Integrated neighbourhoods are a collaborative effort of health and social care providers, as well as voluntary/non-statutory organisations, which aim to improve the health and wellbeing of residents and service users. Afsana Bhuiya, Seher Kayicki and Faha Iqbal outline what we know about
With or without leopard-print boots, physician associates work regularly in general practice, but what does the day-to-day work of a PA look like? How do you qualify as a PA? And how can they benefit a primary care team? Ria Agarwal, lead
The Covid-19 lockdowns exacerbated wait times for dental treatment. Where does all of this leave GPs (and our emergency department colleagues) who are faced with potentially increasing numbers of dental presentations?
Richard Armitage argues that the abuse or neglect of nuclear facilities in conflict settings represents an international public health concern
This winter, several long-term issues are coming to a head to create a perfect storm: high fuel prices, poor housing quality, a lack of sustainable energy strategies, and families sliding into low income during a cost of living crisis. Nada Khan reviews
A British newspaper has argued that GPs were given 'record pay rises in Covid pandemic'. Richard Armitage unpicks the truth and the implications of GP earnings and productivity over the last two and half years.
Rabia Aftab reflects on coming to the UK and growing up in the second Elizabethan age with emblems of national pride
Terry Kemple finds that David Haslam is uniquely placed to reflect on the important questions of modern healthcare. 'Side Effects' calls for clarity about what the focus of healthcare should be, and attempts to describe and address many of the problems of
With 43% of adults currently living with a degree of chronic pain in the UK, It is likely that overprescribing of opioids will continue. An audit of opioid prescribing in general practice inspired me to reflect on how medical education fails to
Nitrous oxide is a popular recreational drug that produces transient but intense feelings of euphoria and disassociation. Nada Khan considers what GPs should know.
Mark Steggles frames the GP workforce crisis as a 'Choose your own adventure'
Richard Armitage explores the health implications of adopting imperial units, and finds the prospect quite alarming!
'One does not love breathing.' says Scout from To Kill A Mockingbird. 'Primary care to me is the lungs or heart of the NHS,' Rubia Usman reflects.
A leaked memo from the UK treasury recently suggested GPs should assess the financial health of their patients and recommend financial support to those in most need. Nada Khan considers some of the arguments and research -discussion welcome!
The government has gained control over the system; doctors have gained the freedom to have a life outside the surgery; and patients have gained – at least in theory – unlimited access to textbook medicine, regardless of who provides it. Ben Hoban
Richard Armitage discusses the pros and cons of wild swimming in light of the recent discharges of raw sewage into British waterways
Bhupinder Goraya reflects on the clinical consultation from a GP perspective. A courtroom with competing sovereign views?
If a patient has an Adverse Childhood Experiences score of 4 or higher then the risk of multiple health problems, such as cancer, obesity, and heart disease, increases. Giles Dawnay asks, how much, then, of our hard and well-intentioned work is no
It may therefore be that the best way to spot the symptoms of serious disease is not always to be looking for them, argues Ben Hoban
Doctors who find more human sense, belonging and fulfilment in their work are, almost certainly, able to provide better care. But our serial reforms have disregarded, then abandoned, a time-honoured cornerstone of practice. David Zigmond explores the tragic revival of continuity of
Austin O'Carroll critiques a moralistic definition of suicide that culminates in a unjust hierarchy of worthiness for compassion and support. Seeing beyond intention to the causes of despair may be more helpful
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
Richard Armitage argues that cyber-attack pose an apocalyptic risk to UK primary healthcare
Joel Brown argues that charging patients £10 for missed appointments in UK general practice is misguided, unfair, and harmful to both patients and health service.
Nada Khan reviews the 'Women’s Health Strategy for England,' which contains ambitious goals for general practice. Are these goals sustainable and sincere?
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.
John Spicer and Carwyn Hooper unpack the Hippocratic duty to teach for 21st century primary care.
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.
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
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?
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..."
Rebecca te Water Naudé and Peter Young suggest that GPs may have duty to discuss the pros and cons of patients who contemplate crowdfunding for cancer treatment, and outline some of the issues.
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!
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!
How and why do we define something as a public health problem? Richard Armitage reflects on the complexities.
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!
