As a result of my heart valve replacement surgery, I take warfarin daily to keep my blood thin. To ensure my blood maintains the recommended consistency, I perform regular blood test. When I started the medication a few years ago, I attended the anticoagulation clinic regularly. Attending the clinic meant my life was restricted since […]
In his book “Blackbox Thinking”, author Matthew Syed told the story of an incident in an operating theatre. A patient had an allergic reaction to the surgeon’s latex gloves. The anaesthetist informed the surgeon and recommended a change to non-latex gloves, but the surgeon refused. He relented only after the anaesthetist threatened to call the […]
In my book ‘Reimagining Healthcare’, I told the story of Sarah Harding, the late UK Girls Aloud star who died following a delay in her cancer treatment. In August 2020, Sarah announced she had been diagnosed with metastasised cancer. She revealed that when she first noticed lumps under her arms, she ignored them. However, an […]
Two years ago, we celebrated my mother’s seventieth birthday in the US. All her children were present except yours truly. This was the time when Covid was very much around. I was not prepared to take the chance by flying to the US in the middle of Covid. What would have happened if I caught […]
The UK government recently unveiled a fifteen-year staffing plan for the National Health Service (NHS). Currently, one in ten NHS posts remains unfilled. Meaning there are about a hundred and ten thousand vacancies in the NHS. The government has proposed a 15-year NHS staffing plan that includes: • ramping up the places for medical […]
Testin it
On the front page of almost every major newspaper in the UK today is the story that the National Health Service (NHS) is facing its worst staffing crisis in its history.
A report produced by Commons health and social care select committee headed by the Former Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, highlighted the fact that the NHS is short of 12,000 hospital doctors and more than 50,000 nurses and midwives.
Recently, I experienced blood clots after taking a certain medication.
As some of you may be aware, blood clots can lead to stroke, heart attack or even death.
I knew my blood was clotting because I took my INR reading after feeling dizzy
INR is a test used to measure the time blood takes to thin
A close friend of mine was recently diagnosed with diabetes.
When he called to give me the news, he was in shock.
I can understand my friend’s apprehension because diabetes is usually the beginning of serious illness such as coronary health disease, hypertension or stroke.
And diabetes, if not properly managed, can lead to amputation.
The UK government and Family Doctors or General Practitioners (GP) clash over the government’s demand for GPs to see patients face to face.
Since the pandemic, the majority of GPs have resorted to virtual patient appointments.
In the eyes of government ministers, GPs refusal to see patients face to face is one of the reasons for the pressure on the Accident & Emergency (A & E).
GPs complain that they are overworked and do not have the resources to hire temporary staff.