GP articles from July 2002, page 2

GP archives from July 2002

Direct-to-patient drug advertising criticised.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... Advertising drugs directly to patients increases demand for inappropriate prescriptions and damages the doctor-patient relationship, a US study of family practitioners has concluded. The findings come two months before a committee of MEPs...

GP quits boxing board role for 'ethical' reasons.(Dr, George O'Neill leaves British Boxing Board of Control)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... Belfast GP Dr George O'Neill has resigned as acting chief medical officer of the British Boxing Board of Control, citing 'ethical, moral and professional reasons'. The resignation coincided with the granting of a licence to Belfast-born...

Equal rights for all.(equal maternity and sickness pay)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... Salaried GP Dr Elizabeth Howard secured Tony Blair's support for equal maternity and sickness pay for principals and non-principals after challenging him on inconsistent family-friendly policies at a conference on improving doctors' lives. Dr...

GPs seek NHS Direct reform.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... GPs are backing the demand from the National Association of GP Co-operatives (NAGPC) that NHS Direct must improve before links to the controversial helpline can be extended. NAGPC members said they supported the letter sent by the...

NHS IT mixes up patient reports.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... A GP co-op has complained that it is having to re-match 200 patients per month with their in-hours GPs because of NHS Direct's IT system. West London GP co-op Harmoni told GP that confidential patient information was being sent to the...

Co-op develops triage software based on e-mail.(Harmoni develops software)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... A GP co-op has developed a software package to ensure smoother transfer of patient call reports from the co-op to in-house GPs. London co-op Harmoni can now electronically send call reports to GPs using software called EXOCET (Electronic...

Telephone answers access target.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... Lancashire GP Dr Morris Doublet-Stewart believes GPs will meet the 48-hour-access target through extensive use of the telephone. Data he has compiled over the past five years showed phone consultations had risen from 4.4 per cent to 20 per...

Health scheme's failure hurts GPs.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... GPs across the country have expressed their anger over the continued failure of primary care organisations (PCOs) to provide the GP occupational health service promised by the government. In February last year, the DoH announced a deal of...

NEWS FOCUS: Walk-in centres - help or hindrance? A DoH report has reviewed the role of walk-in centres. Neil Durham and Jo Hartley explain the implications for GPs.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... GPs could be paid more under the new contract for allowing their practice premises to be used as walk-in centres. That is one of the suggestions in the DoH-funded National Evaluation of NHS Walk-In Centres' report. But why is the idea...

LETTERS: LMCs deserve a vote of no confidence.
July 15, 2002... Dear Editor I was appalled by your front-page article, 'LMCs press for anti-female bias' (GP, 10 June). I would call for a vote of no confidence in these LMCs. Women have the right to an education, the vote, equal opportunities and...

LETTERS: Spend IT allocation on the right software.
July 15, 2002... Dear Editor The government is thinking of spending pounds 5 billion on IT development. It is obviously far too late to introduce standard software to be used in every place. But it would be really helpful for everyone to be able to...

LETTERS: New names for new roles in GP contract.
July 15, 2002... Dear Editor If the contract framework becomes reality I would like to suggest two minor alterations: First, that the term 'nurse' is scrapped in favour of CDDEC (chronic disease data entry clerk) and second, that the term 'doctor' is...

LETTERS: Clarifying points on locum registration.
July 15, 2002... Dear Editor I am responding 'The reality of joined-up thinking' (GP, 3 June) and would like to clarify a point about locums. Dr Lancelot stated that '... locums will not be allowed to practise in areas outside their home HA without...

LETTERS: Why should we trust politicians over pay?
July 15, 2002... Dear Editor A recent survey found that the least trusted profession was that of politician and the most trusted was the medical profession. It is, therefore, ironic that GPC leaders pushed us to vote on a 'blind' ballot, asking us to...

LETTERS: GPs should get fair pay for medical reports.
July 15, 2002... Dear Editor It seems something of an indictment of the BMA and GPC's negotiating abilities that they have managed to agree on a fee of just pounds 54 for private medical reports. It is worth remembering that advisers who sell...

