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To: Dr David Plews From: Carol Lewis, Deputy Editor, GP July 10 1996 Dear Dr Plews I read with interest your comments on the medical press and the reply given by the editor of Pulse. I wish to reassure you that the stories you refer to published in GP `GPs hit by legal threat to practice nurse care' (GP, March 1) and `GPs face legal action over non-core refusals' (GP, June 28) were far from being `sensational hype' or `scare' stories. At GP it is the readers not journalists who direct the coverage and this was the case with both the articles to which you refer. Both originated from genuine GP enquiries and comments made to myself. Both stories were accurate and attracted a high level of response from GPs most of who telephoned or wrote to me here at GP. After GP broke the news that the RCN and DoH were concerned about the legal status of nurse procedures I received many calls from GPs typically saying `yes, this is a problem that I am encountering.' A fortnight after our story was published Unison and the Health Visitors Association issued legal advice to all their practice nurses members (GP, March 29). This summer the RCN in conjunction with the DoH is expected to issue guidance on the legality of practice nurse issuing of medicines and injections. Similary following our legal story about non-core refusals, which was, based on facts given by BMA solicitors and employment law specialists and GPs, I recieved telephone calls from interested GPs wanting more details which were published the following week in GP (July 5). This set out precisely how both GPs and health authorities should legally go about ceasing non-core GP work and was based on details provided by the Medical Defence Union and an experience health authority lawyer. Our rival Pulse promotes itself with the slogan `We set the agenda for UK general practice,' while here at GP we firmly believe that GPs set the agenda. This is why we regularly survey our readers, publish a lively letters page each week and welcome GP feedback and suggestions on our coverage. So if in future you want to compliment or criticise GP, then please call me direct on 0171-413-4242 or if you prefer to communicate via a computer screen on GP's internet address [log in to unmask] or e- mail 0171 938 0724 I'd love to hear from you. Please try and keep comments constructive, so that I can act on them. I do remember from previous encounters with yourself that you can tend towards the sensational Dr Plews ! Carol Lewis Deputy Editor, GP -------------------- Thank you for your reply. But if nurses giving injections is illegal, and stopping non-core services is illegal then all life is an inconsistent illegality. I like being sensational, and controversial:-) Life would be very boring otherwise, and there would be no Press of any kind at all;-) -- ===================================================== Dr David J PLews [log in to unmask] (but not for much longer) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%