Doctor articles from September 2005

Doctor archives from September 2005

QOF disease data show hypertension is most prevalent.
September 6, 2005... Disease prevalence Hypertension has the highest prevalence of any of the 11 conditions featured in the quality and outcomes framework, data show. QOF results for England, published last week, not only provide a record of practice...

GPs could be barred after one complaint.
September 6, 2005... MDU proposals could spell explusion for single GMC warning Cathy Comerford GPs are at risk of losing their right to practise if they have a single complaint against them, in an overhaul of medical defence cover rules. Doctors' leaders...

GPs fear abuses of; QOF 'league table'.
September 6, 2005... Quality Cathy Comerford THE GOVERNMENT published quality and outcomes framework results last week, prompting fresh fears that PCTs will use them to put pressure on low-scoring practices. The national media has also begun' naming and...

Pressure mounts to drop beta blockers.
September 6, 2005... Landmark trial results show hypertensive patients face lower risk taking calcium channel and ACE inhibitor combination Adam Legge Beta blockers look likely to be removed entirely as first-line therapies for most hypertensive patients...

Quality success sparks call for tougher targets.
September 6, 2005... CHD GPs' success in achieving contract targets for coronary heart disease has prompted calls to make them even more stringent. The Primary Care Cardio-vascular Society says the results show that practices are providing a high standard of...

Self-help for hypertensives.
September 6, 2005... hypertensive patients who regularly measure their own blood pressure in surgery achieve greater reductions in blood pressure compared with those who do not, at least in the short term, suggests a GP study. Eight practices in Birming-ham set up...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
September 13, 2005... Look to Ireland's recruitment policy Dear Editor I disagree with Dr Dai Lloyd (Letters, 23 August, page 15) that recruitment is a long-term issue. Recruitment would increase rapidly if the conditions were right. I disagree that the number of...

AMD-smoking link gets added weight.
September 13, 2005... Research A UK study has provided the most comprehensive evidence to date of a causal link between smoking and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to researchers. After considering all available published data, they concluded...

Solo GPs in class of; their own.(general practitioners)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2005... Single-handers really are a breed apart from their colleagues in larger practices, our lifestyle survey has revealed. For a start, they appear to put more hours in. Single-handed GPs are more likely to work until at least age 60 and take less...

GPs can say no to hep B jabs.
September 13, 2005... Immunisation Cathy Comerford GPs SHOULD not administer hepatitis B vaccinations for occupational health purposes as it is not contractually funded, says GP leaders. Local medical committees across the country have recei-ved requests...

GPs forced to offer; advance bookings.
September 13, 2005... Target to be added to contract and practices to face spot checks Steve Ford Ministers have clamped down on GP access targets and told practices they must allow patients to book appointments at least three days ahead. The Government...

GPs urged to check QOF points tables.
September 13, 2005... Quality THE GPC has advised GPs to check their practice scores on the quality and outcomes framework database, after technical errors resulted in a high-achieving practice being accidentally given a low score. Fears about national 'league...

NSAIDs affect few asthmatic children.
September 13, 2005... Asthma Ibuprofen will worsen asthma symptoms in only about two per cent of children with asthma, according to latest study findings. Research, involving 127 six- to eight-year-olds with mild to moderate asthma who were exposed to the...

OTC analgesics link to stroke 'overstated'.
September 13, 2005... Rheumatology GP rheumatology specialists have played down reports that over-the-counter analgesics can massively increase a woman's risk of stroke. Data from the US Nurses Health Study, involving more than 5,000 women, suggested that women...

Specialists round on GPs over diabetes.
September 13, 2005... Consultants accuse primary care of 'asset-stripping' specialist services and demand evidence that GP management is effective Adam Legge and Lisa Hitchen GPs have robustly defended their right to manage diabetes in the community, after...

Probiotics help in common cold.
September 20, 2005... Nutrition Probiotic bacteria, as championed by various yoghurt manufacturers, can apparently help reduce cold symptoms, say German researchers. They found taking supplements that included probiotic bacteria shortened the duration of the...

