Not Goodenough May 16, 2008

In March 1942 the Minister of Health appointed an inter-departmental committee on medical schools.  The committee was chaired by William Goodenough and published its findings (the Goodenough report) in 1944.
The Goodenough report was the most important statement on medical education and highlighted key problem areas in postgraduate medical education.  Goodenough also demanded a secure financial [...]

“No room for more student debt” May 15, 2008

From August 2008 most hospitals will no longer provide free accommodation for junior doctors (following changes to the law which no longer requires junior doctors to be resident.)
At this very moment, student debt is at its highest level and junior doctors’ salaries are shrinking – the BMA has argued that this is completely detrimental to [...]

Support your GP surgery May 12, 2008

http://www.supportyoursurgery.org.uk

Protect funding April 22, 2008

Back in March, Andrew Lansley put forward an early day motion in response to the Tooke report. In short, this motion (see below for it in full) aimed to ‘ring-fence’ postgraduate medical education funding and to protect it at times of financial deficits. Although it has received cross-party support, I was disappointed that my [...]

Labour no longer the party of the NHS August 30, 2007

I was interested to read in the Daily Mail that a poll of general practioners found that 48% intended to vote for the Conservatives compared to just 23% for Labour. The survey of 301 GPs by GP magazine also found that 47% of doctors felt that Labour’s performance had been poor or very poor.

In [...]

Patient safety over convenience and economics August 29, 2007

In another attempt to save money (by reallocating resources), this government plans to give optometrists the power to prescribe drugs for conditions such as dry eye syndrome and conjunctivitis.
They say this will make “care more convenient” and will “free up GPs to concentrate on other areas”
I agree with Rhod Daniel, chairman of BMA, that [...]

Finals!?!? August 12, 2007

Sorry for the lack of posts over the last few months – have had my final exams!
Not the easiest of things to revise for, particularly when every newspaper you read is talking about the MTAS disaster and telling you that there will be no jobs when you finish!
Perhaps I should book my one way [...]

United Kingdom? March 4, 2007

On the 1st April 2007 prescription charges in England will go up to £6.85, but don’t worry – Health ministers say that this is below inflation and the money raised will be going back into the NHS! – another short term solution to the financial deficits?
When will this Government learn that they can’t just [...]

More doctors but no jobs March 2, 2007

“
“pandemonium” – is how the BMA has described the new system for recruiting junior doctors (Modernising Medical Careers) which has left doctors confused and angry as an estimated 30,000 junior doctors have applied for around 22,000 posts. Downing Street’s response: [...]

Prevention better than cure February 26, 2007

I have just read in the Daily Post “GPs are being banned from referring patients for hospital treatment by cash-strapped Primary Care Trusts attempting to balance their books.” Doesn’t come as too much of a surprise – last week a Department of Health report forecast a gross deficit for 2006-07 of £1.32 billion [...]