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Samantha Wathen

@samanthajwathen.bsky.social

5.1K followers 650 following 670 posts

Press/Media Officer for Keep Our NHS Public and Operations for Frontline19. Occasional bylines on the NHS. Passionate about mental health support for HCPs. Once got to say Hold the front page. Own views, obvs.

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Samantha Wathen @samanthajwathen.bsky.social · Dec 1

I wrote this piece for @nhsmillion.bsky.social in 2022, but it's sadly still true.

"The only thing holding the NHS together is its staff who somehow manage to find that inner strength to come in and face the enormous challenges posed day after day after day"
www.nhsmillion.co.uk/blog/2022/1/...

Humans, not heroes, are holding our NHS together — NHS Million

Government neglect and underfunding over the last ten years has contributed to a situation that is untenable and the actions of those in power continue to make working in the NHS extremely challenging...

www.nhsmillion.co.uk

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Samantha Wathen @samanthajwathen.bsky.social · 8h

Young poster boys and girls for the Tory future - including one who advocated for sibling incest and wanted to lower the age of consent - but wouldn't say to what number.

Why are they always so odd?

www.thetimes.com/article/8c9a...

Meet the young Tories dreaming of a bright blue future

The Conservatives know they have a problem with Gen Z voters. At the party conference, The Times met a new breed of activists who are embracing the challenge

www.thetimes.com

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Samantha Wathen @samanthajwathen.bsky.social · 21h

Proud - in nearly a decade of being a press officer for a national campaign - to have always turned down requests from these people.

Declining Jacob Rees-Mogg was a particular career highlight.

Stop Funding Hate @stopfundinghate.bsky.social · 1d

Amid a global misinformation crisis, where toxic messages can spread to millions within hours, Britain urgently needs a regulator that is willing and able to act robustly & with speed.

Ofcom seems painfully ill-equipped to do the job it has been tasked with /9 www.heraldscotland.com/news/2478423...

GB News accused of operating 'anti-Muslim hate channel'

Former First Minister Humza Yousaf has been cited in a report which accuses GB News of running an 'anti-Muslim hate channel'

www.heraldscotland.com

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Reposted by Samantha Wathen

Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 1d

Nearly 3000 new members in the 24 hours since the Party Political Broadcast.

Extraordinary.

Hope is returning. 💚🚀

Join.greenparty.org.uk

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Samantha Wathen @samanthajwathen.bsky.social · 2d

I've said it before and I'll say it again. It's mindboggling how a leading UK uni with hundreds of millions of £ in reserve has axed whole depts and made world experts redundant whilst opening a site in (checks notes) Kazakhstan, paying to fly their remaining staff in & out.

Batsh*t isn't the word

Cardiff UCU @cardiffucu.bsky.social · 2d

Cardiff University Kazakhstan featuring on BBC Wales Today, with contribution from Cardiff UCU's @llantwit.bsky.social

Reposted by Samantha Wathen

Helen Salisbury @helensalisbury.bsky.social · 2d

According to Wes Streeting, GPs are less convenient than hairdressers.
My latest on why goodwill has drained away as we try to provide a safe & equitable service in the teeth of a gale of nonsense from NHS England & the govt.
bmj.com/cgi/content/...

Helen Salisbury: GPs versus hairdressers? Streeting has no idea

The row about online access to GP services continues.1 In April it was agreed that GPs would keep online portals open in their core hours, but a six month delay was put in place. This was so that NHS ...

bmj.com

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Samantha Wathen @samanthajwathen.bsky.social · 4d

No actual way

Samantha Wathen @samanthajwathen.bsky.social · 4d

Shocking absolutely that we've come to this and conditions must urgently change for the sake of all concerned. BUT empathy hasn't disappeared.

We are dealing not with a lack of compassion but - in some cases - with the debilitating effect of burnout on frontline staff. There's a big difference.

NationCymru @nation.cymru · 4d

When empathy disappears from emergency care, what remains? Retired doctor Rajan Madhok shares a harrowing account from the front lines of an NHS in crisis

Do not cry for us: But do something to fix the NHS

Rajan Madhok You would not wish it on your worst enemy, let alone your friends or fellow human beings. Yet, it goes on, and it is ‘normal’. Let me explain. I took my friend for an urgent CT scan to…

buff.ly

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Samantha Wathen @samanthajwathen.bsky.social · 4d

This lady tho.

