RLH interviews Roger Baird

Roger Baird retired in December 2006 from being a Consultant Vascular Surgeon at the UBHT and Reader in the University of Bristol. His past appointments include a spell as Medical Director of the UBHT. Last year was High Sheriff of Bristol. The present contribution follows on a similar interview that RLH did with Derek Alderson, Professor of Gastroenterological Surgery, in July 2005. In that interview Derek expressed powerful opinions regarding the organisation of hospital medicine in Bristol (details of this interview are on the Med Chi website). The present interview, undertaken 16 months after the Alderson interview, addresses similar issues. The opinions expressed are in many ways different. Read more...

Choose and Book - Referrals to hospital

2006 has seen the introduction of ‘Choose and Book’ one of the government’s flagship developments in the new NHS. Patients are to be given the opportunity of choosing which hospital will undertake their consultation, procedure or operation at the time of their consultation with their general practitioner. Unfortunately this new initiative is running into problems, many of which result from introducing a major change without appropriate consultation or testing. Read more...

Michael Whitfield

Sink the BRI road

Three years' ago there was much discussion about a possible new, comprehensive, hospital for Bristol. That hope has evaporated and we are back at the default position. The BRI will remain the principal hospital in Bristol for the next 50 to 100 years. The planners now have a major responsibility to create a modern, accessible, pleasant hospital. Read more...

R.Langton Hewer