Recent media coverage has focussed on whether patients should be fined for missing appointments. Would a £10 fine change patient behaviour and put an end to this story once and for all? Nada Khan investigates!
The Cynefin framework is believed to encourage the perception of existing structures with new eyes, aiding decision making and simplifying complex concepts. Can this framework help to make sense of challenging GP consultations that may leave GPs feeling inadequate or ineffective?
As of day 70 of the Ukraine–Russia war there have been 186 attacks on health care. Drawing comparisons to Russia's involvement in the Syrian Civil War, Hareen De Silva BEM describes the devastating and long-term tolls these attacks have on civilians.
Dr Yin Zhou comes on the podcast to tell us about population-level data signalling pre-diagnostic clinical features of colorectal cancer.
General public concern over the adequate control of blood pressure is notably high within Ukraine, possibly due to the concerning prevalence of hypertensive disease, public awareness of its associated risk factors, and successful health promotion by primary care and public health professionals.
Hannah Milton reviews a book aimed at 8–12-year-old children which explains how traumatic experiences can affect the brain and lead to altered feelings and behaviours in the future.
As we’ve emerged from various lockdowns, large parts of the media have intensified a negative rhetoric against GPs. Annabelle Machin argues that there is still a powerful hope from... talking to each other!
Capacity for undergraduate GP placements is a serious challenge and one that is predicted to become harder in the near future. Here, Simon Thornton, part of the national working group set up to investigate the issue of teaching capacity in general practice
Ben Hoban reflects on general practice as a 'Hero's journey,' but argues that this must be reconciled with the patient narrative. Don your narrative bifocals!
Dr Kimberley Foley talks through findings from their study showing the impact of Covid on primary care contacts with children and young people in the first lockdown.
Richard Armitage discusses how the management of vaccine-preventable diseases has been affected by the conflict in Ukraine
Suzanne O’Sullivan is a British neurologist with a particular interest in psychosomatic diseases. Her book explores how the causes of psychosomatic neurological disorders do not necessarily have their cause within the individual patient but within the society that they live in. Review
Many doctors in the early nineteenth century felt they were held in low regard by a public happy to employ the practitioner charging the lowest fee. Status came to rest on acquired standards of behaviour rather than superior knowledge. Part two of
The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a light on the importance of social media in keeping people connected and informed worldwide. Annabelle Machin reviews the good, bad and ugly aspects of a useful but potentially dangerous tool.
How is it that something can seem so obvious in hindsight, when at the time it was anything but obvious? Ben Hoban shows us his retrospectoscope!
"... you must first assess the behaviour of the patient and then analyse the patient history." - Clinical observation, argues Henk de Vries, is key to assessing patients with complex personality disorders, offering a new perspective on the Calgary-Cambridge model.
Drs Rohini Mathur and Sally Hull talk us through a London-based primary care study of diabetes sub-groups that could have big implications for how we managing type 2 diabetes in the future.
Hannah Weston-Simons shares an ode to her GP colleagues
Richard Armitage discusses many Ukrainian families have been separated, meaning the vast majority of refugees are women, children, and elderly people, who are often unaccompanied. These vulnerable individuals are exposed to substantially increased risks of being affected by modern slavery, sexual and
David Jeffrey suggests that medical teachers will find this book a source of inspiration in encouraging students to engage in empathic relationships with patients and colleagues.
Richard Armitage asks if the prevalence of conscientious objection among clinicians could compromise the provision of abortion services in Northern Ireland.
Part of the increased demand for HRT has been attributed to a TV documentary about the menopause released a year ago by Davina McCall, which has led to what some call the ‘Davina effect’. Nada Khan examines the effect of celebrity narratives
Could Deep End practices assess and treat complex patients in deprived settings to help psychiatric services feel less overwhelmed? Henk de Vries offers a new perspective on the role of Deep End practices in caring for patients with personality disorders.
Dr David Whiteley tells us about qualitative research that explored and developed a pathway for HCV treatment in the community.
Oleksii Korzh writes from the Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Ukraine, to describe the effect of the conflict on primary healthcare.
Richard Armitage reminds us that, while they play no part in geopolitical games, it is children – in particular the maintenance of their health and wellbeing – that pay one of the largest and most deeply unjust costs for the accident of
Roger Jones reviews 'A fortunate woman' by Polly Morland. At a very difficult time for general practice and for the medical profession as a whole, this book comes as a most welcome affirmation of the central importance of a respectful, reciprocal relationship
Ivy Mitchell and Andrew Papanikitas review Doughnut Economics - an attempt to rewire economic thinking to take account of both social deprivation and environmental sustainability.
Jeremy W Tankel discusses how previously successful approaches to telephone and in person GP consultations are proving problematic in the COVID-19 era - what's the answer?
Nada Khan asks how can we tackle fuel poverty and food insecurity in practice, offering some solid tips for practice
In April 2020, NICE published new guidance on how to help patients to safely stop antidepressant use. To help GPs to implement this guidance in their practice, Stevie Lewis from the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal and Mark Horowitz have published
Amy Clark and Dr Kathryn Hughes tell us about research into the NICE traffic light system for assessing sick children.
Richard Armitage discusses the interaction of battlefront conditions and COVID-19 in Ukraine
John Brooks discusses the experiences, the writings, the politics and the health of George Orwell
In an open letter to BJGP Life, Roghieh Dehghan and members of the Medact migrant solidarity group argue that deporting refugees to Rwanda is an uncomplicated moral wrong and note the frequent silence of healthcare leadership when these wrongs are mooted by
Paul McNamara 'never wanted to be a GP' but now argues that undergraduate self selected components in general practice could help with recruitment and retention.
Whilst efforts are being made to develop the paramedic role within primary care, what is often missing from research and policy informing practice is the voice of patients. An NIHR patient and public group discuss this and offer practical advice for primary
Joanne Reeve explores three misconceptions about medical generalist and highlights the work of the WISEGP and CATALYST programmes.
Richard Armitage uses the inverse care law to discuss the health inequalities affecting Ukrainian civilians who have been unable to flee the country.
Ben Hoban reflects on the power of naming a thing in medicine. But with great power comes great responsibility...