Just under a half of the expected numbers of patients with dementia are recognised in GP dementia registers. The underdiagnosis of dementia varies with practice characteristics, socio-economic deprivation and between PCTs, which has implications for the local implementation of the National Dementia Strategy.

Recommendations are provided for standardized reporting of protein electrophoresis in Australia and New Zealand. It is expected that such standardized reporting formats will reduce both variation between laboratories and the risk of misinterpretation of results.

A structure for analysing information needs is outlined. The purpose of the structure is to enable data on users to be collected in a systematic and routine manner. The form of analysis is demonstrated through a consideration of the information needs of newspaper journalists — a group for which user surveys are lacking. The aspects of information need considered are: subject, nature, function, viewpoint, authority, quantity, quality, place of origin, speed of delivery, and processing/packaging. Considered as well are the barriers to meeting information needs — training, time, resources, access and information overload. The library's role in meeting information needs is also assessed. The data used to illustrate the structure are taken from interviews with journalists. Journalists have a need for large volumes of information, for very current and authoritative information, and they require their information very quickly. They are generally very well provided for in terms of information systems, sources and channels; the key problem they face is a shortage of time. Shifts in newspaper coverage, the harsh economic climate newspapers find themselves in and the information flood unleashed by IT, are changing journalists' information requirements and information seeking behaviour.

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BackgroundPrimary care services are often the main healthcare service for people with dementia; as such, good-quality care at this level is important. AimTo measure the quality of care provided to people with dementia in general practice using routinely collected data, and to explore associated patient and practice factors.