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The MBS Review Taskforce has finally released its draft plan for general practice, with proposals to introduce major reforms to GP management plans and a call to cut the funding for medication reviews. After two years of closed-door deliberations, and months of leaks and rumours, GPs and the wider public have been given a first full look at the ...

Australian HIV specialists say that although HIV diagnoses have dropped among gay and bisexual men, new data signals a worrying increase among heterosexual people. There were just 963 new HIV diagnoses across Australia in 2017, the lowest number since 2010, according to data from the Kirby Institute. But the report, presented on Monday at the Au...

RACGP councillors are potentially owed back pay of more than half a million dollars between them and are relying on members to approve it at next month’s annual general meeting. The college’s financial report, released last week, revealed that payments for ‘professional and technical’ services — such as advocacy, hosting events or talking to med...

Stroke patients recover better if they are treated for sleep apnoea as soon as possible after the cerebrovascular event, a study suggests. Speech, neurological functioning, walking and other physical functions all improve significantly when patients are diagnosed and treated for sleep apnoea after a stroke or TIA compared with usual care, result...

GPs final column discusses 'bollocksology' and cherishing thank-you cards. A BMJ columnist has wrapped up her final column for the journal with musings on life as a GP, including advice to doctors to call out ‘bollocksology’, that appalling workloads won't be cured by resilience and why you should cherish all your thank-you cards. In her last ‘N...

Dr Ewen McPhee. Photo: RDAA Dr Ewen McPhee says the college is entering a new chapter and hopes it will bring health equity across Australia! ACRRM’s new President, a rural generalist campaigner from Queensland, has promised to agitate for policies that deliver health equity for rural and remote communities. Dr Ewen McPhee, a GP obstetrician fro...

The more depressed the patient, the more likely they are to have the rheumatoid condition. Older patients with depressive symptoms should be screened for arthritis, according to US researchers who say while it's common to check for depression with arthritis, the reverse doesn't happen as often. Data from nearly 4800 adults aged over 50 reveal ar...

Seeing patients with psychological issues, including depression, mood disorders and anxiety, are the most common ailments GPs deal with day to day, according to an RACGP survey. When asked, 'What are the emerging patient health issues causing you the most concern for the future', psychological issues again topped the list, followed by obesity an...

Women giving birth at home or in birth centres are more likely to have a normal vaginal birth, with no difference in adverse infant outcomes compared with hospital births, a meta-analysis shows. The choice of homebirth means women with low-risk pregnancies are nearly three times more likely to have a non-instrumental delivery than if they have a...

A cheaper thrombolytic appears to double the chances of reperfusion in patients with ischaemic stroke prior to thrombectomy, compared with the standard drug, Australian research shows. The double-blinded, randomised controlled trial of 200 patients found tenecteplase was non-inferior to alteplase, and patients had better functional outcomes afte...