Description

I am pleased to be able to tell you that the feedback I have received about volume 2 No. 1 of the Geriatrics CME Journal has been very positive. I would welcome any further comments or suggestions that readers might like to make, particularly about the style and the content of the Journal. For this edition I have been able to gather articles from experts in a number of fields, covering several important aspects of geriatric practice. The article by Dr Bruno Kasteliz complements the one in the previous edition by Professor Brocklehurst and goes on to outline the practicalities of setting up a bowel dysfunction clinic. Therefore, I hope the 2 articles taken together will give readers a sound and comprehensive review of faecal incontinence, which as we know still remains a neglected area of clinical practice. The articles by Syed Zaman and Peter Bruce-Jones on community geriatrics and resuscitation decisions respectively address topics which are very much in the minds of clinicians dealing with elderly patients. It seems likely that there will be a growth of community services for elderly patients, driven by the requirement of the Primary Care Trusts, and it is important that geriatricians play a major part in shaping such developments. Resuscitation decisions are being scrutinised from the professional and the public angle, so there is a need for clinicians to refresh their understanding of the background ethical frameworks. I hope you, as readers, enjoy these and the other articles in this edition of the Geriatrics CME Journal, and find them an important and useful contribution to your continuing education.