> 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.
>
Reply to...
1. True - but serious illness is a RARE complication or progression of
minor illness. Patients can be helped to look out for worrying signs &
freely invited to get in touch again or the nurse/clinician could check
on progress if there seemed to be genuine cause for concern. Even after
a clinician has seen the patient - it is still not possible to be
certin that the illness won't progress. A recent patient survey in the
BMJ illustrated that patients do not understand the processes by which
we differentiate different levels of illness & concern but that they
would welcome more information...
2. Entirely right - my earlier posting emphasised our importance as
diagnosticians. But the key to diagnosis is the history & a history can
be taken well by other trained staff who can always discuss the case
with a supporting GP. I think there will be a nedd for training &
retraining - but availability & accessibility are becoming millstones
that interfere with doing the work.
> Paul
>
> Paul Robinson
> GP & Course Organiser
> Scarborough
--
******************************************************************
*Alan Hassey email [log in to unmask] & [log in to unmask]*
* http://www.midwife.demon.co.uk/ >>>>>> PGP public key available*
* GP, GP Trainer & GP Computer Adviser (NYHA), Skipton, N. Yorks.*
******************************************************************
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|