Table 1 Learning outcomes and skills for care of people with ENT, oral and facial problems from the RCGP curriculum statement [17]
Primary care management | Know the epidemiology of head and neck cancers, including the risk factors, and identify unhealthy behaviour |
Understand how to recognise rarer but potentially serious conditions such as oral, head and neck cancer | |
Community orientation | Be aware of the need to refer patients with oral disease to appropriate specialist services in oral medicine or oral and maxillofacial surgery |
A holistic approach | Understand that patients in poorer socio-economic situations (including the homeless) have higher rates of head and neck malignancy |
Know how community-specific aspects of oromucosal disease may be related to lifestyle (e.g. chewing paan, tobacco, betel nut, khat/qat, or reverse smoking) | |
Contextual features | Ensuring the practice welcomes patients from low socioeconomic classes and is active in reducing risk factors for head and neck malignancy |
Attitudinal features | Avoiding a negative attitude towards homeless patients, which can lead to less vigilance in early detection of head and neck cancer in this group |
Scientific features | Recognising that your training in ENT, oral and facial problems might need to be supplemented |
Demonstrating knowledge of the scientific backgrounds of symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of ENT, oral and facial conditions | |
Understanding and implementing the key national guidelines that influence healthcare provision for ENT problems |