GP ASSISTANTSHIP STUDENT HANDBOOK 2020 - 21

SPECIFIC OUTCOMES

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