Is It Advantageous For Student Doctors To See Patients Earlier In Their Careers?
I’m asking this for a friend.
I asked Google AI the question in the title of this post and received this answer.
Yes, it is advantageous for student doctors to see patients earlier, as it can increase motivation and confidence, provide a better theoretical understanding, and help them develop clinical and communication skills earlier. Early patient contact also helps students build professional identity, gain comfort with patient encounters, and better understand the realities of being a physician, which can also improve patient experiences and facilitate the transition to becoming a junior doctor
That all sounds pretty sensible to me.
These are some thoughts.
Could The Same Philosophy Be Used For Other Health Professionals Like Nurses, Pharmacists And Radiographers?
I don’t see why not!
I actually feel, this philosophy might be already being used by the City University, who train radiographers at Homerton Hospital in Hackney.
I Was Used By University College For Interview Practice
A few years ago, I spent four nights in University College Hospital.
- I had my own single room.
- They wanted to do a few more tests.
- So one of the Senior Tutors asked if I’d mind being interviewed by student doctors for practice.
As I said, I wouldn’t mind, I was interviewed by four student doctors over two nights.
It certainly relieved some of my boredom and at least two of the students had never met a coeliac before.
Conclusion
I believe this patient/student interaction could be used very much to the advantage of both groups.
Deadly ‘Climate Change’ Fungus Targeted In Drug Project
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
Dundee University team leading fight against Candida auris, a type of yeast that causes severe illness and spreads easily among hospital and care home patients.
These are the first two paragraphs.
A rapidly growing deadly fungus, thought to have emerged in humans due to climate change, is one of the targets of a £17.9 million drug project.
Candida auris is a type of yeast that can cause severe illness and spreads easily among patients in healthcare facilities. It was first seen in Japan in 2009 and has spread worldwide, with outbreaks in hospitals in the UK, South Africa, India and parts of North and South America.
These are points from the rest of a must-read article.
- The first cases in the UK were recorded in 2014 and numbers have been rising yearly since 2020.
- Found particularly in hospitals and care homes.
- Many infections occur when medical devices such as catheters or ventilators are fitted to patients.
- I’ve had my fill of catheters, when I had my stroke in Hong Kong.
- Immunocompromised people are most at risk.
I may be coeliac, but I tend to believe my immune system is like a platoon of SAS soldiers on steroids. It certainly gave the AstraZeneca viral vector Covid-19 vaccine a good kicking. But it welcomed the second dose, like a long-lost friend.
I asked Google if there was any interaction and got this reply.
While Candida auris is a serious fungal infection, it is not directly linked to celiac disease. However, Candida albicans, another type of yeast, has been implicated in the development or exacerbation of celiac disease through mechanisms like cross-reactivity and molecular mimicry.
I shall act responsibly and hope for the best.
But.
- Research at the University of Padua has shown, that diagnosed coeliacs sticking to their gluten-free diet, don’t get serious doses of Covid-19.
- Research at the University of Nottingham has shown, that diagnosed coeliacs sticking to their gluten-free diet, have a lower cancer rate, than the general population.
- I’ve very rarely had colds, flu and other infection, since my diagnosis as a coeliac and going gluten-free in 1997.
- I’ve never had Covid-19.
A Floridian restauranteur once called me one of the Devil’s children, as I was a coeliac. If that is true, she certainly looks after her own!
Should All Hospital In-Patients Be Tested For Coeliac Disease?
I went to a medical lecture tonight and I came home on the tube with a cardiologist. As we chatted, the title of this post occurred to me.
Consider.
- A diagnosed coeliac on a gluten-free diet tends to have a stronger immune system.
- I am a diagnosed coeliac on a gluten-free diet.
- An undiagnosed coeliac tends to have a poor immune system.
- It would certainly mean, you got the right diet in hospital.
I also have some further more detailed thoughts.
My Son, George
NHS advice on those, who need to be tested for coeliac disease includes this sentence.
Testing is also recommended if you have a first-degree relative (parent, sibling or child) with coeliac disease.
When I was diagnosed as a coeliac in 1997, I told my three sons to get tested. None did!
