Calls for better antimalarials follow-up

Nurses should be better informed of compliance rates among travellers prescribed with antimalarials, a specialist has said.

Travel health nurses rarely learn whether patients complete their treatment, according to a survey conducted at a malaria study day.

One nurse surveyed said it would be beneficial to monitor how well patients fare, and learn from cases where treatment has been stopped.

Furthermore, two-thirds of nurses said they were unlikely to hear if a patient caught malaria on their travels.

Travel health specialist Jane Chiodini said: “More needs to be done to ensure that nurses have an accurate picture of compliance among travellers. It would help inform us to advise which antimalarial would best suit the individuals thus offering the greatest protection against this disease.”

The information could also help nurses provide more effective education on the importance of completing the course, she added.

The survey was conducted by GlaxoSmithKlein and organised by RCN and the British Travel Health Association.

Internship 2

Below are a handful more of my online news stories from work experience at Haymarket medical:

'Miserable' children more prone to depression in later life

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Medical student standards up for debate

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Health Care Assistants (HCA) demand regulation

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Anti-drug campaign targets young cannabis users

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Young-drinkers consultation wants your feedback

Doctors to work outside normal practice in pandemic

GPs will be expected to treat patients with influenza should the UK face a pandemic, new guidelines have stated.

The guidance, Pandemic Influenza: Good Medical Practice – Responsibilities of doctors in a national pandemic, provides the basis of GP’s work should a crisis occur.

GPs should work outside their normal field of practice during a severe pandemic, according to the guidelines produced by GMC today. Such a pandemic would lead to some routine healthcare services being suspended, and retired GPs potentially being asked to return to work

The new guidelines have removed several elements from Good Medical Practice in a bid to reflect the practical challenges a GP would face. They concern a GP’s responsibility during a UK Level Three pandemic, involving a new virus outbreak sustained by human-to-human transmission.

Jane O'Brian, head of standards and ethics are the GMC, said: 'We will continue to keep doctors well-informed about their role in the event of a pandemic, and welcome their comments on the guidance in the meantime.'

Internship

For the past week, I have been on work experience at the Haymarket publications GP and Independent Nurse, and the medical news website Health Care Republic.

Below are a selection of my articles. 

Call to open medical school to low-income families

NHS urge medics to work closer with patients

'Good neighbours' are no replacement for health visitors

Charities argue for patient records to be used in medical research

Department of Health expand overseas doctors training