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.
The burden of the COVID-19 pandemic has been shouldered by the most vulnerable. Far from being the great equaliser, the pandemic has simply exacerbated health and social inequalities for the homeless. Jatinder Hayre calls us all to action to find practical solutions
What lies behind the patient who repeats their stories in every consultation? As the story repeats, the clinician can sometimes feel that no ground is being gained. But behind the surface of retelling may lie deep and hidden traumas.
BJGP Life is putting out a call for articles on the theme of "General Practice after Covid-19". BJGP Life will be accepting articles on this theme over the rest of this month. Do join in!
All of us are likely to be a patient one day and yet doctors often consider themselves immune to cancer. Sarah Invine reviews "Doctors get cancer too" by Philippa Kaye.
Fake news and consipracy theories are nothing new. Stuart Hannabuss introduces us to the seventeenth century physician and cleric Sir Thomas Browne, who was doing his best to debunk them even then.
Vasumathy Sivarajasingam describes how we can proactively identify and support victims of domestic abuse.
Covid is like a stress test for national governance. Jihane Naous and Basem Saab update their previous report from Lebanon, where they're not doing so well.
Matt Hawkins argues that our modern political system is constructed on a falsehood: the belief that care, empathy, and compassion have little or nothing to add to the cut and thrust of politics. Surely, though, Covid has taught us that this simply
The "Wise GP" website aims to provide a set of resources that can be used by GPs, GP trainees, medical students and the general public that show the complexity in general practice and some of what GP scholarship involves. It sounds like
Amanda Wharton, a retired GP, shares the lessons she learned from the death of her daughter. This will be one of the most important articles you will read this year.
A crash course in the methodology behind health coaching studies, covering: presense, goal definition, self-awareness, practical application, and the growth mindset. Known to benefit both the consultation process and the clinician, health coaching has the potential to improve outcomes for patient choice
In recent times racism and xenophobia have blighted British life. Julian Simpson reviews "Elite Migrants", a book that reminds us of the true place of migrants: at the heart of some of the most essential aspects of our nation's life.
Doctors and counsellors may have very different roles, but also a huge overlap of their relationship with their patients or clients. Dr Stuart Hannabuss, an honorary humanist university chaplain, talks us through some of the pitfalls and opportunities.
Clinicians and healthcare systems allow subtle forms of dehumanisation to enter clinical practice, so that people are treated as objects within the system. Judith Dawson appeal to us to watch our language!
A recent report by SAGE suggests high rates of vaccine hesitancy in Black, Pakistani and Bangladeshi groups. The reasons underlying a higher degree of vaccine hesitancy in such communities are complex and varied. Julia Darko helps us to understand and navigate the
Patients being treated for cancer during the Covid-19 pandemic face a double challenge. Feryad Hussain talks us through the issues and suggests the best ways to help.
COVID-19 is bad enough. And we know there will be a mountain of clearing up to do later. Richard Armitage tells us about the impact of the pandemic on rheumatology referrals from general practice in England.
2021 is the 50th anniversary of the publication in the Lancet of Julian Tudor Hart’s seminal article; 'The inverse care law’. Melvyn Jones tells us about the general practice prize for undergraduate students at St George’s University of London named in Tudor
"I ask them - but I'm not asking them in a way that invites a 'yes'" - It can be difficult to broach the subject of self-harm or suicidal thoughts during a consultation. After altering her practice since reading Ford et al's