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Series that demystifies health issues, bringing clarity to conflicting advice.

Series that demystifies health issues, separating fact from fiction and bringing clarity to conflicting health advice.

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Inside Health: Hard Sell for Private Cataract Surgery; Language in Healthcare; Specialist Medical Travel Clinic

03/03/2020

Hard Sell for Private Cataract Surgery; Language in Healthcare; Specialist Medical Travel Clinic

BBC Radio 4 - Inside Health, Hard Sell for Private Cataract Surgery; Language in Healthcare; Specialist Medical Travel Clinic

Chris van Tulleken investigates hard sell in the private cataract business

Inside Health hears from two people who believe they were subject to hard sell for cataract surgery by the UK's biggest private provider, Optical Express

Dr Chris van Tulleken talks to Surinder Biant and Sam Begum who both felt they were subject to a hard sell for cataract surgery by Optical Express. The company denies the claims. President of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, Mike Burdon, explains what cataracts are and how doctor and patient can decide together when surgery is required.

GP and regular Inside Health contributor, Dr Margaret McCartney talks about the language we use in healthcare which blames both patients and doctors unfairly. Words and phrases like "compliance", "bed-blocker" and "unnecessary admissions" are singled out as particular culprits.

The travel clinic at The Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London aims to help people with complex medical conditions get to where they need or want to go for work, family or just some winter sun. We meet Elisabeth, who is partially sighted and wants to travel to East Africa with her grandson; Robert who has lymphoma but is far more concerned that he won't be able to fly to a country he loves, Japan, and to Robin, who wants to start a career in Uganda but is allergic to some of the components of essential vaccines. Dr Nicky Longley, consultant in infectious disease and travel medicine runs the clinic.

Producer: Fiona Hill

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