Journal of Primary Health Care

About the Journal of Primary Health Care

The JPHC team

Editor

Prof Felicity Goodyear-Smith
MB ChB MGP FRNZCGP
Email: editor@rnzcgp.org.nz

Editorial assistant

Cherylyn Borlase
Email: editorialassistant@rnzcgp.org.nz

Editorial Advisory Board

The Board comprises renowned and active clinicians, clinical and scientific academics and health policy experts. Board members provide ongoing advice and comment through our editorial board email list. Board members serve an initial period of two years which can be extended by mutual consent.

Prof Bruce Arroll

General practice in South Auckland,
Professor and Head of the Department of General Practice & Primary Health Care
University of Auckland, NZ

Dr Jo Barnes

Pharmacy, Associate Professor
School of Pharmacy
University of Auckland, NZ

Prof Jenny Carryer

Professor of Nursing
School of Health and Social Sciences
Massey University, Palmerston North, NZ

Prof Peter Crampton

Dean and Head of Campus
Wellington School of Medicine & Health Sciences
University of Otago, NZ

Deputy Editor – Prof Tony Dowell

General Practice in Wellington
Professor and Head of the Department of Primary Health Care & General Practice
Wellington School of Medicine
University of Otago, NZ

Ms Eileen McKinlay

Senior Lecturer in Primary Health Care
Department of Primary Health Care & General Practice
Wellington School of Medicine
University of Otago, NZ

Deputy Editor – Assoc Prof Derelie Mangin

Associate Professor & Director Primary Care Research Group
Department of Public Health & General Practice
Christchurch School of Medicine
University of Otago, NZ

Dr Barry Parsonson

Psychologist, Group Special Education,
NZ Ministry of Education and International Consultant,
UNICEF (Georgia) Training Project for Institutional Staff working with disabled children

Dr Shane Reti

Maori General Practice in Northland, Assistant Professor,
International Program Director Clinical Informatics and CEO of Clinical Informatics Industrial Research,
Harvard Medical School, USA

Prof Kurt Stange

Professor of Family Medicine
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA and Editor, Annals of Family Medicine www.AnnFamMed.org

Dr Colin Tukuitonga

Pacific General Practice, Associate Professor and CEO of the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs,
Wellington, NZ

Click here for the JPHC Editorial Advisory Board

Typesetter

Robyn Atwood

Subscription or advertising queries to

Cherylyn Borlase, Publications Coordinator
Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners
PO Box 10440, Wellington, 6143
Email: jphcnz@rnzcgp.org.nz

The Journal of Primary Health Care is the official journal of the RNZCGP. However, views expressed are not necessarily those of the College, the editor, or the editorial board. Copyright Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners 2008. All rights reserved.

Aim and Scope

The Journal of Primary Health Care (JPHC) is peer-reviewed journal designed to meet the information needs of New Zealand (NZ) general practitioners, practice nurses and community pharmacists plus other primary health care practitioners and the patients and communities we serve. In line with the NZ Primary Health Care Strategy, the scope encompasses general practice, primary health care nursing and community pharmacy. The content is multi-disciplinary and includes papers on Māori, Pacific and Asian health issues, health care delivery, health promotion, epidemiology, public health and medical sociology of interest to a primary health care provider audience. It is positioned as relevant to countries within the Pacific rim.

The journal publishes peer-reviewed quantitative and qualitative original research, systematic reviews and papers on improving performance that are relevant to its primary health care practitioner audience. The journal is a means both of moving research into practice and practice into research.

JPHC acts as a knowledge refinery to provide busy practitioners with up-to-date knowledge about the latest evidence and best practice. Continuing professional development includes pithy summaries of the latest evidence such as a string of PEARLS (Practical Evidence About Real Life Situations), Charms and Harms (evidence for the potential benefits and possible harms of well-known herbal medicines), Cochrane Corner and Poumanu (Māori primary health care treasures).

Evidence can help inform best practice. However sometimes there is no evidence available or applicable for a specific patient with his or her own set of conditions, capabilities, beliefs, expectations and social circumstances. Evidence needs to be placed in context. General practice is an art as well as a science. Quality of care lies also with the nature of the clinical relationship, with communication and with truly informed decision-making. The JPHC publishes viewpoints, commentaries and reflections that explore areas of uncertainty, of ethics, of aspects of care for which there is no one right answer. Debate is stimulated by the Back to Back section where two professionals present their opposing views on a topic. There is a regular column from guest ethicists. Letters to the Editor are welcomed.

The Journal of Primary Health Care is the official journal of the RNZCGP. However, views expressed are not necessarily those of the College, the Editor, or the Editorial Board. Copyright Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners 2009. All rights reserved.

Publishing Dates

JPHC is published quarterly in March, June, September and December. All original research and improving performance papers under rigorous peer review. Accepted papers are published as soon as space permits.