• Log in
• Sign up
• My account

London Journal of Primary Care is a web-based journal for, and by, all those medical and non-medical professionals that make primary care in London so challenging, innovative, vibrant and exciting, and an example to other urban communities throughout the world. Twice a year, the most pertinent articles will be edited, updated and published in print, indexed and accessible by the international search engines.

Print ISSN: 1757-1472
Online ISSN: 1757-1480

Editorial Team

Editor in Chief

Paul Thomas, FRCGP
Paul Thomas is a general practitioner, clinical director in Ealing Primary Care Trust and professor of primary care at Thames Valley University. He has twenty years experience of developing multidisciplinary primary care, including leading whole system service development and participatory action research. His book 'Integrating Primary Care - Leading, Managing, Facilitating' - describes what he has learned about leading ongoing sustainable change.

Read Paul's editorial that describes his vision for the journal click here

Theme Editors

Paquita de Zulueta,
Ethics Editor
Paquita de Zulueta is a part-time general practitioner in West London and Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at Imperial College. Since completing an MA in medical ethics and law at King's College in 1993, London, she has been involved in teaching medical ethics and law to undergraduates, postgraduates and established general practitioners. She was a regular contributor for the teaching of the Medical Ethics MSc at Imperial College. She has also been a GP member of research ethics and clinical ethics committees for several years. She has written papers, book chapters and undertaken qualitative research on the ethics of antenatal HIV testing and the contribution of role models in the development of professional ethics. She was a regular contributor and deputy editor for The New Generalist. As chair of the Health Care Ethics Forum, she organised conferences on topical bioethical issues at Imperial College. She has a particular interest in the case-based approach, integrating virtue and narrative in the ethical analysis, and being open to critically appraise existing principles in the light of context. One of her aims is to promote the salience of primary care ethics on the bioethical map.

Read Paquita's editorial that describes his vision for the journal click here

Dennis Ougrin, MB BS, MRCPsych
Mental Health Editor
Dennis Ougrin graduated from a medical school in Ukraine in 1998 and came to England to undertake his post-graduate training. He completed his basic psychiatric training at Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ training scheme in London and undertook his higher training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Dr Ougrin is currently a Kraupl-Taylor Research Fellow at the Institute of Psychiatry. He has been working as a research and audit assistant and, since 2004, as a research and audit consultant for Brent PCT and West London Research Network. Dr Ougrin leads a programme of information exchange between the UK and Ukraine and organises annual conferences on psychiatric services’ development in Ukraine. His main professional interests include prevention of Borderline Personality Disorder and effective interventions for self-harm. Dr Ougrin is an author of Therapeutic Assessment - a novel model of assessment for the young people presenting with self harm in emergency. He is the chief investigator of a randomised controlled trial of Therapeutic Assessment. Dr Ougrin is also interested in the delivery of mental health services in primary care. He is a mental health theme editor of London Journal of Primary Care. Dr Ougrin is married and has a 5 year-old daughter Anastasia.

Read Dennis editorial that describes his vision for the journal click here

Gerry McGivern
Systems & Organisations Editor
Gerry McGivern is a Lecturer in the Department of Management, King’s College London. His research focuses on the organisation of healthcare, including projects on networks in healthcare, clinical-managerial roles and identities, evidence-based knowledge and practice, and professional regulation. Gerry has a PhD in organisational behaviour from Imperial College London and has worked at the University of Warwick, Royal Holloway, University of London, and as a HR consultant.

Read Gerry’s editorial that describes his vision for the journal click here

Paul Booton,
Learning Editor
Dr Paul Booton BSc, FRCP, MRCGP is Director of Primary Care Education at Imperial College London.

He trained at the London Hospital taking an intercalated degree in Psychology and was subsequently house officer to the Professor of Medicine. After completing his house jobs he worked as medical officer for the UN High Commission for Refugees amongst the Vietnamese "Boat People" in Hong Kong.

