BJGP Open: championing global primary health care
Informal peer support
Growing evidence supports the effectiveness of peer support in mitigating burnout among healthcare professionals, but less is known about informal peer support than formal interventions like Schwartz Rounds and Balint groups. This is the first study exploring GPs’ perceptions of informal peer support and its moderating factors in general practice in England.
Video consultations
Governments upscaled remote care during the early-stage COVID-19 pandemic period, and video consultations were rapidly introduced in Danish general practice. This study aimed to characterise the rate of video consultations and the patients receiving them, finding differences in access between patient groups that warrant further attention.
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AI discharge summaries
Hospital discharge summaries play an essential role in informing GPs of recent admissions and ensuring continuity of care, but they are notoriously time-consuming and can result in delayed discharges. Clough et al investigated whether AI has the potential to write discharge summaries instead of doctors. Through using mock patient vignettes, GPs evaluated the quality of junior doctor versus AI generated discharge summaries.
Trainees: longer in general practice
In 2019, Wales introduced a new model of GP training whereby trainees spend 1 year in hospital and 2 years in general practice instead of the previous model of 18 months in each setting. Cserzo et al evaluated perspectives on the new model using a longitudinal mixed-method approach. Despite some concerns that trainees would miss out on key specialty experience, all trainees thought the benefits of the new model outweighed drawbacks.
Non-specific signs and symptoms of cancer
Patients presenting to primary care with non-specific signs or symptoms of cancer represent a diagnostic challenge. This retrospective medical chart review found that 1 in 5 patients referred for imaging had cancer, most frequently gastrointestinal. The most common initial symptoms were weight loss, pain, or fatigue. Reported by more than half of the patients, weight loss is a potential marker for cancer, even as the only symptom.
Bone health
Lifetime risk of fragility fractures is 50% in post-menopausal women and 20% in men aged over 50 years. Bone health assessments can reduce the morbidity associated with fragility fractures through early identification and intervention. This UK cohort study found low rates of these assessments, especially in men.