• Question: have you ever done something that 'went against the rules' to help a patient?

    Asked by Bailey to Adrian, Ali, Charnelle, Deborah, Kit, Phil, Rob on 10 Nov 2017.
    • Photo: Philip Williams

      Philip Williams answered on 10 Nov 2017:

      Tricky question. I think in your meaning, not really. We all work to guidelines – which are documents which tell you the best way of doing something. However, guidelines don’t always apply to every patient, and sometimes 2 different guidelines apply to the same patient and they clash in what they recommend. It’s important to remember the patient is an individual and involve them fully in decisions about what happens to them, informed by the guidelines but not ruled by them.

    • Photo: Robert Cullum

      Robert Cullum answered on 10 Nov 2017:

      I haven’t ever done anything major against the rules to help someone, but I have called a patient with their results before to reassure them even though they discharged themselves against advice… But that’s about it really!

    • Photo: Kit T

      Kit T answered on 10 Nov 2017:

      It’s an interesting question… healthcare isn’t really like House or Casualty where people go off alone to bend the rules and save the day! You might think some rules don;t make sense but they’re there for a reason, and going something against them could be dangerous for patients. We’re also regulated by the General Medical Council, Nursing & Midwifery Council and others, who make sure that we keep to professional values and requirements.
      But as Phil says, guidelines are just that and you have to treat the person in front of you not just follow a flowchart. Sometimes it’s appropriate as a team to do things differently to help someone.

    • Photo: Deborah Draycott

      Deborah Draycott answered on 10 Nov 2017:

      Yes, sometimes guidelines are just that – a guide – they don’t fit everyone and some patients do have needs that require the ‘rules to be bent’ in their best interest. Having said that I would always discus my decisions with a colleague or someone more senior if possible and ensure I can justify my decision with the relevant evidence.

    • Photo: Adrian Taylor

      Adrian Taylor answered on 13 Nov 2017:

      Sometimes we flex the rules on the admin side to make sure a patient is looked after, like doing a prescription asap instead of insisting it takes two working days. We’ve even had a GP whilst on a home visit change a light bulb, as its better than having the person fall in the dark.

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