20 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 12:36
  First hepatitis D medicine is given restricted approval in Scotland after US rejection - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  Scotland has become the first country in the UK to approve a specific treatment for the hepatitis delta virus (HDV), after it granted bulevirtide (Hepcludex) “restricted use” approval for patients with chronic infection and compensated liver disease.1The drug (2 mg powder for injection) will be (...) -- Infectious diseases, UK
• 12:31
  US state legislators propose death penalty for women who have an abortion - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  Republican legislators in South Carolina have proposed a bill to change the state’s laws, making a fertilised egg or embryo a person and charging a woman who has an abortion with murder, which carries a 30 year prison sentence or the death penalty.1 Henry McMaster, the state’s Republican (...)
• 12:30
  Junior doctor strike led to 175 000 postponements, data show - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  More than 175 000 planned hospital appointments and procedures were postponed during last week’s 72 hour strike by junior doctors, show official data from NHS England.1The release of the figures came as BMA leaders agreed to meet England’s health and social care secretary, Steve Barclay, this (...)
• 12:21
  Covid-19: US maternal mortality rose during pandemic - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  Two studies show that maternal mortality in the US dramatically increased during the covid-19 pandemic and was especially severe among racial and ethnic minorities and in rural areas and small cities.12The US already has the worst maternal mortality rate among industrialised countries. The (...) -- COVID-19
• 12:06
  Gene editing: China’s new regulations contain concerning loopholes, experts warn - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  China’s new ethics regulations are a step in the right direction in terms of overseeing gene editing research, but there are concerns that private ventures may not be covered.Joy Zhang, founding director of the Centre for Global Science and Epistemic Justice at the University of Kent, said that (...)
• 10:31
  GP training overhaul aims to boost flexibility, breadth, and quality of training - Adrian O’Dowd Br Med J (BMJ)
  GP trainees should be offered better and broader training alongside enhancements to their knowledge of technology, health inequalities, and areas of care such as mental health, says a report from Health Education England (HEE).1The report on HEE’s vision for the future of general practice (...)
• 09:06
  Trust and transformation: an agenda for creating resilient and sustainable health systems - Hans Kluge, Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Josep Figueras, Martin McKee Br Med J (BMJ)
  Health systems are facing unprecedented challenges as they emerge from the covid-19 pandemic. How they have responded has varied greatly. Just as with SARS in 2003, when some Asian health systems redesigned facilities to be better prepared for a future pandemic,1 we have seen new ways of (...)

17 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 19:55
  Why I wish they had composted the Pope - Richard Smith Br Med J (BMJ)
  As I wrote this piece, Pope Benedict XVI was being buried, but I wish he had been composted. Nature would have been respected, greenhouse gas emissions would have been reduced, and in little more than a month the Vatican would have had a bag of rich soil that could be used to grow something in (...)
• 18:16
  Falling employment and worsening health in the UK: connected or distinct trends? - Jonathan Cribb Br Med J (BMJ)
  Two concerning economic and social trends in the UK emerging from the covid-19 pandemic are the fall in employment of people aged 50 and over and the increase in sickness levels in the population. The drop in employment has not been caused by rising unemployment (when people are generally (...)
• 17:26
  Babies should be given peanut products between 4 and 6 months to reduce allergy, say researchers - Jacqui Wise Br Med J (BMJ)
  Researchers have called on the government to change official weaning advice, saying that peanut products should be introduced into babies’ diets during a “window of opportunity” of between 4 and 6 months of age to reduce the risk of allergy.The incidence of peanut allergy has tripled in recent (...) -- Paediatrics
• 17:00
  Birmingham trust is taking a defensive approach to patient safety matters, claims ombudsman - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman has accused one of the UK’s largest hospital trusts of taking a defensive approach to patient safety matters and refusing “to accept accountability or learn from past failings.”1The ombudsman, whose office takes final decisions on complaints that have (...)
• 16:36
  Semaglutide: should the media slim down its enthusiasm? - Margaret McCartney Br Med J (BMJ)
  “Hollywood’s favourite skinny jab is coming to the NHS,” read BBC Science Focus magazine, calling it a “weight loss game changer.”1 The Times said its arrival “could trim benefits bill.”2 The Economist’s cover story was enthusiastic: “Eat, inject, repeat—curing obesity, worldwide: The long term effects (...)
• 13:51
  Mouldy homes are damaging my patient’s health - Tamara Joffe Br Med J (BMJ)
  We must remember 2 year old Awaab Ishak. His death, the coroner concluded, was caused by exposure to mould in his home.1 We must talk about the health impacts of patients living in mouldy, damp housing.In 2000, my experienced GP trainer told me that she had only ever written one housing medical (...)
• 13:50
  Male footballers are 50% more likely to develop neurodegenerative disease, finds Swedish study - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  Elite male footballers were 1.5 times as likely to develop neurodegenerative disease as population controls, found a study of men who played in Sweden’s top division from 1924 to 2019.1The observational study, published in Lancet Public Health, found that 8.9% of players (537 of 6007) and 6.2% (...) -- Neurology
• 13:36
  The UK’s Illegal Migration Bill will have grave consequences for health and human welfare - Sophie McCann Br Med J (BMJ)
  The UK’s Illegal Migration Bill, announced by the home secretary on 7 March 2023, will have devastating humanitarian and medical consequences for people seeking sanctuary in the UK. On a daily basis, we at MSF witness the grave impact worldwide of violent policies that focus on deterrence and (...)
• 11:17
  TikTok surgery reignites worries over doctors and social media - Shefali Malhotra Br Med J (BMJ)
  In October 2022, a Thai surgeon live streamed an operation on the social media app TikTok. The recording made its way to Twitter, causing an intense backlash. Some people complained that the doctor had violated his patient’s privacy and should be severely disciplined. But others pointed out that (...)
• 11:12
  What is the role of clinically assisted hydration in the last days of life? - Andrew Davies, Caroline Barry, Stephen Barclay Br Med J (BMJ)
  What you need to knowDecisions about the provision of clinically assisted hydration to patients in their last days of life are complex and should always be individualisedEvidence is lacking about the potential benefits and harms of clinically assisted hydration in the last days of lifeClinical (...) -- Uncertainties page

16 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 14:16
  Cancer plans are essential owing to the complexity of care - Robert A Haward Br Med J (BMJ)
  Sullivan and Aggarwal’s editorial sets out the case for, and reasons for retaining, a specific plan for cancer.1 The issues are not new, and previous experience remains relevant today.The first national cancer policy in the UK was published in 1995 by the chief medical officers of England and (...)
• 14:15
  Public health grants in England are “far too little, far too late,” says president of directors - Matthew Limb Br Med J (BMJ)
  Experts have said that the £3.53bn public health grant to English local authorities for 2023-24, just announced by the government, won’t properly fund services.Ministers said the grant allocations will give each local authority a 3.3% cash terms increase.1 Jim McManus, president of the (...)
• 13:46
  Budget fails to tackle workforce shortages and NHS funding, say critics - Matthew Limb Br Med J (BMJ)
  Leading doctors, patients’ groups, and health analysts have rounded on the UK chancellor of the exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, for ignoring critical pressures on NHS staffing and funding in his spring budget. They said that Hunt’s failure to publish an NHS workforce plan on 15 March, alongside a (...)
• 12:51
  Patient safety and strikes: aspects of love - Kamran Abbasi Br Med J (BMJ)
  Ten years on from Robert Francis’s inquiry into events at the UK’s Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, is the NHS any safer? A recurring theme of investigations into avoidable harm, say Graham Martin and colleagues, is a failure to heed the concerns of patients and carers (...)
• 11:55
  Pensions: Doctors welcome government’s decision to abolish lifetime allowance - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  In his spring budget for 20231 the UK chancellor Jeremy Hunt unveiled a major policy for tackling the number of senior NHS doctors reducing their hours or taking early retirement because of high taxation charges on their pensions.In a surprise move, Hunt announced a package of measures, (...)
• 11:26
  A teenager with auricular infection secondary to piercing - Xiaoting Cheng, Kevin A Peng, Bing Chen, Yilai Shu Br Med J (BMJ)
  A teenage girl presented with persistent ear pain after an uneventful piercing of her right auricle to place an earring. Five days after the piercing, she noticed otalgia adjacent to the piercing, and pain in the right side of her neck. She had no other medical conditions. Before presentation (...) -- Case Review
• 11:21
  The cost of bearing witness: watching and sharing videos of police brutality online - Michelle A Williams Br Med J (BMJ)
  In recent weeks we’ve seen an uproar ring out after police killed an unarmed Black man in the United States. I’m speaking of Tyre Nichols, who died in January 2023 after being punched, kicked, and beaten by five Memphis officers from an “elite” unit. But I could be speaking about Eric Garner, or (...)
• 11:16
  Spindle cell sarcoma on the scalp - Fang Li, Daguang Wang Br Med J (BMJ)
  This is a painless, red, nodular mass with overlying crusting on the scalp of a woman in her 50s (fig 1). The mass had been growing slowly over three years, with rapid growth in the six months before presentation. The woman had undergone hysterectomy and chemotherapy for uterine leiomyosarcoma (...)
• 11:11
  Oral anticoagulants, dementia . . . and other stories Br Med J (BMJ)
  Oral anticoagulants and dementia in people with atrial fibrillationOral anticoagulation helps to prevent stroke in people with atrial fibrillation and may also protect against cognitive decline. Atrial fibrillation puts people at increased risk of dementia because of ischaemic stroke, (...)
• 10:10
  Ann Robinson’s research reviews—16 March 2023 - Ann Robinson Br Med J (BMJ)
  AML: markers on the road to cure?Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a cruel disease: 85% of those diagnosed will be dead within five years. Treatment usually consists of chemotherapy to achieve remission, often followed by stem cell transplant for those at highest risk of relapse. Stem cell (...)

15 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 10:35
  Voices from the picket lines: junior doctors speak out - Chris Stokel-Walker, Gareth Iacobucci, Elisabeth Mahase, Melina Zachariou, Charlotte Rose Br Med J (BMJ)
  Martin Whyte, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne“I’ve been a doctor for eight years, and all I’ve seen in that time is that workloads have become more intense. We’re not worth 26% less than we were 15 years ago. It’s a complete unwillingness to make pay appropriate for the level of (...)
• 10:41
  Psychological first aid training could help manage acute stress in junior doctors - Daniel J Chivers Br Med J (BMJ)
  Greenberg and colleagues offer valuable insights on the immediate management of acute psychological trauma—psychological first aid—in conflict zones.1 They explain that the use of peer delivered interventions can alleviate acute distress. Military personnel with supportive supervisors are less (...)
• 10:05
  Bold action is needed to strengthen primary prevention - Petra Meier, Srinivasa Vittal Katikireddi, Katherine Smith Br Med J (BMJ)
  Primary prevention tackles the underlying causes of ill health, preventing or substantially delaying onset, reducing the burden of disease in populations, and helping individuals live longer, healthier lives. In turn, this reduces pressure on health and social care systems. Primary prevention (...)
• 09:51
  What’s happened to NHS spending and staffing in the past 25 years? - John Appleby Br Med J (BMJ)
  Twenty five years ago, in the financial year 1998-99, the Department of Health in England spent £36.6bn in total, equivalent to £59bn in 2021-22 prices. The bulk of this covered the NHS but also included public health, arm’s length health bodies, and other health services. Today, in 2022-23, the (...)
• 09:46
  Comparative effectiveness of BNT162b2 versus mRNA-1273 covid-19 vaccine boosting in England: matched cohort study in OpenSAFELY-TPP - William J Hulme, Elsie M F Horne, Edward P K Parker, Ruth H Keogh, Elizabeth J Williamson, Venexia Walker, Tom M Palmer, Helen J Curtis, Alex J Walker, Colm D Andrews, Amir Mehrkar, Jessica Morley, Brian MacKenna, Sebastian C J Bacon, Ben Goldacre, Miguel A Hernan, Jonathan A C Sterne Br Med J (BMJ)
  AbstractObjectiveTo compare the effectiveness of the BNT162b2 mRNA (Pfizer-BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna) covid-19 vaccines during the booster programme in England.DesignMatched cohort study, emulating a comparative effectiveness trial.SettingLinked primary care, hospital, and covid-19 (...) -- COVID-19

14 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 14:41
  James Duncan Donnelly - Peter Donnelly, Rob Donnelly, Katie Donnelly Br Med J (BMJ)
  After house jobs in medicine and surgery, and senior house officer posts in casualty, paediatrics, and obstetrics, James Duncan Donnelly (“Jimmy”) worked in general practice and community paediatrics before going to the Birmingham hospital board and joining the then newly emerging specialty of (...)
• 14:40
  Lawrence Guy Gardner - William Hinton Br Med J (BMJ)
  Lawrence Guy Gardner (“Lawrie”) did his elective in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland. After qualifying he moved to Elkhorn, Manitoba, Canada, with his wife, Jean, in 1965. While there he spent two years in general practice before returning to the UK in 1968. Lawrie then trained in anaesthesia at Jessop (...)
• 14:36
  Rajeev Gopal Banhatti - Ravindra Gokhale Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/mar14_8/p494/FAF1faRajeev Gopal Banhatti was born to two parents who were professors in English literature and freelance writers. He grew up in rural Maharashtra state in India. We met at Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College in Pune as a freshers and became lifelong friends. Rajeev was (...)
• 14:35
  Melvin Ross - Melvin Ross Br Med J (BMJ)
  After national service as medical officer at the Guards Depot, Caterham, Melvin Ross started a new practice from scratch as a singlehanded general practitioner in Islington, north London. After a few years, and now with a partner, he joined up with another two partner practice, which soon (...)
• 14:06
  The NHS workforce crisis is a retention crisis - Malinga Ratwatte Br Med J (BMJ)
  The NHS is in the grip of chronic workforce shortages. This fact is plain to see for people working in the service and makes the daily working lives of staff increasingly difficult.Data from NHS England show that more than 9000 medical posts in secondary care were vacant in September 2022.1 In (...) -- UK
• 12:51
  Citizens should have a strong and informed voice in discussion of drug development - Cinzia Colombo, Rita Banzi Br Med J (BMJ)
  Angelis and colleagues debunk the argument that high prices are needed to sustain drug development.1 Their analysis refers to a large body of evidence showing that most drug industries invest more in selling, administrative activities—including marketing—and share buybacks than research and (...)
• 11:56
  Junior doctor strikes: Leaders urge government to drop preconditions and negotiate - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  Junior doctors in England began a 72 hour walkout on 13 March in their ongoing dispute over pay and conditions. The strike action went ahead after the government’s 11th hour offer of talks, just before 10 pm on Friday 10 March, led to nothing after ministers agreed to talk only on the condition (...)
• 11:11
  Helen Salisbury: The new contract doesn’t deliver for GPs - Helen Salisbury Br Med J (BMJ)
  “We are drowning, and you throw bricks at us.” This was just one of the despairing responses to the latest general practice contract, published in outline by NHS England on 6 March.12With a growing population and record numbers waiting for hospital treatment, demand for GP appointments has (...) -- General practice / family medicine, UK
• 11:10
  Controlling avian influenza - Kathy Leung, Tommy T Y Lam, Joseph T Wu Br Med J (BMJ)
  Global reports of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) in birds are increasing, with cases reported from every region except Australasia and Antarctica since 2020.1 The global spread of these avian influenza outbreaks is unprecedented, exacting large economic losses to poultry industries (...)
• 11:10
  Healthcare leadership: the medical education chief executive - Kathy Oxtoby Br Med J (BMJ)
  Johann Malawana will be recognisable to many as the former chair of the BMA’s junior doctors committee, leading negotiations during their dispute in 2015.“Throughout that time, I drew on the negotiating skills I’d developed over a decade of involvement with the BMA. I learnt about resilience, (...)

13 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 17:01
  Intercalation helps to develop doctors with a more holistic approach to medicine - Reagan Lee, Oscar Han Br Med J (BMJ)
  Intercalation gives UK medical students the chance to take a year out of their medical programme to obtain another degree in a discipline of interest. These degrees can range from medicine adjacent subjects like anatomy or pharmacology to those outside the scope of the usual medical curriculum, (...)
• 16:00
  Why COP28 must be a health COP - Emma L Lawrance, Mala Rao Br Med J (BMJ)
  The start of the year is a time of reflection, of looking forward to the future and resolving to make life changes with positive improvements. Making resolutions is important and worthwhile; it signals the optimism that a better future is possible and can inspire others to join shared goals.Our (...)
• 11:36
  Five US medical associations form coalition against gun violence - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  Five major US medical associations have formed a coalition to work towards ending the nation’s epidemic of gun violence, which it has called “a public health crisis.”1Gun related injury is now the leading cause of death for US children and adolescents aged 1 to 19, replacing automobile accident (...)
• 11:26
  Girls’ education and the future of healthcare in Afghanistan - Ahmad Neyazi, Bijaya Padhi, Ranjit Sah, members of the Global Centre for Public Health Collaborators Br Med J (BMJ)
  On 15 August 2021, after the US government’s decision to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban invaded Kabul and took control of the country. Under Taliban control, government workers, minority groups, and supporters of the coalition forces are particularly vulnerable. Women and (...)
• 11:20
  Doctors have a role in tackling air pollution: here’s how some are rising to the challenge - Sally Howard Br Med J (BMJ)
  The case for a greater role for doctors in the UK’s air pollution problem has been growing over the past two years. Public officials, parents, and doctors themselves are calling for increased education for medical professionals about the link between air quality and health (box 1)—and for them to (...)
• 10:01
  Prepared health systems provide quality care at all times - Blerta Maliqi, Rachael Hinton, Minara Chowdury, Sanam Roder-DeWan, Achama Eluwa, Munir Kassa Br Med J (BMJ)
  The provision of good quality healthcare is fundamental to population health, preventing avoidable deaths and building population trust in services.1234 Every year, an estimated eight million people in low and middle income countries die from conditions that would have been treatable with (...)
• 10:00
  Networks of care to strengthen primary healthcare in resource constrained settings - Enoch Oti Agyekum, Katherine Kalaris, Blerta Maliqi, Allisyn C Moran, Andrews Ayim, Sanam Roder-DeWan Br Med J (BMJ)
  High quality primary healthcare is a cornerstone of country strategies to achieve universal health coverage but has been difficult to implement and scale. Systemic challenges such as lack of coordination and an inadequate health workforce limit the reach and impact of primary healthcare, which (...)
• 10:00
  Service delivery redesign is a process, not a model of care - Sanam Roder-DeWan, Supriya Madhavan, Savitha Subramanian, Kojo Nimako, Talib Lashari, Amith Nagaraj Bathula, Ramkumar Sathurappan, Sampath Kumar, Mickey Chopra Br Med J (BMJ)
  Achievements in expanding access to care will not result in better health outcomes without wider measures to improve quality of care. In 2018, the Lancet Global Health Commission on High Quality Health Systems proposed a fundamental shift from small scale quality improvement interventions (...)

12 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 18:06
  Strikes are a grim prospect, but a broken NHS is worse - Jennifer Darlow Br Med J (BMJ)
  At a time of constant news reports in the UK of different professional groups taking industrial action, a doctors’ walkout could easily be lost in the clamour to be heard. Yet the decision, as with any health professional choosing to strike, is multifaceted and never simple.When it comes to the (...)

10 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 19:50
  When I use a word . . . . Data—usage and ownership - Jeffrey K Aronson Br Med J (BMJ)
  Data—singular or plural?Having used etymology and grammar to settle the question of the singularity or plurality of the word “data” (it appears to swing both ways, although it’s usually plural1), we can add to the evidence by determining how people use the word in practice. In doing so we have in (...)
• 18:26
  What we learnt from the Matt Hancock WhatsApp revelations - Andy Cowper Br Med J (BMJ)
  Most of the time, the health sector doesn't have to think too much about its former secretaries of state for health.Occasionally, they have enlightened second lives as chairs of the House of Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee—as both Stephen Dorrell and Jeremy Hunt did. Their deep (...)
• 17:26
  Sixty seconds on . . . petrol pumps - Mun-Keat Looi Br Med J (BMJ)
  Mmm, benzene . . .You may like the aroma of petrol, but visits to the pumps could become rarer in Hawaii if the state government gets its way. It’s just passed a bill requiring climate change warnings to be displayed on all pumps in a bid to reduce consumption. If signed into law it would be the (...)
• 14:06
  Covid-19: Latin America must reduce its reliance on medical imports - Luke Taylor Br Med J (BMJ)
  Countries across the Americas and the Caribbean must bolster their surveillance of covid-19 and continue to vaccinate against the disease if they are to leave the pandemic behind, senior officials at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said at a press conference on 10 March.The PAHO (...) -- COVID-19
• 13:56
  Cardiologists in Romania illegally reused cardiac devices taken from dead patients, prosecutors allege - Owen Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  Seven doctors formed a network in Romania that harvested implantable cardiac defibrillators from recently deceased patients and transplanted them into 238 other patients who believed they were receiving new devices, charges filed at the country’s highest court have said.“A large proportion of the (...) -- Cardiovascular medicine
• 12:31
  Strikes, patient outcomes, and the cost of failing to act - Ryan Essex, Sorcha A Brophy, Veena Sriram Br Med J (BMJ)
  Growing demands on healthcare workers have seen them become more vocal about their dissatisfaction with the conditions of the health systems in which they work. In the first year of the covid-19 pandemic, there were at least 6500 protests by healthcare workers globally, a 62% increase from (...)
• 11:11
  Retention of ethnic minority staff is critical to resolving the NHS workforce crisis - Katherine Woolf, Padmasayee Papineni, Susie Lagrata, Manish Pareek Br Med J (BMJ)
  The English NHS is facing the biggest workforce crisis in its history with nearly 1 in 10 positions vacant.1 A 2022 report from the World Health Organization European region identified the UK as having the lowest number of medical doctors, nurses, midwives, and dentists per 10 000 population in (...)
• 09:46
  Pay satisfaction among junior doctors plummeted in 2022, shows staff survey - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  Satisfaction with pay among NHS staff has fallen sharply in the past 12 months, particularly among junior doctors, results1 from the annual NHS staff survey show.Findings for 2022 show that the number of junior doctors satisfied with their pay has halved in a single year—from 34.5% to 17.1%. (...)
• 09:25
  WHO regional director is fired for abusive conduct - Mun-Keat Looi Br Med J (BMJ)
  The World Health Organization has dismissed Takeshi Kasai, the regional director for its Western Pacific region, for abusive conduct.The move follows accusations of racism and abuse, which led to Kasai being placed on leave in August 2022.1 It is the first known instance of a regional director (...)

