The Waiting Room With Dr Alex

What can a backpack tell you about the air that you breathe?   In this special bonus edition, Dr Alex chats to Dyson’s Vice President of Environmental Care, Alex Knox, to hear about the company’s work investigating air quality during lockdown.   The international study looked at what effect reduced congestion and human movement might have in cities around the world.   Find out how Dr Alex was able to contribute to the data as part of his daily commute.   Thank you to Dyson for sponsoring this episode of The Waiting Room with Dr Alex.   For more information on the research go to www.dyson.co.uk/newsroom

We may be in the middle of a pandemic but babies are still being born. Midwives have had to rethink and adjust how they do things but maternity services are open and caring for women twenty four hours a day. Alex catches up with Midwife Naghmeh Teymourian-Yates to hear about her experiences working during the Covid-19 crisis as the Labour Ward Co-ordinator at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Essex. Content warning: contains references to births, emergency medical procedures, mental health In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here. If you want to get in touch, please email askdralexgeorge@gmail.com Thanks to Co op Health for sponsoring this series of The Waiting Room. Don't forget to download the Co op Health app today. https://www.instagram.com/midwifenaghmeh/

Dr Alex learns more about what it's been like to work as a nurse in adult critical care through the Covid-19 crisis with Senior Sister Becky Ellis-Smith from the Royal London Hospital.   Caring for the sickest patients, with case numbers increasing through the second wave, Becky talks honestly about the kind of pressures staff are facing as they are pushed to the limit.   Content warning: contains references to intensive care trauma and treatments, maternal death, losing a baby, death, bereavement, mental health   In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here.   If you want to get in touch, please email askdralexgeorge@gmail.com   For more information on Frontline19   Thanks to Co op Health for sponsoring this series of The Waiting Room. Don't forget to download the Co op Health app today.

Dr Lisa Cunningham is an emergency doctor who specialises in pre hospital care. She works with the air ambulance service, flying in a helicopter to bring life saving skills straight to the scene of those in need of urgent care. From cardiac arrests and road accidents to stabbings, Lisa tells Alex what it's really like treating some of the most critically ill patients before they get to hospital. Content warning: contains references to emergency medical procedures and trauma injuries In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here. If you want to get in touch, please email askdralexgeorge@gmail.com Thanks to Co op Health for sponosring this series of The Waiting Room. Don't forget to download the Co op Health app today.

Street Doctors is a charity which aims to prevent youth violence and reduce its impact. By teaching first aid, it hopes to equip young people aged 11-25 with the knowledge to make more informed decisions about how to keep themselves and others safe. Dr Alex is joined by two members of the Street Doctors' team to find out more. Fauziya Lakhi is the National Volunteer Co-ordinator and Layla Walker Lawrence is a medical student and volunteer. For further information on Street Doctors, go to www.streetdoctors.org or @StreetDoctors on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook. Content warning: contains references to knife crime, medical interventions and death. In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here. If you want to get in touch, please email askdralexgeorge@gmail.com Thanks to Co op Health for sponosring this series of The Waiting Room. Don't forget to download the Co op Health app today.

Mandy Cassidy has been working in the London Ambulance Service's 999 control room for the last 18 years, most recently as an ambulance dispatcher. She is responsible for sending ambulances to emergencies and making sure patients are receiving the most appropriate response required. After tragically losing her son to knife crime, she now also teaches Year 7 children about the dangers of carrying knives. Content warning: contains references to knife crime, emergency medical procedures, sick children, end of life care, death, bereavement In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here. If you want to get in touch, please email askdralexgeorge@gmail.com Thanks to Co op Health for sponosring this series of The Waiting Room. Don't forget to download the Co op Health app today.

One of the stars of the BBC TV series Ambulance, Advanced Paramedic, Kevin Cuddon, talks to Alex about his role with the London Ambulance Service, responding to the most seriously ill or injured across the captial. He discusses his training in critical care, supporting other paramedics in decision making and attending calls to cardiac arrests, mental health crises and complex maternity cases. He also gives Alex a refresher in how to deliver CPR, too. Content warning: contains references to suicide, mental health, medical procedures, end of life care, death In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here. If you want to get in touch, please email askdralexgeorge@gmail.com Thanks to Co-op Health for sponsoring this series of The Waiting Room. Don't forget to download the Co-op Health app today.

