Clare was great. Anna Soubry was not. Andrew Neil: Anna Soubry’s boss, Simon Burns, he claims you don’t represent the views of GPs up and down the country in opposing these health reforms. What do you say to that? Clare Gerada: I think I do, I represent 44,000 GPs, of which over 90%, when we’ve […]
Continue Reading →The Patient Paradox has arrived.
I am cringing rather, but I’ve written a book, and I hope that it will a useful contribution to the debate about the limits of medicine and what doctors are for. The book covers the making of well people into patients for little gain and often harm (screening), what is normal and not, the perverse […]
Continue Reading →CMOs and vitamin D
Am rather concerned by the stipulation that all over 65s should have a vitamin D supplement when the evidence is rather less clear: see Cochrane, who are also clear about risk of harms. Ironic, given how few commercial skin products are SPF- free. Our reference: CEM/CMO/2012/04 Gateway reference: 17193 To: General Practitioners Practice Nurses Health […]
Continue Reading →Inside Health
What’s happening in the consulting room – it’s not just about you, but the silent politician on my shoulder. Column on political incentives to GPs.
Continue Reading →ECT : Why it shouldn’t be banned.
This is in reply to David Colquhoun after a twitter discussion. @david_colquhounhas signed a petition calling for ECT to be banned. I think this is a very bad idea. First off: ECT has been overused and badly used in the past. I don’t think it should be used where a patient doesn’t consent to […]
Continue Reading →Glasgow skeptics in the pub
V pleased to be talking at Glasgow Skeptics in the pub on Monday 5th March. Currently scanning in the most irritating adverts for screening tests you just don’t need. Joy!
Continue Reading →Atos and medical records
Two new things first, an article on the Welfare Reform Bill and Atos in the BMJ – should we really entrust Atos to reassess all people currently recieving Disability Living Allowance? I don’t think so, and here’s why. And a column for Inside Health about medical records and why they come with many perils. The […]
Continue Reading →My favourite bike shop
Common Wheel, in Maryhill. Article in the Guardian here.
Continue Reading →Why I’m not a businessman
In reply to Dirk Vinegar on the Guardian, who says “It is often forgotten that GPs are not salaried NHS clones, but independent business people, most of whom happen to be contracted to the NHS for the main source of their income.” This is important to get right, because the Health Bill will make it […]
Continue Reading →new things
Inside Health – on bad-for-you high street test kits for gluten intolerance and BMJ article – do you need your telomeres tested – nah.
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