19 March 2018

04 March 2025

It’s that time again. A new government full of optimism and a freshly minted prime minister bursting with new ideas, the honeymoon period yet to slip into acrimony and divorce.

And we all know what comes next — a new report on the state of the NHS, usually followed by a top-to-bottom reorganisation that will miraculously shorten A&E waiting times, solve the staffing crisis and promise millions of pounds for community services or ailing critical care, whichever happens to be the flavour of the day.

05 March 2024

A primary concern for many cancer survivors is getting cancer again or it returning. Unfortunately, recurrence can happen but there is evidence that dietary interventions, generally combined with physical activity, improve overall quality of life and give the body the best chance of warding off recurrence. Being the right weight for height is also important.This article explores dietary and lifestyle considerations, dispels some myths, and considers other aspects of diet and lifestyle and prevention of cancer recurrence, such as alcohol intake, physical activity and food-borne disease. It also looks at the role certain sweeteners may have, along with ultra-processed foods, use of certain supplements and the role of fibre. Definitive evidence is often not available for this aspect of cancer, but this article presents the most up-to-date findings. Specialist post treatment palliative care is not covered.

21 December 2018

16 November 2015

Record-keeping is an integral part of the general practice nurse’s (GPN’s) skill set.

The new Nursing and Midwifery Council code of conduct (NMC, 2015) has record-keeping threaded throughout the new four standards highlighting its importance for all practitioners.

Electronic Medical Records (EMR) used by GPNs aid the production of chronological and contemporaneous records.

Poor records are often reflective of poor practice.

GPNs need to always consider both professional and legal requirements for record-keeping.

29 May 2024

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, continues to pose a significant threat to public health, particularly impacting infants and children with its devastating effects. The current outbreak has reignited concerns about the resurgence of this highly contagious disease and the importance of vaccination in preventing its spread. Indeed, at the time of writing, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA, 2024a) data showed that in the first quarter of 2024 there were 2793 cases of whooping cough in England, three times as many cases than in the whole of 2023, with the very sad deaths of five infants. This article delves into the history of whooping cough, exploring its origins, transmission dynamics, and the evolution of vaccination programmes. By examining past outbreaks and vaccination strategies, this article aims to understand the challenges posed by pertussis and the critical role that vaccination plays in controlling its spread. From the introduction of whole-cell pertussis vaccines in the 1950s to the development of acellular vaccines in the 1980s, the article traces the progress of vaccination efforts and their impact on disease control. Through an analysis of current outbreak data and vaccination trends, it assesses the effectiveness of existing vaccination programmes and explores strategies for enhancing vaccine coverage to mitigate the resurgence of whooping cough outbreaks.

25 March 2019

Significance of recent NICE guidance for diabetic foot and venous leg ulcers

22 June 2017

Coronary heart disease is the UK’s biggest killer and has a devastating effect on families as well as placing extra cost and pressure on an already stretched healthcare system. Currently, there are around 155,000 deaths every year from heart and circulatory diseases, which includes heart attacks and strokes, accounting for over a quarter of all deaths in the UK. To add to this, there are around 491,000 hospital episodes related to coronary heart disease each year, and it is estimated that cardiovascular disease costs the UK economy around £15.2 billion each year.

05 September 2022

Early prostate cancer does not usually have any symptoms. So, when discussing with men the pros and cons of having a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, it is important to consider the risk factors.

01 September 2021

Infection prevention and control (IPC) is a fundamental component of all disciplines of health care. It affects the health of both patients and healthcare providers by preventing the occurrence of healthcareassociated infections (HCAIs) (Storr et al, 2017; Cattini and Kiernan, 2020). General practice nurses (GPNs) have a key role in preventing the transmission of infections in their healthcare setting by understanding and adhering to IPC best practice as part of everyday care delivery (Royal College of Nursing [RCN], 2017; Carrico et al, 2018).

In light of the greatest healthcare challenge in recent times, the Covid-19 pandemic, IPC best practice is more important than ever to save lives (Flynn et al, 2020; Peters et al, 2020). A pre-existing challenge for the NHS is HCAIs (Guest et al, 2020). HCAIs are not only confined to hospitals, and while the type and level of risk may be different, GPNs have the same responsibility as those working in hospitals to prevent the occurrence of infections (RCN, 2017).

Please click the link to read the full article.