Abstract
InnovAiT published the final issue of volume 10 in December 2017, marking a milestone in the history of the journal. A defining vision for InnovAiT was presented at the inaugural meeting of the InnovAiT Editorial Board held in the Long Room at 14 Prince’s Gate on 13 September 2007, chaired by Professor David Haslam.
At this meeting, the overall purpose and objectives of a new journal for Associates in Training (AiTs) of the RCGP, around 3000 in 2007, were put forward. The minutes from this meeting list the aims and aspirations of the Board and describe essentially what InnovAiT has now become, shaped by the many authors, reviewers and contributors, my distinguished predecessor, Professor Chantal Simon, and you the readership: a high quality educational journal, focusing on AiTs, owned by AiTs and special to them; a vehicle for AiTs to get their message across and with linkage to an online forum. It was envisaged that the curriculum would shape content and span the 3 years of specialty training and that the front cover would have a ‘wow’ factor encouraging readers to tear open and read the journal!
From this inaugural meeting in 2007 InnovAiT has evolved and content has reflected important and topical themes, within and beyond the curriculum. Often these themes reflect the growing challenges of general practice and efforts to make sense of these challenges. About half of the articles are written by AiTs and a significant proportion by newly qualified GPs. We aim, again in line with the aspirations of 2007, to encourage engagement with GP Trainers to stimulate and encourage a better learning experience.
It is important that InnovAiT continues to be owned by you as AiTs, but also as readers and authors and for the content to reflect what is important to you: your education, hopes, fears and aspirations. Now is a time of unprecedented change and it is important for InnovAiT to help with the demands placed on you, the present and future guardians of our important profession.
As I write this Editorial in late September 2017, we are planning the new cover and layout I hope you now find inside the wrapper. Articles are no longer divided between just two clinical topics, and in future we will have more special issues concentrating on a single clinical topic or theme. This should enable articles to be published more quickly, keeping them up-to-date and in line with current practice.
Therefore, this issue features a more varied mix of feature clinical articles. Dr Victoria O’Brien considers the common problem of deafness, afflicting over 10 million people in the UK, but a problem GPs often feel ill-equipped to deal with. An article by Dr Rubia Kahn gets to grips with aspects of mobility impairment including details on screening and early intervention in the elderly. Mr Amit Kumar discusses the management of hip and knee pain in primary care and considers important indications for arthroplasty. Urinary catheterisation is occasionally performed by GPs and Dr Aashish Ahluwalia reviews the indications and techniques involved. It is important to detect chronic kidney disease (CKD) early to prevent complications; Dr Thuvaraka Ware details early diagnosis, classification and management in an article on CKD. Around 75% of patients approaching the end of life will die from non-malignant conditions. Dr Rachel Lewis explores the role of GPs in the management of such patients and considers the important issue of advance care planning. It is important for all doctors to be aware of the regulations and principles governing the handling of information. A non-clinical article on the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Acts by Dr Suhail Tarafdar uses case studies to illustrate the application of the regulations in everyday practice.
Presentation and content are important, but engagement and involvement will ensure a successful future for InnovAiT. We will have conducted a readership survey in late 2017, but apart from readership surveys, we always welcome feedback, contributions, articles and suggestions. InnovAiT is your journal and needs your continued involvement to remain relevant and true to the defining vision and aspirations of the inaugural Board meeting in 2007.
We hope you enjoy the new layout in this, the first issue of InnovAiT in 2018 and we hope you are inspired to write an article. If so, please contact editorialoffice@innovaitjournal.co.uk. We can, as ever, provide suggestions for article topics, and support for novice authors through our buddy scheme.
Everyone at InnovAiT wishes you a happy and rewarding New Year!