GPs are expected to assume many different roles in their daily working lives. But like many other aspects of their responsibilities, this is expected to be simultaneous at times.Consider how many hats you need to wear when you are seeing someone whose only living relative has just passed away and the patient herself has multiple chronic problems. I can think …
In the article ‘Appointments – getting it right’1 (AFP January/February 2011) the point is driven that ‘demand is predictable’. My own experience of 20 years in general practice is that demand is not reasonably predictable and this has led me to work with no appointments at all! In my practice patients may get seen within a few minutes of their …
THERE was a great deal of self-congratulation by the government on the recent passing of legislation introducing cigarette plain packaging.While some congratulation is undoubtedly due, the fact remains there are other health concerns requiring more attention from legislators.Statistics indicate Australia beats even the US and Canada in per capita alcohol consumption. To state that alcohol-related ills are an even bigger …
MEDICINES Australia (MA) is the peak pharmaceutical industry representative in Australia. Its members are said to contribute $18 billion to the economy and export $4.2 billion per annum.The general impression somehow generated by our mass media is that some of the MA member companies sometimes act in unscrupulous ways by providing to doctors, for instance, $2 pens or $10 sandwiches …
HOW long is too long to wait to see a specialist?I remember, in my heyday, the speciality of dermatology was on top of the wish list of many of my class fellows when it came to choosing to train at postgraduate level.The reason (they used to joke) was, among other things, that skin diseases never entailed emergency calls, and rarely …
DESPITE the responsibilities that GPs shoulder and the extent of expectations from them by all, their image is in dire need of improvement.Not a day passes that a long- suffering patient comes to me reciting what the aroma therapist said about this and that affliction, and what the osteopath said about such and such — having paid them an arm …
There have been many who have suffered mental illnesses after appearing before medical disciplinary bodies.Many have suffered lifelong depression requiring long-term counselling. Indeed, many medical defence organisations have dedicated services just for this kind of eventuality.This is the power of medical boards. They can investigate, summon and question at length. They can actually deregister you, which can sometimes mean destruction …
Prescription Postcards; Barbara was a worried-looking middle-aged lady I first met many years ago. When she consulted me for the first time, she came well prepared. The folder she was carrying was a more impressive medical record than any academically inclined GP would have written about a long-suffering chronically ill patient. There were all manner of test results, CT …
MOST GPs are committed to delivering preventive health in their day-to-day clinical practice, despite half believing they will never be adequately rewarded for preventive health checks, a Medical Observer survey has revealed. The poll of close to 500 GPs found that although two-thirds of respondents believed preventive health was a large part of their daily work, 47% believed it was unlikely they …
PREVIOUSLY I mentioned the abundance of my three children’s unmatched single socks, enough to line every second one of Imelda Marcos’ shoe collection. Instead of throwing them out, Dr Tony Marshal from Frankston, Vic, suggests I use them clinically. In situations where a tubular bandage is required promptly, cut off the tip of a child’s sock and use its sleeve. It is useful …
