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A Returning Doctor

@returningdoctor.bsky.social
4.8K followers 3K following 1.7K posts

Consultant Anaesthetist • NHS • Returned to medicine after a long career break • Mum • Introvert • Runner (slow & happy) • Coffee (always) ☕ #Anaesthesia • #MedSky • #AnSky • #CareerReturn • #ReturningDoctor 🩺

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Reposted by A Returning Doctor
Tom Lawton @lawtontri.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
I had a fascinating discussion with a guy who had been interviewing anaesthetists across Europe to find out what we use in our epidural bags. Apparently the most common British answer was "whatever Pharmacy have managed to get hold of this week"...
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Royal College of Anaesthetists @rcoanews.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Are you an SAS anaesthetist looking to develop your career? Join us tomorrow for Strive, Achieve, Sustain, in partnership with The Association of Anaesthetists, for practical, interactive sessions covering 👇 ✅ Wellbeing ✅ Portfolio pathway ✅ Career progression 🔗 ow.ly/In1850ZGQO9 #Medsky
Strive, Achieve, Sustain - Improving the working lives of SAS anaesthetists event
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Guaranteed to induce palpitations in every UK anaesthetist of a certain vintage (including me). @rcoanews.bsky.social
48-49 Russell Square, LondonRussell Square, LondonRussell Square Underground station, London
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
So fed up of the anti-GP rhetoric in the UK media, it's relentless. Solidarity to my GP colleagues and friends.
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Alasdair MacLullich @amaclullich.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
The word "delirium" comes from the Latin "de lira": off the furrow, or off the track. Celsus (25 BCE-50 CE) first used it to describe acute mental disturbances with fever. 2000 years later we're still very much on a learning curve to get the basics right.
Engraved medallion portrait in a ruled circle: a curly haired, bearded man in profile wearing Roman drapery fastened at the shoulder with a round clasp. Printed caption pasted below reads "CELSVS."
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
medicalwomensfederation.substack.com/p/surviving-...
medicalwomensfederation.substack.com
Surviving Medicine Shouldn’t Be a Test of Resilience
On National Suicide Memorial Day, Dr Sarah Jacques asks why doctors reach breaking point and what needs to change
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Royal College of Anaesthetists @rcoanews.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Join us for the Portfolio Pathway Webinar. Open to all & particularly relevant for current & prospective portfolio pathway applicants but will also be useful for supervisors of portfolio pathway applicants & programme leads. Find out more information & register here 👉 ow.ly/RjKf50ZOjNO
Portfolio Pathway Webinar on Tuesday 29 September 2026
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British Journal of Anaesthesia @bjajournals.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
🎙️ New opportunity! BJA Education trainee podcast & social media editor 🎙️ Apply by 18th September For more details follow the link: bit.ly/4A1CsA2
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The BMA @bma.org.uk · 15/09/2026
Accountability must apply to everyone working in the NHS. That's why we're calling for regulation of non-medical managers. Read our full response to the Thirlwall Inquiry www.bma.org.uk/bma-media-ce...
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Rhea Liang @liangrhea.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
As doctors, are we not ourselves entitled to healthcare? 😥 What struck me was how an implicit link between 'being a doctor' and 'being able' underlies much of the identity, work/training, and structural disruption caused by illness. #Wellbeing #MedEd
asmepublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
‘I've been here before, but never looked at the ceiling’: Narratives of medical trainees who took illness‐based leaves
Introduction Medical training is commonly imagined as a linear, uninterrupted progression, yet many trainees experience illness that necessitates a leave of absence (LOA). Illness-based leaves may b...
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
It's difficult to argue that advanced practice roles are not substituting for medical roles, when it is literally in the job description. "They will be required to provide cover for the Radiology Breast Consultants duties and clinics.." beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jo...
beta.jobs.nhs.uk
Job Advert
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BMA Scotland @bmascotland.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
🚨BMA Scotland Gender Equality Group is looking at how we can better support women doctors and medical students across Scotland Please take 5 mins to fill in our short survey - link and full details 👇 bmascotland.home.blog/2026/09/07/w...
bmascotland.home.blog
What should BMA Scotland do for women doctors and medical students?
The BMA Scotland Gender Equality Group is looking at how we can better support women doctors and medical students across Scotland. We are keen to focus our work and resources on way that delivers t…
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Sethina Watson @sethina.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Just in the train going past the remnants of Reading Festival. The rubbish left behind is shocking. Surely something should be done to prevent this level of waste and utter disregard for the environment & sustainability.
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
💯 I am nervous about this, I won't lie. It's a HUGE reform, so far with very little detail (zero 😑) provided on its implementation. There needs to be an assessment of its impact on NHS staff, as well as the public in general. Services are so stretched in all areas. Staff are at breaking point.
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
I was lucky enough to meet Nóra when we met to begin work with NHS Education Scotland NES (now Public Services Delivery Scotland), on developing resources to support doctors returning to work following a career break. Wishing Nóra every success in her new role!
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Rob Fleming @robjimfleming.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
My son, daft sod that he is, was victim of fraud. If your kids have mobile phones in the UK, make sure that third-party purchases are switched off, or their mobile number can be used to make purchases, billed to their mobile phone bill. News to me, and the bill was not a pleasant surprise.
