First published: November 24, 2025 Last updated: November 23, 2025 In What is a diagnosis? Part 1, I explained that diagnoses can generally be divided into biomedical diagnoses supported by observable features that can be independently verified, and syndromic diagnoses based on specific collections of symptoms without independent observable features. Neither category has a complete, […]
What is a diagnosis? Part 2 Read More »
First published: November 14, 2025 Last updated: November 14, 2025 How can we tell when something is wrong with us? In a popular post (6,800 views over four years), Disease, illness, sickness, and disability, I discuss different ideas related to being unwell. I did not explain how someone knows they are unwell. The answer might
Biopsychosocial disequilibrium Read More »
First published: November 6, 2025 Last updated: November 6, 2025 In January 1781, The London Medical Journal published a 19-page review of a book written by Dr Tiffot, a member of the Société Royale de Londres, entitled Traité des Nerfs et de leurs Maladies. (Treatise on the nerves and their maladies). Since then, malady has
First published: October 31, 2025 Last updated: October 31, 2025 John Whyte and a multiprofessional team from several North American rehabilitation centres have worked on rehabilitation theory for two decades. Early in their work, they distinguished between enablement theories and treatment theories. They have applied their concept of treatment theory to develop a principled approach
Enablement and treatment theory Read More »
First published: October 3, 2025 Last updated: 3 October 2025 This post explains the framework used in the biopsychosocial model. While the framework is a powerful analytical tool, a description can sometimes make it seem abstract and disconnected from real life. I introduce the building blocks one by one, asking you to imagine real-life situations.
Basic Biopsychosocial Framework. Read More »
First published: September 25, 2025 Last updated: 25 September 2025 The medical model and biomedical healthcare are two of many terms used to describe the traditional and culturally dominant approach to illness and health. It underpins the World Health Organisation (WHO) definition of health, introduced in 1948: a “state of complete physical, mental, and social
Biopsychosocial healthcare Read More »
First published: August 31, 2025 Last updated: 31 August 2025 In 2025, in two cases of disputed clinical decisions made for people lacking capacity, the clinical decisions were overturned by judges in the Court of Protection. On 15 May 2025, Alex Ruck Keen commented on the first case, [2025] EWCOP 17 (T3), in a post
Holistic best interests in court. Read More »
First published: May 5, 2025 Last edited: May 5, 2025 My first post on rehabilitation thinking discussed the crucial role of expertise when considering three aspects of rehabilitation: the process, the professional, and the person. I finished by introducing a fourth viewpoint, holistic rehabilitation thinking. This post expands on holistic thinking. I start by exploring
Holistic rehabilitation thinking – 2 Read More »
First published: May 5, 2025 Last edited: May 5, 2025 In 2002, I wrote that “… rehabilitation is a way of thinking and not a way of doing.” The editorial did not develop the rehabilitation thinking hypothesis much. I have been asked to give a talk on “What is really important in rehabilitation?”. This is
Rehabilitation thinking – 1 Read More »
First published: March 27, 2025 Last edited: March 27, 2025 The patient had previously been active intellectually, creatively, physically, and socially; after his ischaemic brain damage a year ago, he was left requiring 24-hour care, with aphasia limiting communication. While discussing his future, his daughter mentioned the magnitude of his losses and how it would
Social participation and rehabilitation. Read More »
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