BMJ  2006;332:54 (7 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7532.54

Letter

Are GPs who specialise in dermatology effective?

Result for teamwork and planning is positive

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Editor—Lapsley (previous letter) is right that it is inappropriate to extrapolate the positive findings from the study reported by Salisbury et al to all schemes1: they have not all been set up in the same way or as well. The question "What is a general practitioner with a special interest?" needs to be asked and answered. Training and accreditation for these doctors are not as yet nationally defined or regulated.

In Southampton we approached the problem of "inappropriate" cases being referred to dermatologists (six years' dermatology training) by general practitioners (six days' dermatology training) by developing intermediate level doctors with six months' (equivalent) dermatology training. General practitioners with a special interest would not be necessary if all general practitioners had much more training in dermatology and there were more dermatologists, but they are seen as a realistic compromise for now.

The issue of calculating cost effectiveness is contentious. The . . . [Full text of this article]

Stephen F Hayes, general practitioner (with a special interest in dermatology)

Bitterne Walk In Centre, Southampton stephen.hayes007@onetel.net


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Relevant Article

Evaluation of a general practitioner with special interest service for dermatology: randomised controlled trial
Chris Salisbury, Alison Noble, Sue Horrocks, Zoe Crosby, Viv Harrison, Joanna Coast, David de Berker, and Tim Peters
BMJ 2005 331: 1441-1446. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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