Charlotte Smith @cml_smith Twitter profile

Last Seen Profiles

@cezwolch

@deafspraaktv

@RuneKek

@YYD_tr

@itsdellyy__

@iurojc

@Fabianbruh97728

@Fxmous_Drippy

@fuchinobecard

@MrsBrownee2U

@aoi_mikan

@mr_nobody_coder

@MatamorosJemima

@rhuzzo

@WsMAFCWomen1

@bbyhaitian

@ginlherme

@mavimigren

@NotRyanMcD

@ShieldBearerDev

@ClermontSheriff

@dylan_snow3

@BennettC87

@WL_SEN

@striNgcs

@Poke_Scape

@chipgoines

@myf4tdiary

@RobinsonRams

@oemfab

@gaugau7696

@goodboymav

@Ron_Witteles

@Yellowcard

@Mhsnkrmzgl

@akhinzhanov

Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

Booked a family holiday for Mar 24 in Jul 23. Spent months trying to contact the rota coord at the Trust I start at in Feb to organise leave. Told I needed to find swaps but not given contact details of other drs. It’s all become so stressful that we’ve cancelled the holiday.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

This also means losing the deposit, but any later and we’d have lost the whole lot. I’d really love to be able to say something positive about working for the NHS but at the moment it’s nothing but misery.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

Saw a Tweet today describing junior doctors as “inexperienced, overpaid kids” and like wow, now that I think about it, looking after half the hospital overnight at 24 on £13 an hour was absolutely child’s play.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 month

@DrEilidhMaria In exactly the same way that asking doctors to work more weekends just means they will work less during the week. It’s robbing Peter to pay Paul…

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

This was the email I sent on 24/7/23 - and it wasn’t even the first contact I’d made.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

8 months

@DrJSherrington The worst day ever was getting locked in the loo for over an hour after a 13 hr night shift. Phone was on 2%, and no one could hear me knocking/shouting. Eventually got hold of my dad who managed to ring maintenance via switchboard. They arrived with a…file?

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

@adders3880 Oh trust me, they will be getting NO favours from me!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 month

Being asked to cover 2 extra nights when you’ve just climbed into bed after a 60 hour week including 3 lates and 3 nights, when you’re already scheduled to be back at work tomorrow anyway (for teaching) is the perfect example of why junior Drs feel so utterly broken.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 month

Not one but FOUR empty trolleys in A+E at 8pm on a Friday. No, I don’t know why either 🤷🏼‍♀️

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

First day of anaesthetics training!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

@Rob_Smithers Could not agree more.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

Novice anaesthetics training is just swinging from one consultant signing you off for doing a whole case solo and the next day another consultant saying you need supervision to attach some monitoring and really I cannot keep up with it all 🤷🏼‍♀️

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

3 months

@Tjkey Least you didn’t get a passive aggressive full stop at the end of your name (same Trust I suspect)…

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

@CorfieldGA For goodness sake! How awful! On the bright side, that IS a life-changing event so you should have plenty of ammunition to get that changed…

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

It's 12 days until payday and despite working full time as a not so junior doctor, I have £65 left in my bank account. Pretty much all I've spent this month is on rent, bills, petrol, professional subscriptions, an MOT/service and one train journey. I absolutely utterly despair.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

3 years

@docib @pepemac27 I was incredibly lucky that when my dad broke his neck and needed emergency surgery my team let me (an FY2) drop everything and go home for a week using compassionate leave. My Consultant even offered to drive me home as I was in a state of shock. The system can work sometimes!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

2 years

@GillGirlMum As a junior doctor with a close relative with bipolar, I recently cried in the loo when my consultant belittled my advocacy for a bipolar patient. So much work to do but I’m so determined to push for change wherever I can

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

4 months

MRCEM Primary positive ✅ Biggest relief ever!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

2 years

ACCS-EM in Leicester, here I come! Absolutely delighted to be heading back to where it all began!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

