The 100th monkey effect in healthcare
In the early 1950s, a team of primate experts studied the behaviour of a troupe of Japanese monkeys inhabiting the tiny island of Kojima. One
The corner
A quiet spot
Inspire. Innovate. Improve.
‘Yeah, be prepared’
In Disney’s the Lion King, the evil Scar hatches a nefarious plot to murder his brother Mufasa and claim the throne for himself. He recruits
General practice and the invisible elephant
One of the most compelling magic tricks is making objects vanish right in front of our eyes. The larger the object, the better. We exclaim
The secret of successful teams
Why are some teams more successful than others even when they have comparable resources, challenges, and opportunities? The secret may be synergy. Synergy is derived
Irrigating the garden of general practice
Spring has sprung with an abundance of fragrant blossoms, buzzing bees and warmer weather. Inspired by nature, my family felt the time was right to
General practice needs more hedgehogs
The Greek poet Archilochus observed: ‘a fox knows many things, but a hedgehog one important thing’. Two and a half thousand years later this remains
The rational case for rationing health care
Few words are as contentious in healthcare as rationing. The ‘r’ word conjures up emotive images of inequality, discrimination, cuts to services and avoidable suffering.
General practice, candy, and the veil of ignorance
My grandfather grew up farming and hunting for sustenance in a wild, dangerous but also achingly beautiful corner of Africa long before the age of
You’re on mute
The COVID-19 pandemic is arguably the most important change-agent of our generation. After only a few short months there is already abundant evidence of far-reaching
In celebration of the Year of the Nurse
I will remain forever thankful to the matron and nursing staff of the provincial hospital where I did my internship. I walked into the Emergency