DIARY SUMMER 2007
03/05/07
TOPIC : IT/CONNECTING FOR HEALTH.
This is the second session after the Spring break, and it was nice to see a full house.
We started promptly at 1400 in the Postgrad centre in Alexandra Hospital, after coffee during which there was "small group" discussion about the recent exam.
As can be expected the initial thirty minutes were used to discuss about the recent MRCGP exam and everyone’s views on how to prepare and what to read which was useful. ( ALL THE BEST TO THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN THE EXAM)
We then went to the main topic of the day. Sarah introduced to the group to what "Connecting for Health" is and the various aspects of it. She talked in detail about a few of the important ones (Choose and Book, E-prescribing, NHS Care Records, etc). This very understandably triggered a very lively discussion about the benefits of these services and also the main concern " confidentiality". The discussion then revolved around the issues of Confidentiality.
Sunil set up the platform for a discussion and overview on dealing with domestic violence and the timing of intervention, by talking about a movie.
Everybody felt it was time for coffee after such a busy initial session.
Post coffee session was supposed to be hot topic, but we didn’t have the presenter. So Rupen bravely stepped up to the occasion and gave a brief talk on hip and knee examination and showed some videos.( Though he was making an effort to keep it short).
And finally it was my turn to talk about a few more components in the "Connecting for Health". I talked about GP2GP, NHS Space, and finished with a topic on "Assistive Technology".
I think the afternoon was a useful session, though we managed to talk only a little of what could have been talked. But further information on this topic is available at
www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk
Suri
Click to access the PowerPoint presentation from today
17/05/07
Smoking Cessation
Another afternoon in not so sunny Redditch was advertised as smoking cessation by Group 6. The session started with our relatively new format of discussing interesting events. Sunaina presented a dilemma related to a difficult situation concerning family dynamics and how far our responsibilities extend when family conflict arises. Chris raised an interesting issue regarding issuing sick notes for conditions that may appear minor but may cause patients distress, which raised a lively and entertaining debate.
Our hot topic was prepared by Rupen who was unable to attend so Chen bravely stepped in to present an outline of the role of Physician’s Assistants in the NHS. The presentation was rather hijacked by a discussion on the role of nurse practitioners and surgical practitioners and the impact they may have on the medical profession.
After coffee and refreshments kindly provided by Uzma we reconvened and unfortunately didn’t have time for the update on Nice Smoking Cessation guidelines prepared by Sunaina or the quiz done by Mary. At this stage we were treated to an in depth presentation on Smoking Cessation by Julia North, from the Worcestershire smoking cessation service. She provided an assortment of very useful handouts and some samples of nicotine replacement therapy (mostly passed along to Ghanem!) and a good update of the services available and the current thinking in smoking cessation, even more topical because of the impending ban on July 1st. I think we all found this a very useful session and the only regret being that we hadn’t managed to fit in all that was scheduled.
http://www.worcestershirehealth.nhs.uk/News/quit_smoking.asp
Next week we have practice visits to look forward to – details will be emailed by me later in the week. We therefore arranged to meet after half term back in Kidderminster for group 1 and paediatric emergencies.
Roy
Course Organisers
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