David McCoy explains why we should tax diesel vehicles more. […]
Guest writers
Tom Nolan: Freeing up some cognitive bandwidth in general practice
How many tabs have you got open on your web browser? I’ve got 27: six Airbnb properties in Cornwall, five Google maps with journey times to Cornish towns, six recipes […]
Abraar Karan: Publication should not be the endgame of medical research
Medical students are constantly encouraged to publish academic work, but they are rarely instilled with the value of what the potential impact of that work could be, says Abraar Karan. […]
Geoff Debelle: Why the Children and Social Work Bill needs to be amended
Safeguarding vulnerable children is a priority for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH). I have therefore been closely following the passage of the Children and Social Work […]
Seeing human lives in spreadsheets: The work of Hans Rosling (1948–2017)
Hans Rosling died last Tuesday (7 February 2017) at the age of 68, as the Gapminder Foundation—which he co-founded—announced. My deepest condolences to his family, friends, and the many of […]
Thomas Sharp: Has NHS workforce morale reached the point of no return?
I recently read a BBC article that provided an alternative to the regular press rhetoric on NHS performance this winter; namely, that the fact the NHS has been able to perform […]
Simon Wessely on why we shouldn’t close the child refugee scheme
On Tuesday of this week I hosted a dinner at the Royal College of Psychiatrists for a group of medical students who are part of our “Pathfinders”—a scheme to give […]
Hannah Barham-Brown: Doctoring with a disability
“Can I ask you a question?” “Of course,” I replied, refocusing my attention across the hospital bed to answer my patient’s inquisitive, middle aged son. “Are you a real Doctor? […]
Sebastian Walsh: Medically fit, awaiting social
“Patient remains medically fit for discharge. Plan: Awaiting social.” On countless times during my foundation year 1 I wrote words to that effect in patients’ notes during ward rounds. It […]
Shaun Treweek: Why is there growing hostility towards EBM?
In an address to oysters, the Walrus in Lewis Carroll’s “The Walrus and the Carpenter” proclaims: The time has come, [the Walrus said], To talk of many things: Of shoes—and […]