The aim of this study was to describe the views of health-care personnel about video consultation (VC) prior to implementation in primary health care in rural areas.

For people living in rural areas, it is often a long distance to specialist care, and VC could be an opportunity for increased access to care. Therefore, this study was to investigate what views primary health-care personnel had on VC as a working method in the distance between primary and specialist care. The development of technology in society and the introduction of technology in health care mean that the working methods must be adapted to a new approach. It is therefore important that in the initial phase of the introduction of new working methods to capture the personnel views regarding this.

Focus group (FG) discussions with health-care personnel from five primary health-care centres in northern Sweden. The transcribed FG discussions were analysed with qualitative content analysis.

The analysis revealed four main categories: a patient-centred VC; the importance of evaluating costs and resources; new technology in daily work; technology gives new possibilities in future health care.

This paper is a report of part of a study that explored the ways in which health visitors manage uncertainty and anxiety when working with clients across cultures.

Internationally health care professionals are required to deliver a high standard of culturally appropriate care to increasingly diverse communities and yet problems persist. Research evidence informing cultural ‘competence’ is focused largely around student experience and consequently little is known about the day-to-day experiences of health professionals in diverse community settings. Anxiety and uncertainty are increasingly recognised as important emotions experienced by a variety of health care professionals when working across cultures and yet the ways in which anxiety and uncertainty is managed in practice is less well understood.

Grounded theory methodology was used and 21 semi-structured interviews were conducted with participating health visitors in the North East of England between May 2008 and September 2009. All participants described themselves as white.

This study identified three different positions adopted by the health visitors to manage uncertainty and anxiety in their work across cultures. Identified as, ‘Fixing a culture’, ‘Reworking the equality agenda’ and ‘Asserting the professional self’, these strategies identify the ways in which health visitors try to manage the uncertainty and anxiety they feel when working in diverse communities. All of these strategies attempt in different ways to negate cultural difference and to render culture as static and known.

Given that health professionals report anxiety and uncertainty when working across diverse community settings, identification of the strategies used by health visitors to manage that anxiety is important for both policy and practice. New strategies need to be developed to help health professionals to manage uncertainty and anxiety in ways that promote both cultural safe care and health equity.

To conduct a follow-up survey ascertaining changes in usage, referral rate, beliefs and attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) during the last decade.

In many countries, CAM use is reported to be substantial and increasing.

A questionnaire was posted to all GPs registered with the Liverpool Primary Care Trust. Respondents were asked whether they treat, refer, endorse or discuss eight common CAM therapies and about their views on National Health Service (NHS) funding, effectiveness, CAM training needs and theoretical validity of each therapy. Comparisons were made between these results and those collected in 1999.

The response rate was low (32%) compared with the 1999 survey (52%). The main findings were similar to the most popular therapies still being acupuncture, hypnotherapy and chiropractic and the least being aromatherapy, reflexology and medical herbalism. GPs felt most comfortable with acupuncture, with greater belief in its theoretical validity, a greater desire for training and a greater support for acupuncture to receive NHS funding than for the other CAM therapies under question. Opinions about homeopathy had become less supportive. Overall, GPs were less likely to endorse CAMs than previously shown (38% versus 19%).

In Western societies, cardiovascular (CV) disease is the primary cause of mortality, and high blood pressure (BP) is the main reversible factor leading to CV disease. Dietary habits and psychosocial stress contribute to the establishment of hypertension, while its role in the control of high BP is currently examined. In this study, we examined the effect and feasibility of a combined intervention of dietary education and stress management on the control of hypertension.

A randomized, controlled pilot study was designed to evaluate the effect of combined education on stress management techniques and dietary habits (Mediterranean diet principle) on office BP after eight weeks.

Of the 45 randomized subjects, 36 were included in the final analysis (control group = 20 (age: 67 ± 12 years, 31.8%, males) and intervention group = 16 (age: 62 ± 12 years, 47%, males)). CV disease risk factors (except smoking), BP, dietary habits, perceived stress and physical activity (all assessed with validated questionnaires) were similar between the two groups at baseline. After eight weeks, office BP (systolic and diastolic) and perceived stress were significantly reduced, whereas the adherence in Mediterranean diet principle was significantly increased, but only in the intervention group.

A combined intervention of stress management techniques and Mediterranean diet education seems to be beneficial for BP reduction. Such interventions could possibly serve as a complementary treatment along with drug therapy or in the early treatment of high normal BP. A call to action for designing epidemiological studies and evaluating the efficacy of such non-pharmacological treatment strategies is therefore warranted.

