Safety and Compliance Flashcards
7 cards from real FRACGP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Safety and Compliance flashcards as text
A GP is about to perform a minor surgical procedure and reviews the consent form signed last week. The patient now mentions new concerns. What is the correct approach?
Answer: Re-assess whether consent remains valid and address new concerns before proceeding
Consent is a dynamic process; new concerns may invalidate previous consent, requiring the GP to re-discuss risks and benefits before proceeding.
Under Australian law, at what age can a minor generally provide independent consent for medical treatment without parental involvement?
Answer: It varies, but competent minors ('Gillick competent') may consent regardless of age
The Gillick competence principle allows minors who demonstrate sufficient understanding and maturity to consent to their own treatment, regardless of age.
A practice nurse administers a vaccine to the wrong patient due to a labelling error. Which immediate action reflects best patient safety practice?
Answer: Immediately assess the patient for adverse reactions, inform the patient, complete an incident report, and arrange follow-up
Open disclosure, immediate clinical assessment, incident reporting, and follow-up are all required components of the response to a medication/vaccine error.
What is the primary purpose of a root cause analysis (RCA) following a significant adverse event in general practice?
Answer: To identify systemic factors contributing to the event and implement preventive strategies
RCA is a systems-based approach focused on understanding the underlying causes of adverse events to prevent recurrence, not to assign individual blame.
Which type of clinical audit is most effective for improving prescribing safety in a general practice?
Answer: A prospective audit with baseline data, targeted intervention, and re-audit to measure change
The audit cycle — measuring baseline performance, implementing change, and re-auditing — is evidence-based quality improvement methodology for practice safety.
A GP discovers that a patient's electronic health record has been accessed by an administrative staff member without clinical justification. The most appropriate immediate step is:
Answer: Report the breach to the Australian Information Commissioner and conduct an internal investigation
Unauthorized access to health records is a privacy breach requiring reporting to the OAIC, internal investigation, and potentially notifying the affected patient.
When managing a patient with suicidal ideation in general practice, which action is most critical for immediate safety?
Answer: Conduct a risk assessment, develop a safety plan with the patient, and arrange urgent follow-up or referral
A structured risk assessment, collaborative safety planning, and prompt follow-up or referral are the cornerstones of safe suicide risk management in primary care.