It stopped me
Last week I came across the above gravestone in Stewarton Churchyard and it stopped me. Mrs Picken was an elderly widow, who day after day, year after year, left an … Continue reading It stopped me
Category: Dementia
Hole Ousia spends much time reading and writing about dementia. The neuroscientific understandings, as they develop, are considered alongside sociology, ageing, philosophy and the medical humanities.
Two years ago
Two years ago, almost to the day, I attended a Cross Party Group on Mental Health and Older People at the Scottish Parliament. I found it a difficult meeting for … Continue reading Two years ago
Mrs Picken
Mrs Picken was an elderly widow, who day after day, year after year, left an apple on her window-sill for me as I delivered her daily paper. I have never … Continue reading Mrs Picken
My formal instruction of resignation as a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
Saturday, 24th November 2018 To: The Registrar of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, 21 Prescot St, Whitechapel, London, E1 8BB Dear Dr Adrian James, Resignation as a member of the … Continue reading My formal instruction of resignation as a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
“Trickles down from the upper echelons”
I read this letter by Dr William Durward, a retired NHS Scotland Consultant with interest. It was published in the Herald, 7 November 2018, and was written in response to … Continue reading “Trickles down from the upper echelons”
The dark flood rises
A few selected phrases from the ‘The Dark Flood Rises‘ by Margaret Drabble:
Psychiatric medications and potential effects on cardiac rhythm
In the last month we have been having discussions at work about the potential for psychiatric medications to adversely effect cardiac rhythms, and in particular QTc prolongation. The advice on ECG … Continue reading Psychiatric medications and potential effects on cardiac rhythm
Two years of no sunshine
On Thursday 22nd March 2018 I will be standing outside the Scottish Parliament with this banner. This will be a peaceful, one-man protest, two years to the day that my … Continue reading Two years of no sunshine
Mild Cognitive Impairment
This recently-published Guest editorial in International Psychogeriatrics concludes that the concept of MCI faces extinction. As a doctor practising in this field I found this editorial difficult to follow and self-contradictory.
Paradigms, pathologies and shifts
The following extracts are taken from this perspective published in the Scotsman, 11 January 2018: Pfizer has seemingly concluded that Alzheimer’s disease is far more complex than we had ever … Continue reading Paradigms, pathologies and shifts
Finding balance
This unedited clip (apart from titles) is from the evidence session on NHS Targets given to the Health and Sport Committee of the Scottish Parliament on 9 January 2018. I share … Continue reading Finding balance