“I think I need to write something.”

You'd be forgiven for thinking that this is what I say when the deadline approaches for me writing one of these pieces—or, in this instance, what one of our long suffering team has written to me, perplexed that the deadline has passed. However, it's actually what a lot of folk say when they write or speak to me about developing themselves as a professional. Some might say that being able to write is a fundamental part of our role. For example, could you function if you couldn't write a clinical letter? Or compose a referral—in whatever medium—to a colleague describing why you needed them to see a patient? I don't think I could.

What about a step away from direct patient care. What about a departmental guideline or procedure? …