Sir David Haslam, member of the Rethinking Medicine working group.

It is as dangerous as smoking, as risky as high blood pressure, as hazardous as obesity. It increases the likelihood of mortality by 26%, particularly through heart disease and stroke. It has clear correlations with cognitive decline, the development of dementia, depression, and suicide. People with it are more likely to visit their GP, have higher use of medication, higher incidence of falls and increased risk factors for long term care. The pharmaceutical industry is working on a medication to treat it.

It is loneliness.

Continue reading “What are the boundaries of healthcare?” →

Andrew Rix is a behavioural scientist with research interests in health and social care. He was diagnosed with Parkinsons in 2010.

Andrew Rix took part in our first webinar of 2020, which explored a clinical case of a person known as ‘Paula’. 
​The recent Rethinking Medicine webinar used the Balint method to explore alternatives to the bio-clinical approach. The technique involves a discussion among clinicians to explain connections between psychological factors and physical symptoms. 

Continue reading “Talking about Paula” →

Angela Coulter is a health policy analyst and researcher, with special interests in patient and public involvement. 

I was shocked to learn at a recent meeting that some clinical geneticists think it’s OK to screen patients for underlying cancer risk without discussing the options with them and without seeking their informed consent.

Continue reading “Sharing decisions with patients” →

Kate Eisenstein is an experienced leader in public policy, strategy and engagement, with a background in health, social care and local public services. She writes this blog in a personal capacity, but is currently Assistant Director of Insight and Public Affairs at the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

As someone who has spent most of their career in health and other public services, I am a passionate advocate for the power of public services, including the NHS, to transform lives for the better. As someone living with multiple long-term health problems, I am no stranger to NHS care myself.

Since becoming unwell with another new condition last year, attending medical appointments has effectively become an additional part-time job. If I’ve learnt anything from this experience, it’s that rethinking medicine has the power to utterly transform the experience and outcomes of care for both clinicians and patients.

Continue reading “A tale of two consultations” →

Alan Cribb is Professor of Bioethics and Education at King’s College London and co-director of the Centre for Public Policy Research.

​The consensus that ‘something needs to change’ among the Rethinking Medicine Working Group (and indeed among the constituencies with which it has engaged) has been remarkable – see ‘Why we are rethinking medicine‘.

Nonetheless, the emerging Rethinking Medicine ‘movement’ has a lot still to do to clarify and communicate the change message and to tackle the ‘how’ of change. This includes understanding sceptical reactions, avoiding getting drawn into simple ‘x=good, y=bad’ dichotomies, and acknowledging the complexities of change while clearly signposting a direction.