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Search Results for: Lucille

The importance of primary care practice placements for students

Lucille Kelsall-Knight reflects on the shortfall in general practice nurses and why the provision of student placements in primary care should be a vital area of focus The Nursing and Midwifery Council stipulates that pre-registration nursing programmes in the United Kingdom have standards that must be adhered to by Approved Education Institutions (AEIs).1 These standards…
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Research update: Conversations with parents about childhood weight

Lucille Kelsall-Knight reviews a recent qualitative study looking at approaches to discussing child weight with parents Supporting healthcare professionals to address child weight with parents: a qualitative study.1 Recent years have seen an increasing focus on the role of primary care practitioners in health promotion, including childhood obesity.2,3 However, there is evidence that practitioners have…
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Research update: Healthcare for the homeless

Lucille Kelsall-Knight summarises a study about remote primary care for homeless people during the Covid-19 pandemic  Remote primary care during the Covid-19 pandemic for people experiencing homelessness: a qualitative study1 Homelessness is a growing problem in England and other UK countries.2 Recent evidence shows widening health inequalities for homeless people, who face acute and ongoing…
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Research update: Amoxicillin in under-5s

Lucille Kelsall-Knight summarises recent research into amoxicillin prescribing among infants Factors predicting amoxicillin prescribing in primary care among children: a cohort study1 Each year in England, around a third of under-fives are prescribed at least one antibiotic2, and three-quarters of antibiotics prescribed to children in primary care are for respiratory tract infections (RTIs).3,4 Antibiotic prescribing…
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Research update: Heavy menstrual bleeding

Lucille Kelsall-Knight summarises a recent study reminding clinicians of the need for greater awareness of the impact of heavy menstrual bleeding. Women’s experiences of heavy menstrual bleeding and medical treatment: qualitative study1 Recent surveys report that 27-36% of women suffer from heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB)2,3 and it is a common reason for consultation in primary…
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Cervical screening in over-50s, and learning from the Covid pandemic

Lucille Kelsall-Knight summarises recent qualitative research looking at how general practice nurses can increase cervical screening uptake by women aged over 50, and lessons from primary care nurses’ and healthcare assistants’ pandemic experiences Challenges and opportunities for cervical screening in women over the age of 50 years.1 Cancer of the cervix is a preventable disease. Routine…
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Research update: Communication breakdown over blood tests, and GP work in A&E

Lucille Kelsall-Knight summarises two recent qualitative studies investigating the uncertainties around patients accessing their blood test results, and the attitudes and motivations of GPs who choose to work in emergency departments   ‘I guess I’ll wait to hear’– communication of blood test results in primary care: a qualitative study In the UK, more blood tests are…
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Research update: Social factors in remote consulting and antibiotic prescribing

Recent research asked if remote consulting increases health inequalities for homeless people, and whether a family’s socioeconomic situation influences the likelihood of antibiotic prescribing to children  Remote primary care during the Covid-19 pandemic for people experiencing homelessness: a qualitative study Homelessness is an ongoing and rising problem in England and other countries.1 Recent evidence shows…
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Patterns and trends in eczema management in primary care

Eczema is the most common inflammatory skin condition in children worldwide, and one that often continues into adulthood. The condition can be incapacitating and patients of all ages can experience a psychological impact. Management is led by primary care, and attendance rates are high: 96% of children with eczema have had a primary care attendance in the…
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Community end-of-life care during the Covid-19 pandemic

Primary care teams had to adapt service delivery models rapidly after the onset of Covid-19, not least in response to a significant increase in deaths in the community. In the first months of the pandemic, deaths in care homes rose by 220% and deaths at home by 77%, while hospice deaths fell by 20%.1 This…
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