TV influences medicine

Widely reported in today's press is the story that a new category of health professional is set to be introduced: Medical Care Practitioners. These will be (mainly science) graduates, fast-tracked through two-year training programme and will serve as assistants to doctors at a level between doctor and nurse. The proposals for the new scheme are under consultation. The Guardian reports a Department of Health official saying that it 'brings roles from the television drama ER to the heart of the NHS'. I blogged here an example of an episode of ER influencing the introduction of new medical techniques.