Jane Bates

The Great Smog of 2017 should be a wake-up call to government

Yellow, dense and lung-wrenching, the London smogs of my childhood are a vivid memory. We would venture out wrapped up like Egyptian mummies, with only our smarting eyes exposed to the toxic air.

Telling patients the cost of their care is immoral.

My friend, who is an occupational therapist, is dismayed about the lack of joined-up thinking where NHS provision and social care are concerned.

On message: Young people do listen to health advice, says Jane Bates

There has been a sea change, so my daughter informs me, in the attitude of the well-informed young, when it comes to exercise and nutrition.

Thanks a bunch

Dangerous daisies, hazardous heliotropes or a delightful gift to gladden the heart? Flowers in hospital are still a minefield. Some hospitals ban them, some do not. Some wards will not let a bunch past the door, while others welcome their cheering presence.

The Quiet Life

The hospital pharmacy, situated in our department, issues numbered tickets to patients so that they can be called when their medication is ready for collection. This is background noise for us - pharmacy comings and goings are so familiar that our brains hardly register them at all.

All the world’s a stage

Whenever an actor describes their job as hard work, I have been known to guffaw ungenerously. But I have had to eat humble pie.

Banter can help get the message across

When giving postoperative advice to older ophthalmic patients who have a spouse in tow, I often feel like a stand-up comedian with the audience in the palm of my hand.

Unrelenting time and ever-crazy workloads

The sight of Big Ben and the sound of its iconic chime hold no romance for me. Instead, they make me shudder, even after all these years.

Well-being is every nurse’s top priority – unless it’s our own

The recent survey by Nursing Standard and the Sunday Mirror painted a depressing picture of working in todays NHS.

Divert quango money to nurses

The Daily Telegraph recently reported that more than 600 NHS quango chiefs now command six-figure salaries, with the number earning more than the prime minster having doubled in just three years.