New patient survey 'misleading', BMA claims
05 Jan 09
The BMA has hit out at the Government’s new GP patient survey, claiming that it will mislead patients.
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Breaking news
New patient survey 'misleading', BMA claims
Fresh appeal over 'secret list' of QOF losers
05 Jan 09
GP leaders are to make a fresh appeal to ministers over the scrapping of the square root formula, urging them to alert practices who face losses of up to £100,000.
Copperfield
I'm banning NRT for January
05 Jan 09
Having just spent one of my first surgeries back after the seasonal break dishing out NRT to feckless fag-smokers, might I suggest something to the DoH? That there be an embargo on NRT scrips for the whole of January?
Clinical
Making the new QOF smoking rules work for you
02 Jan 09
New QOF rules for smoking status were released last month and they are even more complex than those they replace. Dr Simon Clay takes you through the changes and how you can cut down your work and maximise the return.
Lab test update - hypothryoidism
17 Dec 08
Clinical biochemist and GP Dr Berenice Lopez answers questions on how to use TSH and T4 tests in primary care
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How not to miss.... an acoustic neuroma
17 Dec 08
WIN AN APPLE IPOD TOUCH - FINAL DAY TODAY
The Pulse Festive Quiz
17 Dec 08
Don't be a turkey...complete our fun festive quiz and you could win an Apple iPod Touch worth £165. There are 25 questions and a winner will be drawn from those with the highest score.
The Pulse review of the year
2008 - the top 10 news stories
23 Dec 08
The 10 news stories which drew most readers to pulsetoday this year.
2008 - the year through the pages of Pulse
17 Dec 08
Our look at the highs and lows and the big stories we've covered this year, from contract collapse to the rise of the GP-led health centre.
2008: The best and worst, the heroes and villains
17 Dec 08
Pulse casts an eye back over the year’s top news stories and reveals the doctors, politicians and organisations we think deserve a special mention in our Christmas 2008 awards
Education
Snapshot diagnosis - why is this 13-year old not growing?
15 Dec 08
This 13-year-old is the smallest in her class, despite having tall parents and siblings. Dr Mike Wyndham describes how a closer look led him to the right diagnosis
Blogs
Cold and flu: Geepeemum tells it like it is
19 Dec 08
Lots of stories around today about how flu is gripping the nation and - with the addition of norovirus and Christmas party casualties - hospitals are about to collapse under the strain.
Chronic fatigue syndrome and somatoform disorders, contrary views
18 Dec 08
Dr Christopher Bass's recent article on somatoform disorders, and in particular his inclusion of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia within this grouping, has provoked a strong response from sufferers of the condition.
Comment & Analysis
Are fixed-share partnerships a fair way of employing GPs?
17 Dec 08
In uncertain times, it can be sensible to employ GPs on flexible contracts - as long as they are not substandard, says Dr Charles Alessi. But the GPC's Dr John Canning warns that too often, fixed-share partnerships exploit GPs and may simply...
Consent is the key to patient record access
17 Dec 08
Anything less than full patient and GP consent for access by researchers to identifiable records will damage the doctor/patient relationship, and medical education.
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Principles of Biomedical Ethics
17 Dec 08
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Should GPs offer email consultations?
10 Dec 08
Practical resources to download
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The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ)
02 Jan 09
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eGFR calculator
16 Dec 08
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Nottingham eczema severity score
15 Dec 08
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PHQ-15 Somatic Symptom Severity Scale
02 Jan 09
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Ottawa knee, ankle and foot rules
16 Dec 08
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Peak flow calculator
15 Dec 08
Business, Legal & IT
Premises - who bears the cost?
11 Dec 08
Maintaining your practice premises can be expensive, and these days responsibility for bearing these costs is not always clear, says accountant Bob Senior
Can we remove a family who never turn up from our list?
07 Dec 08
Several members of the same family keep missing appointments - and seemingly couldn't care less.
Ask the Expert
Can we take an unfair competition case against local APMS practices?
10 Dec 08
The money available for local APMS practices is a lot more than GMS contractors can hope to get for competing to register the same patients. What legal means are there to challenge this unfair competition?
Is it legal to ask a staff member off sick to come in?
10 Dec 08
A member of staff recently rang into work saying she was ill and unable to come to work. The practice manager rang her at home asking her to come in. As the first 7 days are self certified, can a manager legally do this?
