Enthusiasm must be matched by evidence and one size will not fit all […]
Farhana Mann and Sonia Johnson: Addressing loneliness will take more than appointing a minister
Category: Guest writers
Sian Lockwood: Fix loneliness—appoint a minister
It is a terrible indictment of our society that so many people of all ages live lonely and isolated lives […]
Elizabeth Romer: Changing the way we talk about people who use drugs is a step towards challenging stigma
In a recent BMJ Opinion article, Ian Hamilton expressed his scepticism that “adopting a new vocabulary to describe people who have problems with drugs will reduce the stigma they experience.” I agree that language alone cannot reduce this kind of stigma or prejudice, but it’s a good place to start. As a final year medical […]
Kate Lovett: Women in medicine
We know that in many organisations and working cultures, equality is still far from a reality […]
Humanising birth: Does the language we use matter?
Language matters as a way of respecting women’s views and ensuring that they are empowered to make decisions […]
Nicola Dalbeth and Keith J Petrie: It’s time to change the name of gout
Historical stereotypes surrounding the disease label “gout” are an important barrier to effective treatment in contemporary practice […]
Jan Filochowski: Should hospitals return charitable donations from the Presidents’ Club?
Poor old Great Ormond Street Hospital! The hospital, along with several other hospitals and charities, recently found itself prominently highlighted in a rather tawdry debate about the events at the Presidents’ Club where allegations were made of groping and sexual assault at a men-only fundraising gala. And this despite the fact that the event had […]
Victor Adebowale: There is no excuse for homelessness in Britain in 2018
Homelessness is a neon sign that something is fundamentally wrong with health and housing policies […]
Charlie Massey: We are committed to making health services a place for learning, not blaming
The Bawa-Garba case has been tragic: a family lost their son in terrible circumstances and a doctor lost her career. I know there is concern and anger about this issue, and that it has affected the gains that the GMC has made in recent years to develop a better relationship with the profession, and I […]
Sebastian Walsh: Refusing “ash cash”
The completion of a cremation form is a service that takes time and knowledge, and in any other walk of life a service demands payment. But I am not in another walk of life, I am a NHS doctor in England. And because our healthcare system is free for all, and reliant on goodwill and […]