Contents September 2001
News
NSF for CHD will add heavy burden to GPs' workload
PCSG to launch guideline on irritable bowel syndrome
Poor compliance not always to blame for treatment-resistant hypertension
In Reply
Involve all staff in setting up a practice intranet
Dr Pablo Millares Martin offers advice on setting up an intranet gained from personal experience in his practice
Editorial
NICE guidance helps GPs target Cox II inhibitors
Dr Gillian Hosie, past President of the Primary Care Rheumatology Society and a GP in Glasgow
Personal View
New cardiovascular risk score includes stroke and CHD
GP Dr David Archer tries out an innovative tool for assessing cardiovascular risk based on routinely available information
Guideline Development
IBS guidelines support decision making in general practice
New IBS guidelines from the PCSG due out this month aim to enhance patient care by promoting an effective doctor-patient relationship explains Professor Greg Rubin
Guideline Development
NICE guideline aims to reduce morbidity and mortality post-MI
The NICE guideline provides GPs with a clear sequence of evidence-based interventions for the management of post-MI patients, as Dr Malcolm Thomas explains
Beacon Awards
Shared-care stroke service helps to promote best practice
Dr John Coop, Angela Williams, Dr Martin James and Tina Wills describe a collaboration to produce an evidence-based model of stroke care that reflects local health culture and needs
Beacon Awards
Practice influenza campaign increases vaccination uptake
Tim Smith describes his practice team's effective influenza programme which includes a dedicated phone line for booking appointments
NEW SERIES: Focus on CME
Keep up to date with our CME questions
Starting in this issue, Guidelines in Practice will be running a regular series on continuing medical education.
NEW SERIES: Patient Group Directions
How to decide when a patient group direction is needed
In the first of a new series, Peter Jones explains how to decide whether your practice needs to draw up a PGD to administer vaccines and other medicines
Medico-legal Issues in General Practice
When is it justifiable to refuse a home visit?
Dr Gerard Panting examines the factors that need to be considered when deciding whether to visit a patient at home
Electronic Communication
Improved PRODIGY will include chronic disease management
Dr Nigel Watson discusses the significant improvements planned for the next release of PRODIGY and how they will help GPs during consultations and at other times
Key Organisations
National Primary Care Research and Development Centre
Bonnie Sibbald, Professor of Health Services Research and Deputy Director, National Primary Care Research and Development Centre
eGuidelines
eGuidelines update
A new design for the eGuidelines website gives users faster loading times and simpler navigation
CLIP database
Clinical Improvements Online Database
Step-by-step instructions on how to search the database for all clinical projects in respiratory diseases
Your Problems Solved: IT
Our panel of experts answer questions on IT
Dr Nigel Watson answers some frequently asked questions on IT in general practice
Out of Hours
More guidelines for self-experimentation
Dr Phil Hammond, GP and atheist presenter of BBC1's Heaven and Earth Show
