Dr Dick Bijl reviews Peter C Gøtzsche's newest book, which claims to be able to "help patients with mental health issues survive and come back to a normal life", exploring in detail the harms of psychiatric medication.
What do we want of doctors beside biomedical science? David Zigmond cautions us that post Covid, we risk replacing the doctor's human heart with an immured, mechanical one that can count but cannot value.
Not many of us expect to be working for the NHS for 50 years. Zarmina Rayaz reports on a remarkable colleague, and tells us what what keeps him going.
Working differently has certainly brought some challenges but also some unforeseen opportunities and scope for innovation. Vasumathy Sivarajasingam shares her vision for the future.
The "Defeat Depression" campaign of the 1990s told us that anxiety and depression were caused by a “chemical imbalance in the brain”, and that SSRIs were safe, effective and non-addictive. We now know that virtually every part of that narrative is untrue.
Dr Riitta Partanen joins us to tell us more about a study looking at GPs' insight into discontinuing long-term antidepressants.
There will be many challenges for the NHS once the worst of the pandemic has passed. Judith Dawson suggests that honesty will be the best policy.
What should general practice do to help young people in the post-Covid world? Richard Churchill tells us not to ask ourselves, but to ask them. We should involve young people in the re-design of services.
We all have elderly patients who are becoming unsteady on their feet, maybe a little lonely, or worried that the next step might be a Care Home. Here a relative tells us about a possible win - win situation that has benefitted
Richard Armitage sees remote home monitoring for non-communicable diseases including atrial fibrillation, asthma, hypertension and diabetes, as a major opportunity for primary care.
We have all had to endure social distancing for nearly a year now. Peter Aird urges us over the coming months to look to leave social distancing behind – in all its forms. Let’s look to sit down with, and care for,
The editor, Euan Lawson, is joined by Associate Editors, Sam Merriel and Tom Round, for some conversation on highlights from the April 2021 issue.
BJGP Life put out a call for articles on the theme of “General Practice after Covid-19“. During the rest of April we will be publishing the best of them. These articles advocate many different paths, some mutually contradictory, so do read them
How should General Practice change after Covid? Julia Darko suggests five lessons and five ways for general practice to move forward.
Jane Roberts finds that a day of clinical work can feel like having your head pummelled in a washing machine. She tells us about how she deals with stress by her practice of yoga.
Professor Sir Michael Marmot talks about Julian Tudor Hart and the role of GPs "natural allies" in his work to tackle social determinants of health.
Rosie Marshall shares her very personal journey though burnout. She concludes that only through recognising and validating our humanity and our lack of resilience are we likely to seek appropriate support or begin to effectively change underlying systems.
Rachel Lightfoot, a medical student at Trinity College, Dublin, shares her experience of hope as she takes her part in a local vaccination clinic.
Modern Wales was built on the production of coal, though with it brought great losses: harsh working conditions, industrial pollution, and tragic disasters, such as that which occurred at Aberfan. With the Welsh government's proposal to ban coal, Rhodri Evans provides a
We cannot prevent dying, but we can certainly prevent much unnecessary suffering and overtreatment. Scott Murray shows us how we can incorporate "Anticipatory Care" into the ordinary GP consultation.
There are still almost 30 million unvaccinated adults in the UK, and younger adults may be more difficult to reach. Tadhg Crowley and colleagues share their experience of setting up a GP run drive through vaccination centre.
John Travers reminds us that we are taking part in a miracle. "That is how a dragon is felled, one tiny jab at a time."
We live in extraordinary and historic times. Maxwell Cooper reminds us that we must ensure that the phenomenal achievements of general practice during this pandemic in delivering vaccination - alongside patient care - are never forgotten.
Will reached communities become “Hard to reach” again after the covid-19 vaccine rollout? Datapwa Mujong reflects on our way forward.
Anyone is vulnerable in a capitalist society if they have no access to the essential funds needed for survival. Perhaps Universal Basic Income, the system in which all citizens receive the same income regardless of employment status, could fill an important gap
Bearing witness, for our colleagues in Myanmar, as so many of us do for our patients, is powerful, but it is not enough. Jim Brockbank tells the story of our colleagues in Myanmar who want us to be their advocates, hear their
David Jeffrey reviews a novel that paints a picture of the challenges in withdrawing futile treatments.
Those suffering gender dysphoria may easily be caught up and crushed by controversy, only adding to their suffering. Peter Misselbrook reviews a book that that tells the story of one family's journey, and asks whether we may be part of the problem
Balancing individual freedom with public health interests and the economy remains a delicate and fraught endeavour. However, Carmen Schmechel and her colleagues remind us that there is nothing new under the sun.......
InnovAiT has been sent out to Associates in Training (AiTs) since January 2008, but it seems to be a bit of an open secret. It’s a secret that Richard Draper is keen to share.
BJGP Life is putting out a call for articles on the theme of “General Practice after Covid-19“. We will be accepting articles on this theme over the rest of this month. It is time to build our future. We, and your colleagues, are waiting
Most of the public are opposed to the privatisation of the NHS. But US corporate giant Centene, a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange is now in control of 58 GP surgeries across the UK. Jatinder Hayre warns
Dr Claire Friedemann Smith talks about a qualitative study that explores how GPs use gut feelings to help them navigate grey areas in diagnosis.
After experiencing severe antidepressant withdrawal in 2017, Edward White writes on the failure of healthcare services to recognise symptoms of, and correctly diagnose, antidepressant withdrawal, causing many to turn from primary care to antidepressant withdrawal Facebook groups.
The current pandemic has brought with it an "infodemic" of misinformation. A crisis is the time to show resilience, rely on collective wisdom, and refrain from a panic response. As a society we need to create more room for reason and access
The news is out - Roger Neighbour has written a new book that encourages us to consult with others in the way we would want others to consult with us. Peter Aird heartily recommends this book.
As GPs we know a lot about recurrent urinary tract infections. James Malone-Lee is Emeritus Professor of Medicine, University College London. His research suggests that most of what we think we know is wrong. Here he explains the evidence.
Drs Laura Swaithes and Andrew Finney talk about group consultations and the experience of delivering them in general practice.
Julian Tudor Hart's "Inverse Care Law" was published 50 years ago last month. Stephen Gillam reminds us of Tudor Hart's remarkable legacy and its immediate relevance for us today.
Aye Soe alerts us to the difficulties that doctors are facing in Myanmar as they seek to vaccinate the population, but are harrased by the military junta following the recent coup.