LETTERS: Quality will not improve without the resources.
July 15, 2002... Dear Editor It is not surprising to find that PMS has not delivered improved-quality service. GPs are so overwhelmed by additional demands from patients that additional investment can only bring about some improvement to access and a...

LETTERS: Mixed BMA message on target payments.
July 15, 2002... Dear Editor Can anyone explain to me why, on the one hand the BMA is crying out about the injustices of targets for payments for childhood immunisations and, on the other, is obsessively supporting a framework for a new contract that...

LETTERS: Patient-centred care is not about computers.
July 15, 2002... Dear Editor Listening to Radio 4 while doing home visits recently, I was surprised and appalled to hear that the BMA considers that patient-centred medicine is achieved by patients having hospital appointments made by their GP via...

OPINION: Managers are the real problem.(Brief Article)(Column)
July 15, 2002... The more I think about it, the more I believe that the real problem with the NHS isn't money; it isn't just lack of staff; it isn't even the politicians. It's that NHS management is utterly useless. It is useless in a way that almost...

OPINION: The do-gooder's bandwagon.(analysis of palliative care, care of elderly)(Brief Article)(Column)
July 15, 2002... I attended one of those annoying palliative care lectures last week. You know it, the one that goes as follows: 'This patient was on 1,000g of morphine every 10 minutes and was still in terrible pain. But when we admitted him to the hospice...

LEADER: Primary care requires more than a quick fix.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... There is more to solving the problems of primary care than a spot of emergency plumbing, despite the impression given by most of the national press coverage of the Audit Commission report on general practice. This media obsession with the...

LEADER: Don't knock it till you've tried it.(new private health insurance will help improve primary care)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... GPs with innovative ideas about improving primary care or the lot of patients should always be given the opportunity to test their ideas. After all, how would many of the UK's GPs cope with out-of-hours if colleagues had told Dr Krishna...

IN PRACTICE WITH ... Dr Judith Langfield, east Bristol - Every week we travel the UK to profile GPs and their practices. Debbie Andalo visits Bristol.(Brief Article)(Interview)
July 15, 2002... How did you start in general practice? I went into general practice because of the variety it offered. I thought hospital medicine was boring and didn't offer the challenges that general practice did. Tell us about life in your...

BUSINESS: Why going solo is asking for trouble - Covering for partners means the holiday season is not always welcome, writes Dr Louise Warburton.(physician's personal experiences at work)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... It's coming up to that time of year again; holiday season, I mean. I always dread it when my partner goes on holiday and I am left in sole charge, as something always seems to go wrong at the surgery. It's not that I am particularly clumsy or...

BUSINESS: ASK THE EXPERTS - Can you alter a contract's notice period? - One GP thought his six-month notice period was too long. But as Lynne Abbess explains, his options were severely limited.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... A GP contacted the GP advice line about the notice period in his partnership deed. The new practice he was to join wanted him to start as soon as possible. However, the terms of the partnership deed made him subject to a notice...

BUSINESS: Good design benefits patients and staff - Eye-catching buildings can boost the lives of those who work there and use the facilities. John Roberts reports.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... Since joining her Hammersmith practice in west London, Dr Lydia Stevens has discovered just how life-enhancing good design can be. She says: 'We thought our award-winning surgery would be a sitting duck for graffiti because this is quite...

BUSINESS: Racism has to be tackled head-on - Discrimination is alive and well in the medical profession, says Dr Steve Gillam, but GPs can help.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... I remember it well. Standing at the bedside as a surgical house officer on the weekly ward round while the consultant delivered himself of various racist 'witticisms'. And shame that we simply stood there. Still more telling was the...

BUSINESS: How to be patient-centred with a smile - With some of your patients you just have to grin and bear it, says.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... If in doubt, refer to Coronation Street. It's mostly nonsense, with repetitive plotlines and feckless characters who trust their own faulty instincts, listen to their drinking buddies (they virtually live in the pub) rather than ask anyone...

REGISTRAR: The right time to delegate - The foundation of efficient time management is prudent delegation, says Dr Jo Nicholl.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... When I told my husband I was going to write an article on delegation, his reply was, 'Can't you get someone else to do it?' Very funny, but there is a serious point to be made. Delegation is the cornerstone of time management. What better...

