GP articles from November 2006

GP archives from November 2006

NICE to allow scrips for mild Alzheimer's.(treatments of alzheimer diseases)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... GPs may be able to give cholinesterase inhibitors to patients with mild Alzheimer's disease under the latest NICE guidance. The clinical guideline on dementia says that donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine can be given to patients with...

Exclusive: DoH says Review Body has no role in GMS pay.(Department of Health)(group medical services)
November 24, 2006... The Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body has no role in recommending pay under the new GMS contract, the DoH has claimed. This directly contradicts the GPC view that the Review Body should recommend an increase for 2007/8 after negotiations...

GPs need new avian flu test to fight pandemic.(Royal Society and the Academy of Medical Sciences)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... GPs must have better clinical guidelines and tests to help diagnose avian flu in the event of a pandemic, according to UK researchers. Provisional clinical guidelines from the DoH say GPs should perform nose and throat swabs in suspected...

Retinal cell transplants improve vision.(retinopathy treatment)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Immature retinal cells could be used as a treatment for retinopathy or macular degeneration, a US study has shown. Retinal cells from newborn mice were transplanted into mice with retinal degeneration. The retinal cells differentiated into...

Cervical Ca risk double for smokers with HPV.(Human Papillomavirus )(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Women with an HPV infection who are smokers are more than two and a half times as likely to develop cervical cancer as those who do not smoke, according to a Swedish study. Researchers found that smoking and HPV infection together...

Occupational therapy is best for dementia.(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Occupational therapy (OT) may be more effective than drug treatment for improving the daily life of patients with dementia, according to a Dutch study. It also improved the quality of life of their main care-giver, the researchers found....

Research Brief: Device treats severe hypertension.(treating of severe hypertension)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... An implantable device which stimulates the body's own BP regulatory system has shown promise for the treatment of very severe hypertension, according to preliminary data presented at the American Heart Association meeting in Chicago last...

Research Brief: Neurological side-effects of flu vaccine.(Flu vaccination research)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Flu vaccination may result in a slight increased risk of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome, according to a Canadian study. Researchers looked at rates of hospital admission due to Guillain-Barre syndrome in Ontario between 1993 and 2004. ...

Research Brief: A third of Scottish births unplanned.(Edinburgh hospital)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... One in three babies born in Scotland is the result of an unplanned pregnancy, according to Scottish researchers. The study of 2,908 women attending an Edinburgh hospital for antenatal care and 907 attending for abortion found that a third of...

Research Brief: Human endorphins stronger than morphine.(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... The human body can produce a natural painkiller several times more potent then morphine, claim French researchers. They found in tests with rats that the chemical opiorphin, which the researchers have isolated in human saliva, was able to...

Exclusive - pounds 50 per patient inequality in practice's global sums.(primary care trusts)
November 24, 2006... Neighbouring practices can find global sum funding differences of as much as pounds 50 per patient thanks to the MPIG, LMCs say. Data obtained by GP show that GMS practices in four PCTs in the Cleveland LMC area earn between pounds 51.78...

NHS IT agency may lose powers in DoH review.
November 24, 2006... Connecting for Health (CfH) could be stripped of some of its responsibilities under a DoH review, as a survey revealed most GPs believe its IT programme is too expensive and puts patient data at risk. A DoH spokeswoman said a review...

DoH will rule on knowledge tests early in 2007.(Department of Health)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... A decision on the future of knowledge tests in revalidation is expected early next year following opposition to them from the RCGP. The RCGP's response to CMO for England Sir Liam Donaldson's proposals in 'Good Doctors, Safer Patients'...

Acting the part.(general practitioner turns actor)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Emmerdale viewers saw former GP Dr Brian Herd dispensing justice in the ITV soap in four episodes earlier this month. The GP-turned-actor from Lorton, Cumbria, starred as a judge in the murder trial of character Steph, played by Lorraine...

Managers must hit targets to earn pay increase.(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Senior PCT managers will see their salaries reduced if they fail to meet DoH financial targets, under a performance system unveiled last week. The salary framework will provide an annual uplift plus a performance bonus and other rewards,...

