Articles: primary-care.
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Many patients receive routine medications for long-term conditions (LTCs). Doctors typically issue repeat prescriptions in one to three month durations, but England currently has no national guidance on the optimal duration. ⋯ One month prescription durations are common for patients taking medicines routinely for long term conditions, particularly in dispensing practices. Electronic health record configurations offer an opportunity to implement and evaluate new policies on repeat prescription duration in England.
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Modern general practice is characterised by increased demand and growing multidisciplinarity, including ring-fenced funding for additional non-clinical roles. For practice receptionists, however, training has remained unchanged for decades despite primary care being under greater pressure than ever, with receptionists becoming a growing focal point for abuse and unprecedented numbers leaving the role. ⋯ Although confident performing administrative tasks, receptionists described uncertainty and anxiety when providing clinically oriented support or managing patients when their requests for appointments could not be met. More appropriate training or professionalisation might improve staff retainment.
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Following the 2019 NHS Long Term Plan, link workers have been employed across primary care in England to deliver social prescribing. ⋯ Social prescribing was introduced into primary care to promote greater attention to the full range of factors affecting patients' health and wellbeing, beyond biomedicine. For that to happen, our analysis highlights the need for a whole-system approach to defining, delivering, and maintaining this new part of practice.