9 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 15:16
  Caring for young people with gender dysphoria - Kamran Abbasi Br Med J (BMJ)
  The debate on gender dysphoria perfectly captures all that is unsavoury about the intersection of science, medicine, and social media. Entrenched, even aggressively argued views are nothing new in science and medicine. But when it comes to gender dysphoria, just as with covid-19, there is (...)
• 14:56
  Gender equal leadership makes all kinds of sense - Helen Clark, Phumzile Mlambo–Ngcuka, Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, Gabriela Cuevas Barron Br Med J (BMJ)
  Gender equality is off track—according to a recent report by the United Nations, 300 years off track.1In a world of multiple crises, we find it surprising that gender equality is not a priority for most political leaders. Mounting evidence shows that the health and resilience of our communities (...)
• 13:31
  Data privacy: a decade of confusion - Alison Stone, Chris Carrigan Br Med J (BMJ)
  Iacobucci’s article on a general practice withdrawing from a kidney screening pilot after patients voiced concerns emphasises the urgent need for clear guidance for practices and patients about the ways that patient data are used, including the purposes of direct care and secondary purposes.1We (...)
• 13:01
  Nitrous oxide: Advisory panel rejects calls for ban on recreational use - Jacqui Wise Br Med J (BMJ)
  A government commissioned review has concluded that the possession of nitrous oxide should not be banned, but that additional measures are needed to tackle non-legitimate supply.1The decision by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) comes despite reports of an increase in (...)
• 12:56
  Salt intake: 97% of the world is failing to cut consumption, warns WHO - Mun-Keat Looi Br Med J (BMJ)
  Just 3% of the world’s population is protected by mandatory policies that would reduce the level of salt to healthy levels, according to a report from the World Health Organization.1Only nine countries—Brazil, Chile, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and (...)
• 12:26
  Tom Nolan’s research reviews—9 March 2023 - Tom Nolan Br Med J (BMJ)
  The eight survival secretsEat better, be more active, quit tobacco, get healthy sleep, manage weight, control cholesterol, manage blood pressure, and manage blood sugar: the American Heart Association’s “Life’s Essential 8” sounds a lot like my long abandoned list of New Year’s resolutions. A (...)
• 12:06
  Type 1 objections should not impede direct care - Paul Affleck Br Med J (BMJ)
  The case of a general practice withdrawing from an NHS commissioned pilot with a private company to provide kidney screening at home after patients raised data privacy concerns is fascinating.1 Had type 1 objections been applied, other patients who had registered such an objection could have (...)
• 11:16
  Hibiscus-like retinal haemorrhages - Qiang Wang, Ying Lin Br Med J (BMJ)
  This image of the fundus gives the appearance of a hibiscus in full bloom (fig 1), and is caused by subretinal and intraretinal haemorrhages seen on funduscopy around the left optic disc. The patient, a woman in her 20s, presented with 10 days of painless vision loss in her left eye, with no (...)
• 11:11
  A decade after Francis: is the NHS safer and more open? - Graham Martin, Susanna Stanford, Mary Dixon-Woods Br Med J (BMJ)
  It is 10 years since Robert Francis published the three volume report of the public inquiry into failings at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.1 Few will need reminding of the harrowing accounts of care at Stafford Hospital or the inquiry’s damning verdict—covering not just the trust but (...) -- Patient authored
• 11:10
  Sport for older adults . . . and other stories Br Med J (BMJ)
  Cardiac arrest in older adultsSports activity in older adults benefits both mental and physical health. But might there also be risks? A study from the west coast of the USA quantified the chances of sport related sudden cardiac arrest in people 65 years and older. Fortunately, the probability (...)
• 00:30
  A patient’s perspective on mental health and the pandemic - Sarah Markham Br Med J (BMJ)
  It is disappointing that countless critically important questions in mental health remain unanswered. Money has been wasted funding poor quality research that will be of little value to the many people who have mental health conditions. As a patient with a mental health disorder, I was sad to (...)

8 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 11:01
  How the Taliban are destroying female doctors in Afghanistan - Sally Howard, Geetanjali Krishna Br Med J (BMJ)
  Maria Zubair, a third year female medical student in Jalalabad who aspires to general practice, has been unable to attend classes since 18 December 2022 when the Taliban suspended university education for women.1 “The day after the ban we found that the door to the hospital was blocked for women (...)
• 10:56
  Swollen gums in a young adult - Adeline Hillan, Michael F Leahy Br Med J (BMJ)
  A woman in her 20s presented to the emergency department with a three week history of gingival swelling (fig 1), purulent exudate from the gums, and pain. At a previous dental review in the weeks before presentation the patient had been prescribed two courses of oral antibiotics for presumed (...) -- General practice, Haematology, Oncology, Case Review
• 10:41
  Inequities in managing and representing mpox - Alexandra Cardoso Pinto Br Med J (BMJ)
  An important, and often neglected, area of inequity is the choice of images promoting understanding of diseases such as mpox. The article by Mansour and colleagues recommends the use of “credible and diverse images.”1Imagery used in the field of infectious disease has repeatedly demonstrated (...)
• 10:40
  Ensuring equitable access in lessons learnt from mpox - Ayolola O Eni-Olotu Br Med J (BMJ)
  Mansour and colleagues discuss management of mpox;1 it is crucial to remember that, before this multi-country outbreak, mpox was endemic in several African countries—and also to ensure that responses to this outbreak reach endemic countries.23 Indeed, lessons learnt from decades of recurrent (...)
• 10:10
  The health workforce crisis in Europe is also a gender equality crisis - Hans Kluge, Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat Br Med J (BMJ)
  Europe’s health workforce is facing an unprecedented crisis. Shortages, long term sick leave, burnout, salary gaps, poor career prospects—these are but some of the troubles plaguing the healthcare sector in the WHO European Region, covering 53 countries across Europe and Central Asia. The fact (...)

7 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 16:16
  Wellcome displays art that shares the pain of migraine - Alison Shepherd Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/mar07_9/p544/FAF1faWellcome CollectionBetween 1980 and 1987 the British Migraine Association ran four art competitions to share impressions from across the world of people’s experience of migraine.Competitors were asked to express the pain created by the condition, using any material and (...)
• 14:41
  Industrial action: ask the government questions and wait for the answers - Hannah Walker Br Med J (BMJ)
  Limb discusses whether and why doctors are considering strike action.1 It is crucial to ask the government specific questions and to wait for the answer; silence is an extremely powerful bargaining tool. When will the workforce plan be published, for example?Which other public safety profession (...)
• 11:46
  Burnout: NHS staff haven’t recovered from pandemic’s effects, says leading doctor - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  The NHS should be systematically measuring the mental health of its workforce and making wellbeing a “strategic priority” in response to the high levels of burnout since the covid-19 pandemic, a leading anaesthetist has urged.Kevin Fong, a consultant anaesthetist and chair of public engagement (...) -- COVID-19
• 12:31
  GPs to consider industrial action after NHS England imposes contract - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  NHS England has imposed a contract on GPs that will start in April, prompting GPs’ leaders to renew their promise to discuss the possibility of industrial action.In a letter sent to GPs on 6 March,1 NHS England outlined changes to the contract for 2023-24 that had not been agreed with the BMA’s (...) -- General practice / family medicine, UK
• 11:16
  Molnupiravir and risk of hospital admission or death in adults with covid-19: emulation of a randomized target trial using electronic health records - Yan Xie, Benjamin Bowe, Ziyad Al-Aly Br Med J (BMJ)
  AbstractObjectiveTo emulate a randomized target trial to estimate the association between the antiviral drug molnupiravir and hospital admission or death in adults with SARS-CoV-2 infection in the community during the omicron predominant era who were at high risk of progression to severe (...) -- COVID-19
• 11:11
  Helen Salisbury: Benchmarking and unrealistic guidelines - Helen Salisbury Br Med J (BMJ)
  In their personal statements, medical school candidates often wax lyrical about embarking on a journey of lifelong learning in the ever changing worlds of science and medicine. These days I have to admit that my journal reading is scant, and the blessed internet provides most of the information (...) -- General practice / family medicine, UK
• 11:06
  Why I . . . run half marathons - Kathy Oxtoby Br Med J (BMJ)
  “It’s important to do something outside medicine that brings a sense of joy and personal accomplishment,” says Nicole Nation, a second year GP trainee.Currently on the Torbay vocational training scheme in Devon, she also believes it’s important to find an outside interest to boost your mental (...)

6 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 13:11
  An interprofessional strategy can strengthen secondary prevention - Arnaud Chiolero, Valerie Santschi Br Med J (BMJ)
  Clinical intervention for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases is efficient and needs strengthening, as advocated by Whitty and colleagues.1 But how to make that happen with the shortage of healthcare providers and ageing populations? One path is the implementation of an (...)
• 12:46
  Insulin: Eli Lilly cuts price to $35 a month in US after pleas from patients and president - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  The giant drug company Eli Lilly has reduced the price of its insulins to $35 (£27; €31) a month for the US’s eight million insulin dependent patients with diabetes, after campaigns by patients’ advocates and President Joe Biden.1Eli Lilly’s insulin prices in the US have risen by 1000% over the past (...) -- Diabetes
• 12:11
  Covid-19: US studies show racial and ethnic disparities in long covid - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  Black and Hispanic Americans are more likely than white Americans to have symptoms of long covid and some people who had covid early in the epidemic may have long covid but not be diagnosed as such because of coding changes, show studies funded by the National Institutes of Health.123Long covid (...) -- COVID-19
• 11:41
  BMA pledges to end sexism in medicine and tackle gender discrimination in healthcare - Adele Waters Br Med J (BMJ)
  The BMA is appealing to organisations across the healthcare sector to stamp out sexism in the medical profession.Among the 10 goal pledge (box 1) is a call for senior doctors to “call out sexism” and be responsible and accountable for tackling their own bias.Box 1The NHS’s 10 goalsEliminate sexism (...)
• 11:31
  WHO keeps covid-19 a public health emergency of international concern - Jodie McVernon, Jonathan Liberman Br Med J (BMJ)
  On 30 January 2023 the director general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced his decision that covid-19 remains a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC),1 three years after the emergency was first declared.2 In doing so, Tedros acknowledged (...) -- COVID-19
• 11:26
  Sharp Scratch episode 88: Nothing like Grey’s Anatomy - Charlotte Rose Br Med J (BMJ)
  In this very fun episode of Sharp Scratch, we talk about our favourite medical TV shows. We play some of our favourite clips from popular medical TV programmes and discuss whether our experiences as medical students and new doctors compare. In this episode, I was joined once again by panellists (...)
• 11:21
  A front row seat for the exodus—is the NHS crisis scaring medical students away? - Alice Barber Br Med J (BMJ)
  Over the past year, I and many other medical students have witnessed a growing number of doctors and other healthcare professionals leaving the NHS. This is supported by wider data. A survey of 4553 junior doctors by the British Medical Association found that four in 10 junior doctors plan to (...)
• 11:10
  Secondary prevention must include treating tobacco dependence - Nicholas S Hopkinson Br Med J (BMJ)
  The call to ensure a comprehensive approach to secondary prevention—defined by Whitty and colleagues as “evidence based, preventive measures to help stop or delay disease, taken during an interaction between an individual patient and a clinician”—is welcome.1I was surprised, though, to see no (...)

3 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 16:21
  Sixty seconds on . . . fishbone doctors - Mun-Keat Looi Br Med J (BMJ)
  Oh my cod, what’s this?According to the Wall Street Journal1 doctors in China are adept at getting diners off the hook—or removing fish bones lodged in their throats. And there is a growing network of at least 11 specialised fishbone clinics, many located south of the Yangtze river that runs (...)
• 15:16
  Canada’s promise to reform drug prices left in doubt as regulator is hit by wave of resignations - Owen Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  An ambitious promise by Canada’s Liberal government to radically cut drug prices in one of the world’s most expensive markets seems to be in tatters after a flurry of resignations from its independent regulator.Last week saw the surprise departure of Douglas Clark, the executive director of the (...)
• 14:46
  Global cost of overweight and obesity will hit $4.32tn a year by 2035, report warns - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  More than half (51%) of the global population will be living with overweight or obesity within 12 years unless prevention, treatment, and support improve, the World Obesity Federation has said.1In its World Obesity Atlas 2023, the federation said the economic impact of overweight and obesity on (...)
• 14:26
  Scrutiny of Hancock’s handling of the pandemic is far from over - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  The erstwhile health secretary turned reality TV “star” Matt Hancock is back in the headlines.On Sunday 26 February, Hancock was asked to explain why he appeared to be wearing a signed Newcastle United shirt that he had previously auctioned off to raise money for charity. A Magpies fan since his (...)
• 12:41
  Abortion: UN is urged to intervene in “human rights crisis” in US after ending of rights - Mun-Keat Looi Br Med J (BMJ)
  Five international charities have called on the United Nations to act over what they have described as the “human rights crisis” in the United States in the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2022 abortion ruling to restrict access to services for millions of women.In an open letter the charities plead (...) -- Obstetrics and gynaecology
• 11:16
  Continuous glucose monitoring - Dana M Lewis, Tamara K Oser, Benjamin J Wheeler Br Med J (BMJ)
  What you need to knowContinuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is the preferred glucose monitoring method in most recent guidelines (ADA/EASD/ISPAD) for people with insulin-requiring diabetes, but it is also suitable for all people with diabetesAccuracy of CGM is close to that of finger stick blood (...) -- Therapeutics
• 11:06
  So you want to be a writer? An introduction to BMJ Student - Charlotte Rose, Pat Lok, Nikki Nabavi, Anna Harvey Bluemel, Laura Nunez-Mulder Br Med J (BMJ)
  Correspondence to: C Rose croseⓐbmj.com (or ⓐCharl_Rose24 on Twitter)What is BMJ Student?BMJ Studentis a section of The BMJ, a general medical journal that publishes content aimed at a diverse audience—from doctors and researchers to patients and the public. Student content is published online (...)
• 09:31
  Leadership diversity and equality in the medical workforce - Wahyu Wulaningsih Br Med J (BMJ)
  Being a female international medical graduate (IMG) doctor from a minority ethnic background, I can attest to the diversity in the junior NHS workforce. Such diversity is less apparent in many leadership roles, however, as highlighted by Reynolds and L’Esperance in their editorial.1I welcome the (...)
• 09:26
  Reducing commercial influence over guidelines won’t fix poverty but is still worth striving for - Lisa Parker, Lisa Bero Br Med J (BMJ)
  We agree with Braillon that the health of the public is well served by attending to the social determinants of health,1 but diet is an important plank in the public’s health and promoting healthy eating is a global matter.23We welcome suggestions for removing healthcare providers from a market (...)
• 09:16
  Stalled improvements in mortality and life expectancy predate the pandemic - Gerry McCartney, David Walsh Br Med J (BMJ)
  The UK chief medical officers are right to be concerned about recent high mortality.1 They focus on the lower-than-expected uptake of important cardiovascular interventions, and how increasing uptake might help. The framing of the causes of high mortality is, however, medicalised and (...)

2 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 14:46
  For integrated care systems to succeed private providers of clinical care must be removed from boards - Richard L Symonds Br Med J (BMJ)
  MPs on the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee have warned that the introduction of integrated care systems (ICSs) will not succeed unless government tackles longstanding problems in the NHS.1ICSs are a welcome, radical change to the ludicrous purchaser-provider system imposed on the NHS (...)
• 14:40
  H5N1: Has there been human-to-human transmission, and do we have a vaccine? - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  What’s happening in Cambodia?Much of the spotlight has been on Cambodia in the past week, where an 11 year old girl died after being infected with an H5N1 virus. The girl, from Prey Veng province in the south of the country, was admitted to the National Paediatric Hospital on 21 February with (...) -- Infectious diseases
• 14:31
  Negotiating a pandemic accord: a promising start - Precious Matsoso, Roland Driece, Tovar da Silva Nunes, Ahmed Soliman, Kazuho Taguchi, Viroj Tangcharoensathien Br Med J (BMJ)
  The World Health Assembly took a historic decision at its special session in December 20211 to establish an Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) to draft and negotiate an international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. At its first meeting,2 the INB elected (...)
• 14:30
  Reinventing surgical careers for parents and carers - Kamran Abbasi Br Med J (BMJ)
  Women want to work in surgery, but it’s a career ambition many struggle to achieve (doi:10.1136/bmj.p449).1 Those that do start often leave. Surgery is notoriously inhospitable to women (https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/research/future-proof-the-impact-of-parental-and-caring-responsibilities-on-surgi
• 12:41
  Locum surgeon is struck off for failing to call for help during botched appendectomies - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  A former locum consultant general surgeon has been struck off the UK medical register after he twice failed to call for help during botched emergency laparoscopic appendectomies, prompting theatre staff to take emergency measures.On one occasion a theatre scrub nurse refused to give Luigi (...)
• 11:31
  An unexpected ECG finding - Qinghua Chang, Zhaolong Xu, Ningning Fu, Renguang Liu Br Med J (BMJ)
  A woman in her 60s presented to hospital for a second cycle of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with docetaxel and cyclophosphamide, having received her first cycle 19 days previously. She had received a diagnosis of left breast cancer six weeks earlier, for which she had undergone modified (...) -- Case Review
• 11:26
  Replacing RCTs with real world data for regulatory decision making: a self-fulfilling prophecy? - Beate Wieseler, Mattias Neyt, Thomas Kaiser, Frank Hulstaert, Jurgen Windeler Br Med J (BMJ)
  Key messagesEnthusiasm is growing for the use of observational real world data as a basis for regulatory, clinical, and health policy decision makingBut such study designs are ill suited to measure the treatment effects of new drugsPromoting the use of observational studies from routine (...)
• 11:21
  A stone in a balloon - Catherine Smith, Rabi Nambi Br Med J (BMJ)
  This appearance of a firm calcified nodule within a fluid filled sac (fig 1) is characteristic of a bullous pilomatricoma. It is a bullous variant of a pilomatricoma, a benign tumour arising from hair matrix cells that frequently occurs in children and young adults.1 This woman in her late (...)
• 11:11
  Hyponatraemia . . . and other stories Br Med J (BMJ)
  Low serum sodiumChronic hyponatraemia (serum sodium < 136 mmol/L) is common in older people and is usually caused by an increase in vasopressin mediated water reabsorption. A study of more than 8000 people finds that, although acute hyponatraemia can lead to neurological complications, (...)
• 10:01
  Tom Nolan’s research reviews—2 March 2023 - Tom Nolan Br Med J (BMJ)
  Disseminated and necrotising mpox as an AIDS-defining conditionA landmark case series in the Lancet shows the deadly effects of mpox (monkeypox) and establishes the necrotising form of illness as an AIDS-defining condition. The collaboration between clinicians in 19 countries gathered data on (...)
• 00:31
  Financing covid-19 mRNA vaccines - Victor Roy Br Med J (BMJ)
  Since the launch of their covid-19 vaccines, Moderna and Pfizer have accumulated more than $100bn (£83; €94) in global revenues from sales—more than 20 times the World Health Organization’s biennial budget in 2020-21.123 Yet for a vaccine that is estimated to cost $1-3 per dose to manufacture, both (...) -- COVID-19
• 00:30
  Inequities in surgical outcomes by race and sex in the United States: retrospective cohort study - Dan P Ly, Mariah B Blegen, Melinda M Gibbons, Keith C Norris, Yusuke Tsugawa Br Med J (BMJ)
  AbstractObjectiveTo assess inequities in mortality by race and sex for eight common surgical procedures (elective and non-elective) across specialties in the United States.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingUS, 2016-18.Participants1 868 036 Black and White Medicare beneficiaries aged 65-99 (...)
• 00:30
  US public investment in development of mRNA covid-19 vaccines: retrospective cohort study - Hussain S Lalani, Sarosh Nagar, Ameet Sarpatwari, Rachel E Barenie, Jerry Avorn, Benjamin N Rome, Aaron S Kesselheim Br Med J (BMJ)
  AbstractObjectiveTo estimate US public investment in the development of mRNA covid-19 vaccines.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingPublicly funded science from January 1985 to March 2022.Data sourcesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) Report Portfolio Online Reporting Tool Expenditures and (...) -- COVID-19

1 March

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 13:36
  NICE recommends online therapies to treat depression and anxiety in adults - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has conditionally recommended eight digital therapies to treat depression1 and anxiety2 disorders in adults.Draft guidance proposes rolling out the technologies as treatment options for disorders including post-traumatic stress (...)
• 11:56
  As well as improving outcomes and efficiency, integrated clinical academic training can be a tool for retention - Anna Harvey Bluemel Br Med J (BMJ)
  Recent appeals to the health secretary to protect and expand the clinical academic workforce in the UK have pointed out that doctors who are trained in both a clinical specialty and research are crucial to the continued efficient functioning of the NHS and good outcomes for patients.1 The (...)
• 11:41
  UK’s fertility law is inflexible and does not reflect modern practice, says regulator - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has proposed changes to the UK’s 30 year old fertility law, saying that it does not reflect modern fertility practice and is inflexible in responding to scientific innovation.1The proposed changes, which are under consultation, include (...) -- Obstetrics and gynaecology, General practice / family medicine, UK
• 11:01
  Cholera: World Health Organization warns of rising cases in Africa - Columbus Mavhunga Br Med J (BMJ)
  The World Health Organization has warned that Africa is seeing an exponential rise in cholera and diarrhoea cases amid a global surge.This year alone, the continent has recorded cholera cases in Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, (...)
• 10:36
  Advertising for blood test ruled misleading by the Advertising Standards Authority - Jacqui Wise Br Med J (BMJ)
  A multiple blood testing panel marketed to the public as “FREE if we don’t find anything” has been found to breach advertising standards codes.Numan, a company providing treatment for men’s health problems, advertised on its website a “fear nothing blood test” checking 17 or 21 biomarkers.The (...)
• 10:31
  David Oliver: Delayed discharges harm patients, staff, and health systems alike - David Oliver Br Med J (BMJ)
  In the 1965 Hollywood film The Agony and the Ecstasy Rex Harrison’s Pope Julius II repeatedly asks Charlton Heston’s Michelangelo, who is painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling, “When will you make an end of it?” only to be answered, “When it is finished.”1Similar scenes play out daily on NHS adult (...) -- Emergency medicine, UK
• 10:26
  MPs call for reassessment of NHS recovery plans after lack of progress - Adrian O’Dowd Br Med J (BMJ)
  Plans for the NHS in England to get cancer and elective care targets back on track after the impact of covid-19 are failing and should be re-examined, according to MPs.The backlog on cancer and elective care waiting times is not being dealt with quickly enough and in some cases is getting worse (...)

28 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 12:36
  Antoni Naczk - Johnny McDonagh, Gregor Campbell Hewson Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb28_10/p419/FAF1faAntoni Naczk came to Edinburgh from St Mungo’s RC High School, Alloa, in 1980. He had all the enthusiasm of a boy going to the city for the first time, which may have been his own personal circumstances. With his gregarious nature, he was soon known to everyone simply (...)
• 12:35
  John Robson Owen - Michael J Owen, David K Owen Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb28_8/p418/FAF1faJohn Robson Owen was the only child of Norah and Jimmy Owen, born in Gravelly Hill, near Birmingham, in the last month of the 1920s. He was the first person in his family to attend university. After house jobs in Dudley, national service in the Royal Army Medical (...)
• 12:35
  David Beckitt - Sarah Wild Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb28_9/p424/FAF1faMy maternal uncle, David Beckitt, had an unusual start to his medical career. After A levels in Latin, Greek, and History he joined the civil service and worked in the Inland Revenue until he was called up for national service. As a conscientious objector he was told (...)
• 12:31
  Government’s handling of strikes is “dysfunctional and bizarre,” say experts - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  The UK is experiencing a wave of strikes across the public sector, from doctors and nurses to railway workers, teachers, and civil servants. These account for hundreds of thousands of workers, who are mostly taking industrial action over pay.But despite unions sending warning signals to the (...)
• 12:16
  Long NHS waits and rising living costs are harming people’s health, show ONS data - Matthew Limb Br Med J (BMJ)
  People’s health and wellbeing are continuing to be affected by rising living costs and difficulties accessing NHS services this winter, new Office for National Statistics (ONS) data show.ONS’s latest winter survey, published on 27 February, found 70% of adults in Great Britain who were waiting (...)

