Q1. I am a Consultant Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon and one of my cancer patients died unexpectedly two days post-operatively. There is to be a Coroner's Inquest and the Trust have appointed their own barrister. Will that barrister act for me as well?
The barrister will have been instructed by the Trust's solicitors to protect the Trust's own position. It may be that questions will be asked at the Coroner's Inquest about the role of the theatre or nursing staff who were responsible for the deceased's post-operative care. The barrister therefore may be instructed purely to deal with other members of staff and may not be there to protect your own position. In cases like this Dental Protection has invariably instructed its own barrister to protect the Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon's position when, unexpectedly, questions are asked of the clinician at the Inquest.
Q2. I am a Senior Community Dental Officer working for a Trust and I am concerned about the content of the consent forms which are used for treatment of patients under sedation. I have tried to raise this with my line manager but to no avail. Would Dental Protection take the matter up on my behalf?
Normally the consent protocols for a Trust will be discussed between the Trust's Clinical Director and the Trust's solicitors. Although it would not be Dental Protection's remit to interfere with the running of a Trust we would be happy to look at the consent form and if we felt it was inappropriately worded then we would write to you to that effect. You would then be in a position, if you so wished, to show a copy of our letter to your Clinical Director or to the Trust's solicitors.