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Reposted by Kieran Walshe

Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 1d

🧵🚨

The UK’s independent scientific bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation - over the past 5 months I've been working with @martinmckee.bsky.social to map out their vulnerabilities and it's not good news.

Today our report is published!
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...

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UK’s arm’s length public bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation

Seven in ten Britons say it is important for top scientific institutions to be independent in exclusive new polling.

www.ucl.ac.uk

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Kieran Walshe @kieranwalshe.bsky.social · 9d

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Farage, Trump, Musk: your boy Javier Milei just took one hell of a beating. Why so quiet? | Aditya Chakrabortty

The wild politics and chainsaw made Argentina’s president an economic hero for the right. And now, with his nation’s finances in chaos: silence, writes Guardian columnist Aditya Chakrabortty

www.theguardian.com

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Dr Rebecca Wragg Sykes @lemoustier.bsky.social · 10d

Especially delicious as this published 24 hours ago by an OpenAI employee ⬇️
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

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Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 10d

For anyone who's published a book. (Source: www.alcs.co.uk/news/the-lat...)

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Emma Wilkinson @emmajourno.bsky.social · 11d

The day the Home Office tried to deport me

www.thetimes.com/article/ffe3...

The day the Home Office tried to deport me

When the government decided her marriage might be a sham, Jo Elvin fought for rights that she fears may now be denied her

www.thetimes.com

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Reposted by Kieran Walshe

Scott L Greer @scottlgreer.bsky.social · 14d

Wish the UK government had read our advice (ahem). Free to read.

The second Trump administration: A policy analysis of challenges and opportunities for European health policymakers

The second Trump administration has already made major changes in US policies that affect health and health systems worldwide.We use the Health System…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Trish Greenhalgh @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · 14d

New from @sheencr.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/sheenacr...

What the current disinformation and discussions on vaccines, Tylenol (Paracetamol), autism could mean for us all.

Disinformation and Disarray in American Health Policy Making

open.substack.com

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Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 17d

Again, with the essential use of sibling controls, in a nationwide prospective study in Sweden of ~2.5 million children, no increased risk even with higher dose exposure
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Let's talk about "gold standard science"

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Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 25d

I confess I sometimes wonder whether Unherd should really be called Unhinged. But just occasionally, especially when it does reportage rather than rage-baiting, it comes up with real gems. This IMHO is one of them. unherd.com/2025/09/the-...

The sordid reality of retirement villages

unherd.com

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NIHR ARC Wessex @arcwessex.bsky.social · 26d

NIHR ARC Wessex withdraws from X/Twitter

@nihrarcs.bsky.social @nihr.bsky.social

www.arc-wx.nihr.ac.uk/post/nihr-ar...

NIHR ARC Wessex closes X/Twitter platform account after comments from owner

NIHR ARC Wessex has withdrawn from the X/Twitter platform following comments at the weekend by its owner Elon Musk. See BBC article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cnvr5782yp3o We would encourage...

www.arc-wx.nihr.ac.uk

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Kieran Walshe @kieranwalshe.bsky.social · Sep 11

CORRELATION IS NOT CAUSATION! Disappointingly poor reporting from @theguardian.com. Of course we want more girls to play sport, but this study is what is technically termed "a load of nonsense". www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Girls who play after-school sport in UK 50% more likely to later get top jobs, study finds

Despite benefits, girls far less likely than boys to play sport due to cost and lack of access, according to the research

www.theguardian.com

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@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · Sep 10

There's a new social care 'think tank' that has appeared from nowhere. @brokenbottleboy.bsky.social has some questions... open.substack.com/pub/brokenbo...

The BBC, the NHS and a 'new' think-tank

A case study in how vested interests rebrand themselves as "think-tanks".

open.substack.com

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The BMJ @bmj.com · Sep 8

The BMJ’s former editor in chief, Fiona Godlee, was arrested this weekend alongside over a dozen other healthcare workers at a demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament in London while holding a sign reading, “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action”
www.bmj.com/content/390/...

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Kieran Walshe @kieranwalshe.bsky.social · Sep 1

Take a look at our NIHR funded research project on quality, safety and clinical governance at the interface between the NHS and the independent sector. Some interesting outputs on this from @nuffieldtrust.org.uk and @healthfoundation.bsky.social too. www.alliancembs.manchester.ac.uk/research/fun...

