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18 August 2008
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A Weekly Bulletin of Professional News, Guidance and Policy for Primary Care
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Word Version
Headlines...
- RCGP Chair Publishes August “Message to Members” .....
- Applicants Sought for College Educationalist Award
.....
- New Guidance on Reporting Knife Wounds .....
- Updated Guidelines on IBS, Osteoarthritis, Post-Herpetic
Neuralgia, Pruritus Ani and Shingles .....
Guidance featured in Seven Days is uploaded weekly to the
RCGP Non-Clinical Guidance Database for General Practice.
Professional
News
RCGP Chair Publishes August
“Message to Members”
Professor Steve Field has sent his
monthly message to RCGP Members, outlining the College’s input into
the Darzi review; work on lengthening GP training; and the
publication of Primary Care Federations: putting patients
first and the update of Good Medical Practice for General
Practitioners. To read the message in full, visit the
Chair’s Blog on the College website
(members only).
Applicants Sought for
Educationalist Award
The RCGP has a wide range of awards
to recognise, encourage and empower people in the different ways
they work. Applicants are now being sought for the Paul
Freeling Award, aimed at GP educationalists who have developed
new methods or ‘gone the extra mile’ to deliver high quality
personal teaching to young doctors. The closing date for entries is
31 August and further information can be obtained by contacting
cmessent@rcgp.org.uk.
Paul Freeling Award Entry Form (RCGP Website)
GMC Issues Information on
Licensing and Revalidation
The GMC has updated its website to
include new sections on licensing and revalidation, covering
background information and explaining what it will mean for
doctors. The pages do not provide a comprehensive account of GMC
proposals - as plans are still under development – but will be
updated as more information becomes available.
Licensing
and Revalidation (GMC Website)
“Tomorrow’s Doctors” Under
Review
This guidance sets out the
knowledge, skills and behaviours that UK undergraduate medical
students must learn, is being revised by the GMC. It provides
a framework against which UK medical schools design their own
detailed curricula and schemes of assessment. Work on the document
is being communicated through a series of five bulletins - the
first of which explains why the review is
required, the aims and outcomes, and next steps for delivery. The
new draft will be published for formal consultation later this year
and a half-day event will be held in London on 5 September 2008 to
involve the public in its development.
Review of
“Tomorrow’s Doctors” (GMC Guidance Document)
Survey Results on Practice
Team Pay
First Practice Management (FPM) – a
website containing online resources for Practice Managers – has
published results of its UK-wide survey on staff pay rates.
Conducted in July 2008, findings reveal average hourly pay rates
for members of the practice team.
Staff Pay Rates Survey (FPM
Website)
GP Educational Event on
Neurology
The Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Society, in conjunction with a number of organisations (including
the RCGP), is hosting a one day GP educational event on neurology.
It takes place on 13 October at the Canterbury Centre for Health
and Clinical Sciences, and will cover the causes and therapies for
MS, interactive sessions and a panel discussion. For further
details contact Danielle Berney, course co-ordinator, at danielle.berney@ekht.nhs.uk
or on 0122 778 3018.
Guidance
New Guidance on Reporting
Knife Wounds
The GMC and DH have jointly
published interim guidance on reporting knife wounds. It notes that
clinicians should make the care of their patient their first
concern, and offers advice on disclosing personal information
without consent. It expands on the principles outlined in
Confidentiality: protecting and providing
information and complements the document
reporting gunshot wounds. This
version satisfies the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998
and final guidance will be issued and consulted upon in September
2008.
Reporting Knife Wounds (GMC and DH
Document)
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Clinical
Guidance
Updated CKS Guidelines on
IBS, Osteoarthritis, Post-Herpetic Neuralgia, Pruritus Ani and
Shingles
The Clinical Knowledge Summaries
service (CKS) - an NHS funded resource that provides access to
reliable clinical knowledge about common conditions managed in
primary care – has updated several of its summaries this month.
These include:
-
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) – recommends
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as an alternative to
tricyclic antidepressants, if a tricyclic has previously been shown
to be ineffective.
- Osteoarthritis
- covers the general management of osteoarthritis, and the specific
management of osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee.
Information on suspected infection of a prosthetic joint is no
longer included and the major changes reflect the recommendations
outlined in recent NICE guidance.
