Draft guidelines on diagnosing Lyme disease
NEW guidelines from NICE advise that a patient presenting with a tick bite and a characteristic circular rash (erythema migrans) should be diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease with antibiotics.
Telephone first approach no panacea for reduced GP workload
A "telephone first" system in which GPs speak to all patients to decide whether a problem can be resolved over the phone does not necessarily reduce workload nor is there evidence it saves money, according to a study published in the BMJ.
New app to open up healthcare access
EVERY patient in England will be able to access their full health record and book GP appointments via an app by the end of 2018 under ambitious new government plans.
Text messaging in general practice useful but not without risks
A STUDY of UK GPs found that 38 per cent now use texting to communicate with patients.
Dental check by one
HEALTH organisations across healthcare are supporting the launch of a nationwide campaign to promote dental health checks in children before age one.
General practice delivering improvement and innovation says CQC
NEARLY 90 per cent of general practices in England have been rated as good or outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, making this the highest performing sector the CQC regulates.
RCP advice on employing physician associates
An employer’s guide to physician associates
New safety body given investigatory powers
A NEW Health Service Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) will be given power to investigate serious patient safety incidents under proposals laid before Parliament by the Department of Health.
Rise in written complaints in England
WRITTEN complaints to GP and dental practices in England increased by 9.7 per cent in 2016/2017 compared to the previous year, according to figures from NHS Digital.
Prescribing guidance for junior doctors
JUNIOR doctors should be given more practical advice on prescribing and be encouraged to learn from mistakes, according to new guidance from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP).