Pseudocyst

The adventures and life of a Specialist Nurse in Upper GI and Bariatric surgery. If you then double and triple this by having a primary school age child AND being married to another Nurse then you have double the trouble….aehm I mean fun. Hobbies are playing chess, board games and being taxi for our son!!!

Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this blog are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

healthcare

  • Resident Doctors’ Strike Before Christmas: Pay, Politics, and Patient Safety

    Disclaimer This blog post is written in a personal and professional capacity. The views expressed are my own and do not represent those of my employer, the NHS, or any professional body. The content is based on publicly available information at the time of writing and is intended to contribute constructively to informed discussion on Read more

  • The hidden costs of bariatric surgery abroad: why the NHS can’t afford to look away

    A deep dive into the UK’s “bariatric tourism” problem — the waiting list mirage, the real cost of complications, and why we badly need an audit. Disclaimer This blog reflects my own views and analysis. It does not represent the official position of my Trust, the NHS, or any professional body. I remain firmly bound Read more

  • Annual Leave, Strikes, and the Joy of a Too Good To Go Bag

    Disclaimer: These are my personal reflections and observations, not those of my employer, the Upper GI team, or the NHS at large. No patients were harmed in the making of this blog — although several colleagues may have been mildly traumatized by my coffee consumption levels. So: I’m officially on annual leave this week — Read more

  • Upcoming Postgraduate (“Junior”) Doctor Strike in England

    Disclaimer: This blog entry is provided for academic and professional discussion only. The views expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of the NHS, the author’s employing organization, or any affiliated professional bodies. No patient‑identifiable information or confidential material is included. The content complies with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) Read more

  • BOMSS Journal Club – Somerset Steps Back into the Spotlight

    Disclaimer:This blog reflects personal views and is written in accordance with the NMC Social Media Guidelines and the Code of Conduct. All patient details are anonymised or excluded. We’re back! After a bit of a hiatus, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust’s Upper GI and Bariatric Team will once again step into the academic limelight at the Read more

  • The Crisis in UK Nursing: Pay, Retention, and the Future of Care

    AS ALWAYS FIRST THINGS FIRST: NMC Social Media Compliance Disclaimer This article represents my personal professional reflections as a registered nurse in Somerset. It has been written in strict accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code of Professional Standards (2018) and the NMC’s Social Media Guidance. Specifically, it complies with section 5 (confidentiality) and Read more

  • Why Surgical Specialties Need Advanced Clinical Practitioners: A Critical Look at ACPs vs ECPs

    As usual first things first: Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, employer organizations, or affiliated institutions. This blog entry has been written in accordance with the NMC Code (2018), which outlines the professional standards expected of Read more

  • When Big Brother Finds Your Blog

    My wife barely knows I have this blog—one I update more regularly than our shared calendar. It’s been a quiet space to reflect, share thoughts, and document the highs and lows of working in healthcare. Until recently, I assumed it was a well-kept secret. Turns out… not so much. Luckily, I don’t just write about Read more

  • The Implications of Bariatric Surgery Abroad: A Critical Analysis of Patient Outcomes and NHS Impact

    Bariatric surgery is an increasingly popular intervention for severe obesity, offering significant health benefits, including weight loss, improved metabolic health, and reduced morbidity and mortality (Rubino et al., 2022). However, in the UK, patients seeking such procedures face long NHS waiting lists or costly private treatment. Consequently, an increasing number opt for medical tourism, undergoing Read more

  • Setting up an Ambulatory Pancreatitis Clinic in Somerset: Challenges and Feasibility

    Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a significant cause of hospital admissions, with an incidence of approximately 30–50 per 100,000 per year in the UK (Yadav & Lowenfels, 2013). While severe cases necessitate inpatient care, mild-to-moderate cases (which constitute up to 80% of presentations) could be managed in an ambulatory setting (NICE, 2018). Benefits of an ambulatory Read more