This website has been developed to provide an important resource for all those working within Primary Care. The site has been developed by The Primary Care Genetics Service for The North of Tyne, in collaboration with The Northern Genetic Service for the region.
It provides information on a range of genetic subjects relevant to Primary Care. In addition it aims to raise the awareness of the role of the Primary Care Team in the identification, prevention and care of genetic conditions and of inherited factors in the predisposition of common disease such as cancer, ischaemic heart disease and diabetes.
Much of the information provided will be of use to anyone working within Primary Care but some details are more specific to practitioners based in The Northern Region where the site has been developed.
Until recently genetics has been a relatively small speciality concerned with rare single gene/chromosomal disorders. However, since the Human Genome Project the amount of genetics impacting on clinical care is increasing.
For Primary Care, genetics is and will become increasingly pertinent to common diseases which are seen in General Practice. Looking at the current situation within Primary Care, the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Curriculum Statement in 2006 on Genetics in Primary Care, stated that “at least 1 in 10 patients seen in Primary Care has a disorder with a genetic component” and GPs deal with an average of 1-2 consultations relating to cancer that runs in the family, per month. The introduction of genetics as part of the RCGP curriculum for General Practice came into force in August 2007. This reinforces the importance of genetics across the range of healthcare and the central role that Primary Care must play both now and in the future.
We would welcome feedback from any users of this site since it will be developed and updated depending on feedback from colleagues.
The information available on this website is the result of work done by Dr Kathy Greenough and Dr Kate Cushing. The website was designed and built by Kenyon Fraser.
Our special thanks go to all those who have contributed and helped us. Especially we would like to thank Dr Michael Wright, Dr Maggie Ireland, Dr Fiona Douglas, Dr Miranda Split and Dr Paul Brennan. Our thanks also go to Susan Fairgrieve, Kim Moonlight, Dr Peter Carey, Dr Stephen Stewart, Dr Dermot Neely, Professor Day, Professor Corris, Dr Willie Barker, Dr Mark Walker, Anne Swanson and Ann Bassom.
