Future healthcare journalPub Date : 2026-03-27eCollection Date: 2026-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100522
Kathryn Mannix
{"title":"Everybody's business: insights into palliative and end-of-life care for clinicians who treat mortals (yes, that means you).","authors":"Kathryn Mannix","doi":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100522","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100522","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":73125,"journal":{"name":"Future healthcare journal","volume":"13 1","pages":"100522"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13063273/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147679179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Future healthcare journalPub Date : 2026-03-27eCollection Date: 2026-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100515
Felicity Dewhurst, Polly M Edmonds, Rowan H Harwood, Daniel S Furmedge
{"title":"Good care for older people at the end of life: Shared responsibilities, flexible boundaries.","authors":"Felicity Dewhurst, Polly M Edmonds, Rowan H Harwood, Daniel S Furmedge","doi":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100515","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100515","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The majority of deaths occur among older adults, many living with frailty, multimorbidity, disability and/or cognitive impairment. When care is organised around single diseases and episodic crises, people can experience fragmented, reactive care and burdensome interventions. We argue that good end-of-life care is a shared responsibility across settings, requiring flexible boundaries between geriatric medicine, palliative care, primary care, social care and the voluntary sector. Clinical vignettes illustrate challenges including prognostic uncertainty, treatment burden, transitions between services, and achieving preferred place of care and death. We propose neighbourhood-based, person-centred care that anticipates deterioration: shared decision-making and parallel planning; minimising treatment burden (including deprescribing); coordinated anticipatory care plans with accessible records; and timely care in the last months focused on comfort, dignity and family support. Delivery depends on appropriate funding and workforce capacity.</p>","PeriodicalId":73125,"journal":{"name":"Future healthcare journal","volume":"13 1","pages":"100515"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13063255/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147678180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Future healthcare journalPub Date : 2026-03-27eCollection Date: 2026-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100507
Mark Taylor, Katherine Frew
{"title":"Not ready to die yet! A patient perspective of motor neurone disease.","authors":"Mark Taylor, Katherine Frew","doi":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100507","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100507","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Palliative care expertise is appropriate at various points in a person's life or during a specific illness, but there is a widespread public and professional misperception that it is an 'end of life' service. This patient view is written jointly by Mark and by the consultant in his local palliative care service, who has been intermittently involved in his care and healthcare planning for a decade.</p>","PeriodicalId":73125,"journal":{"name":"Future healthcare journal","volume":"13 1","pages":"100507"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13063260/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147678968","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Future healthcare journalPub Date : 2026-03-27eCollection Date: 2026-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100514
Caroline Elton
{"title":"Final costs: The emotional impact of providing end-of-life care.","authors":"Caroline Elton","doi":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100514","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100514","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The article highlights the emotional challenges that doctors face when providing end-of-life care, and argues that medical training doesn't always prepare them adequately for this task. While palliative care specialists are particularly experienced in handling the emotional demands of caring for the dying patient, their expertise could usefully be shared more widely beyond their specialty. This is particularly important, given that most end-of-life care is provided by doctors from specialties other than palliative medicine. The suggestion is made that there needs to be greater provision of reflective groups and psychological support, to help doctors manage the inevitable emotional weight of their work. Although this would incur costs in the short term, such investment has been shown to be cost-effective in the longer term as it improves doctors' wellbeing and enhances staff retention.</p>","PeriodicalId":73125,"journal":{"name":"Future healthcare journal","volume":"13 1","pages":"100514"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13063263/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147679194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Future healthcare journalPub Date : 2026-03-27eCollection Date: 2026-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100516
Eleni Lester, Simon Tavabie, Nicola White, Ollie Minton
