Churchill’s Pocketbook of General Practice - 2nd Edition
Authors: Simon Cartwright and Carolyn Goodlee
The second last sentence of the preface at the beginning of the book contains a pearl of wisdom, it states "Making important decisions as a GP can be a lonely business". I think most of us would agree with that sentiment and many of us have searched in a textbook or online for the answer to a very specific problem. Sometimes in vain but sometimes we find the answer often after a long search. However in general practice finding an answer to a question is not always easy and this pocketbook will not answer all your problems but it is an excellent place to start.
For a start, it is written by two UK based GPs, so it is written with the UK based GP very much in mind, which is a great bonus. It is not comprehensive (to be honest, no book written for a UK based GP can claim to be truly comprehensive) but it packs a lot in its 367 pages. It is indeed a pocketbook with a tough protective vinyl cover, so it could be easily put in a medical bag. Much of the detail is in note form.
The main thrust of the book is to help the GP manage the patient in front of them, so it has the salient and practical points. All the specialties are covered and it takes seconds to read a specific subsection, so it can be used in the same way that you would use the BNF, a quick check to clarify a specific point. There are also useful appendices, listing such topics such as drug monitoring and notifiable diseases. GP registrars would find this book invaluable as would many established GPs.
Personally I think this book should be carried around in a medical bag or lie on the desk; it would be a shame to have such a practical book on the bookshelf, as it would not fulfil its full potential.
| Publisher: | Churchill Livingstone (Published 2003)
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| ISBN 0-443-07207-8
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