27 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 19:56
  Can the new major conditions strategy deliver on its aims? - Layla McCay Br Med J (BMJ)
  Ever since the UK government’s health disparities white paper receded into the long grass last year, NHS leaders have been perturbed. Various other mooted plans for specific challenges like mental health, have also been scrapped. Given the government’s levelling up health mission to narrow the (...)
• 17:06
  Sharp Scratch episode 87: It’s not ?ust you, medicine is weird - Charlotte Rose Br Med J (BMJ)
  In this light-hearted episode of Sharp Scratch, we talk about how strange medicine can be. We discuss what happens when we start medical school and have to start doing things that conflict with how we would usually act. To talk more about this, I was joined by regular panellist and foundation (...)
• 17:01
  Covid-19 in Australia: How did a country that fought so hard for extra time end up so ill prepared? - Catherine M Bennett Br Med J (BMJ)
  When the covid-19 pandemic began, Australia was in a global subgroup of countries that, as island nations, could close their international borders to buy time to prepare for community transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Australia only fully opened its borders to international visitors in February 2022, (...) -- COVID-19
• 16:11
  Joginder Kumar Anand: a frequent and insightful rapid responder - Azeem Majeed Br Med J (BMJ)
  I was very sorry to hear about the death of J K Anand.1 Although we never met, he was a frequent poster of online rapid responses to BMJ articles including many of my own. He sometimes also emailed me about my articles in The BMJ. He was always very polite in his communications with me. (...)
• 15:01
  Joginder Kumar Anand’s support and generosity eased our transition to the NHS - Annette de la Court, Bea Hemmen, Fabienne Michielsen, Ineke Ruting, Isabelle Streng Br Med J (BMJ)
  We were very sad to learn of the death of J K Anand—Jog to his friends.1 In the late 1980s, we, a group of recent EU graduates, were tempted by Anand, who was medical director, to come and work in East Anglia at Peterborough District Hospital and later the Edith Cavell Hospital. At the time (...)
• 14:46
  Former GP and paediatrician is jailed for amassing a million indecent images of children - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  A former GP who was caught with one of the largest hauls of child sexual abuse images ever seen by the National Crime Agency has been sentenced to two years and two months in prison.David Shaw, 48, who was arrested four years ago at his former home in Maidstone, Kent, pleaded guilty last (...) -- Paediatrics, General practice / family medicine, UK
• 12:11
  Antiphospholipid syndrome: advances in diagnosis, pathogenesis, and management - Jason S Knight, D Ware Branch, Thomas L Ortel Br Med J (BMJ)
  AbstractAntiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a thrombo-inflammatory disease propelled by circulating autoantibodies that recognize cell surface phospholipids and phospholipid binding proteins. The result is an increased risk of thrombotic events, pregnancy morbidity, and various other autoimmune (...) -- US, State of the Art
• 11:23
  Continued use of the situational judgment test raises many questions - Ikenna I Ogbu Br Med J (BMJ)
  For as long as the situational judgment test (SJT) has been used in selecting foundation doctors, there have been questions regarding its suitability for purpose and its contribution to trainee attrition.1234The statistically significant (...)
• 11:10
  The tale of snakebite’s fleeting spotlight—and why it encapsulates all that’s wrong with global health - Robert Fortner Br Med J (BMJ)
  Snakebites may kill as many as 120 000 people a year. As the most recently recognised neglected tropical disease (NTD), declared in 2017, snakebite received a surge of funding and momentum in 2019 when the World Health Organization announced a goal to halve deaths from snakebite by 2030.1And (...) -- Emergency medicine
• 10:36
  Junior doctors in England to strike for 72 hours from 13 March - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  Junior doctors in England will take strike action for three days next month in a 72 hour walkout from Monday 13 March, the BMA has announced.The union’s representatives said that the health and social care secretary for England, Steve Barclay, had left them with no choice but to act after the (...)

24 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 19:31
  Responding to the crisis of care - Iona Heath, Victor M Montori Br Med J (BMJ)
  Healthcare is in crisis across most of the globe, and perhaps particularly in our two countries of the United States and the United Kingdom, both of which appear more disunited than ever by the greed and carelessness that drive socioeconomic and political polarisation, and the systematic (...)
• 17:56
  Transparency about emergency department waits should improve patient care - Katherine Henderson Br Med J (BMJ)
  Will NHS England’s new Delivery Plan for Recovering Urgent and Emergency Care Services1 stop deaths resulting from delays in emergency care? That must surely be its highest priority. Emergency department performance and ambulance response times are at an all time low, and data describe failures (...)
• 14:36
  E-cigarettes: FDA issues fines to four companies for selling unapproved vapes - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  The US Food and Drug Administration has fined four companies that made and sold e-liquids (vapes) used in e-cigarettes. It is the first time the FDA has filed complaints seeking financial damages against tobacco product manufacturers because they violated its requirements for premarket review (...) -- Smoking and tobacco
• 13:56
  Care home residents already benefit from a full digital workflow from prescription to administration - Clive E Bowman Br Med J (BMJ)
  Patel and colleagues enthusiastically champion shared medication records through a digital “single version of the truth” but miss the opportunity to recognise that for one population this is already in effect.1 Care home residents are benefiting from increasingly capable electronic medicines (...)
• 13:41
  Sixty seconds on . . . milk alternatives - Mun-Keat Looi Br Med J (BMJ)
  Soy what’s the story?After much deliberation, the US Food and Drug Administration has ruled that oat and soy milk can be called milk.No wey . . .Yes way. According to new draft guidance,1 these products don’t pretend to be real dairy, so it’s not a problem in the eyes of the regulator. Fortified (...)
• 11:16
  Orthostatic tachycardia after covid-19 - Ana B Espinosa-Gonzalez, Harsha Master, Nicholas Gall, Stephen Halpin, Natalie Rogers, Trisha Greenhalgh Br Med J (BMJ)
  What you need to knowTachycardia on standing or minimal exertion may occur after covid-19 and may cause substantial functional impairmentWhen assessing a patient with tachycardia, consider potential causes including autonomic dysfunctionMeasures to reduce tachycardia can greatly improve (...) -- COVID-19
• 11:06
  A diverse public health workforce is more important than ever - Kazim Beebeejaun, Kerry Littleford Br Med J (BMJ)
  The covid-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to learn and rethink what a well equipped public health workforce looks like. To tackle health inequalities meaningfully and build long term trust with deprived communities in the UK, we must first confront inequities and biases in our own (...)
• 11:01
  In 1938 the Beano introduced satire to children’s literature - Stewart Forsyth Br Med J (BMJ)
  The uniqueness of the Beano is that the characters not only are rebellious and play pranks on each other but also challenge aspects of society that impact their freedom. Adults are generally overbearing, self-righteous, and flawed. Teachers, police, politicians, Hitler, royalty, and celebrities (...)
• 11:00
  Maternal health is now deteriorating in much of the world, UN report shows - Luke Taylor Br Med J (BMJ)
  The World Health Organization has warned that maternal health has been declining in many parts of the world since 2016, halting 15 years of progress.A report1 by WHO on behalf of UN agencies, published on 23 February, said that while maternal deaths are largely preventable with quality (...) -- Obstetrics and gynaecology
• 10:55
  Christopher Teik-Kooi Khoo: plastic and reconstructive surgeon with an interest in the regulation of cosmetic surgery - Rebecca Wallersteiner Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb24_1/p452/FAF1faChristopher Teik-Kooi Khoo was born in Singapore. His mother, Adeline Phoa, was a veteran of the anti-Japanese resistance, and his father, Khoo Oon Teik, was a distinguished nephrologist who established the first renal dialysis unit at the Singapore General Hospital (...)

23 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 13:01
  The NHS paid private hospitals pound2bn in the pandemic: did taxpayers get value for money? Br Med J (BMJ)
  This article (BMJ 2023;380:p329, doi:10.1136/bmj.p329, published 15 February 2023) has been updated to clarify that the name of the organisation is Nuffield Health rather than Nuffield.
• 12:36
  Covid-19: Death rate gap for ethnic minorities closes, ONS data show - Jacqui Wise Br Med J (BMJ)
  There is no longer evidence of higher covid-19 mortality among ethnic minority groups compared with white people in England, latest data1 from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.The news was welcomed, but a small increase in covid-19 mortality in the white British group during 2022 (...) -- COVID-19
• 12:06
  Scotland making poor progress on covid recovery plan, auditors find - Bryan Christie Br Med J (BMJ)
  The NHS in Scotland is struggling to recover from the covid-19 pandemic and an honest and open public discussion is needed about the challenges facing the service, a public spending watchdog has warned.In its latest annual review1 of the service, Audit Scotland said growing financial pressures, (...) -- COVID-19
• 11:56
  Evaluation of effectiveness and safety of pharmacist independent prescribers in care homes: cluster randomised controlled trial Br Med J (BMJ)
  An error was introduced into this paper by Holland and colleagues (BMJ 2023;380:e071883, doi:10.1136/bmj-2022-071883, published 14 February 2023) during the editing process. In the results section, the falls rate should be 1.55 per resident in the intervention arm and 1.26 per resident in the (...)
• 11:31
  Ann Robinson’s research reviews—23 February 2023 - Ann Robinson Br Med J (BMJ)
  Tackling global myopiaMyopia is a growing global problem, especially in Asia. By 2050, half of the world’s population is likely to be myopic. The earlier in life it develops, the greater the risk of high myopia and poor vision in later life. Getting children to spend more time outdoors helps (...)
• 11:30
  Ten thousand steps . . . and other stories Br Med J (BMJ)
  How many steps a day?Ten thousand steps a day is widely promoted as a target for healthy living. Fortunately, a meta-analysis of eight prospective studies with a total of more than 20 000 participants confirms that this is good advice. Among older adults—the mean age of the participants was 63 (...)
• 11:26
  Help! My trusted doctor is retiring - Wim JR Rietdijk Br Med J (BMJ)
  In 2011, I received a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It was a period that has affected me ever since. I received nine months of chemotherapy—and in retrospect this seems a little bump along the way—but I was admitted to hospital several times with severe side effects. I also had months of (...) -- What your patient is thinking
• 11:21
  A traumatic elbow injury - Jiahao Meng, Weijie Liu, Shuguang Gao Br Med J (BMJ)
  A man in his 30s attended the emergency department after falling on his left arm while playing basketball. He was unable to move his forearm and experienced persistent dull pain. Examination showed an obvious elbow deformity with a depression, dark red ecchymosis, and left elbow swelling. There (...) -- Spot Diagnosis
• 11:11
  Healthy masculinities and the wellbeing of young men and boys - Ravi K Verma, Nalini V Khurana Br Med J (BMJ)
  Andrew Tate, the British-American social media personality and self-proclaimed misogynist, recently made headlines for his arrest on charges of rape and human trafficking. Alongside much global condemnation, Tate has received a massive wave of support—millions of young men and boys look up to (...)

22 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 15:01
  Transplant centres should match patients by suitability rather than location, says report - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  Centres for the assessment and repair of organs before transplantation should be set up in England to enable better use of donations, a report by the Organ Utilisation Group said.1 The report, commissioned by the government, reviewed how the organ transplant system operates and potential (...)
• 13:01
  Cannabis consumption by UK teens is a ticking time bomb, warns president elect - Adele Waters Br Med J (BMJ)
  The incoming president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists has called for a public information campaign to be launched about the consequences to British teenagers of regularly smoking cannabis.Shubulade Smith, who takes up the post in July, warned that high consumption was associated with a (...) -- Psychiatry
• 12:31
  Consultant suspended for clinical failings is struck off after new charges - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  A locum consultant gynaecologist who was suspended for clinical failings has been struck off the UK medical register after a High Court judge sent his case back to the same tribunal to hear new charges against him.The Professional Standards Authority appealed to the court against the suspension (...) -- Obstetrics and gynaecology
• 12:01
  Politicians should back more radical action on primary prevention, says England’s CMO - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  Elected leaders should support more radical action to tackle major problems such as air pollution, smoking, and obesity, England’s chief medical officer has told MPs.Giving evidence1 to the Health and Social Care Committee on 21 February to kick off its inquiry into prevention,2 Chris Whitty (...)
• 10:31
  Mpox: Clinicians identify severe form with high mortality in advanced HIV patients - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  An international collaboration of clinicians has identified a severe, necrotising form of mpox which carries a high mortality in immunosuppressed people with HIV.1Clinicians from 19 countries provided data on 382 confirmed cases of mpox in people with HIV infection between 11 May 2022 and 18 (...)
• 10:21
  To improve mental healthcare we first need to build respect for psychiatry - Adele Waters Br Med J (BMJ)
  When Shubulade (Lade) Smith takes up the presidency of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) in July, she will be following her late father’s advice.She didn’t have the role in her sights when the election campaign kicked off last year, because she was focused on making the regular journey (...)
• 10:10
  Interpreting an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in people of black ethnicities in the UK - Kathryn Griffiths, Rouvick Mariano Gama, June Fabian, Mariam Molokhia Br Med J (BMJ)
  What you need to knowMore people of black African or black Caribbean ethnicity will meet criteria for chronic kidney disease (CKD) diagnosis when ethnicity adjustment for estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculation is not usedClassification and clinical coding of early CKD (...) -- Practice pointer
• 10:10
  Banning conversion therapy for trans people - Joz Motmans, Pieter Cannoot, Guy T’S?oen Br Med J (BMJ)
  Michelle Donelan, now the UK secretary of state for science, innovation, and technology, recently announced the government’s intention to propose a bill prohibiting conversion therapies that aim to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.1 Contrary to earlier announcements,2 the (...)
• 10:05
  Effect of a multifaceted antibiotic stewardship intervention to improve antibiotic prescribing for suspected urinary tract infections in frail older adults (ImpresU): pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial in four European countries - Esther A R Hartman, Alma C van de Pol, Sil?e Rebekka Heltveit–Olsen, Morten Lindbak, Sigurd Hoye, Sara Sofia Lithen, Par–Daniel Sundvall, Sofia Sundvall, Egill Snaeb?ornsson Arnl?ots, Ronny Gunnarsson, Anna Kowalczyk, Maciek Godycki–Cwirko, Tamara N Platteel, Wim G Groen, Annelie A Monnier, Nicolaas P Zuithoff, Theo J M Verhei?, Cees M P M Hertogh Br Med J (BMJ)
  AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate whether antibiotic prescribing for suspected urinary tract infections in frail older adults can be reduced through a multifaceted antibiotic stewardship intervention.DesignPragmatic, parallel, cluster randomised controlled trial, with a five month baseline period (...)

21 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 17:56
  Colombia divides over new health plan - Alison Shepherd Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb21_8/p411/FAF1faDaniel Romero/Long Visual Press/AlamyThousands of people in Colombia have taken to the streets to rally in favour of proposed health reforms put forward by President Gustavo Petro. Petro, who became the South American country’s first left wing president when he was (...)
• 14:11
  Ken Bagshawe: physician, scientist, and innovator in medical oncology - Michael J Seckl, Richard Begent, Surinder Sharma Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb21_7/p365/FAF1fabagshawe150223.f1Ken Bagshawe was a senior registrar in cardiology at St Mary’s in the mid-1950s when two unusual cases of pulmonary hypertension caused him to change his specialty to medical oncology. The first, a young woman who died from unexplained pulmonary (...)
• 13:36
  Managing opioid withdrawal in hospital starts in the community - Wahyu Wulaningsih Br Med J (BMJ)
  Having worked in a few of the busiest London hospitals as a junior doctor, I can vouch for the NIHR study’s finding on the difficulty in clarifying substitute opioids required out of hours.1 The Improving Hospital Opioid Substitution Therapy project is a promising avenue to help junior staff (...)
• 12:41
  A lucky man: the country GP - Kathy Oxtoby Br Med J (BMJ)
  General practitioner John Rees feels he is a fortunate man. A GP partner at Llanfair surgery, situated in a small rural community in Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, he says, “I feel lucky to have known and been the GP for five generations of local families.“Many of our patients’ families have lived (...)
• 12:36
  Matt Morgan: Hand over your invisible patients - Matt Morgan Br Med J (BMJ)
  My colleague in intensive care looked tired. Numerous patient stickers were stuck at skewed angles on the computer screen. Paperwork covered the desk like patchwork, including death certificates and transfer letters. Yet the intensive care unit (ICU) behind them was serene.“Not much to hand over (...) -- Intensive care
• 11:41
  Junior doctors in England set to strike next month after 98% back action - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  Junior doctors in England have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action over pay and will stage a 72 hour walkout next month, the BMA has announced. The vast majority (98%) of junior doctors who voted backed strike action, with a turnout in excess of 77%.More than 47 600 junior doctors in (...)
• 11:06
  Helen Salisbury: Unfit fit note proposals - Helen Salisbury Br Med J (BMJ)
  Last week, we heard that GPs are to be encouraged to sign fewer fit notes as this will boost Britain’s flagging economy by getting people back to work.1 This particular kite has, according to the Telegraph, been flown jointly by the Treasury and the Department of Work and Pensions—and it is (...) -- General practice / family medicine, UK
• 10:06
  A competent and compassionate approach to opioid withdrawal in hospital - Joss Bray Br Med J (BMJ)
  The NIHR review of hospital policies on the management of opioid withdrawal is probably overdue.1 People who need opioid substitution therapy often have a difficult time in hospitals. Addiction is a strong driver to behave in certain ways, but I have found that using a competent and (...)

20 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 17:36
  Four tests for WHO leadership on sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment - Sophie Harman Br Med J (BMJ)
  The World Health Organization wants you to know it is cleaning up its act on sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH). This follows a long history of women being diminished and abused by men associated with WHO, and a recent exposé published in the Telegraph.1 WHO says it has been busy (...)
• 17:16
  The NHS paid private hospitals pound2bn in the pandemic: did taxpayers get value for money? Br Med J (BMJ)
  This article (BMJ 2023;380:p329, doi:10.1136/bmj.p329, published 15 February 2023) originally stated that Rishi Sunak and Wes Streeting were holding discussions with the private sector about how it might help reduce NHS waiting times. It has been corrected to clarify that Sunak is holding such (...)
• 17:11
  Doctors back move to offer free school meals to every primary pupil in London - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  Paediatricians have welcomed the decision to offer every primary school pupil in London free school meals, hailing the move as a major boost to tackling child health inequalities during the cost of living crisis.The scheme, announced by the mayor of London Sadiq Khan on 20 February, will be (...)
• 13:56
  #NoTrainingToday #NoSurgeonsTomorrow - Deborah M Eastwood Br Med J (BMJ)
  When undertaking trauma and orthopaedic surgery, we work as a team, and we rely on the presence of a “whole team.” And therein lies the key issue for us at present: the workforce crisis. Our recent survey indicated that 60% of our consultant staff intend to retire from the NHS within eight years (...)
• 11:11
  The WHO Foundation and conflicts of interest - Agnes Binagwaho, Kedest Mathewos Br Med J (BMJ)
  In 2021, the World Health Organization Foundation accepted a $2.2m donation from the multinational food and drink company Nestlé to support WHO’s Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund.1 This caused controversy, given Nestlé’s non-compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk (...)
• 11:10
  Rigid opiate agonist treatment programmes risk denying people their agency - Judy Chang Br Med J (BMJ)
  Opportunities to deliver opioid agonist treatment (OAT) for drug dependency more flexibly emerged during the covid-19 pandemic, as lockdowns and social distancing restrictions led to the suspension of strict treatment policies in many settings across the world. The daily supervision of (...)
• 11:06
  Using elective theatre capacity at the weekend could improve NHS surgery - Coonoor Chandrasekar Br Med J (BMJ)
  The single most important measure to fix the “inefficiency” of NHS surgery is the use of elective theatre capacity during weekends.1 This requires motivated staff with appropriate remuneration and incentives to take on the additional workload. Having the whole team on board can help. Not taking (...)
• 10:38
  Change in the NHS should be moulded to local needs - Steven Ford Br Med J (BMJ)
  Coombes says that we need innovative solutions to repair the NHS.1 Change is the only certainty. Change instituted by all the professions in healthcare will be of much greater value to patients than change that is politically driven. Change that is wrought at the front line and moulded to local (...)

17 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 13:41
  Mary Mabel Tannahill - Peter McGuffin Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb17_9/p368/FAF1faMary Mabel Tannahill was the only child of Andrew Robert Tannahill (poet, writer in Scots, and translator) and Mary Reid (artist), members of the cultural elite of Glasgow from the late 1920s to the 60s. However, her mother decided that Mabel was too intellectually (...)
• 13:40
  Physical activity: WHO and OECD outline policy options for achieving recommended exercise levels - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  Increasing physical activity to the minimum levels recommended by the World Health Organization would prevent 10 000 premature deaths a year and save billions in healthcare spending throughout the EU, a report from WHO and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has (...) -- Cardiovascular medicine, Paediatrics, Psychiatry, Epidemiologic studies, General practice / family medicine, Respiratory medicine, Rheumatology, Diabetes
• 13:36
  Iain Huddleston - Alasdair Shaw Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb17_8/p361/FAF1faIain Huddleston’s first job was at Staincliffe Hospital, where he met another junior doctor, his future wife, Sheila Russell Crosland. He did his national service in Ghana from 1958 to 1960. On returning to the UK, he completed a six month obstetrics post in Chester, (...)
• 13:31
  Alan William Frederick Lettin - Keith Tucker, John Getty, Jonathan Lettin Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb17_7/p360/FAF1faIt is with sadness we report the death of Alan William Frederick Lettin, a long term member of the BMA.Alan was born in the East End of London and was proud of his humble heritage. He was educated at Leytonstone grammar school and in spite of being evacuated from (...)
• 13:26
  Allan Philip Radford - Ursula Salzman Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb17_6/p358/FAF1faAfter hospital posts in medicine, fevers, and pulmonary tuberculosis, Alan Philip Radford was called up, serving in Egypt, Palestine, and Greece.On entering general practice, he worked as an assistant in the Marshfield and Wick area of Gloucestershire, in the days (...)
• 12:16
  Virtual wards: urgent care policy must follow the evidence - Dan Lasserson, Tim Cooksley Br Med J (BMJ)
  NHS urgent and emergency care is under unbearable strain, which is increasingly causing harm to patients.1 Overcrowding in emergency departments and stasis in acute medical units—driven by workforce and capacity constraints—prevent timely and high quality care.2 This exacerbates low staff morale, (...)
• 11:26
  Routine follow-up may not be needed for people undergoing joint replacement surgery - Helen Saul, Samantha Cassidy, Brendan Deeney, Jemma Kwint, Philip Conaghan Br Med J (BMJ)
  The studyKingsbury SR, Smith LK, Czoski Murray CJ, et al. Safety of disinvestment in mid- to late-term follow-up post primary hip and knee replacement: the UK SAFE evidence synthesis and recommendations. Health Soc Care Deliv Res 2022;10. doi:10.3310/KODQ0769.To read the full NIHR Alert, go to: (...)
• 11:16
  Sixty seconds on . . . finding a GP - Zosia Kmietowicz Br Med J (BMJ)
  Not more complaints about appointments?No, this is about a GP in desperate need of a doctor to replace a retiring colleague in the Cornish town of Lostwithiel. Justin Hendriksz’s failure to recruit anyone led to some creative thinking.Help! I need somebody?Spot on. Hendriksz’s call for help from (...)
• 10:41
  Fake doctor who worked as psychiatrist for 20 years faces long prison term - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  A bogus doctor who practised for more than 20 years in the UK as a psychiatrist has been told that she can expect to go to prison after she was convicted of fraud.Zholia Alemi, believed to be aged 60, joined the medical register in 1995 and practised in hospitals in England, Wales, and Northern (...)

