Follow-up after an emergency hospital visit
PLAB 2 practice station
Ethics, consent & capacity · 1 min to read · 8 min to perform
Try a real conversation · PLAB 2AI practice
Mr Gareth Pugh, aged 41, has come for a follow-up appointment after an emergency hospital visit last week.
Gareth PughMorning doctor. I just need a quick check so I can get back to work.
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Open the full station (charts, voice, result letter) →The task
You are a GP. Mr Gareth Pugh, aged 41, has come for a follow-up appointment after an emergency hospital visit last week. The hospital letter has not reached you yet. He is alone. Talk with him about what happened and about his work and daily life, and agree a plan. You do not need to examine him. The examiner will not take part in the conversation.
What this station tests
- Advise a patient with a seizure to stop driving immediately and to tell the DVLA; do this clearly and kindly.
- Confidentiality is not absolute: you may disclose in the public interest when others are at risk, after trying to persuade the patient.
- Tell the patient before disclosing, share only what is necessary, and record your reasons.
- Never promise secrecy you may not be able to keep.
- Acknowledge the financial and emotional impact; practical help makes agreement more likely.
- The DVLA, not the GP, decides when a licence can return, and the rules for lorry licences are much stricter than for car licences.
Sources for the clinical content
- GMC Confidentiality: good practice in handling patient information
- GOV.UK: Neurological disorders, assessing fitness to drive
- GOV.UK: Assessing fitness to drive, a guide for medical professionals
- NICE NG217: Epilepsies in children, young people and adults
An original practice scenario with invented patients. Not an exam question.