For the last twenty five years, Professor David Nott has taken unpaid leave from his role as a Consultant Vascular and Trauma Surgeon in the NHS to work for aid agencies overseas. As well as treating patients affected by conflict and catastrophe and raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for charitable causes, he also teaches advanced surgical skills to local medics and surgeons. He joins Alex to talk about his experiences and his best selling memoir, War Doctor. Thank you to Co-op Health for sponsoring this series of The Waiting Room. Don’t forget to download the Co-op Health app today. If you want to get in touch or you have a question, please email askdralexgeorge@gmail.com Content warning: contains some scenes which listeners may find upsetting, with references to medical procedures, war injuries, depression, PTSD, end of life care and death In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here. For more information on the David Nott Foundation, please go to https://davidnottfoundation.com

Alex is joined by Dr Maryann Noronha, who not only works for the NHS as an Emergency Medicine Consultant, but also volunteers overseas in some of the most dangerous parts of the world. She has dedicated her time to caring for women and children in refugee camps, setting up hospitals and clinics, and helping communities at risk who find it hard to access health care. If you want to get in touch or you have a question, please email askdralexgeorge@gmail.com Please do subscribe, rate and review the show. Thank you to Co-op Health for sponsoring this series of The Waiting Room. Don’t forget to download the Co-op Health app today. Content warning: contains references to medical procedures, war injuries, sick children, end of life care, death In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here. For more information on Medecins Sans Frontieres, please go to www.msf.org.uk

A&E doctor, Alex George, is back with a fourth series of the podcast after a very intense few months. He's been treating Covid-19 patients at Lewisham Hospital in London and sharing his experiences with the nation in his role as a TV medic. Joining him in this first episode is his A&E colleague, Emergency Medicine Consultant, Dr Anna Colclough. They compare notes on delivering care through a global pandemic and discuss how quickly their department adapted in the most extraordinary circumstances. If you want to get in touch or you have a question, please email askdralexgeorge@gmail.com Thank you to Co-op Health for sponsoring this series of The Waiting Room. Don’t forget to download the Co-op Health app today. Content warning: contains references to suicide, mental health, medical procedures, end of life care, death In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here. For information on coronavirus, visit the UK government website.

In this special edition of the podcast, Dr Alex meets specialist nurse, Sarah Mulindwa, presenter on Channel 4’s The Sex Clinic, to find out what it’s really like to have a career in nursing. Whatever your skills, qualifications or interests, there is a place for you in the NHS, providing the best care and treatment for patients. There are more than three hundred different career options available. Sarah talks about her pride at being a nurse, what it’s like to be on the wards and in clinic, and how few other professions offer as much choice or opportunity for personal and professional growth. It combines a unique mix of care, compassion and highly skilled, intellectually challenging work. For more information, search Nursing Careers and look for #WeAreTheNHS. Join the conversation on social media, tag and share.

It’s the last episode of the series and Dr Alex is joined by former model and food blogger Roz Purcell to hear about her latest book, No Fuss Vegan. Roz also opens up about how her relationship with food has not always been easy. She speaks about her past experiences living with an eating disorder and how she came through it. She is now a Nike ambassador and creator of the Hike Life community, encouraging others to get off their phones and into the great outdoors. If you have a question you’d like to ask, say hello to Dr Alex on Instagram and tag him in your stories. You can also email askdralexgeorge@email.com Thank you to Co-op Health for sponsoring this series of The Waiting Room. Don’t forget to download the Co-op Health app today. Trigger Warning – contains discussion about eating disorders

How much does our smile affect how we feel? Dr Alex and his girlfriend, professional dancer, Amelia Bath, chat about their own experiences of straightening and whitening their teeth. They’re joined by someone who knows them well, their very own dentist, Dr Annie Smith, from American Smile, a general dentist with an interest in cosmetic dentistry. We find out how Annie’s caring, gentle manner helped Amelia conquer her fear of the dentist, why it is so important to keep our mouth and gums healthy, and how the social media selfie may be influencing the way we think about our teeth. If you’d like to share your own tooth story, find Alex on Instagram @dralexgeorge or email askdralexgeorge@gmail.com Thank you to Co-op Health for sponsoring this series of The Waiting Room. Don’t forget to download the Co-op Health app today.  

Dr Alex is joined by declutter expert, Dilly Carter, to discover more about how to organise and create functional spaces at home. The pair discuss the benefits of living with less, how it can reduce stress and induce a feeling of calm. Let us know how you like the episode. Tag @dralexgeorge in your instagram stories, share your own experiences or ask a question. You can also email askdralexgeorge@gmail.com Thank you to Co-op Health for sponsoring this series of The Waiting Room. Don’t forget to download the Co-op Health app today.

