GP ASSISTANTSHIP STUDENT HANDBOOK 2020 - 21

I) KNOWLEDGE

You will be expected to acquire clinical knowledge in areas of medicine particularly relevant to community-based practice. The following list is not exhaustive or exclusive, however can be used as a guide during the placement.

HEALTH PROMOTION AND ILLNESS PREVENTION

• Identify the benefits and problems of early or pre-symptomatic diagnosis.
• Understand the need to identify high risk groups in General Practice.
• Consider the importance of Health Education in Primary Care.
• Consider methods of Disease Prevention and Health Education within the Community setting including screening.

DATA GATHERING AND DECISION MAKING ³

To acquire assessment and management strategies for the following common issues:

• Common symptoms and presentations (e.g. back pain, abdominal pain, headaches, chest pain, vaginal discharge, lethargy, dizziness)
• Common infections (e.g. respiratory tract infections, viral illnesses of childhood, urinary tract infections)
• Ischaemic Heart Disease, Hypertension and Heart Failure
• Asthma and COPD
• Depression and Anxiety
• Osteoarthritis
• Common skin conditions including Eczema and Psoriasis
• Diabetes and Thyroid Disease
• Routine Antenatal care
• Demonstrate counselling for different contraception types, and Termination of Pregnancy.
• Understand special concerns and considerations around sub-fertility and describe referral options.

Also, to include acute and new presentation in primary care:

• Cardiac pain
• New onset Diabetes Mellitus
• Shortness of Breath
• The Unwell Child

 

MANAGING MEDICAL COMPLEXITY 3

·       Enable people living with long-term conditions to improve their health

·       Learning to manage multiple health problems within an individual patient

·       Adopting safe and effective approaches for patients with complex needs

 

COMMUNITY ORIENTATION (Including OOH and Palliative Care)

·       Understanding the health service and their role within it

·       Build relationships within the communities in which they work

• Understand the role of Informal Carers in the community.
• Understand the relationship between Primary Care, Secondary Care, Social Services, and the Voluntary Sector.
• Compare and contrast the differences between General Practice and Hospital based practice.

OUT OF HOURS CARE

• Understand why patients access health care in an urgent manner.
• Consider the difference in the Doctor-Patient relationship in the OOHs setting, as well as the differing challenges.
• Appreciate the potential clinical risk in unsupported settings, as well as the undifferentiated presentation of illness out of hours.
• How access to out of hours care has changed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

PALLIATIVE CARE 

• Consider team working in End of Life Care.
• Identify examples of End of Life decision making.
• Explain common problems and solutions around pain control, drug choice, and drug administration including syringe drivers.
• Consider the role of Funeral Directors and support for bereaved families.
• Consider relevant details regarding rituals for death management, and legal aspects of Death Certification and cremation.

 

LEARNING AND TEACHING 3

·       Continuously evaluating and improving the care provided

·       Adopting a safe and scientific approach to improve quality of care

·       Knowing limits and asking for help

·       Supporting the education and development of colleagues

 

 

LEADERSHIP AND TEAMWORK 3

·       Understand the role of each member of the Primary Care Team in the care of patients and their families.

·       Consider the skills and responsibilities of individual team members, both within the Surgery and with continuing care at home.

·       Working as an effective team member

·       Coordinating a team-based approach to the care of patients

·       Applying leadership skills to improve your organisation’s performance

3.  RCGP 2010 “THE CORE CURRICULUM STATEMENT: Being a General Practitioner”, p11