Asthma control key to best care.(Global Initiative for Asthma)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Asthma management should be reassessed according to how well the patient is controlling symptoms, international experts have said. The updated guidelines have been issued by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), which collaborates with...

DoH launches advertising code.(United Kingdom Department of Health regulates health services marketing and advertising)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... The DoH is to launch a consultation document on advertising and marketing NHS services next week. It aims to draw up a code defining 'acceptable advertising and promotion behaviours' for all health providers under the NHS banner including...

Behind the headlines: Do daily fizzy drinks cause cancer?(drinkers health aspects)
November 24, 2006... A recent survey indicates that fizzy drinks increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. Emma Baines reports. What is the story? Drinking two fizzy drinks a day nearly doubles your risk of developing one of the worst forms of cancer,...

Just 7% of GPs back spending on IT.(general practitioners, National Programme for IT)
November 24, 2006... A GP survey has revealed that most GPs think the National Programme for IT is a financial waste. Three quarters of GPs think the National Programme for IT (NPfIT) is a waste of money, according to a survey backed by GP. Support for...

Opinion: I'm grateful for a little thanks.(thank you cards)(Column)
November 24, 2006... 'Nothing is more honourable than a grateful heart,' said Seneca, who had quite a way with words when he wasn't too busy corrupting Vestal Virgins or sucking up to Nero or condemning yet another group of Christians to the torment of eating fat...

Opinion: Editorial - Hospital adverts sideline GPs' knowledge.(general practitioners)(Editorial)
November 24, 2006... Wasn't one of the official reasons behind the introduction of Payment by Results (PbR) and Choose and Book that it would improve standards by ensuring that funding followed patients? The reasoning was something like this: those units with...

Opinion: Chris Lancelot on ... Controlling bad managers.
November 24, 2006... While many primary care organisation, SHA and DoH managers are excellent, a few are not. Unfortunately it is almost impossible for clinicians to bring bad managers to book once they are in post. At these levels managers are appointed by other...

Clinical: Journals Watch - SSRIs, malaria and knee pain.(Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)
November 24, 2006... Running short of time to read the journals? Allow Dr Louise Newson to be your guide to the latest findings. Should we all be taking statins? BMJ 2006; doi:10.1136/bmj.38993.731725.BE As GPs we know and accept that statins are...

Clinical: Should I collude with a patient to defraud insurer?
November 24, 2006... PRACTICE DILEMMA Honesty is key when reporting to an insurance company on the status of a patient's health THE DILEMMA During a morning surgery, a patient in his forties came to the surgery to see me. He was very upset because...

Clinical: The management of musculoskeletal pain.(case study)
November 24, 2006... Dr Iain Lawrie and Dr Karen Simpson offer advice on prescribing for musculoskeletal pain. Pain is the most common symptom that causes patients to seek help. Many seek advice and treatment for acute episodes of self-limiting pain, but...

Clinical: Role of statins in preventing another stroke.( Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction in Cholesterol Levels )
November 24, 2006... VIEWPOINT Alison Turner and Dr Nigel Jowett examine the dangers and preventative measures of recurring stroke. Stroke is a common condition, that affects about 200 people per 100,000 of the UK population each year, accounting for 11...

Clinical: The best websites on hypopituitarism.(hormonal deficiencies analysis)
November 24, 2006... Dr Keith Barnard recommends websites relating to hypopituitarism. CAUSES OF HYPOPITUITARISM This page is excellent. Clear, bullet-pointed tables, without any unnecessary extras, give a succinct version of the causes of this complex...

Clinical: The most common features of scabies.(cause of skin diseases)
November 24, 2006... SCABIES RASH This woman had been itching for months. On examination there was widespread excoriated, scaling and small papules rash on the trunk and limbs. The patient mentioned that her family were now complaining of a similar problem....

Clinical: Hypopituitarism.(case study)
November 24, 2006... Contributed by Dr Kiren Collison, senior house officer, and Professor John A H Wass, consultant endocrinologist, Churchill Hospital, Department of Endocrinology, Oxford 1. Aetiology and epidemiology Hypopituitarism is the partial or...

Clinical: At a glance - Skin abscess versus carbuncle.(disease management)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Skin abscess: Discriminatory signs. - Open sore or closed, red-domed nodule, may drain pus. Localised swelling with induration. - Common. Usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus. - Develops after a minor wound, injury, or as a...

