrar was forced to take two prescribing tests but failed both.
If that's the senior registrar, can you imagine what the juniors are like?

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