Professional Ethics and Standards Flashcards

A psychiatrist discovers that a colleague is regularly seeing patients while impaired by alcohol. What is the FIRST appropriate action?

Answer: Inform the clinical director or responsible officer

The first step is typically to raise concerns with the responsible officer or clinical director, who has formal authority to investigate and act.

Under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, when assessing decision-making capacity, which principle is paramount?

Answer: Capacity is presumed present unless evidence indicates otherwise

The MCA 2005 establishes that capacity must be presumed unless there is evidence to the contrary — the presumption of capacity is the foundational principle.

A patient with schizophrenia discloses that they have been driving regularly despite being told not to by their GP. What is the psychiatrist's ethical obligation?

Answer: Advise the patient to inform the DVLA and breach confidentiality if they refuse

GMC guidance requires advising the patient to inform the DVLA, and if they refuse, the psychiatrist should breach confidentiality to protect public safety.

Which ethical framework best describes the approach of treating patients according to their own values and goals rather than imposing the clinician's values?

Answer: Autonomy

Autonomy refers to respecting a patient's right to make decisions consistent with their own values, free from undue clinician influence.

A patient detained under Section 3 of the Mental Health Act refuses electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Under what circumstance can ECT be given without consent?

Answer: If the patient lacks capacity and it is immediately necessary to save life or prevent serious deterioration

Under the MHA, ECT can be given without consent only when the patient lacks capacity and it is immediately necessary to save life or prevent serious deterioration.

In Tarasoff-style duty-to-warn scenarios in the UK context, what does GMC guidance advise when a patient threatens serious harm to an identifiable person?

Answer: Disclosure to protect a third party may be justified if the risk is serious and credible

GMC guidance allows breach of confidentiality to protect a third party when there is a serious and credible risk of harm, balancing public protection against patient confidentiality.

A trainee psychiatrist is asked by a senior colleague to falsify a patient's clinical record to avoid a complaint. The trainee should:

Answer: Refuse and escalate the request to a clinical supervisor or governance lead

Falsifying medical records is serious professional misconduct; the trainee must refuse and report the request through appropriate governance channels.