Clinical: The good old days.(Gout)(Disease/Disorder overview)
November 24, 2006... The misery of gout Gout is an unhappy malady that may be generated by errors in diet and regimen, especially by the consumption of large quantities of nitrogenous food, and the use of certain beverages tending to prevent excretion of...

Registrar: MRCGP Examination - Look out for the new MRCGP exam.(member of the Royal College of General Practitioners)
November 24, 2006... The MRCGP exam is changing. Dr Bill Irish explains the effects The new MRCGP (nMRCGP) exam will be introduced as the sole route to licence as a GP in the UK from August 2007. For current GP registrars, the last opportunity to...

Registrar: MRCGP Exam Update - Use of glitazones.(rosiglitazone reduced the risk of type-2 diabetes)
November 24, 2006... Current situation - Many patients with type-2 diabetes will need more than one drug to control their blood glucose levels. - Glitazones work by reducing the body's resistance to the action of insulin and enable a more efficient use...

Registrar: Pictorial case study.(pyoderma gangrenosum)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... THE CASE A 38-year-old woman presented with a painful and persistent lesion on her right leg. She thought it might have been an infected insect bite although it was not itchy. She had been feeling tired over the past months, had lost...

MedEconomics: GP Finance - How to ... find the best practice accountant.(general practitioners)
November 24, 2006... Use a specialist firm for relevant financial advice, suggests Carole Slingsby. The best practice accountants do more than produce the annual accounts and handle the partners' tax affairs. Their knowledge of NHS general practice and the...

MedEconomics: What to expect from accountants.
November 24, 2006... Carole Slingsby looks at the costs of and advice from medical accountants. The financial climate for general practices is not looking very encouraging, due to new pressures, which makes it all the more important for GPs to seek advice...

MedEconomics: The advantages of locums' chambers.(general practitioners' management)
November 24, 2006... Working in chambers is better for freelance GPs and practices, says Dr Richard Fieldhouse. Several years ago the National Association of Sessional GPs (NASGP) came up with the great idea of developing 'sessional GP support teams'. ...

MedEconomics: Retirement and partnership agreements.(general practitioners's financial management)
November 24, 2006... RETIREMENT I understand 2007 will be the last year GPs are going to be able to derive the benefits of the new GMS contract as regards their NHS pensions. The 2007 dynamising factor is reported to be 12.7 per cent. I have bought added...

MedEconomics: A far cry from the UK practice.
November 24, 2006... PRIMARY CARE IN EUROPE Few GPs in central Europe treat children, and audits are again lacking, finds Dr Gerald Michael. The fourth leg of my journey around Europetook me through the centre of the Continent. I visited Slovenia,...

GP Life: Secure inside a hardtop.(Mazda MX-5)(Product/service evaluation)
November 24, 2006... With over 750,000 cars sold, the Mazda MX-5 is the world's highest selling roadster ever. Launched in 1989, it offered an affordable soft-top sports car to the world - something lacking since the days of the MG. But the MX-5 came with a major...

GP Life: Classical CD of the month.(Complete Piano Sonatas, Volume 2)(Sound recording review)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Name: Complete Piano Sonatas, Volume 2 Composer: Lugwig van Beethoven Artists: Paul Lewis (pianoforte) Label: Harmonia Mundi None of which is to deny Lewis's credentials as a virtuoso of the highest order. He can supply the...

GP Life: Bordeaux's warm wines for winter.(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... At this time of year, with warming casseroles and hearty stews on the menu, we crave full bodied reds, such as Bordeaux. Bordeaux is probably the most important wine city in the world. Located in the south west of France, the area is...

GP Life: Differential Planting - Callicarpa bodinieri vs Skimmia japonica.(general practitioner)(Table)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Callicarpa bodinieri - Beauty berry, from China. - Deciduous shrub, sun or dappled shade. - Bronze purple leaves turn dark green in summer then golden purple in the autumn. - Small pink flowers in mid summer. - Violet berries in...

