The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
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Long-term opioid prescription to manage chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) is rapidly rising, despite the lacking evidence supporting their safety and efficacy. Co-prescribing opioids with other dependence-forming medications (DFMs) causes fatal side effects. Clinicians are advised to avoid combinations of DFMs and, where suitable, deprescribe to improve patient safety. ⋯ This QIP addresses a pressing need to reduce the usage of DFMs. The interim results will guide the change model in the Grange Medical Centre GP surgery and inform scoping of relevant clinical questions to improve patient safety.
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Remote consulting was rolled out across general practice in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although most consultations are carried out safely, in some cases remote care has contributed to adverse outcomes. ⋯ Attention to staff, patient, and setting factors can allow risk to be identified and addressed when providing care remotely. .
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Managing depression in general practice is a multifaceted task, influenced by factors such as the condition's characteristics, patient-specific variables, and the personal habits of attending physicians. A study by Dumesnil et al. in France highlighted the impact of GPs' personal experiences with depression on their patient care approaches. ⋯ This study reveals that the personal experience of depression among GPs does not influence their perceived competencies, contrary to having received prior training on the issue. However, experiencing depression is associated with more appropriate responses to clinical situations. These results are consistent with existing literature regarding socio-demographic factors and practice type. In the future, it is important to consider these factors when developing continuing education programs.
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Around 40% of adults have pre-hypertension (120-139/80-89mmHg) increasing their risk of developing hypertension and associated cardiovascular conditions. Guidance on pre-hypertension management focuses on improving lifestyle. Self-monitoring may improve awareness and understanding of blood pressure (BP) for people with pre-hypertension, allowing them to modify their lifestyle risks. ⋯ Home BP self-monitoring can be feasible and easily implementable for people with pre-hypertension - however, some barriers were identified.
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Qualitative Longitudinal Research (QLR) has a long tradition in a variety of social science disciplines and is increasingly used in applied healthcare research. QLR can provide insights into the nature, causes and consequences of change (or its absence). However, its use in primary care research is limited. ⋯ QLR has much to offer primary care research allowing exploration of views and experiences of a variety of participants over time and following them through important transitions.