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Health start-ups: Generating revenue from intellectual property
Doctors in private practice and private healthcare operators are often innovators, developing software, equipment and treatments, and building a ‘brand.’ Using these more widely, both in British healthcare and further afield, could bring benefits to patients - and private practitioners are often keen to help this happen. However, they need to consider what happens to their intellectual property in their innovations. IP is a valuable asset – as is being increasingly realised by the NHS – and needs protecting.
Data protection – your obligations as a practice owner
If you handle and process personal information about individuals, you have a legal obligation under the Data Protection Act 1998 (“the Act”) to protect that information.
Newsflash: New tactics required in intellectual property litigation from the Autumn
There have long been restrictions on owners of certain types of IP making “unjustified threats” of infringement action to third parties. Coupled with the fact that the maker of an unjustified threat (which could include a law firm on behalf of its client!) can face legal action, and a claim for damages; this has always been an area which requires careful consideration.
Newsflash: Employment Tribunal fees abolished
The Supreme Court has held the current fee regime for employment tribunal fees to be unlawful and prevents access to justice.
Newsflash: Changes to the PSC requirements were made on 26 June this year
Companies and LLPs need to be aware of the increased information requirements in respect of people with significant control (PSC). The details of these changes only became clear at a late date with implementation from 26 June 2017.
Revalidation – a trap for the unwary?
All doctors will be aware of the need to revalidate and the GMC’s responsibilities in this regard. Revalidation is the process by which doctors are required to demonstrate that they are up to date and fit to practise. Doctors must revalidate every five years, and in order to do so they must have annual appraisals based on the GMC’s guidance, Good Medical Practice.
Health start-ups: Look to the future – a round-up
"Look to the future now: it's only just begun". So sang Wolverhampton glam-rockers Slade in their well-known Christmas hit. Whilst I accept that it is still probably a little early to be getting ready for Christmas, these particular words nevertheless seem an apt way of bringing to a close our series of articles on healthcare start-ups and the increasing use of apps and technology for delivering health services.
Data protection – getting it right
Dentists across the UK will be all too familiar with the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) but possibly not yet accustomed to the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which will apply from 25 May 2018. Notwithstanding Brexit, the UK government has indicated that it will implement the new regime.
Health start-ups: Online prescribing is no panacea – the pitfalls and perils of prescribing medication online
This is a particularly complex area so it’s as well to know what is what. Interfaces (such as Amazon, E-bay and Uber) which utilise the internet, SMS and Apps to deliver goods and services, are popular because they save time – and savvy healthcare businesses realise that patients are no different. They view time taken to make doctors’ appointments and queuing at the surgery as wasted time. Such business are capitalising on this perception by creating interfaces which allow patients to obtain prescriptions remotely (on-line, by SMS or App).
Dress codes, headscarves and discrimination
The issue of dress codes and religious clothing has featured in the news recently, following the case brought be a Belgian receptionist in Achbita v G4S Secure Solutions. The case was reported as supporting a ban on headscarves, but the actual outcome was slightly more complicated than that.
Newsflash: Updated GMC Guidance on Confidentiality 2017
On 25 April 2017, the updated GMC Guidance, Confidentiality: Good Practice in Handling Patient Information (“the Guidance”) comes into effect
Newsflash: Are you ready for the GDPR?
The General Data Protection Regulation (‘GDPR’) comes into force on 25 May 2018 and is the largest overhaul of data protection since the 1998 Act.