The Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt, has recently called for coroners to be granted special powers to investigate stillbirths to reduce the number of baby deaths and injuries […]
Guest writers
Sadaf Karim Sulaiman: Do you debrief?
Traumatic events–including major and minor incidents, near misses, death, and major disability–prompt strong emotional stress responses in healthcare professionals [1]. Following its success in military services, debriefing among healthcare teams […]
Tom Jefferson: The UK turns to Witty, Vallance, and Van Tam for leadership: revolving doors?
Revolving doors are used to facilitate entry or exit into a building. The trick with using these doors is always to get your timing right. Too fast or too slow […]
Jen Gosling: “Difficult” is a difficult word
“They keep saying I’m difficult”, the patient wept. “I feel so guilty; I worry that they think I’m not co-operating”. It was the second time in a week that we […]
Ruth Campbell: How can we make sure that immigration detainees’ health-related human rights are protected?
The UK opened its first “detention unit” in 1970—in a converted road research laboratory near Heathrow Airport. The Immigration Appeals Act 1969 had just been passed, and the UK was […]
Clare Reeder: “Screen and Treat”—helping the victims of the fire at Grenfell Tower
On 24 June 2017, the 24-floor Grenfell Tower, a social housing block in west London, was destroyed by a fire. Months later, its former residents are still having to deal […]
Sadie Mullin: Instant messaging in the workplace is no substitute for a professional conversation
Instant messaging poses a significant threat to effective communication in the workplace. NHS England’s stance on use of instant messaging to discuss patients is clear. Due to the inherent risk […]
Dharani Yerrakalva: “I know it’s not your fault doctor, but …”
This week I have dealt with more consultations starting with what I call, “I know it’s not your fault doctor, but…” openings than not. My patients can’t ever get an appointment to […]
Jangu Banatvala: Undergraduate pathology teaching needs resuscitation
Pathology underpins all branches of medical practice. It provides the core of medicine and is key to understanding the mechanisms by which disease is produced and progresses. Medicine cannot be […]
Wendy Burn: Prioritising the mental health of staff must be beyond question
We need to make it easier for people with mental illnesses to enter and stay in work […]