The way we talk about mental ill health can end up creating a linguistic black box which we see but cannot see inside. How then can we know what to expect from our distressed patients, and how best to help them? Ben
Kathleen Wenaden looks back at the struggles and successes of her Hackney practice, and of how the work of the staff interweaves with the lives of the patients. She considers too the reinvigorating power of creativity and nature as ways for GPs
"Mukherjee's prose really does instil in the reader an awe for what life is [...] It needs to be read and savoured." – Elke Hausmann reviews The Song of the Cell: The Story of Life by Siddhartha Mukherjee
I don’t know the answer. But I think I’m feeling the same. I’m exhausted, but I won’t tell you that. It’s a conveyor-belt of emotions. Next customer please! Except this is not transactional. You have a story, and it’s my job to
Ahmed Rashid explores: Ethnic minority maternity experiences, colorectal resection, foreign medical aid, weight stigma and the lives of billionaires
In this episode, we present a summary of our recent RCGP conference workshop on continuity of care.
To understand childhood aggression, it is important to understand the neuroscience behind the reactions displayed by children. Hannah Milton reviews an unofficial guide for parents.
In Medical Generalism—Now!, Joanne Reeve extends her concept of the creative self. And she argues that the fundamental challenge for the contemporary primary care clinician is to honour the patient’s creative abilities and provide the kind of flexible, tailored care that allows
Primary care mental health is a fundamental part of general practice, delivering care to many more people than specialist mental health services, and yet there is limited documented history of its development. We sought to address this gap in the narrative by
In this episode, we talk to Dr Nish Jayasooriya about ulcerative colitis treatment in young people.
As a GP and medical student... we wanted to see whether patients experience experiencing homelessness could also reap the benefits of nature prescriptions.
'A relational way of working, thinking and designing is one that creates possibility for change, one that creates abundance – our capacity for relationships, like love, is infinite.’ Emilie Couchman reviews a call for radical reform
"[Within the book] there are eloquent lessons for individuals, GPs (and their teams), and policymakers – if they are listening." – Emma Ladds on Phil Whitaker's 'What is a Doctor? A GP's Prescription for the Future'
Maladaptive daydreaming is a relatively new concept in the field of psychology experienced by an estimated 2.5% of the population. Sara Noden analyses this proposed mental disorder and the implications for clinicians.
This book is important for GPs to read because domestic abuse is common and leads to longstanding health issues for women, children, and men. Robust evidence and research are interspersed between individual stories that illustrate the variety of forms that abuse can
Giles Dawnay reflects on the tension between left and right brained view of life and how this might affect the general practitioner's clinical gaze.
In this episode, we talk to Dr Lizzie Emsley and Dr Eszter Szilassy about domestic abuse and the general practice response during the Covid pandemic.
Lucy Chiddick argues that promoting school attendance is a complex task, best done by those with appropriate expertise. Where GPs engage with the issue there should be appropriate time and care, recognising that there are many drivers of absenteeism and that attendance
Ilyich’s life story made me reflect on the extent to which I'm satisfied with my own life...I've often asked the question that Tolstoy confronts his readers with here: is there more to life than this? Luke Allen reviews this classic novella.
Modern democracies try to tolerate most differences in opinions. Many differences may not matter too much, but some like pandemics and climate change are existential problems that affect everyone, and agreement on their cause and how to respond should benefit us all.
The shocking infant murders by nurse Lucy Letby represent a mercifully rare (we think) class of event. These remain extremely difficult to understand, predict or prevent, much as we must try. David Zigmond reflects on the role of commercially corporatised healthcare culture
Why hasn’t the approach of Centene and Babylon worked? And what’s the history behind corporate acquisition of GP surgeries? Nada Khan investigates.
If we look at continuity without considering the wider context of general practice, we may find ourselves being swept out to sea as we gaze longingly back at the beach. Ben Hoban helps us to reflect on the really useful elements of
In this episode, we talk to Dr Fran Toye and Dr Sharon Dixon about women's health needs in practice.
Vasumathy Sivarajasingam explores domestic abuse PUNs and DENs as a relevant appraisal topic linked to mandatory safeguarding, with links to learning materials, legislation and further articles.
Carter Singh argues that accusing striking doctors of causing harm is disingenuous when there are many critical harms that strikes are attempting to address.
The argument is that, for decades, ‘business friendly’ governments have been allowing private interests to extract vast fortunes from the NHS and that over time the service has been increasingly reformed to make it ready for corporate takeover. This would make our
With the potential dismantling of the GP partnership model and the drive for a multiprofessional workforce in primary care, is this the right time to look at shared leadership as a facilitator of positive change?
In this episode, we talk to Dr Jess Watson about the Why Test study looking at blood testing practice in primary care.
"The function of a diagnosis is more than to guide treatment planning. It often provides emotional relief for patients, even if the diagnosis is dire. As Susan put it, “I keep hoping that some doctor will tell me exactly what this ‘skin
Around 2000 years ago St Paul taught that love for others was the most important virtue, much greater than knowledge or wealth. Here, Fraser Barratt and Scott A Murray MBE have adapted his memorable words to help inform and guide busy doctors
The title, ‘What is a doctor?’, neatly articulates a contemporary query. As the multidisciplinary team (MDT) becomes increasingly complex with additional moving parts, the role of the doctor becomes ever more difficult to describe. The memory of the ‘family doctor’ is fading.
"Reflecting with a new appreciation of how cycling infrastructure can be done, it’s clear our system needs an overhaul." - Callum Leese writes on the importance of advocating for the development of cycling infrastructure in the UK ...
In clinic last week, a patient called me by my first name – this was the first time I have experienced this in primary care, and for some reason I found it quite jarring. ...there seems to be very little evidence on
"Withdrawal symptoms are not a sign that a patient needs the drug, but a sign that they need to reduce the drug more slowly" – Stevie Lewis and Mark Horowitz outline how to safely aid patients to withdraw from antidepressants
In this episode, we talk to Dr Liz Sturgiss about brief conversations we can have in practice to help reduce alcohol harm.
Pablo Millares Martin considers whether the problem list has become a problem (or remains a useful clinical tool).
The ever changing face of health services has been reflected in incessant change in language. Here is a (tongue in cheek) glossary for those who have not kept up (Caution: contains satire).
Bassem Saab and Beatrice Khater use a series of movies used to teach and discuss professionalism with family medicine residents in Lebanon. Here they focus on relationships with the pharmaceutical industry.
A number of storylines within the Star Trek franchise refer to a combat simulation in which a stranded starship, the Kobayashi Maru, must be rescued, but in which any attempt to do so inevitably results in failure. Ben Hoban can relate...