There are numerous methods for female contraception, however, when men wish to control their fertility they have to either rely on female compliance with contraceptives or choose between condoms or a vasectomy. Emerging research, however, is opening the doors for novel methods for male contraception. This paper discusses existing male contraception methods and some new techniques that have the potential to provide alternative forms of male contraception in the near future.

C ognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapeutic approach that addresses unhelpful cognitions and behaviours that result in distress. It has been shown to be effective in the management of anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, chronic pain syndromes and personality disorders. Although there is a clear need for CBT services, access to them remains limited. GPs cannot be expected to fill this gap, but specific CBT techniques can help in the management of common conditions. In this paper, we will discuss several CBT techniques that a clinician can apply in 10-minute consultations with a case study to espouse how the techniques can be implemented in clinical practice. The RCGP curriculum and cognitive behavioural therapy Clinical module 3.10: Care of people with mental health problems requires GPs to:. Understand the roles and the power of emotions and their relevance in well-being and mental illness. Understand and empathise with people who are distressed and fully assess them (including risk) and offer appropriate support and management. Use communication skills that enable your patients who are distressed to feel comfortable enough to disclose their concerns Professional module 2.01: The GP consultation in practice requires GPs to:. Use the skills typically associated with good doctor-patient communication Nearly 15% of the UK population has some form of a diagnosable mental disorder, and a large number of these patients see their GP on a regular basis (Craig & Boardman, 1997). The role of GPs in the management of these patients has traditionally involved risk assessment, supportive counselling, use of pharmacological agents, and referral to counselling or the local psychiatry service. GPs generally have a strong therapeutic alliance with their patients, which is vital for effective cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). Patients may be referred for formal CBT or other psychological therapy, however, some CBT principles can applied in routine consultations for conditions such as anxiety, depression, chronic pain syndromes and phobias

Using transactional analysis in the consultation T ransactional analysis (TA) is a model of psychotherapy developed by psychiatrist Eric Berne. Incorporation of TA into clinical practice can improve doctor-patient relationships, enhance outcomes and avert communication breakdowns. This paper aims to elucidate the concept of TA and its implementation in clinical practice. The GP curriculum and transactional analysisContextual statement 2.01: The GP consultation in practice lists the learning objectives for a GP to improve their consultation skills. It states that the consultation is at the heart of general practice and that the GP should:. Use the skills typically associated with good doctor-patient communication . Understand the process by which patients decide to consult, and how this can affect consulting outcomes . Understand that consultations have a clinical, a psychological and a social component, with the relevance of each component varying from consultation to consultation . Accept that patients may wish to approach health (and illness) in a non-scientific way. The reality for patients is that they make their own choices on the basis of their own values and not necessarily on the basis of clinical efficiency or resource implications

This is the fourth in our short series of articles on the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA). The first article focused on how the exam is written and delivered, the second article looked at exam preparation and top tips from the clinical lead for the CSA, while the third article looked at the exam from a trainee's perspective. In this final article on CSA, Dr Kunal Chawathey, a GP trainer, provides further advice on preparation for the CSA.

Complaints are an inevitable part of a doctor's professional life. It can be extremely stressful to discover that a patient you thought you treated well has chosen to make a complaint about you. Although the gravity of complaints varies, they can all cause stress and anxiety. This article by Dr Kunal Chawathey looks at some basic principles when dealing with patient complaints.