The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
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Uncoded chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with poorer quality of care. ⋯ This study found that >50% of CKD was uncoded and, for those patients, quality of care was lower compared with those with coded CKD. Future research and practices should focus on areas of greater deprivation and targeted initiatives for those aged <50 years and of black African, black Caribbean, South Asian, or non-stated ethnic groups. Possible areas for improvement include diagnostic coding support, automated CKD recording, and clinical decision support (based on adjusted eGFR results) in the GP clinical records.
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Concerns have been raised that women from deprived backgrounds are less likely to be receiving hormone replacement therapy (HRT) treatment and its benefits, although evidence in support of this is lacking. ⋯ This study highlights inequalities associated with HRT prescription. This may reflect a large unmet need in terms of menopause care in areas of deprivation. Further research is needed to identify the factors from patient and GP perspectives that may explain this.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the psychological health and health service utilisation of older adults with multimorbidity, who are particularly vulnerable. ⋯ Psychosocial health of older patients with multimorbidity markedly deteriorated and missed medical appointments substantially increased after the COVID-19 outbreak.
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The National Early Warning Score (NEWS) is a tool for identifying and responding to acute illness. When used in care homes, staff measure residents' vital signs and record them on a tablet computer, which calculates a NEWS to share with health services. This article outlines an evaluation of NEWS implementation in care homes across one clinical commissioning group area in northern England. ⋯ This evaluation highlights the need to involve care home staff and the primary care services that support them when developing and implementing interventions in care homes. The appropriateness and value of NEWS in non-acute settings requires ongoing monitoring.