In recent years, politicians in the UK have been roundly criticised for not cutting expenses. One government-run industry that has come under fire of late is the National Health System (NHS). While costs are high across the board, it is the salaries of physicians in the UK that has many people seeing red.

When compared to other European nations, doctors in the UK make more than twice as much as those in Italy and Spain and nearly double what French physicians take home. They also make quite a bit more than MDs in Germany. In fact, it isn't even close. But what is more alarming than the present pay gap is that fact that it is growing, rapidly.

According to the latest figures, the salary of the average doctor in the UK has gone up thirty percent over the past two years. And that was during an economic recession! As it stands, doctors in the UK are paid more than motivational speakers or lawyers. (more...)

Of all the things we may take for granted, our eyesight should not be one of them. The gift of sight is one of the most precious things we have and we depend on it our entire lives. We therefore owe it to our eyes to take care of them.

Smoking can lead to age-related macular degeneration which eventually causes blindness, so the first thing we can do for our eyes is quit smoking and avoid smoky atmospheres. Protective goggles should be worn during DIY work and even in certain sports to safeguard the eyes from injury; and we all know the dangers of UVA and UVB rays on our skin and eyes, so protection from the sun's glare and reflection with good quality sunglasses is a must.

Just as we keep a first aid kit in our homes, an emergency eyewash station should also be included and inexpensive wall-mounted kits with mirrors are readily available. These come with sterile solutions and eye baths and should be used immediately when dust or other foreign bodies enter the eyes. (more...)

As parents, our number one priority in life is keeping our kids safe and healthy. We know we can't wrap them up in cotton wool, and that a lot of our good advice will fall on deaf ears, but still we keep trying. We would not be good parents if we didn't.

Getting children to eat healthily is probably the biggest hurdle we have to face. I remember the subterfuges I had to employ to try to get my vegetable-phobic son to eat his quota of 5 a day. These started in the high chair, weaving elaborate stories around his favourite CBeebies characters incorporating broccoli forests, asparagus trains etc but then progressed to unashamed deception and disguise!

Keeping them safe while at play is another concern. Reminding them to wear safety helmets, shin or elbow pads for their limbs and mouthguards to protect their teeth during certain sports is as important as drilling them on road safety and saying no to strangers. Sadly the world outside the safety of the home can be a dangerous and cruel place at times. (more...)

It is a sad fact of these present times that for most people their physical appearance is just as, or even more, important to them than their general health. For instance many will starve themselves or, in extreme cases suffer from such medical conditions as anorexia or bulimia to achieve the slender figure of the celebrities and models they admire.

Many will turn to plastic surgery to achieve a flat stomach or slender hips. Such drastic procedures as tummy tucks, liposuction or in extreme cases even the removal of ribs, can give the patient the body shape they crave.

The majority of these cosmetic procedures are almost commonplace nowadays. They can be safely and responsibly undertaken by qualified surgeons and will give quick and dramatic results. (more...)

In this era of stress, careers and multi-tasking it is important that you take time out to ensure that your body is in the best condition it can be. After all, it is difficult to maintain a busy business lifestyle if you are plagued by low energy levels, the pitfalls of inadequate nutrition and a lack of confidence.

In order to put fitness first it is necessary to eat a balanced and healthy diet. This means making time for regular meals and ensuring that these consist of carbohydrates and protein in proportion. It is also crucial that you eat enough fresh fruit and vegetables, which are packed with vitamins and minerals. Eating correctly and drinking enough water will boost energy levels, help you to shed unwanted weight and encourage your brain to run effectively as well.

Exercise is also key in the quest for a healthy, productive body. Even a light workout or brisk walk will help to firm you up and will, in addition, promote the release of endorphins. Exercise, taken regularly is thus a great way to maintain both mental and physical well being. (more...)

One of the first concerns of a Rheumatiod arthritis sufferer, after being diagnosed, is the fact that he or she might have to take drugs for the rest of their lives, and what side effects will there be with the given drugs.

