I don't believe in excellence
BMJ 1999; 318 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.318.7193.1297 (Published 08 May 1999) Cite this as: BMJ 1999;318:1297
- Ditch Townsend, AIDS technical adviser
- South East Asia
“Who's a nice chimp, then?” It has been several years coming and is not fully worked out. But it is continually gnawing away at the back of my mind. Now I have been pushed over the edge by the British government's two new initiatives for the English NHS: National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and Commission for Health Improvement (CHIMP). It seems a wondrous coincidence that these initiatives tie in so well with my weft: “I don't believe in excellence,” and my weave, “I don't believe in progress.”
“I would like to see the poor handed the means to stand up to us”
I have been involved in AIDS related development projects in South East Asia for the past four years. I left medicine after my house jobs in the United Kingdom six years ago. It has gone far beyond “a refreshing change.” It is hard to describe the passion I now feel …
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