June 1999

News

RCOG launches guidelines on male and female sterilisation

Evidence-based approach improves GP menorrhagia management

Editorial

Getting to grips with clinical governance

Dr Richard Baker, Director of the Clinical Governance Research & Development Unit, Dept of General Practice & Primary Health Care, University of Leicester

Personal View

Sterilisation guidelines emphasise patient choice

New RCOG guidelines on sterilisation stress the need to give patients full and accurate information, says Dr Sam Rowlands

Personal View

Guidance needed in areas that guidelines ignore

Dr Elizabeth Davies argues that the current evidence-based approach may not be the only way forward

Letters

National audit results keenly awaited

Guidelines in Practice welcomes letters; if would you like to share your views with other readers, please write in

Guideline Development

Updating national guidelines for referral of breast problems

Professor Robert Mansel, Dr Nader Khonji and Mr Dayalan Clarke explain how the revised guidelines aim to allow fast-tracking of patients with suspected cancer

Guideline Implementation

Hall Report proposes radical changes in child health surveillance

Dr Greg Dilliway looks at the implications and possible consequences for parents and professionals of the recommendations in the latest Hall Report

Audit

Practice audit identifies shortfalls in epilepsy management

Dr Nigel Watson explains how the results of an audit convinced all the GPs in his practice of the need to improve epilepsy care

Guideline Appraisal

Assessing the quality of national guidelines

Françoise Cluzeau explains how the Health Care Evaluation Unit at St George's Hospital Medical School appraise national clinical guidelines

Tips on Guideline Use

Is this guideline right for your patients?

Dr Mark Charny suggests a checklist for assessing whether a guideline is relevant and sound, in the fifth article in this series

Questions & Answers

Your problems solved

Our editorial board answer your questions on how to ensure that your practice computer is secure and writing legal reports

Out of Hours

Meanwhile, back in the surgery

Dr Phil Hammond, GP, lecturer and presenter of BBC2's Trust Me, I'm a Doctor