The Primary Care Dermatology Society
Key Objectives of the PCDS
PCDS AGM
What are the Benefits of Membership?
Committee Profile
| The Primary Care Dermatology
Society: |
The PCDS was formed in July 1994 by a group
of GP skin specialists who recognised the need
for such a forum where GPs could exchange views
on primary care dermatology, develop skills and
progress clinical research in this exciting and
developing field of medicine.
The founding GPs recognised the fact that
around 10-15% of the primary care workload
involves dermatology and that many common
skin conditions are managed entirely within the
Practice. This workload is also likely to increase
as ongoing changes in funding and the NHS
structure move more patient care into the
community. Thus, in collaboration with the
Consultant Dermatologist, GPs will be
increasingly involved in the disease management
of chronic skin diseases.
The founding members therefore took the
initiative and agreed to form the PCDS, in order
to successfully represent the membership and
the Society’s objectives in both the UK and
Ireland.
In addition, the development of GPwSIs in
dermatology require a voice and forum for
support and discussion which the PCDS is ideally
placed to provide.
The PCDS Irish Branch is administered by Committee Member Dr Hilda O'Shea. For further details of membership please contact: drhildaoshea@eircom.net.
www.corkskincare.com
^ back to top
| Key objectives of the
PCDS |
- To provide an innovative forum for GPs and GPwSIs with
a common interest in dermatology to exchange views and ideas,
encourage research, improve patient management and promote education
both for the GP and the healthcare team.
- To encourage an interest and provide an arena to promote and
establish a clearer understanding of dermatology in primary care.
- To create wider awareness and appreciation of the benefits
of shared care and to encourage strong links with specialist groups
such as the BAD.
^ back to top
- The meeting is held over a weekend during the summer.
- There is a clinical programme with expert speakers from both
secondary and primary care.
- The meeting is only open to members of the PCDS.
- Delegate fee include accommodation with lunch, entertainment
and breakfast.
^ back to top
 A one day Northern meeting held in the Spring
A one day Southern meeting held in the Autumn
A Scottish meeting held over a weekend in November
All regional meetings are only open to members of the PCDS
Advanced Minor Surgery Courses held at least once a year
From 2007: Specific GPSI Educational Meetings
^ back to top
| What are the benefits
of membership? |
- Membership packs
- ‘Events Diary’ of training in dermatology courses
Contact with other GPs interested in
dermatology
- Quarterly Bulletin keeping you informed of
key dermatological issues and the activities of
the PCDS
- The Annual General and Regional meetings
have a strong educational, clinical and
regional content
- Attendance certificates issued at meetings
- Personalised Membership Certificate
- Representation within National
- Dermatological and political advisory bodies
- Member discounts on Society products
- Website
^ back to top
PCDS COMMITTEE FOR THE YEAR 2004 AND BEYOND
Your new Committee, formed after the Annual General Meeting in July
2001, faces major changes and challenges for the coming years. The
NHS is changing and I suspect the whole face of Primary Care will
be almost unrecognisable five years from now, such is the pace and
the depth of change.
To cope with this we need doctors with commitment, enthusiasm and
drive to lead the Society and many more to form the cadre of interested
GPs if we are to survive and our patients benefit from the opportunities
that exist and will develop in the future. I believe that we have
the Committee to carry much of this out but there will always be room
for the enthusiast or those with a special expertise.
You will see that we have a breadth of talent and experience and some
geographical spread within the Committee and we will try to expand
the number and variety of meetings and services provided in regions
or even more local areas. This needs your help and guidance. Bring
your ideas and requests and with it your endeavours to make it work
for you, with our help.
I hope to see many new faces and hear new voices at our meetings,
and in print, so that the development of the PCDS will gain impetus
from the new membership and regenerate, so necessary for our future
success.
Chairman |
Stephen Kownacki (pronounced ‘Kovnartski’) qualified from the Middlesex Hospital in 1973, followed by vocational training at Northampton which included dermatology and started his interest in the subject.
Currently he is a senior partner in a large training practice in Wellingborough and has been a Clinical Assistant and latterly Hospital Practitioner at Northampton General Hospital for the last 18 years.
In 1996 the practice moved to a large new surgery with a developing R&D unit. Stephen has an interest, no only in dermatological research, but, as part of the practice team, in many areas of medicine and the delivery of care itself.
As an active board member of the PCG (Primary Care Group) he has been able to influence the development of intermediate care especially the new post of a specialist dermatology nurse. He hopes to continue to keep dermatology at the forefront of the developing PCTs (Primary Care Trusts).
Stephen is particularly interested in Dermatological Management and Education related to common dermatological diseases. He is keen to develop nurse and doctor education and help to develop primary care facilities, bringing the benefits to the majority of skin disease sufferers close to home.
He is married with two adult sons and enjoys gardening, hill walking, tennis and good wine, which should be preferably, but too infrequently, taken in foreign climes.
|
Vice Chairman |
Tom is a full time GP and was a founder member of the Primary Care Dermatology Society.
Tom has published original research on community dermatology including work on the epidemiology and treatment of skin disease. He is involved in teaching undergraduates and is honorary lecturer in the School for Health at the University of Durham. He is also active in postgraduate education where his roles include acting as examiner for diplomas in dermatology based at Cardiff, Glasgow and London.
Tom has served on a number of working parties relating to dermatology in primary care and is an Editorial Board member of the journal “Dermatology in Practice”. His books include ‘Common Skin Diseases’ and ‘How Do We Manage: Acne’.
He is married with three children and his hobbies include skiing, golf and history.
|
Scottish Repesentative |
Iain Henderson graduated from Glasgow University in 1980 and entered General Practice in Glasgow in 1986. He obtained the Diploma in Practical Dermatology in 1997 from Cardiff and started a Hospital Practitioner session in Dermatology in 2001 at the Western Infirmary, Glasgow.
Since 1999 he has been GP organise of the Western Infirmary Dermatology Club and is keen to raise the awareness, profile and membership of the PCDS in Scotland. To this effect he is one of the organisers of the Annual Scottish Meeting of the PCDS. He is the Primary Care Advisor for Skin Care Campaign Scotland and represents the PCDS on the Scottish Council for Dermatology.
Outwith dermatology, Iain is an undergraduate tutor for Glasgow University Medical School, Honorary Lecturer for the Department of Pharmacology at Strathclyde University, deputy trainer in his practice and a Hospital Practitioner in Orthopaedics.
He is a self-confessed sports nut whose main sporting interests are playing golf, badminton, skiing and rugby refereeing.
|
Irish Repesentative |
Hilda O’Shea qualified from University College Cork in 1969, and is in General Practice with a special interest in Dermatology. She is also interested in Student Health and is Medical Officer to the Cork Institute of Technology. Having successfully completed the Diploma in Practical Dermatology in Cardiff in 1994, Hilda joined the PCDS from its original inception and has helped organise the annual Irish PCDS Meeting which is now in its seventh year.
Hilda currently represents the Irish membership at Committee level, promoting their interests as it pertains to their varying circumstances and provides feedback to them at their Irish Annual Meeting.
Hilda’s aims for the society are to further the interest in Dermatology amongst GPs and to promote their ongoing education in this area.
Married to Michael, she has five daughters and one grandson. Hobbies include tennis and golf.
|
Secretary |
Liz Ogden went to St Andrews and then Manchester Universities graduating in 1975. After a vocational training course in Enfield, Middlesex she became a GP principal in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. After five years in General Practice she moved abroad and worked for six years in Bermuda. Whilst in Bermuda, Liz’s passion for dermatology was rekindled and upon returning to the UK applied to do the Cardiff Diploma Course in Dermatology. Having completed the Diploma course, Liz then became a Clinical Assistant at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage working for Dr Tina Green.
She currently works as a GP in Potters Bar. In addition, she does four sessions a week as a Hospital Practitioner in Dermatology at the Lister Hospital, Stevenage, and a once a week GPwSI clinic for Hertsmere PCT in the Borehamwood area. This clinic has been running for 4 years and is linked to Barnet and Chase Farm Hospital Trust.
Liz also has a strong interest in Women’s Health and does family planning sessions. She is an MFFP examiner for the Faculty of Family Planning. She has a particular interest in Vulval Dermatology and has set up a Vulval Dermatology Service in Enfield for the Department of Reproductive Healthcare.
Liz is keen on GP and Nurse Postgraduate Education and in promoting the role of the GP Dermatology Specialist.
She has been on the PCDS committee in an Education role for the last 3 years and now has taken over from Tim Mitchell as secretary of the society.
Liz represents the PCDS on the Skin Care Campaign, an umbrella organization for skin charities that lobbies parliament to improve services for dermatology patients and through this has had a role in rewriting the GP Registrar Dermatology Curriculum.
She is married and has two teenage children. Her hobbies are travel and cooking but Liz doesn’t get time to do enough of either!
|
Treasurer and Membership Secretary |
Andy Jordan qualified from University College Hospital, London in 1973 with no special dermatology knowledge and joined general practice in 1980 in Chesham, Buckinghamshire. His interest in dermatology arose when he encountered a very enthusiastic dermatologist running clinics at the local community hospital. He first became a Clinical Assistant and then a Hospital Practitioner at Amersham Hospital and obtained the Cardiff Diploma.
He is currently senior partner and trainer in a seven partner practice and acts as a dermatology resource for his practice, also performing any minor surgery required. He is an appraiser of local GPs and lectures to Nurse Practitioners on dermatology.
