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Written question asked by Jim Cunningham (Labour) on Thursday, 4 July 2019, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 9 July 2019 (named day). It was answered by Stephen Hammond (Conservative) on Tuesday, 9 July 2019 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of training for NHS staff on diagnosing and treating alcohol abuse.

Answer

United Kingdom medical schools determine the content of their own curricula. The delivery of these undergraduate curricula have to meet the standards set by the General Medical Council (GMC), who then monitor and check to make sure that these standards are maintained. The standards require the curriculum to be formed in a way that allows all medical students to meet the GMC’s ‘Outcomes for Graduates’ by the time they complete their medical degree, which describe knowledge, skills and behaviour they have to show as newly registered doctors.

The GMC’s ‘Outcomes for Graduates’ state that doctors must be able to recognise and identify factors that suggest patient vulnerability and take action in response. In particular, they must be able to recognise where addiction (including to alcohol) is contributing to ill health and take action by seeking advice from colleagues and making appropriate referrals. Furthermore, the GMC’s Generic Professional Capabilities Framework states that doctors in training must be able to do the same and act on this information.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
273324
Session
2017-19
Subjects
Alcoholic drinks Health services Misuse Training
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk