GPs should tell pregnant women there is ‘no need to eat for two’

Draft NICE guidelines say GPs and midwives should advise women about the importance of maintaining a healthy weight during and after pregnancy.

19 February 2010

Practice ratings website receives hundreds of complaints over ‘offensive or unsuitable’ comments

Exclusive: The Government’s NHS Choices website has had to investigate more than 260 comments left by patients about GP practices over complaints that they are ‘offensive or unsuitable’, since launching the rating facility in October.

18 February 2010

Statins raise diabetes risk by 9%

Statins raise the relative risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but the absolute risk is low when balanced against the beneficial impact of statins on the rate of coronary events, according to UK-led research group.

18 February 2010

Include lung health checks in vascular screening, experts urge

The British Lung Foundation is calling for a simple lung health check to be included in the NHS Health Checks programme.

18 February 2010

Regulator gives private firm Clinicenta ‘zero stars’

Exclusive: A company drafted in by NHS managers to cut GP referrals to hospital provided a poor service and may have ‘put patients at risk’, an official report obtained by Pulse concludes.

17 February 2010

Accreditation will spare GPs Care Quality Commission checks

GP practices that do the RCGP's accreditation scheme are set to be spared inspections by the Care Quality Commission.

17 February 2010

Medical school aptitude tests ‘inherently biased’, study finds

Aptitude tests designed to increase diversity and fairness and widen access to medical schools for women and less advantaged students are failing because they have ‘inherent gender and socioeconomic bias’, a BMJ study has found.

17 February 2010

GPs deliver 10 demands to rescue primary care

GPs are demanding the end of patient survey pay targets, swingeing cuts to Darzi centre contracts and a halt to the creeping fragmentation of primary care, in the biggest test of the profession’s opinion in the run-up to the general election.

17 February 2010

Asthma inhaler discontinued

GPs are being advised to review their asthma patients’ prescriptions after drug firm Teva said the inhaler Beclazone would no longer be available.

16 February 2010

CQC calls for caseload shift into primary care

The Care Quality Commission has identified the need for a huge shift of care out of hospitals and into primary care to generate cash savings.

16 February 2010