Development of a resource-use measure to capture costs of diabetic foot ulcers to the United Kingdom National Health Service, patients and society.

Background: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) add a significant burden to the lives of people with diabetes in the United Kingdom. They can have a considerable impact on a patient's daily life, with treatment requiring frequent changes of dressings and clinic attendances. Nurses and other allied health professionals (AHPs) within the community provide most wound care representing the primary cost driver.

Incidence, nature and causes of avoidable significant harm in primary care in England: retrospective case note review.

Objective: To estimate the incidence of avoidable significant harm in primary care in England; describe and classify the associated patient safety incidents and generate suggestions to mitigate risks of ameliorable factors contributing to the incidents.

Design: Retrospective case note review. Patients with significant health problems were identified and clinical judgements were made on avoidability and severity of harm.

Improving primary care identification of familial breast cancer risk using proactive invitation and decision support.

Family history of breast cancer is a key risk factor, accounting for up to 10% of cancers. We evaluated the proactive assessment of familial breast cancer (FBC) risk in primary care. Eligible women (30 to 60 years) were recruited from eight English general practices.

Identifying 'avoidable harm' in family practice: a RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method consensus study.

Background: Health care-related harm is an internationally recognized threat to public health. The United Kingdom's national health services demonstrate that upwards of 90% of health care encounters can be delivered in ambulatory settings. Other countries are transitioning to more family practice-based health care systems, and efforts to understand avoidable harm in these settings is needed.

Understanding the epidemiology of avoidable significant harm in primary care: protocol for a retrospective cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Most patient safety research has focused on specialist-care settings where there is an appreciation of the frequency and causes of medical errors, and the resulting burden of adverse events. There have, however, been few large-scale robust studies that have investigated the extent and severity of avoidable harm in primary care. To address this, we will conduct a 12-month retrospective cross-sectional study involving case note review of primary care patients.