This paper explores cultural and professional dynamics of HIV general practice nursing in Australia. It highlights specific contributions that HIV general practice nurses make to HIV medicine and considers how nurses’ clinical practice has been shaped by past experiences of the AIDS crisis and subsequent developments in HIV medicine.

In international contexts, nurses in HIV medicine commonly work as part of shared-care teams. In recent years, HIV general practice nursing has become a prioritised area for primary health care in Australia.

Data for this analysis were drawn from 45 in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted with nurses and general practitioners (GPs) who provide HIV care in general practice, and key informants who work in policy, advocacy or education and training of the HIV general practice workforce.

Viewed through a socio-ecological framework of social capital, descriptive content analysis highlights a unique and strong HIV health professional identity, which emerged out of the adverse conditions experienced by nurses, GPs and allied health professionals during the 1980s AIDS crisis. Participants reported that today, HIV general practice nursing includes information provision, HIV treatment side-effect management, teaching patients methods to increase adherence to HIV treatments and capacity building with allied health professionals. Participants reported that HIV general practice nurses can reduce the clinical burden on GPs, ameliorate patients’ exposure to HIV health care-related stigma and discrimination and facilitate the emergence of a comprehensive and personalised model of shared primary health care based on trust and rapport, which is desired by people with HIV. This study's findings support the future expansion of the role of HIV general practice nurses in Australia and internationally. General practice nursing will become increasingly important in the scaling up of HIV testing and in caring for increasing numbers of people living with HIV.

Work ability and work ability assessments have become important both in health care and in relation to granting sick leave. There are different interpretations of work ability among the different professionals involved, and there is no consensus on how work ability should be assessed.

The aim was to analyse how a group of experienced and specially trained physiotherapists (PTs) in primary health care (PHC) perceived their professional role in work ability assessments during 14 months.

We conducted a prospective focus group study and applied qualitative content analysis to the data.

There was a need to emphasise the PTs’ role both within PHC and also in relation to others involved. The PHC organisation was not really prepared to direct work-disabled patients to PTs before physicians. In addition, the PTs themselves needed to reorganise to better meet the requirements. The PTs underlined the advantage of their frequent and extended meetings with patients. This made it possible to assess, follow and facilitate work ability and to determine patients’ resources. The PTs believed that they could contribute to structured assessments, which was positive for themselves and also in their communication with physicians and patients. The PTs later took more initiatives in work ability questions and believed that they could be responsible for work ability assessments to a greater extent. They found it most valuable to have had the opportunity to reflect on work ability, while working in the focus groups, and also to have been the subjects for further education. This made them more prepared to handle work ability questions when compared with other colleagues.

This study provides a snapshot of the current state of primary care workforce (PCW) serving China's grassroots communities and examines the factors associated with their job satisfaction.

Data for the study were from the 2011 China Primary Care Workforce Survey, a nationally representative survey that provides the most current assessment of community-based PCW. Outcome measures included 12 items on job satisfaction. Covariates included intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with job satisfaction. In addition, PCW type (ie, physicians, nurses, public health, and village doctors) and practice setting (ie, rural versus urban) were included to identify potential differences due to the type of PCW and practice settings.

The overall satisfaction level is rather low with only 47.6% of the Chinese PCW reporting either satisfied or very satisfied with their job. PCW are least satisfied with their income level (only 8.6% are either satisfied or very satisfied), benefits (12.8%), and professional development (19.5%). They (particularly village doctors) are also dissatisfied with their workload (37.2%). Lower income and higher workload are the two major contributing factors toward job dissatisfaction.

To improve the general satisfaction level, policymakers must provide better pay and benefits and more opportunities for career development, particularly for village doctors.

The aim of this study was to describe district nurses’ (DNs’) experiences of their knowledge development in wound management when treating patients with different types of wounds at healthcare centers.

In primary healthcare, DNs are mainly responsible for wound management. Previous research has focused on DNs’ level of expertise regarding wound management, mostly based on quantitative studies. An unanswered question concerns DNs’ knowledge development in wound management. The present study therefore intends to broaden understanding and to provide deeper knowledge in regard to the DNs’ experiences of their knowledge development when treating patients with wounds.

A qualitative descriptive design was used. Subjects were a purposeful sample of 16 DNs from eight healthcare centers in a metropolitan area in Stockholm, Sweden. The study was conducted with qualitative interviews and qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data.