@SandipP64097927 But is it really worth the potential fallout (some of which may have occurred while on holiday - hardly relaxing!) Sadly, I decided it wasn’t, and the stress of it all was becoming intolerable - my family was starting to stress about losing the money.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

2 months

@juliaisobela I once had to stand through 7 hours of surgery as a med student - not allowed to sit and not allowed to leave. The anaesthetist let me and the other medical student have short spells on a stool behind their screen. I’ll never forget the kindness!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

4 years

Holding back the tears realising the young couple at the table next to me have brought two of their elderly neighbours out for coffee. Faith in humanity restored.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

10 months

3 milestones passed today: finished anaesthetics ✅ finished CT1 ✅ confirmation of my switch from core to run-through training ✅✅✅. Back tomorrow to start ST2 in ITU!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

@cati1313 @SandipP64097927 Unfortunately my post starts on Feb 7th. The deadline for cancelling the holiday is Jan. The difficulty of arranging swaps in a department you’ve never met, in a hospital you’ve never worked in, is considerable.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

Anyone else hearing "song" as "psalm" every time Graham Norton says it? Was absolutely sure he just said "Psalm 16 from Belgium" which would in fairness be an incredible fusion between Eurovision and the Anglican choral tradition

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 years

The wait is over. 6 years to the day after finding out I'd got into medical school, I've found out I've PASSED FINALS. A dream come true!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

4 years

@BBCNews But as a doctor I’ve seen/heard of SO many variations of symptoms, ranging from none at all, to a cold, to diarrhoea and vomiting. In hospital all of the above are considered possible Covid. How can we ignore this possibility in the community?

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

6 months

This weekend, my (largely non-medical) uni friends, who I see once a year, are having a reunion while I’m at home revising. The sacrifices of a medical career are numerous and long-lasting, and sometimes it just hurts.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

@khas01 @BMA_JuniorDocs @TheBMA No absolute obligation to approve leave, except where it is for a life-changing event, which this isn’t (although important). I already went through the BMA many months ago about this.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

2 years

@NadiaKamil I came across one recently who stayed in the surgery with the patient and their relative until 1am while waiting for an ambulance, and even ordered a takeaway for themselves and the relative while they waited. They’d started IV Abx and fluids and everything!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 years

Had a little @EMAS_CFR job of my own earlier. My mum started choking and turned purple: 1 cycle of 5x back slaps and 5x abdominal thrusts then successfully dislodged on 2nd set of back slaps. First aid training saves lives.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

10/10 would not recommend getting locked in the loo at the end of your 4th 13 hour night shift for an hour and being rescued via a crowbar. Yup. That.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

6 months

After the most agonising delays, it's finally official: LLM with distinction.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

3 years

@clarissascortex I got told off last week for giving a patient a mug rather than a disposable cup, then today got told off for giving a patient a disposable cup not a mug.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

The more nights I’ve done this rota, the worse I’ve felt after each set. This weekend, after set no. 7, I’ve felt terrible - awful sleep, horrendous nausea, gut all over the place and just thoroughly miserable. Entire weekend wasted on the sofa, and back to work tomorrow.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

So absolutely, ridiculously tired after two full days in theatre learning anaesthetics. I think the current intensity of concentration and information overload is driving my tiredness - or at least I really hope so! Please someone tell me it gets easier?

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

@timricketts_ Even worse: the person doing 40 in a 60 who then approaches a 40 zone and BRAKES. You’ve just shown me 40 is your fave speed and now it’s 40 you don’t like it any more?

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

@JamesFr87139374 @TheBMA I started these conversations 8 months ago…

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

3 years

@BBCHughPym Asthmatics have constantly been issued conflicting, confusing information throughout the pandemic. Asthma UK shielding guidance changed every 2 minutes for the first 4 weeks last March, and now this. We deserve better (and free prescriptions!)