Dr Alex meets fitness influencer and yoga trainer, Shona Vertue, who has one of the most popular yoga channels in the UK on YouTube. With over a decade of teaching, Shona uses her experience to combine weighted resistance training and cardio, along with yoga and meditation, to produce her very own Vertue Method of training. She encourages having fun and feeling good, rather than just pursuing aesthetic goals. If you have a question to ask, say hello to Dr Alex on Instagram and tag him in your stories. You can also email askdralexgeorge@email.com Thank you to Co-op Health for sponsoring this series of The Waiting Room. Don’t forget to download the Co-op Health app today.

Former England Rugby Captain and Harlequin’s star flanker, Chris Robshaw shares his experiences on how he has dealt with some of the more incredible highs and lows from his long sporting career. He talks to Alex about leadership, mental resilience, encouraging other players in the game and discusses how dyslexia shaped his childhood. If you have a question to ask, say hello to Dr Alex on Instagram and tag him in your stories. You can also email askdralexgeorge@email.com Thank you to Co-op Health for sponsoring this series of The Waiting Room. Don’t forget to download the Co-op Health app today.   Trigger warning: contains a reference to suicide. If you're in the UK and in need of someone to talk to someone, you can contact CALM on 0800 585858 or call The Samaritans on 116 123.   For those outside the UK, you can call: Argentina: 02234930430 Australia: 131114 Austria: 017133374 Belgium: 106 Bosnia & Herzegovina: 080 05 03 05 Botswana: 3911270 Brazil: 212339191 Canada: 5147234000 (Montreal); 18662773553 (outside Montreal) Croatia: 014833888 Denmark: +4570201201 Egypt: 7621602 Finland: 010 195 202 France: 0145394000 Germany: 08001810771 Holland: 09000767 Hong Kong: +852 2382 0000 Hungary: 116123 India: 8888817666 Ireland: +4408457909090 Italy: 800860022 Japan: +810352869090 Mexico: 5255102550 New Zealand: 045861048 Norway: +4781533300 Philippines: 028969191 Poland: 5270000 Russia: 0078202577577 Spain: 914590050 South Africa: 0514445691 Sweden: 46317112400 Switzerland: 143 USA: 18002738255

Money expert and author, Emilie Bellet, is Dr Alex’s guest today and the pair discuss the effects money worries can have on your wellbeing and mental health. After several years of working in banking, Emilie founded the digital platform Vestpod. It aims to provide education and a community to help break the taboo around money and demystify the jargon. She talks Alex through everything from understanding bank accounts to setting financial goals, with the aim of getting you to feel more confident about managing your own budget. Let us know how you like the episode. Tag @dralexgeorge in your instagram stories, share your own experiences or ask a question. You can email askdralexgeorge@gmail.com Thank you to Co-op Health for sponsoring this series of The Waiting Room. Don’t forget to download the Co-op Health app today.

This week, Dr Alex meets TV and radio psychologist, Honey Langcaster-James, to consider the secret to being happy and how to flourish in what you do. Could it be that our way of thinking is holding us back from reaching our goals, and does it matter if you are an optimist or a pessimist? Honey talks about the importance of believing in yourself and reveals the seven steps you could use to help you to overcome challenges in your own life. If you would like to get in touch to share your own experiences or ask a question, look for Dr Alex on Instagram or email askdralexgeorge@gmail.com Thank you to Co-op Health for sponsoring this series of The Waiting Room. Don’t forget to download the Co-op Health app today.  

TV reality star and winner of Love Island 2018, Jack Fincham, joins Dr Alex to explain how his passion for boxing has improved his mental health and helped to kick start a whole new career. Jack reflects on how sparring in the ring has given him back his confidence and made him feel positive about life. He chats with Alex about how you, too, could use sport to regain focus and find purpose. If you would like to get in touch to share your own experiences or ask a question, look for Dr Alex on Instagram or email askdralexgeorge@gmail.com Thank you to Co-op Health for sponsoring this series of The Waiting Room. Don’t forget to download the Co-op Health app today.  

Dr Alex is back for a third series of The Waiting Room, with expert guests and celebrities, to help you find inspiring ways to improve your health and wellbeing. He’s joined by GP, author and fellow podcaster, Dr Rangan Chatterjee, who has his own unique 360 degree approach to health. January is traditionally a time when we set ourselves fresh goals but how do we make sure we stick to our plans? Dr Rangan shows how easy it can be to feel good and become healthier with easy steps that take just 5 minutes a day. By committing to them and making them part of our existing routine, we will start to see a real difference in how we feel. If you want to get in touch with a question or tell us how you’ve put some of today’s tips into practice, just say hello on Instagram, or email askdralexgeorge@gmail.com Thank you to Co-op Health for sponsoring this series of The Waiting Room. Don’t forget to download the Co-op Health app today.