Storm clouds hovered above Brussels. Europe’s heads of state battled away, yet again, to try and save the eurozone from collapse. Down the road an international group of clinicians, researchers, and policy makers questioned how Europe’s beleaguered health systems can cope as demand for care soars and workforces shrink. The European Commission warned member states […]
Peter Lapsley: A gap to be closed?
It seems clear that the determined campaign to prevent healthcare-acquired MRSA within the NHS is paying substantial dividends. The financial year from April 2010 to March 2011 saw a reduction of 22% in reported cases of MRSA bacteraemia, and a 50% reduction against those reported for the year 2008/9. That “determined campaign” has included pre-op […]
Nick Goodwin: Case management and the urgent need for primary care investment
Over the next decade and beyond, the ageing population and the increased prevalence of chronic disease requires a step change in the way services are delivered. There needs to be a strong re-orientation away from the current emphasis on acute care towards prevention, self care, more consistent standards of primary care, and care that is […]
Clive Peedell: Campaigning against the NHS reforms: Bevan’s Run
Despite the widespread concern and opposition to the coalition government’s NHS reforms, the Health and Social Care Bill continues on its way towards royal assent, which is likely to happen in the spring of 2012. Opponents of the reforms, including the BMA, are concerned that the legislation will lead to increasing commercialisation, fragmentation, and privatisation […]
David Pencheon: Sustainability by stealth – 8 steps to heaven
When I used to teach public health to medical students and other health professionals, I tried to set myself the challenge of helping people learn about populations, prevention, screening, social determinants of health, quality of healthcare, and such things without mentioning the words public health at all. You may know why. A great paper by […]
Douglas Noble on Lifebox
It’s great to see patient safety getting such a prominent focus on bmj.com this Christmas with support for the charity Lifebox. Lifebox’s first aim is trying to ensure a pulse oximeter gets into every operating theatre across the world. I hope we’ll all manage to give generously http://www.bmj.com/multimedia/video/2011/12/02/lifebox-appeal-atul-gawande The desire for safer surgery has gathered momentum in […]
Marge Berer: Jingle pills indeed
Many years ago now, when news of female sterilisation first came out, Catholic priests in Puerto Rico and other Catholic countries preached from their pulpits against women being sterilised. As a result many more women learned that sterilisation existed, and many went out from church asking where to get it. In effect, the church gave […]
Maya Tickell-Painter: Where is health being included in the UN climate change negotiations?
Recently, you heard from Johnny Meldrum about why health professionals should care about climate change, and their role in the climate change negotiations. More than ever before, health professionals were present and engaging with the UN climate talks in Durban. During this conference there has been: a health summit, 6 official side events, two health-related […]
Richard Smith: Hauling the private sector onboard to combat diabetes
The golden phrase for countering non-communicable disease (NCD) is that we need a “whole of government and whole of society approach.” An important step on that path is obviously for all parties to talk together, and that’s why the International Diabetes Federation for the first time started its biannual conference with a “global diabetes forum,” […]
Domhnall MacAuley: If Ryanair ran the NHS….
No frills: Basic services. Fast, efficient, and result driven. If you want business class comfort, you pay for a business class hospital. The NHS would provide hospital not hotel service. No optional extras—no lifestyle, cosmetic, or non core surgery. A non negotiable list of essential medications generated centrally. If you want medications not on the […]