Last week, in my 200th blog in this series (200 = 2 × 10 × 10), I discussed the word “digit”, which means both a number and a finger or […]
Columnists
Medical professionalism: a key to a better health system and more satisfied doctors
I wonder how many medical students and doctors could confidently define “medical professionalism.” Few, I suspect. Indeed, I don’t think that I could have done until I spent two months […]
Rachel Clarke: Why Matt Hancock’s promotion of Babylon worries doctors
Is there anything more worrying in healthcare than a zealot? Sweeping, soaring visionaries who refuse to be held back by boring niceties like evidence? Health secretary Matt Hancock is an […]
Matt Morgan: Buying toilet rolls and writing rotas—is this really the best use of clinicians’ time?
Quality improvement schemes have so far been aimed at solving clinical and logistical problems, but have forgotten about the most important asset—staff […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Digits
In my hundredth contribution under the “When I Use a Word” heading, I discussed powers of ten and official and unofficial SI (Système Internationale) prefixes used to denote thousand-fold divisions […]
Celebrating unglamorous medical jobs…and understanding what matters in the end
There is no more important medical job than simply being there […]
Richard Smith: Reducing variation in practice—at last?
Healthcare, says Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, is the world’s largest cottage industry. This is illustrated by the enormous variations in practice that occur all across healthcare. Ten […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . The Human Medicines Regulations 2012 and advertising
Last week I discussed how the Medicines Act 1968 enabled the promulgation of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, which replaced the Act and about 200 other pieces of secondary legislation. […]
Martin McKee: The Brexit withdrawal agreement has important implications for the NHS and public health
It is still possible that some version of Theresa May’s proposed deal may come to pass. And if it does, what are the implications for health? […]
Neville Goodman’s metaphor watch: the end of the road?
Driving metaphors are common in everyday speech: foot on the gas, back seat driver, eyes on the road, apply the brake, change gear. Only driving seat appears with any frequency […]