My latest column on the meningitis outbreak www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The ADHD grey zone: why patients are stuck between private diagnosis and NHS care

🗞️Breaking News! We're delighted to announce we have signed the lease on our new centre in Birmingham, and will be able to offer free, life-saving therapy to suicidal men in the West Midlands within months. www.jamesplace.org.uk/james-place-... #suicide #suicideprevention

🗡️ Traitors: Greek Gods Part 1! Can you guess who your favourite will be?

Our Chief Executive @ellenod.bsky.social and former client Achal were interviewed by ITV News yesterday for the launch of the Men's Health Strategy. We're proud to have played a part in this. You can catch up on the ITV piece here www.itv.com/news/2025-11... #suicide #suicideprevention

Our Chief Executive Ellen O'Donoghue @ellenod.bsky.social contributed to this fantastic free guide from Ripple Suicide Prevention and Zero Suicide Alliance which aims to make talking about suicide easier - at work, in schools, and at home. Download it free at zurl.co/EllenO

Young northerners are born into an unacceptable baseline: ➡️ 1M are in poverty ➡️ They wait up to 10x longer for talking therapies ➡️ They receive 10% less school funding & have worse outcomes ➡️ They access smaller green spaces ➡️ They were hit hardest by library closures

Good luck to the children speaking tonight at this #Lambeth council meeting. Children aged 0–9 are three times more likely to die from a collision when hit by an SUV. We need councils to introduce ways to curb the rise of bigger, heavier vehicles. #Carspreading

Teen drug use today, mental health struggles tomorrow? What the evidence says. A new Danish study (68,000+ teens, followed for 8 years) has a clear message: early substance use isn’t just a phase - it can lead to serious mental health struggles later. 🧵 THREAD buff.ly/IZmKwDz

Meet one of our therapists at James' Place - Andrew. Andrew has a strong grounding in trauma-informed therapy and a background working across both private practice and specialist mental health services. Read more www.jamesplace.org.uk/meet-the-the... #suicide #suicideprevention #menshealthweek

We’re delighted to be taking part in the Pride parade in London this year for the first time – hope to see some of you there and Happy Pride! #suicide #suicideprevention #pride

Today marks seven years since we opened the first James' Place in Liverpool. We now have three centres (Liverpool, London & Newcastle) & 21 therapists providing up to 262 sessions of free, life-saving therapy every week to men in suicidal crisis. jamesplace.org.uk/support #suicide #suicideprevention

Some highlights from SoS speech at #NHSConfedExpo ✅ Clearer priorities/fewer targets ✅ A slimmed down Centre ✅ICBs as strategic commissioners of local services ✅ Reinvigorate the FT model ✅ Change the financial rules - focus on outcomes/reform the tariff ✅ More integration between providers

Me in The New Statesman today on poverty. Please share :)

The Mousa broch is mentioned in Orkneyinga saga when Erlendr abducts the mother of Haraldr Jarl and holes up in the broch, besieged by Haraldr. In Egils saga, Björn and Thora elope from Norway and are shipwrecked on Mousa; they spend the winter together in the broch. Two similar stories?

As you can see, I’ve been dragging my long-suffering husband around some of the most beautiful places in the world in search of the Vikings! This is St Ninian’s Isle again, looking back towards the Norse Christian ruins, just barely visible on the skyline.

Children constantly tell us about the shame and stigma they experience due to not being able to afford the cost of school. This new research by @cpaguk.bsky.social highlights the further financial pressure families on low incomes face. 1/3

This #NeurodiversityCelebrationWeek, and every week, James’ Place is here for neurodivergent men in suicidal crisis. Everyone’s mind is different, and so our therapy approach is designed around the man, rather than one size fits all. For more info about us go to jamesplace.org.uk/support #suicide

I’m quoted on the front page of the Observer today. They are looking back at the effects of the pandemic five years on. I say that it is primarily a story of inequalities. The poorest, disabled, young people have suffered the fallout, but this is easy to overlook www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...

In my 35 years in #mentalhealth poor #housing or a lack of has always been the thing that causes significant and enduring harm. Supported accommodation that is safe and close to one’s community is too hard to find. This is an important piece of research 👇🏼 www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

It's #fundraisingfriday and we want to say a huge thank you to the wonderful journalists who took part in @thetimes.com charity appeal phone in earlier this week to raise funds for us. Thank you so much to everyone who called in and donated.💙 Read more here www.thetimes.com/uk/society/a...

