This year, Pulse looks at the private health companies who are thriving due to the pandemic. The January issue looks at how their marketing strategies are focusing on the increase in waiting times, and potentially creating a two-tier health service.

Elsewhere, Pulse‘s investigation reveals the damaging effects that the removal of MPIG funding has had, and we have a look at the new NICE depression guidelines and how this year’s health bill will affect GPs.

Our bloggers gaze into their crystal balls to give their predictions for 2022, while Copperfield and Nabi both cover the distressing case of the GP who was sued for not advising folic acid to an expectant mother.

The clinical section features a casebook on sports injuries, and we launch our new ‘clinical clangers’ feature.

On Friday 10^th December the winners of this year’s General Practice Awards were announced at a gala dinner hosted by comedian and actor Tom Allen.

As always, our judges had the unenviable task of choosing winners from hundreds of worthy and deserving submissions. We say every year how truly valuable it is to have a night like the Awards where we recognise those who have gone above and beyond, but in the current climate, these words have never been more appropriate. 

This year our finalists, and all healthcare professionals, have had no choice but to go beyond their normal duties.

From delivering covid vaccination programmes with little notice, doing more remote consultations, to endeavouring to treat vulnerable and elderly patients who are shielding, scared and isolated, they have had to think quickly and innovatively about how to better protect patients and staff.

And all this against a backdrop of the usual challenges; getting to grips with primary care networks, tackling staff shortages, the dumping of workload from secondary care. We are truly in awe.

So without further ado, here are the 2021 General Practice Awards winners:

Clinical Improvement Award: Chronic Conditions
Winner: Newton Medical Centre, SSP Health

Clinical Improvement Award: Mental Health
Winner: Ansh Pal Singh, Lynwood Medical Centre

Clinical Improvement Award: Public Health and Prevention
Sponsored by Atrumed
Winner: Dr Maggie Kirk and the HealthBus Team

Technology or Digital Solution Provider of the Year
Winner: X-on

Extended Practice Team Member of the Year
Winner: Liz Rose, Social Prescriber, Gillingham Medical Practice

GP Trainee Rising Star of the Year
Sponsored by Atrumed, supported by Pulse
Winner: Dr Devina Maru, National Medical Director’s Clinical Fellow, GP Specialty Registrar, London

General Practitioner of the Year
Sponsored by mjog by livi, supported by Pulse
Winner: Dr Christopher Griffin, Chief Executive Officer, Milton Keynes Urgent Care Services

GP Team of the Year
Sponsored by X-on
Winner: Covid Protect – Norfolk and Waveney

HCP Education Programme of the Year
Winner: Inspira Health and Medtronic

Medical Supplier of the Year
Winner: Dene Healthcare

Pharmacist or Pharmacy Team of the Year
Winner: Mr Viral Doshi FRPharmS, Consultant Pharmacist – Public Health

Practice Manager of the Year
Sponsored by PSUK
Winner: Stephanie Tedstone, Management Partner, Compass House Medical Centres

Practice Nursing Award
Winner: Maggi Bradley, General Practice Nurse, Aughton Surgery; Nursing clinical lead Sefton Training Hub; Queens Nurse

Receptionist or Reception Team of the Year
Sponsored by Premier Patient Line
Winner: Jill Nicholls, College Lane Surgery, Ackworth, Pontefract, West Yorkshire

Staffing Agency of the Year
Winner: Menlo Park Recruitment

Telecoms Provider of the Year
Winner: EVAD

Huge congratulations to all our winners and a huge thank you to our judges and sponsors – without you the General Practice Awards simply wouldn’t be possible!

If you are interested in entering the 2022 General Practice Awards please contact generalpracticeawards@cogora.com to be added to the mailing list.

If you are interested in sponsoring the 2022 General Practice Awards or would like to nominate your company, team, or colleagues – please get in touch today: nickhayward@cogora.com.

Hospital Healthcare Europe: Haematology is the fourth supplement from the 2021 issue, covering the latest clinical education and developments in healthcare across Europe. 

Our latest supplement covering Haematology is now available. Read this to:    

• Learn how technology around CBC testing is evolving by leveraging innovative digital microscopy in blood diagnostics 
• Access guideline summaries and recent key research in the fields of sickle cell disease, reducing relapse after transplantation in AML, and how using precision medicine improves progression-free survival in haematological cancers.   