REGISTRAR: PASS NOTES - Diabetes mellitus - part three.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... The UK prospective diabetes study (UKPDS) showed that about 50 per cent of patients had early signs of complications at the time of diagnosis. This raises questions as to whether screening should be introduced. If it is diagnosed early...

REGISTRAR: WHAT THEY FORGOT TO TELL YOU ... INJECTING SUBACROMIAL BURSA.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... Most patients prefer to sit. Make sure they are relaxed with the arm hanging loosely at the side. Explain what you are going to do and that pain should be minimal. Palpate the shoulder to locate the end of the acromium and identify its...

GPNET: APPRAISALS ONLINE - Taking the pain out of appraisals. The NHS has a new web-based toolkit to make the appraisal process easier, explains Kerstein Glenn.
July 15, 2002... Between April this year and the end of March next year, all GPs will be expected to have completed their first appraisal. In most careers, annual appraisal is already a fact of working life. Generally, though, appraisals are met with...

GPNET: Tip of the week - Disabling the net.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... If you want to disable internet access on some of your surgery computers, there is a simple way to do it With most GP surgeries now networked and connected to NHSnet, anyone in the practice can surf the internet, but there may be...

GPNET: GP time saver - Reading files.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... If you are fed up with receiving e-mails with applications that you cannot open, you can save time with this simple tip You can waste hours trying to open files from an unknown application. However, there is a simple way to solve...

GPNET: Medicine on the Web - Cystic fibrosis. This week's Clinical Review on page 43 discusses cystic fibrosis. Dr Keith Barnard recommends some relevant websites.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... THE CYSTIC FIBROSIS TRUST www.cftrust.org.uk/site/ This is the main UK charity site, and is aimed at sufferers and their families. It is a good place to recommend your patients to visit, especially for support, but I was...

GPNET: Three points on Bluetooth.(general practitioners wireless communication software)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
July 15, 2002... Bluetooth is relatively new wireless technology that allows equipment such as mobile phones and handheld computers to transmit data over short distances. Dr Chris Mimnagh explains everything you need to know 1. Bluetooth is a...

GPNET: Online child system aids GP diagnosis - A new online decision-support system is set to help in a quarter of consultations, according to Dr Padmanabhan Ramnarayan.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... Isabel is a sophisticated paediatric decision-support system, intended for the use of all healthcare professionals dealing with children. During its pilot over the past two years, more than 3,000 health professionals have accessed it, 5...

GPNET: How the internet handles the MMR row - Dr Alun Price reviews the information about MMR available to patients on the internet.(general practitioners)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 15, 2002... The story so far On 27 June, national newspapers and TV broadcasts were full of stories that researchers from Sunderland had found a link to prove that at least 10 per cent of cases of autism were triggered by MMR. Despite health...

GPLIFE: Food - The creme de la creme of desserts. With some fresh raspberries, Dr Chris Duckham gives creme brulee a taste of English summer.(Brief Article)(Recipe)
July 15, 2002... I think that raspberries may very well be my favourite fruit. Well, except for, perhaps, passion fruit. But you can't eat passion fruit raw at a picnic, picked fresh on an English summer's day. So raspberries have the edge. Raspberries...

GPLIFE: DRINK - A Burgundy? Oenologically, never. Classifying wine is a confusing business, not always a matter of geography, explains Dr Idango Adoki.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... Any worries I might have had about writing for a non-existent audience have now dispersed. Not only are you out there reading this stuff, many of you obviously know your wines too. And there's no holding back at any hints of inaccuracy. ...

GPLIFE: Waiting for a positive test - A GP is seeking an egg donor in the latest stage of her pounds 35,000 struggle to have a baby.
July 15, 2002... Doctors are people too, you know. As such we are subject to the same lottery of health problems as anyone else. When we have direct experience of particular conditions it can alter our perspective and maybe lead to a change in our...

GPLIFE: Study tour deals - GP readers can save pounds 100 on the full range of Master Travel study tours around the world in 2002 and 2003.
July 15, 2002... Master Travel specialises in organising medical study tours around the world, taking small, escorted groups of doctors to examine aspects of a country and society while enjoying the culture of that destination. The tours have...

