Essential Clinical Cases GP Trainees
Essential Clinical Cases GP Trainees
Essential Clinical Cases GP Trainees
10 common GP presentations
This clinical induction of e-learning resources has been designed to help you
learn about 10 common GP consultations. You could easily have patients
presenting with all of these in 1 day! The modules will also introduce you to
the websites frequently used by GPs and we suggest that you save them as
favourites on your desktop.
General Practice can vary significantly form one day to the next … you will
continually be challenged and need to broaden and develop your knowledge.
During your GP rotation, you will have the opportunity to learn in various ways
including: discussing patients with your trainer, reflecting on cases, looking up
information and participating in tutorials. However, these modules will provide
a good starting point for you – and we suggest you read them as early as
possible to get the best out of your rotation.
Consultation 1. Headache
GP Notebook is an invaluable resource and a good first place to look for
clinical guidance. Register free via Univadis as you will use GP notebook
almost every day. Follow the links on headache. You need to be able to
distinguish between primary and secondary headaches and know how to
identify red flags. What would be your first line treatment for tension
headache, migraine and medication overuse headaches?
http://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?ID=-288358397
Consultation 2. Contraception
Pill checks and prescribing contraceptives is common in GP but something
you may never have done during your rotations so far. You need to know who
can and can’t have certain pills, and the wider contraceptive choices available
for patients. This is summarised on the UKMEC guidelines. We suggest that
you print it out, pin it to your notice board and check it before prescribing any
contraceptives.
http://www.fsrh.org/pdfs/ukmecsummarysheets2009.pdf
Start by reading the leaflets on combined and progesterone only pills – they
will answer many of the questions you are likely to have.
The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare has clinical guidance on
all forms of contraception. We suggest that you save this website as a
favourite so you can quickly find information when you need to.
http://www.fsrh.org/pages/clinical_guidance.asp
We recommend that you print out this table, and use it:
http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg160/resources/cg160-feverish-illness-in-
children-support-for-education-and-learning-educational-resource-traffic-light-
table2
Consultation 5. Eczema
Dermnet.nz is a fantastic website for dermatology with lots of pictures and
advice.
http://www.dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/atopic.html
When prescribing creams you need to give patients clear instructions on how
to use them. Revise the ‘finger tip unit’ for applying steroid cream:
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/fingertip-units-for-topical-steroids
When patients first present you will likely undertake a set of bloods to exclude
conditions such as anaemia and hypothyroidism.
There is an excellent video for managing hypothyroidism on the GP update
website. There is also an excellent video for diagnosing and managing
fibromyalgia which is often a comorbidity in chronic fatigue.
Click here to watch both videos.
Consultation 8. Depression
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/depression-leaflet
Find out how to refer/patients self refer for psychological therapy. It is also
useful to be aware of the websites that patients might use – look at the advice
on MIND:
http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health