Clin Med
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Comparative Study
Geriatricians and care homes: perspectives from geriatric medicine departments and primary care trusts.
Older people in care homes are clinically complex and particularly vulnerable to the effects of poor care and poor medicine. They are also a group to whom the NHS seems least committed. Geriatricians have become disengaged over the past two decades, as a result of social policies rather than clinical judgements. ⋯ This paper reports progress since then based on results of national surveys of geriatric medicine departments and primary care trusts in England. The results show that important deficiencies persist, though most respondents were in favour of greater specialist involvement. Some suggestions are made for ways to improve the shared care of residents in care homes.
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In this article, British neurologists share their experiences of neurology in Malawi--as educators and researchers. Malawi is a resource-poor country in Central Africa. ⋯ New links can be established which can then be used to launch international health initiatives. Such visits can also lead to the development of institutional links, the fostering of which can have a role in the achievement of the global health agenda.
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By the beginning of July 2009 the West Midlands had seen more cases of novel H1N1 influenza (swine flu) than any other region in the U. K. Over a three-week period almost 850 people presented to Heartlands Hospital with flu-like symptoms. ⋯ Despite increased workload normal clinical services were unaffected. The hospital was not closed to admissions nor was it paralysed by staff absence. With a predicted second wave expected at the end of 2009, efforts to maintain effective community assessment remain crucial.
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Comparative Study
Omission after admission: failure in prescribed medications being given to inpatients.
Prescribing errors are a recognised problem on admission to acute medical wards which may be detrimental to patient care. The authors had anecdotal evidence that prescribed medicines do not always reach patients and the aim of this audit was to quantify this problem. Admission prescription charts on two separate occasions were studied in detail and all drugs prescribed but not given in the first 48 hours were recorded along with the reason given for omission. ⋯ This may lead to increased morbidity and length of stay. Strategies need to be put in place to reduce this problem. The current system that permits omission of medications with inadequate justification must be revised.