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

In today’s embarrassing stories, I couldn’t find the hospital’s education centre (despite having trained here) and got so lost that I had to be rescued in a patient golf buggy cart thing and driven across the site. Thanks to the lovely @Leic_hospital LGH buggy driver!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

11 months

This is reality. This is the NHS in 2023. This is my life - and the lives of so many friends and colleagues - after training so hard for so long. This week, I’m striking for a better future, because no one deserves this.

Taj Ali

@Taj_Ali1

11 months

As junior doctors in England are set to begin a third round of strike action, we’ll hear a lot about the impact of strikes but very little about the root cause. I’ve spent the past few months speaking to junior doctors about the challenges they face. Here’s what they told me. 🧵

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

@EmilyTammam I love that someone decided that for the formality of a drug chart, the correct name is “Freddo Frogs”. Quite right to emphasise their importance!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

11 months

After THE hardest year (tip: ACCS plus a masters is A LOT) I’ve somehow managed an outcome 1 and will be progressing to CT2 in August 🎉🎉🎉

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

8 months

Over 4 years in and it's still unclear to me how it's possible to work 50+ hour weeks, complete a huge portfolio including audit, teaching and research, revise for professional exams, manage household chores/life admin and somehow not crumble...

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

8 weekends, 10 sets of nights and 60 on-calls later and I have somehow survived the acute medicine rota alongside a part-time Masters (where is my medal?!?) For now, sleep, and then it’s off to anaesthetics/ITU for a year starting on Wednesday!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

4 years

@WelshGasDoc @SteJCB I was once bleeped to ask me what my bleep number was...

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

2 years

@docib I’m an FY3 in ED, starting ACCS-EM in Aug. I absolutely love EM and, despite all the challenges, come home almost every day beaming. My department is friendly, supportive and one big team, and I’ve had the best year!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

@HelenAshby72 Moving out of my very overwhelming shared 6 bed student house and into a tiny little 1 bed on my own that I stayed in for 3 years was the one of the best things I ever did. So glad for Elizabeth!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 month

@janeeb31 There was not one chance in hell I was ever saying yes. Ridiculous and totally unsafe.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

Birthday night shift on ITU

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

@Anna_L_Mitchell I only wish that had worked the first 13 times…

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

4 months

Back in my flat after almost 3 weeks off - thanks to zero days, annual leave and the strike. It was my longest stretch off since qualifying in 2019, and my first Christmas free of any sort of work in over 10 years. Missing the sea, but feeling grateful and refreshed for 2024!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

8 months

@DrJSherrington Spoiler: the file didn’t work, they had to get a crowbar and it took the whole doorframe off 😬

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

4 months

@JanetEastham @TheDA_UK @TheBMA Will this be in tomorrow's Telegraph? (Tempted to buy it just for once)

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

Really great support on the picket line this morning. Special thanks to all the wonderful LRI staff and friends that brought food and hot drinks! En route to London now for the demo!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 years

Today, my childhood dream has finally become a reality, and I’m extremely proud to announce that I’m now officially Dr Charlotte Smith MBChB (Hons) #leicestergrad

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

2 years

@nervecentrehq @Leic_hospital Since starting at the trust in August, I’ve been so impressed with Nervecentre. Super easy to prescribe, and the primary care tab is amazing! Turns out not all NHS IT systems are slow and clunky!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

3 years

@DrBenLovell I knew my current rotation was going to be good when the first email began “Dear Charlotte, Welcome!” Sounds like such a silly, petty thing but it just set such a great tone.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

@DrTechnophile The danger was not being able to find a swap for 3 night shifts and then losing the whole cost of the holiday (a lot of money). Time was ticking by and I wasn’t getting anywhere, and was spending a lot of free time trying. After several sleepless nights cancelled.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

@UKGastroDr I would 100% have tried discussing with the consultants if it wasn’t an entirely new Trust and department. I don’t have the names of any consultants, nor would really have known where to start to be honest…

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

2 months

Slept for 10 hours between night shifts which must surely be a national record at very least?

