Re-reading my review, I can tell that I was very careful even then not to present this approach as a 'cure' for Long Covid, but as a promising approach to manage symptoms better while waiting for a cure ... However, I have
For years, the UK has inaccurately perpetuated the notion that British farming is among the most sustainable globally. Shireen Kassam, Christelle Blunden and Matthew Lee argue why this is not so, and the impact this may have on public and planetary health.
"The body does not generate the mind but is a process of self-localisation of the mind itself ..." – Armando Henrique Norman explores the usefulness of idealism as a valid philosophical principle to guide family physicians in their daily practice.
a book which has had the same impact on the language of healthcare as George Orwell’s 1984 has had on the language of politics. Illich did not invent terms such as iatrogenesis and medicalisation, but he was the first to synthesize them
Clearly in some GP Practices no robust thought has been given to having a Mental Health Practitioner (MHP), or their role and scope of practice. Those GPs who have requested and take 'ownership' of the MHP, are best placed to integrate them
Despite regular reports about ‘improving the diet of the population’, little has changed. Eight years ago less than a third of people ate five portions of fruit and vegetables per day, and that figure hasn’t budged since. Chris Newman suggests that GPs
One of the first questions my GP supervisor asked was “What did you notice on the way here?” ... Her question appeared simple at first but revealed, what I thought to be, the greatest skill in being a GP; the art of
What (if anything) happens when we die? This is a question that human beings have been pondering since time immemorial. Paul McNamara and Craig MacKay reflect on a family story of near death experience.
...let’s talk a minute about what needs to happen so that the development and use of something like a patient passport can be done in a meaningful and inclusive way. It seems right that we talk about it here, as primary care
“Language is so important – and this is a thread throughout the book. Philippa describes the relief of her son being given a diagnosis of schizophrenia – this highlights what we all understand – that a label or diagnosis can be so
there is a lot of conflicting information about menopause, its treatments, and how GPs will or won’t support women through this stage. With menopause ‘influencers’ and messaging from some specialists inconsistent with guidelines, sifting through the different options and safety profiles can
We walk a tightrope in medicine, balancing every day the unique and complex needs of individual patients with the standardised requirements of the rule-book that governs their care. There is danger in tipping too far in either direction. Ben Hoban makes us
We must accept that medical knowledge is progressing, and science is still discovering, and therefore our knowledge is incomplete at any given moment. So how are we best to understand the relationship between empirical medical science and what remains to be known,
The concept of ‘choice’ and how people are exposed to risk factors for illness is not as simple as those crying, 'Nanny state!' would suggest.' Nada Khan gives food for thought...
As we gear up for winter, should we be identifying and trying to proactively manage patients to prevent unplanned hospital admissions? Nada Khan examines the NHS England guidance.
Somewhere along the line holistic medicine has been claimed as a special expertise in addition to what we, as mere GPs, do. Tim Senior asks whether and how we should be holistic!
I am immensely grateful that I was fortunate enough never to have made any major blunders with children’s care in my career. But I would have slept better had I read this book.
The idea that we can learn from our mistakes until we eventually stop making them is beguiling and clearly contains some truth. It also obscures a larger truth, however...
Reverse mentoring benefits not only the student experience but also alleviates some of the pressures on GP tutors, who are held accountable for meeting both patient and systemic expectations.
Gabriella Day reflects on general practice in 2024. Advances in clinical medicine are of great benefit, but their value is diminished when implemented without heart.
Tudor Hart’s warnings of what might happen in the health system from 2010 reach us in 2024 in the form of accurate predictions. Read this book if you’re interested in better clinical care, better health policy and a better society, even if
What do I need to understand to commission and work with systems for healthcare that involve automation, machine Learning and artificial intelligence, in an ethical and trustworthy way? This briefing outlines some key principles for healthcare stakeholders.
Again and again we learn — when trust fails, systems fail ...
This book is intended to fill a gap for health and social care practitioners working in prisons, and cites current evidence to back up much of the narrative and recommendations – but does it try to do too much?
Amongst the changes, you may have missed the decision to cease funding the newly qualified GP fellowship program.
Richard Armitage reminds GPs to think about medications prescribed outside the primary care setting especially when thinking about new symptoms, changes to medication or medication reviews.
People just don’t understand what General Practice, as a medical discipline, is. Meaning that people are creating solutions to our capacity issues based on a misunderstanding of what we do. Joanne Reeve channels her indignation into a rallying cry for advanced generalist
Phil Whitaker reviews 'John Berger: Ways of Learning' by Iona Heath, a "[compilation of] letters, quotations, and reminiscences from her 20-year friendship with John Berger" ...
Ben Hoban reflects on the necessity and risks of reductionism in medicine. The tension between parts and the whole is a necessary part of whole person medicine
UK GPs have to do a multi-source feedback survey (MSF) across their scope of practice every five years. Should you give feedback if asked by a colleague? Paula Wright opens the discussion
When does a GP attend a patient’s funeral? Emma Ladds writes about how it is such a privilege to be a family doctor, and about grief when losing a patient.
"If we focus on using a healthcare service to improve health outcomes we cannot be surprised when our health worsens or our staff become overwhelmed. Imagine putting the hopes of a nation winning a football match on a tired and injured goalkeeper
Is it better to think of patients as a body and a mind, or as a single entity that has both physical and conscious attributes? Alistair Appleby invites us to reflect.
Appeals to tradition represent a desire to preserve the evanescent, to build a clear narrative that tells us who we are and how we should go about things, even if its historical basis is shaky. We project our thinking onto ... general
The author tells us that 'mysterious illnesses' are complex and complicated, very individual, definitely not in the patient's head (though attention to one's psyche can be beneficial), but in her body, and, importantly, in the culture she lives in...
Primary healthcare's networked nature is manifest in the Life and Times section this issue. Andrew Papanikitas suggests that we all need the healing power of good connections.
Fraser Barratt says a lyrical farewell to hospital medicine as he moves into the community for the final phase of GP training
Can we design a healthcare system that is safer, fairer and more sustainable, without patient representation?
Newly-qualified GP John McCullough seeks wisdom from established GP and rural medicine lecturer Tim Sanders. It feels like a tough time to enter General Practice – has it always been this way?
The authors describe GPs as ‘street level bureaucrats in that we simultaneously enact the dictates of ‘tyrannical officialdom’ whilst addressing the needs of our clients. They offer a narrative account of the daily realities of British urban general practice and reflect on