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31 July - 3 August 2007
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A Weekly Bulletin of Professional News, Guidance and Policy for Primary Care
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Word Version
Headlines...
- Findings Show GPs Spend 40% Longer on Each
Patient Consultation .....
- Clinical Lead Sought for NICE Work Programme
.....
- Yellow Card Centre Wales Launches Website for
Reporting Suspected Adverse Drug Reactions .....
- Measuring Quality in Primary Medical Services
in Scotland .....
Guidance featured in Seven Days is uploaded weekly to the
RCGP Non-Clinical Guidance Database for General Practice.
Professional
News
Findings Show GPs Spend 40%
Longer on Each Patient Consultation
The RCGP has welcomed the findings
of the new GP workload survey but has been disappointed by claims
that GPs are working less for more money and refutes these. RCGP
Chair Professor Mayur Lakhani said, “GPs are working harder and
more intensely at dealing with complex and complicated clinical
problems. Independent analyses show UK GPs to be the
‘best-in-class’ internationally. GP teams have delivered
outstanding results in the quality and outcomes framework year on
year. Instead of attacking hardworking GPs we should be asking
questions about the extraordinary amounts of money that have been
spent on endless reorganisations in the NHS and external management
consultancy costs which have amounted to £500 million pounds in
recent years. GPs are on the side of patients and are determined to
improve care even further. We would urge local NHS organisations to
work constructively with their GPs to develop plans for improving
patient care.”
The College response comes in the
wake of two surveys on GP workload and consultation rates published
this week. The first provided an overview of the entire workload
and skill-mix of general practices in the UK in 2006/2007 and
revealed that:
- The average length of surgery
consultations with GP Partners has increased from 8.4 minutes in
1992/1993 to 11.7 minutes in 2006/2007.
- GP Partners worked an average 44.4
hours per week (full-time) and 38.2 hours per week (part-time);
while salaried GPs worked an average 39.6 hours per week
(full-time) and 23.8 hours per week (part-time).
- The average number of hours worked
by all GPs decreased with practice size. However, GMS GPs worked
longer hours on average than PMS GPs regardless of surgery
size.
- 60% of the total patient contacts
in practices were covered by GPs and family practitioners estimated
they spent 72% of their time on essential services and 10% on
additional services.
- 76% of non-consultation work time
was covered by non-clinical staff.
- Reception staff spent 47% of the
total time on repeat prescriptions.
- Choose and Book accounted for 36%
of the total time spent on arranging referrals.
GP Workload
Survey (IC Report)
The second survey examined trends in consultation rates in
general practice (1995–2006) and the findings for 2006 showed:
- The overall number of GP consultations in England increased to
29,446.
- 62% of consultations were undertaken by GPs, 34% by nurses and
4% by other clinicians.
- 84% of GP consultations were conducted in surgery premises, 10%
on the telephone, 4% were home visits and 3% were conducted at
other locations.
Trends in Consultation Rates in General Practice
1995–2006 (IC Report)
Workplace Based Assessment
(WPBA) Training for Senior GP Educators
The RCGP is running a workshop for those people responsible for the
implementation of WPBA in the deaneries. It will be held at the
RCGP’s Clinical Skills Assessment Centre in Croydon on Wednesday 5
September 2007. The day will enable GP educators to increase their
familiarity with the assessment tools and explore ideas about
training others in their use. There will be opportunities to share
experiences and raise issues for which the College may need to
resolve. Deaneries may nominate as many people as they wish to
attend but if the event is oversubscribed the College will ensure
that each deanery has one place. Although the workshop is aimed at
senior educators, GPs who have missed out on local training or who
would like more information are also eligible to attend this free
workshop. To book places, please contact the College at jphillips@rcgp.org.uk
or on 020 7344 3196.
Register Online for the
RCGP’s AKT and CSA
GP trainees can now register
online for the RCGP’s Applied Knowledge Test
(AKT) and Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA).