16 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 12:26
  Advance the African Medicines Agency to benefit health and economic development - Michel Sidibe, Abdoul Dieng, Kent Buse Br Med J (BMJ)
  Many African lives were cut short by the covid-19 pandemic. We will likely never know the true magnitude of the pandemic in Africa owing to the lack of testing kits or infrastructure to monitor the pandemic. Although the virus did not cause the millions of deaths that were predicted, it exposed (...)
• 12:06
  Covid-19: Evusheld is unlikely to prevent infection with current or future variants, NICE concludes - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has decided not to recommend Evusheld for adults who are unlikely to have an adequate immune response or cannot have the vaccine against covid-19, citing a lack of evidence that it is effective against circulating variants.1In its (...) -- Infectious diseases, UK, COVID-19
• 12:01
  Andrew Fraser Polmear - Margaret Polmear Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb16_8/p217/FAF1faBorn in Aylesbury, Andrew Fraser Polmear grew up in Whitstable and was a chorister and subsequently senior chorister at Canterbury Cathedral before being awarded a music scholarship to the King’s School, Canterbury. In 1963 he was awarded a Matthew Parker scholarship (...)
• 11:56
  How can medical schools help in this crisis of care? - Grace M E Pearson, Rebecca Winter, Emily J Henderson Br Med J (BMJ)
  Gordon and Dhesi discuss how the care of older people is central to solving the NHS crisis.1 Legislation and strategic planning for the care of older people is not futureproof unless we have trainees poised ready to work in these care models. There is a national shortage of geriatricians,2 with (...)
• 11:36
  Pensions: GPs still unable to access information from Capita’s primary care service - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  GPs are still experiencing problems with the handling of their pension contributions by Capita’s Primary Care Support England (PSCE) service almost five years after the National Audit Office (NAO) identified repeated failures, doctors have told The BMJ.In 2018 NAO highlighted a string of (...)
• 00:31
  High drug prices are not ?ustified by industry’s spending on research and development - Aris Angelis, Roman Polyakov, Olivier J Wouters, Els Torreele, Martin McKee Br Med J (BMJ)
  Concerns over the prices of new medicines have been growing over the past decade. In the US, estimated net prices of newly launched prescription drugs increased from a median of around $1400 a year (£1200; €1300) in 2008 to over $150 000 a year in 2021.1 Onasemnogene abeparvovec (Zolgensma), a (...)
• 00:30
  Poorly substantiated health claims on infant formula - Nigel Rollins Br Med J (BMJ)
  Early infant feeding is critically important for the survival, development, and lifelong health of children. It is also a big business. In 2019, global sales of infant formula milks exceeded $55bn (£45bn; €51bn). Even during the global economic crisis of 2008-09, sales of commercial milk formulas (...)

15 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 13:01
  GMC adopts 23 recommendations to stamp out bias against ethnic minority doctors - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  The General Medical Council (GMC) has pledged to implement a range of changes to its procedures to guard against bias, after longstanding allegations that it treats ethnic minority doctors more harshly.1The doctors’ regulator promised to implement this year the 23 recommendations of an external (...) -- UK
• 12:16
  NHS staff join aid workers in Turkey - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb15_7/p353/FAF1faOzan Kose/AFP/Getty Images; Khalil Hamlo/DPA/Alamy; Fatih Capkin/Anadolu Agency/GettyA week on from the devastating earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria, NHS health workers have begun to arrive in the area to staff the temporary hospitals such as this one (main (...)
• 11:46
  Public health: Delay in confirming budgets for 2023-24 is harming the public, says leader - Matthew Limb Br Med J (BMJ)
  A top public health leader has accused ministers of causing people harm by failing to confirm how much central grant money local authorities will receive for public health for 2023-24.Jim McManus, president of the Association of Directors of Public Health, said on 14 February that directors of (...)
• 10:56
  David Oliver: Can NHS England’s recovery plan for urgent and acute care deliver? - David Oliver Br Med J (BMJ)
  NHS England recently published its Delivery Plan for Recovering Urgent and Emergency Care Services,1 with goals and actions for the next two years. Its chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, said that there would shortly be a workforce plan—a “once in a generation opportunity to put the NHS on (...) -- Emergency medicine, UK
• 10:51
  Earthquakes in Turkey: Scale of task is enormous as crossings into Syria open up, says UN - Sally Howard Br Med J (BMJ)
  Getting humanitarian aid to hard-to-reach survivors in the rebel held north east of Syria has become a priority, the World Health Organization and United Nations have said, as the toll from the recent earthquakes mounts across Turkey and Syria.WHO said it welcomed the decision of Syrian (...)
• 10:46
  Painless eyelid swelling - Luke V McCarron, Angela M Loftus Br Med J (BMJ)
  A woman in her 80s presented with a painless swelling of her left upper eyelid that had enlarged over three weeks. She had a mechanical left ptosis on examination (fig 1, left), with a tarsal conjunctival mass seen on eversion of the eyelid (fig 1, right). Orbital computed tomography with (...)
• 10:40
  Toddler becomes first child to receive gene therapy for fatal disorder on the NHS - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  A 19 month old child named Teddi has received life saving gene therapy treatment for metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD)—a disorder that causes severe damage to the nervous system and organs—in an NHS first.The one time treatment, Libmeldy (atidarsagene autotemcel), works by taking the patient’s (...)

14 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 17:01
  Mitigating the return of acute respiratory virus infections - Joshua Nazareth, Muhammad Fahad, Manish Pareek Br Med J (BMJ)
  Over the past two years, many countries have seen low levels of acute respiratory virus infection (ARVIs), a collective term for all respiratory viruses that infect humans, except for SARS-CoV-2. With the cessation of non-pharmacological interventions across many countries, SARS-CoV-2 continues (...)
• 13:41
  Sarah Burnett-Moore: radiologist and former admissions tutor at Imperial College medical school, who resigned over proposed fee increases - Joanna Lyall Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb14_9/p336/FAF1faA woman of wide interests, Sarah Burnett-Moore, who has died aged 60, was always keen to encourage others into medicine and to help develop their careers.For The BMJ she wrote on compiling a presentable CV, advising limited typefaces—“This is a job as a doctor you are (...)
• 13:36
  Covid-19: WHO treaty hopes to overcome “catastrophic failures” of pandemic response - Luke Taylor Br Med J (BMJ)
  The World Health Organization published the first draft of its pandemic treaty earlier this month, giving a glimpse of what could end up in the historic international agreement.1WHO’s 194 member states agreed to create the international convention in December 2021 to prevent a repeat of failures (...) -- COVID-19
• 12:11
  EU students and doctors have been forgotten - Amanda Hertzberg Br Med J (BMJ)
  To add to your article on how the NHS can no longer depend on self-sacrifice,1 I’d like to emphasise how EU students and doctors have been forgotten, during Brexit and beyond. My generation of EU students were the ones that started studying while Brexit was under way. We were lucky enough that, (...)
• 11:41
  WHO says it is committed to tackling sexual misconduct, after complaints against senior adviser - Jacqui Wise Br Med J (BMJ)
  The World Health Organization leadership has said it is committed to tackling sexual misconduct, amid media reports that a senior adviser had been placed on administrative leave after a series of complaints.1The UN organisation said it was rolling out a comprehensive programme to drive (...)
• 11:40
  John Launer: Wishing upon a tsar—covid and health literacy - John Launer Br Med J (BMJ)
  I was once invited to become a tsar. This wasn’t a tsardom of the Ivan the Terrible variety, which might have appealed. It was a request to take on one of those government posts designed to make a noise about an aspect of health policy.1 The job was meant to promote health literacy, the public’s (...) -- UK, COVID-19
• 11:36
  Helen Salisbury: Pension confusion - Helen Salisbury Br Med J (BMJ)
  Generally, I’m a big fan of tax. In a civilised society, money flows from high earners—who can most afford it—to help provide healthcare, welfare, schools, roads, policing, and much more, for the benefit of all. I gladly pay my contribution.I think I understand my income tax liabilities, but I’m (...) -- General practice / family medicine, UK
• 11:28
  Evaluation of effectiveness and safety of pharmacist independent prescribers in care homes: cluster randomised controlled trial - Richard Holland, Christine Bond, David P Alldred, Antony Arthur, Garry Barton, Linda Birt, Jeanette Blacklock, Annie Blyth, Stamatina Cheilari, Amrit Daffu-O'Reilly, Lindsay Dalgarno, James Desborough, Joanna Ford, Kelly Grant, Bronwen Harry, Helen Hill, Carmel Hughes, Jacqueline Inch, Vivienne Maskrey, Phyo Myint, Nigel Norris, Fiona Poland, Lee Shepstone, Maureen Spargo, David Turner, Laura Watts, Arnold Zermansky, David Wright Br Med J (BMJ)
  AbstractObjectiveTo estimate the effectiveness, cost effectiveness (to be reported elsewhere), and safety of pharmacy independent prescribers in care homes.DesignCluster randomised controlled trial, with clusters based on triads of a pharmacist independent prescriber, a general practice, and (...)
• 11:18
  Why I . . . make podcasts - Marika Davies Br Med J (BMJ)
  Looking for a project to occupy his spare time during lockdown, Nik Kendrew decided to start podcasting. The result was Boggled Docs, a regular review of medical topics in the media (ⓐBoggledDocswww.buzzsprout.com/1300702).“I needed something to keep my mind occupied so doing this helped me (...)

13 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 15:06
  Ireland sees massive emigration of doctors to Australia - Muiris Houston Br Med J (BMJ)
  A measure of the extent of emigration of young Irish doctors is that 62 of 77 medical students from University College Cork who graduated in 2021 are currently practising in Australia. In a recent post on Twitter, one of them, Rory Holohan (ⓐrory_holohan), said, “A sign of the times is that a (...)
• 12:31
  US task force calls for hypertension screening in all pregnancies - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  All pregnant women should be screened for hypertension at every prenatal visit to prevent serious complications such as gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia or eclampsia, and chronic hypertension with superimposed pre-eclampsia, says a draft recommendation from the US Preventive Services (...) -- Cardiovascular medicine, Obstetrics and gynaecology, US
• 11:06
  The role of faecal calprotectin in the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease - Mohammed Deputy, Ratnakar Devanaboina, Ibrahim Al Bakir, Elaine Burns, Omar Faiz Br Med J (BMJ)
  What you need to knowFaecal calprotectin testing is recommended in patients -- Rational testing

10 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 15:56
  Cyberattacks hold up India’s push for digitisation of health - Shefali Malhotra Br Med J (BMJ)
  In November 2022, one of India’s leading hospitals, the 3000 bed All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, had its computer servers knocked out by a ransomware attack.Ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to prevent an organisation from accessing its computer (...)
• 14:11
  Diagnosis and management of autoimmune hepatitis Br Med J (BMJ)
  In this State of the Art Review by Muratori and colleagues (BMJ 2023;380:e070201, doi:10.1136/bmj-2022-070201, published 6 February 2023), the maintenance dose of azathioprine should have been 1-2 mg/kg/day rather than 1-2 mg/day. This has been (...)
• 14:06
  Ranking pharmaceutical companies on clinical trial diversity - Tanvee Varma, Jennifer E Miller Br Med J (BMJ)
  It is well established that women, older adults, and people from racial and ethnic minorities are under-represented in clinical trials.123 Clinical trial participants are more often male, white, and tend to be younger and healthier than real world patients. This lack of diversity in research (...)
• 14:01
  Number of patients waiting 18 weeks for treatment in England passes three million - Ingrid Torjesen Br Med J (BMJ)
  More than three million patients waited longer than 18 weeks for treatment in England in December, the highest number on record, show data for the NHS in England. In November 2022 a total of 2 902 274 waited 18 weeks or longer, and in December this figure rose to 3 051 661, the data on referral (...)
• 13:56
  Covid-19: Australia’s future policies will be evidence led after “profound impact” of lifting restrictions, says minister - Alison Barrett Br Med J (BMJ)
  Australia needs to “learn the lessons” of the latest covid wave, which lasted longer than expected and had “a very profound impact on the community, on the hospital system, on the aged care system, and on the thousands of families who are grieving the loss of their loved ones,” Australia’s (...) -- COVID-19
• 11:46
  Online cognitive behavioural therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder is as effective as face-to-face therapy - Helen Saul, Samantha Cassidy, Brendan Deeney, Jemma Kwint, Jonathan Bisson Br Med J (BMJ)
  The studyBisson JI, Ariti C, Cullen K, et al. Guided, internet based, cognitive behavioural therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder: pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled non-inferiority trial (RAPID). BMJ 2022;377:e069405.To read the full NIHR Alert, go to: (...)
• 11:08
  John Howel Jones - Ron Parker Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb10_4/p322/FAF1faIn 1966 John Howel Jones (“Howel”) was the first gastroenterologist to be appointed to the staff in Coventry and Rugby, and in the same year he carried out the first fibreoptic endoscopy in Coventry. Howel was a consummate physician with a great sense of humour, empathy (...)
• 11:03
  David Stephen Dry - John White Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb10_3/p321/FAF1faDavid Stephen Dry (“Dave”) joined the group practice in Barnard Castle in 1970. He had an interest in paediatrics. He was a well liked, no-nonsense doctor who possessed a kindly common touch. As a senior partner he was a valued team player who orchestrated the building (...)
• 10:56
  Anthony Rattray Adamson - Meg Disberry Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb10_2/p319/FAF1faFrom 1955 to 1958 Anthony Rattray Adamson undertook his training at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London, and this is where he developed his love of clinical medicine. In 1957 he went on the first ever St Mary’s student exchange to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He (...)
• 10:46
  J Paul Cook - David Thomas Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb10_1/p320/FAF1faJ Paul Cook balanced family life and general practice in Derbyshire with skill. On graduating Paul initially focused on paediatric medicine, leading him to Derbyshire Children’s Hospital. He reoriented to train in general practice and thrived in family medicine; (...)

9 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 16:26
  Safe time spent swimming in cold water can vary widely - Sarah J Costigan Br Med J (BMJ)
  As a keen wild swimmer, I was excited to see your article. I agree with Jon Goldin about the physical and mental health benefits and encourage anyone interested to learn about how to swim safely and give it a go.1Although widely shared, the “rough rule of thumb” you refer to for judging the (...)
• 16:21
  Beds are useless without staffing and support - Jan Yazici Br Med J (BMJ)
  I broadly agree with McNally that the NHS is in crisis.1 Without it, the country would be poorer, and not just financially. I think we can all agree that our wonderful country is not performing as well as it once did—the elephant in the room remains Brexit and the government’s dogma, austerity, (...)
• 15:51
  A peer says the government is “in deep shit,” and it couldn’t be more real - Kamran Abbasi Br Med J (BMJ)
  Ronald Plasterk, vice president of a vaccine manufacturer, makes the bold claim that the “whole planet is used to mRNA vaccines” (doi:10.1136/bmj.o3041).1 That may be so, but being “used to” is not the same as acceptance. Conspiracies about mRNA vaccines are rife. By some fantastical accounts mRNA (...)
• 11:36
  Mortality after bariatric surgery . . . and other stories Br Med J (BMJ)
  Long term results of bariatric surgeryForty years of follow-up of 20 000 people in the US who had bariatric surgery finds that all-cause mortality was 16% lower than in a comparison group matched for age, sex, and body mass index. Mortality after bariatric surgery was lower in both men and (...)
• 11:31
  Direct access to imaging for cancer from primary care - Samuel W D Merriel, Igor Francetic, Peter Buttle Br Med J (BMJ)
  In November 2022 the NHS chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, announced that all general practitioners in England will have direct access to diagnostic imaging for patients with concerning symptoms that fall outside the criteria for urgent referral of patients with suspected cancer.1 The plans (...) -- Patient authored
• 11:26
  Itchy papules and pustules on the forehead - Wu Guo, Bin Zhang Br Med J (BMJ)
  A teenage girl with no pre-existing medical conditions presented to the dermatology department with a two week history of itchy papules and pustules on her forehead. The lesions first appeared as scattered papules, which gradually increased in number. The patient had been prescribed topical (...) -- Spot Diagnosis
• 11:16
  Early diagnosis of cancer: systems approach to support clinicians in primary care - Georgia B Black, Georgios Lyratzopoulos, Charles A Vincent, Naomi J Fulop, Brian D Nicholson Br Med J (BMJ)
  The substantial deficit in primary care contacts and diagnostic testing for suspected cancer during the covid-19 pandemic fed into a backlog of patients awaiting investigations.1 Modelling using NHS datasets suggests that these delays will result in around 3500 additional deaths from breast, (...)
• 10:26
  Guidelines: safety netting and gut feeling should be factored in to time needed to treat - Claire Friedemann Smith, Brian D Nicholson Br Med J (BMJ)
  Johansson and colleagues’ article on guidelines1 recalled two areas from our own work where time needed to treat (TNT) could be useful. Firstly, “safety netting”—or advice to support self-care when appropriate and encourage help seeking when necessary—is regarded as best practice but tends to be (...)
• 10:01
  Government must get a “firmer grip” on mental health crisis, says watchdog - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  Increases in staffing levels, funding, and capacity across mental health services in England have not been enough to combat the rise in demand seen since the covid-19 pandemic began, the public spending watchdog has warned.1The National Audit Office (NAO) has looked at the implementation of the (...) -- Paediatrics, Psychiatry, Epidemiologic studies, General practice / family medicine
• 09:31
  Tom Nolan’s research reviews—9 February 2023 - Tom Nolan Br Med J (BMJ)
  Lifesaving treesOffsetting carbon emissions by planting trees has been described as a form of greenwashing—a gimmick used by companies keen to look good while continuing their polluting ways. But planting trees in urban environments could be a lifesaving intervention, according to a quantitative (...)

8 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 13:01
  Partha Kar: It’s time for action on race equality in the medical workforce - Partha Kar Br Med J (BMJ)
  Progress means getting closer to the place you want to be—so said C S Lewis. That quote has never seemed more apt to me than during the work on an action plan to tackle inequality based on one’s ethnicity in the medical workforce.One would think it straightforward. After all, we’ve converted (...) -- UK
• 12:41
  Doctors are being hamstrung by toxic cultures that damage them and the care they’re able provide - Jo Wren Br Med J (BMJ)
  The medical workforce is fantastically diverse, benefitting from professionals of all different backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures. This is especially true in London, where I’m head of the General Medical Council’s (GMC) regional outreach team.This is a trend that’s only set to increase. This (...)
• 12:36
  Racism in medicine: NHS publishes action plan to tackle discrimination in workforce - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  The NHS has published a five point plan to tackle racism, aimed at ensuring that employees from minority ethnic backgrounds have equal access to career opportunities and receive fair treatment in the workplace.Among the target areas that regulators and medical leaders need to tackle is the (...)
• 12:31
  Rota gaps: a pressure point driving new stresses for NHS staff and managers - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  Consultant NHS doctors are choosing not to take up extra shifts for fear of the high pension tax bills they will incur and the severe pressures they face at work, leading doctors have warned.Adrian Boyle, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, told The BMJ that emergency (...) -- UK
• 12:16
  An engaged and empowered SAS workforce will provide vital capacity in the current workforce crisis - Vaishali Parulekar, Vinita Shekar Br Med J (BMJ)
  We welcome the long awaited Medical Workforce Race Equality Standard (MWRES) First Five report.1 Race inequality and discrimination within the NHS have been acknowledged in many national surveys and reports. As stated in the MWRES report, time has come for commitment and action from all (...)
• 11:16
  Surgeon is struck off for sexually motivated examinations of three students - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  A surgeon who touched the pubic areas of three female medical students under the guise of teaching them physical examination techniques has been struck off the UK medical register after a tribunal found that his actions were sexually motivated.Bipin Jha, who worked as a locum consultant (...)
• 11:11
  Waiting lists are unlikely to fall before mid-2024, analysis finds - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  The NHS has made some progress on reducing the care backlog but is unlikely to see a meaningful drop in waiting times before the middle of next year, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said.1The IFS analysis reviewed the year since the government unveiled its NHS backlog plan and found (...) -- Surgery, General practice / family medicine, UK
• 10:00
  Immediate management of acute psychological trauma in conflict zones - Neil Greenberg, Darren Minshall, Amos Simms Br Med J (BMJ)
  What you need to knowMost people exposed to traumatic situations will cope wellIndividuals with acute stress reaction symptoms can be readily identifiedEffective management strategies are swift and simple; they include rapidly connecting with and reorienting affected individualsAfter witnessing (...)
• 10:00
  Linear IgA bullous dermatosis - Shao-Heng Tai, Yi-Teng Hung, Wei-Ti Chen Br Med J (BMJ)
  These are itchy blisters on the trunk and limbs of a pregnant woman in her 40s (fig 1). The patient had no history of skin disease and she was not taking regular medication. The presence of large bullae surrounded by annular vesicles is characteristic of linear immunoglobulin A (IgA) bullous (...)
• 09:56
  NICE recommends digital CBT for children and young people - Jacqui Wise Br Med J (BMJ)
  GPs will soon be able to offer digital cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to children and young people with anxiety or low mood, following a recommendation by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).1Four technologies, which offer a mix of games, videos, and quizzes based (...) -- Paediatrics, General practice / family medicine

7 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 14:11
  Shilpi Moore - Samar Laha Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb07_10/p270/FAF1faShilpi Moore (née Laha) grew up in Manchester and attended Manchester High School for Girls. She went on to work in medicine and paediatrics in Merseyside and Manchester. After obtaining the membership of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, she was (...)
• 14:06
  Adam Gay Lawrence - David Hawkins Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb07_9/p271/FAF1faAdam Gay Lawrence, former consultant physician in HIV and genitourinary medicine (now called sexual health) has died at the age of 89. His legacy is of major importance to the development of HIV and sexual health services in London and to the current standing and (...)
• 12:16
  Children lack access to routine dental care - Elise Morley, Danny Adam, Gary Cousin Br Med J (BMJ)
  We read the interview with Camilla Kingdon, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, with interest.12 The interview focuses on how the cost-of-living crisis is damaging children’s health, including oral health. She emphasises that poor oral health and other health problems (...)
• 12:06
  Vaping and protecting children: time for a rethink - Michael Craig Watson, John Lloyd Br Med J (BMJ)
  Macleod and colleagues raise serious concerns about vaping and children including known and potential harms, and cynical marketing strategies.1 Within the UK vaping is a neglected public health challenge that needs further research and debate.We have previously raised our concern about Public (...)
• 11:31
  Monitoring drug interventions in people with bipolar disorder - Syed Zaidi, Adrian H Heald, Ravindra B Belgamwar, Anthony A Fryer Br Med J (BMJ)
  What you need to knowAt each consultation, assess patients with bipolar disorder for potential adverse effects of medication, and consider how they may be monitored going forward.In patients taking lithium, discuss and look out for signs of toxicity, especially if renal function is (...)
• 11:26
  How can I deal with guilt over being off work sick? - Adele Waters Br Med J (BMJ)
  We have a responsibility to model good self-careHelen Garr, medical director, NHS Practitioner Health, says, “There’s no lesson at medical school that teaches us to come to work when we’re unwell. But somewhere along the way we’ve learnt as a profession to feel guilty when needing time off, often (...)
• 11:21
  Transparent reporting of multivariable prediction models developed or validated using clustered data (TRIPOD-Cluster): explanation and elaboration - Thomas P A Debray, Gary S Collins, Richard D Riley, Kym I E Snell, Ben Van Calster, Johannes B Reitsma, Karel G M Moons Br Med J (BMJ)
  Medical decisions are often guided by predicted probabilities, for example, regarding the presence of a specific disease or condition (diagnosis) or that a specific outcome will occur in time (prognosis).12345 Predicted probabilities are typically estimated using multivariable models by (...)