He initially trained as a physician, before pursuing a career in General Practice. After training in General Practice in the depths of rural Suffolk, he returned to inner city Lambeth as lecturer in Primary Care at Guy's and St. Thomas'.

He moved to King’s where he set up the first experiments teaching general medicine in general practice, an innovation which has since become commonplace in London and the UK. He was appointed Undergraduate Dean and led the development of the King’s New Curriculum and its adaptation as the merged curriculum for the newly formed Guy's King's and St. Thomas' School of Medicine.

He headed the development of the final "Student House Officer" year, which was a highly innovative approach to bridging the gap between undergraduate and PRHO years.

He moved to Imperial to lead Primary Care Education and is currently engaged in broadening and deepening Primary Care's engagement in the undergraduate curriculum.

Read Paul’s editorial that describes his vision for the journal click here

Alison While
Non-medical Perspectives Editor
Alison While is a health visitor and Professor of Community Nursing at King’s College London. She has over 30 years experience of working in the field of community nursing both as a practitioner, researcher and teacher and has published widely. She has a particular interest in long-term care issues and the contribution of nurses within healthcare within the context of interdisciplinary working.

Read Alison’s editorial that describes her vision for the journal click here

Cyprian Okoro
Epidemiology, Public Health & Environment Editor
Cyprian Okoro is a Consultant in Public Health Medicine at Ealing Primary Care Trust and Honorary Senior Lecturer in the Department of Primary Care and Social Medicine at Imperial College. He is also a Board Member of the South London Faculty of the Royal College of General Practitioners. Prior to joining Ealing PCT he was an Epidemiologist at the South East Regional Epidemiology Office of the Health Protection Agency. He studied International Health Policy at the London school of Economics (LSE) where he won the Titmus Price in Social Policy before proceeding to the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine where he studied Public Health. His international health experience includes working as a Health Adviser at the Department of International Development (DFID) where he worked on HIV prevention, maternal mortality and child health, as well as working as an external Technical Consultant on evidence based medicine and guidelines development in Nigeria on behalf of the Liverpool Associates in Tropical Health (LATH). Cyprian trained in Obstetrics & Gynaecology and General Practice before pursuing his career in public health and health policy. He has undertaken several epidemiological studies and published in peer review journals.

Read Cyprian’s editorial that describes her vision for the journal click here

Shamini Gnani
Clinical Editor
Shamini Gnani combines her role as a general practitioner in Camden with her role as a public health consultant at Imperial College London. She has been a public health consultant involved in health promotion and disease prevention, health inequalities, and commissioning of health services at various London Primary Care Trusts. She is research active in clinical epidemiology using primary care information management systems.

Read Shamini’s editorial that describes her vision for the journal click here

Deen Mirza
International Editor
Deen Mirza is a locum GP and GP appraiser in South London. He was a course tutor on the highly successful London Faculties MRCGP courses, and previously worked at St George's University of London, teaching undergraduates. He is currently working for 2 years as a Lecturer in Family Medicine in a new Medical College at the University of Sharjah, UAE. His interests are in postgraduate GP assessment, and in how communication skills and ethics are taught internationally.

Read Deen's editorial for the international section of the LJPC here. click here

Hina Taylor
London Landscape Editor
Hina Taylor is a Clinical lecturer at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry where she is the course organiser of the BMedSci Health Sciences degree, an intercalated degree for 4th year students. She qualified from Liverpool Medical School and came to London in 2001 to pursue an MSc in Primary Care and complete an academic training scheme.

She has been a GP for seven years; having originally trained in the peace and tranquillity of the Yorkshire Dales she now practises in the urban jungle of Kilburn. She has a special interest in Diabetes and writing skills among undergraduate students. She is on the editorial board of the Foundation Years Journal.

Read Hina’s editorial for the London landscape section of the LJPC click here

Associate Editors

John Spicer
Associate Editor and South London Liaison
John Spicer is a GP in Croydon, South London where he has practised for 22 years. He teaches clinical law and ethics at St George's, University of London to medical students and others, and has published several books on the subject. He has been a teacher for 17 years overall and now manages GP training for the South East sector of London for the London Deanery.