{"title":"Recognising dying: Will artificial intelligence (AI) help improve clinical accuracy?","authors":"Eleni Lester, Simon Tavabie, Nicola White, Ollie Minton","doi":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100516","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100516","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The number of people requiring palliative care in the UK is projected to rise significantly, creating an urgent need for earlier and more systematic recognition of those approaching the end of life. Current clinical markers and tools for predicting prognosis are limited in their accuracy, and prone to human and systemic biases. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers potential to improve prediction of deterioration and dying, and early studies suggest that it may support timely interventions and advance care planning. However, integration of AI must prioritise data integrity, accountability and minimising the amplification of existing inequities. Crucially, recognising dying remains a fundamentally human task with ethical, relational and existential dimensions that AI cannot replicate. Successful implementation will depend on thoughtful human-AI collaboration that strengthens clinical insight without compromising the compassionate, person-centred approach that is central to palliative care.</p>","PeriodicalId":73125,"journal":{"name":"Future healthcare journal","volume":"13 1","pages":"100516"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13063267/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147678991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Future healthcare journalPub Date : 2026-03-26eCollection Date: 2026-06-01DOI: 10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100528
Richard Anderson, Debra Chalmers, Louise Trent
{"title":"Transition from routine arterial blood gas testing to indication-based testing in the intensive care unit: A sustainability in quality improvement initiative.","authors":"Richard Anderson, Debra Chalmers, Louise Trent","doi":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100528","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100528","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Unnecessary routine blood testing is associated with patient harm, increased length of stay, increased cost, increased environmental harm and reduced nursing efficiency. Transition from routine arterial blood gas (ABG) testing to indication-based testing in one intensive care unit in New Zealand led to significant reduction in ABG testing and improved sustainable value without causing harm to patients. This was achieved through a Sustainability in Quality Improvement (SusQI) project involving a guideline, education programme, visual cues and audit and feedback. The impact has been sustained for 2 years post-intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":73125,"journal":{"name":"Future healthcare journal","volume":"13 2","pages":"100528"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13157046/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147870756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Future healthcare journalPub Date : 2026-03-20eCollection Date: 2026-06-01DOI: 10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100523
Neil Thakrar, Vaishali Gajjar, Alice Clayton, Rebecca Cole, Catherine Atkin
{"title":"Improving Clinical Frailty Scale accuracy on a vascular ward for a perioperative medicine for older people undergoing surgery pilot.","authors":"Neil Thakrar, Vaishali Gajjar, Alice Clayton, Rebecca Cole, Catherine Atkin","doi":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100523","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100523","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Geriatricians in Leicester piloted a perioperative medicine for older people undergoing surgery (POPS) service for patients with a lower limb vascular pathology and Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) score of 5 or more. We aimed to improve CFS accuracy assigned by the vascular team through a structured teaching programme and use of a mobile application. Frailty scoring improved after each intervention, facilitating accurate identification of patients for referral to geriatricians. Education within host surgical teams is therefore crucial to POPS service development.</p>","PeriodicalId":73125,"journal":{"name":"Future healthcare journal","volume":"13 2","pages":"100523"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13092593/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147791031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Future healthcare journalPub Date : 2026-03-18eCollection Date: 2026-06-01DOI: 10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100524
Linford Fernandes, Mia Rodziewicz, Sindhu Bhaarrati Naidu, Md Nazmus Sakib, Mohammed Rashwan, Souha El Abd, Laura Knox, Phoebe Naa Okailey Owen, Nwanneka N Sargant, Anupama Krishnamoorthi, Debajit Sen, Nina Newbery, Rohana J Wright, Emma J Howard, Aicha Bouraoui
{"title":"The state of specialty training in young adult and adolescent health in medical specialties in the UK: Resident doctors' and trainers' perspectives.","authors":"Linford Fernandes, Mia Rodziewicz, Sindhu Bhaarrati Naidu, Md Nazmus Sakib, Mohammed Rashwan, Souha El Abd, Laura Knox, Phoebe Naa Okailey Owen, Nwanneka N Sargant, Anupama Krishnamoorthi, Debajit Sen, Nina Newbery, Rohana J Wright, Emma J Howard, Aicha Bouraoui","doi":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100524","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100524","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Study objective: </strong>To assess current perceptions of training in adolescent and young adult healthcare among UK resident doctors and educational supervisors (ES), and to identify barriers and opportunities for improvement.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Cross-sectional national survey of resident doctors and ES, followed by qualitative focus group discussions.