Developing a set of quality criteria for community-based medical education in the UK.

Context: General practices educate increasing numbers of learners at various stages. Criteria for educational provision exist, but practices supporting learners at different stages and from different institutions might face different criteria.

Methods: Criteria for practice-based teaching were developed at a workshop at a national conference.

Effectiveness of ear syringing in general practice: a randomised controlled trial and patients' experiences.

Background: Ear syringing is a common procedure performed for a variety of symptoms in primary care. Reports of its effectiveness vary considerably and no randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have been performed.

Aim: To estimate the effect of ear syringing on hearing thresholds and on symptoms leading to ear syringing in general practice.