Practices in Northern Ireland have been told to cease giving flu vaccines to patients under 65s because of “phenomenal” demand. Practices have been running clinics in church halls, community centres and car parks to comply with the government plan to extend the vaccination campaign this year. In common with other parts of the UK, the…

I’ve been looking at my Practice Manager Handover Manual again, having found an example of a practice that’s been going through a succession of managers and three GP retirements in the space of 12 months. I learnt that while there may have been a handover of sorts, the quality of the handovers left much to…

A project that places research minded GPs in rural practices has proved successful enough in Wales that it is to be extended, it was announced today. The news was welcomed by practice managers, who say it is helping tackle doctor shortages. Wales launched the academic fellows project four years ago and it has now led…

Health and care services in England risk developing “chasms” of unequal care in spite of the “extraordinary” response of the NHS, including practices, to the pandemic crisis, according to a major review of services. In primary care, the situation has been “volatile” even though 94% of practices were found to be good or outstanding, according…

Following a recent (and growing) spate of “Surgery bashing” correspondence in the press, I have penned a response that some may care to consider if they can be bothered: The Editor Daily Telegraph Guardian Times Independent Lincolnshire Rags (Daily and Sunday Editions)(All of them) Sir I write in response to the many recent published letters…

It’s flu season, yay! Not yay really… As a PM, I used to loathe flu season with its enormous amount of work, including juggling staff, patients and of course vaccine deliveries, hoping your reception team wouldn’t forget to put the vaccines in the fridge, despite this being tattooed on their foreheads. Somehow, I still felt…

An official investigation has been launched into allegations that large numbers of patients in care homes were placed on do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation orders without their full consent. The investigation is to be conducted by the Care Quality Commission at the request of the Department of Health and Social Care in England. The CQC…