Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Gill Hitchcock @gillhitchcock.bsky.social · 1d

Would comprehensive social care free to those who need it, regardless of income and savings work for the UK?

This would be similar to the way the NHS works and how adult social care works in Denmark and other countries too.

bit.ly/42Bssyt

Fixing Social Care: The Six Key Problems And How To Tackle Them

Different people have different opinions about what’s ‘wrong’ with social care and how to fix it. This long read outlines the six key issues and the options cited to tackle them.

bit.ly

Reposted by Gill Hitchcock

Byline Times @bylinetimes.bsky.social · 2d

BREAKING: The National Union of Journalists describe the Conservative Party's banning of Byline Times journalists from covering their conference as a threat to media freedom which "undermines the Conservative Party leader’s repeated pledge to fight for free speech"

bylinetimes.com/2025/10/08/c...

Conservatives Accused of ‘Trumpian’ Tactics After Barring Second Byline Times Journalist From Conference

The National Union of Journalists described the bans as a threat to media freedom which "undermines the Conservative Party leader’s repeated pledge to fight for free speech"

bylinetimes.com

14 120 320

Reposted by Gill Hitchcock

Nuffield Trust @nuffieldtrust.org.uk · 5d

What could the implications be if #NHS continuing healthcare (CHC) - a package of NHS funded care - is not improved?

@rachelhutchings.bsky.social's latest blog explains some concerning findings from her research on this poorly understood service. 👇

www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/nh...

NHS continuing health care: consigned to the too difficult box?

Alongside our new research today on NHS continuing health care (CHC), the report's lead author Rachel Hutchings sets out why CHC is important, what we found in our research, and describes what the imp...

www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk

7 5

Gill Hitchcock @gillhitchcock.bsky.social · 7d

Thanks @orielcolwyn.bsky.social for a great day 1 of the North Eye photography festival.
Including an inspirational talk by the great Martin Parr.
To paraphrase Parr: the beauty of photograph is that you never know what you are going to get.
Here is young Parr with his dad.
bit.ly/4o4h7PJ

1 1

Gill Hitchcock @gillhitchcock.bsky.social · 10d

"Residents receive exceptional health & personal care, promoting their overall wellbeing & ensuring they lead a joyful, satisfying life in a surrounding that is nurturing, comfortable and supportive," says Morar Care Homes of its "luxurious" facilities.

The BBC uncovers the truth.
bit.ly/4mIkCdm

Disclosure - Care Home Undercover

Undercover exposé of a care home in crisis. Disclosure reveals the reality for some elderly residents at a large nursing home in the Highlands.

www.bbc.co.uk

1

Gill Hitchcock @gillhitchcock.bsky.social · 10d

"As I wheeled my cleaning trolley round the corridors, I was acutely aware of pleading faces peering out of bedrooms, hoping for a few minutes of company and conversation."

And for £1,800 a week.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I went undercover as a cleaner at a failing care home.

Catriona MacPhee worked in a Highland care home for seven weeks as part of BBC Disclosure investigation.

www.bbc.co.uk

1

Gill Hitchcock @gillhitchcock.bsky.social · 10d

It's National Black Dog Day 2025, dedicated to celebrating them and encouraging people to adopt them from shelters.

So here's beautiful Whizz, adopted from @dogstrust.bsky.social
in 2021. She's a joy.

1

Gill Hitchcock @gillhitchcock.bsky.social · 15d

Theatr Clwyd's £50m refit is a triumph for #Wales.

On a first visit to the 'new' theatre this week, much enjoyed Ayckbourn's Snake in the Grass.

Its Welsh-English bilingual Romeo & Juliet is off on tour ending at London's Globe, the 1st time Welsh will heard on the South Bank.
bit.ly/46yiErv

‘The language adds a whole new level’: Welsh-English version of Romeo and Juliet heads for the Globe

Bilingual production by Theatr Cymru is expected to be first time Welsh will be heard at South Bank venue

bit.ly

1

Reposted by Gill Hitchcock

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 17d

Think the Tony Blair Institute looks sinister? You've not seen anything yet. Crucial investigation by @petergeoghegan.bsky.social and Democracy for Sale:
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/inside-the...

Inside the Tony Blair Institute

A former PM, tech tycoon Larry Ellison and Britain's data - what could go wrong?

democracyforsale.substack.com

44 380 720

Reposted by Gill Hitchcock

Digital Health @digitalhealth2.bsky.social · 17d

Patients have complained about disruption to outpatients bookings and waiting lists following the introduction of a new electronic patient record (EPR) system at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

www.digitalhealth.net/2025/09/pati...

Patients complain about disruption following new EPR in Sheffield

Patients have complained about disruption to outpatient bookings following the introduction of a new EPR at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.

www.digitalhealth.net

2 1

Reposted by Gill Hitchcock

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 23d

Privatisation of UK industries driving cost of living crisis & inequality.

People ripped off by water, energy, rail, mail companies.

Profiteering at care homes, dentists, GP surgeries, cataract clinics. Social housing destroyed.

Privatisation is a scam. Delivered low investment, poor service.

Privatisation of UK industries is driving cost of living crisis, says Greens leader

Zack Polanski calls mass privatisation a ‘failed experiment’ as report finds it has cost UK households £250 a year more

www.theguardian.com

15 240 490

Gill Hitchcock @gillhitchcock.bsky.social · 23d

Private Eye hits the nail on the head.