GPLIFE: De-stress in Greece - GP readers receive pounds 100 off 'Relax and regain the balance', a stress reduction course for doctors on the beautiful Greek island of Zakynthos.(advertisement)
July 15, 2002... Evidence suggests that many doctors suffer high levels of stress as a result of their work. Naturally, this affects physical and mental health and can also compromise a doctor's ability to provide high-quality care to patients. This...

GPRESOURCES: EQUIPMENT REVIEW - Reviving your GP resuscitation kit Dr Bryan Palmer takes a look at a kit that contains all you need to perform effective resuscitation.(general practitioners on Vitalograph)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
July 15, 2002... One of the advantages of recruiting a member of staff is that if you get the right person, they will bring fresh ideas to your routines. They can also question current practice and suggest new approaches to problems that you may have...

Banish the blues with Bellini.(physician scheduling narrative)(Brief Article)(Column)
July 15, 2002... Summer is coming, and it's time to spend balmy weekends in the garden, trimming the odd rose and playing French cricket with the children. Alas, however, due to overly grand ambition on the Selby front, our garden is currently dominated...

PLAIN TALES FROM THE SURGERY.(patient anecdotes, United Kingdom)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... GRAVE REFLECTIONS Some years ago a depressed man came to see me. He was very upset by the way his four children had turned out - two were alcoholics, one was a drug addict and another was in prison. This was despite him and his wife,...

GPMEDICINE: BEHIND THE HEADLINES: Infertility risk linked to caesareans - Studies have shown caesarean births adversely affect fertility. Monika Polak investigates.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... The rate of caesarean section in the UK has risen threefold over the past 25 years and one baby in five is now delivered this way. The reasons for this are probably multi-factorial, although some experts believe more women are now opting...

GPMEDICINE: BEATING THE BUGS - Dealing with malaria risks. Dr David Morris offers advice on the diagnosis and prevention of malaria.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... 1. The malarial parasite is a protozoan that requires two hosts to complete its life cycle - humans and the anopheles mosquito. Asexual reproduction occurs in human erythrocytes and hepatocytes, while sexual reproduction occurs in the...

GPMEDICINE: CASE HISTORY - Heart murmur gives clue to diagnosis. Dr Lorna Gold describes how she made a surprising discovery in a consultation about tonsillitis.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... Melissa, a 21-year-old student teacher, lived with her parents and always came to surgery accompanied by her mother. Mother usually did most of the talking, and today was no different. 'She's still got that dreadful sore throat,' said mother....

GPMEDICINE: JOURNALS WATCH - Stroke, testicular cancer and smoking Let Dr Honor Merriman guide you through the latest findings in the busy world of medical research.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... Initial care of stroke patients BMJ 2002; 325: 17-20 Recent studies have shown that thrombolysis is an effective treatment in selected stroke patients, provided it is started within three to six hours of stroke onset. ...

GPMEDICINE:.(cystic fibrosis)(Statistical Data Included)
July 15, 2002... The essentials - The life expectancy of CF sufferers is steadily increasing. - Diagnosis may be delayed if symptoms are wrongly attributed to asthma. - CF must be diagnosed early and accurately to allow appropriate treatment....

GPMEDICINE: Conditions that affect nails.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... Onychomycosis This picture was taken two months after the patient started treatment for a fungal nail infection. The healthy new nail is clearly seen. Patients need to be told that - regardless of whether they are on oral or topical...

GPMEDICINE: MIMS UPDATE.(drug therapies)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2002... NEW TREATMENT FOR GLAUCOMA Allergan has launched Lumigan (bimatoprost) for the treatment of elevated intraocular pressure in chronic open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Telephone Allergan (01494) 444722 for further...

BEHIND THE HEADLINES: Aspirin reduces lung cancer threat - Could aspirin be used to help prevent lung cancer? Jo Hartley looks at the evidence surrounding the latest findings.
July 8, 2002... The humble aspirin - the benefits of which are already known to extend from arthritis to heart disease - may also reduce the risk of lung cancer, according to new US research. Nearly every national newspaper covered the story when the...

