Now here’s a potentially controversial idea. In return for doing nightshifts, should NHS staff be entitled to an earlier retirement? This idea came to me during a 4am callout. A recent general recommendation from our accountants to check for any gaps in national insurance contributions, took me to the HMRC website. It informed me – […]

The value placed on staff development is often a useful barometer to the culture and outlook of an organisation. An engaged and valued workforce tends to be a happy, productive and effective workforce. Of course, in the NHS, numerous pressures mean that it can be difficult to achieve the Zen approach to staff happiness that […]

I remember the frustration of reading this article in the BBC News back in 2014, when Scottish GPs were being criticised by Reform Scotland for not embracing online appointment booking and prescriptions. The Scottish Government was quoted as saying ‘online services are currently available to all GP practices in Scotland’ and that it was ‘continuing to work to promote […]

According to Icelandic folklore, when scrambling over volcanic rockscape it is not uncommon to experience the sensation that you are being joined by groups of people behind you. And yet, when you turn around, no one is there. The Icelandic term for the mysterious and unseen individuals responsible for this, is Huldufolk (yes, pronounced hool-de-foke), or ‘the […]