When I started as a doctor in the NHS, 10 years ago, I was aware of the standards expected of me and the bar that I was aiming for. These standards dictated that I should care about and consider my patients’ psychological, social, as well as medical needs. These needs were intrinsically linked. I was […]
Category: Guest writers
David A Paul: From the nucleus to the NICU to the neighbourhood
As a student, winding through the neighbourhoods of Philadelphia on the way to the medical library I would fixate on the medical school buildings, giving little thought to the communities I passed every day. I was convinced that the key to becoming a doctor was mastering the workings of complex cellular biology. As I moved […]
Sae Ochi: Lessons learned from the Japanese triple disaster—advice for primary healthcare workers
The current volatile international climate, epitomised by tension between North Korea and the United States, is causing concern that the world might be more vulnerable to human made disasters. Furthermore political instability often undermines disaster preparedness and thus increases our vulnerability to natural hazards. After the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, the high death toll was […]
Allyson Pollock and Graham Kirkwood: Tackle and scrum should be banned in school rugby
Evidence shows that collision sports, such as youth rugby, carry high rates of injury […]
Ahmed Kazmi: A GP’s reflections 100 days on from the Grenfell Tower fire
Grenfell has brought important lessons to the foreground for us as medics […]
Responding effectively to NCDs is now the major healthcare challenge in South East Asia
South East Asia now has the fastest rising NCD rates of anywhere in the world […]
Cervical cancer services are the next frontier for universal healthcare coverage in LMICs
We need sustained political commitment and strategic investments in cervical cancer prevention […]
Michael Marmot: The UK’s current health problems should be treated with urgency
Michael Marmot discusses why he’s calling for Jeremy Hunt to address urgent health problems in the UK […]
Kate A Levin: Low uptake of advance directives and the cost to public health
The older population in every country in the world is growing.1 In several high income countries, the increased health burden of older people on public spending is occurring at a time of austerity, reducing the means with which to address this issue year on year. As a consequence, there is a growing focus on anticipatory […]
Alice Welbourn: WHO and the rights of women living with HIV
Women’s rights to informed choices about what happens to their bodies are often contested—especially if they are pregnant or have HIV. Yet informed choices about risks and benefits form a critical part of long term prognosis. I experienced how devastating an HIV diagnosis feels, despite my access to excellent healthcare. HIV can fill you with […]