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Post-Herpetic Neuralgia - this topic
previously incorporated the management of shingles (for which a
separate CKS topic is now available) and makes changes to the
treatment recommendations.
- Pruritus
Ani - amendments include the removal of
prescriptions for hydroxyzine, as the drug does not add any
additional benefit over chlorphenamine.
- Shingles
– amendments include minor changes to the recommendations regarding
antiviral treatment.
CKS is also consulting on the
following eight draft guidelines: bunions, carpal tunnel syndrome,
enuresis (nocturnal), erectile dysfunction, hiccups, leg cramps
(unknown cause), genital warts, and varicocele. If you would like
to comment on any of these documents, please register an
interest via the CKS website.
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England
Announcements
Human Resource Implications
of a Pandemic Influenza Outbreak
The DH and NHS Employers have
published final guidance on important human resource issues that
could arise in the event pandemic flu outbreak. It covers three
periods - before, during and after the first wave of a pandemic –
and is designed to give an overall framework for local
organisations dealing with workforce issues. It has been revised
and updated following a consultation on the first draft.
Pandemic Influenza: human resources guidance for the
NHS (DH and NHS Employers Document)
Decrease in Drug Misuse in
England
The NHS Information Centre (IC) has
published annual statistics on drug misuse in England, showing that
overall drug use has fallen and the number of people in contact
with structured drug treatment services has increased. The data
covers drug misuse in adults and children, summarises government
plans and targets, and offers links to further sources of
information.
Statistics on Drug Misuse: England,
2008 (IC Report)
New Milestone for Choose
and Book
NHS Connecting for Health (CfH) has
announced that more than 10 million electronic bookings have been
made using Choose and Book and that over 90% of GP practices have
used the system over the past six weeks.
Choose and Book Hits 10 Million Booking
Landmark (CfH Press Release)
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Wales
Announcements
Benefits and Risks of
Public Engagement in Health Impact Assessments (HIA)
The Welsh Health Impact Assessment
Support Unit (WHIASU) has published findings from its research into
the methods and influence of public involvement in HIA. These
assessments seek to maximise the positive and minimise the negative
impacts of proposed health policies, programs or projects via a
number of procedures, including stakeholder involvement. The
investigation used literature reviews and case studies, and found
that the benefits of public involvement include the contribution of
local knowledge and personal experience, while the risks involve
consultation fatigue and only engaging with the ‘usual suspects’.
It makes a number of recommendations are made to improve public
involvement.
Involving the Public in HIA: an evaluation of current
practice in Wales (WHIASU Report)
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Scotland
Announcements
Help Shape Services for
Younger Patients in Scotland
Walk the Talk (WTT) is a national
initiative, led by NHS Health Scotland, to help health
professionals make services more youth-friendly. Its website
contains practical resources for creating youth-friendly
environments and evidence for making services more accessible to
young people. To drive this initiative forward, WTT is seeking GPs,
public health officials and practice managers to join its
professional multi-disciplinary resources development steering
groups. If you would like to be involved, please contact Jo
MacLennan on Jo.MacLennan@health.scot.nhs.uk.
Can You Walk the
Talk? (WTT Website)
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Northern Ireland
Announcements
Nominations Sought for GP Awards
RCGP Northern Ireland will hold its
General Practice Awards Evening on 6 December 2008 at Dunadry
Hotel, Dunadry. Applications are now being accepted in the
following award categories: practice administration team of the
year; practice manager of the year; and patient nomination award
for outstanding care in general practice. A number of other awards
are also available. For further information email lwallace@rcgp.org.uk
or call 028 9023 0055. The closing date for entries is 26 September
2008.
RCGP Celebrating General Practice Awards Evening and
Dinner 2008 (RCGP NI Website)
Training Day for GP Receptionists
The RCGP Northern Ireland Council
has developed a unique, multi-media interactive training course for
GP receptionists, which can be delivered as a one day, stand-alone
training event or in modular format. It comprises three parts -
managing risk at the reception, dealing with difficult workplace
situations, and dealing with diversity. For further information
please contact NICouncil@rcgp.org.uk
or call 028 90230055.
GP Receptionist Training Programme
(RCGP NI Website)
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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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