In this new era of GP led NHS commissioning, I saw a young GP on the television. She was interviewed to sample a voice of professional support and enthusiasm for […]
Month: June 2013
Domhnall MacAuley: General practice and social deprivation
A single naked bulb lights the room. Clothes hang over the radiator, there is a cot by the door, and a huge TV in the corner. Just a few worn […]
Deborah Kirklin: Mid Staffs—would you have been a whistleblower?
The latest Medical Humanities poll asks readers a simple but searching question: if you witnessed unaddressed failings in local healthcare provision, would you feel confident and secure enough to whistle […]
Edward Davies: Pharma is changing. Can doctors say the same?
About 13 years ago I attended my first US mega meeting of doctors. I was there for a research agency, working on behalf of a large well known pharmaceutical company, […]
Charlotte Elder: A call for a bit of honesty
Before a career move to paediatrics I was a GP trainee. Whilst brainstorming what topics we were going to cover in our VTS half day release, I suggested that we […]
Edward Davies: The big bang meeting vs peer review
In the world of oncology, and indeed the world in general, meetings don’t come bigger than that of the American Society for Clinical Oncology. I hesitate to quote a cab […]
William Cayley: Are we getting too systematic for our own good?
“We need to standardize our systems of practice to improve our quality metrics and do a better job of caring for our patients.” Such was the thrust of a recent […]
Richard Smith: “Longevity is one of the greatest curses introduced by the scientists”
“Longevity is one of the greatest curses introduced by the scientists,” wrote Evelyn Waugh in a letter to Harold Action in 1961, a few days after his 58th birthday. I […]
Anita Jain: “It’s time for men to deliver”
The infamous Delhi gang rape led to an outpouring of public outrage across the country. It signalled a tipping point in people’s angst with the growing pervasiveness of such incidents. […]
Scott Fraser: Do doctors have a responsibility to lead on climate change?
When learning biology for my school exams (longer ago than I imagine but not so many years ago) I clearly remember that atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) was rounded down to […]