BJGP Long Read - Page 9

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

Maybe it’s time to reframe ‘goodwill’ in general practice?

How often have you heard that the NHS runs on goodwill? Framing general practice work as ‘going the extra mile’ in the spirit of goodwill obscures the reality of a workforce stretched between the demands of patient care and the limited time

5 December 2025

5 mins read

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

‘The bird is freed’: the role of Twitter in today’s general practice

Twitter has undoubtedly become the world’s digital town square, and provides the soapbox upon which contemporary issues and political dialogue are played out in real time. Richard Armitage explores the Twittersphere in the wake of Elon Musk's takeover.

14 November 2022

6 mins read

1

The intelligence-wisdom gap, and the urgent need to close it

Due to the accelerating power of our technological arsenal, and the contrasting stasis of our professional wisdom, the intelligence-wisdom gap is expanding at a blistering pace. With formidable technologies on the scientific horizon – nanotechnology, CRISPR, and general-purpose AI – the necessity

7 November 2022

9 mins read

BJGP Long Read·Opinion·Stories

A tyranny of nouns

Doctors are inordinately fond of nouns. By and large, patients come to us not just with nouns, but with stories which include them but are driven along by verbs, words of action, backed up by adverbs, pronouns, and so on...

4 November 2022

4 mins read

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

Healthcare workers balloting for strike action – no easy choice

Should healthcare professionals ever strike? For some healthcare professionals, going on strike crosses a professional and moral line. Nada Khan explores the debate.

3 November 2022

5 mins read

1

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

‘Hidden’ no more – the real work of the ‘part-time’ GPs working full-time hours

How is it that 'part time' GPs are working 'full time' hours? Nada Khan investigates!

27 October 2022

5 mins read

2

BJGP Long Read·Stories

An ethical dilemma at age 95

Tom Brett had known Martha as a patient for fifteen years. Widowed for over 25 years, she had moved from the family farm to settle in the city close to her children...

26 October 2022

3 mins read

3

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

‘Agents,’ not ‘patients,’ as the beneficiaries of general practice

Richard Armitage suggests it is right for GPs to primarily regard their beneficiaries as ‘agents’ rather than ‘patients’ in the majority of general practice consultations.

24 October 2022

5 mins read

Under the spotlight: supportive guidelines to maintain psychological wellbeing for staff involved in patient–coroner investigations

This article aims to draw attention to the experiences of staff who are involved in the coronial process following the death of a patient by suicide. In doing so, the hope is that organisations will consider the impact and implement support strategies

20 October 2022

10 mins read

1

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

What are the health impacts of cryptocurrencies?

Digital currencies, otherwise known as blockchain-enabled cryptocurrencies, have made unmissable impacts on the global economy. But what are they, how do they work and, most importantly for us, what are their effects on human health and wellbeing?

17 October 2022

7 mins read

2

AiT·BJGP Long Read·Opinion

Should we be teaching doctors to be better patients?

Increased dialogue about the unique nuances of physicians adopting the role of ‘patient’ should be supported throughout medical training, argues Isabella de Vere Hunt.

15 October 2022

4 mins read

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

E-scooters: how safe are they?

In England over the last two years, you are likely to have seen people whizzing around on brightly coloured electric scooters. While they might be a fun, practical, and relatively cheap mode of transport, just how safe are they for their users

10 October 2022

6 mins read

‘Delicate diagnosis’: avoiding harms in difficult, disputed, and desired diagnoses

Distinguishing conditions that would benefit from diagnosis and earlier intervention from those that are temporary, self-limiting, and prone to harmful medicalisation, remains challenging. Here, Margaret McCartney and colleagues argue that a framework to consider some diagnoses as ‘delicate’ will aid in the

7 October 2022

11 mins read

4

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

Are some kinds of patient-data too sensitive to be digitally recorded?

The recent cyber-attack on NHS systems, on the background of zero-days and zero-day exploit markets, raise concern for the safety of digitised patient data – those that are often used in primary care settings – are they too sensitive to be digitally

3 October 2022

8 mins read

1

BJGP Long Read·International

Can we take the heat?

With climate change resulting in increasing temperatures all around the world, what exactly does heat do to our cells and vital organs?

1 October 2022

5 mins read

Tackling overprescribing: a must for climate action

The NHS has committed to becoming net zero by 2040. With medicines totalling 25% of the NHS' carbon footprint, one way to reduce the carbon footprint of health care is to simply do less health care - here, Theo Bartholomew and Samuel

28 September 2022

7 mins read

1

BJGP Long Read·International·Opinion

Nuclear power plants in conflict settings: a public health concern

Richard Armitage argues that the abuse or neglect of nuclear facilities in conflict settings represents an international public health concern

26 September 2022

5 mins read

Do you still need your licence to practice? – some reflections for British GPs

In this article we out some issues for consideration for those considering the process of ‘retirement’. We aim to offer some experience to inform others’ thinking, and also to set out issues that bodies such as the RCGP still need to address.

25 September 2022

6 mins read

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

Too cold at home: the challenge of fuel poverty and long-term health outcomes

This winter, several long-term issues are coming to a head to create a perfect storm: high fuel prices, poor housing quality, a lack of sustainable energy strategies, and families sliding into low income during a cost of living crisis. Nada Khan reviews

23 September 2022

4 mins read

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

Show me the money! What’s really going on with reported GP earnings?

A British newspaper has argued that GPs were given 'record pay rises in Covid pandemic'. Richard Armitage unpicks the truth and the implications of GP earnings and productivity over the last two and half years.

22 September 2022

6 mins read

Arts·BJGP Long Read·Stories

Diagnosing Faria

Alexandre Dumas’s 19th century French novel, The Count of Monte Cristo, doesn’t usually make the list of standard medical texts but perhaps it should not be so readily dismissed. It captures the spirit of an age when medicine was undergoing a revolution...

