In article <[log in to unmask]>, Dr Alan Hassey
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>I never said this....We can gate-keep perfectly well by delegating care
>of minor illness to nurses - there is a growing literature to support
>this approach too. We can still maintain overall control - particularly
>for all referrals (emergency, urgent & routine). I have not made any
>proposal for delegating this - rather the opposite - I said we should
>concentrate in the areas where we are trained and particularly skilled
>history, examination, investigation, treatment (+- referral)
Alan, I was free associating a bit- not every thing I wrote was a direct
reply to your text.
I think that there are two problems with the above paragraph.
1. Defining minor illnes: most major illnesses begin with a 'minor'
symptom.
2. One of the areas in which experienced GPs are particularly skilled,
though perhaps not formally trained, is in deciding what is minor and
what is major.
I think you will have to educate a lot of doctors as well as the
patients and the nurses.
Paul
Paul Robinson
GP & Course Organiser
Scarborough
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