Contract review; won't spell extra cash.(Carr-Hill formula for physician pay)(Brief Article)
September 20, 2005... GMS NEGOTIATORS HAVE put the review of the Carr-Hill formula on hold and warned GPs not to expect extra investment in the contract over the next three years. A two-stage contract review, from 2005-6 to 2008-9, will make changes to the...

GPs sceptical on regulation.
September 20, 2005... Regulation More than a third of GPs are not confident in the link between local clinical governance and regulation by the GMC, a survey has found. Lack of confidence among doctors in local NHS systems was blamed for concerns, which strike...

75% of patients get prescription.(study in Wales)(Brief Article)
September 20, 2005... Wales Three out of four patients who visit a Welsh GP come away with a prescription, new research has shown. The Welsh Assembly survey of 16,000 adults and 4,300 children between 2003 and 2004, found 16 per cent had spoken to their GP...

GPs told 'group; together or else'.
September 20, 2005... LMCs warn that individual practices will be 'vulnerable' to threat of alternative providers Steve Ford and Cathy Comerford Practices must band together in larger partnerships, groups or consortia or face being 'governed' by rival...

Glitazone cuts cardio risks for diabetics.
September 20, 2005... Prescribing Adam Legge Adding a glitazone to the medication regime for type 2 diabetics significantly cuts the combined risk of death, stroke or myocardial infarct in high-risk patients, say researchers. They said their data, taken...

Insulin inhaler 'a year away'.
September 20, 2005... Diabetes Insulin inhalers are now as effective as injecting insulin subcutaneously, and could be available in the UK within a year, say specialists. Pfizer's Exubera inhaler received approval in the US last week for both type 1 and 2...

Revalidation to target ' high risk' doctors.
September 20, 2005... GPC 'cautiously optimistic' as locums and single-handers look likely to be singled out for more frequent GMC scrutiny Cathy Comerford THE GMC is to revamp its revalidation model to pick up 'high risk' doctors early but reduce the...

Light smoking still major risk.
September 27, 2005... Disease prevention As little as one cigarette a day can dramatically increase the risk of heart disease, according to researchers. Most studies on smoking and health take 9-15 cigarettes a day as their lowest consumption group. But a study...

Use allergy Read codes, says GPC.
September 27, 2005... Working practices GPs should begin to record allergies as Read-coded entries in addition to whatever system-specific mechanisms they currently use, the GPC has advised. Dr Paul Cundy, joint chairman of the GPC's IT subcommittee, said for...

White paper 'pre-determined'.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2005... Consultation GP academics have attacked the Government's consultation on the forthcoming primary care white paper as too restrictive, suggesting its content has already been decided. The Your Health, Your Care, Your Say consultation was...

Flu jabs 'ineffective' outside care homes.
September 27, 2005... Cochrane review shows vaccination has only 'modest' benefit Adam Legge RESEARCHERS have raised doubts about the value of flu vaccination in the over-65s, suggesting it is only worthwhile for those in care homes. A Cochrane review of...

Monthly osteoporosis drug launched in UK.
September 27, 2005... Once-a-month ibandronate will improve compliance, say GPs Adam Legge A new once-a-month bisphosphonate should improve compliance in women who have difficulty taking their weekly or daily osteoporosis therapy, say GP specialists....

New GPs unable to start work.(Brief Article)
September 27, 2005... Training GP registrars are waiting up to six weeks to start work at the end of their training because of delays in sending out their certificates of completion of training. Newly-qualified GPs used to get certificates within ten days of...

Northern Ireland GPs score highest in QOF.(quality and outcomes framework)
September 27, 2005... Quality Derren Hayes and Steve Ford GPs IN Northern Ireland achieved the highest average scores in the quality and outcomes framework and Wales the lowest, the final batch of first-year results reveals. Northern Irish practices scored...

Where the Heller's my password?(one physician's experience being locked out of his National Health Service e-mail)(Brief Article)
September 27, 2005... Readers of the cult novel Catch-22 will be familiar with the concept that there is only one solution to a problem, but that solution is not available to you if you have the problem. Confused? So was West Midlands LMC secretary Dr Grant Ingrams...