
blogs


British Medical Journal publishes my reply to its article on CMF and faith discussions with patients
A couple of weeks ago the British Medical Journal published an article in its Lobby Watch column about…

New pre-natal screening test makes eliminating all people with genetic disease an achievable reality
‘Fetal DNA tests: Are we finally entering an era of eugenics?’ This was the question raised by Nancy…

Christian pharmacists under threat from new guidelines on morning-after pill provision
Christian pharmacists who object to dispensing the morning-after pill are facing pressure from their…

London hospital backs down from forcing Christian nurses to participate in abortion after receiving lawyer’s letter
A London hospital which tried to force two Christian nurses to participate in abortion has backed down…

Commercials of convenience – plans to advertise abortion on TV and radio contested
HG Wells once said that 'advertising is legalised lying'. He would not have been thinking of TV adverts…

China vows crackdown on sex-selective abortion to close gender gap
You are unlikely to read this from any British media outlet in the midst of the London riots and falling…

Thriving 5-year old born at 23 weeks fuels calls for lowering of upper abortion limit
The mother of a boy, now five years old, who was born prematurely at 23 weeks gestation, has again ignited…

Dignity in Dying blog opts for assisted death after suffering unbearably
The Dignity in Dying blog has opted for assisted suicide after apparently suffering unbearably from a…

Matt Hampson – awe-inspiring article in Sunday Times on coping with tetraplegia
'Engage!' was the last word Matt Hampson heard before dislocating his neck while in rugby training with…

A politically incorrect final solution for Britain’s growing elderly population
The BBC has reminded us this week that today's 20-year-olds are three times more likely to live to…

Marketing tactics used by BPAS and MSI to increase abortion pressure
My attention has just been drawn to a new report by Right to Know (RTK) which reveals the pressure that…
Canada’s home MAiD disaster?
My first recollection of the impact legalised euthanasia and assisted suicide would have – for that is what Medical Assistance in Dying (the innocent-sounding MAiD) is – was at a conference in Paris. An Ontarian ethicist enthusiastically explained to us how, among other preparatory measures for MAiD, all the mannequins in the resuscitation training rooms […]
Celebrating two Black British nursing pioneers
To mark Black History Month, we wanted to tell the story of two prominent Black nurses from British history, Mary Seacole and Chief Kofoworola Abeni Pratt. Both faced prejudice but battled through to gain recognition for their work. Their stories are a reminder that Black nurses have been making a significant contribution to the profession […]
Acting with a clear conscience? WMA, GMC, BMA, and moral injury
Having reasonable freedom to act in accordance with our conscience is something that Christian healthcarers rightly value. A number of recent events and reviews over the last year or so highlight some of the perennial vulnerabilities of conscience provision but also some reasons for hope and optimism. WMA International Code of Medical Ethics The World […]
Our workforce is on its knees: it’s time for us to be as well
A response to the RCN and RCM strike ballots Propping the staff room door open with her foot, Maria leans out into the corridor and shouts, ‘Bex! You coming for lunch soon?’. When I finally pull myself away it’s gone 4 pm. ‘I did make you a cup of tea’ Maria gestures to the cup […]
Praying for patients – punishable or permitted?
A Christian doctor who offered to pray for patients has agreed to attend a course on ‘boundaries’ after settling his case with the NHS. The Christian Legal Centre said Dr Richard Scott has been ‘vindicated‘ as NHS England lawyers agreed that the doctor is free to pray with patients if he does so within General […]
Queen Elizabeth II
We were all greatly saddened to hear yesterday evening (8 September 2022) of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second after a short illness. CMF wishes to extend our sympathies to the Royal Family and share in the nation’s mourning. In a reign spanning seven decades that saw massive social, political and cultural […]
Brain death, resurrection, and Archie Battersbee
Since June, when I last wrote about the deeply distressing case of Archie Battersbee, his ventilator was eventually switched off on 4 August. Soon after, he was declared dead when his heart subsequently stopped beating. In the evidence they gave at the court hearing on 6-8 June, the healthcare professionals caring for Archie all agreed […]
Unethical and outlawed are not the same
An article in the New Statesman this week implied that Conservative Party leadership contender Penny Mordaunt MP, had been involved with an organisation that ‘wants to outlaw abortion, even in cases of rape’. This might have been an interesting story if she had indeed had any relevant links to such an organisation; even more when […]
Roe v Wade
Last week we witnessed an event that I never thought I would see in my lifetime: the overturning of Roe v Wade. This 1973 Supreme Court decision held that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, the right to privacy, protects a woman’s freedom to terminate a pregnancy. Half a […]
Wisdom of God or medical wisdom?
I have been working as a midwife for a few years now. As a believer, I am constantly fascinated by God’s design and wisdom and have been from day one of my training. Sometimes it appears to me as a midwife that in the last few decades, science has been catching up with what was […]
The tragedy of Archie Battersbee
Mrs Justice Arbuthnot’s judgement earlier this month on the tragic case of Archie Battersbee is sobering reading. Her ruling came across to me as kind and thoughtful, and the fact that she took time to visit Archie in hospital for herself speaks highly of her commitment to do the right thing for this twelve-year-old boy […]
Whole Genome Sequencing: challenges and opportunities
You may have requested whole-genome sequencing (WGS). You may be wondering what the words mean. Is it an exciting new way to improve health and wellbeing, or is it a modern tower of Babel (Genesis 11)? This article aims to help us understand WGS to better think about what it means for us as Christian […]