He has written articles for journals on dermatological topics and has a great interest in medical photography with many photos of his published.
He is married with two children who are just finishing university. He plays squash badly.
Andy joined the PCDS committee in 2004 and believes the PCDS has an increasingly important role in education and contact making for GPs with the deterioration of secondary care support.
|
Executive Treasurer |
Brian Malcolm qualified from Edinburgh University in 1981 joining North Devon District Hospital initially as a Clinical Assistant in 1988, progressing to Hospital Practitioner. He is presently a principal and trainer in Barnstaple, North Devon, and a Hospital Practitioner at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital. In 1996, Brain won the prestigious Doctor of the Year Award for Dermatology.
He has been a member of the PCDS since its inception and has been involved with the running of the SW regional meetings. He also represents the PCDS on the present national ‘Action on Dermatology Group’. He has been awarded ‘Beacon status’ for his practice for the dermatology services offered and presently has secondary provider status with the local health authority.
Brian is presently authoring ‘Core Tutorials in Dermatology for Primary Care’ and tutors in dermatology at the North Devon VTS. He is also an examiner for the DPD in Cardiff.
His main interests are chronic wound management and minor surgery.
|
Bulletin Editor
|
Dr Stephen Hayes graduated from Southampton University Medical School in 1979. After failing Primary FRCS twice he gave up the idea of a career in surgery and trained as a GP. He worked on a council estate in east Southampton for 17 years, taking the Cardiff Diploma in Practical Dermatology in 1995-6, and then working as a clinical assistant at the Royal South Hants hospital and clinics in the New Forest.
He worked with Professor Peter Friedmann and Dr Martin Keefe to develop a community dermatology scheme in Southampton which has now been operational for 18 months. In October 2002, he left his GP practice and worked for a year on the Isle of Wight as hospital practitioner in dermatology, in the absence of a consultant. He is now working three sessions a week as a GPwSI in the local Walk In Centre as well as a locum GP and undertaking dermatology education work. He has given numerous talks to GPs on dermatology, illustrated with his own digital photographs and contributed an article on pigmented lesions to ‘Pulse’ magazine in March 2004. He also wrote a CDR presentation on sun related skin lesions for Shire in 2003, "Lessons on Lesions" which has been used nationally. Stephen joined the PCDS committee in June 2004.
Married with 2 teenage daughters, Stephen and his wife Julia planted and manage a 5 acre orchard of English apples in Durley, Hampshire, the story of which is told on his website at www.fruitwise.net. In 1999 he cycled solo 1,200 miles from Auckland to Invercargill in New Zealand, raising sponsorship which enabled the publication of a book on "Affordable Orthopaedics for the Third World" By Dr Socrates of the British Palawan Trust, a charity which provides basic orthopaedic care in the Philippine island of Palawan.
His particular interests in dermatology are GP education, GPwSI development and the use of the dermatoscope in the diagnosis of pigmented lesions.
|
Education Committee
|
Inma Mauri-Sole was born in Spain and in 1993 when she graduated in Barcelona, came to the UK initially for 6 months! Eleven years later she joined the PCDS committee.
Inma always had an interest in Dermatology, and after completing her GP training completed the Diploma in Practical Dermatology from Cardiff and now works as a Clinical Assistant in Bath and Bristol.
She is also an examiner for the Cardiff Diploma and works part time as a salaried and as a Dermatology GPwSI in Bristol.
The Bristol GPwSI service won the PCDS award in 2002.
Inma has a special interest in skin surgery and service development, particularly new ways of delivering dermatology care in the community, and how this relates to secondary care. She also has a special interest in Dermatology education for Primary Care professionals, including nurses.
Inma’s interests involve travelling, skiing, sailing and dancing (anything!)
|
GPSI in Dermatology Working Group
|
Tim Cunliffe qualified at the Newcastle University Medical School in 1993. After completing a vocational training course Tim became a GP in Darlington in 1999. Soon after starting work as a GP he attained the Glasgow Diploma in Dermatology and started to work as a clinical assistant in Dermatology. In 2001 he became a GPwSI in Dermatology. The local need for Dermatology services was so great that Tim left General Practice in July 2003 and now works full time as part of a Primary Care Skin Service. This service provides an intermediate level of care for a population of 250,000 patients in Darlington and Middlesbrough. Although Tim’s main interest is in skin cancer the team also deals with inflammatory skin conditions and runs nurse led clinics for photodynamic therapy and eczema.
Tim also enjoys the educational aspects of his work and is involved in the training of medical students. He has recently been elected onto the UK Skin Cancer Working Party and he has a great interest in the development of intermediate care services. Tim joined the PCDS committee in June 2004 and is the first GPwSI in Dermatology to be elected.
Outside of work Tim enjoys the great outdoors and loves travel, wildlife photography and skiing.
|
^ back to top
|
|
