Sparkling Dangerous Ideas in Dublin at SAPC ASM 2016

Dublin was the backdrop for this, the 5th SAPC Dangerous Ideas soapbox, in which we invite you to pitch those ideas that must be heard...

Once again, our host was Professor Bob McKinley. Bob offered his usual sparkle, this time aided and abetted by an invited panel made up of Dr Nefyn Willians, Dr Nathan Hill and Dr Jo Protheroe.

Both speakers and audience rose magnificently to the occasion!

Speakers were invited to a 2 minute pitch to the new Chair of SAPC, Professor Kate O’Donnell. In which they outlined why acting on their idea should be a key piece of work for SAPC in the year ahead.

Six sparkling – fiery even -  ideas followed. Dr Daniel Crowfoot (Nottingham) argued that GPs should “put up and shut up” – replace protesting about overwork with developing resilience to manage it. Whilst  Dr Sarah Alderson proposed that GPs should be banned from prescribing opioids except in palliative care. Antony Chuter (a lay member of SAPC) shifted the focus on to pharmcists with his proposal for an Amazon-market-style eutopia of medicines distribution. Before Dr AustinO’Carroll (Dublin) returned to GP practice with his critique of the unchallenged discrimination within  practice set up against people who are homeless.  Dr Rachel Johnson (Bristol) derided 'shared decision making' as  a sham. Leaving Professor Watt, representing Dr Helene Irvine (Glasgow) to present data which he suggested demonstrates that shifting power and funding from generalist physicians (GPs) to managers has directly contributed to fragmentation and overall costs of health care.

A lively debate followed each idea. Culminating in the usual democratically unsound voting process involving a show of hands counted by Bob and Joanne!

The results

First prize went to Antony Chuter

A shared second prize went to Austin O’Carroll and Sarah Alderson

Many thanks to our panel, our Chair, to all the wonderful speakers. And of course to the audience.

Next years soapbox aims to include a clinical audience to present to. An added touch of danger! So get thinking…