Specialist Library on
Patient and Public Involvement in Health
A comprehensive collection of current knowledge and evidence about
patient and public involvement (PPI) in health care has been
launched by the PPI Specialist Library. The free resource is run by
the King’s Fund on behalf of the National Library for Health and
covers policy development, self-care, and strengthening NHS
accountability to patients and local communities. It aims to
support the implementation of patient, user, carer and public
involvement in health care.
Patient and Public
Involvement (PPI) Specialist Library (King’s Fund
Website)
Guide to Recent College
Activities
The RCGP has published its Autumn edition of the bi-annual
publication “At a Glance”. It lists the major College activities
since January 2007, and includes updates from Primary Care
initiatives that the College is involved in. This issue contains
items on the appointment of Professor Stephen Field as Chairman
Elect of the RCGP and new College guidance on the management of
Hepatitis C.
At a Glance – August 2007 (RCGP
Publication)
Guidance
Healthcare Rights of LGB
People
The General Medical Council (GMC) and Stonewall - the equality
organisation for lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people across
Britain - have produced a leaflet informing LGB people of their
right to complain if they feel discriminated against by their
doctor.
Protecting Patients: your rights as lesbian, gay and bisexual
people (GMC and Stonewall Leaflet)
Consultation on Personal Beliefs and Medical
Practice
The GMC is consulting on its guidance “Personal Beliefs and Medical
Practice”. The document provides extra information on the doctors’
obligation to provide equitable access to care for all patients as
outlined in the publication “Good Medical Practice”. Topics in this
consultation document include refusal of blood products by
Jehovah’s Witnesses; circumcision of male children; care of
patients pre- and post- termination of pregnancy; clothing and
other expressions of religious belief or culture; and completion of
cremation forms. Register
online to take part in the consultation. The
closing date for comments is the 21 September 2007.
Personal Beliefs and Medical Practice: consultation on new
supplementary guidance (GMC Document)
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Clinical
Announcements
Clinical Lead Sought for
NICE Work Programme
A vacancy has arisen for a College
member in good standing to provide clinical support to the NICE
work programme. The role will involve developing clinical practice
guidelines, technology appraisals and public health guidance
relevant to primary care. The Clinical Lead will be expected to
advise the College whether it should be involved with a particular
piece of guidance; help identify potential contributors; and
monitor the various written contributions generated by College
Members. The position is estimated to occupy a day a month (2
sessions) and will be based in the newly established RCGP Clinical
Innovation and Research Centre in London. The successful candidate
will be reimbursed at the standard GP education rate of £361 for
one day per month and any necessary travel expenses and locum cover
will be paid. If you would like further information on this role
please contact Paulomi Vyas, CIRC Manager, at CIRC@rcgp.org.uk
by 31 August 2007.
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England
Announcements
Consultation on Improving
the Care Environment for Patients
The DH has issued a consultation
document on best practice in 10 areas relating to the care
environment, including ease of access to the care setting and its
maintenance. The document aims to help practitioners compare, share
and develop services. Each of the 10 benchmarks has been developed
with input from patients, their carers, multi professional groups
and health specialists, using focus groups. To ensure the views
collected so far are representative of most people, the DH is
calling on groups and individuals to provide feedback on the
document. Comments should be emailed to j.alexander@leeds.ac.uk
by 5 October 2007.
Essence of Care - consultation on patient care
environment (DH Document)
Eleven More Areas Benefit
from Psychological Therapies
Eleven new projects which will give
patients with anxiety and depression better access to psychological
therapies have been given the go-ahead by Mental Health Minister
Ivan Lewis. The services will be specifically designed for the
local communities where they are situated, with the aim of reducing
the length of time that patients are ill – allowing them to regain
their independence and return to work. Examples of the schemes
include the development of a Healthy Minds Network (HMN) in
Stoke-on-Trent, which will provide a number of services to GP
practices in the area; and initiatives in Salford to help GPs send
patients to an appropriate practitioner with the right skills to
help them.
Details of the 11 schemes are on the
DH website.