A month or so before he did, George ended up in Trafford Park Hospital.
If they had tested him, would they have picked up his pancreatic cancer earlier?
Probably not, but it’s a question that must be asked.
Research From The University Of Padua
This paper on the US National Library of Medicine, which is from the University of Padua in Italy.
The University followed a group of 138 patients with coeliac disease, who had been on a gluten-free diet for at least six years, through the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in Padua.
This sentence, sums up the study.
In this analysis we report a real life “snapshot” of a cohort of CeD patients during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Italy, all followed in one tertiary centre in a red area of Northern Italy. Our data show, in accordance with Emmi et al., the absolute absence of COVID-19 diagnosis in our population, although 18 subjects experienced flu-like symptoms with only one having undergone naso-pharyngeal swab.
It says that no test subject caught Covid-19, in an admittedly smallish number of patients.ost
But it reinforces my call for more research into whether if you are a diagnosed coeliac on a long-term gluten-free diet, you have an immune system, that gives you a degree of protection from the Covids.
Conditions Linked To Coeliac Disease
This page on the Coeliac UK web site is entitled Conditions Linked To Coeliac Disease, has the following subsections.
- Autoimmune Disease
- Type 1 Diabetes
- Autoimmune Thyroid Disease
- Down’s and Turner Syndrome
- Osteoporosis
- Lactose Intolerance
- Lymphoma And Small Bowel Cancer
- Autism
- Fertility
Some of the keywords are linked to other pages on the Coeliac UK web site.
Testing For Coeliac Disease
Testing for coeliac disease is not an expensive process and just involves a simple blood test, where the blood goes to the lab.
My now-retired GP reckoned in nearly all cases, the test is decisive.
Riding The 34 Bus Between Arnos Grove Station And Walthamstow Bus Station
To continue on the route of the Superloop, I needed to get to North Walthamstow bus station, so I took a 34 bus from Arnos Grove station to Walthamstow bus station. I took these pictures.
Note.
- The route was along the North Circular Road and then into Walthamstow from the Crooked Billet roundabout.
- The North Circular Road was grade separated but quite congested.
- The North Circular Road has a 40 mph speed limit.
- There was only one station on the route; Silver Street, by the North Middlesex Hospital.
- Walthamstow bus interchange is by Walthamstow Central station and has reasonable amounts of space.
The journey took about 67 minutes.
I have two thoughts.
The Route Of The Bus 34 Could Be Part Of The Superloop
I feel my journey today, proved that this would be part of a feasible Superloop leg between North Finchley and Walthamstow Central bus stations.
This Google Map shows the route between North Finchley bus station and Arnos Grove Underground station.
Note.
- North Finchley bus station is shown by the red arrow!
- Arnos Grove Underground station is shown by an Underground roundel in the North-East corner of the map.
- The light yellow road at the East side of the map is the North Circular Road.
There would appear to be a road connecting North Finchley bus station and Arnos Grove Underground station, that runs across the top of the map.
The road passes to the North of New Southgate station, which could be one of the Northern termini of Crossrail 2.
Edmonton
This Google Map shows the North Middlesex University Hospital.
Note.
- The North Circular Road running across the map.
- The North Middlesex University Hospital in the South-West corner of the map.
- The London Overground and Silver Street station in the East of the map.
- There are several bus stops in the area.
This area could be turned into a comprehensive and very useful transport interchange.
Conclusion
The Superloop leg between North Finchley and Walthamstow Central bus stations has possibilities.
9 Energy, House And Rail Projects Planned For Norfolk
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Eastern Daily Press.
The article is a survey of major projects across Norfolk.
Projects in the article with my thoughts will now be detailed.
Railway Village
This is described as follows in the article.
Plans to build a new 5,000-home town north of Dereham could take a significant step forward in 2023.
The proposals have been dubbed a ‘railway village’ and would lie close to the Mid Norfolk Railway at North Elmham.
The 1,278-acre site has been put forward by its owners as a potential area for development included in Breckland Council’s forthcoming local plan – a document detailing how the district should grow over the next two decades.
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows North Elmham and the Mid-Norfolk Railway.
