New Year

Photograph of Cannon Hill Park © Birmingham Mail

Let me start by wishing you all a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year. 2010 is already proving to be enormously busy; time has been spent between concentrating on plans for extended GP training, and editing academic papers. I’ve also been spending more time at Bellevue, and have done a number of extra surgeries, due to one of my partners being unwell.

It has been so rewarding to spend more time in the surgery with my friends. In the snow, even Birmingham looked attractive… and having negotiated the ice-rink we used to call the car park, it was great to get into the heat of the surgery.  I had expected that many people would be kept away due to the snow, slush and freezing fog. This proved not to be the case, and already this year I’ve seen a number of seriously ill people presenting complex physical and psychological issues. I really enjoy being in practice and seeing patients; I believe it is so important to keep grounded in surgery, and I feel privileged to work in the busy, inner-city General Practice that is Bellevue Medical Centre.

I received a letter a few weeks ago asking me whether, if offered, I would accept a CBE. I gave it some serious thought and, as many of you may have seen in the press this week, was delighted to accept. My enormous pride and gratitude outweighs the slight embarrassment I am feeling as a result of the attention, and I am very much looking forward the forthcoming trip, taking my family to Buckingham Palace. My mum and dad are really happy, too.

This award is a huge honour, and it’s wonderful to be able to thank to my colleagues; at Bellevue, those I’ve worked with in post graduate medical education, and at the RCGP, my family and the many friends I have made over the years. It is testament to the wealth of advice, encouragement and support I have received throughout my career and it’s a great start to the New Year.

As you know, towards the end of last year I was heavily involved with publicising the scandalous treatment of immigrant children and families in detention centres. The work of the College, and a number of other organisations, has led to this issue garnering extensive media coverage. The campaign seems to be really hitting home, and lends hope that this shambolic and disgraceful practice can be brought to an end as soon as possible.

My focus into the New Year has remained on the welfare of children and vulnerable people: I have expressed my concern at the worrying internet strangling craze that a number of young people have embraced. This disturbing, highly dangerous, risky practice should be avoided at all costs, and parents and GPs need to be aware of it.

I have also spoken out against product placement on television. I am particularly worried about the placement of alcohol and unhealthy foods, not just for children – who can be easily led by advertisements – but also for adults. I think that the argument that products will only be placed in programmes that are not viewed by children – such as Coronation Street and Emmerdale – is disingenuous; the role modelling on sitcoms and soaps is so important; we must protect young people from harmful influences and not fuel the obesity epidemic.

As always, I value your opinions and feedback enormously, and I urge you to get in touch if you have any comments or questions for me.

The Breast Cancer Care Carol Concert

 

Photograph © Matt Banks

It’s been an intriguing, and emotional week, with a number of clinical and political issues being brought to the fore.

It’s always nice to get an evening away from College, and a poignant highlight this week was attending the Breast Cancer Care Carol Concert at St. Paul’s Cathedral. It was an exceptionally moving evening, punctuated with some beautiful singing from the choir and 14-year-old Faryl Smith. Jane Hinnrichs, the Chair of Trustees for Breast Cancer Care gave a truly inspirational talk. In it she spoke about what it is like to live with breast cancer. It was incredibly moving; her story of living with breast cancer since 1994 resonated deeply with me, and felt very similar to the story of my own family.

I have also been actively involved with a contentious and emotive issue – that of the appalling treatment of children and young people in immigration removal centres. The College and I have been in discussions with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, the Royal College of Psychologists and the Faculty of Public Health, and have put together a joint statement recommending that this shameful practice is brought to an immediate end.

Dr Les Ashton and Dr Jane Roberts have been leading the work of the RCGP on this issue, and I commend the hard work and commitment they have shown.

As a civilised society, we cannot sit back and allow these practices to continue – they are unethical and unacceptable. Reading the testimony of children who have been detained in these centres upset and angered me. Children should not be asking, as one girl did, “Why do they have to put us in cages?” One child described the process of being taken into custody: “We were sleeping and the officers came. It was scary and mum was crying.”

This outrageous practice has attracted a lot of media attention, as has the joint stances of the Royal Colleges and the Faculty of Public Health. I spoke about child detention on BBC Breakfast last week, and echoed the call to bring child detention to an immediate end. While I do not usually watch my own interviews, I was proud to bring attention to this horrendous story.

I must thank the hundreds of you who responded to the questionnaire I circulated from Professor Mike Richards. Your excellent submissions on the role of the GP in early diagnosis have now been sent to the DH for consideration. Professor Richards’ responses were published in the December edition of RCGP News, and I’ll keep you informed of progress.

As always, I value your opinions and feedback enormously, and I urge you to get in touch if you have any comments or questions for me.