Plain tales from the surgery.(humor)
November 24, 2006... MISPLACED SIGNATURE 'I need to revise the death certificate I just handed you,' my GP partner said to a nurse with whom he was working. 'What's wrong?' she asked. 'It's a little embarrassing,' he muttered. Then, pulling her...

Independent Nurse: Referrals - NPs win the battle on referrals with national X-ray guideline.(radiologists practice guidelines)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Nurse practitioners (NPs) have won a victory after joint national guidance on X-ray referrals was agreed and published last week. The guidance, which has taken a year to develop, has been agreed by the RCN, the Royal College of...

Independent Nurse: Community Matrons - Community matrons do not save on admissions.(hospital admissions, research)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Community matrons can improve patient care but do not necessarily prevent hospital admissions, a UK study has found. The National Primary Care Research and Development Centre (NPCRDC) analysed the nine Evercare pilots conducted in England...

Independent Nurse: Scotland - Generic nurse role to be piloted.(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Scotland is pushing ahead with its adoption of a generic community nurse to replace school nurses, health visitors and district nurses. Following consultation on the plans, the Scottish Executive has announced it will pilot the community...

Independent Nurse: Patient care - Ten core elements in care of the elderly.(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... The government has issued a list of 10 core elements that all nurses and nursing services should exhibit in caring for the elderly to meet the new Dignity in Care challenge. Health minister Ivan Lewis, launching the campaign, said he had...

Independent Nurse: OSeltamivir concern.(healthcare professionals monitoring influenza patients)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Roche pharmaceuticals and the US Food and Drug Administration have asked healthcare professionals to monitor influenza patients on oseltamivir (Tamiflu). It follows reports from Japan of children self-injuring and suffering delirium after...

Independent Nurse: COPD self-help.(Chronic obstructive lung disease)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... A team of healthcare professionals in Norfolk has developed their own website for COPD patients. The site offers facilities for patients to assess and track their own health status. After completing validated questionnaires, the patient is...

Independent Nurse: Nurse tribute.(concert appreciating registered nurse services)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Singer George Michael is performing a free concert for NHS-registered nurses as part of his greatest hits tour. He said he planned the concert 10 years ago to thank the nurses who had helped his mother when she was dying. The concert will...

Independent Nurse: Christmas crisis.(shifts system for nurses)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... The national homeless charity Crisis is asking nurses to volunteer for shifts between 23 and 30 December. The charity expects to take in up to 1,500 homeless people at seven venues across London. June Blount, Crisis healthcare service...

Independent Nurse: Regulation - Nursing unions criticise plans for employer-led revalidation.(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Nursing unions have expressed concern about government proposals that would see GPs revalidating their practice nurses. In its official response to the government review of non-medical regulation, the RCN pointed out that GPs are unlikely...

Independent Nurse: Vital Statistics - Snoring.(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... 53% of women have a partner who snores 26% of men and women suffer abnormal daytime fatigue or sleepiness 12% of men have consulted their GP about their snoring The SPTA warns that sleep apnoea is associated with increased risk of...

Independent Nurse: Journals Watch - Quadricep strength predicts COPD death risk.(chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... UK researchers studied 162 COPD patients who underwent tests on the maximal voluntary contraction (QMVC) force of their quadriceps. Five-year mortality risk increased with reducing quadriceps strength in patients with moderate to severe COPD....

Independent Nurse: Journals Watch - Breastfeeding lowers risk of type-2 diabetes in later life.(research on breastfed infants)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... UK researchers reviewed 1,010 studies and found breastfed infants had a 60 per cent lower risk of type-2 diabetes compared with those fed on formula. Breastfed infants also had marginally lower fasting insulin. (Am J Clin Nutr 2006;...

Independent Nurse: Journals Watch - Smoking linked to infertile uterus.(female infertility)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Fertility experts in Portugal and Spain studied 785 women undergoing oocyte-donated IVF. Only 34 per cent of women who smoked more than 10 cigarettes a day became pregnant, compared with 52 per cent of those who smoked less than that. They...

Independent Nurse: Journals Watch - Menstruation can lead to injury.(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Swedish researchers studied 446 injuries from 30 women's soccer teams and found women were more injury-prone during menstruation. Injuries were caused by an increase in the levels of the hormone relaxin, which slackens the ligaments. (Swedish...

