Supporting GPs whose performance gives cause for concern: the North Trent experience.

BACKGROUND: The North Trent scheme to address the problem of GPs whose performance gives cause for concern was implemented in 1997. This paper describes the structure and process of the scheme and evaluates the main outcomes. METHODS: We used non-participant observation and semi-structured interviews with representatives of the seven Health Authorities (HAs) of North Trent including medical and prescribing advisors and senior primary care managers. Twenty-one GPs who were members of the Performance Review Quartets (PRQs) were also interviewed. Qualitative data were analysed using a constant comparative method to identify emergent themes. RESULTS: Performance indicators were agreed between HAs and the profession in the seven North Trent localities. The scheme identified 18 GPs whose performance gave cause for concern, of whom 15 GPs in six practices received a formal visit. Educational plans were agreed and implemented with three GPs. The remaining 12 received administrative and clinical support. Three of the 18 GPs initially refused to co-operate with the scheme. Two of these have since agreed a practice visit following a visit by a senior local medical committee representative. The performance indicators used in the scheme have not been specific to individual GPs except those in single-handed practices. Some indicators used by PRQs related to cost effectiveness rather than quality of care for individual patients. Current resources were adequate for the small number of underperforming GPs identified by the scheme. CONCLUSIONS: The North Trent scheme has identified a number of underperforming GPs, 83% of whom have been willing to participate in a supportive intervention. The scheme will need some modification with the advent of primary care trusts and the proposed assessment and support centres.

Competence-based summative assessment of a student-directed course: involvement of key stakeholders.

The 5-week module in general practice for final-year students at the University of Sheffield is based on practice attachments and student-directed learning in small groups. This paper describes how the summative assessment process of the module was revised to incorporate the notion of competence-based assessment, and how general practitioner tutors, departmental tutors and students were involved in this revision. The question 'What are students expected to know and be able to do by the end of the module?' was answered in terms of a statement of the key purpose of the module and a list of intended learning outcomes. The question 'How can we find out if students have achieved these outcomes?' was addressed by developing check-lists of criteria for observed behaviours and for the written products of students' actions.

Student-directed problem-based learning in general practice and public health medicine.

The development and implementation are described of a new 6-week course in general practice and public health medicine for final-year medical students. This course is based on the principles of student-directed problem-based learning in small groups and makes substantial use of student attachments to local general practices which act as learning resources. Student assessment is by profiles. Course evaluation is by qualitative feedback, and the results of this are presented. The course offers a flexible learning environment in which the aims of its designers and the goals of their students can be achieved.

Family attachments and medical sociology: a valuable partnership for student learning.

This paper reports association within a curriculum of a theoretical programme in medical sociology for undergraduate medical students with a practical family attachment. These two components constitute the 'sociology' element of a course in behavioural science, and have equal weight for assessment purposes. Recognition of, on one hand, the mutuality of the two elements, and on the other, their similar but distinct theoretical underpinnings, suggests that such an association has the benefit of retaining the individual contributions of each component to student learning, while enabling theoretical and practical components to inform each other. Both are administered from the Department of General Practice of the University of Sheffield, UK. The consequences of such an educational provision are discussed.

Communication skills and clinical methods: a new introductory course.

In the revised medical curriculum at Sheffield University, a new 4-week introductory clinical course has been introduced to teach communication skills, clinical history-taking and physical examination. There is no formal examination for the course, which has been evaluated by feedback from students and tutors with questionnaires and group discussion.

Mild hypertension: a clinical trial conducted in hospital general practice.

To compare findings in a hospital trial of hypotensive drugs with those in a general practice trial several patients with mild hypertension were studied at the same time in hospital and in general practice. They received bendrofluazide and potassium chloride or bendrofluazide, potassium chloride, and reserpine according to a double-blind crossover protocol, and blood biochemical values were studied over eight weeks and six months. When reserpine was withdrawn from nine women they followed a modified protocol comparing bendrofluazide and potassium chloride with potassium chloride alone. The blood pressure values measured by the general practitioners were similar to those measured in hospital. Both the diuretic alone and the diuretic with reserpine produced significant falls in blood pressures. Although plasma renin activity increased on diuretic treatment, continued treatment did not produce a further increase, and levels gradually declined towards normal.