Hospital Healthcare Europe, in association with HOPE, continues to provide high-quality, clinical education and detail the latest developments in healthcare in 2021. Previous supplements released this year include: 

• Radiology and Imaging: Learn how innovative technologies have transformed the standard of care in high level disinfection in ultrasound  
• Emergency Care: Learn how an AI-driven triage tool leverages routine clinical data collected at the point of care to rule out COVID-19 within an hour of patients arriving at hospital EDs 
• HOPE: Get an accurate, up to date picture of healthcare within the EU member states before the pandemic, including the situation in long-term and ambulatory care 

Coming soon, the Diagnostics supplement, the final in this year’s series.

The final supplement of Hospital Healthcare Europe 2021 covers diagnostics and is available to read online now. 

The Hospital Healthcare Europe: Diagnostics supplement is now available. Read this to:    

• Learn how pioneering technology is expanding decentralised healthcare by providing lab-grade CBC testing at the point of care  
• Access guideline summaries and recent key research covering potential biomarkers for cognitive decline, the 100,000 Genomes project and the diagnosis of certain rare diseases, and the potential of whole genomic sequencing in diagnosing mitochondrial disorders.   

Hospital Healthcare Europe, in association with HOPE, continues to provide high-quality, clinical education and detail the latest developments in healthcare. Previous supplements released this year include: 

• Radiology and Imaging: Learn how innovative technologies have transformed the standard of care in high level disinfection in ultrasound  
• Emergency Care: Learn how an AI-driven triage tool leverages routine clinical data collected at the point of care to rule out COVID-19 within an hour of patients arriving at hospital EDs 
• HOPE: Get an accurate, up to date picture of healthcare within the EU member states before the pandemic, including the situation in long-term and ambulatory care  
• Haematology: Learn how technology around CBC testing is evolving by leveraging innovative digital microscopy in blood diagnostics 

We look forward to publishing further supplements in our 2022 issue! 

Launching in early 2022, Pulse 365 and Nursing in Practice 365 are our new education platforms, bringing together our face-to-face events, virtual events, CPD learning platforms and our community – the first of its kind.

A positive learning to come from the Covid-19 lockdowns was the discovery of the convenience and effectiveness of online learning. A ‘hybrid’ offering for events and online education has been universally welcomed by our audience and this is where Pulse 365 and Nursing in Practice 365 comes into its own.

Both platforms will deliver an extended programme of virtual events to meet this new need as well as promoting the live events you have supported so well over the years. As the requirements for GPs, practice nurses and community care nurses continue to evolve and unprecedented challenges arise, our community are looking for quality professional education that is conveniently accessible.

Having delivered over 130 face to face and virtual events over the past five years, to over 37,000 delegates, we understand your audience and their educational needs better than anyone else. Designed to provide GPs, practice nurses and community care nurses with a holistic approach to their learning, Pulse 365 and Nursing in Practice 365 are centralised hubs for our community to fulfil their learning requirements. Choosing from a mix of bite-sized, interactive and longer-form content spanning over 20 clinical areas, our users can choose content to consume depending on their preferences and time.

Relevant and constantly updated, the content is presented in a variety of formats: CPD modules, virtual seminars, on-demand content, live events, handbooks, directories and articles; with tools to help them plan throughout the year.

We offer a series of solutions to maximise your investment and help you achieve your goal. For further information please contact Cogora on 020 7214 0573 or email nickhayward@cogora.com.

Nursing in Practice – the market-leading brand serving a highly engaged audience of 28,000 nurses in primary and community care, delivering a daily dose of incisive news, features, opinions, clinical advice and CPD.

Pulse – launched in 1960, Pulse sits at the heart of a highly engaged and loyal audience of over 41,000 GPs. Over our long history, we have evolved our offering to provide an indispensable and comprehensive range of trusted content that meets the needs of all GPs, and never more so than during Covid-19.

Pulse have scooped up two awards at this year’s PPA Independent Publisher Awards, with the judges noting ‘a morale boost for GPs’ among the team’s achievements.