Independent Nurse: CVD - DoH ignores JBS2 cholesterol targets.(cardio vascular diseases)(Department of Health)(Joint British Societies)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Practice nurses should follow the GMS quality framework targets for total and LDL cholesterol rather than those set by the Joint British Societies (JBS2) guideline, according to the DoH. Professor Roger Boyle, DoH director for heart...

Independent Nurse: Electronic patient records.(British Medical Association asks doctors to talk about health records with patients)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... BMA urges doctors to consult patients The BMA is urging all doctors to talk to their patients about the electronic health record before the DoH starts its public information campaign. Doctors say the DoH's campaign, which will begin next...

Independent Nurse: Nurses reminded to 'check flu jab rules'.(Royal College of Nursing warns nurses of flu vaccination)
November 24, 2006... The RCN has issued a warning to nurses being recruited by private companies for flu campaigns to ensure they are administering the vaccine under the right regulations. The warning follows increased competition between the big high street...

Independent Nurse: World Outbreak Information - Week beginning 20 November.(dengue and typhoid fever outbreak in El Salvador, India and Nepal)
November 24, 2006... EL SALVADOR A state of emergency has been declared in San Salvador, La Libertad and Sononate after nearly 20,000 cases of dengue fever were reported in October. This virus is transmitted by mosquitoes that bite during the day....

Independent Nurse: Patients fail to recall being given a choice.(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... Only a third of patients remember being offered a choice of hospital for their first outpatient appointment according to the first national patient choice survey. The MORI poll of 79,000 people found this fell to 21 per cent if patients...

Independent Nurse: Leaflet aims to raise awareness in young.(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... A leaflet has been published by the DoH in response to teenagers telling schools they were often unaware they had a school nurse. Chief nursing officer Christine Beasley launched the leaflet last week and said it was important all...

Independent Nurse: News focus - Are electronic patient records secure? [SH] A national newspaper has stirred debate on the confidentiality of electronic records. Judy Sands looks at the issues.
November 24, 2006... The debate over the security of proposed electronic patients records (EPRs) is neither new nor resolved among NHS clinicians. It is has raged intensely over the past three to four years at least. However, recently a national newspaper...

Independent Nurse: News focus - DoH promises more detail on PBC.(United Kingdom Department of Health, practice-based commissioning)(Conference news)
November 24, 2006... A recent conference looked in detail at how practice-based commissioning will work. Edward Davies reports. The DoH has admitted to being too hands-off on practice-based commissioning (PBC) and next month will issue its most comprehensive...

Independent Nurse: Opinion - Editorial - X-ray guidelines are cause for celebration.(Editorial)(Column)
November 24, 2006... It has been a long slog, but it finally seems there is a light at the end of the tunnel for nurse practitioners (NPs) who have difficulty referring patients for X-rays. The new guidelines on non-medical referrals for X-rays issued last week...

Independent Nurse: Barbara Stuttle - Why our code of conduct is important.
November 24, 2006... How many of us read the Highway Code? We may help our children by testing them on it when they undertake their driving tests, but other than that, I doubt few of us ever look at it. Yet I am sure most of us consider ourselves competent...

Independent Nurse: Opinion - Better access to talking therapies is a priority.(usage of psychological therapies )
November 24, 2006... Despite being recommended by NICE, access to CBT and other psychological therapies is patchy, says Moira Fraser. One in four people experience a mental health problem every year, resulting in distress to themselves and those around them....

Independent Nurse: The Big Question - Should nurse prescriber trainees have nurse mentors?
November 24, 2006... Nurses taking a prescribing qualification currently need a medical mentor but, as we reported in our last issue, the BMA looks set to advise GPs not to mentor nurses outside their practice unless they are paid. Is it time to look at...

Independent Nurse: Clinical - Understanding pro- and prebiotics.(endogenous bacteria )
November 24, 2006... Pre- and probiotics are added to foodstuffs to support 'beneficial' bacteria in the gut, explains Dr Frankie Phillips. There are millions of endogenous bacteria naturally present in the human colon. They are collectively known as the...

