GPs discuss management of anxiety and dementia in practice, at Autumn conference in Galway on Saturday, 14 October. 

Theme of "Positive Health in General Practice" emphasises that the definition of Health is multi-dimensional.

The one-day Autumn Conference of the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) is being held at the Galmont Hotel in Galway on Saturday, 14 October from 10am to 4pm. View Conference Programme (PDF, 100KB)

The Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) is the professional body for general practice in Ireland. The ICGP is the representative organisation for education, training and standards in general practice with 4,200 members, and 1,044 trainees in supervised practice. It is responsible for training GPs on a four-year National Training programme and launched earlier this year, the Non EU Programme with over 70 doctors now on this two-year programme working in rural Ireland.

The Conference keynote speaker is Dr Machteld Huber, GP and Founder of the Institute for Positive Health, in Utrecht, about "The Six Dimensions of Your Positive Health" followed by 3 sessions covering a wide range of subjects, including:

• Sooner or Later? Making the Diagnosis of Dementia, with Prof. Tony Foley, Prof of General Practice, UCC & Kinsale GP
• Anxiety – Managing a Modern Malaise, with Prof. Brendan Kelly, Prof of Psychiatry, TCD
• Sepsis in General Practice with Dr Ellen Hayes, ICGP/HSE Programme Director Sepsis
• Assisted Decision-Making for the GP, with Stephen O'Leary, Legal Counsel with Medisec.

The Medical Director of the ICGP, Dr Diarmuid Quinlan, said: "This year's Autumn Conference reflects the huge depth and range of work that GPs do, but also discusses what "health" means. Dr Huber's definition of Positive Health is a definition based on resilience, functioning and self-governance, with six dimensions. This is a challenging and insightful definition for doctors and we will learn a lot from this."

The programme reflects subjects of growing importance to GPs this autumn, including sepsis, dementia and assisted decision-making.

Dr Quinlan added: "We already see the growing demand on GP practices as the winter sets in, and at the same time, doctors are required to update their knowledge on a wide range of areas. This conference is a good opportunity for them to step back for a day and hopefully have the opportunity to learn away from the stresses and strains of daily Practice."

In the afternoon, the Gertrude Ronan Citation and Presentation will be presented to a GP in recognition of their contribution to general practice and medicine in Ireland. This award will be presented by the College President, Dr Eamonn Shanahan.

ENDS

Media interviews and photos available on request.

ISSUED BY: Aileen O'Meara, Communications Consultant, Irish College of General Practitioners. Tel. 01 2542984 / 087 2239830

Email: media@icgp.ie

www.icgp.ie www.icgpnews.ie