As human beings we are intimately aware of the dynamic interactions between our physical and mental selves. In the context of having an illness, we may also become aware of […]
Latest articles
Richard Smith: A small insight into avoiding some of the pressure on A&E departments
At 8.15 on a Saturday morning while I’m shopping with my grandson my wife at home receives a call to say my 89 year old mother with dementia, who lives […]
Kieran Walsh: Clinical decision support—only works when used
Clinical decision support can improve health outcomes and reduce the risk of medical error. But it isn’t always used. And a bit like a wondrously effective drug—when it’s not used, […]
Billy Boland: Creating a culture where quality improvement is a way of life
I couldn’t think properly as I had heart palpitations. I didn’t know anyone and felt properly under the microscope. I was stressed out but trying to be at my best. […]
Samira Rhoods: Putting future signals into context with scenario planning
“It’s 2037, the fourth industrial revolution has come and gone. The research landscape is highly automated and cloud based. Researchers are required to combine scientific qualifications with advanced programming and […]
Alex Nowbar’s research reviews—10 September 2018
This week we introduce the next of our three new columnists who will be writing our weekly research reviews […]
Ferelith Gaze: Five tests for the new NHS long term plan
The £20 billion NHS funding uplift announced in June, and the accompanying long-term plan, could mark a key point in the history of the NHS. The plan, and accompanying government […]
Between a doc and a hard case: a journey through liminality
Current healthcare pressures and a recent watershed medicolegal case have contributed to an uncomfortable climate for doctors and medical students. Reflective practice is under scrutiny, litigation is rife. Certainty and […]
Andy Whittamore: People with severe asthma are slipping through the net
An estimated 200,000 people in the UK may have severe asthma and not even know it, according to a new report by Asthma UK. The effectiveness of reliever inhalers and […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs—origin of the term
As I discussed last week, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) form a heterogeneous group of compounds, primarily defined by being anti-inflammatory and secondarily by not being steroids. The word “steroid”, which […]