Qualitative research on admission procedures in elderly care.

The admission process to hospital is vital in maintaining a patient's sense of independence and control of his or her situation, which in turn will help during the discharge procedure back to the community. This paper focuses on the qualitative research techniques used to uncover the experience of older patients and their carers during an admission to hospital.

Optimizing the care of patients with depression in primary care: the views of general practitioners.

Depression is a very common mental illness within the general population and in-patients consulting in general practice. General practitioners are well placed to provide care for patients with mental health problems, as these disorders are often connected with family and social problems, and GPs can provide their patients with long-term follow-up and support. While there are theoretical reasons for the important role of the family doctor, there is limited evidence about how general practitioners view their roles and their capacity to cope with the mental health needs of their patients.