Two years ago I wrote about how health systems in other countries were grappling with the problems of how to support an ageing population with high rates of comorbidities. I was interested in the fact that the same policy problem can generate different solutions depending on the context in which it sits—so while it may […]
Category: NHS
Thomas Macaulay: Senior doctors’ opinions on the junior doctors’ strike
The letters pages of British broadcasts last week were inundated with the views of doctors on the strike of their junior colleagues. Most were united in their criticism of the misleading media coverage. Writing to The Guardian, Dr Michael Maier described the reporting as “sensational and inaccurate” with particular reproval reserved for the description of […]
David Oliver: Are we recreating the conditions that led to the Mid Staffs scandal and Francis inquiries?
I am worried that we are heading right back to the very conditions that led to the Francis inquiries, losing any progress we have gained on the back of them. In health, as in many industries, it often takes a major incident or scandal to prevent more from occurring in the future. But let’s not […]
Joseph O’Keeffe: The junior doctors’ strike—voices from the ward
Junior doctors are arguing that the contract changes compromise patient safety. I agree. But do those we treat? It’s hard to tell. Social media appears dominated by the junior doctors, whereas the newspapers and the broadcasters merely present a succession of politicians and “experts.” The patient’s voice seems lost amidst the acrimony between the Department […]
Duncan Steele: To strike or not to strike
To strike or not to strike, that is the question we have all asked ourselves over the last few months. To walk away from our patients, albeit to leave them in the care of some of the most qualified doctors in the world, is an incredibly difficult and tormenting decision. The contractual intricacies are complex. […]
Elizabeth Wortley: And strike I did
Yesterday I did not cross a picket line. I don’t yet know the figures for how many junior doctors did choose to work, aside from those who were unable to strike, but I would not blame anyone who chose to. I almost did. I woke up at 5am and my heart was racing with moral […]
Michelle Sinclair on the GP forward view
It’s not about the money sings Jesse J. Well yes, actually, it is. The release this week of the General Practice Forward View sounds good, doesn’t it? £2.4bn recurrent investment in general practice, £500m sustainability and transformation package to include a practice resilience programme, redesigning of services and support for collaborative work, a reduction in […]
Taryn Youngstein: “No doctor wants to strike”
Ethical dilemmas are the essences of medicine. As doctors, we frequently have to act in our patient’s best interests; when they are confused, demented, or suicidal for example. We have to act fast, and make decisions they can’t, for their own good. At medical school great lengths are taken to prepare us for these situations […]
Elizabeth Wortley: Should I strike?
I am in a moral quandary, I am in a personal quandary, and I am in a professional quandary. I cannot answer the question “Should I strike?” As a doctor, I’m very used to questioning, reviewing evidence, and coming to a conclusion. One of my favourite topics for discussion is bias and avoiding it every day. […]
Alice Gerth: Taking sides in the junior doctors’ strike
As a full walk out is planned for this week, juniors need to ensure that they have carefully considered which side of the picket line they will stand on. Full disclosure, I have not been participating in strike action and my reasons can be found in a previous blog post: Strike action is not the answer. […]