6 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 17:16
  Guidelines should say how much extra time is needed for each patient to implement them - Ashish Sharma, Sandeep Varma, Zahra Moledina, Ashwatha Rabindranathnambi Br Med J (BMJ)
  Data from a study we published in 2022 confirm the assertion by Johansson and colleagues that implementing guidelines requires extra clinic time.1 2Following concerns about the recent cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma guidelines, which ran to 32 pages and contained 46 recommendations, we began (...) -- Dermatology
• 13:36
  Junior doctors report backlash over attempts to negotiate higher locum pay - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  Junior doctors say they are facing increased pressure to take up locum shifts at short notice and a backlash from employers over attempts to negotiate higher locum pay rates.The complaints came as the BMA released its locum rate card, which sets out the minimum pay doctors should accept for (...)
• 13:16
  Sixty seconds on . . . woodburners - Ingrid Torjesen Br Med J (BMJ)
  Bring on the hyggeRelaxing on your sheepskin rug by the fire is all very cosy, but smoke from domestic closed woodburning stoves and open fires is responsible for 25% of PM2.5 emissions in the UK—almost double that of road transport.1 This fine particulate matter is linked to serious health (...)
• 13:06
  Infected blood inquiry: Government declines to give reasons for what went wrong - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  The counsel for the Department of Health and Social Care for England has declined a request from the chairman of the public inquiry into infected blood to say what had gone wrong in the department’s handling of the supply of blood and blood products from the 1970s, as the inquiry heard closing (...) -- Infectious diseases
• 11:31
  Human monkeypox: diagnosis and management - Rania Mansour, Angela Houston, Azeem Ma?eed, Yap Boum II, Emmanuel Nakoune, Mohammad S Razai Br Med J (BMJ)
  What you need to knowConsider coinfections with monkeypox and other sexually transmitted infections among patients presenting with an acute rash or skin lesions and systemic symptomsWhile it is safe to manage monkeypox patients virtually, they may need advice to maintain infection control (...) -- CME
• 11:30
  Diagnosis and management of autoimmune hepatitis - Luigi Muratori, Ansgar W Lohse, Marco Lenzi Br Med J (BMJ)
  ABSTRACTAutoimmune hepatitis is an inflammatory disease of the liver of unknown cause that may progress to liver cirrhosis and end stage liver failure if diagnosis is overlooked and treatment delayed. The clinical presentation is often that of acute hepatitis, sometimes very severe; less (...) -- State of the Art
• 11:30
  The dangers of the blood plasma industry’s over-reliance on paid for “donations” - Shoaib Shafi Br Med J (BMJ)
  Shyam Jain,* 24, a master’s student at the University of Vienna, has sunken eye sockets and a sullen face. Living in Vienna as an international student with little money to spare, he survives on a modest budget to meet his daily expenses in the world’s “most liveable city.” To earn extra money, (...)
• 11:25
  Medial retropharyngeal nodal region sparing radiotherapy versus standard radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: open label, non-inferiority, multicentre, randomised, phase 3 trial - Yan-Ping Mao, Shun-Xin Wang, Tian-Sheng Gao, Ning Zhang, Xiao-Yu Liang, Fang-Yun Xie, Yuan Zhang, Guan-Qun Zhou, Rui Guo, Wei-Jie Luo, Yong-Jie Li, Shao-Qiang Liang, Li Lin, Wen-Fei Li, Xu Liu, Cheng Xu, Yu-Pei Chen, Jia-Wei Lv, Shao-Hui Huang, Li-Zhi Liu, Ji-Bin Li, Ling-Long Tang, Lei Chen, Ying Sun, Jun Ma Br Med J (BMJ)
  AbstractObjectivesTo address whether sparing the medial retropharyngeal lymph node (MRLN) region from elective irradiation volume provides non-inferior local relapse-free survival versus standard radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.DesignOpen-label, non-inferiority, (...)
• 11:16
  Facilitating participation in clinical trials during pregnancy - Nicola Vousden, Richard Haynes, Sarah Findlay, Peter Horby, Martin Landray, Lucy Chappell, Marian Knight Br Med J (BMJ)
  For decades, pregnant women have been routinely excluded from pharmaceutical trials because of widespread concern about drugs harming the fetus. Indeed, although medication use while pregnant or breastfeeding continues to be widespread,1 medication safety and efficacy data during pregnancy are (...)

3 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 15:41
  GP suspended for nine months after promoting vitamins and iodine for covid-19 - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  A GP in private practice has been suspended from the UK medical register for nine months for promoting dubious treatments, including putting misleading claims about covid-19 online.A medical practitioners tribunal heard that Sarah Myhill posted videos and articles on her website during the (...) -- COVID-19
• 15:21
  Five things bothering GPs right now - Jennifer Richardson, Gareth Iacobucci, Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  They can’t get patients to hospital appropriately—putting GPs at riskAn inability to secure appropriate hospital transfer for patients is a common concern among GPs—as is the risk of the decisions they are having to make as a result.Georgie Budd, a trainee GP in Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf, (...)
• 15:01
  Industrial action: What’s the current state of play for consultants, ?unior doctors, and GPs? - Matthew Limb Br Med J (BMJ)
  Consultants“Leaving the NHS in droves”Consultants in England will be balloted this month by the BMA to see whether they would be prepared to take future industrial action over pay and the “pensions crisis.”1 The ballot won’t be legally binding, but the results will be used to determine whether a (...) -- General practice / family medicine, UK
• 15:00
  John Craven - Tom Craven Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb03_8/p253/FAF1faMedicine has lost one of its most colourful characters. Having completed his basic surgical training in Manchester in 1960, John Craven and his wife, Pauline, set out to satisfy their intrepid desire to explore the world. Their initial plans to work in Borneo were (...)
• 12:36
  Investigating eosinophilia - Clare Thakker, Helen L Booth, Jonathan Lambert, Sarah Morgan, Anna M Checkley Br Med J (BMJ)
  What you need to knowEosinophilia can indicate one or more underlying diseasesCommon causes are allergy, atopy, asthma, drug hypersensitivity, and helminth infectionIf eosinophilia persists with no identified reactive cause, consider haematology assessment for investigation of primary (...)
• 12:35
  John Philip Rathbone Hartley - Charles Turton Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb03_6/p251/FAF1faJohn Philip Rathbone Hartley’s research into asthma during his higher professional training in south Wales was recognised by the award of the British Thoracic Society prize (for the trainee with the best research in the UK) in 1978. He was appointed consultant in (...)
• 12:31
  Heather Jacqueline Lopert - Ruth Lopert Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb03_5/p248/FAF1faHeather was born in Manchester to Myer (a draper) and Jeanette, and from a very early age was determined to become a doctor. Awarded a grant to study at Manchester University, her father approved only because it would keep her busy till she got married. Initially the (...)
• 12:25
  Hugh Nevill Hardy - Simon Hardy Br Med J (BMJ)
  Hugh Nevill Hardy (“Hugh”), who has died at the age of 98, was a dedicated and much loved GP in the village of Forest Row in East Sussex from 1954 to 1987.Hugh was born in Edgbaston, Birmingham. His father, Thomas Lionel Hardy, was an eminent and pioneering gastroenterologist.After schooling in (...)
• 12:16
  Dennis David Cowen - Philip Cowen Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb03_3/p254/FAF1faDennis David Cowen owed his career in medicine to a Luftwaffe bomb that in 1940 destroyed the Cheapside accountancy office of his employer. On returning to school he obtained his higher school certificate and a scholarship to study medicine at University College (...)

2 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 12:46
  Management of mammalian bites - Isabelle N Colmers–Gray, John SP Tulloch, Genevieve Dostaler, Anthony D Bai Br Med J (BMJ)
  What you need to knowCopiously irrigate all bite wounds. Smaller bites may be left to heal by secondary intention—with the exception of the face, which can be sutured for cosmetic reasons. Larger bites require re-approximation with interrupted suturesPuncture wounds should not be (...)
• 12:41
  A risk based model for managing conflicts of interest in clinical guidelines can’t fix a broken system - Alain Braillon Br Med J (BMJ)
  Parker and Bero’s risk based model for minimising conflicts of interest in clinical guideline development is well intended but the problem is a systemic one.1Firstly, the main conflict of interest is that we are healthcare providers belonging to a market society. We therefore promote the (...)
• 12:16
  Trevor Stamp: metabolic physician whose research highlighted the link between vitamin D levels and sunlight in the UK - John Illman Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb02_8/p223/FAF1faCredit: Nick StampThe appointment of metabolic physicians in orthopaedic specialist hospitals in the 1970s heralded a new era enabling better recognition of metabolic bone diseases and the development of medical treatments for rare genetic disorders. It brought a new (...)
• 12:06
  Private sector is not an untapped resource that only mistaken left wingers could object to using - John Puntis Br Med J (BMJ)
  Salisbury is right to despair at the recent inept comments by Labour’s Wes Streeting castigating GPs while indicating no clear plan to rebuild the NHS,1 now faced with the worst staffing crisis in its history.2 Although lack of knowledge and poor advice may explain his position, other concerns (...)
• 12:01
  Mental health: Ministers are accused of abandoning commitments after scrapping 10 year plan - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  England’s health and social care secretary, Steve Barclay, has defended the government’s commitment to mental health after it was criticised for scrapping plans for a dedicated 10 year strategy.Last week the government announced a new major conditions strategy for England,1 to shape care policy (...) -- Psychiatry, General practice / family medicine, UK
• 11:21
  The Beano, junk food, and public health - Kamran Abbasi Br Med J (BMJ)
  The Beano is a success. From its first issue in 1938 to today’s multimedia enterprise, the comic has ridden every wave in social norms and publishing strategies. In 2018 it became the world’s longest running weekly comic. Today, on beano.com, the comic is only one component of a digital offering (...)
• 11:15
  Painless purple penile plaques - Benjamin Goorney, David Fitzgerald Br Med J (BMJ)
  These are painless, non-itchy lumps on the penis of an otherwise healthy man in his 30s that had developed over several weeks (fig 1). Multiple, fleshy purple plaques were evident on the outer prepuce and corona of glans penis. The patient had no other symptoms, and the results of a full sexual (...)
• 10:56
  Ann Robinson’s research reviews—2 February 2023 - Ann Robinson Br Med J (BMJ)
  Poor scores for risk scoresWe’ve all got the message by now that there’s no point in giving patients their cholesterol result without contextualising it in terms of a risk score. But risk scores are imperfect. This retrospective US study of predictive accuracy found that existing stroke-specific (...)

1 February

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 13:41
  George Robert Cottrell - Andrew Cottrell, David Cottrell, Alan Craft Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb01_10/p214/FAF1faAfter a governor’s scholarship at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, George Robert Cottrell qualified in medicine after an accelerated four year wartime course. He held a first post in Ashington and subsequently did military service in Germany. He returned to a (...)
• 13:40
  Covid-19: US will end public health emergency on 11 May, says Biden - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  President Joe Biden has announced to the US Congress that he will end the country’s covid-19 public health emergency on 11 May, although about 500 Americans are currently dying every day from covid-19. He also plans to end the related national covid-19 emergency.1In contrast, the World Health (...) -- US, COVID-19
• 13:36
  Patrick John Rowe - Michael Rowe Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb01_8/p218/FAF1faPatrick John Rowe (“Paddy”) undertook his house jobs at Guy’s Hospital before specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology in Portsmouth. After working briefly in the pharmaceutical industry, notably with the developer of the first commercial oral contraceptive pill, he (...)
• 13:31
  Roderick MacLeod - James Douglas Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/feb01_7/p215/FAF1faRoderick MacLeod (“Roddy”) was an army doctor and then a singlehanded GP in Ballachulish and Glen Coe for 25 years. He followed in the steps of Lachlan Grant in 1900 and then William MacKenzie from 1945. Together they provided a century of service to the local (...)
• 12:01
  Many factors contribute to hospital food practices - Stephen Bacchi Br Med J (BMJ)
  Stretton and colleagues voice important concerns about the provision of nutritious food options for hospital staff, which should be supported.1 But multiple complexities might underly the issues raised, beyond the food on the plate. Some staff might eat on-site prepared food because of personal (...)
• 11:26
  Staff shortages are blamed for Norfolk hospital’s poor rating from regulator - Jacqui Wise Br Med J (BMJ)
  Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital’s medical care service has been rated as requiring improvement after an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which said that a lack of staff meant that it could not consistently meet people’s needs.The CQC carried out an inspection after (...) -- UK
• 11:06
  John Launer: Battling bureaucracy - John Launer Br Med J (BMJ)
  I recently spent two hours helping a young refugee friend sort out a couple of money difficulties. Many of us sometimes spend a few minutes in our professional roles helping patients complete a form or telling them how to deal with an official agency. It was still educational to go through the (...) -- UK
• 11:01
  Restoring and extending secondary prevention - Christopher J M Whitty, Gregor Smith, Michael McBride, Frank Atherton, Stephen H Powis, Helen Stokes-Lampard Br Med J (BMJ)
  The UK, like many European countries, is currently experiencing substantial excess mortality.12 The reasons for this are likely to be multifactorial, including persisting direct and indirect effects of covid-19, surges in flu and respiratory infections, significant pressures on NHS acute (...)
• 10:36
  Need for truthfulness in dementia research - Timothy P Daly Br Med J (BMJ)
  Walsh and colleagues call for prudence in their editorial on lecanemab for Alzheimer’s disease. This call should be extended to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease research as a whole.1 The “hyperbolic rhetoric” the authors identify is not exclusive to lecanemab—in our discipline, treatments are so (...)

31 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 16:26
  Helen Salisbury: The urgent and the important - Helen Salisbury Br Med J (BMJ)
  In a gentler age, when few patients had cars and many didn’t have telephones, my predecessors in the practice did routine visits every month or so to check up on their most vulnerable housebound patients. There were few guidelines to follow or boxes to tick, and general practices were paid (...) -- Geriatric medicine, General practice / family medicine, UK
• 16:11
  Rammya Mathew: This NHS crisis is unlike any we’ve known - Rammya Mathew Br Med J (BMJ)
  We’re only a few weeks into the new year, but it’s becoming increasingly hard to feel positive about the future of the NHS. Until recently the discourse was about a system at breaking point, but the conversation has moved on. We’re now talking in the present tense about a system that’s well and (...) -- General practice / family medicine, UK
• 12:11
  Clinicians should accurately record patients’ alcohol use, NICE advises - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  Doctors should ensure that information taken about patients’ alcohol intake is added to a validated questionnaire to identify if they need help, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has advised.A new draft quality standard1 sets out priority areas for improvement for the (...)
• 12:06
  Coroners warn ministers that delays in attending to patients are leading to deaths - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  Coroners are demanding action from health ministers after a spate of deaths occurring when patients in emergencies were delayed in getting into hospital. In three reports produced over one week in January coroners in different locations warned ministers that future deaths could happen unless (...)
• 11:21
  WHO: World is likely at an “inflexion point,” but covid remains public health emergency - Luke Taylor Br Med J (BMJ)
  The World Health Organization has concluded that although the world is likely at a “transition point” on covid-19 the pandemic still constitutes a public health emergency.The recommendation to extend the public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) was made by the International Health (...)
• 11:16
  Helping patients get their lives back: the colorectal surgeon - Kathy Oxtoby Br Med J (BMJ)
  At the age of 6 Tayo Oke decided she wanted to become a surgeon—to satisfy her curiosity about what really happens in an operating theatre. “Whenever I’d see one of the Doctor in the House films and there was an operation, I’d always wonder what was happening to the person under the surgical drape. (...)
• 10:41
  Demand for abortions surges as contraception services shrink and cost of living rises - Jacqui Thornton Br Med J (BMJ)
  Abortion providers are seeing unprecedented levels of demand so far this year because of a lack of access to good quality contraception and the economic downturn sparking concerns over the affordability of raising a child.MSI Reproductive Choices UK treated 47% more people in the first two (...)
• 09:11
  Brexit adds further complexity to the health and care staffing crisis - Martha McCarey Br Med J (BMJ)
  Health systems in the UK have a long standing dependency on international staff, and over the decades this has tended to intensify at times of shortage. Today is no exception, but this period of shortfall coincides with departure from the European Union (EU)—causing rapid, and at times, (...)
• 08:01
  Brexit three years on: Health and the NHS are still suffering - Martin McKee Br Med J (BMJ)
  Three years ago, on 31 January 2020, the British flags that had flown outside European Union buildings for over 40 years were lowered. The then prime minister Boris Johnson had “got Brexit done.” Except he hadn’t. As we now know, he had agreed to a withdrawal agreement, covering the rights of EU (...)

30 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 17:11
  NHS to fund extra beds and ambulances to tackle long emergency care waits - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  The NHS in England will roll out thousands of extra hospital beds and hundreds of ambulances this year to try to reduce lengthy delays in emergency care services.A two year recovery plan, published on 30 January,1 promises £1bn investment to fund 5000 new beds (boosting capacity by 5%) and 800 (...) -- Emergency medicine
• 15:41
  US congress committee calls for tougher action on trial sponsors who fail to meet reporting deadlines - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  A US congress committee has criticised the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) for taking “only modest compliance action” against clinical trial sponsors who have not published results.1Under US law, clinical trial sponsors are required to submit their (...)
• 14:11
  Pensions: Government delays plan to allow doctors to “partly retire” to cut tax bills - Ingrid Torjesen Br Med J (BMJ)
  Proposed changes to the NHS Pension Scheme designed to stop senior doctors leaving the workforce because of punitive taxation have been pushed back by six months.The changes, announced in April 2021 and set out in a consultation document in December last year,1 would allow consultants and other (...)
• 12:26
  Amazon launches cheap prescriptions for US Prime members - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  Amazon, the online retail giant, has announced the launch of a service called RxPass to provide cheap generic prescription drugs to its US Prime members, signalling its move further into the healthcare market.12RxPass is a new benefit offered through Amazon Pharmacy, which is available to US (...)
• 11:41
  Ovarian cancer: Loyalty card data could help identify cases sooner - Ingrid Torjesen Br Med J (BMJ)
  Data from loyalty cards used in over-the-counter purchases of medicines could be used to help diagnose ovarian cancer cases earlier, a study published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance has suggested.1The study found that purchases of painkillers and indigestion treatments such as antacids (...) -- Obstetrics and gynaecology
• 11:31
  What do we know about the adaptive immune response to covid-19? - Chris Stokel-Walker, freelance journalist Br Med J (BMJ)
  What is adaptive immunity?The immune system is often described as two parts working together: the innate (general, nonspecific) immune system and the adaptive (specialised) immune system.1The innate immune system forms the body’s baseline defence. It generally responds in the same way to most (...) -- Infectious diseases, Epidemiologic studies, COVID-19
• 11:26
  Precarious work and the covid-19 pandemic: the need for a gender equality focus - Tania L King, Humaira Maheen, Yamna Taouk, Anthony D LaMontagne Br Med J (BMJ)
  Key messagesPrecarious employment is a key social determinant of health, and, globally, women are more likely than men to be employed precariouslyWomen are at greater risk of job loss and sustained employment precarity after the covid-19 pandemic, with consequential effects on their health and (...)
• 10:56
  Nottingham trust is fined pound800 000 for unsafe care of mother and baby - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has been fined £800 000 for failing to provide safe care and treatment to a mother and her baby, who died 23 minutes after her birth by caesarean section.The criminal prosecution was brought by the Care Quality Commission after the trust admitted (...)

27 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 20:06
  When I use a word . . . . The Lelamour Herbal - Jeffrey K Aronson Br Med J (BMJ)
  Herbs and herbals“A plant of which the stem does not become woody and persistent (as in a shrub or a tree), but remains more or less soft and succulent, and dies down to the ground (or entirely) after flowering.” That is the first definition of the word “herb,” given in the Oxford English (...)
• 17:56
  A bill before parliament for the right to breath clean air - Elaine Mulcahy Br Med J (BMJ)
  In August last year, the United Nations General Assembly declared that everyone on the planet has a right to a healthy environment, including clean air, water and a stable climate.1 A new bill before the UK parliament—the Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill—now sets to force the government to take (...)
• 17:16
  “Functional disorders”: one of medicine’s biggest failures - Richard Smith Br Med J (BMJ)
  About a third of patients attending neurological and gastrointestinal, or almost every outpatient clinic—have functional disorders, meaning that they do not have a physical cause that can be detected with a microscope, scanners, or blood or genetic tests. These are patients whom medicine has (...)
• 16:36
  Medical academic workforce is under threat without urgent action on pay and pensions, say peers - Jacqui Wise Br Med J (BMJ)
  Clinical research is “on a precipice” unless the government takes urgent action, peers have warned.The Lords science and technology committee said that the UK faces a severe shortage of doctors who work both in the NHS and at universities. This threatens both medical research and teaching. They (...)
• 15:26
  Maternity care: Entonox is withdrawn from some hospitals because of risk to staff from high exposure - Jacqui Wise Br Med J (BMJ)
  The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex is the latest to suspend the use of Entonox in its maternity unit after air quality tests found levels of nitrous oxide that may put midwives and other healthcare workers at potential risk of harm.The Health and Safety Executive is already (...) -- Obstetrics and gynaecology
• 14:11
  Government has wasted pound15bn on unused PPE and other pandemic purchases - Ingrid Torjesen Br Med J (BMJ)
  Over the past two years the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has spent £14.9bn on unused personal protective equipment (PPE) and other covid-19 pandemic items such as vaccines and drugs. The cost of ongoing storage and disposal of excess purchases and unusable PPE is likely to hit (...) -- COVID-19
• 14:06
  Covid-19: JCVI recommends autumn vaccine booster for the most vulnerable - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  The UK should roll out a covid-19 booster vaccine in autumn 2023 for those at higher risk of severe illness, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has said.In its recommendations to the government, the committee said that smaller groups of people, such as those who are (...) -- COVID-19
• 12:41
  Black women in England are at greater risk of late cancer diagnosis than white women - Matthew Limb Br Med J (BMJ)
  Black women from Caribbean and African backgrounds are up to two times more likely to receive a late stage diagnosis for some cancers than white British women in England, a new analysis shows.Cancer Research UK, in a review of NHS Digital cancer data published in BMJ Open, said that the (...) -- Oncology, Epidemiologic studies, General practice / family medicine
• 11:16
  The questionable value of colorectal cancer screening - Minna Johansson Br Med J (BMJ)
  Screening for colorectal cancer is widespread in high income countries and strongly recommended by most guidelines.123 Evidence from randomised trials shows that invitation to screening with sigmoidoscopy or guaiac faecal occult blood test reduces colorectal cancer deaths,4 but evidence (...)