Pulse was named ‘Business Publication of the Year’ at the PPA Independent Publisher Awards, while Pulse editor Jaimie Kaffash was also named ‘Editor of the Year’ at Friday’s ceremony.

The judges said they ‘were so impressed by the strong story of how this magazine not only survived the pandemic but actually grew readership figures and revenues with a reduced staff’. 

‘The achievements of this small team were nothing short of outstanding during an extremely challenging time for the sector. The combination of reporting hard hitting health stories while also providing a morale boost for GP’s was particularly notable.’

The judges also said Mr Kaffash is ‘a great example of a leader; innovative and highly effective’. ‘Jaimie hasn’t sat still, and has led the team expertly in doing what they all love with reduced resources but not reduced passion for the brand’, they said.

And they added that ‘Jaimie is a shining example of how one can look at adversity through the lens of opportunity rather than defeat’.

Pulse was also shortlisted in three further categories: ‘Team of the Year’ for the news team; ‘Media Brand of the Year’; and ‘Launch of the Year’ for Pulse PCN.

Pulse also won a PPA award in June this year, when deputy editor Sofia Lind was given the ‘Unsung Hero’ award for her work in leading the news team during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The third supplement from the 2021 issue of Hospital Healthcare Europe covers the work of HOPE.

Our latest supplement on the work of HOPE allows our audience of hospital healthcare professionals to: 

• Get an accurate, up to date picture of healthcare within the EU member states before the pandemic, including the situation in long-term and ambulatory care  
• Hear from HOPE Governors on their national Covid vaccination programmes and delivery, and the consequences of the pandemic on physical and mental healthcare provision to non-Covid patients 

Hospital Healthcare Europe, in association with HOPE, continues to provide high-quality clinical education and detail the latest developments in healthcare in 2021. 

Radiology and Imaging was our first supplement, released in July, and covered topics including how innovative technologies have transformed the standard of care in high level disinfection in ultrasound. This was then followed by the Emergency Care supplement, released earlier in November, which covered news of an AI-driven triage tool leveraging routine clinical data collected at the point of care to rule out Covid-19 within an hour of patients arriving at hospital emergency departments.

Further supplements will be published through 2021, so keep reading to keep updated!

Pulse PCN is proud to announce the release of its new podcast series, the first aimed completely towards PCN clinical directors. You will be able to hear editor Victoria Vaughan discussing the big issues facing networks with other clinical directors and experts.

The first five podcasts from the Pulse PCN Podcast series have already been released, with discussions around setting up a network, working on a larger scale, the additional roles reimbursement scheme and how the enhanced care home scheme is working.

Launched in April, Pulse PCN contains news, views and analysis specifically for primary care network clinical directors, though of course, is free to any GP who is interested, the first of its kind.

We’re thrilled to announce that Pulse has been nominated for four awards at the BSME (British Society of Magazine Editors) Awards.

The four BSME award nominations include James Depree as Art Director of the Year, Cover of the Year for our February 2021 issue, Jaimie Kaffash as Editor of the Year and Launch of the Year for Pulse PCN.

The awards event takes place on Thursday 13 January 2022 in London. 

The BSME is the only society in the UK exclusively for digital and print editors, and follows two award wins at the BSME Talent Awards in July.

The second supplement within the 2021 issue of Hospital Healthcare Europe covers Emergency Care. 

Our latest supplement covering Emergency Care is now available to our audience of healthcare professionals, allowing them to:   

• Learn how an AI-driven triage tool leverages routine clinical data collected at the point of care to rule out COVID-19 within an hour of patients arriving at hospital EDs 
• Access guideline summaries and read about recent key research in the field.  

Hospital Healthcare Europe, in association with HOPE, continues to provide high-quality, clinical education and detail the latest developments in healthcare in 2021.

Radiology and Imaging was our previous supplement, released in July, and covered topics including how innovative technologies have transformed the standard of care in high level disinfection in ultrasound. 

Look out for further supplements in 2021 covering the work of HOPE and national COVID vaccination programmes and delivery across the EU, and developments and innovations in the fields of haematology and diagnostics. 

Hospital Pharmacy Europe (under the Hospital Pharmacy International brand) is delighted to release its latest educational handbook. Human albumin: Focus on liver disease (Chinese language version).

