Referral Resources

Occupation-related lung diseases can be defined as diseases that are caused or made worse by the work environment. These are usually as a result of long-term and repeated exposures, although a single major exposure can result in lung damage. The symptoms of occupation-related lung diseases may be similar to those of other conditions, therefore as clinicians, taking both a past and current occupational history is important to assist in determining the possibility of workrelated lung disease/damage. It should be remembered that occupational lung disease may not only affect the individual who is exposed to the cause at his/her work, but also those who are exposed to the cause in their home. A well-recognised example of this type of exposure is asbestos-related disease, where an individual may be exposed to the pollutant by contact with the worker’s clothes, for example by washing them, and may also suffer the effects of asbestos exposure. The Health and Safety at Work Act (HSW Act) published in 1974 established a foundation principal; that those who create the risk are those who should control the risk. The challenge as clinicians, is that many of the lung-related diseases identified are a consequence of exposure prior to the HSW act. This does not mean occupational exposure after the publication of the HSW Act in 1974 is safe, but it did become the basis for improving occupational health and safety. This article explores some of the recognised occupation-related lung diseases.

The six to eight-week infant examination is undertaken in primary care, predominantly by GPs, and is a vital repeat examination of the newborn infant physical examination (NIPE) to ensure that any congenital abnormalities are not missed, as some may not become apparent until this age. Although national standards exist for the NIPE in the form of the NIPE handbook (Public Health England [PHE], 2021), no such national standards exist for the six to eight-week infant check.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained adult cardiac arrhythmia with over one million people diagnosed with AF in the UK (Health and Social Care Information Centre, 2014; Information Services Division [ISD] Scotland, 2015; Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, 2015; Stats Wales, 2015). This is the second article of two that discusses the need to improve the management of AF in primary care. ‘Part 1’ considered case identification and the assessment and management of AF-related stroke risk. ‘Part 2’ addresses optimum heart rate control and how this might be achieved, patient education and utilising audit tools to improve the quality of AF management in primary care.