The GP Study

Research is underway at the Primary Dementia Collaborative Research Centre at UNSW to examine how GPs detect and manage people with dementia living in the general community. The study, which is funded by the National Health & Medical Research Council, is being undertaken by a team from the Universities of Adelaide, Melbourne, Newcastle and New South Wales, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and representation from Alzheimer’s Australia. The research team is led by Professor Dimity Pond from the Discipline of General Practice at the University of Newcastle and locally by chief investigators, Professors Charles Bridges Webb and Henry Brodaty.

General Practitioners are important in the diagnosis and management of patients with dementia, as most older people attend their general practitioner regularly. However research with GPs indicates that they would like a quick way of screening for dementia and are not always certain of best management practices. The research focuses on a new brief, efficient questionnaire (GPCOG) that GPs can use to detect dementia in its early stages and how to develop management strategies.

Contact the GP Project Team:
Primary Dementia Collaborative Research Centre
45 Beach Street Coogee, 2034.
Ph: 61 2 9385 9079; Fax: 61 2 9385 9075;
Email: gpproject @unsw.edu.au