Cogora through Hospital Pharmacy Europe has been supporting CSL Behring since 2013 to address the important unmet educational needs of clinicians worldwide around human albumin in fluid resuscitation.

Albumin is the most abundant protein in the plasma, and is responsible for a number of physiological functions, mainly around maintaining oncotic pressure. Its use is indicated in a number of clinical scenarios, such as in sepsis and cardiac surgery, but particularly in liver disease (alcoholic and non-alcohol related, cirrhosis, ascites etc). The medical education activities undertaken have centred around the development of regional specific handbooks and digital resources, authored by key opinion leaders for each country, and translated into the local language of each target country. To date medical educational resources designed specifically for Europe, China, and the US have been developed and disseminated, with a further project addressing human albumin and the liver in India, Pakistan, Vietnam and the Philippines, authored by KOLs in those countries, currently being prepared.

Sponsored by CSL Behring and focusing on the use of human albumin in liver diseases, the handbook is presented in Chinese and written by key opinion leaders across China and Vietnam. The handbook, Human albumin: Focus on liver disease, is complementary to an English language version and is intended for a wide distribution across China and other Asian markets. 

For the rest of 2021 and early 2022 we have more exciting projects around the brand. We’ll be working with a new client on a concurrent series of handbooks on biosimilars in COVID, oncology and diabetes by EU, Asian and US KOLs.

 

The Pulse November magazine is a special issue on the NHS ‘rescue’ plan for general practice.

The Pulse November issue features five pages on the implications of the plan for GPs, including funding, the move to face-to-face appointments and the potential for league tables. We also provide a ‘mythbuster’ to challenge many of the claims in the unpopular plans. We also look at the increased numbers of GPs seeking counselling.

In our clinical section this month, we focus on the key questions around cow’s milk protein allergy, plus cognitive impairment from long Covid and on performing remote consultations for adult respiratory conditions.

We also focus on increasing list sizes, we highlight a campaign set up by a GP to speak to patients more widely and Copperfield explains why GPs are so great – sometimes.

This year we have combined our Pulse LIVE and Nursing in Practice events, bringing our GP and nurse community together for the first time. On 30 September we held the first of these combined events in London, where almost 700 healthcare professionals shared the challenges they are facing in primary care and gained topical and practical advice from our expert speakers.

Pulse LIVE & Nursing in Practice London offered a great opportunity to hear the different perspectives from our audience, and for the different roles to learn from one another.

Topics covered this year included:

• Virtual assessment of people presenting with neurological symptoms
• Liver disease in primary care
• Wound hygiene: Four simple steps to progress hard-to-heal wounds
• Cardio-renal-metabolic multi-morbidity
• Is it long covid?
• Scoliosis
• Tackling the cholesterol challenge: An innovative approach to lipid management in primary care
• ENT in general practice
• Urology in primary care

The four-stream agenda allowed delegates to pick and choose which sessions to attend, tailoring the event to their individual learning needs. We were joined by Marilyn Eveleigh, registered nurse, midwife, health visitor and advisory board member, Nursing in Practice; Dr Joe McGilligan, senior GP partner in Surrey and former chair, East Surrey CCG; and Dave Munday, lead professional officer (mental health) at Unite the union, health visitor and registered nurse; who each chaired a stream and encouraged delegates to take part in the Q&As.

In the exhibition hall, delegates were able to network with our clients including Benecol, Chiesi, Glenmark, Lantum and Novartis, to discuss their needs and those of their patients.

The event has proved popular with over 97% of attendees recommending it to a friend*. Here’s just some of the great comments we’ve received:

• “Energising to be back at a live event. Great to see friends and engage with learning.”
• “As good as ever. Have really missed the in-person learning.”
• “Since the pandemic, a refreshing change to see exhibitors and speakers delivering updates. Excellent, concise topics presented by good speakers.”

Our team are busy working on the final event in the series for 2021: Pulse & Nursing in Practice Birmingham – 11 November 2021, The National Conference Centre. If you are interested in being there as an attendee, speaker or sponsor, do get in touch: events@cogora.com for more information.

In this issue of Hospital Pharmacy Europe, we publish the results of an original international collaboration to determine which types of Clinical pharmacy services (CPS) are needed at a small rural hospital in Austria and assess the physicians’ acceptance rate of the pharmacists’ suggestions.

