Patient education Resources

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and urinary incontinence (UI) are common problems experienced by women of all ages. With the publication of Seizing the opportunity to improve patient care: Pelvic floor services in 2021 and beyond (Pelvic Floor Society, 2021) comes recognition of how common pelvic floor disorders are, but how little investment
has been put into these services. Such publications highlight the need for services to be provided which encourage women to come forward to be assessed and treated. This article, the second in a two-part series, discusses conservative treatments for UI and POP, which should be considered as first-line options where possible (National Institute
for Health and Care Excellence [NICE], 2021) and are easily started in primary care.

In December 2018, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published new guidelines on the diagnosis and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in over 16s, which have subsequently been updated in July 2019 (NICE, 2019). Here, Jaqui Walker, advanced nurse practitioner/general practice nurse, Stirling, looks at what the 2019 changes are, how they are influencing practice, and gives handy tips on how to implement the key changes.

Chronic wounds are a complex and challenging health problem for all concerned, but most importantly for patients who have to live with them. Chronic wounds impact negatively on patients’ quality of life, often accompanied by a loss of independence and, in many cases, a sense of hopelessness. The global prevalence of wounds is predicted to rise with an ageing population, and rapidly increasing numbers of people with obesity and diabetes. In an NHS with escalating costs and a shortage of qualified nurses, it is not sustainable for nurses to continue to manage all wounds. By incorporating shared decision-making and involving patients in their own care, it will be possible to improve outcomes for all concerned.

There are many components to consider when performing an annual asthma review. The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) can help by prompting healthcare professionals to include such tasks as inhaler technique, peak flow and the Royal College of Physicians’ three questions (RCP3Q). However, these are only process measures. To perform a review adequately, it is important also to understand the more subtle aspects of asthma management in order to achieve the best outcomes for the patient. The ‘SIMPLES’ approach is one way in which this might be achieved (Ryan et al, 2013).

While working as a district nurse in a GP practice, the author and a community pharmacist performed a small audit to establish the use of self-monitoring of blood glucose within the practice population. The results indicated that 79 patients were prescribed blood glucose test strips directly in contrast to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2015) guidance. The results were then shared within the practice to initiate education and a education in unnecessary testing. The following article describes the audit in more depth and explores some of the available evidence on blood glucose monitoring in patients with non-insulin dependent type 2 diabetes.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK, affecting 40,000 people (Patnick and Atkin, 2011). It is likely therefore that general practice nurses (GPNs) will encounter patients at risk of, or with the disease during everyday practice. This article gives GPNs a brief understanding of colorectal cancer, including identifying patients who may be at risk of developing the disease and who may benefit from screening and health promotion. GPNs can play an active role in managing patients with colorectal cancer, providing clinical interventions, while also offering advice and support.