#GPnews: Applications for overseas working rocket on day of contract imposition

16:35 And on PulseToday, our top story is medical students looking at alternative careers as a result of the contract imposition.

We discover that they are considering ditching the NHS and pursuing careers in non-clinical careers, including charities and finance and technology companies, or looking to practise outside England after health secretary. 

It also reveals the figures from the GMC of doctors applying for certificates to work abroad. You might notice the big spike on 11 February – the day the contract imposition was announced.

16:30  An excellent letter inthe Independent from a consultant in paediatric sleep medicine lays bare the problems with the rotas for the new junior doctors contra that were devised by NHS Employers.

#juniordoctors contract ‘risks disrupting medics’ sleep patterns’https://t.co/0HyfXOqbdV@guardian @CharlieCooper8 pic.twitter.com/8fitbitHnp

— Neil Bhatia (@docneilb) February 26, 2016

14:00 You may have read this last year, or the year before, or the year before, etc. MPs have once again proved they are sticklers for tradition by awarding themselves a 1.2% pay rise – above the public sector cap, including GPs’ 1% rise.

The Guardian reports that the rise amounts to £962, on top of their £74,000 salary.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) said the rise was ‘in line with our determination on MPs’ pay, published in July 2015, where we committed to adjusting MPs’ pay for the rest of this parliament at the same rate as changes in public sector earnings published by the Office for National Statistics.’

And who could begrudge them that?

11:45 The Government’s major report on its childhood obesity strategy and its decision on whether to impose a sugar tax has been delayed until the summer, having originally been planned for this month.

Cancer Research UK put out a statement criticising the Prime Minister.

Alison Cox, Cancer Research UK’s director of prevention, said: ’David Cameron has called children’s obesity a crisis and yet the Government has failed the next generation by stalling on one of its own health priorities.

’While the Government delays, more children will become obese. Our survey shows people want the Government to act to fight children’s obesity – 8 out of 10 think it’s a problem. To help prevent thousands of cancer cases we want a ban on junk food ads during family viewing times, a sugary drinks tax and more sugar taken out of food. The future health of our children depends on strong action right now. Every day counts.’

11:15 The RCGP has responded on the asthma study.

Chair Dr Maureen Baker said: ’There is.. no single test that can definitively diagnose asthma, and this can make it difficult to do in primary care, particularly when some common symptoms are similar to those of other illnesses.

’Some useful diagnostic tests are already available in primary care in the UK, but we need increased investment so that we can broaden GP access to this equipment and undergo the training necessary to use it in the best interests of our patients.’

9:30 Meanwhile, the big health news elsewhere is a study in the British Journal of General Practice that reveals half of children in the UK who are diagnosed with asthma may not actually have the condition.

Dutch researchers looked at the medical records of 656 children diagnosed with asthma at four centres. 53 per cent were found to have no clinical signs of the condition, the Telegraph reports.

It comes as NICE is reviewing its asthma guidelines.

9:20 Pulse’s major investigation leads the site this morning. We’ve revealed that there has been an increase in the number of people referred to memory clinics for dementia who have been given the all clear as a consequence of the drive by Prime Minister David Cameron to increase the diagnosis rates. 

GPs have said that this is causing unnecessary distress for elderly patients.

The Times have picked up on Pulse’s investigation.

Read the full story here and the analysis here.