Implementing clinical pharmacy services (CPS) in a rural hospital has been shown to enhance patient safety and provide cost efficiencies. However, in countries such as Austria, few hospitals have a dedicated pharmacy department, and even fewer offer CPS.

Vaccine hesitancy is a complex issue that affects hospital pharmacy staff receiving the influenza vaccine. In this issue, Ryan Hamilton and Adam Baker of De Montfort University, UK discuss the drivers for uptake and hesitancy and propose interventions to address this.

In the first of a short series, Alistair Gray details how the creation of a Fluid Stewardship Committee at Royal Blackburn Hospital in the UK has led to better systems, processes and innovations to support effective intravenous fluid prescribing and management.

We have had a fantastic response to our return to face-to-face conferences, with over 1,300 healthcare professionals joining us so far at events across the UK. With further events scheduled this year in Birmingham, London and Newcastle where we are looking forward to welcoming GPs, nurses, Practice Managers, PCN clinical directors, and administration and reception teams.

Our recent events have covered a great range of topics and given attendees an invaluable space in which to learn, connect and collaborate. At the combined Pulse LIVE and Nursing in Practice conferences our experts gave their professional guidance on clinical pathways and an introduction to innovative digital tools; at Management in Practice London discussions focused on post-pandemic telephony, remote consultations, and how to manage inbound demand; whilst at our brand-new Pulse PCN forums delegates shared their views on how to respond to post-pandemic healthcare challenges.

Our attendees have greatly enjoyed returning to events in person, telling us that they ‘have really missed in-person learning’ and that it was ‘energising to be back at a live event’.

Here’s what we have coming up for the rest of 2021:

• Management in Practice Birmingham – 9 November
• Pulse/Nursing in Practice Birmingham – 11 November
• Pulse PCN London – 25 November
• Management in Practice Newcastle – 30 November
• General Practice Awards – 10 December

If you are interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at our remaining 2021 live events, please contact nickhayward@cogora.com for further details.

Pulse are thrilled to have five award nominations at the PPA Independent Publisher Awards 2021.

Pulse is nominated for Team of the year (news team), Business publication of the year, Media brand of the year, Editor of the year and Launch of the year (for Pulse PCN), after what as been a very busy year and a half for the team, continuing to support GPs through the pandemic.

Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on Friday 26th November 2021.

 

14 September was a big day for our events team as we held our first face-to-face conference since February 2020. We welcomed Practice Managers, GP Partners, Receptionists and Administrators at the ILEC Conference Centre for Management in Practice London.

It was fantastic to see our community in person once again, and to listen to engaging presentations and discussions.

Topics covered this year included:

• HR and employment updates
• Changes in commissioning
• Legal considerations for PCNs
• COVID-19
• Resilience and wellbeing
• NHS Pension Scheme
• PCN service specifications
• CQC: What’s new for primary care
• Remote consultations
• Post pandemic surgery telephony

Chaired by Jo Wadey, Director, Institute of General Practice Management; Myra Upton, president of AMSPAR; and Moira Auchterlonie Practice Management Network Board & Lay/Patient Reviewer, the event offered delegates a choice of talks, dedicated networking time and a lively exhibition to explore.

Our exhibitors and sponsors represented a range of sectors including technology, medical supplies, recruitment, financial planning, and legal advice. Attendees were able to discuss the needs of their practice and patients in a relaxed environment.

The event has proved popular with over 98% of attendees recommending it to a friend*. Here’s just some of the great comments we’ve received:

• “Great opportunity to meet like-minded colleagues face to face. Nice to know that ours is not the only practice facing challenges in the current climate.”
• “It was my first conference and was very pleased with all the presentations/meetings I attended. Very good choice for people of different skills and interests.”
• “It was wonderful to meet other colleges after a long time and have updates on what is going to happen in future.”

Our team are busy working on the final two dates for 2021:

• Management in Practice Birmingham – 9 November 2021, The National Conference Centre
• Management in Practice Newcastle – 30 November 2021, Hilton Newcastle Gateshead

If you are interested in being there as an attendee, speaker or sponsor, do get in touch: events@cogora.com or visit our website for more information.