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
I’ve just discovered this podcast and am loving it 😀 Perfect for the commute 🚗 and a fantastic resource for medical students too. It’s brilliant to hear two acute medicine consultants talk through interesting cases and explain their clinical reasoning as they work through them. Highly recommend!✅
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
I was fortunate enough to spend my medical student elective in Nepal and will never forget my time there amongst some of the kindest and most generous people I have ever met. What has happened there is horrifying.
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
One of my favourite films RIP, Dolly
static.klipy.com
Steel Magnolias - Women Together
Alt: Steel Magnolias - Women Together
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
This is interesting. Do anaesthetists routinely discuss the risk of death as a complication of general anaesthesia with adult patients? I don't think it's common, unless specifically asked by the patient?
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
rcoa.ac.uk/news/rcoa-re... @rcoanews.bsky.social
rcoa.ac.uk
RCoA response to government consultation on GMC legislative framework
We have responded to the Department of Health and Social Care consultation on reforms to the General Medical Council legislative framework.
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Royal College of Anaesthetists @rcoanews.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
In her BMJ column this week, Prof Scarlett McNally, former Deputy Director for CPOC, writes about our latest State of the Nation report and the need for more anaesthetists. Read the full BMJ article here 👇 ow.ly/4xvs50ZBvap #MedSky #AnSky
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Alasdair MacLullich @amaclullich.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
We consent older surgical patients for bleeding, infection and clots, and skip the complication they are most likely to meet: delirium. Name it beforehand. What it is, that it typically lifts within days, how families can help. #periop #delirium
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
static.klipy.com
Woman Scrolling Phone on Couch
Alt: Woman Scrolling Phone to select year of birth
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
Every day is a school day. Oral clindamycin should be taken with a full glass of water, swallowed in the upright position, remaining upright for at least 30 minutes after taking. Why? It can cause mucosal injury, including ulceration, to the GI tract. www.npra.gov.my/index.php/en...
npra.gov.my
Clindamycin Hydrochloride (Oral Capsules): Risk of Oesophagitis and Oesophageal Ulcer
DISCLAIMER: This publication is intended for healthcare professionals. The information provided aims to update on medication safety issues and should not s...
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Alasdair MacLullich @amaclullich.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Spinal or general anaesthesia? For delirium after hip fracture surgery, the large trials found little between them. The pathway around the anaesthetic matters more: pain control, hydration, sleep, early mobilisation. #periop #delirium
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Alasdair MacLullich @amaclullich.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Myth: Sedatives (like benzos) are mostly helpful in calming delirium. Fact: Sedatives often worsen delirium. Non-drug approaches (reorientation, hydration, mobility) are first-line treatments.
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Who else loved their reusable tourniquet as a JHO?
static.klipy.com
Karma Consequences: What Goes Around Comes Around
Alt: A cartoon penguin runs around a sign stating What Goes Around Comes Around
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Does anyone know what these flowers are? They smelled wonderful, really fresh and summery. (at Loch Leven, Perth & Kinross 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿)
A field of purple (and yellow) flowers, with blue sky and clouds and trees in the background.
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
All patients on my list this week looked clinically dry - probably in part because it's so hot in the hospital - need to be even more vigilant in heatwaves...
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Sarah M @sarah-owl.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
We are looking for colleagues- one retirement and someone moving for family reasons www.bmj.com/careers/job/...
bmj.com
Consultants in Palliative Medicine - Denny, Falkirk job with Strathcarron Hospice | 825179
Due to a combination of retirement and career progression, we have an exciting opportunity for two Consultants in Palliative Medicine to join our team
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Susanna Stanford @susannastanford.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
I have recently argued that pain scores should be included in the intra-operative anaesthesia chart to prompt regular assessment, accurate record keeping and for monitoring responses to additional medication: all factors required for safe and effective pain management. 5/ bsky.app/profile/anae...
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Susanna Stanford @susannastanford.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Follow on from NovPod… bsky.app/profile/anae...
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Susanna Stanford @susannastanford.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
My heart goes out to the women who shared their experiences for @theguardian.com It is important to understand the experiences of black women maternity care come in the context of lifetimes experiencing micro aggressions and discrimination. Harm is compounded and trust undermined further. 1/
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
A hazard of long floaty trousers and rushing down the hill is that you can trip over yourself on the way in to work 🙈 Feeling like a fool, but could have been worse. Thank you to ED for patching me up! I should clearly cease trying to look floaty and summery lol.
A white dressing on the palm of a handA bandage and dressings covering a knee
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
One of the reasons I have a separate work phone! 298 WhatsApp messages from work groups in the past 2 weeks while on annual leave.
Screenshot showing 298 unread WhatsApp messages
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
True story...! www.facebook.com/share/p/1DCt... #AI ? #GetTheBasicsRightFirst lol
Text:

It's going to hit 39 degrees this week. But somewhere, in an NHS hospital near you, a radiator will be on. It can't be turned off. It's been on since 1976. Except in winter when it doesn't work.
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Bill Kilvington @billkilvington.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
When I trained at St. Thomas', qualified 1980, they employed a 'clock man's whose job it was literally to keep the clocks running to time.
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
A screenshot from a post on X, illustrating how the simple things matter and are often the most effective. (The expanded images show that each wall clock is set to the incorrect time.) x.com/i/status/206...
Text from the linked post:

"Taken today: A selection of patient-facing clocks, including in ED

For the elderly patient with dementia or delirium, I cannot imagine anything more disorientating

 How many trusts will have 50 page “dementia strategies” yet fail to get these basics right?

It is so depressing."
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
A very sad read. Condolences to the family and friends of Dr Ahmed. @the-independent.com www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
independent.co.uk
‘Exhausted’ doctor died in on-call room after working nine 13-hour shifts in a row
Entry had to be forced into the room where Dr Naeem Ahmed was found dead
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Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 19/06/2026
The British Menopause Society has published a new BMS Tool for Clinicians: Menopausal ‘brain fog’ or dementia? – a practical guide for clinicians. #Pharmsky thebms.org.uk/2026/06/bms-...
thebms.org.uk
BMS publishes new clinical tool on menopausal 'brain fog' and dementia
BMS publishes new clinical tool on menopausal 'brain fog' and dementia
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
I learned yesterday that the academic year for midwifery training at a local university is divided into trimesters rather than semesters, which is beautifully apt. 👶🏻
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
I have just used this on my home elliptical/cross trainer and it is SO GOOD! 🚵🏻‍♀️ HT @scott.hanselman.com 👏🏻
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Scott Hanselman 🌮 @scott.hanselman.com · 18/06/2026
I have a $30 stationary bike that I got at Goodwill and I have an old Android tablet stuck to it, but I don't have a Peloton membership. Nor do I have the interest to ride 80 miles to the beach. So I made PedalScape.com It's a local PWA, no backend at all, no tracking, just 4k bike rides.
pedalscape.com
PedalScape
Any bike. Any screen. Beautiful rides from home.
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Well said @thercog.bsky.social www.rcog.org.uk/news/rcog-re...
rcog.org.uk
RCOG response to remarks by Professor Flint on LBC Radio | RCOG
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) was extremely disappointed to hear the remarks made by Professor Caroline Flint on LBC radio on Sunday 14 June.
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The Association of Anaesthetists @assocanaes.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Are you at the Resident Doctors Conference today? There will be something exciting launching very soon! Tune in to find out what 👀 #AnSky
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Lost Glasgow @lostglasgow.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Good to see that the George Washington statue in Boston is now wearing the appropriate headgear. Pic: Dan Witzke
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A Returning Doctor @returningdoctor.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
One of our SAS Specialist doctors is now being facilitated to come off resident nights (>50y). Brilliant news, a great precedent and the right thing to do for our colleagues 👍🏼 It came a little too late for me—one reason I moved to a consultant post—but I'm so delighted for them 🙂 #SASbyChoice
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Rhea Liang @liangrhea.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
A great collab from Dr Justine Lee + team provides clear(er) evidence for prehabilitation programs in surgery. I'd like to see prehab normalized to the same degree as rehab ie. optimised for every pt; though not everyone will need a formal 'program'. journals.lww.com/journalacs/a...
In Brief

This systematic review and meta-analysis found that exercise or nutrition-based prehabilitation reduces length of stay and complications across various surgical contexts. However, subgroup analysis revealed that each intervention differentially impacted the primary outcomes.

2026 by the American College of Surgeons.
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Admirable Women @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Physician & suffragist Elizabeth Anderson was born #OTD in 1836. She was the: * First woman to qualify in the UK as a physician & surgeon & first MD in France * Co-founder of the first hospital staffed by women * First dean of a British medical school * First female mayor in the #UK #WomenInSTEM
A gorgeous 19th-century black-and-white studio portrait of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (1836–1917), the pioneering physician who shattered gender barriers as Britain's first openly qualified female doctor and the co-founder of the London School of Medicine for Women. Captured in profile facing left, Dr. Anderson sits in a dark wooden armchair, her body slightly inclined forward over a small ornate side table. Her pose reflects deep concentration and intellectual engagement; her left hand holds an open book, while her right elbow rests on the table, lifting her hand to cradle her temple. Her expression is calm yet intensely focused, with downcast eyes fixed on the text.She wears a tailored 19th-century dress featuring a structured bodice, striped lapels, tight sleeves with crisp white cuffs, and a full, heavy skirt flowing into a bustle. Her dark hair is swept back into a neat braided bun. A secondary closed book rests on the table, and a decorative tapestry hangs in the background. The studio lighting casts a soft focus across the scene, creating a serious, contemplative mood that emphasizes her lifelong dedication to medical science and education.
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