Quality, safety and clinical governance in NHS and independent hospitals | Alliance MBS

Project examining the quality and safety of patient care in NHS and independent hospitals and the way that systems for overseeing clinical care and sharing information work in practice.

www.alliancembs.manchester.ac.uk

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Patrick Ness @patricknessbooks.bsky.social · Aug 28

This, from the Quakers, is worth reading. It's a serene, confident, utter rebuke of the hate and fear that's peddled by Sex Matters. The last two pages are smokin'. If you're on the wrong side of the Quakers, you really need to sit down and have a good chat with yourself.

Alexandra Lanes @ajlanes.bsky.social · Aug 28

This, from the Quakers, is a pretty good example of how to resist pressure from bigot lobbying groups. Effectively “we legally can allow trans people to use the loo, we morally should, and we tried it and nothing bad happened”

www.quaker.org.uk

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Kieran Walshe @kieranwalshe.bsky.social · Aug 28

I don't have a religious faith, but I think if I did, I'd want to join the Quakers. This is such a thoughtful, careful and compassionate statement on trans-inclusive facilities. Common sense and kindness and true Christian values.

Alexandra Lanes @ajlanes.bsky.social · Aug 28

This, from the Quakers, is a pretty good example of how to resist pressure from bigot lobbying groups. Effectively “we legally can allow trans people to use the loo, we morally should, and we tried it and nothing bad happened”

www.quaker.org.uk

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Emma Wilkinson @emmajourno.bsky.social · Aug 28

The kind of pushback I’d love to see more of www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

CDC erupts in chaos after ousted chief Susan Monarez refuses to resign

Lawyers for Monarez say she was ‘targeted’ for ‘protecting the public’ by not endorsing ‘unscientific’ orders

www.theguardian.com

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Kieran Walshe @kieranwalshe.bsky.social · Aug 27

Our research on locum doctors found it is still possible for problem doctors to move from place to place and evade scrutiny. Some frank and revealing interviews - full paper at
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

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Kieran Walshe @kieranwalshe.bsky.social · Aug 27

It's easy to blame the locum doctor when something goes wrong. Some eye-opening qualitative data in our new paper on liminality, locums and concerns about performance. Full paper (OA) at www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

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Kieran Walshe @kieranwalshe.bsky.social · Aug 27

"What seems to be the problem? Locum doctors, liminality and concerns about performance". Really great paper led by Gemma Stringer on liminality and locum doctors just out in Social Science and Medicine. Open access at www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

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Martin McKee @martinmckee.bsky.social · Aug 27

Increasingly I feel that what once was considered the political mainstream in the U.K. has completely lost its moral compass. When did the question about concentration camps and mass deportations become one of practical feasibility?

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Healthwatch @healthwatch.bsky.social · Aug 19

‘Between 2015 - 2020, 84% of new drugs recommended by NICE were less cost effective than existing services’ ‘The life science plan to introduce “ innovators passports” will allow a single NHS organisation’s evaluation of a new technology to trigger system wide adoption’
www.bmj.com/content/390/...

Improving productivity in the NHS

Innovation may fall short of delivering improvement The UK government’s 10 year health plan for England1 was published against concerns of ailing productivity within the NHS2 and the wider UK economy...

www.bmj.com

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Kieran Walshe @kieranwalshe.bsky.social · Jul 17

A must-read on the underlying problems of a life sciences strategy based on selling more (and more expensive) stuff to the NHS, and an NHS plan which envisages saving £££ through efficiencies and prevention. It doesn't add up.

Nuffield Trust @nuffieldtrust.org.uk · Jul 17

NEW: A long read from @sallygainsbury.bsky.social examines a conundrum for policy makers: How can the NHS meet public demand while also positioning the NHS as an engine for economic growth? www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/an...

An engine for economic growth? Why it won’t be a piece of cake for the NHS

With the newly published Life Sciences Sector Plan coming soon after the 10 Year Health Plan for England, Sally Gainsbury reflects on the government’s gamble on the NHS as a driver of economic growth ...

www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk

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Cristian Montenegro @crismontenegro.bsky.social · Jul 14

New article in Social Theory & Health, co-authored with
@judegreen.bsky.social, open access.

In a nutshell we argue that that lived-experience research is not the same as qualitative sociology in health research. The difference exists and matters.

Read here: rdcu.be/evZ7F

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Jamie Furlong @jwfurlong.bsky.social · Jul 7

Our paper (@davefev.bsky.social + others) out today shows London LTNs have led to est. 613 fewer road injuries (-100 Killed or Seriously Injured).

No significant impact (with benefits for cyclists/motorcyclists) on boundary roads.

injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/earl... (Open access soon!)

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