The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
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We frequently fail to meaningfully incorporate patient voice in the development of health services, in particular the voices of those who are most disadvantaged. ⋯ Partnership working between GPs, the third sector, and other organisations is vital. This can allow GPs to benefit from the expertise of those with relevant lived experience in tackling health inequalities.
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The misuse of cognitive enhancers by medical students: a cross-sectional study using questionnaires.
The misuse of prescription psychostimulants (PPs) is growing among medical students, who are subject to high levels of stress, not least because of a demanding and competitive educational environment. ⋯ This study showed that more than one in ten final-year students have used PPs at least once during their studies, which can be explained mainly by challenging medical education context and personality traits. Tailored preventive strategies should be implemented.
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To explore how to help make online consultation notes easier for patient audiences to understand. ⋯ Opening up online record access to include patient audiences necessitates a significant cultural shift in the way that consultation notes are written and used. To maximise NHS investment in this policy and avoid worsening health inequalities, it is essential to ensure that all patients can understand and access the benefits of online access to their notes. To do this, clinicians need to be supported to manage the challenges of writing for patient audiences, while continuing to maintain effective clinical care.
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During the financial year 2021/2022, the PANORAMIC study utilised the primary care setting to provide vital research into oral antivirals for COVID-19, recruiting more than 26 000 participants. Alongside the relentless work conducted by practices in supporting vaccine research, the number of GPs recruiting to National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) portfolio studies in England remains consistently around 45% year on year despite the support offered by the NIHR. This figure varies across regions, falling to 23% in Greater Manchester, and rising to 95% in Northwest London, in 2022/2023. These figures suggest a regional inequality in access to potentially life-changing research from primary care providers. ⋯ Knowledge gained from these activities will help inform researchers and research organisations, such as the NIHR, to provide support and opportunities for GPs across England, ensuring that more of the population has access to clinical research opportunities through their GP.
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GP confidence and competence in relation to gender diversity and the discussion of related matters remains relatively unknown. Despite increasing demand on primary care in dealing with matters of gender identity; contention and confusion are unfortunately widely reported amongst doctors. ⋯ Our findings highlight that a significant proportion of GPs have no formal training in relation to discussing pronouns and gender incongruence. We believe GPs should have the skills necessary to appreciate, understand and provide structured support to those with concerns in relation to their gender identity. With waiting times for gender clinics frequently exceeding 2 years, our findings emphasise the increasing importance of GP specific training in the field of gender identity.