Note.
- The yellow line is the Mid-Norfolk Railway.
- The site of the former North Elmham station is shown by the blue arrow at the top of the map.
- The orange line across the South-East corner of the map is the Breckland Line between Cambridge and Norwich.
- Wymondham station is on the Breckland Line, but trains between the Mid-Norfolk Railway and Norwich would be able to call at Wymondham station.
Wymondham station could be converted into a proper connection between the Breckland Line and the Mid-Norfolk Railway, with services being run between Norwich and North Elmham via Dereham.
In the Wikipedia entry for the Mid-Norfolk Railway, there is a section, which is entitled Community Railway, where this is the first paragraph.
The Mid-Norfolk Railway was established as a multi-functional line, with an intention to operate a community service in addition to tourist and freight services. The railway has also stated their belief that a commuter service between Dereham and Norwich remains a viable proposition, with the MNR either running the service themselves or working with an existing train operator. One obstacle on the MNR to running such services is the requirement to operate five manual gated level crossings between Dereham and Wymondham, although level crossing automation is a possibility in the future.
Later the section indicates that the Mid-Norfolk Railway could be extended to Fakenham.
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the original route between North Elmham and Fakenham.
Note.
- The yellow line is the Mid-Norfolk Railway.
- North Elmham station is at the top of the yellow.
- Fakenham is at the top of the map.
Adding Fakenham to the passenger service from Norwich would surely increase its viability.
There have been ambitions in the past to create a Norfolk Orbital Railway, that would connect the National Rail stations at Sheringham and Wymondham, using the tracks of the North Norfolk Railway and Mid-Norfolk Railway, and some new and relaid track.
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows North Norfolk from Fakenham and North Elmham in the West to Sheringham in the East.
Note.
- Fakenham is on the Western edge of the map about halfway up.
- North Elmham is in the South-West corner of the map, on the yellow line, what indicates the Mid-Norfolk Railway.
- The railway shown in the North-West corner is the Wells and Walsingham Light Railway. which is a 260 mm. gauge railway.
- Sheringham station, which has an hourly service to Norwich via Cromer, is in the North-East corner of the map.
- The Eastern terminus of the North Norfolk Railway is a short walk from Sheringham station.
- The blue arrow to the West of Sheringham station, indicates the Western terminus of the North Norfolk Railway at Holt station.
The Norfolk Orbital Railway would need to connect Fakenham and Holt, which doesn’t appear to be easy.
But if the connection could be made, Greater Anglia could run a combined service around the county, which would allow those living in the houses at North Elmham to get easily to the coast or the City of Norwich.
Wash Barrage
This is described as follows in the article.
A bid to build a tidal barrage stretching from Norfolk to Lincolnshire was unveiled at the end of last year.
While the scheme has seen objections from conservation groups, proponents say it would help protect the Fens from flooding, generate tidal power and would allow a new deep-sea container port to be built.
A planning application has yet to be submitted for the scheme, which Centre Port, the group behind the proposal, said could be operational by the end of the decade if given the go-ahead.
The Wash Barrier has a web site, but I doubt the RSPB will like it.
New Reservoir
The article says that the proposed site is between Chatteris and March in Cambridgeshire.
Long Stratton Bypass
This is described as follows in the article.
The Long Stratton Bypass has been mooted for decades and finally looked like it was going to get underway after funding was approved in 2021.
The scheme will mean motorists can avoid passing through the centre of the town.
It was needed, when C regularly commuted to Norwich in the 1980s.
Norwich Western Link
This is described as follows in the article.
The flagship infrastructure project has been thrown into doubt after County Hall announced an indefinite delay earlier this month.
The 3.9-mile road is designed to link the A47 with the NDR to the west of the city and has been hailed as a council priority for several years.
Climate protestors are mounting a High Court challenge.
Windfarms
These are described as follows in the article.
There are a series of major windfarms planned for the Norfolk coast.
These include Swedish energy giant Vattenfall’s Boreas and Vanguard projects, which could be some of the largest in the world.
The company was granted development consent for its Norfolk Vanguard windfarm in 2022, pledging to get underway early this year.
