DrVictor

/ Family Doctor... I don't know it all...
Sharing my learning to help you enhance your health and well-being.

[DrVictor @drwik]

I visited four patients at home today.

They all were in their 70-80ties and housbound due to poor mobility.

They suferred some falls and are dependent on others.

But this is preventable.

💪 Start strength training now to prevent loss of muscle mass, strength and function.

[ENT - Education Not Taxation @EducationNotTax]

The @Telegraph headline says it all.
VAT on school fees wasn’t a one-off — it was the opening act to @UKLabour's wider campaign of class warfare.
Some supported it believing it wouldn’t affect them. But the budget makes the truth clear: when aspiration is taxed, eventually everyone pays.
Opportunity should be supported, not targeted.
#EducationNotTax

[DrVictor @drwik]

🚀 After 6 weeks in the making… 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲!
Today, we’re launching our very first Innovation Sandbox – and we couldn't be more excited!

Huge congrats to Team #SmartHealth for leading the way.
You’re true trailblazers. 👏

Here’s the kind of problem we’re tackling:
As a GP, I spend 15–30 minutes every day reviewing blood test results.
👉 At least 75% are completely normal and need no action.
If I could save just 10 minutes a day, that’s 2,300 minutes a year - enough time to see 200 more patients.
Now multiply that by 28,000 GPs in UK 🤯

That’s the kind of impact we’re aiming for.
And it's exactly what Dr Maureen Emeagi MBBS BSC DRCOG MRCGP MSc and her brilliant team are working on solving.

Massive thanks to my co-founders Dr Aaron Smith and Dr Junaid Hussain for all the behind-the-scenes hustle - countless brainstorms, hundreds of WhatsApp messages, a flood of emails and hours (seriously, hours!) of Zoom calls.

It’s been exhausting… but incredibly exciting.
And this is just the beginning.

We’ve got some amazing partnerships to announce soon—stay tuned! 👀

And if you are UK based doctor you can still 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 "𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻" Community - DM me.

[DrVictor @drwik]

@esm79_miracle Indeed, it also breaks silos in which we operate in UK as well as driving meaningful action from grass-root level.

[DrVictor @drwik]

🚀If you are UK based doctor interested/involved in healthcare innovation,
why not join the growing community of 700+ like-minded people, hungry to drive change?

🔥The community is growing, collaborating and empowering themselves.
We just launched our first project - "Innovation Sandbox", with 16 applicants already looking to explore their healthcare/health tech innovation ideas.

You can join the community here:
https://t.co/NwJG0m0yOs

Have a taster of some discussions from last week 😉

[DrVictor @drwik]

PS.1 NHS England has £150 mln for procurement of AI solutions. 

Out of it close to £0 dedicated to primary care, which provides majority of patient contacts

PS.2 It is still better than NHS Scotland, which afaik has £0 for AI procurement.

[DrVictor @drwik]

It's not ambient co-pilots and AI agents that will make a difference for NHS GPs.

Can we just start with basics that are working instead of all that "AI glitter"?

[DrVictor @drwik]

-;EHRs that are "talking" between GPs/ hospital / community services,
- no more paper forms to fill in and post (or worse scan and email pdf)

Can we just start with basics that are working instead of all that "AI glitter"?

[DrVictor @drwik]

We treat it as a sign of weakness, a contradiction of our male identity.

Typically, men I see had to be dragged to the doctor by their Partner.
But it's better than suffering in silence.

Your Recipe for today:
- take a minute to reflect on how you have been feeling lately
- if fine, practice a bit of gratitude
- if something is troubling you - name it
- think about a close person that you can trust and speak to
- it might be easier to write things down, send a short message or write a letter and hand it to a friend or relative
- or if writing is difficult, record short voice note, whatever works for you
- if you can't think of a close person - reach out to an anonymous helpline or online forum
- if you think things are serious, don't hesitate to reach out to your doctor
- other people care about you
- opening up and showing one's vulnerability is hard, but it is a first step
you made the first step - be proud of yourself
- things will get better!

[DrVictor @drwik]

Three things that "real men" don't speak about

- mental struggles
- own feelings
- vulnerability.

Open up!

[DrVictor @drwik]

❓𝗦𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 ❓

🏃‍♂️And why not 10,000...

You probably heard that "sitting is a new smoking."
The human body is built to move.
But we move less and less due to our lifestyles and jobs.

🚩The average person in the UK walks around 𝟯,𝟬𝟬𝟬-𝟰,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗮𝘆.
Lack of physical activity is one of the major risk factors for developing chronic disease and dying.

Walking is the easiest form of physical activity.
It is free, accessible, and doesn't require fancy equipment.
Whether it's a stroll around the block, a walk in the park, or even pacing around your living room, the benefits are yours to grab.

