Over the past few years, we have seen several high profile failures of care in NHS acute hospitals in England, leading many in the system to question the ability of […]
NHS
Mary Rance: Loneliness—it’s time to stop talking and start doing
Extreme loneliness in older people in the UK is a topic that always ignites debate. Partly because the problem is only getting worse as the population ages and, I suspect, […]
David Zigmond: Depression needs more than formulaic treatment
An eminent academic psychologist, Professor David Clark, recently broadcast on the BBC’s Today programme (1 July) authoritative hope to the many sufferers of depression. He informed us how current scientifically formulated, […]
Neal Maskrey: Feeling the force of the QOF
It’s the season for graduation ceremonies. Proud parents and partners, relieved graduates, and a lump in everyone’s throat as that enormous rite of passage is eased by impressive ceremony, thoughtful […]
Billy Boland: Life after the NHS Leadership Academy
Is it nearly over? Putting the final touches to my portfolio seems all wrong somehow. The outcome of my time at the NHS Leadership Academy depends on this submission, and […]
Bijal Chheda-Varma: Bariatric surgery is unsustainable
Obesity is widely recognised as one of the greatest health threats of the 21st century across the developed world, with about a third of the global population now obese or […]
The BMJ Today: Coca-Cola . . . for real?
Coca-Cola tackling obesity might sound surprising, not least if we consider the close relationship the soft drinks manufacturer enjoys with the rotund Father Christmas. But the company recently announced that […]
Claire Severgnini: Why we need more fracture liaison services
An estimated three million people in the UK have osteoporosis, and a recent survey of the National Osteoporosis Society’s members revealed that a fifth of women who have fractured bones sustain three […]
David Wrigley: Privatisation behind an invisibility cloak
I was a guest speaker recently at a packed meeting in central Newcastle, where we discussed and debated the changes to the NHS. Everyone in the room was very concerned […]
Hugh Alderwick: NHS performance—are we really getting it right?
According to the Commonwealth Fund, in the UK we’re getting it (mostly) right—or, at least, we’re getting it more right than our international counterparts. In their comparative study of health […]