26 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 12:11
  A national conversation about the NHS - David Levine Br Med J (BMJ)
  Pagel rightly calls for a national conversation about the NHS, but that conversation will be difficult1; our record on grown-up national conversations is not encouraging, and this will need extraordinarily careful thought and planning. It must interrogate values and avoid assumptions. How the (...)
• 12:10
  Giving alcohol sports marketing the red card in Scotland - Christopher J Graham Br Med J (BMJ)
  The reach of alcohol sports marketing is huge.1 The 2018 FIFA World Cup, for example, delivered several billion branded alcohol impressions to UK viewers, including several hundred million to children.2 Worryingly, exposure to alcohol sports sponsorship is associated with alcohol consumption in (...)
• 11:41
  A pink nodule on a boy’s knee - Li-wen Zhang, Wen-ju Wang, Tao Chen, Rong-hua Xu Br Med J (BMJ)
  A 3 year old boy presented with an asymptomatic pink nodule on the right knee. The lesion had started as a pink papule 4-5 mm in diameter and gradually enlarged to a smooth, pinkish, rubbery nodule, doubling in size over one year (fig 1). There was no history of trauma or bleeding at the site, (...) -- Dermatology, Paediatrics, Case Review
• 11:40
  Reactive infectious mucocutaneous eruption secondary to covid-19 - Paula Finnegan, Muriel Sadlier Br Med J (BMJ)
  This is reactive infectious mucocutaneous eruption secondary to covid-19 (fig 1). The patient, a previously healthy man in his late 50s, presented with painful oral lesions and odynophagia four days after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. Bilateral conjunctival injection and severe mucositis of (...)
• 11:36
  Innovative solutions can help repair the NHS - Rebecca Coombes Br Med J (BMJ)
  Amid the collapsing NHS, “we can’t carry on as we are” is the mantra repeated by patients, professionals, and the public. Some have jumped the gun with solutions. Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, proposes phasing out England’s GP partnership system (doi:10.1136/bmj.p134).1 Blunt and (...)
• 11:31
  Hearing aids and dementia risk . . . and other stories Br Med J (BMJ)
  Hearing aids and dementiaObservational studies suggest that using a hearing aid reduces the risk of developing dementia. This might be because untreated hearing problems contribute to cognitive decline. Another explanation is that only those who are cognitively unimpaired can cope with the (...)
• 11:26
  Burnout is main contributor to Sri Lanka’s health crisis - Ediriweera Desapriya, Anand Dhatt, Dave Gunaratna, Shaluka Chamodya Manchanayake Br Med J (BMJ)
  Bandara and Alwis’s editorial detailed Sri Lanka’s healthcare crisis during what seems like a never ending pandemic.1 The covid-19 public health emergency initially declared in January 2020 has been extended ever since. The editorial failed to highlight, however, the most important healthcare (...)
• 11:01
  NICE’s new methods reflect society’s values - Ian Watson, Helen Knight Br Med J (BMJ)
  The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is to get the best care to patients fast, while ensuring value for the taxpayer. To deliver this, NICE’s methods are regularly updated to ensure that they are robust, are up-to-date, and reflect the values of (...)
• 10:56
  Britain can afford the NHS: health is a “handicraft industry” - Paul McCrone Br Med J (BMJ)
  The opinion piece by Hiam and Yates1 suggests that while the NHS is under financial pressure, not helped by the economic situation we are currently in, it is still affordable. I agree.There is no doubt that healthcare (and social care) accounts for a relatively high proportion of spending but (...)
• 10:16
  Tom Nolan’s research reviews—26 January 2023 - Tom Nolan Br Med J (BMJ)
  Battle of the loopsThe recent Christmas issue of The BMJ highlighted examples of mis-spelt antimicrobials including cefouroxime (4× better), trimethoprime (comes with free delivery), and, my favourite, tazosin (prescribe in haste, repent at leisure). If we searched the most mis-spelt drugs of (...)
• 07:30
  Seven days in medicine: 18-24 January 2023 Br Med J (BMJ)
  RegulationEx-British Cycling doctor loses doping appealRichard Freeman, a former chief doctor for British Cycling and Team Sky, failed in his High Court appeal against a decision striking him off the UK medical register for ordering banned testosterone gel while knowing or believing that it was (...)

25 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 17:01
  Foundation doctors cancel locum shifts at London NHS trust over pay debacle - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has found itself at the centre of an ongoing London-wide dispute over locum pay and safe staffing after it reduced pay rates when concerns were raised by trainees over rota gaps.Foundation year 1 (FY1) doctors told The BMJ that they had asked the trust to (...) -- UK
• 12:16
  Industrial practices are preferable to leaving people unseen - Bojidar B Goranov Br Med J (BMJ)
  Montori and Allwood reflect on the adoption of industrial practices in healthcare and their possible effects on compassionate care.1 With greater costs and a growing gap between the workforce required and demand for healthcare, the pursuit of efficiencies and improvements in flow to allow more (...)
• 12:06
  Covid-19: Annual flu-like booster approach may not be appropriate, says expert on infectious disease - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  The world is no more prepared for the next pandemic than it was for the covid-19 pandemic, a leading expert on infectious diseases has warned.Carlos del Rio, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), said that irrespective of whether the World Health Organization decides (...) -- Infectious diseases, COVID-19
• 11:05
  NHS in England will have one strategy for all major conditions, including cancer - Ingrid Torjesen Br Med J (BMJ)
  The NHS in England is set to have a major conditions strategy to help determine policy for the care of increasing numbers of people in England with complex and often multiple long term conditions.Conditions covered by the strategy will include cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory (...) -- Oncology, General practice / family medicine, UK
• 11:00
  Food banks should be phased out: fiscal measures are needed - Michael Craig Watson, John Lloyd Br Med J (BMJ)
  Goodwin clearly describes the worsening food insecurity crisis and the brutal paradox that food bank teams are caught in as poverty levels continue to rise.1 Even before the recent pandemic food insecurity was growing in the UK and more recently there has been unprecedented demand on food (...)
• 10:55
  Scarlett McNally: Tackling a huge surgical waiting list needs a different approach - Scarlett McNally Br Med J (BMJ)
  The number of elective operations performed in the UK decreased enormously during the covid-19 pandemic, adding to the millions of patients already on waiting lists. The main focus of politicians and policy makers has been to cherry pick the “high volume, low complexity” cases into “surgical (...) -- Surgery, UK, Shared decision making

24 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 15:16
  Helen Salisbury: Opportunity costs and the time needed to treat - Helen Salisbury Br Med J (BMJ)
  When you work as a GP a great many people seem to have bright ideas about things you should be doing to improve your patients’ health. The problem is that you have only a limited number of hours in a week.Hashim Ahmed, chair in urology at Imperial College London, speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today (...) -- General practice / family medicine, UK, Digital theme issue: Overdiagnosis
• 14:31
  Nephrologist who was unfairly dismissed for whistleblowing is awarded pound219 000 compensation - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  A consultant nephrologist who was unfairly dismissed for whistleblowing about a new procedure that she thought was unsafe has been awarded £219 000 compensation by an employment tribunal.Jasna Macanovic strongly opposed the buttonholing procedure, which involved using blunt needles to aid (...)
• 12:56
  Optimal palatability of a cup of tea: don’t forget spoon bias - Dominic Dellweg, Mattaias Haninger Br Med J (BMJ)
  Mainland Europe is very grateful to the United Kingdom for a very respectable number of research results that we owe to the good organisation of the UK health system. The findings on dexamethasone in covid-19 are a prominent example.1 The study by Jones and Francis on the optimal preparation of (...)
• 12:16
  Social care should be a universal entitlement on par with NHS, says Church of England commission - Matthew Limb Br Med J (BMJ)
  England’s “broken” social care system should be radically overhauled in a new national care covenant developed through public dialogue, church leaders have said.The Archbishops’ Commission on Reimagining Care has urged ministers to set out a long term commitment to a universal entitlement to social (...)
• 12:06
  Patients treated at practices with high GP turnover have worse outcomes, finds study - Adele Waters Br Med J (BMJ)
  Patients treated at practices in England that have a high turnover of GPs are more likely to have to attend hospital in an emergency and are less likely to get same day appointments or to see their preferred GP, a study has found.Researchers from the University of Manchester analysed more than (...) -- General practice / family medicine, UK
• 11:23
  Why I . . . own a vintage campervan - Kathy Oxtoby Br Med J (BMJ)
  As the storm raged on, the military tanks rolled by, and the shells continued to fire past him, GP Paul Reynolds reflected that this was not the relaxing getaway he’d hoped for.But by then he had learnt that life on the road with Clementine meant expecting the unexpected.Clementine the (...)
• 11:13
  Osteoarthritis in people over 16: diagnosis and management—updated summary of NICE guidance - George Wood, Julie Neilson, Elizabeth Cottrell, Stephen P Hoole Br Med J (BMJ)
  What you need to knowOsteoarthritis is a clinical diagnosis that can be made without imaging in people who are 45 or over, have activity related joint pain, and have either no morning joint related stiffness or morning stiffness that lasts no longer than 30 minutesTherapeutic exercise is (...) -- Guideline summaries
• 11:13
  Cerebral regional tissue Oxygen Saturation to Guide Oxygen Delivery in preterm neonates during immediate transition after birth (COSGOD III): multicentre randomised phase 3 clinical trial - Gerhard Pichler, Katharina Goeral, Marlene Hammerl, Tina Perme, Eugene M Dempsey, Laila Springer, Gianluca Lista, Tomasz Szczapa, Hans Fuchs, Lukasz Karpinski, Jenny Bua, Alexander Avian, Brenda Law, Berndt Urlesberger, Julia Buchmayer, Ursula Kiechl–Kohlendorfer, Lili?ana Kornhauser–Cerar, Christoph E Schwarz, Kerstin Grundler, Ilaria Stucchi, Bernhard Schwaberger, Katrin Klebermass–Schrehof, Georg M Schmolzer Br Med J (BMJ)
  AbstractObjectiveTo investigate whether monitoring of cerebral tissue oxygen saturation using near infrared spectroscopy in addition to routine monitoring combined with defined treatment guidelines during immediate transition and resuscitation increases survival without cerebral injury of (...)
• 11:13
  Matt Morgan: Aggressive transparency is a tool for change - Matt Morgan Br Med J (BMJ)
  Health services around the world are sinking. They’re facing a storm—struggling to withstand the pressures of caring for an ageing population, of meeting higher patient expectations, and of trying to provide ever more brilliant, but expensive, new treatments amid the challenges of the (...)
• 10:31
  The NHS is under siege and ambulance workers need pay justice - Sharon Graham Br Med J (BMJ)
  People in the UK under the age of 50 are unlikely to remember the last national ambulance strike in 1989-90. The then health secretary, Kenneth Clarke, provoked outrage by describing the workforce as “professional drivers—a worthwhile job but not an exceptional one.”1 National pay strikes of (...)

23 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 17:01
  Covid-19: Vaccination plus infection offers best protection, finds study led by WHO - Ingrid Torjesen Br Med J (BMJ)
  “Hybrid immunity” derived from a mix of infection by SARS-CoV-2 and vaccination provides higher protection against reinfection than vaccination or infection alone, shows a systematic review published in Lancet Infectious Diseases.1 Its findings highlight the protective benefits of vaccination (...) -- COVID-19
• 15:56
  Healthy eating is most expensive in Latin America and the Caribbean, finds UN - Luke Taylor Br Med J (BMJ)
  In Latin America and the Caribbean 131 million people cannot afford to buy the foods necessary to consume enough calories each day while gaining the recommended nutrition, a United Nations report has found.That number has gone up by eight million since 2019, according to the United Nations (...)
• 14:36
  No such thing as a free drink for GP partners - Nicola J Hambridge Br Med J (BMJ)
  Tabner and colleagues asked healthcare workers about the number of free drinks they would consider “excessive,” finding that general practitioners would consume more free drinks in a single visit than staff in all other departments or specialties (mean 3.67 versus 3.28).1 But they seem to have (...)
• 12:06
  We must encourage people to trust their instincts when delivering or receiving healthcare - Rashmi Patel Br Med J (BMJ)
  Good quality, actionable evidence is the basis for safe and effective healthcare. In their commentary on public health messaging in response to the recent outbreak of invasive group A streptococcal infection among UK children, Smith and colleagues argue that there is no place for the “confusing” (...)
• 11:16
  Assessment of photopsia (flashing lights) - Jonathan KY Ng, Peiting Joanne Xie, Ahmed Saber, James Huxtable Br Med J (BMJ)
  What you need to knowIf photopsia is monocular, consider an ocular cause; for simultaneous bilateral photopsia, consider neurological or systemic causesPosterior vitreous detachment (manifesting as monocular temporal flashes) is the most common cause of photopsia, and may lead to sight (...)
• 11:11
  Nourishing people and the planet - Nicole de Paula, Stefanos Fotiou Br Med J (BMJ)
  The path to human health and prosperity depends on the success of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.1 Yet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are off-track, challenging the fulfilment of essential human needs and jeopardising the integrity of our ecosystems.2 Accessible, (...)
• 11:06
  The uncomfortable truths about visa discrimination and global health conferences - Abdullahi Tsanni Br Med J (BMJ)
  For more than eight weeks, Lindiwe (not her real name) received no response to her application for a travel visa to Canada. A reproductive health advocate for women and girls in Africa, she was one of 883 health professionals from low or middle income countries who had received a scholarship to (...)
• 10:56
  Childhood obesity: US paediatricians are told to use drugs and surgery if necessary - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  Childhood obesity is a serious problem affecting around one in five American children and should be treated intensively, according to the American Academy of Paediatrics.The academy told its 67 000 members, as well as family doctors and other clinical professionals who care for children, that (...)
• 10:41
  Sixty seconds on . . . hydration stations - Charlotte Rose Br Med J (BMJ)
  Another pour decision from NHS management?The latest #MedTwitter discussion has seen an outpouring of rage after a doctor was told he couldn’t have a hot drink at his desk while managing unwell patients in a short staffed acute medical unit this week.1What happened to the guil-tea party?Despite (...)

20 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 13:56
  When I use a word . . . . Medical anniversaries in 2023: Theodore de Mayerne - Jeffrey K Aronson Br Med J (BMJ)
  Théodore Turquet de Mayerne1Among the medical anniversaries for 20232 is the birth of Théodore de Mayerne on 28 September 1573 into a Huguenot family in Geneva. Having first studied in his birthplace, he later moved to the University of Heidelberg and then to Montpellier to study medicine. He (...)
• 12:16
  Margaret Oates: psychiatrist who developed perinatal psychiatry, shaped national policy, and had two mother and baby units named in her honour - Penny Warren Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/jan20_8/p156/FAF1faCredit: Jeremy OatesIn 1973 psychiatric registrar Margaret Oates was concerned about women with postpartum psychosis. She persuaded the authorities to convert a bathroom off the acute psychiatric Trent Ward at Mapperley Hospital in Nottingham into a one-bed-and-cot (...)
• 11:11
  Gavin John Stuart Simpson - Fraser Simpson Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/jan20_6/p132/FAF1faMy father, Gavin John Stuart Simpson, was born in Bamber Bridge, Lancashire, the son of William Adamson Simpson, MBE, a general practitioner. He was educated at Glenalmond College and Edinburgh University Medical School.After serving as general house officer at (...)
• 11:10
  Ian Douglas Green - Simon Green Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/jan20_7/p124/FAF1faAlways a keen rugby follower, Ian Douglas Green played for Guy’s and also on occasion for London Scottish—he was always an avid Bath supporter. After qualifying and completing house jobs at Guy’s, Ian spent five years at Farnborough, specialising in aviation medicine and (...)
• 11:06
  Ray William Newton - Andrew Morris, Roland Jung Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/jan20_5/p131/FAF1faRay William Newton was born in Cumberland and attended Cockermouth Grammar School before attending the University of Edinburgh Medical School. He spent his early career in general practice, followed by an attachment to the poisons unit at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. He (...)
• 11:01
  Brandon Lush - Patrick Lush Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/jan20_4/p128/FAF1faBrandon Lush was his family’s middle child, with an older sister and a younger brother. His mother thought that he was delicate because he had pectus excavatum. He sat the exam for King’s College School early and to his parents surprise he passed and started at KCS in (...)
• 10:56
  Peter David McCall - Martin Haslam Br Med J (BMJ)
  Peter David McCall enjoyed a happy childhood in Pirbright, Surrey, where his father was a well regarded singlehanded general practitioner. He was deeply influenced by his father’s example and as a young man would help him in the practice, accompanying and sometimes driving him on visits. These (...)

19 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 12:51
  By failing older people we perpetuate the health service crisis - Kamran Abbasi Br Med J (BMJ)
  The numbers speak for themselves—and yet they don’t. Over seven million people in England waiting for NHS treatment; 38 000 people in one month waiting for more than 12 hours for admission to a hospital bed, when it was 1000 people waiting in the same month two years ago; primary care short of 42 (...) -- Geriatric medicine
• 12:31
  Continuous flow models in emergency care: keep patients out of the emergency pathway where possible - Graeme Mackenzie Br Med J (BMJ)
  Vaughn and Bruijns examine continuous flow models for urgent and emergency care.1 Many people spend hours, if not days, travelling though emergency care pathways. During these pathways little or nothing happens and iatrogenic harm accrues. If someone can wait for an ambulance for hours, wait in (...)
• 12:26
  Concussion protocol in Iran-England match: to watch the ball or the footballer? - Alexis Demas Br Med J (BMJ)
  Iacobucci reports that the brain injury charity Headway condemned the decision to allow Iran’s goalkeeper to continue playing after clashing heads with a teammate during the 2022 FIFA world cup.1 These world events bring unprecedented awareness to the management of concussion in football and, (...)
• 11:36
  Strengthen mental health bill to tackle “inexcusable” failures on racial inequality, says scrutiny committee - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  The government must act swiftly to strengthen a draft bill overhauling outdated mental health laws in England and Wales, the committee of MPs and peers appointed to scrutinise the bill has urged.1The joint committee on the draft mental health bill called for it to be made stronger to tackle the (...)
• 11:31
  A reddish brown plaque on the earlobe - Hu Honghua, Ji Shunxian, Liu Lunfei Br Med J (BMJ)
  A man in his 50s presented to the dermatology clinic with an eight year history of a reddish brown plaque on his left earlobe. The plaque had previously been attributed to discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), and the patient had received several treatments without improvement. He had no systemic (...) -- Case Review
• 11:26
  Cholera is back but the world is looking away - Petra Khoury Br Med J (BMJ)
  Once thought to be close to eradication, cholera is back—dehydrating and killing people within hours and ravaging communities across six continents. Despite the alarming numbers of cases and deaths over the past year, decision makers are averting their eyes, leaving people to die from a (...)
• 11:16
  Faecal transplantation . . . and other stories Br Med J (BMJ)
  Faecal transplantation for C difficileA randomised trial of faecal microbiota transplantation for the treatment of a first or second infection with Clostridioides difficile was stopped early after an interim analysis. The primary outcome, resolution of diarrhoea at week eight, had been achieved (...)
• 11:06
  Continuous flow models in emergency care: trusts must reassure junior doctors that they are safe to work in substandard conditions - Daniel J Chivers Br Med J (BMJ)
  Vaughan and Bruijns evaluate use of the continuous flow model in the face of critical hospital and emergency department overcrowding.1There cannot be a single doctor or nurse who does not sympathise with our colleagues in crowded emergency departments. It is unfair to deny emergency departments (...)
• 00:31
  Gestational age at birth and school performance - Asma Ahmed, Seungmi Yang Br Med J (BMJ)
  An estimated 15 million infants are born preterm (

18 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 13:15
  “Epidemic levels of poverty” are harming young children, UK health visitors warn - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  A growing number of babies and young children are experiencing the effects of “epidemic levels of poverty,” health visitors have warned.A report by the Institute of Health Visiting painted a bleak picture of the impact of the cost of living crisis on families with young children.1 In a survey by (...) -- Paediatrics, General practice / family medicine, UK
• 12:56
  The BMJ Appeal 2022-23: How safe burial helped end the 2022 Ebola epidemic - Jane Feinmann Br Med J (BMJ)
  The latest outbreak of Ebola virus disease, reported in nine districts of Uganda in September 2022,1 was declared officially over by the country’s Ministry of Health on 11 January. A total of 142 cases and 55 deaths have been reported, contrasting with the 11 000 deaths during the world’s (...)
• 12:46
  How are covid-19 symptoms changing? - Mun-Keat Looi Br Med J (BMJ)
  How have covid symptoms changed since the start of the pandemic?In the short space of a few years we’ve seen surprising changes in the way covid-19 presents. At the start of the pandemic the first commonly reported symptoms were loss of smell and taste, followed by shortness of breath and a (...) -- Infectious diseases, COVID-19
• 12:41
  What can be done to ease today’s pressures in the NHS? - Chris Stokel-Walker Br Med J (BMJ)
  The NHS is under tremendous, terrible pressure. “The scale of the problem is completely evident,” says Louella Vaughan, an acute physician and clinical academic who is a senior clinical fellow at the Nuffield Trust think tank. Even England’s health secretary, Steve Barclay, was forced to admit on (...) -- UK
• 12:16
  An enlarging irreducible groin lump - Lawrence O’Leary, Dmitri Y Artioukh Br Med J (BMJ)
  This is a painless lump in the right groin of a man in his 80s. The lesion had progressively enlarged over 12 months, had eroded through the skin, and was irreducible (fig 1). Two years earlier the patient had received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and underwent surgical resection of a locally (...)
• 10:11
  Reforming the GP partnership model? - Becks Fisher, Hugh Alderwick Br Med J (BMJ)
  General practice in England is in crisis. The situation—recognised by the Health and Social Care Select Committee in autumn 20221—has worsened through winter. A combination of high levels of seasonal illness2 and record hospital waiting lists3 are buffeting an already-stretched service. (...)

