More and more is being expected of practices in improving the management of diabetes – with initiatives such as the National Service Framework (NSF) for Diabetes and NICE guidance setting increasingly ambitious targets. The National Diabetes Support Team (NDST) has been set up to help support local services throughout the NHS and in meeting these challenges. In this issue, they share latest advice for practices and patients on disposing of used syringes and other sharps.
Back to Basics: A BJPCN guide – Making sense of ECGs
Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of those terms that we are hearing more and more in general practice. It is an important risk factor for stroke – particularly in older people – making it a good candidate for primary care teams to target in efforts to prevent cardiovascular disease.
Diabetes care: maintaining glycaemic control during fasting for Ramadan
Fasting during Ramadan – lasting from 15th October to 12th November this year – is one of the five pillars of Islam. The experience of fasting is intended to teach Muslims self-discipline and self-restraint, and to help them understand a little of the plight of the less privileged. But what are the implications of fasting for patients with type 2 diabetes?
The Primary Care Training Centre
The Primary Care Training Centre (PCTC) was set up eight years ago with the aim of providing practical, evidence-based training for primary care health professionals. It was started in response to requests from primary care professionals who were concerned that there was no training specifically for them, particularly on the important subjects of diabetes and coronary heart disease prevention. Existing courses sometimes failed to fully understand the primary care situation.
How to: create and maintain a Coronary Heart Disease
The aim of the National Primary Care Development Team (NPDT) is to develop healthcare professionals who have the knowledge and skills to apply quality improvement methods to local priorities. CHD is one such priority and has been within the focus of our work for almost four years. Working in partnership with other agencies who share our priorities is essential. Janet Potts, who leads on the work of the NPDT in West Yorkshire, joined forces with Adele Graham from the CHD Collaborative in West Yorkshire, to give the strongest possible support to local primary healthcare professionals. The CHD register ‘recipe’ was devised by this partnership.
Beta blockers
Beta blockers are well established drugs in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, after first being introduced 20 years ago. Today, they are used to treat patients with a range of cardiovascular conditions – hypertension, myocardial infarction, angina, heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). There is good evidence for beneficial effects with beta blockers and their use is recommended in many guidelines, including the recent British Hypertension Society guidelines. Prescribing of beta blockers in patients with heart disease is further encouraged as a ‘quality marker’ in the new GMS contract.
Running a successful cardiovascular clinic in general practice
The very good audit data for this practice has led to its winning awards. So how does the practice do it? This ‘day in the life of’ photo diary gives a step-by-step guide to the key elements of running a successful cardiovascular clinic in general practice.
