College News - September 200928 September 2009 Confidentiality: new guidance from the GMCThe General Medical Council (GMC) has published updated guidance on confidentiality along with supplementary guidance covering the following areas -
http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/news_consultation/confidentiality_guidance.asp RCPE Press Release 400-Year-Old Letter Highlights Historic Opportunity for MSPs to Reduce Smoking in Young People & End “Youths-Bane”
MSPs considering a Bill [1] later this week which includes measures to reduce smoking in young people may be unaware that they have a historic opportunity to end over 400 years of medical concern about smoking in the young. A letter identified by Library staff in the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE), while preparing a recent exhibition, has highlighted that doctors were concerned about the harmful effects of smoking on young people over 400 years ago and that one doctor went so far as to propose that tobacco should be renamed as “Youths-bane”, given its adverse health effects. The letter, written by Dr Eleazar Duncon, ‘Doctour of Physicke’ and published in 1606 concluded that “(tobacco) is so hurtful and dangerous to youth that it might have the pernicious nature expressed in the name, and that it were as well known by the name of Youths-bane, as by the name of tobacco”. The letter, based upon evidence of the time, formed the detailed opinion of Dr Duncon and was published by his gentleman employer in order to further medical understanding.
Prof Sir Neil Douglas, President of the RCPE, said, “This letter from our Library Collection provides a fascinating insight into historical medical concerns about the addictive nature of smoking and young people, and shows that this issue has been of concern for over four centuries. “The Scottish Parliament has already taken a political lead, and demonstrated its commitment to tackling the harm caused by tobacco, by introducing smokefree legislation for public places. However, it would be easy for politicians to think that the problems associated with tobacco have been dealt with and to lose sight of the fact that the proposed Bill includes critically important measures aimed at reducing smoking in young people. These measures principally involve ending point of sale advertising and banning vending machines, both of which encourage and influence young people to smoke. We therefore urge MSPs from all parties to support this important Bill and to take this historic opportunity to reduce the harm caused by smoking in the young” ENDS Contact: Graeme McAlister on 0131-247-3693 or 07808-939395 Notes to Editors [1] The Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Bill will receive its first reading (Stage 1 debate) in the Scottish Parliament on 24 September 2009 [2] High resolution images of the cover of ‘The Copy of a Letter, Eleazar Duncan, Physicke to a Gentleman, 1606’ can be supplied by contacting Graeme McAlister on 0131-247-3693 or 07808-939395 Swine Flu: Critical Care Strategies (Scotland and UK)Fellows and Members may be interested to access the critical care strategies for dealing with swine flu recently published in Scotland and England. Scotland
England
Medical Research Council Research Board Recruitment 2009The Medical Research Council Annual Research Board Recruitment round has now begun and the application deadline is the 5th October 2009. The website also contains the terms and conditions of the placement and a detailed person specification. Please email recruitment.board@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk if you have any queries regarding the MRC board member recruitment. "Tomorrow's Doctors": New GMC Guidance on Undergraduate Curricula
One of the key changes is the increased emphasis on clinical placements and the introduction of student assistantships. The GMC is keen to ensure that doctors and medical educators are aware of the changes in the new guidance and the implications for the future of medical training and patient care.
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The General Medical Council (GMC) has launched new guidance for medical
schools for their undergraduate curricula. Tomorrow’s Doctors 2009
is the third edition of guidance first published in 1993. It sets out
the GMC’s requirements for the knowledge, skills and behaviours
that undergraduate medical students should learn and for the delivery
of teaching, learning and assessment.