17 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 17:06
  Doctor who passed confidential PLAB questions to students is struck off - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  A doctor who prepared foreign medical graduates to pass a UK test of clinical competence has been struck off the medical register after a tribunal found that he had obtained and passed on to his students confidential information about the test questions, giving them an unfair (...)
• 15:26
  The US FDA and regulatory free fall - Mark Wilson Br Med J (BMJ)
  Demasi offers an important overview of oversight problems that have plagued the US Food and Drug Administration.1 But the regulatory malaise she depicts extends well beyond the agency. Effective oversight has been in free fall in other areas of the economy for decades—resulting in the 2008 (...)
• 11:31
  Career, family life, and peace of mind: the SAS doctor - Helen Jones Br Med J (BMJ)
  Chris Rollason initially turned down a place at medical school and ran away to sea. “With the wisdom of age I can see I was an incredibly immature teenager and the prospect of being cast into the world was quite daunting,” he says. “The Navy gave me incredible opportunities—I travelled, worked with (...)
• 11:26
  Helen Salisbury: The necessity of hope - Helen Salisbury Br Med J (BMJ)
  January is a time for hope and resolution. Like the forward and backward facing Janus after whom the month is named, we look back to see what we can learn from the previous year’s events and forward to imagine how we can change our world for the better.It’s hard to be hopeful this year, with war (...) -- General practice / family medicine, UK
• 11:25
  Better recognition for research participants: what society should learn from covid-19 - Stephanie A Kraft, Abie Rohrig, Anthony Williams, Seema K Shah Br Med J (BMJ)
  Covid-19 has shown the importance of research volunteers. More than 8000 covid related trials have been registered across 150 countries,1 reflecting enormous global efforts to identify effective vaccines and treatments. Many of these trials involved thousands of participants; the Recovery trial (...)
• 11:25
  John Launer: All’s well that ends well? - John Launer Br Med J (BMJ)
  The relationship between doctors and their rulers has often been uneasy. The problem, as Marx might have pointed out, is largely one of social class. Members of the ruling class have generally held on to power through careers in politics, the military, and the exploitation of land and labour. (...) -- UK
• 11:16
  Methenamine is as effective as antibiotics at preventing urinary tract infections - Helen Saul, Brendan Deeney, Samantha Cassidy, Jemma Kwint, Chris Harding Br Med J (BMJ)
  The studyHarding C, Mossop H, Homer T, et al. Alternative to prophylactic antibiotics for the treatment of recurrent urinary tract infections in women: multicentre, open label, randomised, non-inferiority trial. BMJ 2022;376:e068229.To read the full NIHR Alert, go to: (...)

16 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 17:36
  Junior doctors’ training is “worse than during pandemic” - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  Training of junior doctors has been hit by the ongoing NHS crisis, with trainees feeling “demoralised” because “burnt out” consultants don’t have the time or capacity to teach and training is continually cancelled.One internal medicine trainee, who wished to remain anonymous, told The BMJ they had (...)
• 17:11
  Doctors in Wales “can’t see end in sight” as urgent care only becomes norm - Jennifer Richardson Br Med J (BMJ)
  Working life in the NHS is worse than it has been for more than 20 years, doctors in Wales told The BMJ, and they “can’t see an end in sight.”GPs in both the north and south of the country said they had deferred much or even all of their routine work to cope with urgent consultations. Some (...)
• 13:41
  Doctors in England say workload is unsustainable, as pressure hits morale - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  Doctors in England have told The BMJ that the pressure they are facing this winter is the toughest in memory, given unprecedented levels of demand. Work is relentless and unsustainable, and doctors fear for patients’ safety.Ian Higginson, vice president of the Royal College of Emergency (...)
• 12:11
  New York City nurses end strike after securing better staffing and higher pay - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  More than 7000 New York City nurses ended a three day strike against two major hospitals, Mount Sinai in Manhattan and Montefiore in The Bronx, after reaching an agreement with hospital management that promised better staffing ratios and increased pay.12Nurses at the hospitals agreed a pay (...)
• 11:11
  Telemental health for clinical assessment and treatment - Dawn E Sugarman, Alisa B Busch Br Med J (BMJ)
  AbstractTelemental health—the use of videoconferencing or audio only (telephone) in mental health care—has accelerated tremendously since the start of the covid-19 pandemic. Meta-analyses have examined the reliability (ie, concordance) of assessment and the efficacy/effectiveness of telemental (...) -- US, State of the Art
• 11:01
  Covid-19: Florida’s surgeon general used “careless” research practice in recommending against vaccination, his university finds - Owen Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  Florida’s surgeon general violated his university’s rules against “careless, irregular, or contentious research practices” in recommending against mRNA coronavirus vaccination for males aged 18-39, according to a report by his colleagues at the University of Florida’s faculty of medicine.Joseph (...) -- COVID-19

13 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 15:11
  Pressures in Scotland: Dignity is a luxury and fatigue runs “bone deep” - Bryan Christie Br Med J (BMJ)
  The second Thursday in January was a good day at Scotland’s largest emergency department. To the great relief of staff at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, the corridors were not choked as usual with patients on trolleys, and some cleaning could take place.“It’s a good day when you can see the (...)
• 15:10
  The NHS crisis has been years in the making - Jonathon Holmes, Br Med J (BMJ)
  Trust leaders tell us the NHS is in crisis. We are seeing a whole system under sustained and mounting pressure as demand for services continues to outstrip capacity. Urgent and emergency care services are most visibly bearing the brunt of this pressure. Meanwhile, waiting lists for planned care (...)
• 14:46
  Desflurane: Use of carbon emitting anaesthetic to end in England - Zosia Kmietowicz Br Med J (BMJ)
  NHS England has said that it will use the anaesthetic desflurane only in exceptional circumstances by early 2024 as part of its ambitions to reduce carbon emissions under its control to zero by 2040.Desflurane is a volatile anaesthetic that has a global warming potential 2500 times greater than (...)
• 13:56
  Children seeking asylum: Use imaging to check age, say UK government advisers - Richard Hurley Br Med J (BMJ)
  Dental and skeletal imaging can be used to help determine the age of unaccompanied children who are claiming asylum and should supplement the current age assessments when age is disputed, government advisers have recommended.The advisers conceded, however, that “there is no method, biological or (...) -- Paediatrics
• 13:11
  More patients are buying private hospital care amid record NHS waiting lists - Ingrid Torjesen Br Med J (BMJ)
  The number of patients in the UK dipping into their savings to buy private hospital care has grown considerably since the covid-19 pandemic, in the face of record NHS waiting lists, figures show.1Before the pandemic, every quarter around 50 000 patients without private health insurance opted to (...)
• 12:26
  Urgent action is needed to tackle malnutrition crisis in 30 million children, says WHO - Luke Taylor Br Med J (BMJ)
  A series of global crises are causing “unprecedented” levels of malnutrition in children which without an urgent response will become a tragedy, the World Health Organization has warned.Conflict, climate change, covid-19, and the rising cost of living have caused an international increase in (...)
• 11:46
  Inconsistent drug regulation spells danger for India’s global pharma ambitions - Neha Bhatt Br Med J (BMJ)
  In October 2022, the deaths of 70 Gambian children aged between 5 months and 4 years old were linked to cough syrups containing the solvents diethylene glycol or ethylene glycol. The deaths led the World Health Organization to publish a global alert about four cough syrups made in India by (...)
• 11:40
  NHS waiting times: a government pledge - Catherine Pope Br Med J (BMJ)
  The UK’s prime minister recently pledged to reduce NHS waiting times as one of five “people’s priorities” but failed to set any targets or policy commitments.1 The problem of waiting for NHS care has steadily grown since 1949 despite innumerable initiatives.2 In February 2020, as covid-19 hit the (...)
• 11:21
  Minor injuries: laceration repairs - Isabelle N Colmers-Gray, Aven Crawshay, Curtis Budden Br Med J (BMJ)
  What you need to knowConsider the type of injury (laceration, puncture, crush, abrasion), anatomical location, and patient characteristics when planning an approach to wound repairManage precipitating factors that led to the injury (eg, syncope)All lacerations require irrigation prior to (...) -- Essentials
• 09:36
  Resolving the health and social care crisis requires a focus on care for older people - Adam L Gordon, Jugdeep Dhesi Br Med J (BMJ)
  This January, the UK secretary of state for health and social care announced £250 million for the NHS to purchase additional capacity in English care homes to relieve hospital bed pressures.1 The Scottish Government outlined similar measures.2 This funding is important recognition of the (...)
• 00:05
  Update to living WHO guideline on drugs for covid-19 Br Med J (BMJ)
  This living guideline by Lamontagne and colleagues (BMJ 2020;370:m3379) has been updated. For the latest update, visit doi:10.1136/bmj.m3379. The latest version of this WHO living guidance does not include any changes to the strength or direction of recommendations, but rather has new data to (...)

12 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 15:46
  Nael Shihabi: UK trained cardiothoracic surgeon who founded Palestine’s first medical school - John Illman Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/jan12_10/p76/FAF1faAfter 10 years in the UK, Nael Shihabi was looking forward to what should have been a glittering career as a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon. He was passionately committed to the NHS, which he saw as a triumph for the socialist ideal that treatment should be free at (...)
• 15:41
  NICE recommends wider use of statins to cut cardiovascular risk - Adrian O’Dowd Br Med J (BMJ)
  Doctors are being advised to start prescribing statins to people with a lower risk threshold for cardiovascular disease following a review which has concluded the drugs could be suitable for a wider group of people.Draft updated guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care (...)
• 15:16
  Sunak fiddles while the NHS burns - Kamran Abbasi Br Med J (BMJ)
  In the early days of the covid-19 pandemic hope was high that services would “build back better.” It was a hope that sustained health professionals as they pushed themselves further to keep a stretched service from collapsing. Now, hope in the UK has all but evaporated.Many countries are (...)
• 14:56
  Medicine is a stress generating system - Peter G Davies Br Med J (BMJ)
  Shemtob and colleagues focus on recognising, supporting, and treating stress among healthcare workers.1 I’m not sure it’s necessary to recognise stress—it is endemic in medicine, and we are all either stressed at present, recovering from stress, or about to get stressed. The only question is when (...)
• 14:56
  Profiteering, dysfunction, and bad healthcare win 2022 Shkreli awards - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  US medical insurance companies which have been accused of either systematically overbilling the US government or of fraud are the winners of the 2022 Shkreli awards dedicated to shaming perpetrators of profiteering and dysfunction in healthcare.1Companies Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, (...)
• 11:36
  After testing times, Brazil is back - Deisy Ventura Br Med J (BMJ)
  The return of Luís Inácio Lula da Silva as president represents an opportunity for Brazil to rebuild its public health system (SUS) and resume its leadership in global health, relaunching cooperation with the global south. However, President Lula will face even greater challenges than those in (...)
• 11:31
  What do we know about covid-19 and children? - David Cox Br Med J (BMJ)
  How does covid-19 affect children today?Incidents of critical covid-19 in children remain rare, even though the delta and omicron variants have proved considerably more adept at infecting children than previous variants. In the early stages of the pandemic, estimates indicated that children (...)
• 11:30
  Aortic calcification . . . and other stories Br Med J (BMJ)
  Calcification of the abdominal aortaCalcification of the abdominal aorta is highly prevalent, moderately predictive of cardiovascular events, and largely undiagnosed. Those are the findings from dual energy x ray absorptiometry scans in 38 000 participants in the UK Biobank cohort. Around one (...)
• 11:26
  Wrist drop after a fall onto the shoulder - M Adam Ali, Simon Freilich Br Med J (BMJ)
  A man in his 70s presented to the emergency department with severe pain in his left shoulder and inability to move his left arm, immediately after falling onto his left side. He had a history of three previous right shoulder dislocations. On examination, he had obvious left shoulder joint (...) -- Emergency medicine, Orthopaedics and trauma, Radiology, Case Review
• 07:30
  Seven days in medicine: 4-10 January 2023 Br Med J (BMJ)
  Covid-19Molnupiravir trial did not cut admissions or deathsThe UK government has said that it will continue to make the antiviral drug molnupiravir available to patients despite results from the Panoramic study showing that it did not reduce hospital admissions or deaths among vaccinated high (...)
• 00:30
  Long covid outcomes at one year after mild SARS-CoV-2 infection: nationwide cohort study - Barak Mizrahi, Tamar Sudry, Natalie Flaks-Manov, Yoav Yehezkelli, Nir Kalkstein, Pinchas Akiva, Anat Ekka-Zohar, Shirley Shapiro Ben David, Uri Lerner, Maytal Bivas-Benita, Shira Greenfeld Br Med J (BMJ)
  AbstractObjectivesTo determine the clinical sequelae of long covid for a year after infection in patients with mild disease and to evaluate its association with age, sex, SARS-CoV-2 variants, and vaccination status.DesignRetrospective nationwide cohort study.SettingElectronic medical records (...) -- COVID-19

11 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 16:31
  Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in China, 2004-18: findings from six rounds of a national survey - Mei Zhang, Yu Shi, Bin Zhou, Zhengjing Huang, Zhenping Zhao, Chun Li, Xiao Zhang, Guiyuan Han, Ke Peng, Xinhua Li, Youfa Wang, Majid Ezzati, Limin Wang, Yichong Li Br Med J (BMJ)
  AbstractObjectiveTo assess the recent trends in prevalence and management of hypertension in China, nationally and by population subgroups.DesignSix rounds of a national survey, China.SettingChina Chronic Disease and Risk Factors Surveillance, 2004-18.Participants642 523 community dwelling (...)
• 14:06
  Alzheimer’s disease: FDA approves lecanemab amid cost and safety concerns - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved lecanemab (Leqembi) for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease despite questions over whether the drug will make a difference to patients.The agency approved the drug through its accelerated approval pathway, stating that the decision was based on (...) -- Cardiovascular medicine, Geriatric medicine, US, Neurology
• 13:16
  LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals and work related stress - Avani E Kaura Br Med J (BMJ)
  The specific needs of minority groups are repeatedly neglected in the literature and in practice.1 As a chronically under-represented and under-researched group,2 the views and experiences of LGBTQ+ healthcare staff who have experienced work related stress would be a refreshing and essential (...)
• 11:26
  Rhetoric about NHS reform is misplaced - Hugh Alderwick Br Med J (BMJ)
  The NHS in England is in crisis. The health service entered the new year—as it did the last one—with several NHS trusts declaring critical incidents,12 which means they may not be able to provide urgent or safe care. In November 2022, people with emergency conditions such as heart attack or (...)
• 11:21
  Pseudo-athletic appearance from excess alcohol use - Chun-Yu Cheng Br Med J (BMJ)
  These are symmetrical slow growing soft masses over the neck, shoulders, and upper back of a man in his 50s (fig 1). The lesions, resembling muscular physique, had been present for five years. The patient reported alcohol consumption of 10 units a day [one unit equals 8 g of pure alcohol] for (...)
• 11:20
  Waiting lists: the return of a chronic condition? - John Appleby Br Med J (BMJ)
  Elective treatment waiting lists in the NHS in England have reached a record high of 7.1 million people, show the latest official data from NHS England, for September 2022 (fig 1).1 This continues a trend—accelerated by the covid-19 pandemic but evident for years 2—that has seen lists more than (...)
• 10:46
  Minimum unit alcohol pricing in Scotland: Is England next? - Christopher J Graham Br Med J (BMJ)
  Minimum unit pricing (MUP) was introduced in Scotland in May 2018. It set a floor price per unit of alcohol at £0.50. Public Health Scotland has led a comprehensive evaluation of MUP as part of its Monitoring and Evaluating Scotland’s Alcohol Strategy (MESAS) programme.1A recent MESAS report (...)
• 10:45
  GPs prescribing of heating to at-risk patients: evidence already exists - David Ormandy, Stephen Battersby Br Med J (BMJ)
  Iacobucci reports on yet another pilot scheme designed to tackle the effects of fuel poverty.1Are more pilot schemes necessary? There have already been two programmes, reported by NICE, that show the effectiveness of a coordinated approach to responding to those exposed to low indoor (...) -- General practice / family medicine

10 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 17:11
  The group A strep crisis: can we do better? - Alastair D Hay Br Med J (BMJ)
  Last month the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) released a report showing that from 12 September to 20 November 2022 there was a four to fivefold increase in the incidence of scarlet fever and five deaths from invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) infection.1The UKHSA gave a clear description (...) -- Infectious diseases, General practice / family medicine, UK
• 16:41
  Strikes over pay go ahead as government tables “antistrike” bill - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  The long awaited government talks on healthcare workers’ pay have broken down, with unions “bitterly disappointed” that no firm offer has been made.England’s health and social care secretary, Steve Barclay, met unions representing nursing and ambulance staff on 9 January, after months without (...)
• 15:36
  GP prescribing of heating: the social determinants of health need national action - Woody Caan Br Med J (BMJ)
  I admire the initiative of GPs who seek funding for heating fuel, home insulation, or fresh fruit and vegetables for some of their local patient list.1 Local action can be quick enough to anticipate the first snows of winter. The social determinants of health also need national action, however, (...) -- General practice / family medicine
• 15:31
  Prioritise health of children and young people by promoting both safe and active travel - Michael Craig Watson, Karen E Neil Br Med J (BMJ)
  Road traffic crashes involving children and young people are a significant health problem and need to be given a higher priority as a major cause of preventable death, serious injury, and long term disability.1 They are also a key health inequality.Some countries are ahead of the UK in actively (...)
• 14:11
  Funding to ease discharge delays is “too little, too late,” say health leaders - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  A government pledge for an additional £250m to speed up the discharge of patients from hospital may have arrived too late to make a difference to the NHS this winter, health leaders have warned.The funding was announced on 9 January after a summit meeting at Downing Street between the prime (...)
• 12:11
  Resurgence of group A streptococcal disease in children - Alasdair Bamford, Elizabeth Whittaker Br Med J (BMJ)
  Clinicians in the UK have recently seen a notable increase in conditions associated with group A streptococcal infection, specifically scarlet fever in children and invasive group A streptococcal disease in all ages.1 In England, from 12 September 2022 to 5 January 2023, 151 deaths from any (...)
• 11:36
  How do I deal with a racist patient? - Ingrid Torjesen Br Med J (BMJ)
  Everyone has a role to play in tackling racist behaviourMark Swindells, assistant director, standards and ethics, at the General Medical Council, says, “The GMC condemn racism towards staff in healthcare settings. It’s not acceptable but we know it is still happening: 76% of respondents to this (...)
• 11:31
  Helen Salisbury: Labour’s Wes Streeting disappoints - Helen Salisbury Br Med J (BMJ)
  General practice is in trouble. The reasons for the difficulties faced by doctors and patients include a growing population, increasing numbers of older and more complex patients, the transfer of work from secondary to primary care, and fewer qualified GPs.1These problems are not felt equally (...) -- General practice / family medicine, UK
• 10:56
  Type 1 diabetes: NICE recommends new “artificial pancreas” technology - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  Over 100 000 people with type 1 diabetes in England should be offered new technology to help them control their condition with little human input, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has advised.In draft guidance1 published on 10 January, an independent NICE committee (...) -- Diabetes

9 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 19:46
  The prime minister’s emergency NHS summit: more symbolic than meaningful? - Chris Ham Br Med J (BMJ)
  The desire to be seen to be doing something burns brightly in government ministers. The emergency summit on the crisis in the NHS and social care convened by the UK prime minister Rishi Sunak at the weekend is a classic case. Official photographs of the summit, circulated widely on social media (...)
• 18:31
  Unprecedented? The NHS crisis in emergency care was entirely predictable - Adrian Boyle Br Med J (BMJ)
  The past decade has seen progressively more severe winter crises in the NHS. This winter has reached an even more desperate low. Looking at any performance measure—ambulance handover delays, waits in emergency departments, or calls to primary care, 999, and NHS 111—shows a clear picture of a (...)
• 12:06
  Rachel Clarke: Our NHS needs vocal leadership—instead, too many leaders choose silence - Rachel Clarke Br Med J (BMJ)
  Of all the horrors currently faced by NHS patients as urgent and emergency services collapse around them, I cannot stop thinking about the 92 year old grandmother who wept and begged her family to “let her die” as she endured 33 hours on a trolley in an overflowing hospital corridor.1 Her (...) -- Emergency medicine, UK

6 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 13:03
  Michael Rawlins: founding chair of NICE - John Illman Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/jan06_10/p36/FAF1faIn October 1999, Richard Sykes, chair of Glaxo Wellcome, stormed into 10 Downing Street, reportedly “incandescent.” The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), a new, largely unknown body, had recommended that the NHS in England and Wales should not prescribe (...)
• 12:41
  Timothy John O’Connor - Rory O’Connor Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/jan06_9/p13/FAF1faTimothy John O’Connor (“Tim”) was born in Sheffield in 1932, the son of a GP and the eldest of five children. He went to live with his grandparents in Cork, along with his mother and the rest of the family when the war began. Towards the end of the war the family returned (...)
• 12:35
  John Richard Thomas Colley - Michael Wadsworth Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/jan06_8/p14/FAF1faJohn Richard Thomas Colley was among that early postwar cohort of medical graduates whose experience of national service gave them extra time and experience to consider career preferences. His enthusiasm was for epidemiology, and he was awarded a doctorate for an (...)
• 12:30
  Margaret Jane Carswell - E M Carswell, G M Carswell, J D W C Carswell, J W Carswell Br Med J (BMJ)
  Margaret Jane Carswell was born in rural Assam, India, where she spent an idyllic childhood growing up on a tea estate. After boarding school in England and a spell in Canada, she qualified as a doctor from Westminster Medical School in 1962, where she met her future husband, Wilson. She worked (...)
• 12:25
  Othman Kadiki - Alia Elkadiki, Khaled El-Ghariani Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/jan06_6/o2994/FAF1faOthman Kadiki trained in Scotland in the 1960s before returning to Libya, where he was one of the earliest leaders of the country’s health service. His passion for medicine and his love for his country—recently independent at that time—coincided with the prosperity (...)
• 11:41
  Sixty seconds on . . . aeroplane waste - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  Blue sky thinking?The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reportedly considering sampling aeroplane wastewater in an attempt to track new SARS-CoV-2 variants from China.1 The idea is being floated in response to the resurgence of covid-19 in China, with modellers predicting (...) -- COVID-19
• 11:36
  Abortion pills now available through US drug stores and by mail, even in states that ban abortion, FDA says - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  American women will be able to access medical abortion pills from drug stores and mail order pharmacies after the drug regulator changed dispensing rules, making them available even in states that ban or severely limit abortion.1The Guttmacher Institute, which gathers information about (...) -- Obstetrics and gynaecology
• 11:11
  The BMJ Appeal 2022-23: Cholera on the rise and how IFRC is working to fight it - Jane Feinmann Br Med J (BMJ)
  In a single week last October eight members of the 3200 strong fish farming community at Mulirasambo, in northern Malawi, were infected with cholera, four of whom died.“It was the dry season, a time when cholera outbreaks are least expected,” says Prisca Chisala, director of programmes and (...) -- Infectious diseases
• 11:01
  Junior doctors in England will walk out for 72 hours in March if ballot backs industrial action - Zosia Kmietowicz Br Med J (BMJ)
  The BMA has told the government that if a ballot for industrial action is successful junior doctors will begin their action with a 72 hour full walkout in March, during which they will not provide emergency care.The ballot across England begins on Monday 9 January, and the BMA is still urging (...)
• 01:30
  NHS needs better data from digital apps to tackle health inequalities, says report - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  A lack of coordination and poor data collection is limiting efforts to understand how digital apps can tackle ethnic health inequalities, an analysis of NHS data has suggested.A report for the NHS Race and Health Observatory by the digital consultancy firm TPXimpact examined how information (...)

