The BJGP publishes videos and multimedia to highlight research findings, clinical impact, and top 10 articles. Here's a selection of BJGP videos. See BJGP YouTube playlist on RCGP's YouTube for more videos and updates. Also see BJGP's new YouTube channel. 

 

Unsafe prescribing of methotrexate

GPs in England continue to breach national guidelines on tablet strength designed to avoid accidental methotrexate overdose, according to research on trends in prescribing of methotrexate. High doses of methotrexate increase the risk of toxicity and 21 deaths have been attributed to methotrexate from 1993 to 2017. Doctors are advised to avoid 10mg tablets and prescribe only 2.5mg tablets. Here, Brian MacKenna, Pharmacist Researcher – University of Oxford, from the Evidence-based DataLab discusses the findings. Also watch videos on Practice and OpenPrescribing at BJGP Life.

 

Avoid the term ‘morning sickness’

According to new research, ‘morning sickness’ is a misnomer. It can happen at any time in a 24-hour period. In a video interview, author Professor Roger Gadsby explains why GPs should drop the unhelpful name ‘morning sickness’. He states that many pregnant women feel that it trivialises the problem. In an accompanying video interview Caitlin Dean, researcher, nurse specialist, and mother, states: 'Telling her she's got a bit of morning sickness is the most invalidating and upsetting thing you can do’. She asks that GPs talk about it in terms of ‘nausea and vomiting’. Article and videos are all available via ArticlePLUS. 

 

Hospitalisation and homelessness

Homeless people registered at a specialist surgery who had a combination of chronic physical illness, mental illness, plus alcohol and/or drug dependence – known as ‘trimorbidity’ – were four times more likely to have an unplanned hospital admission. The study, conducted in a specialist homeless practice in Brighton, showed that the three significant risk factors were enduring mental health problems and/or personality disorder, gastrointestinal disease and alcohol dependence. Catherine Himsworth discusses the findings in this short video.

 

Paramedics in primary care

The role of paramedics is expanding beyond the ambulance service into general practice. Georgette Eaton, herself a paramedic, and colleagues from Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, explored the role of paramedics in primary care.

 

Professor Martin Marshall at the BJGP Research Conference

BJGP Research Conference Plenary 1: The importance of research in taking the NHS into the next decade. Professor Martin Marshall, 12 March 2020, RCGP London. https://bjgp.org/conference | #BJGPRC

 

Dr Richard Vautrey at the BJGP Research Conference

BJGP Research Conference Plenary 2: The NHS and the current political climate. Dr Richard Vautrey, 12 March 2020, RCGP London. https://bjgp.org/conference | #BJGPRC 

 

Early GP referrals lead to longer surviving cancer patients​

A study analysed data of 1.4 million patients with cancer in England, and found that cancer patients from the highest referring GP practices had a lower mortality rate. The research highlights increases in primary care referrals and access to diagnostic tests which allows more cancers to be diagnosed. This has also led to the number of people diagnosed with cancer following an A&E presentation to drop from 1 in 4 to fewer than 1 in 5. 

 

BJGP Top 10 research

Countdown of top 10 research articles most read and published in 2019 – 10. End-of-life admissions, 9. Online triage, 8. Video consultations, 7. UK newspaper coverage of GPs, 6. Brain tumour diagnosis, 5. Inflammatory marker testing: sensitivity, 4. Hospital admissions of frail older people, 3. Multiple inflammatory marker testing, 2. Medication reviews, 1. Asylum seeker health. 

 

Safety netting to avoid missed diagnoses

The diagnostic strategy of safety-netting is examined by Edwards et al. who found use of safety netting in almost two-thirds of consultations, but actions required by patients were not always documented. In an accompanying paper, Edwards et al. report the development of a coding tool. Formalising safety netting may be particularly important in patients with low risk but not ‘no risk symptoms’ suggestive of cancer.

 

BJGP's impact, readership, and peer review

Find out in 90 seconds why authors publish with us. The BJGP publishes high-quality research and has the highest impact factor of all primary care journals worldwide, reaching 4.43 for 2018; additional journal metrics are the 5-year impact factor 4.187, Immediacy Index 1.380, Eigenfactor 0.00937, and Article Influence Score 1.370. View download statistics and top Altmetric scores, plus time from submission to first and final decisions.

 

BJGP's clinical research impact

The BJGP publishes high-quality research with clinical impact. This video shows the impact of research on: 1. Detecting multiple myeloma, 2. Avoiding unnecessary thyroid tests, 3. Recognising testicular cancer, 4. Detecting atrial fibrillation, 5. Cancer safety netting, 6. Extending prescription length, 7. Investigating weight loss, 8. Responding to maternal non-attendance, 9. Shortening antibiotic treatment for sore throat, 10. Prescribing exercise for postnatal depression, 11. C-reactive protein and acute cough.