JRSM > Volume 99, Number 4 > Pp. 168-169

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Letters

Changing perspectives of general medicine on general practice

George I Varughese   Abd A Tahrani

Specialist Registrars in Diabetes & Endocrinology, University Hospital of North Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 6QG, UK.

Correspondence to: George Varughese
E-mail: georgeiv{at}doctors.org.uk

The contribution of general practice to NHS patients cannot be commended more.¹ The aspirations and visions for the future of general practice are splendid.² However, as general medical registrars, we have started to experience the changes to the variety of referrals as well as number of admissions to the medical admissions unit (MAU). Hospital admissions may have fallen sharply and no doubt general practitioners are under pressure.³ On the other hand, in real life, working in the MAU has changed dramatically, with an increasing number of acute referrals. The expectations from patients, pressures of family members, and perhaps the fear of litigation may be compounding factors. Nevertheless, this adds to the queues of trolleys waiting outside MAU, adding to the work-load of the already busy medical team with patients to look after not only in general medical wards, but also in outlier surgical wards.

We are only trying to call attention to the changing culture over the years. This trend has obviously had an impact on the dynamic young medics deciding on careers involving specialties sans general medicine. Indeed, general medicine has also slipped down the priority list in favour of specialist interests, despite remaining in the front line.⁴ The need for a concerted approach and greater interaction between primary and secondary care is warranted with active investment in both sectors.

Footnotes

Competing interest GIV and AAT are specialist registrars in Diabetes, Endocrinology & General (Internal) Medicine on the West Midlands rotational training programme.

REFERENCES

1. Wilson T, Roland M, Ham C. The contribution of general practice and the general practitioner to NHS patients. J R Soc Med2006; 99:24 -8[Free Full Text]

2. Lakhani M, Baker M. Visions of primary care in 2015: Good general practitioners will continue to be essential. BMJ2006; 332:41 -3[Free Full Text]

3. Meldrum H. General practice under pressure. BMJ2006; 332:46 -7[Free Full Text]

4. Vallance P. A post-take ward round. J R Soc Med 2005;98:191 -2[Free Full Text]

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This Article Full Text (PDF) Send a Quick Comment Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Quick Comments are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Varughese, G. I Articles by Tahrani, A. A Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Social Bookmarking                      What's this?