The content analysis resulted in three categories and 11 sub-categories. The first category, ‘ongoing learning by experience,’ was based on experiences of learning alongside clinical practice. The second category ‘searching for information,’ consisted of various channels for obtaining information. The third category, ‘lacking organizational support,’ consisted of experiences related to the DNs’ work organization, which hindered their development in wound care knowledge.

The DNs experienced that they were in a constant state of learning and obtained their wound care knowledge to a great extent through practical work, from their colleagues as well as from various companies. A lack of organizational structures and support from staff management made it difficult for DNs to develop their knowledge and skills in wound management, which can lead to inadequate wound management.

The primary purpose of this study is to understand primary care practices’ perceived constraints to engaging in research from micro-, meso-, and macro-level perspectives.

Past research has spotlighted various barriers and hurdles that primary care practices face when attempting to engage in research efforts; yet a majority of this research has focused exclusively on micro- (physician-specific) and meso-level (practice-specific) factors. Minimal attention has been paid to the context – the more macro-level issues such as how these barriers relate to primary care practices’ role within the dominant payment/reimbursement model of US health-care system.

Semi-structured focus groups were conducted in five US practices, all owned by an independent academic medical center. Each had participated in at least one research study but were not part of a practice-based research network or affiliated with a medical school. Data were analyzed using NVIVO-9® by using a multistep coding process.

The perceived constraints offered by the participants echoed those featured in previous studies. Secondary analyses of the interconnected nature of these factors highlighted a valuable and sensitive ‘Flow’ that is evident at the individual, interaction, and organizational levels of primary care practice. Engaging in research appears to pose a significant threat to the outcomes of Flow (ie, revenue, patient health outcomes, and the overall well-being of the practice). It is posited that the risk of not meeting expected productivity-based outcomes, which appear to be dictated by current dominant reimbursement models, frames the overall process of research-related decision making in primary care. Within the funding/reimbursement models of the US health-care system, engaging in research does not appear to be advantageous for primary care practices.

To explore the views of non-morbidly obese people (BMI 30–40 kg/m2) with type 2 diabetes regarding: (a) the acceptability of bariatric surgery (BS) as a treatment for type 2 diabetes, and (b) willingness to participate in randomised controlled trials comparing BS versus non-surgical intervention.

Despite weight management being a key therapeutic goal in type 2 diabetes, achieving and sustaining weight loss is problematic. BS is an effective treatment for people with morbid obesity and type 2 diabetes; it is less certain whether non-morbidly obese patients (BMI 30–39.9 kg/m2) with type 2 diabetes benefit from this treatment and whether this approach would be cost-effective. Before evaluating this issue by randomised trials, it is important to understand whether BS and such research are acceptable to this population.

Non-morbidly obese people with type 2 diabetes were purposively sampled from primary care and invited to participate in semi-structured interviews. Interviews explored participants’ thoughts surrounding their diabetes and weight, the acceptability of BS and the willingness to participate in BS research. Data were analysed using Framework Analysis.

Data on the uptake of clinical guidelines into practice are essential to guide and evaluate quality improvement interventions. Organizations responsible for service specification, monitoring and improvement need to consider the practicality of and trade-offs made in different data collection methods. We examined the feasibility of deriving and applying review criteria for clinical guidelines in English primary care.

We selected two sets of guidance, on osteoporosis and depression, and used a consensus process to derive review criteria. We manually extracted data on adherence to review criteria from patient records in 20 general practices from three NHS primary care trusts in northern England. We compared the relative utility of extracted data with that of routinely available data, summarizing feasibility using what we termed a Resource Ratio.

Of 53 proposed review criteria we assessed, 41 were judged clinically important, valid, relevant and measurable. Thirty-one could be assessed in 10% or more of sampled patients, whereas 15 could be readily extracted (resource ratio of 15 or less). Only eight met all desirable attributes for use as review criteria. Resource ratios correlated poorly with local stakeholders’ prior views on feasibility of data collection. We observed wide variations in compliance with review criteria, with notably low levels among self-care standards.

A minority of guideline recommendations were suitable for review criteria development, fewer still when using routinely available data. Local stakeholders tend to underestimate the actual resource requirements of data collection. Although improved design and use of clinical records may facilitate measurement of adherence to recommended practice, detailed assessments are still likely to rely upon some degree of manual data collection in the foreseeable future.

To review the effectiveness of physical activity interventions for adults aged 50 and above, delivered through general practice.

