Pulse: Viva la revolución

The coming year may prove pivotal for general practice, and our Pulse January cover, Viva la revolución, looks into what may happen with negotiations around the GP contract in England. We look at some radical changes, such as workload limits, GPs being paid by activity rather than by patient numbers and even privatisation. We canvass the opinion of more than 1,000 GPs on what radical solutions they are willing to adopt, as well as examining the positions of the BMA and the Government.

A major analysis from Pulse January also examines the criticism around GP access, and asks whether it is fair. When ‘league tables’ of access were produced, the media accused them of shunning face-to-face appointments and long waiting lists. Pulse’s analysis examines the systemic pressures, revealing that practices are having to make choices between face-to-face access and shorter appointment times as it is impossible to provide both with current resources.

In the clinical section, we have key questions on postural tachycardia syndrome, while our new series on ‘rational referrals’ supports readers in navigating pathways. We have a therapeutics update on CKD management, and another quiz based on symptoms found in the new Pulse Reference service.

And finally, our columnists look to the year ahead and provide their predictions – some more serious than others.