We're #recruiting for a Clinical Administrator to join our team at James' Place Liverpool. You will be the first point of contact for men in suicidal crisis, and provide admin support to the clinical team. More info at www.jamesplace.org.uk/clinical-adm... #liverpooljobs #suicideprevention

It's been reasonably well established ADHD/Autistic individuals have lower life expectancies. Often this is caused by a lack of adjustments to enable us to access equal healthcare. Add this to the many reasons we need better investment in support and diagnosis. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

I'm womanning the lines today - my shift is around 5pm! - for The TImes charity appeal. I moaned they hadn't put a photo of me on any of the posters, so they dug this one out. Fair fucks, social media department.

Tomorrow at 5pm I'll be on the phonelines for The Times' charity appeal: ring in and let's chat! www.thetimes.com/uk/society/a...

And people with #ADHD and menopausal women and people with cystic fibrosis and organ transplants. It's SCARY.

My 3rd UK charities starter pack which I started last week is already almost a third full. Will there be a flurry of new starters I can add this #BlueMonday / #Xodus day?

Brilliant and absolutely crucial piece on a step change in thinking about suicide from our trustee @roryoc.bsky.social

"We need a step change in how we think about suicide" Proud to be a Trustee of @jamesplaceuk.bsky.social who are working tirelessly to support men who are suicidal

This is an important - and devastating - article from @gabyhinsliff.bsky.social “It’s only when they’re lying bleeding on the pavement, crying for their mothers while some passing stranger holds their hand, that suddenly the world starts to see them as the children they still are”

One of the most successful public policy interventions of recent decades.

NEWS: 🇬🇧 New study shows how the UK sugar tax is benefiting children’s health. In the three years following the announcement of the tax in 2016, sugar intake from soft drinks among children halved. (Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

This is a profoundly moving piece - sincere thanks to Farah and Rashid for speaking about their son Omar and sharing their story

Thank you so much Rashid and Farah for sharing your story as part of @thetimes.com Christmas Appeal 💙 Read the full story and donate at the link. www.thetimes.com/uk/society/a... #TheTimes #suicide #suicideprevention #christmasappeal

Well, here it is providing welcome relief from a trampoline park in Enfield.

Great article from @mscaitlinmoran.bsky.social in @thetimes.com last weekend.

Are you a small charity worrying about how to raise money when people’s budgets are so tight? Come ask my expert panel for advice and mention your charity on radio 4’s Money Box. [email protected] to put yourself forward

Very moving piece in today’s @thetimes.com about Steven who came to James’ Place Newcastle in suicidal crisis. Sincere thanks to Steven for sharing his story and to my wonderful colleagues who were able to help him www.thetimes.com/article/add3...

Are you an ex political adviser with zero remaining Joie de Vivre? Let me know and I will add you to my starter pack go.bsky.app/B5X2Tsg

More here on the charities we've chosen this year and how you can support them www.thetimes.com/uk/society/a... Putting this together I have been blown away by the work all three do

We are delighted to announce that we have been chosen as one of three charities to benefit from this year's @thetimes.com Christmas Appeal. Every donation will help us to continue to provide free, life-saving therapy to men in suicidal crisis. www.thetimes.com/article/c6a8...

READ: “Policies to help people walk & cycle such as low-traffic neighbourhoods can create public health benefits as much as 100 times greater than the cost of the schemes, a long-term study has concluded.” AND the benefits continue to grow even higher over time. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024...

Thrilled and honoured that @jamesplaceuk.bsky.social won the Public Health Minister’s Award at today’s @rsph.bsky.social awards for our work with men in suicidal crisis in Liverpool, Newcastle and London, and to be presented with it by @gwynnemp.bsky.social

We are also working on a #singlesessionintervention for parents of teens who are struggling with their mood. We need uk based parents of 13-18 year olds to help us - by taking part in online interviews - email [email protected] if interested

Just back from a brilliant - and free! - gig at the Barbican to see Whiskey Moonface for the first time since lockdown. Part of #wearejazz - do follow on BandsinTown or whatever app you use.

IPPR called for this to be a national priority and I’m very pleased to see the government get behind School Streets and provide new guidance to help get more set up across the country. This is a real boost for children’s safety, independence, health and wellbeing

Shocking news. 36% of UK children are living in poverty according to the latest Social Metrics Commission research (I am one of the Commissioners) www.theguardian.com/society/2024...

#StarterPack for UK Charity Chief Execs, Trustees & Directors here.... many thanks to @howardlake.bsky.social for pulling this together :-) bsky.app/starter-pack...