Allergic conditions.
July 8, 2002... REACTIVE ECZEMA This patient had had a colostomy for ulcerative colitis for three years. In the past year she had developed a sore, irritating eczematous rash under the colostomy flange. She found it difficult to cope with because when...

THE GOOD OLD DAYS: The use of assafoetida.
July 8, 2002... Assafoetida is one of the most useful remedies in the modern practitioner's armamentarium. It is an antispasmodic, and is most useful in certain forms of nervous disorder. However, its most singular application is in the treatment of...

AT A GLANCE: A possible cause of unproductive cough.
July 8, 2002... In the past, this 70-year-old smoker has complained intermittently of unproductive cough. Now, his symptoms have deteriorated. Physical examination is unremarkable except for diminished breath sounds on the left. Questions - What is...

JOURNALS WATCH: Perineal sutures, hygiene and blubber - Dr Lorna Gold offers her views on the latest medical research papers.
July 8, 2002... Mending the cruellest cut The Lancet 2002; 359: 2,217-23 Each year in the UK, around 350,000 women have perineal sutures after vaginal delivery, and I suspect hospital-based obstetricians and midwives have no idea how often GPs and...

CLINICAL REVIEW: Normal variants in orthopaedics.
July 8, 2002... The essentials - Most minor orthopaedic problems in children are self-correcting. - Bowing of the legs is normal in toddlers. - Flat feet are not normally a cause of foot pain. - Pes cavus is not a disease but a physical...

BEATING THE BUGS: Treat H pylori to beat ulcers - Dr David Morris offers some practical tips on how to prevent disease due to H pylori.
July 8, 2002... 1. Helicobacters are spiral Gram-negative organisms with flagelli, which allow them to move. They were identified nearly 20 years ago in patients with gastritis. The most important species is Helicobacter pylori. This species lives on the...

CLINICAL Q&A: TIAs and platelets - Our specialists answer your questions on stroke prevention and low platelet count.
July 8, 2002... Q: Should all patients who have had a stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) be prescribed an ACE inhibitor, regardless of their age? A: The fact that a study has shown an ACE inhibitor reduces stroke risk by 43 per cent, whether or...

MEDIA MEDICINE: Each week we review the lay press for stories that might send patients rushing to see their GP.
July 8, 2002... What's the story? This month's issue of Cosmopolitan explores the male equivalent of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Irritable man syndrome, otherwise known as IMS, is postulated as a possible cause for grumpiness, irritability, low sex...

DoH study condemns walk-ins.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... Walk-in centres are expensive and do not reduce demand, according to a DoH-funded evaluation of the initiative. The National Evaluation of NHS Walk-In Centres' report said that it would be more cost-effective to give GPs extra funds for...

Livingstone's MMR refusal enrages GPs.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... Senior GP members of the BMA have publicly criticised London mayor Ken Livingstone's statement that he would refuse MMR for his unborn child. In a letter to the capital's main newspaper, the Evening Standard, Dr Tony Grewal, Dr Gillian...

'More methadone is safer'.(Jenny Keen drug dependence research)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... The government's National Treatment Agency wants to increase the average minimum dose of methadone prescribed by GPs from 53mg to at least 60mg per day. Dr Jenny Keen, a GP in Sheffield and a primary care specialist in drug dependence, said...

US revises celecoxib licence.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... GPs face uncertainty over whether to continue prescribing the arthritis drug celecoxib (Celebrex) to patients with GI complaints, following safety fears. Concerns were raised after US regulators removed the licence claim that it was less...

YOUR NEW GP CONTRACT: Care home work optional.(nursing home resident care)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... GP care of nursing home residents will be optional under the new contract as a nationally enhanced service, the GPC has revealed. The announcement came after researchers from the National Primary Care Research and Development Centre...

Asylum aid.
July 8, 2002... Incarcerated asylum-seekers are among those to benefit from a project run by south London GPs Dr Brian Fine and Dr Carol Cheal. The couple, pictured outside Haslar 'removal' centre in Hampshire, have been looking at the medical needs of...

CHI calls for more supervision of GP clinical assistants.(Commission for Health Improvement)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... CHI has advised PCTs to operate tighter controls on GP clinical assistants after an investigation revealed lack of consultant supervision. The investigation into Hampshire's Gosport War Memorial Hospital followed claims that elderly...

