Articles: primary-care.
-
Social prescribing connects patients to resources or activities to meet their non-medical needs. In the UK, it is often implemented in primary care. In the social prescribing pathway, patients are directed to link workers to identify suitable solutions for their needs such as art workshops or welfare benefit guidance. Social prescribing marks a notable transition from traditional medical treatments to more comprehensive strategies focusing on holistic health and wellbeing strategies. Insights from patient experiences can improve the development of social prescribing to better meet their needs. This understanding can aid in improving the delivery and outcomes of social prescribing. ⋯ Patients might experience lasting advantages from social prescribing if it aligns with their needs and expectations. Results highlighted the importance of matching social prescribing referral with patients' readiness to engage. Therefore, it is recommended that healthcare professionals evaluate patient suitability prior to beginning a social prescribing referral.
-
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder, for which there are effective pharmacological treatments that improve symptoms and reduce complications. Guidelines published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommend that primary care practitioners prescribe medication for adult ADHD under shared-care agreements with Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS). However, provision remains uneven, with some practitioners reporting a lack of support. ⋯ Elements supporting appropriate shared-care prescribing of ADHD medication via primary care are not universally available in England. Coordinated approaches are needed to address these gaps.
-
Generalist approaches can help address several challenges facing today's primary care. However, GPs report insufficient support to deliver advanced generalist medicine (AGM) in daily practice, struggling within a healthcare system that imposes strict adherence to single-disease focused guidelines. ⋯ Our findings have implications for tackling the general practice workforce crisis, highlighting that solutions targeting individual problems will not suffice by themselves. By making visible the grey areas of everyday general practice, we describe the changes needed to target tensions as described by the GPs in this study to ultimately enable, enhance and make visible the complex work of generalist medicine.
-
Inequities in the coverage of 6-8-week maternal checks, health visitor reviews, and infant vaccinations have been reported in England. Ethnic inequities in 6-8-week baby checks have not been studied nationally. ⋯ Coordinated action at the level of integrated commissioning boards, primary care networks, and GP practices is required to better understand the reasons behind these inequities and redress the persistent disparities in 6-8 week baby check coverage.
-
Assessing suicide risk in primary care settings has become standard practice; however, the emotional toll on medical providers remains understudied. This qualitative study examines the emotional impact of suicide assessments among family medicine residents. ⋯ Despite claims of emotional detachment, participants often expressed surprise and vulnerability when faced with suicidal patients. With suicide screening becoming increasingly vital in primary care, understanding and mitigating the emotional impact on physicians is essential. Future research should explore strategies to support medical providers in navigating these challenging interactions effectively for both the patients and themselves.