Articles: ninos.
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Empathy is a key health care concept and refers to care that incorporates understanding of patient perspective's, shared decision making, and consideration of the broader context in which illness is experience. Evidence suggests experiences of doctor empathy correlate with improved health outcomes and patient satisfaction. It has also been linked to job satisfaction, and mental wellbeing for doctors. To date, there is a paucity of evidence on empathy levels among medical students. This is critical to understand given that it is a key point at which perceptions and practices of empathy in the longer term might be formed. ⋯ These data will help to provide a better understanding of empathy levels to inform the provision of future empathy training and medical school curriculum design. Given previous evidence linking experiences of empathy to better health outcomes, the findings may also be significant to future patient care.
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Involving patients and carers in decisions that influence the delivery of health services is a statutory requirement across the NHS. However, current evidence suggests a gap exists between the theory, legislation and policy intentions and their practical implementation. ⋯ The literature suggests that no existing framework addresses all three key themes. Therefore, a revised framework for involvement was developed, informed by the three key themes, that can be tested across a larger sample and different healthcare settings.
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The research on the benefits, disadvantages and factors that affect appointment length in general practice is fragmented. There is a need to draw the evidence together and who better to assess this than those on the front line. ⋯ Most doctors would like longer appointments. In light of the concern about appointment availability, there needs to be research into whether this would substantiate.
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As the population of older adults' increases, the complexity of care required to support those who choose to remain in the community has also increased. Anticipatory Care Planning (ACP) through earlier identification of healthcare needs is evidenced to improve quality of life, decrease the number of aggressive futile interventions, and even to prolong life. ⋯ Unique insights relating to the trans-jurisdictional delivery of healthcare services in the UK and RoI were observed which has implications on service delivery for older adults.
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Most patients are cared for in the community by GPs, and workforce planning for the UK NHS suggests that 50% of medical school graduates need to train as GPs. While there is pressure on medical schools to provide more student teaching in general practice, general practice must be prepared for this increase in workload and teachers should have appropriate training. ⋯ As medical student teaching moves into general practice GPs who teach will need to be helped to understand and develop positive role model attributes, to promote general practice as an attractive career to the students. Further research needs to identify the extent of assistance required and whether medical schools are prepared for this extra responsibility.