Every step counts.

So, how much do you really need to walk to see significant health benefits? Recent research shows that walking as few as 2,500 steps a day can make a difference.

Here's how it breaks down:
🔹At 2,500 steps per day, You start reducing your risk of heart disease and early death.
🔹For every 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮 𝟭,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲, Your risk of dying drops by about 12–15%, and your risk of heart disease decreases by about 14%.
🔹𝗔𝘁 𝟳,𝟬𝟬𝟬 - 𝟴,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆, 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁 for significant health gains, with a 50–60% lower risk of dying from any cause.
🔹Health benefits continue to grow beyond 8,000 steps a day up to 16,000, but gains are much smaller (additional risk reduction of 5%)

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆:
🔸You don't need to make massive changes overnight.
🔸Start small and aim for consistency
🔸Check your baseline - find out your average daily step count
🔸If you're doing less than 2,500 steps a day, focus on adding an extra 500 - 1,000 steps a day. Gradually build it up from there.
🔸Once you're comfortably hitting 7,000–8,000 steps a day, you'll be reaping most of the health benefits.
🔸If you want to max out health benefits, aim for more than 10,000 a day

Additional tips
🔸Try to walk faster or uphill
🔸Try rucking (just load up a rucksack with 5-10kg weight)
🔸You don't need to do your steps in one go! Every step counts and benefits add up.

I hope it helps!

[DrVictor @drwik]

Midlife is a strange beast.

It might make you confused, lost, uncertain, dissatisfied, resentful, desperate, hopeless or even low.

It is a time of soul-searching, reevaluating life choices and accepting one’s own mortality.

But it is also a hopeful time.

It is time to explore new things.

It is time to become open-minded and hungry for new experiences.

My newsletter aims to help men in midlife tame that “midlife beast” and rediscover themselves.

I will share my journey into self-discovery, and hopefully, it will help you answer the questions about how to live a healthier, happier, exciting and more fulfilling (second part of your) life.

I would love it to be a mutual journey - so I could also learn from You!

https://t.co/qRAXrtiyEa

[DrVictor @drwik]

𝟕 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 (𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧)

This time of the year again - New Year, New you :)
According to research 80% of people give up on their New Year's resolutions just by the end of January.

So follow these 7 easy rules, and failure is guaranteed.
Tried and tested - You will thank me later :)

1️⃣ 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞
Aim to lose 10kg in 2 weeks or run 10k every day. Be as vague as possible - "exercise more, eat healthier, sleep better" will do.

2️⃣ 𝐀𝐢𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦
Aim for 100%, better 110%. So if you miss that one morning run, gym session or eat A CAKE, there's no room for manoeuvre.
Avoid any room for error; remember there is no place for flexibility or adjustments.
Just sit with guilt and shame. Then give up.

3️⃣ 𝐆𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞!
Aim to change as much as you can, as many habits and routines as you can think about. The more, the better.

4️⃣ 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭
Tracking calories? Dragging a friend to a gym or for a walk?
It's just a nuisance. Plus, you don't want witnesses for your failure.

5️⃣ 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞
Cold plunges if you really hate cold.
Crazy elimination diets.
5 am gym if you have been getting up at 7 am all your life.
"No pain, no gain" 😉

6️⃣ 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞'𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬
Let others tell you what you should change. Ideally, follow influencers or Uncle Johnny. After all, they know you better than you do.

7️⃣ 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲
Motivation is like an engine spark. Avoid any routines and systems which are real fuel for your engine. Motivation will die quickly, and the problem will be solved.

Pick a few ideas from the list above, and the failure is guaranteed :)
And don't worry, you can try again in 365 days!

Happy New Year! :)

[DrVictor @drwik]

@severnaya66 Absolutely. That's why regulation is needed and training bespoke AI medical models. We are not even close to any NHS approved medical advising AI bot.

[DrVictor @drwik]

🤖 Over the years, I saw patients coming to the clinic with printouts of their “Dr Google research”. But I honestly have not yet met a patient who came with a DIY diagnosis supported by ChatGPT. Yet. But this is the thing. People are using AI tools more and more often.
❓𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 - 𝗪𝗛𝗬?

[DrVictor @drwik]

@abertrotzdem It's a leaking bucket. At least in terms of GP we are losing more than we are training. Those who struggle to get training numbers will eventually move away.
Those who trained are emigrating or retiring.
I don't see any queue.

[DrVictor @drwik]

@jabberwock951 Yes, we already replaced doctors with less skilled clinicians.

[DrVictor @drwik]

https://t.co/tdjophv7UP

[DrVictor @drwik]

“𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁, 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵”
Laura Squire - MHRA Chief Quality and Access Officer.
PS. Notes from the clinic - written with the use of non-artificial intelligence 😎