Medical journals have begun to enter the world of podcasting. Four of the largest general medical journals (the BMJ, Lancet, JAMA, and NEJM) have begun to publish podcasts on their websites. It’s an interesting development and will allow the busy doctor to keep up to date with key developments in medicine. I listen to the podcasts while travelling to and from work and find they fill this time, whilst also educating me about the articles published in these four journals. Patients and the public may also find the podcasts useful. They add to the large volume of information on health and medicine available on the Internet.
NHS budgets are under considerable pressure. It is therefore unsurprising that many NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) In England will aim to prioritise price in contract awards, But this approach is a significant threat to community-centred healthcare. While competitive tendering is a legally required, an excessive focus on costs in awarding NHS contracts risks overshadowing key factors such as established community trust, local expertise, and the long-term impact on continuity of care. This shift towards cheaper, often external, commercial providers threatens to cut the links between communities and their local health services. The argument that competitive tendering is solely about legal compliance, and not cost, is undermined by the very nature of such tendering, which by design encourages the lowest bid. This approach risks eroding the social fabric of local healthcare provision, where established relationships and understanding of specific community needs are essential. Establishe...
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