In the nineteenth century there were few standards in medical education. Students would often do an apprenticeship with a general practitioner and gradually gain experience in the trade. They had to pay for their education—which barred all but those from the privileged classes from becoming a doctor. For those who did persevere with their education […]
Helen Jaques: Expect fireworks over the new GP contract
As a seasoned hack, it’s not often that I’m shocked by medical workforce news. The pensions ballot and industrial action by doctors earlier this year was one point—I genuinely didn’t believe doctors would actually go on strike. This week though my jaw completely dropped, and I almost fell off my chair, when I saw the […]
Domhnall MacAuley on the school of primary care research 2012 showcase
What a great day, what a success story. Having worked with Richard Hobbs, director of the School of Primary Care Research, on the original primary care research capacity building initiative many years ago, it was wonderful to see the downstream results of this initiative. The progression has been incremental so it may be difficult for […]
Richard Smith: At last, a consumer led NHS?
The two driving principles of the new NHS Commissioning Board are transparency and participation. If they are applied radically then they can transform the NHS, said Tim Kelsey, National Director of Patients and Information for the board, at Monday night’s meeting of the relaunched Cambridge Health Network. He envisions an NHS where patients are empowered […]
Isobel Weinberg: Doctors, Dissection, and Resurrection Men
I’m glad I learnt anatomy via the declining art of full body dissection. I’ll be dining out on the stories for years. It’s one of the first things that people ask about when they learn I’m a medical student, and they aren’t satisfied until they’ve heard details: the smell, the cadaver’s pallor, the grisly chill […]
Rhys Davies: Take two and call me in the mourning
My mother is widely regarded in many circles as something of a medical expert. What she lacks in actual knowledge is made up for by unbridled confidence. For one thing, she proudly gabbles the names of drugs and diseases after the first syllable so conversations quickly degenerate into a medical guessing game. She was also […]
Tony Waterston and Jean Bowyer: Climbing up the flagpole in Ramallah
A new flagpole greeted us in Arafat Square in the centre of Ramallah, topped by the Palestinian flag (see photo). Some five metres below the top, a figure could be seen shinning to the top, and it wasn’t an image of Arafat himself, nor was it a real person. The figure represents the Palestinian nation […]
Muir Gray: Defining the population for systems of care
Read the rest of this series of blogs about designing and planning population based systems of care here. Step 2: Defining the Population Having defined the scope of the system, what is to be included and what is to be left out, the second step is to define the population to be covered and served […]
Richard Smith: Reporting guidelines for case reports
The Equator network of guidelines on reporting health research, a hugely valuable resource, has 200 guidelines, but none of them are for case reports. So as case reports seem to be returning to respectability a group of us gathered last week at the University of Michigan to start the process of producing guidelines for publishing […]
Aser Garcia Rada: The end of a public healthcare system in Spain
It is 11 months since the conservative People’s Party came to power in Spain, and in that time there has been a distinct lack of clarity and transparency in their aims, particularly with regard to their healthcare plans. Spanish president Mariano Rajoy does not seem to have the word transparency in his dictionary. Spain has […]