A chronological map of 308 physical and mental health conditions from 4 million individuals in the English National Health Service.

Background: To effectively prevent, detect, and treat health conditions that affect people during their lifecourse, health-care professionals and researchers need to know which sections of the population are susceptible to which health conditions and at which ages. Hence, we aimed to map the course of human health by identifying the 50 most common health conditions in each decade of life and estimating the median age at first diagnosis.

Methods: We developed phenotyping algorithms and codelists for physical and mental health conditions that involve intensive use of health-care resources.

Experiences with online consultation systems in primary care: case study of one early adopter site.

Background: There is a strong policy drive towards implementing alternatives to face-to-face consultations in general practice to improve access, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. These alternatives embrace novel technologies that are assumed to offer potential to improve care.

Aim: To explore the introduction of one online consultation system (Tele-Doc) and how it shapes working practices.

Protocol for assessing inhaler technique in patients with asthma.

This article outlines the prevalence of asthma in the UK and the importance of consistent and frequent monitoring of inhaler technique in providing improved care to patients with asthma. A protocol for assessing inhaler technique is proposed to improve equity of care and achieve optimum symptom control. The focus is on primary care as this is where the majority of asthma management takes place, and therefore where the potential lies for improved control and prevention of exacerbations, unnecessary hospital admissions and ultimately improved quality of life for these patients.

Attendance of general practitioners at child protection case conferences.

Objective: To investigate general practitioners' attendance at and views on child protection conferences and their confidence in dealing with sexual abuse in children.

Design: Anonymous postal questionnaire sent to all general practitioners in Tower Hamlets and review of consecutive case conferences held by social services for three months in 1989.

Setting: Tower Hamlets health district.

Using nurses for preventive activities with computer assisted follow up: a randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To assess whether an organised programme of prevention including the use of a health promotion nurse noticeably improved recording and follow up of cardiovascular risk factors and cervical smears in a general practice that had access to computerised cell and recall.

Design: Randomised controlled trial.

Setting: General practice in inner London.