Alex Burrell is a GP in Bristol and Associate Editor at BJGP Open.
Yonder: a diverse selection of primary care relevant research stories from beyond the mainstream biomedical literature.
Livestreaming clinical education
The availability of general practice placements has not kept up with the expansion in medical student cohorts, and both GP time and physical space in practices to deliver traditional in-person placements are limited. With exposure to general practice a key determinant of future career choice, novel approaches may be needed. This UK study explores the delivery of livestreamed clinical experiences (LCEs), the ‘synchronous transmission of clinical interactions between healthcare professionals and patients to remote learners via secure telecommunication platforms.’1 Using the experiences of seven medical schools who have used LCEs, the authors identified three key questions for planning and approval: what learning outcomes justify livestreaming? Which delivery model fits your setting? What governance approvals are required to ensure safety and compliance? They then go through the technical setup and how to ensure LCEs are ethical, patient centred, and pedagogically sound. They are at pains to point out that LCEs are an adjunct to, not a replacement for, in-person GP placements.
“… integrating environmental data with routine healthcare surveillance may support service planning and preparedness.”
Complaints
Complaints can be difficult emotionally and logistically, causing stress to both patients and staff. They can also highlight important issues with care and be used as learning tools. This Danish study aimed to understand who is making complaints about health care in different settings and whether any socioeconomic or demographic factors influence complaint responses.2 Across >37 million healthcare contacts there were >5000 formal complaints. Rates of complaints in different settings were 0.43 complaints per 10 000 GP contacts, 7.4 per 10 000 in non-psychiatric hospital care, and 12.7 per 10 000 in psychiatric hospital care. Low-income groups were more likely to complain in GP and non-psychiatric hospital care, with higher education groups less likely to complain in these settings. For GP complaints, the highest income group had a higher likelihood of a complaint being upheld. These findings suggest that disadvantaged groups may experience or perceive lower-quality care, although care quality was not directly measured.
Weather and mental health
As climate change continues to shift the baseline of everyday weather, it is worth considering the impact of this on mental health. I imagine many of us found the summer heatwaves challenging, with a lack of sleep and sweltering consulting rooms. This UK study examined associations between daily weather conditions and unscheduled mental health-related healthcare utilisation via 111, out-of-hours GPs, and emergency departments from 2014–2022.3 Across >4.6 million mental health-related contacts, there was no consistent association between rainfall and mental health presentations but found that fewer hours of sunshine was associated with a higher relative risk. Higher temperatures were also associated with modest increases in healthcare contacts. The authors suggest that integrating environmental data with routine healthcare surveillance may support service planning and preparedness.
HPV and cervical cancer screening
In the UK, cervical cancer screening is offered to women and people with a cervix aged 25–64 year,s with recall every 5 years. It involves testing for high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV), with subsequent cytology if hrHPV is found and colposcopy for people with abnormal cytology. This study in Denmark, where screening is similar to the UK, qualitatively explored how women experience a hrHPV diagnosis.4 While some women were not particularly affected when receiving their automated hrHPV diagnosis via email, others felt anxiety and fear, feeling unsupported and uncertain. The sexual nature of HPV also led some participants to feel moral emotions such as guilt and shame that affected intimacy and self-perception. Subsequent appointments often didn’t offer the space to explore concerns around the sexual implications of the diagnosis, and information was often sought via alternative means, including both official and unofficial sources.
References
1. Gomez K, McKeown J, Jackson B, et al. Livestreaming clinical education in general practice: practical lessons from implementation across seven UK medical schools. Educ Prim Care 2026; 14: 1–6.
2. Bogh SB, Hansen SM, Morsø L, et al. Who complains? A nationwide register-based cross-sectional study of socioeconomic differences in patient complaints and complaint case outcomes in Denmark. BMJ Open 2026; 16(7): e118371.
3. Elson R, Brainard J, Jones NR, et al. The effect of weather on unscheduled healthcare utilisation for mental health conditions in England, 2014–2022. Front Psychiatry 2026; 17: 1835204.
4. Hansen J, Maclin BJ, Folmann B, et al. Women’s experiences, responses, and coping strategies when testing positive for human papillomavirus in cervical cancer screening: a qualitative study. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2026; DOI: 10.1111/aogs.70311.
Featured photo by Craig Manners on Unsplash.
