David Jeffrey

• University of Edinburgh

Academic Diary: Or Why Higher Education Still Matters Les Back Goldsmiths Press, 2016, PB, 272pp, £9.95, 978-1906897581 Les Back, a Professor of Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London, has published insights into higher education in the form of a diary of the academic year. The diary consists of around 50 short essays that will be of intere...

Background: Quantitative research suggests that medical students' empathy declines during their training. This meta-ethnography asks: What new understanding may be gained by a synthesis of interview-based qualitative research on medical students' views and experiences of empathy? How can such a synthesis be undertaken? Methodology: A meta-ethnog...

Currently, empathy and the ‘humanisation’ of medical care are of particular concern in the wake of high-profile reports. These include the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust public inquiry; Dying Without Dignity , a report by the Health Service Ombudsman into end-of-life-care; and the Leadership Alliance for the Care of Dying People report, One...

A Tour of Bones: Facing Fear and Looking for Life Denise Inge Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014, HB, 224pp, £15.29, 978-1472913074 This remarkable book addresses our fears of confronting our mortality. Denise Inge moved to a house adjacent to Worcester cathedral which had a medieval charnel house in the cellar. At first frightened of the bones beneath h...

This paper describes an innovative 2 weeks module for medical students facilitated by drama educators and a palliative medicine doctor. The module incorporates drama, end-of-life care, teamwork and reflective practice. The module contents, practical aspects of drama teaching and learning outcomes are discussed. Various themes emerged from a study o...

Pinter's play The Caretaker explores interpersonal tensions relating to terminal illness. This paper interrogates notions of care, suffering, ownership, dignity and the consequences of active intervention and inaction in two key sections of the play: Aston's monologue concerning his own brutal treatment (active intervention) and Davies's final reje...

Good communication is at the heart of effective cancer care. Certain situations which occur commonly in cancer care present particular challenges to the communication skills of healthcare professionals. This paper explores some of the reasons why these situations are difficult and provides frameworks for responding, to stimulate thought and discuss...

The transition between a curative and a palliative approach to the care of a patient with cancer may be filled with uncertainty for patients, their families and health care professionals. A conventional model of treating the patient with cancer through curative, palliative and terminal phases is examined. The boundaries between the phases of care a...

Doctors in the United Kingdom can accompany their patients every step of the way, up until the last. The law stops them helping their patients take the final step, even if that is the patient9s fervent wish. Next month9s debate in the House of Lords could begin the process of changing the law. To help doctors decide where they stand we publish a ra...

Talking to patients about ‘Do Not Attempt Resuscitation’ decisions is difficult for many doctors. Communication about ‘Do Not Attempt Resuscitation’ decisions should occur as part of a wider discussion of treatment goals at an earlier stage in the patient's illness. A doctor should not initiate any treatment, including cardio-pulmonary resuscitatio...

There has been renewed interest in the moral arguments surrounding euthanasia. Some patients are now apprehensive of advanced medical technology which they fear may result in a prolonged and undignified death. In the current situation of scarce resources for health care, both patients and doctors could be coerced into considering active euthanasia...