Mike Carmi,
Associate Editor and North East London Liaison
Michael Carmi is Provost of the North East London Faculty and their Fellowship Lead. He was a GP at White Lodge Medical Practice for 37 years and Associate Director London Deanery for 18 years. His primary interest is Education and he was a Past Hon. Senior Lecturer University College and Royal Free Medical School. He helped to found the Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education and developed an interest in Cot Deaths. He is the College Representative and a Trustee of the Foundation for the Study of Infant Death. He is also GP Appraiser at Enfield PCT. and an Educational Facilitator at Barndoc.

Ruth Barnes
Public Health Liaison and Associate Editor
Ruth Barnes is joint Director of Public Health for Ealing Primary Care Trust. The public health directorate leads on equity and inequalities issues, partnerships and diversity, health promotion, coronary heart disease, diabetes, TB and immunisation. It also provides an input to other areas of work; for example, undertaking needs assessments and equity audits to ensure that health services are planned and commissioned on the basis of the needs of local people.

Ruth’s specialist professional interests include equity and health inequalities, health impact and health needs assessment in public policy, health, housing and regeneration, and partnership working, including intersectoral and international collaboration on strategic development for health.

Greta Rait MRCGP MD
UCL Liaison
Greta Rait trained in general practice and then worked as a research fellow at the Department of Psychiatry in Manchester. She joined the Dept of Primary Care (UCL) in 1998 as a clinical lecturer. After completing a MRC training fellowship in Health Services Research, she started a new post between UCL and the MRC General Practice Research Framework. She is a part-time GP at Clerkenwell Medical Practice, in Islington, London. Her research interest areas include mental health, complex interventions in primary care and chronic disease.

Francesco Carelli
International Liaison
Francesco Carelli is a general Practitioner and professor of family medicine at the University in Milan. He is also a Council member of the European Academy of Teachers in General Practice and Director of Communications, Chair BME Committee. He has a Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Care & General Practice from Belfast University.

He is a member of the Italian Journalist Council, and on the Editorial Boards of several general practice journals.

His wife is a neurologist, and he has two children, one certificated in Arts. He likes to take care of the garden and to travel a lot meeting colleagues and friends.

Marini Edwards,
North & West London Representative
Marini Edwards is a general practitioner in North West London with 15 years in practice. She is a member of the North and West London RCGP Faculty Board and LMC. She qualified at Cambridge University and was an editor of Cambridge Medicine, the Clinical School Journal. Her special interests are diabetes, occupational medicine, medical education and the history of medicine.

Editorial Board

Paul Thomas, Editor in Chief

Editorial Team, as above

Gabby Ivbijaro,
North East London Board Representative
Gabby Ivbijaro graduated from the University of Benin in Nigeria, became a member of the Royal College of General Practitioners UK in 1998 and a Fellow in 2004. He is the chair of the WONCA Working Party on Mental Health. He is on the editorial board of a number of journals and is Clinical Governance and Educational Lead for Waltham Forest Primary Care Trust. He has made a significant contribution to the development of mental health in primary care internationally and has presented extensively at a variety of national and international conferences. He has written extensively on the role of General Practitioners in the management of mental health in primary care. Recent publications include the WONCA Culturally Sensitive Depression Guideline; Mental Health in Primary Care: Ways of Working – The Impact of Culture; Look, Listen & Test: Mental Health Assessment and a Study of the Governance Arrangement and Structure of Waltham Forest PCT Using a Federalist Lens.

Anwar Khan,
North East London Board Representative
Anwar Khan is a part-time GP and Associate Director of the London Deanery. He is a member of the RCGP North East London Faculty RCGP, Chair of its Education Sub-Committee and past Chair of the Board. He is an RCGP International Development Advisor (Oman and South Asia) and Deputy Medical Director of Assessment. His Special interest is assessment and medical education and he has edited a book on this topic in 2007