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

11 months

Apparently it’s been really nice weather all weekend, but I’ve barely seen the daylight, so with 3.5 hours to go of my long weekend I’ve declared it ice cream time!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

@HartlandJoseph Interestingly, the reception from UHL staff has actually been really positive - most of the complaining on Twitter has been from people who don’t actually work there

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

4 years

ARCP Outcome 5 - extension to FY1 requires. Expected because of time off shielding but still gutting, not least because I now face moving jobs for just a month and then spending a year rotating out of sync.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 years

Honoured to have spent my last ever shift with @LU_CFR getting the chance to take the shiny new car for a spin with @adam_baker98 . It’s been an absolutely incredible, humbling and challenging experience being an @EMAS_CFR and something that will shape my medical practice forever

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

2 years

Why do I do gruelling 12 hour days managing the flow of 1500 patients through a portakabin in a car park to get them all vaccinated? Because on other days I treat unvaccinated patients with Covid who get ventilated on arrival to hospital and often never leave. #vaccineswork

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

2 years

In an absolutely miraculous turn of events, I found out today I'm owed some extra time off, which means I can go home for Christmas. It means THE WORLD and I'm so, so, so happy.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

I survived it. I got through some really, really mentally tough periods, stuck with it and made it through despite fully wanting to give up. Getting my LLM with distinction was an added bonus (and one of the sources of toughness).

Khan 🧢 🌟

@Khanstillday

5 months

EVERYONE INCLUDED; Please brag to me about a thing you did in 2023 that you’re proud of?

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

@AbbieTutt Not just F1s!…

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

@LewisStanding1 I must have sent at least 10 emails saying exactly that, but they simply weren’t budging, and as unfair as it is, not turning up to work when expected to is gross misconduct. I’d reached the end of the road.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

2 years

@DrNeenaJha Me because I’m on a 13 hour on-call!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 years

Can’t quite believe that today was my last ever proper day as a medical student, after 5 of the toughest but most rewarding years. Going to miss all the wonderful people at @Leic_hospital - thank you for teaching me pretty much everything I know.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

Paid Steve a visit this afternoon. I’d rather be at work but he’s left me no choice. #JuniorDoctorsStrikes

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

4 years

After 6 months as a doctor I can honestly say that @LU_CFR is one of the best things I’ve ever done and I miss it terribly. So grateful to @LeMedSchool for such amazing experiences!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

@jabberwock951 TOTALLY agree, and something that has been a big source of my anxiety. Ultimately even the nicest holiday is not worth all of that…

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

10 months

Spent 2.5 weeks at my parents’ trying to write my dissertation but still a long way off done. Was feeling HUGELY stressed about returning to work tomorrow but arrived home to this incredible care package from a total stranger from the NHS community and my heart is full.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

The best Birthday present ever: 80% for my most recent Masters despite working full time on quite possible the worst rota of all time. YES.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

Last year I spent Boxing Day driving up the M1 and then working the late shift on AMU - the first of 4 horrendous late shifts between Christmas and New Year. Never have I been more grateful for a relaxing Boxing Day lie-in, dog walk and chill-out 👌

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

@SarahReturns88 Some - in fact, many - rota coordinators are truly excellent, and I’ve been very lucky to have had 3 brilliant ones at my current Trust.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

3 months

A nice surprise this evening to discover that on top of graduating from my LLM with distinction back in December, I have been awarded the Faculty of Humanities Dean’s Award @law_uom . Not bad for a full-time doctor in training I suppose!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

13 days

So grateful for a peaceful 20 minutes in the sunshine during my lunch break

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

Not happy to be striking, but happy about the sun coming out, the enormous turnout this morning and the amazing public support. #day2 #JuniorDoctorsStrike #fullpayrestoration

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

4 months

Not officially striking today as I wasn’t due to be at work today, but the @TheBMA beanie (and smile) are out in support of colleagues who are! #JuniorDoctorsStrike

