I couldn’t be more serious in beginning to reflect on the Francis report with a joke. The joke is employed by Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek in his illustration of ideology, […]
NHS
Margaret McCartney on the petition to get Bounty reps out of NHS maternity wards
It’s not just me who is annoyed about the presence of Bounty reps on NHS wards, who pay the NHS to be allowed access to give samples of products to […]
Richard Vize: David Nicholson’s last speech to the NHS Confederation conference
Sir David Nicholson’s last speech to the annual NHS Confederation conference as the leader of the service reflected all the traits of his seven years in control. His passion, commitment, […]
David Zigmond: Hello, health commissioner. Goodbye, family doctor?
In this new era of GP led NHS commissioning, I saw a young GP on the television. She was interviewed to sample a voice of professional support and enthusiasm for […]
Domhnall MacAuley: General practice and social deprivation
A single naked bulb lights the room. Clothes hang over the radiator, there is a cot by the door, and a huge TV in the corner. Just a few worn […]
Deborah Kirklin: Mid Staffs—would you have been a whistleblower?
The latest Medical Humanities poll asks readers a simple but searching question: if you witnessed unaddressed failings in local healthcare provision, would you feel confident and secure enough to whistle […]
David Lock: Should GPs aspire to run medical services businesses?
It is hardly surprising that hard pressed GPs have reacted angrily to unjustified criticisms by the secretary of state for health that they are to blame for faults within the […]
Peter Bailey: Galley slaves, rebel!
Jeremy Hunt’s speech to the King’s Fund on 23 May made me wonder if someone in the Department of Health had had an “Oh my God!” moment. A gut clenching, […]
Martin Roland: Reorganising GP care—back to the future
There seemed something familiar about the secretary of state’s announcements about general practice last week. Jeremy Hunt says that care is too often disjointed and he wants to give GPs […]
Margaret McCartney: Clinical trial company tempts patients with free health screening
When buses in Glasgow started to come with posters asking if people were “Concerned about diabetes?” with an image of an older woman, a freephone number, and webpage for people […]