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Wales
Announcements
New Health and Care
Statistics Website
A website containing data on all
aspects of health care in Wales has been launched by the Welsh
Assembly. It provides access to the latest statistical releases,
bulletins, publications and forthcoming datasets. Statistics are
categorised into sections such as Primary and Community Health,
Mental Health Services, and NHS Workforce.
Health and Care Statistics in Wales (Welsh
Assembly Website)
Yellow Card Centre Wales
The Yellow Card Centre Wales
(YCCWales) has launched a new website containing information and
guidance on the importance of reporting suspected adverse drug
reactions. It also allows healthcare professionals and patients to
report adverse reactions online. Staff at the centre are available
to offer advice and training on reporting and can be contacted at
yccwales@cardiffandvale.wales.nhs.uk
or on 02920 744181.
Yellow Card Centre
Wales (YCCWales Website)
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Scotland
Announcements
Measuring Quality in Primary Medical
Services
A report examining quality in primary medical services has been
published by the Clinical Indicators Support Team (CIST), part of
NHS Scotland. The document analyses data collected via the Scottish
Programme for Improving Clinical Effectiveness in Primary Care
(SPICE) to examine the effect of the GMS contract on the treatment
of chronic conditions; compare measurements assessing changes in
quality of service provision; evaluate the treatment of
disadvantaged individuals in affluent and deprived practices; and
review the use of innovative data presentation in comparing quality
between practices. It concludes by making a number of
recommendations on the future uses of SPICE data, such as linking
it with morbidity and prescribing statistics.
Measuring Quality in Primary Medical Services Using Data from
SPICE (NHS Scotland)
Fall in Cervical Screening Uptake
Uptake rates for cervical screening have continued to fall in
almost all age groups according to statistics published by ISD
Scotland. As at 31 March 2007, 76.5% of women had been screened for
cervical cancer in the previous 3.5 years, compared with 81.7% as
at 31 March 2002 (excludes Lothian). Overall 401,700 smears were
processed in 2006/2007, of which approximately 3.5% showed some
degree of pre-cancerous change. The number of unsatisfactory smears
fell from 8.8% five years ago to 2.4% in 2006/2007, mainly due to
the introduction of Liquid Based Cytology (LBC) as a method of
taking samples.
Statistics
on the Cervical Screening Programme for
2006/2007 (ISD Scotland)
Update of the Guideline on the Management of
Asthma
The guideline on the management of asthma - first published in
2003 by the British Thoracic Society (BTS) and the Scottish
Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) – has been updated for
2007 to incorporate the results of the latest research. The
document is a comprehensive resource for those caring for
asthmatics in hospital or the community. Changes to the update
include a suggested dose of inhaled steroid treatment for children
and the need to consider prescribing higher doses of inhaled
steroids for smokers/ex-smokers. No specific recommendations have
been provided on the use of ciclesonide; anti IgE monoclonal
antibody “omalizumab”; or adjusting the dose of a combination
inhaler budesonide/formoterol according to symptoms. A revised copy
of the entire guideline is due to be published in early 2008
following a major review.
Update to the
British Guideline on the Management of Asthma
(SIGN Website)
No Major Rise in GP Consultations for Flu-Related
Illness
Statistics published by ISD Scotland show no major rise in GP
consultations for flu-related illness during winter 2006/2007. The
uptake rate of the vaccine in patients aged 65 plus was just over
75% - well over the 70% target - and more than 1.1 million vaccines
were dispensed overall. The figures, which examined flu related
activity in primary care, showed that practice nurses administered
the majority of the flu vaccinations.
Influenza
Statistics for Winter 2006/2007 (ISD
Scotland)
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Northern Ireland
Announcements
No announcements.
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Contact Us
RCGP Information Services can be contacted at:
Email:
info@rcgp.org.uk
Tel: 020 7581 3232 ext: 240
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Disclaimer
Seven Days uses third party information and neither endorses nor guarentees the accuracy or authenticity of these sources.
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