Physical activity has beneficial effects on the common disorders of later life. General practice is a potentially important setting for promotion of physical activity among older adults, but the effectiveness of such interventions is presently unknown.

Studies published between January 1998 and July 2011 were identified from electronic databases. We searched for studies of tailored physical activity interventions to older adults through general practice. The search and selection process was not restricted to any outcome measures but only included studies comparing two or more groups prospectively. Two reviewers screened the studies and obtained full texts of eligible studies. Included studies were assessed for their methodological quality and public health impact.

Altogether, 4170 studies met the initial search criteria but only six were included in the review, with a total of 1522 participants. The interventions ranged from six weeks to six months. One study showed a statistically significant increase in physical activity in the intervention compared with the control group (P ⩽ 0.007). Four studies measured quality of life using the SF-36, of which three reported inconsistent results. This review shows some evidence of the effectiveness of physical activity promotion for older adults through general practice, but not enough to warrant widespread commissioning and implementation. Large-scale developmental projects with long follow-up (beyond two years), objective measures of physical activity and comprehensive documentation of resource use, should now be conducted.

To synthesize information about management of end of life care in people with dementia using review papers.

There are increasing numbers of people being diagnosed with dementia worldwide, and the needs of people with dementia and their carers at the end of life may be different from those with other chronic diseases. By highlighting the challenges of palliative care in persons with dementia and the ways they are best managed, practitioners in primary care may be able to improve services for this group of people at the end of life.

A search of electronic databases of English language papers published in peer-reviewed journals, 2000–2011 inclusive was undertaken using broad terms related to palliative care and dementia. 6167 papers were identified. Titles and abstracts were read. Papers were included if they were literature reviews of palliative or end of life care for people with dementia/Parkinson's disease/Lewy body dementia/cognitive impairment/Alzheimer's disease or any other cognitive impairment, in any setting (hospital, care home, community) and covering people of all ages. Papers were excluded if they covered palliative care focusing on other conditions, or were about an aspect of dementia care and treatment not related to palliative care.

Our critical synthesis generated five main themes from this review of the reviews: (1) carers’ (family caregivers’) experiences; (2) person-centred care; (3) practice (including advance care planning, pain and comfort, nutrition, medical complications and minimizing the distress of behavioural symptoms); (4) system factors, including ethical dilemmas, decision making, information, and training; and (5) research priorities. There appears to be good evidence on the care and management of patients with dementia at the end of life which can be used to influence policy development and emerging specificity about research priorities in palliative care practice for people with dementia.

To map the availability and types of depression and anxiety groups, to examine men's experiences and perception of this support as well as the role of health professionals in accessing support.

The best ways to support men with depression and anxiety in primary care are not well understood. Group-based interventions are sometimes offered but it is unknown whether this type of support is acceptable to men.

Interviews with 17 men experiencing depression or anxiety. A further 12 interviews were conducted with staff who worked with depressed men (half of whom also experienced depression or anxiety themselves). There were detailed observations of four mental health groups and a mapping exercise of groups in a single English city (Bristol).

Some men attend groups for support with depression and anxiety. There was a strong theme of isolated men, some reluctant to discuss problems with their close family and friends but attending groups. Peer support, reduced stigma and opportunities for leadership were some of the identified benefits of groups. The different types of groups may relate to different potential member audiences. For example, unemployed men with greater mental health and support needs attended a professionally led group whereas men with milder mental health problems attended peer-led groups. Barriers to help seeking were commonly reported, many of which related to cultural norms about how men should behave. General practitioners played a key role in helping men to acknowledge their experiences of depression and anxiety, listening and providing information on the range of support options, including groups. Men with depression and anxiety do go to groups and appear to be well supported by them. Groups may potentially be low cost and offer additional advantages for some men. Health professionals could do more to identify and promote local groups.

This quality improvement project was set in Tower Hamlets, east London, with the aim of reducing health inequalities by ethnicity, age and gender in the management of three common chronic diseases.

Routinely collected clinical data were extracted from practice computer systems using Morbidity Information Query and Export Syntax (MIQUEST) and Egton Medical Information Systems (EMIS) Web, between 2007 and 2010. Health equity audits for 38 practices in Tower Hamlets primary care trust (PCT) were constructed to cover key process and outcome measures for each of the three major chronic diseases: coronary heart disease (CHD), type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The equity audit was disseminated to practices along with facilitation sessions.

