To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: GPs Better Than Psychiatrists In Dealing With Drug Abuse URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/36B52.htm Doctor's Guide September 5, 1997
LONDON -- September 5, 1997 -- GPs are better placed to look after drug addicts than are psychiatrists, says a paper in this week's British Medical Journal (BMJ). The author, a clinical director from Glasgow, says that GPs have the knowledge, the skills, and the appropriate attitudes to manage drug misusers, particularly since "most people with drug problems are not mad". Psychiatrists who limit themselves to treating patients with a dependence syndrome will fail to deal with the physical consequences of drug misuse, says the author. "Doctors also need to listen to hearts and feel for spleens, and sensibly interpret the findings." Many GPs now play a pivotal part in the management of drug misusers; for example, almost a quarter of practices in Glasgow now run drug misuse clinics, and the number of patients using methadone has risen tenfold over the past five years. "Perhaps it is more important that doctors looking after drug misusers have the correct attributes for the task rather than a particular job title," concludes the author. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.