There are many drugs used today, some are relatively new (anti TNF) and therefore we cannot possibly know as much about the side effects. However, these drugs do seem to offer a much greater relief from the arthritis pain and suffering. Arthritis patients are sometimes afraid of biologics, also known as biologic response modifiers, as these anti-TNF drugs are called. The known side effects can be very serious (Infections, lymphomas and more.), so fear is not an illogical response. What is the benefit vs. risk for TNF blockers? If the condition is out of control, the risk may be worth taking. It would be for you and your doctor to decide whether the risk was worth taking.

Among the other drugs available are the DMARD (disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs). Of which Methotrexate and Sulphasalazine are two of the most popular, and have been used for decades. (more...)

Much is made of health and safety issues in the workplace, where we are obliged to watch health and safety videos and abide by regulations to avoid ending up in a No Win No Fee situation. But health and safety is largely unregulated in the home and it is up to us as individuals how much effort we put in.

As a minimum we should consider installing smoke alarms around the house to alert us if fire breaks out as these can mean the difference between escaping from a fire or not. They are inexpensive to buy and can save lives so it is crazy not to invest in one.

You may also want to consider a fire extinguisher in the home and you can buy small ones which are designed for the home rather than the workplace. Hopefully you will never need it but it could be a life saver if the worst were to happen. (more...)

For many people, hair loss is a very real and pressing difficulty. While there are numerous solutions available on the market today, only a few of these are really effective.

Pharmacies are full of lotions and potions, all promising to stimulate re-growth and prevent hair loss. In truth, however, very few – if any – of these topical solutions work. If you find yourself in a situation where you are losing your hair, studies suggest that your best chance of rescue lie in hormone therapy.

As the dutasteride twins have proven, it is possible to prevent baldness. Doctors have developed a treatment which suppresses the natural processes that cause male pattern baldness, and as long as this is taken from a relatively early age, it can avoid adult onset hair loss. (more...)

Taking a gap year has become increasingly popular for students from the United Kingdom. In the past, it may have been the preserve of the privileged few, but nowadays, it is almost seen as obligatory amongst the student population.

Australia is a firm favourite with those people looking to take a gap year, as we speak the same language, have a shared past due to the British Empire and it is possible to work there on a fairly easy to obtain working visa.

Gap year travel can be a lot of fun, and can also be quite character building. If you are thinking about it yourself, you should be aware that things can and do occasionally go wrong though. One such thing that can happen, is that you may become quite ill whilst on the road. This means that it is especially important to have adequate medical insurance to cover the duration of your trip. (more...)

The importance of keeping ourselves fit and healthy is not to be underestimated, and yet it is surprising just how little people think of their own well-being. In our youth, we take for granted that we have a certain level of health and fitness without needing to put too much effort in. As we get older though, it is important to recognise that in order to keep at the right weight, and be fit and healthy, regular exercise and a good diet are needed.

The reasons for this are many. There is a certain self-esteem that comes from feeling fit and not flabby, or financially, an enhanced annuities might pay out more if you do not smoke. There are many more reasons for this, but the one thing to set you on the right path will be motivation.

The motivation to embark on a fitness regime is yours alone to decide, but it will need to be a good one in order to keep you going through times when you think that you are making little progress. (more...)

Whether you are a young doctor looking for locum insurance cover or you are simply a civilian keen to bolster your medical policy, you will need to very carefully navigate the labyrinth of advertising and promotional content with which modern insurance companies surround themselves.

Before you can make any kind of informed decision, you will need to do plenty of research regarding all of your possible policy options. If you plan to be very thorough, this process has the potential to take a very long time, and for this reason, it is a good idea to take the odd short cut here and there if you can.

Once you have the names of a few reputable companies, get online and search for the ones that have enjoyed plenty of recent success or which have won awards in the last couple of years. This will give you a good idea of which service providers are the leaders in their fields, and you can use the information you have about them as something of a benchmark against which to measure other companies. (more...)