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

Took the positive step of calling in sick today. I just can't continually run on empty - it's impossible. Even with today off I'll work 39 hours this week (13 hr days Fri - Sun) which is quite frankly enough. So much guilt but proud of myself for putting my health first.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

3 years

@AbbieSBrooks Not to mention those I see who shouldn’t have ever come to A+E who I quickly assess and discharge with advice to follow up with the GP and then say “well aren’t you going to do anything?”…what, about your 5 month history of a sore ear once a week? No, not really.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

4 months

@DrKidneyAsh Or, in our case, it would be great if the coffee shop was actually open at the weekend!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

7 months

Survived 4 really rough ITU nights ✅ Worked 3 of the last 4 weekends ✅ Finally time for a holiday ✅✅✅

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 months

@RainShouting I spent 24 emails and 8 months telling them that but their refusal to budge was completely inpenetrable and my family were at risk of losing a lot of money, causing us all too much stress

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

@timricketts_ I got, “SPEAKS GOOD ENGLISH” which was reassuring as I don’t speak anything else…

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

3 years

@AbbieSBrooks A+E patients’ expectations also massively high. Told patient at 11pm they would be reviewed by a specialist - moaned when I said it might take a couple of hours for the specialist to come down. You’re seeing a SPECIALIST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, how much better does it get?

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

3 years

Despite shielding in FY1 and a number of pretty stressful life events in FY2 on top of a global pandemic, I’ve done it - outcome 6 at ARCP - Foundation Programme Complete!

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

2 years

It’s been a 4 cardiac arrests in 24 hours kind of a week in A+E. So much love and admiration for my wonderful colleagues @UHDBTrust who have pulled together through the hardest times #NHSfamily

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

Having a proper long weekend off as a treat after the last 6 months. No work, no masters work, no emails. Today I’ve had a massive lie in, spent 2 hours in Waterstones and now I’m having lunch in my favourite deli. Tomorrow is a TV binge day, and on Sunday I’m off to a spa.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

11 months

Next year I have 6 months in a hospital that is not commutable from where I live. I currently pay £725 pcm for a really spacious 2 bed flat in a really nice area. This is how much the hospital accommodation costs... Literally cheaper for me to rent a second flat at this rate.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

7 months

At the start of my F3 year I was pretty much ready to quit medicine. Took a locum shift at Burton ED not knowing what to expect and ended up staying for the whole year - in fact, I really didn��t want to leave to start EM training! Truly the most welcoming, caring team around.

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS FT

@UHDBTrust

7 months

It's time for our final award of the evening, Chair's Team of the Year Award Our Chair Kathy Mclean will now take to the stage to announce the winner! One of the teams has been highly commended & that is… 🌟Emergency Department, Queen's Hospital Burton 🌟 Congratulations! 💙

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

Recently I have been in a total utter pit of despair, and persuaded myself that joining a regular choir again might be a step in the right direction. Tonight I went to my first rehearsal with my new choir and have come home feeling a kind of joy I haven’t felt in so many months.

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

2 years

A year ago today, the team at @ImperialNHS operated on my dad’s neck following a similar injury. Today he’s living an entirely full life with no ongoing problems. Huge thanks to Mr Kalsi and team who were truly amazing!

Imperial NHS 💙

@ImperialNHS

2 years

We’re back with Wesley, ex-Royal Marine, who is due an operation to fix his dangerously unstable spin following a fall. Cheong, spinal neurosurgeon, is consulting with other consultants and our trauma team about the next steps. #C4Emergency

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

Back at my flat and the first thing I did was open my ballot paper and vote for strike action #BMADoctorsVoteYes #payrestoration

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

1 year

From battling A levels together to battling Steve Barclay together! #JuniorDoctorsStrike #FullPayRestoration

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Charlotte Smith

@cml_smith

5 years

Well that was an incredibly poignant way to end Medical School. One final @EMASNHSTrust observation shift which began with a cardiac arrest and ended delivering a healthy baby. Truly the circle of life.

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