I am thrilled to be the new Editor of Independent Nurse and to come on board at an exciting time for the profession. Following in the footsteps of Sarah Wild, who had been with the magazine since its launch, is a little daunting, but I have a strong sense of the title's identity and the service it provides to you, the readers. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible at future events, and to hearing from you via the title's inbox and social media accounts - please do get in touch. It is through dialogue with you that Independent Nurse can focus on the subjects and issues of most importance to you, the nurses in primary care. Together we can build on the magazine's existing strength's and discover new ones.
Turning to this issue, Journals Watch on p15 draws our attention to the treatment of those with ADHD. A paper has shown that boys with ADHD and prescribed methylphenidate are more likely to suffer from atopic diseases, such as asthma, and infections such as impetigo. This supports NICE's recent reiteration of its advice against using drugs as a first-line treatment for ADHD, in response to a sharp rise in prescribing. The NICE quality standard on ADHD (CG72), updated this year, recommends that school-age children and young people receive behavioural and psychological interventions, among other first-line treatments. Understanding the recommended treatment options will enable nurses regularly seeing children to offer the best advice and support around ADHD. Interestingly, a quick look at the ADHD pages on the NHS Choices website lists medication before therapy in the treatment section.
I hope you enjoy this issue. Please do get in touch with any topics/issues you would like to read about.