The Health and Healing Narrative

Promoting understanding between people and practitioners.

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Are Doctors Underpaid in 2025? The Real Numbers Behind the NHS Pay Dispute

The headlines the last couple weeks are familiar – and rarely flattering: We will not ‘be held to ransom’ by striking doctors, says minister -BBC Wes Streeting blasts doctors’ strike as ‘slap in the face’ for NHS -The Independent From 14th to 19th November 2025, resident* (formerly “junior”) doctors across England will walk out again –…
UK Resident Doctors and the NHS Strikes: What’s Happened So Far

On the 23rd of October 2025, the British Medical Association (BMA) announced a new round of strikes, set to take place from the 14th – 19th of November. This will mark the 13th round of strikes since 2023, as resident doctors continue their fight over pay, training, and working conditions. To understand why these strikes…
Top 10 Things Most People Don’t Know About The Menopause (But That Everyone Should!)

Today we celebrate International Menopause Day – a day to bring compassion, awareness, and understanding to an experience that shapes the lives of all women in some way. This year’s theme focuses on menopause in the workplace – an important reminder that supporting women through this transition helps create healthier, fairer, and more inclusive work environments. If…
Why Healthcare Needs “Black Box” Thinking: Lessons on Failure and Accountability from a Veteran Pilot

In both aviation and medicine, mistakes can cost lives. Yet while the aviation industry has spent decades learning how to learn from failure, healthcare still often fears it. I sat down with my dad, Chris Tomlinson – a veteran pilot with more than 25 years experience in the RAF and civilian aviation, to talk about…
Jess’ Rule: The Change in GP Care That Could Save Young Lives

20 GP visits. No answers. With cancer rates rising in young people, Jess’ Rule is a wake-up call for patients and GPs alike: never dismiss persistent symptoms as ‘nothing.’
Biohacking: The Human Obsession with Optimisation

Biohacking. I’d heard the term once or twice in medical school, though it never held much weight for me at the time. That changed on a flight home from holiday last year when I got talking to a man who swore by it. He asked me, as a doctor, what I thought of biohacking. Embarrassingly, I…
The £50,000+ A Year Care Bill: The Hidden Cost of Growing Old

In the UK, healthcare is free at the point of use. Yet families face bills of over £1,000 per week for standard nursing care. That’s more than £50,000 a year, and many households are unprepared. QUESTION: Why is this the case if healthcare is free? ANSWER: Because it’s healthcare that’s free. Social care isn’t. And though local…
Accessing ADHD Care: Private vs NHS Options Explained

It is a known fact that waiting times for ADHD assessments in the UK vary greatly. According to ADHD UK’s 2023 report, children may wait 5 weeks to 5 years. Adults may wait 12 weeks to over 10 years. With waits this long, many people turn to private assessments. These typically cost several hundred pounds,…
Non-Hormonal Contraceptive Methods Explained

Let’s talk about contraception: an essential part of reproductive health that can often feel overwhelming when there are lots of options available. How are you supposed to know what’s best for you? While many contraceptive methods rely on hormones, there are times when avoiding them is preferred or necessary. Whether you’ve experienced side effects, have…
Redefining “Women”: What The UK Supreme Court Ruling Could Mean For The NHS

Today marks IDAHOTB — the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. It’s a day to stand in solidarity with LGBTQ+ communities, to confront stigma, and to advocate for more inclusive societies. In light of this, we’re examining a recent UK Supreme Court ruling that has sparked widespread debate: a decision which reaffirms that, under the…