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>UK-wide, involving medical specialties participating in internal medicine training (IMT) and higher specialty training programmes.</p><p><strong>Participants: </strong>670 resident doctors and 64 ES across 29 specialties. A subset of nine participants (four ES, five resident doctors) took part in focus groups.</p><p><strong>Main outcome measures: </strong>Exposure to training, confidence in managing adolescent medicine, awareness of transition care tools and policies, perceived barriers and suggestions for improvement.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>18% of resident doctors had attended transition clinics and 38% reported no formal training in adolescent medicine. 5% of respondents were aware of national training guidance. Confidence and preparedness were low, with significant variation across specialties. ES confirmed the importance of adolescent medicine training but noted systemic limitations. Key barriers included limited clinical opportunities, lack of curricular emphasis and poor interdepartmental coordination.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Training in adolescent medicine remains inconsistent across UK specialties. System-wide reforms are needed to improve preparedness and care quality. This may include mandating adolescent care competencies, structured clinic access and integration into curricula.</p>","PeriodicalId":73125,"journal":{"name":"Future healthcare journal","volume":"13 2","pages":"100524"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13054070/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147640826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Future healthcare journalPub Date : 2026-02-18eCollection Date: 2026-06-01DOI: 10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100513
Michal Pruski
{"title":"Clinical scientist in clinical bioinformatics - the under-implemented recommendation of the Topol Review?","authors":"Michal Pruski","doi":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100513","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100513","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>One of the recommendations of the Topol Review was the 'expansion of Higher Specialist Scientist Training (HSST) for clinical bioinformaticians'. Freedom of Information requests show that there has been little uptake of bioinformatics trainees, both into the Scientist Training Programme and the HSST. Moreover, there is poor retention of those who completed the training, and evidence of poor appreciation of clinical scientists trained in bioinformatics. Considering that 1) the HSST programme is the only nationally recognised specialist training programme in informatics that allows entry onto an NHS-recognised specialist register, 2) the Scientist Training Programme allows trained scientists to become statutory registered healthcare professionals, 3) organisations receive funding to take up trainees; this under-implementation is hard to understand. It is unclear if NHS organisations are simply unaware of these opportunities, are not able to accept trainees, or do not appreciate the skills of healthcare scientists.</p>","PeriodicalId":73125,"journal":{"name":"Future healthcare journal","volume":"13 2","pages":"100513"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12990340/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147476434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Future healthcare journalPub Date : 2026-02-05eCollection Date: 2026-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100506
William Lea, Vijay Jayagopal, Lucy Pointon, Raoul Ovalekar, Rajjan Singh, Judith Johnson
{"title":"Are we preparing our medical students to fail with a reactive not proactive approach to managing workplace stress, reducing burnout and addressing mental health problems?","authors":"William Lea, Vijay Jayagopal, Lucy Pointon, Raoul Ovalekar, Rajjan Singh, Judith Johnson","doi":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100506","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fhj.2026.100506","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Stress, burnout and mental health problems are pervasive among medical students globally. Mental health difficulties during undergraduate training may persist throughout medical careers, yet current support remains predominantly reactive, addressing problems only after they emerge. This approach is problematic: harm has already occurred, students must self-identify difficulties despite documented help-seeking barriers, and psychological support resources remain insufficient. We argue for a paradigm shift towards proactive, preventative interventions that prepare students for the predictable stressors of clinical education and practice. Our preliminary research evaluating a cognitive-behavioural intervention demonstrated improvements in resilience, confidence and burnout indicators in medical students, and we are now building upon this with a randomised controlled trial of Thumos, an intervention based upon cognitive-behavioural principles. While acknowledging that individual-level interventions cannot address systemic causes of occupational stress, evidence-based proactive approaches should be prioritised alongside organisational change. International collaboration is essential to develop and implement effective preventative programmes.</p>","PeriodicalId":73125,"journal":{"name":"Future healthcare journal","volume":"13 1","pages":"100506"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12937162/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147328281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}