Rachel Hooke

In support of medical secretaries

Medical secretaries perform a vital role and hospitals cut administrative posts at their peril, argues Rachel Hooke

Interviews: a guide for the foundation year doctor

Interviews are a frequent experience for doctors in training who have no choice but to keep changing jobs. Some people sail through them undaunted, whereas others find them intimidating and never get used to them.

Managing the media 2: a guide for the foundation year doctor

At some point, a journalist may approach you, or you may contact the media yourself. This could be the medical or lay press.

Identification badges: a guide for the foundation year doctor.

In the interests of security, there is a requirement for suitable identification (ID) of people in a hospital. Anyone on site is assumed, perhaps misguidedly, to be a genuine worker (including contractors), patient or visitor. Obviously, visitors and outpatients will not have ID, but other people should. Inpatients are issued with wrist-bands and staff with badges.

Time management: a guide for the foundation year doctor.

Many junior doctors feel that there are never enough hours in the day to do all their jobs. They end up feeling obliged to stay late to finish off routine tasks, reluctant to hand them over to the doctor on the late shift.

New ways of working: a guide for the foundation year doctor.

‘New Ways of Working’ is a term that has been bandied about for years. In the public and private sectors, organizations are always considering how to work more efficiently. The NHS is very much dictated to by government directives and European legislation.