18 September 2022

3 mins read

1

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

Switching to imperial: a ton of problems for healthcare

Richard Armitage explores the health implications of adopting imperial units, and finds the prospect quite alarming!

12 September 2022

5 mins read

1

BJGP Long Read·Book review

Book Review: Why We Get the Wrong Politicians, by Isabel Hardman

Cassandra-like, the author warned us, and we did not listen. This is not a book about a political party or ideology however, it is about politicians and political life in the UK. Hardman’s book is divided into three sections: Why we get

10 September 2022

4 mins read

2

BJGP Long Read·Clinical

Osteoarthritis: an overlooked target for health improvement

While it makes no contribution to mortality statistics, the morbidity, economic cost and primary care workload generated by osteoarthritis is of sufficient proportion to render the condition a significant public health problem worthy of urgent investment of resources.

9 September 2022

4 mins read

1

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

Doctors prescribing financial support – a poisoned chalice?

A leaked memo from the UK treasury recently suggested GPs should assess the financial health of their patients and recommend financial support to those in most need. Nada Khan considers some of the arguments and research -discussion welcome!

8 September 2022

3 mins read

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

Sewage in UK waters: a raw deal for wild swimmers

Richard Armitage discusses the pros and cons of wild swimming in light of the recent discharges of raw sewage into British waterways

5 September 2022

6 mins read

7

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

A sinking cornerstone: the vanishing of personal continuity of care

Doctors who find more human sense, belonging and fulfilment in their work are, almost certainly, able to provide better care. But our serial reforms have disregarded, then abandoned, a time-honoured cornerstone of practice. David Zigmond explores the tragic revival of continuity of

27 August 2022

5 mins read

AiT·BJGP Long Read

Planetary health and sustainable primary care: What does this mean for a GP curriculum?

For today's and tomorrow's general practitioners to be able to engage with climate-related health threats in partnership with their patients, medical curricula must shape teaching and learning now. RCGP curriculum lead for planetary health Suchita Shah discusses what this mean for GP

25 August 2022

6 mins read

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

The suicide hierarchy

Austin O'Carroll critiques a moralistic definition of suicide that culminates in a unjust hierarchy of worthiness for compassion and support. Seeing beyond intention to the causes of despair may be more helpful

24 August 2022

7 mins read

1

BJGP Long Read·Bright Ideas and Innovation·Opinion

Finding meaning, locating hope

What Rupal Shah & colleagues are proposing is not whimsical or theoretical. We need to address the broader context or practice so that connection, meaning & values can flourish. The next generation of GPs needs to be inspired & adequately resourced to

23 August 2022

6 mins read

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

Cyber-attacks and primary care: the need for digital health resilience

Richard Armitage argues that cyber-attack pose an apocalyptic risk to UK primary healthcare

22 August 2022

5 mins read

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

Should GPs have to teach? -a view from the Oath

John Spicer and Carwyn Hooper unpack the Hippocratic duty to teach for 21st century primary care.

16 August 2022

5 mins read

2

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

The health risks of going viral: social media influencers and the harms of digital stardom

It is important that GPs are able to recognise this phenomenon, and to not dismiss the SMI lifestyle as a harmless pursuit for frivolous Gen-Z-ers. Richard Armitage unpacks the health implications.

15 August 2022

6 mins read

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

Celebrities, cancer, and population health

Richard Armitage examines the 'Deborah James effect' on cancer awareness. How should we enhance the benefits and mitigate any harms of publicly shared celebrity cancer stories?

8 August 2022

10 mins read

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

Crowdfunded cancer care in the UK -An ethical challenge

Rebecca te Water Naudé and Peter Young suggest that GPs may have duty to discuss the pros and cons of patients who contemplate crowdfunding for cancer treatment, and outline some of the issues.

3 August 2022

9 mins read

BJGP Long Read·Clinical·Opinion

Health of those working away from home: is general practice doing enough?

Richard Armitage looks at the health needs of people who work away from home, be they itinerant telecommuters or contract-workers in haulage and construction - should general practice be evolving to meet the access needs of this group? Join the discussion!

1 August 2022

5 mins read

BJGP Long Read·Clinical

Supporting the ‘Multi’ in Multi-agency working for child safeguarding

Sharon Dixon and colleagues contend that a deeper understanding of safeguarding practices (and how these look and feel on the front-line of multi-agency encounters) is needed if future child safeguarding tragedies are to be avoided.

27 July 2022

7 mins read

1

BJGP Long Read·Opinion

What makes a public health problem?

How and why do we define something as a public health problem? Richard Armitage reflects on the complexities.

25 July 2022

6 mins read

BJGP Long Read·International·Opinion

War in Ukraine and moral distress: experiences of a British GP

Healthcare professionals deploying to and practicing in conflicts and catastrophes can experience a plethora of negative emotions due to perceived or actual transgressions of their core ethical principles. In his final Ukraine report, Richard Armitage gives a powerful personal reflection.

11 July 2022

6 mins read

2

BJGP Long Read·Clinical·Undergraduate

To what extent is a total diet replacement programme effective in sustained weight loss and remission in people with Type 2 diabetes?

TDR programmes consist of a low calorie (around 800 kcal/day) formula diet alongside a stepped food reintroduction as well as regular behavioural support. Yusuf Ben-Tarifite examines the evidence for TDR in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

8 July 2022

9 mins read

BJGP Long Read·Bright Ideas and Innovation

General practitioners as ‘eco-warriors’

Although the GPs may well be aware that the ‘climate emergency’ is also a ‘health emergency, many of us do not make the connection with clinical practice when it comes to taking action. We often fail to realise that the majority of

1 July 2022

5 mins read

1

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