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>Even then the conclusion was clear---no benefit from
>antibiotics in nearly every case, no point in throat swabs, serology, diff
>white counts, rapid strep tests etc,
<snip>
>And after four years of struggle I finally
>gave up when I found that the bastards were sneaking in or phoning a day or
>two later to harangue my partner into giving them an antibiotic---he
>couldn't refuse of course but that's another story.
Isn't that it? The problem is not primarily the GP but the patient
expectation. If refused (with explanation) they then go to a different
target which they hope/know will comply with their need for antibiotics?
Being single handed my lot go to the Co-op and *I* get charged for the
pleasure. Fine incentive for me to practice RBM.
We could, of course ask the Co-op not to prescribe this and that for given
scenarios but how proscriptive would you be and what punishment would you
use?
>I finally agreed
>that five days of Pen V at about 30p net ingredient cost would not break
>the bank and would save us some time short term--I seemed to be the only
>one in the practice able to take the long view but that is yet another
>story.
Without going into that "other story" with your partner maybe he too had
trod that road before and come to the same conclusion to spend peanuts on
Pen V or Oxytet and save the hassle, short term?
>Easy to pontificate, harder to put it into practice and sometimes the
>biggest obstacles are not the patients.
?? Dunno always been and will remain singlehanded.
>BTW did you see how the light has finally dawned on the hills of academia
>with a paper in a recent BMJ looking at why GPs prescribe antibiotics for
>URTIs even when they know they shouldn't? Did you ever read such shite?
>Declan
Got the URL for the paper?
Paul Attwood
GP Thanet
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