Peter McNelly provides an introduction to the role of the mental health practitioner in general practice, and how they can help reduce the workload of GPs.
It is important that GPs are able to recognise this phenomenon, and to not dismiss the SMI lifestyle as a harmless pursuit for frivolous Gen-Z-ers. Richard Armitage unpacks the health implications.
‘Yes dad, a little dash like normal.’ I never knew how to reply. Was he asking a question? Was he just making a statement, did he even want milk in it? Had he forgotten how he had his tea? I never knew
Some patients with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) suffer years of referrals and inconclusive tests. Others find themselves overlooked by health care services and feel forgotten. However, diagnostic delay may be due to a disease being rare. Stephen Walker and colleagues offer a
New research into the serotonin theory of depression raises two separate, but related issues. The first is our understanding about the aetiology of depression. The second is understanding why we prescribe antidepressants. Nada Khan reflects on what this means for general practice.
Lisa Broom, Frances Dutton (GPs), and Chris Bird (Paediatric A&E Consultant) reflect on a fellowship that allowed both GPs to have one foot in Birmingham Children's Hospital's busy emergency department and the other in primary care in the city, with time to
We have a quick update from the Editor, Euan Lawson.
Richard Armitage examines the 'Deborah James effect' on cancer awareness. How should we enhance the benefits and mitigate any harms of publicly shared celebrity cancer stories?
"What I am increasingly aware of the longer I practice medicine is that traditional models of care are not working" — Maryan Naeem reviews 'What Seems To Be The Problem?', the new memoir by Laura Marshall-Andrews
During the UK pandemic lockdowns of 2020–21 an online literary festival was held by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London, and the talks are freely available online. Andrew Papanikitas invites readers online and back in time!
People living in more affluent parts of the world with better healthcare and less disease tend to have a lower view of their health than people in poorer areas, where disease is more prevalent and healthcare less well-developed. Ben Hoban asks what
"We have talked to friends, colleagues, teachers and other adopters and have concluded that we should go ahead with an assessment. We will access resources and advice, buy a new genre of books, try to think of different parenting strategies to help our child..."
Professor Jan Verbakel talks about a study that explored the experiences of GPs when diagnosing childhood UTIs.
Richard Armitage looks at the health needs of people who work away from home, be they itinerant telecommuters or contract-workers in haulage and construction - should general practice be evolving to meet the access needs of this group? Join the discussion!
"a filmic, memorable story that will leave its traces on the reader as the coastline is shaped by the sea" — Jane H Roberts reviews Mend the Living, the award-winning novel by Maylis de Kerangal
Found poetry is created by taking words and phrases from other sources and reframing them - the literary equivalent of a collage. Jessica Watson and Fiona Hamilton demonstrate how the approach can be applied to qualitative research to capture and share experiences
One of medicine’s great strengths is the precise use of language it employs to describe what and where it is diagnosing the issue in hand. This, of course, would be fine if we only spoke amongst ourselves in a professional capacity.
Pamela Martin shares the Doctors for Unite vision for the future of primary healthcare in the UK - a call to action!
Sharon Dixon and colleagues contend that a deeper understanding of safeguarding practices (and how these look and feel on the front-line of multi-agency encounters) is needed if future child safeguarding tragedies are to be avoided.
Dr Meena Rafiq talks about a recent research paper suggesting a diagnostic window for Hodgkin lymphoma that could help us find strategies for earlier diagnosis.
How and why do we define something as a public health problem? Richard Armitage reflects on the complexities.
Paul Hepple reviews 'An ordinary doctor' by Susie West, and is captivated, inspired and angered
There are three levels of general practice: generalist practice approach, general generalist practice and expert generalist practice. Koki Kato explains how they can help GPs explain what they do.
Bakula Patel asks is cracking work-life balance is as simple as considering life-work balance? Comments welcome!
Around 80% of all care in the UK is self-care, but despite people's willingness to initially self-treat, minor ailments contribute to 57 million GP consultations a year. How then can GPs promote continued self-care to patients?
Nada Khan examines the increasing waiting times for ambulances, finding a system under pressure and dilemmas for clinical staff.
Dr Sean MacBride-Stewart tells us about a large cluster RCT looking into the impact of feedback of actionable individual patient prescription data to improve asthma prescribing.
Tim Senior reflects on what makes a 'virtuoso' GP. Is a question of detective skills or the ability to establish a rapport?
Richard Armitage argues that good management of hay fever represents an opportunity for general practice to reduce suffering and restore both wellbeing and economic activity to the nation!
"a self-help-style read for patients seeking methods of improving their own mental wellbeing" — Lucy Martin reviews How to Rise: A Complete Resilience Manual by Karen Forshaw and Chrissie Mowbray
Peter Lindsay reviews Jeremy Hunt's new book, Zero
At the beginning of my foundation training I had very limited awareness of the diversity of the clinical workforce and was only familiar with 'traditional' doctor roles. However, I was surprised to find myself in the midst of a large, multiskilled dynamic
Approximately 1%–2% of the adult population experience stammering, which can have a significant impact on a person's quality of life. Here, members of the NHS Stammering Network (for staff) describe how best to optimise consultations with this patient group.
In 2020, Sir Michael Marmot and his team at the Institute of Health Equity published ‘Build Back Fairer’ to examine how the Covid pandemic affected health inequalities in England. Nada Khan discuss a grim but inspiring document.
Dr Jess Watson tells us about a qualitative study that explored how blood tests are communicated to patients.
The Department for Work and Pensions has recently announced legislative change that will allow a wider range of healthcare professionals to authorise fit notes. Is this an opportunity for general practice to improve patient access to occupational health support?
There is an enormous body of information on diet and nutrition, but how do you know what dietary information to recommend to patients? Terry Kemple reviews The Nutrition Proposition by James McCormack and Marcie Gray, where "most questions about nutrition and
The waves of nausea as I lay in the hotel bed were incessant. Away on a long-planned holiday to New York with my partner, the morning sickness had hit at week 6 of my pregnancy ...
TDR programmes consist of a low calorie (around 800 kcal/day) formula diet alongside a stepped food reintroduction as well as regular behavioural support. Yusuf Ben-Tarifite examines the evidence for TDR in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
The NHS is facing a backlog that will take years to clear and GPs are likely to be the main point of contact for patients who are suffering as a result. Nada Khan examines the issues.