But it isn't responsible for the possibility of us being deemed a nation of losers and getting hammered by a massive tariff.

@privateeyenews.bsky.social

1

Gill Hitchcock @gillhitchcock.bsky.social · 23d

NHS GPs provide a wonderful service.

But the BMJ finds that one in three GPs in England don't work in the NHS, while it costs taxpayers £430,540 for each GP to qualify.

Wes Streeting should start improving retention by addressing burnout.

@bma.org.uk @patients-association.org.uk
bit.ly/4nc2ee9

1

Gill Hitchcock @gillhitchcock.bsky.social · 26d

Prisons are to cut spending on education by 50%, despite Labour's pledge to improve “access to learning”.
How very short-sighted.
The Institute for Government reports that education in prison and employment on release are two of the best ways to reduce reoffending.
bit.ly/4n3Lzcr

Focusing on education and training in prisons could save money in the long term | Institute for Government

Expanding training and education provision in custody is the right move.

bit.ly

Reposted by Gill Hitchcock

Campaign for the Arts @campaignforthearts.org · 26d

Owen Cooper's record-breaking Emmy win is a result of his time at Drama MOB, a drama school in Manchester. He is living proof of what young people can achieve when they have access to arts education 🏆

Image of Owen Cooper holding his Emmy on stage, with the text "Last night, Owen Cooper made history as the youngest male Emmy winner ever, at just 15."

1 25 71

Gill Hitchcock @gillhitchcock.bsky.social · 29d

Many of the most vulnerable children are not receiving the residential care they need.

Costs to councils for residential care doubled between 2019-20 and 2023-24 to £3.1bn, @nao.org.uk reports.

There's a shortage of places, so private providers push up prices.

bit.ly/4pm0G2v

Managing children’s residential care - NAO report

This report assesses DfE’s response to challenges faced by local authorities in placing looked-after children in residential care in England.

bit.ly

Reposted by Gill Hitchcock

London Review of Books @lrb.co.uk · Sep 10

‘He made white British readers recognise Jamaican patois. Most readers need to articulate the poems in order to understand their meaning: glancing at the page isn’t enough.’

Mendez on Linton Kwesi Johnson: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

Mendez · Burning Age of Rage: On Linton Kwesi Johnson

Linton Kwesi Johnson has maintained that ‘writing poetry or making music ... is not a substitute for hardcore...

www.lrb.co.uk

2 14 41

Reposted by Gill Hitchcock

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · Sep 10

Rachel Reeves tells private equity bosses she plans to shut down more regulators.

Numerous banking scandals. PE is unregulated

PE devoured hospitals, care homes, water, high street. Banks continue to engage in predatory practices. What next?

Finance sector needs effective regulation.

Rachel Reeves tells private equity bosses she plans to shut down more regulators

Chancellor stopped short of saying which regulators were in government’s crosshairs

www.theguardian.com

39 150 280

Gill Hitchcock @gillhitchcock.bsky.social · Sep 10

Almost 1m 16–24 year-olds are not in education, employment and training, up from 800,000 in 2019.
One key reason, the TUC reports, is that the Apprenticeship Levy, intended to boost numbers, has fallen short.
The outcome has been a decline in apprenticeship starts and achievements.

Gill Hitchcock @gillhitchcock.bsky.social · Aug 29

Less than 40% of councils’ spend goes on services such as street cleaning, waste collection and leisure centres, finds ‪@local.gov.uk‬.

60% goes on social care, with private equity reaping huge profits by providing these services.

The answer? Bring social care back into public ownership.

Reposted by Gill Hitchcock

Richard Morris @ahistoryinart.bsky.social · Aug 22

'The Thames at Wapping.' (1931) Algernon Newton painted the Thames in this part of London on many occasions. This picture apes the way Canaletto painted Venice by defining space through light, a technique that makes Newton's work so beguiling.

1 10 61

Gill Hitchcock @gillhitchcock.bsky.social · Aug 21

A scandalous drain on valuable public housing resources.
Now, and in the future, people should have the option of social housing.
Social housing should be a respected and life-long housing option, which can be passed to the children of tenants.
shorturl.at/LbSdk

England to sell eight times more council homes than it built last year, report finds

Depletion of social housing stock spurs calls for councils to have first refusal to buy ex-council homes entering market

shorturl.at

Gill Hitchcock @gillhitchcock.bsky.social · Aug 20

PE has gobbled up dental surgeries too.
It's a significant reason why it's impossible to obtain NHS dentistry in Wales.
Many people are forced to wait until they're in pain before seeking NHS emergency care.

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · Aug 20

PE has devoured care homes, vets, GP surgeries, high streets.

It buys/sells schools too, albeit private ones.

Education commodified. Parents complain about paying VAT on fees; silent on PE profiteering.

How long before PE is let into state schools?
archive.ph/LDSfI

Private equity sale of €6bn fee-paying schools group Cognita on brink of collapse

Blackstone and CVC had expressed interest in company even as private schools have been hit by UK tax on fees

www.ft.com

Gill Hitchcock @gillhitchcock.bsky.social · Aug 18

The Angel.

1

Gill Hitchcock @gillhitchcock.bsky.social · Aug 18

It's a wonderful view and a top place to live.
I used to enjoy walking from Canada Water to London Bridge on summer evenings, stopping for a snifter en route.

1 1