On the 17th of October David Behan, Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission, launched the independent regulator’s State of Care 2013/14 report for health and social care in England. It provides some uncomfortable reading. Five basic questions were asked of all the services which were inspected: Are they safe? Are they effective? Are they […]
A report by the General Medical Council (GMC) published last week revealed that there has been a sharp increase in the number of doctors coming to work in the UK from southern Europe. The report, titled The State of Medical Education and Practice 2014, showed that in the past the largest source of overseas-educated doctors […]
There is a clear expectation and requirement for doctors to actively engage in teaching, supporting the learning and development of others. The fundamental principles of teaching adults are generic, regardless of the sector of employment, whether this is academia, sales, industry, physician or surgeon. It is imperative however that these principles are adapted address the […]
Haven’t we been here before? That’s exactly the scenario I experienced recently when I ran a full day meeting with the medically qualified NHS Consultants who are our tutors for our medical interview courses. We had set aside the time to learn from each other, develop fresh approaches and to ensure that we continue to […]
On the 4th September, the independent Barker Commission on the Future of Health and Social Care in England published its final report and focused attention on the topic of integrated care. The messages are clear and simply presented on the King’s Funds illustrated summary. In short, the line between healthcare and social care is becoming […]
One day before Peter Capaldi made his debut on the small screen as the new Doctor Who, the BBC reported that the Department of Health is planning to rapidly expand the number of people in “doctor’s assistant” roles. The Patient Association has raised concern that hospitals will become more reliant on physician associates because they […]
“Listen to me – I’m a doctor!” Such words may never have crossed your lips. Many patients, however, with expectations of expertise, the perception of authority and feelings of trust will subconsciously hear this phrase at the end of every sentence spoken by their medical professional. They will therefore usually at least try to listen […]
August is here. For the population at large attention is being directed towards holidays, enjoying longer hours of daylight and making the most of the great outdoors. In sharp contrast to this season of relaxation, August presents a very different stage in the annual cycle for doctors working in hospital. This week a fresh cohort […]
The NHS is huge and complex. The numerous organisations which form its constituent parts continually evolve, divide, grow, and merge. Processes, authority and responsibilities forever shift with each change of the political winds. How can any single doctor ever expect to exert a worthwhile degree of influence, even if they wanted to? In the foreword […]
“Live long and prosper”. “Be healthy, wealthy and wise.” “Lang may yer lum reek!” In every culture there is a desire for a long and happy life and the advances in healthcare are playing a major part in significantly extending our life expectancy. It goes without saying that we want these additional years to be […]
