Today is #GlobalMNDAwarenessDay. For 6 months my amazing mum has been living with this awful disease. It's an incredibly tough time but she continues to smile & laugh @mndassoc.bsky.social has been a great support. You can donate so ppl like mum get help here www.mndassociation.org/get-involved...

Fantastic day so far at Confed - Mackey’s talk about “tearing up” rules to focus on outcomes and results welcome to ensure we are listening to what patients needs and experience - also #SR day so here’s our response: www.nationalvoices.org.uk/spending-rev...

I recently chaired a @nationalvoices.bsky.social roundtable on AI -asking how to make it more patient & health inequalities centric. Recent @nuffieldtrust.bsky.social blog on AI In diagnostics shows the urgency to improve patient involvement: www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/cu... #AI #healthcare

Our Director of Policy and External Affairs @sharonbrennan.bsky.social features on the first of an exciting new @hsj.co.uk podcast series about new health legislation, contributing alongside guest Bill Morgan and HSJ's @davewwest.bsky.social and Annabelle Collins: www.hsj.co.uk/hsj-health-c... 1/2

New on the blog! 📢 National Voices' Policy Manager, Tessa Fulton, shares her learnings on how to meaningfully engage with communities after collaborating with ICSs. 👉 tinyurl.com/2x3yzfpm

Did the online GP referral thing - invited to book an appointment via NHS app - got this message. When the GP practice wasn’t using the app for the same process their website available appointments in 3 weeks+ time so at least you could book something.

As part of Austism Awareness week @cftrustuk.bsky.social has shared this blog written by a social media pal of mine (we can’t meet due to cross infection risks) - loved this bit about small but vital hospital adaptions www.cysticfibrosis.org.uk/news/so-much...

Our Policy Director @sharonbrennan.bsky.social quoted in this piece about the expansion of “advice and guidance” - where GPs can speak with hospital Drs to resolve patient concerns more quickly than standard waiting lists www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

total clarity here from @edwardluce.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/4c4b...

Following on from my evidence session @commonshealth.bsky.social on NHSE abolishment/ ICB cuts we have now published a report with additional evidence and thoughts on Sir Jim Mackay’s letter to systems - i’d love to hear thoughts! Read the paper here 👉 tinyurl.com/2z8rh45h

Representing @nationalvoices.bsky.social members today @commonshealth.bsky.social on NHSE abolishment’s and ICB cuts - real opp to refocus on patient exp in restructure - bringing back PE directorate& PE accountability at ICB board level, using national patient surveys to drive improvement 1/2

@sharonbrennan.bsky.social tells @commonshealth.bsky.social "we urgently need to know what the transition plan is" for the abolishment of NHS England, to reduce the risk of disrupting care. Sharon also called for the return of dedicated patient experience directorate as part of the restructure

Delighted to be invited to give evidence at a Health Select Committee session tomorrow on the impact to patients of the abolishment of NHSE. I will share concerns and insights from our membership and wider stakeholders, outlining risks and opportunities: committees.parliament.uk/event/23764/...

I remembered a piece I wrote for @hsj.co.uk back in the day, leaving this here without comment www.hsj.co.uk/policy-and-r...

Creon shortages continue - given 1/5th of my order today - not clear when more stock will come in - living from one box of Creon to the another without any certainty about future supply is now the norm #medshortages #medsupply #creon

This is what the government did with 120K+ Japanese Americans in 1942. I know. I was there in those camps.

NEW Data released today shows the number of collisions on 20 and 30mph roads in Wales have decreased by 26% in the 1st year of the rollout of default 20mph speed limits in residential areas. There were also 28% fewer casualties compared to the previous year, the lowest since records began.

Great to see Thailand's new equality law allowing gay marriage- 1st country in SE Asia to do so, 3rd in all of Asia, (Nepal & Taiwan do). With anti LGBTQ+ legislation in US, great to see progress going in right direction in other parts of globe www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j... #LGBTQ #equality

Was at Harefield hospital last 2 days and looked again as this the amazing pot by Grayson Perry called ‘Urn for the Living’. You can see it from outside and inside the operating theatre - it makes me feel loved and seen that someone has made something so beautiful to honour the transplant process

With all eyes on elective here's my diagnosis test story part II. So last year was an admin nightmare cancelling a test I couldn't make & hadn't been asked in advance whether I could do... managed to cancel but not reschedule (see previous tweets on saga). 2nd Jan not heard new date so chased..1/3

Belatedly conducted our end of year ritual with my wife, where we pick our favourite books we’ve read. Another strong year… we are SO good at books @sharonbrennan.bsky.social

Bringing you our top 5 books each from 2024 with @chris-branson.bsky.social (bumped into Nick Cave at the Bacon exhib at the National Portrait Gallery today - thanked him for his music but not his book) #books #reading #skylit

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year with a message from Rosie (for you and the wider world)

Time magazine may have named Trump Person of the Year, but we all know 2024 belongs to this incredible woman:

A conversation about books, you say? Yes please! Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 20. A Room with a View, by E.M. Forster

A conversation about books, you say? Yes please! Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 19. Where the Wild Things are, Maurice Sendak

A conversation about books, you say? Yes please! Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 18. The Magic Mountain, by Thomas Mann

A conversation about books, you say? Yes please! Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 17. Being mortal, by Atul Gawande

A conversation about books, you say? Yes please! Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 16. Dispatches, by Michael Herr

A conversation about books, you say? Yes please! Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 15. Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad

A conversation about books, you say? Yes please! Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 14. Wide Sargasso Sea, by Jean Rhys

A conversation about books, you say? Yes please! Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 13. Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Marriage, by Alice Munro

Choose twenty books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for twenty days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 12. A Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole

Choose twenty books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for twenty days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 11. The Overhaul, by Kathleen Jamie

Just bringing in @jacoblant.bsky.social and @healthwatchengland.bsky.social as I know admin is a burning issue for them too

At National Voices we talk a lot about patient admin and many people ask what we mean and why patients who don't cancel appointments shouldn't be charged, so here's a thread on my attempt to cancel an appointment. I was offered an appointment for 30 December - I am away so can't make it. so.... 1/4

Choose twenty books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for twenty days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 10. The Drowned World, by J.G. Ballard

Choose twenty books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for twenty days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 9. The Living Mountain, by Nan Shepherd

Choose twenty books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for twenty days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 8. The BFG, by Roald Dahl

Choose twenty books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for twenty days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 7. To the Lighthouse, by Virginia Woolf

Mind blowing that I was almost two years old before they ever did this transplant and now I’m only allow because of one (double lung, no heart). My surgeon was trained by Yacoub himself #miracle #NHS #organdonation

Choose twenty books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for twenty days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 6. The Autobiography of Malcolm X, by Malcolm X and Alex Haley

Amazing to be part of @nationalvoices.bsky.social first ever Health Inequalities Unconference - very busy just after this pic was taken welcoming everyone and signing them in

Choose twenty books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for twenty days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 5. Carrie by Stephen King

Choose twenty books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for twenty days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 4. Jennie, by Paul Gallico

Choose twenty books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for twenty days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 3. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Choose twenty books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for twenty days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 2. Faith, Hope & Carnage, Nick Cave and Sean O’Hagen

A conversation about books, you say? Yes please! Choose twenty books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for twenty days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 1. The Years by Annie Ernaux

Let’s link up and start some blue Sky conversations without any smell of Musk