By the way, Encarta Dictionary defines EXAMINE as:
----------------------------
4. inspect condition of patient
[Medicine] to inspect a patient in order to determine his or her condition or
health
----------------------------
This seems a very reasonable definition to me - in the case of a psychiatric
condition, for example, the patients condition would be elucidated by talking
with the patient during the examination, rather than physically touching them.
On this basis, for a condition where it was possible to determine a patient's
condition without seeing or touching them, examining them by phone would meet
this definition of "examine", which is what others on this list have advocated,
BUT it would not meet the DWP's criteria for an appropriate examination in
IB204.
Laurie Miles
> -----Original Message-----
> From: GP-UK [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dr Laurie Miles
> Sent: 09 February 2007 1:16 pm
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [GP-UK] Archaic Certification - Time for major reform? (Was - Med
> certs when seeing Nurse Practitioner?)
>
> The Guide for Doctors IB204** produced by the Department of Works and Pensions
> states this:
> -----------------------------
> Rules for the completion of form Med 3
> Section 2
> . You must examine the patient on the day, or the day before, you issue this
> statement
> (Note: Although a certificate can be issued to a patient's representative,
> this
> does not override the necessity of seeing the patient on the day, or the day
> before, a Med 3 or Med 4 is issued)
> -----------------------------
>
> This is quite clear - you MUST examine the patient, and as part of that
> examination you must SEE the patient. Any doctor signing a Med3 without seeing
> the patient is either committing fraud and risks the GMC (if the form is not
> endorsed), or else is providing an invalid Med3 (if the form is endorsed as a
> telephone consultation). As we are obliged to complete these forms for
> patients
> in our Terms of Service/Contract, refusal to provide a valid Med3 for an
> employer or the DWP could invite an undefendable complaint to the GMC.
>
> As Fay has said - we have to do it, and we just have to live with it as part
> of
> our practice (unless we as a profession get the regulations changed)
>
> Laurie Miles
>
> ** http://www.dwp.gov.uk/medical/guides_detailed.asp#IB204
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