We show evidence of baseline inequalities in each condition across the three east London PCTs. The intervention tracked four key indicators (cholesterol levels in CHD, blood pressure and haemoglobin A1c levels in diabetes and % smoking in COPD). Performance for physician-driven interventions improved, but smoking rates remained static. All ethnic groups showed improvement, but there was no evidence of a reduction in differences between ethnic groups. Reductions in gender and age group differences were noted in diabetes and CHD.

Using routine clinical data, it is possible to develop practice-level health equity reports. These can unmask previously hidden inequalities between groups, and promote discussion with practice teams to stimulate strategies for improvements in performance. Steady improvements in chronic disease management were observed, however, systematic differences between ethnic groups remain. We are not able to attribute observed changes to the audits. These reports illustrate the importance of collecting ethnicity data at practice level. Tools such as this audit can be adapted to monitor inequalities in primary care settings.

Consumer health organisations (CHOs), which operate outside the mainstream healthcare system with a specific focus on supporting people to self-manage their health conditions, have become widespread. Yet, there has been little systematic research into CHOs, including their perceived benefits and barriers, which encourage or deter their access by people with a variety of chronic health conditions.

This study explored the benefits of CHOs in self-management and also the barriers that inhibit their access, from the perspective of people with chronic conditions and their unpaid carers.

In-depth, semi-structured interviews were completed with 97 participants across four regions of Australia. The sample included a high representation of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as well as non-indigenous Australians.

Three inter-related themes were identified that represented the benefits of involvement and participation in CHOs: knowledge and information, connection and support and experiential learning. However, limited access pathways emerged as a barrier that inhibited a person’s entry into CHOs. Furthermore, the person’s beliefs and experiences about their own health condition(s) also inhibited their continued participation in CHO programmes.

Although our findings confirm that CHOs are a valuable resource in alleviating the ‘work of being a patient’ for some people, there seems to be some barriers that prevent their full access and utilisation. Structured integration systems to increase the reliable delivery and accessibility of CHOs are needed to ensure that people who would benefit from accessing them can do so.

To describe experiences among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) of the lasting usefulness one year after participating in a multidisciplinary pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programme in a primary health care (PHC) setting.

COPD affects patients’ functioning in daily life. In a previous study, the patients participated in a programme for PR and were found to increase their functional capacity, quality of life and decrease exacerbations. The present study aims to provide a deeper understanding of the experience of participating in the programme.

The study has a descriptive, qualitative design and is part of a longitudinal study on a multidisciplinary programme for PR of patients with COPD.

Semi-structured interviews with 20 participants were performed and data analysed by qualitative content analysis.

The findings are presented in one theme that illustrates the participants’ experience of their current situation; I live life at my own pace, and three sub-themes illustrating this experience related to the participation in the programme; Awareness of limitations in my life; Regained control over my life; and No change in my life.

Irrespective of whether the patients had already found their own strategies for managing the disease or whether the programme changed their lives, they lived their lives at their own pace. However, their lives were shadowed by worry.

A multidisciplinary programme for PR in PHC could be an alternative for patients suffering from COPD, in order to facilitate for them in their daily life. It is suggested that the inclusion of patients in such groups should be based on each individual's need based on symptoms or functional capacity in everyday life, not based on spirometry values.

The aim of the study was to establish the scale and cost of ineffectively made consultations by self-referring patients across three North Wales primary care practices for ‘day-to-day’ conditions.

Little evidence exists of the scale of ineffectively made day-to-day help-seeking by self-referral patients. Examination of this issue is compromised by the use of traditional language to describe help-seeking, which is subjective and of limited use. There is little understanding about help-seeking for day-to-day conditions. Most research on help-seeking behaviour has considered help-seeking for specific services; specific cohorts; or specific conditions, rather than help-seeking for day-to-day conditions.

A survey of all routine consultations made at four general practices in North Wales over a one-week period was conducted. Using objective definitional parameters classifying routine consultations as either effectively or ineffectively made, we measured the scale of ineffective help-seeking. General practitioners categorised consultations as either effective or ineffective. Ineffectively made consultations were categorised as follows: potentially avoidable; made with the wrong healthcare professional; or made at the wrong time.

A total of 22 GPs made 1217 routine consultations for day-to-day symptoms, of which 24% were ineffectively made. Fifteen percent of consultations were potentially avoidable. Potentially avoidable consultations alone may be costing the NHS £87.85 million annually. The ineffective use of limited and scarce healthcare resources should be examined. Patient outcome may be potentially compromised directly by poor help-seeking decisions but also by ineffective use of resources.