The two schemes could power more than 3.9m homes in the UK.
Hornsea Three, another major scheme which could power another 3.2m homes, is set to start being built in March.
Note.
- The author missed out the Sheringham Shoal and Dudgeon Extension windfarms.
- Total wind power that will be developed is around 6 GW, which would supply around a quarter of the UK.
The only problem is that Norfolk is protesting against the cables to connect the wind farms to the National Grid.
I suspect they will have to be put under the sea. I wrote about this in Is There A Need For A Norfolk-Suffolk Interconnector?
New Rail Junctions
The problems around Ely station are described as follows in the article.
A key rail junction, which could help to boost growth across the region, could steam ahead this year.
Ely Junction is important because it links five lines connecting Norwich, Ipswich, Cambridge, Peterborough and King’s Lynn.
It is currently operating at full capacity, which limits the opportunity for growth of routes for passenger and cross-country freight services.
It would also enable more frequent passenger services, including between King’s Lynn and London.
An outline business case was submitted to the Department for Transport last year to seek money for the next stage of the design process – but the government has yet to make a decision.
There are also problems at Haughley Junction.
Hospitals Rebuild
The article also puts the case for developing both King’s Lynn and Great Yarmouth hospitals.
Conclusion
Norfolk is going to be busy.
NHS To Buy Up Care Beds To Clear Wards
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Sunday Times.
I can remember, when my late wife had her appendix out in 1967 in Barnet General Hospital, that there were two bed-blockers on the ward, where she was being treated. One had serious dementia.Has it really taken nearly sixty years to sort out this problem?
Beware Of Getting Hospital Appointments Wrong
On Monday, I had an appointment for an ultrasound examination on my liver at the local hospital at 09:40.
The appointment had been arranged by telephone and I also had a text which included the phrase “Please refer to your letter for pre-attendance advice and instructions.” I had been given basic instructions over the telephone, but I did not receive the letter. This is not the hospital’s fault, as I have received many letters in the past from the hospital and its Trust.
But my post has been very erratic these last few weeks and I suspect the letter is delayed somewhere.
As it happened, it didn’t matter, as the basic instructions sufficed and the ultrasound was a success all round.
Perhaps, in these days of problems with the Royal Mail, it may be prudent to include minimum instructions in the text message reminder.
Should Hospitals Be The Power Backup Locations?
I was reading an article in The Times about how protestors were blocking roads in Central London and they’re inadvertently stopped an ambulance.
So this question occurred to me. Why I don’t know, but my mind has always jumped about and put thoughts together?
Consider.
- The latest generation of energy storage that could be used to back up the grid are coming down in physical size.
- Hospitals have complex power systems, as they use a lot of electricity.
- Hospitals need emergency power backup.
- Because of their high electrical use, hospitals will have a high capacity connection to the National Grid.
- Some modern treatments need a lot of electricity.
- Will ambulances be battery-powered and will need to be charged up, whilst delivering patients?
- Many bus routes terminate at the local hospital, so if the buses are battery-powered, these could be charged as well.
As an Electrical and Control Engineer, I feel that to put a town, city or are’s back-up battery at the hospital would be a sensible idea.
Hospitals should be designed to be health, energy and transport hubs for their communities.
Ukraine Maternity Hospital ‘Destroyed’ By Russian Shelling
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
These are the first two paragraphs.
Russian forces surrounding the southern port city of Mariupol have destroyed a maternity hospital, Ukraine says.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said children were under the wreckage, and called on Western leaders to impose a no-fly zone.
This Wikipedia entry is entitled Russian–Syrian Hospital Bombing Campaign.
The campaign may have been started by the Syrians, but the Russians joined in later in 2015-2018, as this paragraph from Wikipedia describes.
After Russia began military operations in Syria, aerial bombardment intensified. In 2015, there were more than 300 attacks on medical facilities by Syrian and Russian forces. From May to December 2016, medical facilities were attacked about 200 times by Russian and Syrian forces.
It does look to me, that the Russians consider bombing hospitals to be a legitimate tactic. It is not, as it is a war crime.
The Anonymous Widower 