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Contents January 2002

News

NICE launches referral guide for common conditions

Meningitis C vaccination extended to 20-24 year olds

Enter the Guidelines in Practice Awards

Editorial

GPs must be involved in developing NHS guidelines

Dr Mayur Lakhani, Chairman of the Board of the National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care and Vice-Chairman of Council, RCGP

Personal View

NSF for Diabetes needs proper funding

Dr Roger Gadsby argues that adequate resources will be crucial to successful implementation of the NSF diabetes standards

Guideline Development

New SIGN guideline addresses seven major areas of diabetes care

Professor Ian Campbell explains how the new SIGN guideline aims to raise the standards of diabetes care through an evidence-based approach

Focus on CME

Guidelines in Practice CME questions: 5

Download the questions, write the answers in the spaces provided, and keep the pages in your personal development plan

Guidelines in Practice Awards 2002

The Guidelines in Practice Awards 2002: call for entries

Our annual Awards reward excellence in primary and shared care initiatives relating to national guidance in the NHS. For a chance to win £3000, download the entry form from eGuidelines

Practice Initiative

GPs devise guidelines for managing at-risk and problem drinkers

Guidelines drawn up by Dr Jez Thompson's practice for its in-house alcohol service have increased the partners' confidence in assessing and managing problem drinkers

Medico-legal Issues in General Practice

What is the GP's role in assessing patients' fitness to drive?

Dr Gerard Panting explains how far the GP's responsibility extends in evaluating whether a patient is fit to drive a motor vehicle

Patient Group Directions

How to draw up a PGD for the DTaP booster

Jane Chiodini, immunisation nurse specialist, explains how to draw up a patient group direction for the newly introduced DTaP pre-school pertussis booster

WHO Patient Guideline

WHO Guide to Mental Health

Interactive summary cards for use with patients

Key Organisations

The National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care

Dr Mayur Lakhani, Chairman of the Board, NCC-PC, and Vice-Chairman of Council, RCGP

NICE Referral Guide

NICE referral guidance: 1. Acne

NICE Referral Guide

NICE referral summaries

Out of Hours

Forget EBM, bring on MLM

Dr Phil Hammond, GP and broadcaster