Independent Nurse: Clinical - Infant health - Dealing with nappy rash.(skin rashes cause risk)
November 24, 2006... Clinicians should be alert to causes of non-resolving cases of nappy rash, explains Carol Clapham. Rashes in babies and infants, especially those in the nappy area, are one of the commonest presentations in general practice. Few children...

Independent Nurse: Clinical Ophthalmology - Acute loss of vision.(diagnosis of acute optic neuritis )(Case study)
November 24, 2006... CASE STUDY. Patients who complain of a loss of visual acuity should be taken seriously, says Dr Louise Warburton. Andrew first contacted the surgery because of deteriorating vision. He was 15 years old and was struggling to see...

Independent Nurse: Clinical - Child health - Identifying cat scratch disease.(Cat-scratch disease management)
November 24, 2006... INFECTION. A granulomatous infection can occur as a result of contact with pets, says Dr Raj Thakkar. Henri Parinaud gave the first account of cat scratch disease in 1889. Since then, much has been learned about this granulomatous...

Independent Nurse: An unusual cause of falls.
November 24, 2006... CASE STUDY Falls and nausea can be due to malignancy, writes Dr Keith Barnard. Violet is 78 and, despite type-2 diabetes, very active. So when a neighbour called to say she was unwell, I was concerned. When I called on her, she...

Independent Nurse: Clinical Dermatology - An update on psoriatic arthritis.(anti-rheumatic drugs usage)
November 24, 2006... PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS. New treatments can save money and improve quality of life, write Dr John Berth-Jones and Dr Rebecca Neame. The prevalence of psoriasis is 1-2 per cent, and for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) it is about 0.3 per cent.1...

Independent Nurse: Clinical - Pictures in practice - Various cystic lesions.(Disease/Disorder overview)
November 24, 2006... TRICHOLEMMAL CYST This cyst derives from the outer root sheath of the hair follicle and thus occurs in hair-bearing areas. It is more common in middle-aged women and is mobile within the dermis or as a small warty flesh-coloured papule....

Independent Nurse: Clinical focus - Infections in childhood part 2.(benzylpenicillin usage)
November 24, 2006... OVERALL KEY POINTS. - Pyrexia of unknown origin may be due to glandular fever, focal infection or Kawasaki's disease. - Outbreaks of measles and mumps have occurred due to the falling MMR vaccination rate. - Meningococcal...

Independent Nurse: Clinical Respiratory medicine - How to distinguish asthma from COPD.(Chronic obstructive lung disease)
November 24, 2006... COPD AND ASTHMA Differentiating between conditions with shared features is important for correct treatment, writes Dr Anthony Crockett. Airflow obstruction is not always easy to diagnose, because asthma and COPD are relatively common...

Independent Nurse: Clinical - At a glance - Differential diagnosis - Chilblains vs Gouty tophi.(Management of diseases)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... CHILBLAINS Discriminatory signs - Tender, itchy, red, mauve papules or nodules. - Appear several hours after exposure to cold. - May progress to blisters and open sores (ulcers). - Last up to two weeks. - Fingers, toes and nose...

Independent Nurse: Differential diagnosis - Scleritis vs uveitis.(Management of eye diseases)(Brief article)
November 24, 2006... SCLERITIS Discriminatory signs - Very painful deep, boring ache. - Tender eye. - Bluish purple discoloration of the sclera. - Watering eye and photosensitivity. - More common in women aged 30 to 50. - Can affect both eyes. -...

Independent Nurse: Professional - Improving patient involvement in health and social care.
November 24, 2006... Will establishing local involvement networks give patients a stronger local voice in the development of health and social care services? asks Joe Lepper. In February 2004, the government formally launched a network of patient and public...

Independent Nurse: Professional Self-care - What do our patients think about self-care?(physician supporting patients)
November 24, 2006... Professor Ruth Chambers discusses patients' attitudes to self-management. Patients have always been interested in boosting their health. The problem is that they may not know what to do for the best. They may lack confidence in taking...

Independent Nurse: Professional Prescribing - PART 6: Professional Prescriber series. Reporting adverse drug reactions.
November 24, 2006... In the sixth article in our prescribing series, independent prescribing adviser Angus Thompson discusses the important contribution to patient safety made by the reporting of adverse drug reactions. The UK is widely considered to have...