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Contents July 2002

News

BTS guidelines should aid GPs in managing childhood pneumonia

BTS issues advice on assessing respiratory patients' fitness for air travel

Statins reduce MI and stroke in a broad population of high-risk patients

Trials show antioxidant vitamin supplements are of no benefit

Breast cancer not linked to stress

Latest guidelines from SIGN

Editorial

GPs with special interests are key to improving patient care

Dr Maureen Baker, Honorary Secretary of the Royal College of General Practitioners

In Reply

Are PGDs necessary to administer yellow fever vaccine?

Guideline Development

SIGN guideline aids GP management of respiratory infection
Evidence-based guidance from SIGN should help improve the diagnosis and treatment of chest infections in the community, says Dr Iain Farmer

Patient Group Directions

How to set up a PGD for typhoid vaccination
Vaccination against typhoid fever is a wise precaution before travelling abroad. Jane Chiodini explains how to set up a patient group direction for the vaccine

Beacon Awards

Ophthalmology triage service reduces inappropriate referrals

Dr John Bibby describes how his PCT has helped to reduce long waiting times for the local hospital's ophthalmology outpatient clinic

Medico-legal Issues in General Practice

When should GPs use a chaperone?

Chaperones are only part of the solution to preventing misinterpretation of a doctor's conduct, as Dr Gerard Panting explains

Focus on CME

Guidelines in Practice CME questions: 10

Download the PDFs, write your answers in the spaces provided and keep them in your personal development plan

NICE Referral Guide

NICE referral advice: 7. Glue Ear

eGuidelines

eGuidelines update

Guidelines in Practice, Guidelines, the CLIP database and related information online at eguidelines.co.uk

NICE Referral Guide

NICE referral summaries

Out of Hours

How not to reorganise the NHS

Dr Phil Hammond, GP and broadcaster