We need to talk about patients not pounds if we are to engage clinicians in meeting the NHS productivity challenge. That means focusing on providing the best possible health outcomes […]
Guest writers
Paul Lord: Too many “tick box” exercises
“L’enfer, c’est les autres”—Hell is others As I progress from trainee to GP, I have taken time to reflect on the process I have been through and I think this […]
Defining child poverty
The government’s plan to repeal the 2010 Child Poverty Act, which committed it to eradicating child poverty in the UK by 2020, and dispense with the current definition of child poverty […]
Anna Mead-Robson: Welfare cuts and suicide risk
Pity the politician tasked with addressing over a thousand psychiatrists on the state of mental health services. At last week’s International Congress of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, such a […]
Nicola Bedlington: Patient involvement in medical devices—an opportunity we may be missing
Patient involvement in health and social care is a fundamental right, and an operating principle of European healthcare systems. In the area of medicines patients are recognised as experts and […]
Marika Davies: Standing up to disrespectful doctors
Media reports that chip away at the confidence the public has in doctors occur regrettably often. A recent case in Virginia, USA, in which a patient recorded offensive comments made […]
Michael Soljak: Data access for research—Kafka writes again
Data are the lifeblood of health research, and the UK government is claiming that data collected in the course of NHS clinical care are available to reputable researchers for the […]
Martin Marshall: The travesty of the 10 minute consultation
“Perfunctory work by perfunctory men.” That’s how an eminent physician once described general practice. “A ridiculous claim” cried GPs, rising to the defence of their discipline, “specialists just don’t understand […]
Barbara Harpham: CCGs are not adopting new technologies quickly enough
In December 2011, the NHS identified six ways technology could help patients and, ultimately, save money. A freedom of information request was sent to 211 clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) across […]
Richard Graham: Is it time to unplug?
As we approach the first UK National Unplugging Day, one might well ask why there is a need to have a day promoting gadget free time for families. After all, […]