"Morale in general practice has never been lower, and I can say that having been a GP for 37 years. In all this adversity and negative press, the care has carried on regardless, even allowing pockets of brilliance to shine through. We
The people factors are the strongly positive aspects of the job. But the logistical working conditions must improve for the future of the specialty to be sustainable. Five academic clinical fellows itemise the issues and set out a manifesto for change.
ChatGPT threatens to significantly harm the educational attainment, as well as the intellectual life, of students of medicine and the subjects that compliment it. This poses a serious threat to the ability of such students to deliver safe and effective care once
Vasumathy Sivarajasingam showcases how GP practices in Ealing (NW London) worked towards ‘greener practice’ and sustainable healthcare.
Richard Armitage uses ChatGPT to interview an AI simulation of the 'Father of Western Medicine.'
Rabia Aftab advocates that exercising these three Es (Expectations, explanation and empathy) in our consultations offers a path to better satisfaction for GP and patient alike.
Are GP practices equipped to respond to the current mental health crisis? Here, Jonathan Coates and Nick Hartley reflect on a recent pilot of the role of GP clinical psychologists in primary care - "an experienced, senior clinician independently handling undifferentiated presentations
As the latest cohort in the Oxford International Primary Care Research Leadership Programme, we present the ‘10 things we wish we had known’ for anyone considering a career in academic primary care.
It is well known that the life expectancy of people with severe mental illness (SMI) is reduced by 15–20 years compared to the general population, but what is less well known is that people with SMI also experience serious inequalities in oral
For 30 years advocates1 for social justice and the environment (have called for full cost accounting with a triple bottom line2 where all the consequences of a business are made transparent. These are its social, environmental and economic impacts and outcomes.
Antimicrobial resistance is developing rapidly and threatens to outstrip the rate at which new anti-infective agents are introduced. There are now, however, more than 250 antibacterial compounds isolated from natural sources. Here, Simran Patel and colleagues examine some of the leading contenders.
To help patients to live well with long-term conditions, Megan Coverdale proposes that there are 3 levels of change that must be targeted within primary care to collectively reform the management of chronic illness
The editor, Euan Lawson, discusses Mastodon, the new elephant in the social media room.
Social prescribing: Fiaz A Hussain and Feryad A Hussain present the experiences of a group facilitator with extensive experience of running community groups, offering patient feedback, highlighting the challenges of implementation at the coalface, and offering a number of considerations for GPs
You need to keep going, but stray too far to the left and you’ll be over the cliff edge before you know it; go too far to the right and you’ll be bogged down, and who knows what state you’ll be in
Trans people face multiple barriers to health care from various healthcare providers. Here, Kamilla Kamaruddin describes how working with charities can improve services and residence workload.
Medicines make up 25% of the NHS’ carbon footprint, with some metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) being 3320 times more powerful than CO2. How then can primary care help to reduce emissions caused by inhalers? Joshua Parker explores some options, such as reducing reliability
The Staff Wellbeing Garden at Frome Medical Practice shows the value of local green spaces, enriching the local biodiversity while providing a relaxing environment for both staff and patients. Here, Charlotte Carson, Green Health Connector, describes recent developments to the garden, including
What Rupal Shah & colleagues are proposing is not whimsical or theoretical. We need to address the broader context or practice so that connection, meaning & values can flourish. The next generation of GPs needs to be inspired & adequately resourced to
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
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.
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.
Although the GPs may well be aware that the ‘climate emergency’ is also a ‘health emergency, many of us do not make the connection with clinical practice when it comes to taking action. We often fail to realise that the majority of
You are probably familiar with the idea of cognitive bias: a trick of the mind that stops you seeing what’s in front of you or thinking clearly, something that’s a recognised cause of diagnostic error. Ben Hoban introduces the psychological menagerie...
Ivy Mitchell and Andrew Papanikitas review Doughnut Economics - an attempt to rewire economic thinking to take account of both social deprivation and environmental sustainability.
Jeremy W Tankel discusses how previously successful approaches to telephone and in person GP consultations are proving problematic in the COVID-19 era - what's the answer?
Whilst efforts are being made to develop the paramedic role within primary care, what is often missing from research and policy informing practice is the voice of patients. An NIHR patient and public group discuss this and offer practical advice for primary
Joanne Reeve explores three misconceptions about medical generalist and highlights the work of the WISEGP and CATALYST programmes.
Karen Nicholson highlights possible connections between psychological trauma fibromyalgia and chronic pain syndromes - and suggests an audit
Rafia Aftab shares practical wisdom about doing things 'just right' gained on the Catalyst Programme
Are you a healthcare professional looking for a creative community of writers? Neil Wilson introduces the Society of Medical Writers
"Through partnership rather than paternalism, the future patient–GP relationship will embrace the change of the world yet to come." — Nathaniel Roocroft, winner of this year's Kieran Sweeney Prize, sets out a future vision of general practice.
It is only in recent years that the physical and emotional burden faced by those in the medical profession has been raised. What can be done at both a structural and individual level to aid the wellbeing of medical staff? Dr Feryad
Terry Kemple and colleagues showcase how they found a way for the NHS and prescribers to know that the medications they used were not harming the environment (includes open access resources).
Maria Victoria Bovo and John Launer give an account of a remarkable conversation they had in December 2021 during an online workshop in narrative medicine, about Long-COVID and a colleague.
In November 2021 the First Coastal Primary Care Network (FCPCN) hosted an event to understand 'Deep End' practice. This short article intends to inform readers as well as providing a record of the day’s events.
The GP Carbon Calculator is a free online resource designed to support GP practices to reduce carbon emissions and tackle climate change. Find out more.
As a practising GP, I have come to see myself as a fixer of problems. But does this problem-oriented approach to consultation squander the opportunity we have when we engage our patients in that narrow window? What if we were to re-configure
Michael Poplawski shares five hot tips for starting a medical YouTube channel