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From Lloyd George Envelopes to Artificial Intelligence: The Evolution of Medical Records in Primary Care

I spoke to GP Registrars on the Imperial College GP Training Scheme about the evolution of medical records in primary care. This is a journey that mirrors the broader transformation of healthcare itself. The story begins in 1911 , with the introduction of the Lloyd George Envelope following the National Insurance Act. These brown paper envelopes (named after the then Chancellor and future Prime Minister, David Lloyd George), each containing a patient’s handwritten medical notes and printed correspondence, became the standard for decades. They were simple, portable, and remarkably durable but also limited by their physical nature. Searching for information meant literally leafing through these paper records, and continuity of care relied on legibility and the clinician’s diligence in recording. The late 20th century brought a revolution: the computerisation of general practice . Early adopters in the 1980s and 1990s began using systems like EMIS and Vision, digitising the record and ...
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Rethinking NICE Cost-Effectiveness Thresholds: Implications for the NHS and UK Industrial Strategy

There has been recent discussion about the need to revise drug pricing frameworks within the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS), particularly amid the ongoing transatlantic trade frictions involving potential tariffs from the United States administration. Elevating the cost-effectiveness threshold applied by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) by 25 percent from its established range of £20,000 to £30,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) would increase access for NHS patients to innovative treatments that were previously excluded on grounds of excessive cost relative to their clinical benefits.  However, this change would also put increased pressure on the NHS budget. It is difficult to quantify the extra spending that might result from a wider range of drugs becoming available for use in the NHS through this change but any extra spending on these treatments would have to be matched by reductions in spending on other health services. Effect...
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The importance of coding Long Covid in electronic medical records

As the world continues to grapple with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Long Covid has emerged as a significant public health challenge. Characterised by persistent symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, shortness of breath, and joint pain lasting weeks, months or even years after an infection, Long Covid affects millions globally. Yet, one major hurdle in understanding and addressing this condition is its under-recording in electronic medical records (EMRs). Accurate coding of Long Covid in EMRs is essential for studying its epidemiology, improving patient care, and managing its impact on healthcare systems and on societies. Electronic medical records are at the core of modern health systems and have largely replaced the more traditional paper-based records used by healthcare providers for many decades. Electronic medical records are used to track patient diagnoses, treatments, and clinical outcomes. When Long Covid is not properly coded, it becomes difficult to use this data to c...
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Empowering medical students to manage polypharmacy

Polypharmacy, commonly defined as the concurrent use of five or more medications, is a growing challenge in modern healthcare, especially among older adults with multiple long-term conditions. While advances in medicine have improved disease management, they have also led to an unintended consequence: a rising medication burden that can harm patient well-being.  Our recent study published in Clinical Practice explores how reframing polypharmacy as a chronic condition can empower future doctors to manage it more effectively. For example, polypharmacy substantially increases the risk of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). This underscores the urgent need for a shift in how we approach medication management.  Traditional medical education focuses on treating individual diseases, often leading to prescribing cascades where one drug’s side effect triggers another prescription. This cycle complicates care and worsens outcomes. We designed a three-phase educational intervention for final-...
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What makes a good doctor – and who gets to decide?

What Makes a Good Doctor? This is the question that Waseem Jerjes and I explore in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine . It is a key question that underpins the architecture of medical education, clinical practice, regulation, and professional identity. It cannot be answered by regulators, educators, or employers in isolation. It must be answered together – by doctors and patients – revisited throughout a career, and adapted as society and the profession change. Without that shared reflection, the danger is not simply disillusionment, but the erosion of the moral foundations of clinical work. As we enter an era when diagnosis will increasingly involve artificial intelligence and when performance metrics reward volume over value, reclaiming this question as a professional one is imperative. The integrity of our institutions – and of the practitioners within them – depends on reimagining excellence in inclusive, relational terms. A good doctor is not a flawless technician or a f...
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Talking to Patients About Weight-Loss Drugs

The use of weight-loss drugs such as GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., semaglutide, tirzepatide) has increased rapidly in recent years. These drugs can help some people achieve significant weight reduction, but they are not suitable for everyone and require careful counselling before starting treatment. By discussing benefits, risks, practicalities, and  uncertainties, clinicians can help patients make informed, realistic decisions about their treatment. Key points to discuss with patients 1. Indications and eligibility These drugs are usually licensed for adults with a specific BMI. They should be used alongside lifestyle interventions such as dietary change, increased physical activity, and behaviour modification. 2. Potential side effects – some can be serious Common adverse effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal discomfort. Less common but more serious risks include gallstones, pancreatitis and visual problems. Patients should know what to watch for a...
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The NHS Emergency Care Plan underestimates the role of general practice

I welcome the Government’s commitment to expanding urgent care provision in community settings. This approach has the potential to ease pressure on emergency departments and enable ambulance services to focus more effectively on patients who require rapid assessment and conveyance. However, as I discuss in the BMJ , the current Emergency Care Plan underestimates the central role that NHS general practice can and should play. Primary care is often the first point of contact for patients with urgent needs, and with appropriate support, it can manage many conditions effectively without referral to other parts of the system. There is also a risk that investing in a wide array of separate interventions—such as urgent treatment centres, community response teams, and virtual wards—without clear coordination could further fragment care. This may reduce continuity, lead to duplication, and ultimately result in less efficient use of NHS resources. Direct investment in NHS general practice—partic...
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