General Practitioner News and Research

RSS

GP's often confronted by Internet informed patients

A psychologist, Elaine Brohan, from the University of Surrey in Guildford, England, has found that family doctors are having to redefine their traditional "father figure" role because patients increasingly turn to the internet for medical advice, and GP's are often being confronted by patients armed with website print-outs.

4 Apr 2005

The facts on prenatal care

The nine months of pregnancy come complete with a rich folklore, from guessing at a baby’s sex by the expectant mother’s shape to home remedies for morning sickness. Along with these ageless stories and advice, women also face a variety of recommendations from the modern world of medicine on how best to take care of themselves during pregnancy.

3 Apr 2005

NHS target driven culture is failing patients

The new tick box, target driven culture of the NHS is neglecting the quality of patient care, warns a senior doctor in this week's BMJ.

28 Mar 2005

Mountaineering doctors hike medicine to new heights with Xtreme Everest

Doctors working at the edge of extreme are set to climb the world’s tallest mountain to look death in the face – and take its pulse. The medical research team will make the first ever measurements of blood oxygen in the ‘death zone’, at altitudes above 8,000 metres where the human body has struggled - and frequently failed - to survive.

16 Mar 2005

British restrictions on genetic testing and insurance extended

Britain's Health Secretary John Reid today announced that genetic test results used to predict possible future illness will not be used to deny people insurance.

14 Mar 2005

Confocal imaging promises early detection of skin cancer

Detecting skin cancer early saves lives, but is a job for specialists. A new European system based on confocal imaging promises to improve detection and diagnosis rates by 20 per cent and to speed up the whole process considerably.

8 Mar 2005

New method of organising care for adults in the UK who suffer from clinical depression

Researchers at the University of York are investigating a new method of organising care for some of the three million adults in the UK who suffer from clinical depression.

6 Mar 2005

Liverpool is justified in its attempt to go smokefree

New figures showing that second-hand smoke at work kills over 600 people every year in the UK leave no doubt that Liverpool is justified in its attempt to go smokefree, say doctors and nurses.

2 Mar 2005

GP leader responds to ban on higher rate telephone numbers

Responding to the Department of Health (England) announcement banning the use of higher rate telephone numbers within the NHS, Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the BMA's General Practitioners Committee said:

27 Feb 2005

Biggest-ever study of constipation in the world

An embarrassing medical problem that costs UK health services £50m each year is to be investigated in the biggest-ever study of the condition in the world.

23 Feb 2005

Withdrawal of the commonly prescribed painkiller, co-proxamol

A phased withdrawal of the commonly prescribed painkiller, co-proxamol, has been announced by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

1 Feb 2005

Annual mammograms best for women who have been treated for early stage breast cancer

Annual mammograms and doctor visits are the best follow-up strategy for women who have been treated for early stage breast cancer, according to a new review of recent research.

24 Jan 2005

Pharmacist review does not keep older people out of hospital

The NHS recommends regular medication reviews for older patients, yet a study published on bmj.com today finds that home based monitoring does not keep older people out of hospital.

20 Jan 2005

Financial incentives will not address the fundamental problems that GPs have with the new choose and book system

Responding to the announcement by Health Secretary, John Reid, that £95m will be made available to reward GPs for using the new "choose and book" system, Dr Richard Vautrey, the BMA's GP negotiator with responsibility for IT said:

19 Jan 2005

BMA responds to National Audit Office report on patient choice

Commenting on the National Audit Office report "Patient Choice at the Point of GP Referral" published today (19/1/05), Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of the BMA's General Practitioners Committee said:

19 Jan 2005

New insight into how tumor cells can become resistant to anti-cancer therapy

The scientists observed that a protein called P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which causes resistance to chemotherapy in many tumor types, is able to physically “jump” or transfer between tumor cells and retain its functional properties, protecting otherwise sensitive cells from the effects of anti-cancer treatment in vivo and in vitro.

18 Jan 2005

Bushfire warning - smoke may trigger asthma symptoms

As Australia's summer temperatures rise and the drought persists, Australia once again is facing the threat of bushfires. While bushfires already rage in South Australia and western Victoria, warnings of fire danger and bushfire ratings remain high across the country.

17 Jan 2005

Measures to improve the drug side effect reporting system - the Yellow Card Scheme

Patients and researchers will be able to look at data on the safety of different medicines announced Health Minister, Lord Warner today. The move is part of a series of measures to further improve the drug side effect reporting system - the Yellow Card Scheme, which is used by the medicines watchdog (MHRA) to monitor the safety of medicines in the UK.

17 Jan 2005

Doctors fail to recognise depressive symptoms in more than 40 per cent of older patients

Dr Jeff Looi, a Senior Lecturer at the ANU Medical School, said that while 15 per cent of Australians over 65 have depression, many are not diagnosed by their GP.

17 Jan 2005

Norovirus still at Christchurch Hospital

Members of the public are asked not to go to the Emergency Department at New Zealand's Christchurch hospital if they have symptoms of Norovirus – vomiting and diarrhoea.

27 Dec 2004