DoH limits rubella jabs.(Department of Health restricts vaccine)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... A rise in the number of parents opting for single vaccines following the MMR crisis has resulted in a shortage of rubella vaccine. The DoH revealed last week that it had been forced to restrict the availability of Ervevax rubella vaccine...

GP occupational health cash 'lost'.(occupational health services funds)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... Almost 80 per cent of GPs have no access to a basic occupational health service and 60 per cent of primary care organisations have yet to start the tendering process. A joint survey of 58 (about half) of the UK's LMCs by the BMA's...

GPC predicts 'yes' vote for contract.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... GPC negotiators believe GPs will vote two-to-one in favour of talks to price the new GMS contract framework. Results of the first GP ballot are expected on 16 July but voting closes today (Monday). GPC negotiator Dr Peter Holden...

Hutton opens more walk-in centres.(John Hutton)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... Health minister John Hutton highlighted the positive aspects of the walk-in centre evaluation while opening two centres in Liverpool last week. He said: 'There is work to be done. The report's conclusions will be used to inform the...

Treatment 'no quicker' with rapid-access plan.(research on chest pain clinics, cardiac diagnosis)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... A government plan to improve quality of care for all angina patients through rapid-access chest pain clinics has backfired. According to the results of research from the University of Birmingham, the benefits of speedier access to...

Statins study may lead to new CHD guidelines.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... The DoH has agreed to look at the results of a landmark study, suggesting statins should be more widely prescribed, which could lead to a review of national prescribing guidelines. The decision followed a call by clinicians for an...

Clinical image of the week.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, US, have adapted a MRI scanner so it can detect whether a person is lying. The scan above shows lie 'hot spots' in the anterior cingulate gyrus as lying begins (left). Activity then spreads to...

RESEARCH BRIEFS: Meningitis B vaccine breakthrough.
July 8, 2002... Initial experiments with mice have shown a prototype meningitis B vaccine to be effective against group B meningococcal meningitis, septicaemia and meningitis C. Vaccinated mice exposed to either whole cells or membrane fragments of group B...

RESEARCH BRIEFS: New Down's test less effective than first thought.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 8, 2002... An audit of eight district hospitals in the Wessex health region found serum screening, which the government hopes to introduce universally from 2004, did not improve antenatal detection rates of Down's syndrome, or reduce the rate of...

RESEARCH BRIEFS: Caesarean section raises risk of infertility.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 8, 2002... British researchers have found that women who have had a caesarean section are 1.5 times more likely to take over a year to conceive another child from the time of planning the pregnancy. And women who had more than two caesareans were almost...

RESEARCH BRIEFS: Vodka therapy for Romanian heart patients.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... A pilot scheme at a Romanian hospital is aiming to lower cholesterol in patients with certain heart conditions by treating them with vodka. A group of 60 patients are receiving a 30g daily dose of the spirit, which doctors say is far cheaper...

Found: 4,500 GP specialists.(employment of 1,000 general practitioners by 2004)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... More than 4,500 GPs were probably already working in specialist posts when ministers set the NHS Plan target of employing 1,000 by 2004. A government-commissioned head count has now revealed the extent of the underestimate. The...

GPs decline per head of population.(number of general practitioners per patient falls during past couple of years)(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... The number of GPs per patient across the country has fallen over the past couple of years. According to last September's census, there were 53 whole-time equivalent GPs for every 100,000 population by the end of last summer, a slight...

Floral display marks golden anniversary.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... Caritas, the RCGP's anniversary rose, went on display at the Hampton Court Flower Show last week to celebrate the college's 50th birthday. Caritas is a fragrant, flaming tangerine hybrid tea rose. To order your own specimen, telephone Cants...

BMA CONFERENCE: GPs call for contract funds - Delegates endorse contract framework at the annual meeting in Yorkshire.(Brief Article)
July 8, 2002... Representatives backed the GP contract framework and gave GPC negotiators a mandate to continue their work on it, ahead of next week's expected positive ballot result. Doctors at the BMA's annual representatives' meeting in Harrogate...