InnovAiT: Education and inspiration for general practice

Meningitis and encephalitis are both acute medical emergencies with considerable morbidity and mortality. They have public health implications and are listed as notifiable diseases. This article aims to give an overview of meningitis and encephalitis, outlining their recognition and management relevant to general practice.

Eye problems are common and account for 1.5% of general practice consultations in the UK. True ophthalmic emergencies are rare; however, it is vital that they are recognized and treated early in order to prevent visual loss and resulting disability. This article aims to provide an overview of diagnosis and management of eye emergencies in the primary care setting and will focus on sight threatening conditions not to be missed.

Poisoning is a significant public health concern in the UK. Accidental poisoning and deliberate self-poisoning may involve drugs, household products, environmental contaminants or occur as a result of occupational exposure. This article aims to provide a strategy for GPs to use for assessment and management of patients presenting in the community with a history of exposure to poisons.

All pregnant women in the UK are entitled to antenatal care. In low-risk women, this is usually provided by the community midwife and the GP. GPs should therefore be aware of the structure and purpose of routine antenatal care and situations where referral to local obstetric facilities is necessary. Early pregnancy antenatal risk assessment is essential to identify high-risk women who will require obstetric-led care.

Women may self-present or be referred to you by their midwife with a range of pregnancy symptoms; these are common complaints relating to pregnancy itself rather than any underlying disease. They rarely signify pathology but can cause significant distress for women. Therefore, it is important to provide reassurance and constructive advice tailored to the individual woman's needs. It is necessary to be aware of treatment options, reassurance required and relevant pathologies to exclude.

Breast pain, or mastalgia, is a common symptom experienced by up to two-thirds of women. They often present to their GP fearing that this is a symptom of breast cancer. Most have only mild-to-moderate breast pain and accept this as part of the normal changes that occur during their menstrual cycle. Some women, however, have more severe symptoms requiring treatment. As a GP it is essential to be able to competently take a history and examine a woman complaining of breast pain to ensure there is no underlying sinister cause and then be able to explain, reassure and offer advice on how to manage symptoms.

Academic GPs have made significant contributions to the care of many millions of patients through research in primary care populations. They have also been instrumental in the development of community-based undergraduate medical education. Here, we explore what academic GP training involves and why all associates in training should have an interest in research and teaching.