Penelope Campling worked for the NHS for 40 years as a Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist and her book uses patient stories to discuss how we can remain holistic and compassionate as clinicians.
General practice is full of unsung heroes. John Launer tells us about Dilys Daws and reviews two of her books, which may be of great help to many parents.
We have all had the fear that that a child we had seen with a minor flu-like illness at 4pm might be terminally ill with meningococcal septicaemia before the day was over. Hugh Bethell reviews a book by Oxford Professor of Paediatrics
"Whereas 2 Tone bands were kicking out neo-Nazis from their gigs decades ago, anecdotal reports of obsequious adjustments accommodating the racist demands of some patients continue to occur within the NHS today, despite an official zero-tolerance approach to racism." Sati Heer-Stavert reflects
The government has just announced a health and social care levy which is expected to raise £14bn a year. Of this, £1.8bn a year will go to social care. But will money alone fix the problems? Helen Burns reviews Saving Social Care
We all know that the world is going to hell in a handcart. But we all know wrong. David Misselbrook reviews Hans Rosling's final book: Factfulness.
Those who come from poorer backgrounds get unwell earlier and die almost a decade before those from richer backgrounds. Dipesh Gopal reviews "Inflamed: deep medicine and the anatomy of injustice" by Rupa Marya and Raj Patel.
Charlotte Williamson has been chair of the patient liaison group for the Royal College of General Practitioners, and is an expert in giving friendly but challenging feedback to our profession, making sure the patient's voice is heard. Roger Jones reviews her important
My Dark Vanessa is not an easy read, but any book that tackles the subject of abuse, sexual exploitation, victimhood, and coercive control is bound to be challenging ...
Alena Chong reviews John Launer's latest book .... and is inspired to shower colleagues and patients with limitless compassion, calmness, loving-kindness and appreciative joy.
John Gillies reviews a textbook on Compassionate Leadership, with the subtitle ‘sustaining wisdom, humanity and presence in health and social care.’ It might just be a book whose time has come.
Nigel Masters reviews "Dr Samways writes to the Editor: The Life and Times of an Exceptional Physician" by Tom Treasure. Samways was a remarkable 19th century General Practitioner who still holds lessons for us today.
Richard Baker reviews the first authoritative account of the UK government's response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Book review: "A young doctor's notebook" by Mikhail Bulgakov brings us back to what it felt like to be a newly qualified doctor with scary responsibilities and inadequate support.
Doctors face “triple jeopardy” - being pursued by the Civil Court for damages, the Criminal Court for negligence, and the GMC for fitness to practice. Alena Chong reviews a novel by Tim Howard, a fellow doctor, about what can happen when things
It's not been an easy time to be a doctor! Jonathan Wells reviews "The Wellbeing Toolkit for Doctors", a timely new book for GPs, medical students and doctors in training. Let's look after ourselves and each other!
'... this book helps to illuminate the feminist perspective on injustice in health care.' — Judith Dawson reviews Elinor Creghorn's new book 'Unwell Women', a history of the mistreatment, misdiagnoses, trauma, and neglect women have received in health care from Ancient Greece
Is the NHS too Industrialised? In this report David Zigmond argues that it is. Zigmond builds on a Kings Fund Report from 2014 which criticised recent approaches to improving UK health care. These reports cover vital issues, as yet another round of NHS
Saving Sick Britain argues for a society that places the health of its citizens at the forefront, but is such a future attainable? Richard Churchill reviews the new book published by Manchester University Press.
We are repeatedly told that we should learn from the airline industry in order to solve our perennial problems with patient safety. So why don't we? Why is the NHS so dysfunctional in its management? Henry Tegner's review of Barry Monk's important
Princes Park Health Centre has an iconic status within the health economy of Merseyside. Founded in 1977 by Cyril Taylor, it was set up as an explicitly socialist practice in a deprived inner-city area. Chris Dowrick reviews Katy Gardner and Susanna Graham
What is the role of doctors in improving ‘quality of life’ and what does this concept mean? Emma Storr reviews an important new book by Robin Downie that considers this, and many other questions.
Is it time to take a step back and reflect on the wider consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic? Judith Dawson reviews a monograph by Samar Razaq that does just that.
'The Migrant Diaries is the most powerful, moving, and informative account I have come across of the worldwide migrant/refugee crisis ... ' — Dougal Jeffries reviews Dr Lynne Jones latest novel, The Migrant Diaries.
David Hockney shows no sign of slowing down at 82 - he says "work is more fun than fun". Roger Jones reviews this wonderful book by Martin Gayford, placing Hockney's latest project within the whole stream of art history.
Winston Churchill defined Russia as “a riddle wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma”. Dr Harald Lipman was Medical Attaché to the British Embassy in Moscow in the 1980s. Jim Brockbank reviews his memoirs.
Amanda Howe reflects on Albert Camus’ 1947 novel “The plague” and finds it remarkably relevant for our time.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
There’s some persuasive anatomical evidence to support the theory that we evolved to be runners. Maybe more of us should try it? Victoria Hodges review a classic.
According to the NSPCC most child sexual abuse in the UK isn’t reported, recognised or prosecuted. In 2020 there have been fewer opportunities for the signs to be spotted. Katie Barnett helps us to understand the devastating consequences of child abuse in
"For those embarking on new fellowships, The Leadership Hike will provide a valuable reference source" — Prof Joanne Reeve reviews The Leadership Hike by Amar Rughani and Joanna Bircher, a new insightful book exploring the role of leadership in primary care, and
Patients do not experience epilepsy as "just another illness". Graham Cooper reviews a book by Professor Ian Bone that helps us to understand epilepsy both a disease, but also as a patient's lived experience.
Raj Khanchandani reviews a book describing a family of eight generations of GPs. Quite a history, with some surprising parallels for us today.
Gavin Francis ia a GP and the best selling author of "Adventures in Human Being". Fiona Baskett reviews his latest book - just what we need to escape from the grim world of 2020.
On Boxing Day Serena Strickland reviews a book about the management of eating disorders.
As doctors we know we are invincible and immortal, and if we're not we'd better hide it. John Spicer reviews Clare Gerada's important new book which looks underneath the white coat to examine what happens to human beings who happen to be