5 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 17:01
  Prime minister cannot “wish away” NHS crisis, healthcare leaders warn - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  Healthcare leaders have accused Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of failing to acknowledge the current crisis in the health service.In his New Year’s speech1 on 4 January, Sunak made five overarching promises that he said he should be judged on, one of which was to cut NHS waiting times in England.He (...)
• 16:46
  Hospitals discharge patients to privately staffed “care hotels” as they wait for social care - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  Hospitals in the south west of England have set up “care hotels” to allow them to discharge patients who no longer need to be in hospital but cannot yet be transferred into the social care system.The hotels are staffed by live-in care workers provided by private homecare companies, and patients (...)
• 15:01
  Nicole Schiegg: advocate for advancing global health and ending extreme poverty - Barbara Kermode-Scott Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;380/jan05_5/p26/FAF1faUS President John F Kennedy suggested in 1962 that one person can make a difference, and everyone should try. Fifteen years later, in 1977, a baby girl was born in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, to Swiss parents, René and Esther Schiegg. A dual citizen of the US and (...)
• 14:56
  UK lacks fair access to assisted reproduction treatment - Roshani Patel Br Med J (BMJ)
  The title of Clarke’s article should be changed from “Are women’s reproductive rights safe in the UK?” to “Are women’s abortion rights safe in the UK?”1 The nuance is important because otherwise it implies that reproductive rights in the UK already exist.People with infertility or those requiring (...)
• 14:51
  The fight for pay restoration is also a fight to protect our NHS - Umair Akbani Br Med J (BMJ)
  Healthcare staff bore witness to the devastating effects of covid-19 on patients, and still carry the difficult memories of caring for people during those fraught first years of the pandemic. While members of the public were asked to stay at home to remain safe and prevent transmission, NHS (...)
• 14:21
  Scarlett McNally: The UK cannot afford for the NHS to fail - Scarlett McNally Br Med J (BMJ)
  The NHS is facing a crisis: people are waiting hours in emergency departments, waiting in queuing ambulances, or dying on trolleys; staff morale is at an all time low. Yet underpinning the inhumanity is a crisis for the UK economy. The UK cannot afford for the NHS to fail. Having a healthy (...) -- Emergency medicine, UK
• 12:16
  Legacy of covid-19 for indigenous health in the Brazilian Amazon - Christine Ro Br Med J (BMJ)
  “I don’t want privileges. I just want the healthcare system to understand,” says Marinete Tukano, treasurer coordinator of Makira E’ta, a network of indigenous women in the Brazilian state of Amazonas.In Brazil, as in many parts of the world, indigenous groups have poorer health than the rest of (...) -- COVID-19

4 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 15:16
  Dog in the data manger - Peter Selley Br Med J (BMJ)
  Ions and Hargate in their letter1 show their concern over the apparent demise of the scientific method. In doing so, they highlight an important matter—the reluctance of clinicians and other scientific investigators to share and allow analysis of their published research data.The BMJ, unlike (...)
• 11:41
  Does the scientific method no longer apply to medicine? - G Keith Ions, George Hargate Br Med J (BMJ)
  It seems that the scientific method no longer applies to medical research. We say this because for most scientific disciplines the raw data used by the paper’s authors can be obtained to re-run the analysis and check any areas of concern or doubt. While Loder writes that some medical journals, (...)
• 11:40
  Healthcare workers must start documenting work related stress - Anita Kistler Br Med J (BMJ)
  Healthcare is becoming a task we are expected to complete to a standard that is not feasible with the means provided or compatible with our own moral welfare.1Combine this with the ever present threat from regulators that seem to have lost touch with the reality of health professionals’ daily (...)
• 10:41
  Assessment and management of ankle osteoarthritis in primary care - Luke V McCarron, Muntadhir Al-Uzri, Angela M Loftus, Annie Hollville, Michael Barrett Br Med J (BMJ)
  What you need to knowAnkle arthritis has multiple causes, but osteoarthritis is the most common, and is post-traumatic in most casesManage patients with ankle osteoarthritis in primary care initially using similar measures to those with hip or knee osteoarthritis—such as analgesia, weight (...) -- Practice pointer
• 10:35
  Realising the potential of shared digital medication records - Sam Patel, Ann Slee, Anthony Avery, Aziz Sheikh Br Med J (BMJ)
  Safe medicines management is fundamental to the delivery of high quality care. But the complexity of care provision makes this far from straightforward, and medication errors still occur at an unacceptably high rate, contributing to an estimated 712 deaths every year in the English NHS (...)
• 10:31
  David Oliver: “If you don’t like it, ?ust leave!” won’t solve the NHS workforce crisis - David Oliver Br Med J (BMJ)
  After a series of strikes by nurses and paramedics in December, with more planned this month12 and an upcoming ballot of junior doctors on industrial action,3 we’re no closer to solving the NHS’s increasingly urgent clinical workforce crisis.4YouGov surveys have shown that clinical staff retain (...) -- Emergency medicine, UK
• 10:13
  How the cost of living crisis is damaging children’s health - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  “A child doesn’t come into your emergency department or your clinic with deprivation on their forehead. It’s there in the background, and it’s this kind of insidious factor.”Camilla Kingdon, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, has been a paediatrician in the NHS for (...)
• 10:06
  Children’s oral health is “national disgrace,” says head of royal college - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  The poor state of children’s teeth is a damning indictment of widening inequalities in child health in England, the president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has said.In an interview with The BMJ Camilla Kingdon said that paediatricians were seeing the effects of (...) -- Paediatrics

3 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 17:41
  Vaccine inequity and hesitancy persist—we must tackle both - Jeffrey V Lazarus, Salim S Abdool Karim, Carolina Batista, Kenneth Rabin, Ayman El-Mohandes Br Med J (BMJ)
  Since the start of the covid-19 vaccination rollout, repeated concerns have been raised about global vaccine inequity.12345 In an April 2022 commentary in BMJ Global Health, we called specific attention to the importance of minimising vaccine wastage as a strategy for reducing vaccine (...) -- COVID-19
• 16:31
  Government must “get a grip” on NHS crisis to halt avoidable deaths, say leaders - Gareth Iacobucci Br Med J (BMJ)
  Medical leaders have demanded that the government “get a grip” on the “intolerable” pressures facing NHS staff and services, amid warnings that hundreds of patients are dying unnecessarily each week because of delays in treatment.Over a dozen NHS trusts and ambulance services across England (...)
• 16:16
  Labour market participation and retirement after stroke in Denmark: registry based cohort study - Nils Ska?aa, Kasper Adelborg, Erzsebet Horvath–Puho, Kenneth J Rothman, Victor W Henderson, Lau Caspar Thygesen, Henrik Toft Sorensen Br Med J (BMJ)
  AbstractObjectiveTo examine labour market participation and retirement among patients with stroke and matched people in the general population according to stroke subtype.DesignNationwide, population based, matched cohort study.SettingDanish Stroke Registry, covering all Danish hospitals, and (...)
• 16:05
  Covid-19: Doctors are asked to help track variants among people arriving from China - Zainab Hussain Br Med J (BMJ)
  Doctors have been asked to help in the genomic surveillance of covid-19 variants among people who have come to the UK from China in the past two weeks and require hospital treatment for SARS-CoV-2.The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has asked healthcare professionals who see such patients to (...) -- COVID-19
• 12:46
  Aduhelm: Approval of Alzheimer’s drug was highly unorthodox, finds report - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  The US Food and Drug Administration and Biogen, manufacturer of the drug for Alzheimer’s disease aducanumab (marketed as Aduhelm), have been heavily criticised by two government committees for the atypical way they collaborated to grant accelerated approval for it.A report by the Committee on (...) -- Geriatric medicine
• 11:36
  Guidelines should consider clinicians’ time needed to treat - Minna Johansson, Gordon Guyatt, Victor Montori Br Med J (BMJ)
  Clinical practice guidelines aim to contribute to efficient and high quality care.1 Efforts are already made to overcome barriers to implementation such as lack of credibility because of financial or intellectual conflicts of interests, and clinicians’ inability to change habits or keep up to (...)
• 11:16
  Covid-19: China stops counting cases as models predict a million or more deaths - Owen Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  China has effectively stopped counting covid cases and deaths, abandoning mass testing and adopting new criteria for counting deaths that will exclude most fatalities from being reported.The Chinese National Health Commission’s official daily briefing, which had offered detailed if uninformative (...) -- COVID-19
• 11:01
  Authors’ reply to Smith, Johnson, and Gray and Jani - William K Silverstein, Adina S Weinerman, Cindy Dumba, Christopher Moriates, Karen Born Br Med J (BMJ)
  We thank Smith, Johnson, and Gray and Jani for their responses.123 Our intent was to highlight the harms associated with a common form of overuse—routine and repetitive blood testing performed on stable inpatients.4 By this, we mean blood tests that are ordered for stable inpatients on a regular (...)
• 09:36
  NHS crisis: rebuilding the NHS needs urgent action - Tim Cooksley, Sarah Clarke, John Dean, Kamila Hawthorne, Adrian James, Victoria Tzortziou-Brown, Adrian Boyle Br Med J (BMJ)
  The NHS and social care are under immense strain. This is exemplified by urgent and emergency care but is present throughout the system. These pressures are increasingly causing harm to patients.1 Standards of care are below those that are acceptable to clinicians and the public. Urgent plans (...)

1 January

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 01:30
  Clinicle—a daily dose of word play from The BMJ - Tom Nolan, Jennifer Rasanathan, Riddhi Shenoy, Will Stahl-Timmins Br Med J (BMJ)
  Test your clinical knowledge with The BMJ’s new word game, Clinicle. Move the horizontal word clues to spell the answer vertically, then share your times on social media with friends and colleagues.The story of ClinicleA welcome relief from the 2022 permacrisis has been the chance to spend a (...)

30 December

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 16:51
  Science and truth during the covid-19 pandemic - P G Brindley Br Med J (BMJ)
  During the covid-19 pandemic, I became one of those talking heads on the TV and radio in Canada hoping to reassure communities and recommend a way forward. While doing so, I found myself in parallel discussions about two issues: what truth is and is not and what science is and is not. I may not (...)
• 16:11
  Ambulances face oxygen shortage as “twindemic” piles further pressure on NHS - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  The NHS is struggling to cope with the “twindemic” of covid and flu, as the number of patients in hospital with flu rose by 80% in a week, the latest data from NHS England show.1The average number of patients admitted to hospital with flu each day rose from 2088 to 3746 between the second and (...) -- Emergency medicine, COVID-19
• 14:41
  Emergency contraceptive pills don’t induce abortion, says US regulator - Zosia Kmietowicz Br Med J (BMJ)
  Emergency contraceptive pills work by inhibiting or delaying ovulation and are not abortifacients, the US drug regulator has said after reviewing the scientific evidence.1The Food and Drug Administration said that it was prompted to review the mechanism of action of emergency contraception (...) -- Obstetrics and gynaecology
• 14:06
  Rivaroxaban: Lancet opens investigation into anticlotting drug trial after BMJ report - Maryanne Demasi Br Med J (BMJ)
  The Lancet has said it will open an investigation into a trial of the anticlotting drug rivaroxaban, after an investigation by The BMJ into the regulatory oversight of clinical trials by the US Food and Drug Administration.1During an inspection audit of the Record4 study into rivaroxaban,2 the (...)
• 13:06
  We need tougher action on reducing air pollution - Latifa Patel Br Med J (BMJ)
  The recent Chief Medical Officer’s annual report had a welcome focus on air pollution, demonstrating how much of a threat to health it is and highlighting the seriousness of this public health issue.1 As doctors, we are already seeing the impact of air pollution and climate change on our (...)
• 12:11
  Why you should think about “tokothanatology” - Richard Smith Br Med J (BMJ)
  There are only two days in your life that are less than 24 hours long—the day you are born and the day you die. This is far from all that birth and death have in common: they are the most momentous days in our lives; they are family, social, and cultural events surrounded by rituals and laws; (...)

29 December

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 16:26
  US public health services, research, and food security will benefit from government spending boost in 2023 - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  Public health, pandemic preparedness, infectious disease control, research to drive biomedical and health breakthroughs, veterans’ medical care, mental health services, and food insecurity will be among the beneficiaries of $1.7tn in US government spending in 2023.The US Congress passed the 2023 (...)
• 17:36
  NHS pay: January strike dates are announced as government says demands are “unaffordable” - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  Unions representing nursing and ambulance staff have announced further strike dates for January 2023, as the government continues to claim that meeting the pay demands would mean “taking money away from frontline services and cause further delays to care.”Ambulance staff will go out on strike on (...)
• 17:11
  A third of junior doctors plan to leave NHS to work abroad in next 12 months - Adele Waters Br Med J (BMJ)
  Four in 10 junior doctors in the UK plan to leave the NHS as soon as they can find another job, show the results of a survey conducted by the BMA over the past two months.A third (33%) said that they planned to work in another country within the next 12 months, with Australia and New Zealand (...)
• 12:41
  US life expectancy reaches 25 year low - Janice Hopkins Tanne Br Med J (BMJ)
  In 2021 life expectancy in the US fell for the second year in a row to reach 76.4 years, the lowest since 1996, reports from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have said.12 The drop in life expectancy was due primarily to increased numbers of deaths from covid-19 and from drug (...)
• 11:51
  Why doctors travelled to COP27 - Florence Wedmore Br Med J (BMJ)
  The annual UN climate change conference gathers politicians and experts from hundreds of countries in an attempt to reach agreement in tackling the climate emergency.1 But despite an increasing focus on health at the event—the World Health Organization had its own large presence this year—health (...)

23 December

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 12:46
  The NHS is failing us, but we are failing it too - Christina Pagel Br Med J (BMJ)
  In October, Kit Yates and I wrote about how the NHS was facing its bleakest midwinter.1 We highlighted how things were bleak and getting worse across the board, from emergency care, to secondary care, to primary care. Two months later and the situation has continued to worsen. Amid record (...)
• 12:36
  Scarlet fever infections rise to nearly 30 000, UKHSA reports - Zainab Hussain Br Med J (BMJ)
  Latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show a continued increase in scarlet fever and group A streptococcus infections, with numbers substantially higher than observed in previous years.This season (12 September to 18 December) 27 486 scarlet fever infections and 94 deaths were (...) -- Infectious diseases, General practice / family medicine, UK
• 11:36
  Scotland passes bill making it easier to legally change gender - Bryan Christie Br Med J (BMJ)
  A controversial new law that makes it easier for people to change their gender has been approved in Scotland, after the longest ever debate in the Scottish parliament. More than 150 amendments to the Gender Recognition Reform Bill were discussed over three days but almost all were rejected, (...)
• 11:26
  Refusing to negotiate NHS pay is a false economy - Sarah White Br Med J (BMJ)
  This might be the most challenging period the NHS has ever faced. Bed occupancy rates and emergency department attendance are both higher than they were during that last two winters, which coincided with covid-19 peaks.1 Emergency departments have had their busiest October on record and the (...)
• 13:46
  University Challenge was the worst exam I have ever done - Margaret McCartney Br Med J (BMJ)
  Examinations are the hallmark of medical education, and I hated every one. So why volunteer for another exam, with inevitable, predictable, public failure? Because it is iconic, because I am now in my f**k-it fifties, because life is short, work is hard, and this could also be frivolous fun—and (...)
• 13:36
  Why is Florida’s governor ramping up his anti-vaccine rhetoric? - Gavin Yamey Br Med J (BMJ)
  On 13 December 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held what he ominously called a “Covid-19 mRNA vaccine accountability roundtable.”1 The event featured his surgeon general, Joseph Ladapo, and Martin Kulldorff and Jay Bhattacharya, authors of the Great Barrington Declaration and now senior (...)

28 July

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 08:30
  Seven days in medicine: 20-26 July 2022 Br Med J (BMJ)
  MonkeypoxWHO declares PHEIC after minority decisionThe World Health Organization announced on 23 July that it was declaring monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). The decision came despite nine members of the expert committee opposing the designation, with six in (...)
• 00:31
  The burden of prolonged smell and taste loss in covid-19 - Nicole Kye Wen Tan, Claire Jing-Wen, Tan, Benjamin Kye Jyn Tan, Ruobing Han, Joseph J Zhao, Emrick Sen Hui Quah, Chrissi Kelly, Neville Wei Yang Teo, Anna See, Song Tar Toh, Claire Hopkins Br Med J (BMJ)
  “It was sudden, like turning an electric switch off.” This is how one patient described her abrupt loss of smell and taste following infection with covid-19. “I was eating some lunch on day three after contracting covid-19 and one moment I could still smell and taste the flavours of my soup, and (...)

27 July

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 18:16
  Junior doctors still await rotas just days before changeover - Marina Politis Br Med J (BMJ)
  Wednesday 3 August marks the changeover date for foundation trainees, yet with less than a week to go some junior doctors have told The BMJ that they remain in limbo without a rota for their next placement.Junior doctors are contractually entitled to receive details of their rota and employment (...) -- UK
• 17:11
  Covid-19: “Impossible” to be confident that government awarded Randox contracts properly, say MPs - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  The UK government’s failure to follow basic rules in awarding £777m of contracts for covid-19 testing to the diagnostics company Randox Laboratories make it “impossible to have confidence” that the contracts were awarded properly, says the parliamentary watchdog on public spending.1In a highly (...) -- COVID-19
• 17:01
  Junior doctors take to Westminster to protest on pay and urge strike action - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  Hundreds of doctors marched from the Department of Health and Social Care offices to Downing Street on 25 July to protest about their pay and call for industrial action.The demonstration—which brought together leaders from the BMA, the Doctors’ Association UK, and the newly formed Doctors Vote (...) -- UK
• 16:16
  Long covid: Hair loss and sexual dysfunction are among wider symptoms, study finds - Jacqui Wise Br Med J (BMJ)
  People experiencing long covid have reported a wider set of symptoms than previously thought, including hair loss and sexual dysfunction.Electronic health records of 2.4 million people in the UK from January 2020 to April 2021 were analysed for a study published in Nature Medicine.1 The cohort (...) -- General practice / family medicine, COVID-19
• 16:11
  Consultant is struck off after he led parents to pay for private cancer tests for children - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  A consultant paediatrician has been struck off the UK medical register after a tribunal found that he had led parents to believe that their children may have cancer without sufficient investigation in order to induce them to pay for expensive private tests.Three different families reported Mina (...)
• 15:46
  Mesh surgeon fails in bid to stop legal action against trust being made public - Clare Dyer Br Med J (BMJ)
  A leading colorectal surgeon whose former employer, North Bristol NHS Trust, faces negligence claims from dozens of his ex-patients has failed in his bid to keep legal action he is taking against the trust a secret.1A review by the trust found that 203 women on whom the surgeon Tony Dixon (...) -- Obstetrics and gynaecology, Surgery
• 11:35
  Learning from complaints during covid-19: discuss risks and benefits before hospital treatment - Mark W Davies Br Med J (BMJ)
  Oliver says that, as we recover from the pandemic, our handling of complaints must surely change.1 In medicine, and for surgeons and anaesthetists in particular, the concept of discussing risks as well as benefits in advance of treatment is well understood and well established. It is the basis (...) -- Anaesthesia
• 11:31
  Junior doctors protest at omission from pay award - Elisabeth Mahase Br Med J (BMJ)
  bmj;378/jul27_4/o1873/FAF1faRichard H SmithHundreds of doctors descended on the offices of the Department of Health and Social Care for England, a short walk from the houses of parliament in London, on the evening of Monday 25 July to chant, raise banners, and call for strike action over (...)
• 11:30
  The culture of complaints pits providers against patients - Graeme Mackenzie Br Med J (BMJ)
  Oliver asks what we can learn from formal complaints during the pandemic.1 Complaints are part of accountability. Accountability is a part of being a professional. So why do almost all of us go into an emotional tailspin when we receive a complaint?Complaints are random. Excellent healthcare (...)
• 11:11
  David Oliver: Relearning to value experts and their knowledge - David Oliver Br Med J (BMJ)
  Throughout the pandemic I’ve seen expert professionals and apolitical expert institutions undermined, disparaged, accused of lying, and attacked over their credibility or independence. Some of this stems from lockdown sceptics understandably concerned about the personal and wider economic (...) -- UK
• 11:06
  Acting on historically offensive content in BMJ’s archive - Simone Ragavooloo, Helen Macdonald, Kamran Abbasi Br Med J (BMJ)
  How should we deal with published content that may be offensive or harmful? New or recently published articles attract the most attention from readers. They are also published in an era when peer reviewers and editors should be sensitised to potentially offensive content, whether, for example, (...)
• 11:01
  Giant verruciform tumour on the penis - Rong Tao, Ruojun Wang Br Med J (BMJ)
  This is verrucous xanthoma on the penis of a man in his 40s (fig 1).bmj;378/jul27_1/e069890/F1F1f1Fig 1The patient presented with a two month history of cauliflower?like lesions on the glans penis and distal foreskin. He was an otherwise healthy, sexually active heterosexual man. Two skin punch (...)

26 July

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 15:36
  “We are solid”—pay award unites profession in appetite for industrial action - Adele Waters Br Med J (BMJ)
  The recent pay award by the government is likely to lead to industrial action by doctors.1 The BMA’s new chair of council, Philip Banfield, says that a doctors’ strike is “inevitable,” and opinion garnered by The BMJ in the days after last week’s pay announcement (19 July) would indicate that he is (...)
• 15:11
  BMA tells consultants to stop carrying out non-contractual work unless properly paid - Adele Waters Br Med J (BMJ)
  The BMA has published a “rate card” to guide NHS consultants in England on how much to charge their employers for non-contractual work.It provides three minimum recommended rates, ranging from £150 (€180; $180) to £250 an hour (box 1). It also provides equivalent programmed activities (PAs). The (...)
• 10:36
  Abortion rights: history offers a blueprint for how pro-choice campaigners might usefully respond - Agnes Arnold Forster Br Med J (BMJ)
  In October 1971, the New York Times reported a decline in maternal death rate.1 Just 15 months earlier, the state had liberalised its abortion law. David Harris, New York’s deputy commissioner of health, speaking to the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association, attributed the (...)
• 16:56
  Concurrent surgery across two parallel operating theatres carries risks, say researchers - Matthew Limb Br Med J (BMJ)
  Researchers have warned of the risks of having a single surgeon work across two parallel operating theatres and cast doubt on the method as a means of treating more patients to cut NHS waiting lists.They say there is no evidence that “overlapping surgery” delivers increased productivity compared (...) -- Surgery
• 16:51
  Persistent understaffing of the NHS is putting patients at risk, say MPs - Jacqui Wise Br Med J (BMJ)
  The NHS and social care face “the greatest workforce crisis in their history” and “the absence of a credible government strategy” poses a serious risk to staff and patient safety for routine and emergency care, a damning report from MPs has concluded.The cross-party Commons health and social care (...)
• 16:46
  Paediatric hepatitis is linked to infection with two viruses, studies find - Jacqui Wise Br Med J (BMJ)
  Coinfection with two viruses—AAV2 and an adenovirus, or less often the herpes virus HHV6—may offer the best explanation for the recent cases of acute hepatitis seen in children, researchers believe.Two studies, from London and Glasgow, independently found that AAV2 (adeno associated virus 2) was (...) -- Infectious diseases, Paediatrics, General practice / family medicine, UK

25 July

Br Med J (BMJ) http://www.bmj.com/

• 17:56
  Old buildings and out of date facilities are costing the NHS dear - Saffron Cordery Br Med J (BMJ)
  “We operate 21st century healthcare from 19th century buildings. It is increasingly unsustainable.” So said one NHS leader responding to NHS Providers’ survey of trusts included in the government’s flagship New Hospital Programme (NHP), underpinned by its manifesto commitment to build 40 new (...)
• 17:41
  Paediatric “virtual wards” were reducing admissions well before the pandemic - Ashley Reece Br Med J (BMJ)
  Best’s article on using virtual wards to ease hospital pressures1 resonated with me because in paediatrics we have been doing this for over 25 years.2 Much of our paediatric practice could map nicely to adult care; the adage that children are little adults is untrue, but the reverse—adults being (...)