Locum doctor use in England

GP locums provide just over 3% of NHS primary care, and that figure has remained stable over time according to new research. Locums are more likely to be younger and male than other GPs, and to be working in underperforming practices in rural areas. Quality of care is usually more about the organisations than the locums themselves. What matters is how locums are used in order to provide safe care. This research on variations in locum use across general practices can help to inform workforce policy.

Speculum-free cervical screening

Non-speculum cervical screening and self-sampling substantially increases (17%) cervical screening uptake in older lapsed-attendee women, according to a new RCT. This finding was evident across all ethnicities. Offering women novel cervical screening tests without a speculum can substantially increase uptake. This is of particular importance because underscreened and unscreened women are at the highest risk of developing cervical cancer, yet screening uptake has been falling. Offering women a choice of screening tests that can be taken without a speculum increases uptake and helps ensure more women are protected from cervical cancer.

Rewilding general practice

Iona Heath writes about 'rewilding' general practice, as a way of returning practice to a state where it can flourish. Rewilding removes targets and fixed expectations, and tweaks processes on the basis of experience and evidence. Rather than the current system where GPs' work is beset with bureaucracy and constant tweaks to the system, a rewilding approach waits to see what happens before tweaking something else. Dr Heath explains a lack of attention gives things a chance to flourish, and that general practice is an intellectual profession. It's important for doctors to think, not just follow guidelines.