Pulse Learning

Complete our ‘Guideline debrief: psychosis and schizophrenia in adults’ module and update your knowledge on:
• Identifying the prodromal features of early psychosis • When to refer to early intervention in psychosis services • Typical presenting symptoms of schizophrenia... • The importance of physical health checks in this group • The importance of shared responsibility when working across the primary/secondary care interface • How to undertake a comprehensive psychiatry care plan
https://goo.gl/p1HPiZ
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“The Scottish contract doesn’t work for millennial GPs.” Read Dr Punam Krishan’s full article here: https://goo.gl/7gXT6D

Complete our ‘CQC survival guide part 3: ensuring your services are effective’ module and update your knowledge on:
• What evidence to present • How to commitment to high-quality care • Demonstrating your employees have been trained in the right skills
... https://goo.gl/K7ngLp
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GPs are being offered training about the ‘transformative’ benefits of a lower carbohydrate diet for type two diabetes patients through a new online course launched by the RCGP.
The 30-minute learning module, entitled ‘Type 2 diabetes and the low GI diet’, explains the role carbohydrates and the glycaemic index play in people’s diets.
It also ‘reminds’ GPs about ‘basic physiological concepts such as glycolysis, gluconeogenesis and lipolysis and their role in diabetes,’ said th...e RCGP.
Read more: https://goo.gl/7cqjKf
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Public health teams are requesting that GP practices trace patients who have come into contact with measles, Pulse has learned.
Local GP leaders said a GP practice was put under 'undue pressure' to provide information on all patients who were in the waiting room at the same time as a patient who was later diagnosed with measles.
The BMA confirmed that this work is not covered under the GMS contract and, as such, practices are not obliged to trace patients.
... Read more: https://goo.gl/GoPkKo
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Interesting video...

Complete our ‘Guideline debrief: lipid modification’ module and update your knowledge on:
• Identifying and assessing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk using a systematic strategy • Lifestyle modifications for the primary and secondary prevention of CVD • Lipid modification therapy for the primary and secondary prevention of CVD... • New guidance on primary prevention in type 1 and type 2 diabetes
https://goo.gl/ah6fuj
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GPs should consider spirometry testing for patients who are incidentally found to have signs of COPD on a chest X-ray or CT scan, NICE has said.
The new draft NICE guideline for COPD, the first to be published since 2010, says hospitals should refer these patients back to their GP for further testing.
NICE said the new recommendation should have only ‘minimal impact’ on general practice resources.
... Read more: https://goo.gl/bxBZb1
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Complete our ‘Case by case: COPD’ module and update your knowledge on:
• Diagnosing COPD • Differential diagnoses of COPD • Treating an acute exacerbation of COPD... • Surgical approaches for COPD
https://goo.gl/af4vGq
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GPs referring patients with suspected lung cancer straight for a CT scan have halved waiting times and resulted in 'very significant cost savings' at a London hospital trust.
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust changed its lung cancer pathway last April, resulting in patients waiting an average of 29 days between referral and treatment - a drop from the 66 days they had to wait previously when sent via an outpatient clinic.
In addition, patients with negative results are n...ow being given the all clear in just 12 days - down from 22 days.
Read more: https://goo.gl/GLzYBF
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A new study reports mice lacking the Maged1 gene are unable to acquire an addiction to cocaine. Read more here: https://goo.gl/RLtiz7

Complete our ‘Clinical casebook: CKD’ module and update your knowledge on:
• At what point should patients be 'labelled' as having CKD • What provokes AKI • The extent CKD increases a patient’s CV risk... • How risk factors should be addressed
https://goo.gl/834PZj
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GPs could see point-of-care testing introduced into their practices in the future as part of the drive to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing under a new scheme launched by NHS England.
The new UK Antimicrobial Diagnostic Collaborative programme, launched to coincide with the NHS’s 70th birthday last week, will initially focus on C-Reactive Protein (CRP) testing in primary care. NHS England’s deputy chief scientific officer said a ‘big piece of policy work’ was underw...ay to understand how to drive point-of-care testing.
Read more: https://goo.gl/f6G1Se
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Complete our ‘The information: meibomian cysts’ module and update your knowledge on:
• How to distinguish a meibomian cyst from a stye – especially when it’s infected • Differential diagnoses to consider • The prognosis and likelihood of resolution ... • At what point might referral be warranted
https://goo.gl/kKD8J6
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Commissioners have objected to GP at Hand's expansion with a physical presence in Birmingham on the grounds of patient safety.
The digital-first NHS service, provided by private company Babylon via a host GMS practice in southwest London, said earlier this year that they were looking to expand to other cities in the UK.
According to NHS Hammersmith and Fulham CCG board papers, GP at Hand submitted a request on 22 June, 'to vary their sub-contracting arrangements by adding the... following site - Badger House, 121 Glover Street, Birmingham B9 4EY'. This would add to an existing five GP at Hand physical locations in London.
Read more: https://goo.gl/WCaCYD
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NHS Choices has been removing positive patient reviews of GP practices, in an effort to crack down on comments made by practice staff.
One patient at a practice in Somerset was asked to prove that she was not an employee and did not have a connection with the surgery ‘beyond that of the normal patient-GP relationship’ after posting a five-star review on the site.
In a letter to the patient, NHS Choices threatened to reject the comment within seven days if no response was rece...ived.
Read more: https://goo.gl/swF375
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Complete our ‘Case by case: back pain’ module where Dr Adam Woo discusses red flags for spinal pathology, managing medications for back pain and screening tools for primary care: https://goo.gl/X2k3pY

The new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, is coming into the NHS at a crucial time – its funds are short and its needs for innovation are great.
https://bit.ly/2zALMRh

Complete our ‘Five steps to successfully bidding for a LES’ module and update your knowledge on:
• How the AQP model differs from other ways of tendering services • What GPs need to do to assess need, demonstrate competency and plan key details of the pitch
... & more: https://goo.gl/p2KWCQ
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