In my many interactions with primary care, both personally and professionally, I know how much GPs and their teams place on the importance of connecting with the people that they serve. Each GP practice is contractually required to have a formal Patient Participation Group (PPGs) to gain feedback and insight on what their population wants. […]
Health inequalities remain a persistent challenge for Black communities across London. Black Caribbean and African populations are disproportionately impacted by conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease, with poorer outcomes and lower levels of healthcare access compared to other ethnic groups. These challenges became glaringly apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, exposing deep-rooted […]
World Mental Health Day (WMHD) is an important day to mark. It acts as a personal but also a corporate reminder to check in with friends, colleagues and loved ones to talk about mental health, and to make sure that people have the support they need. But, for me, thinking and talking about mental health […]
Empowering staff voice My 35 years’ experience working in the NHS has taught me many things. But key among them is that the more we listen and act on feedback (and really act on it) the better the outcome, not only for our staff but for patients too. Lord Darzi’s recent report paints a deeply […]
Recent reports have highlighted the ongoing work NHS England is leading to understand issues in the quality of care some children and families have received from local hearing services. In this blog, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England’s National Medical Director, and Professor Dame Sue Hill, the NHS Chief Scientific Officer, set out what has […]
The Generation Study, a world-leading initiative led by Genomics England in partnership with NHS England, has begun testing newborns for over 200 rare genetic conditions. This pioneering study aims to screen up to 100,000 newborns across England, which could lead to early diagnosis and treatment of rare genetic disorders. By identifying treatable, rare conditions shortly […]
My son and around 17,000 adults and children in England have a sickle cell disorder. Their bodies produce unusually shaped red blood cells that can block blood vessels and lead to a serious complication known as sickle cell crisis. Sadly, various reports have stated that people with sickle cell disorder experience delays in access to […]
