The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
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Primary care opioid prescribing to treat chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) has progressively increased despite a lack of evidence for long-term safety and effectiveness. Developing primary care interventions to reduce opioid dependence in patients with CNCP is a public health priority. ⋯ This service model was acceptable and may be a useful means to manage patients with CNCP who develop opioid dependence after long-term use of opioids. A randomised controlled trial is needed to formally test the effectiveness of the service.
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Primary care guidelines for the management of persistent, often 'medically unexplained', physical symptoms encourage GPs to discuss with patients how these symptoms relate to negative emotions. However, many GPs experience difficulties in reaching a shared understanding with patients. ⋯ Patients describe different types of relations between physical symptoms and negative emotions in consultations. Physical symptoms can be attributed to emotions when patients introduce this link themselves, but this link tends to be denied when introduced by the GP. Awareness of the ways patients discuss these relations could help GPs to better understand the patient's view and, in this way, collaboratively move towards constructive explanations and symptom management strategies.
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Antenatal vaccines are commonly delivered in primary care, yet the views of GPs regarding these programmes have been neglected in research to date. ⋯ There is support among GPs to embed vaccination programmes within routine antenatal care. Further educational resources, specifically designed for the needs of GPs, are needed to facilitate opportunistic discussion with pregnant women about vaccination.