Samantha Wathen @samanthajwathen.bsky.social · 5d

Literally the only plus point politics-wise these days is that these grifters are now basically irrelevant.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 5d

Conservatives would take UK out of ECHR, Badenoch confirms

Leader says move is is necessary ‘to protect our borders, our veterans and our citizens’ Kemi Badenoch has announced that a Conservative government under her leadership would pull the UK out of the European convention on human rights. The move marks a lurch to the right for the Tories, who are attempting to stem a loss of support to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. Farage has long been a critic of the ECHR and has pledged to leave it if he becomes prime minister. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Samantha Wathen

Frontline19 @frontline19.bsky.social · 6d

Did you know that c55 doctors quit every single day?

We cannot afford to lose their compassion and expertise - so we must value them more and ensure the working environment is supportive of their needs.

We aim to change this statistic by lobbying to ensure that all workers feel cared for.

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RCP museum @rcpmuseum.bsky.social · 7d

Today we are sharing the story of James Samuel Risien Russell (1863 – 1939) - a renowned neurologist, acclaimed professor, & one of the first Black British consultants.

Read our blog for more on his life & career
👉 history.rcp.ac.uk/blog/james-s...

#BlackHistoryMonth @rcphysicians.bsky.social

Black and white photo portrait of James Risien Russell with short dark hair and a moustache.
Image courtesy of the Queen Square Archives ©National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery

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Reposted by Samantha Wathen

Caroline Lucas @carolinelucas.bsky.social · 7d

Tory party’s long journey away from science, reason, responsibility, common sense and truth is complete

Kemi Badenoch vows to repeal Climate Change Act

Tory leader says she would replace it with ‘cheap energy’ strategy, ending decades-long consensus on climate

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Samantha Wathen

Nurse Suicide Project @nurse-suicide.bsky.social · 8d

Do you have something that you would like to say about #NurseSuicide in #WomenNurses
We have room for you and your ideas on our #Blog. We welcome a wide range of voices and formats.
Look at our past blogs here: www.nursesuicidestudy.com/blog
Contact us here: www.nursesuicidestudy.com/blog
#NurseSky

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Reposted by Samantha Wathen

MHScot Workplace Wellbeing CIC @mentalhealthscot.land · 8d

Managers - you’re the bridge between policy and practice. You might not write the wellbeing policy, but how you lead shapes the culture.
Check in: Can people speak up? Are workloads fair? Does wellbeing matter here?
A policy without people-focused leadership is just a PDF.
WorkplaceWellbeing

Samantha Wathen @samanthajwathen.bsky.social · 8d

Well said, Rachel. Honestly makes me cry angry tears. Our loved ones were sent off to work in inadequate kit that put their lives at risk while she and others profited. Anything less than prison is insufficient imho.

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Dr Rachel Clarke @drrachelclarke.com · 8d

Here I am in 2020 in the flimsiest, most pitful PPE - like so many other NHS staff, some of whom died from the Covid they caught in their hospitals.

Tory peer Michelle Mone - who today lost her legal case & must repay the govt £122m - dares to claim she’s been ‘scapegoated’.

What, Michelle? 🧵

Rachel wearing very flimsy looking apron, mask and visor in NHS setting

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Reposted by Samantha Wathen

Dr Rachel Clarke @drrachelclarke.com · 8d

Michelle Mone is the polar opposite of the values that should govern public life.

She should repay what she owes immediately & get her sorry, dishonourable form as far away from the House of Lords as possible.

She, & all those other govt grifters who tried to monetise a pandemic, sicken me. Ends/

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Dr Rachel Clarke @drrachelclarke.com · 8d

I was given masks whose ear loops fell off & aprons so flimsy they ripped apart when you tried to put them on, Michelle.

Nurses and porters in our hospital died from the Covid they caught there, Michelle.

How dare you try to bleat victimisation now, Michelle?

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Gaia Vince @wanderinggaia.bsky.social · 8d

This must never be allowed to happen again, for there will be other disasters (increasingly) and other greedy unscrupulous people will try to take advantage of the professionalism and generosity of public health workers

Enraging thread 👇

Dr Rachel Clarke @drrachelclarke.com · 8d

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Reposted by Samantha Wathen

Frontline19 @frontline19.bsky.social · 8d

We're a bit emosh & HUGELY grateful to Aberfeldy Drama Club in Scotland who very generously donated their ticket sales of £1000 to us.

They staged 'Tending' - a play about NHS nurses during Covid. This will really make a difference.

Do give them a Facebook follow: www.facebook.com/aberfeldydra...

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Samantha Wathen @samanthajwathen.bsky.social · 8d

💯

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Samantha Wathen @samanthajwathen.bsky.social · 8d

Health and care workers died as a result of these con artists trying to make a fast buck.

Anything less than prison time is insufficient.

news.sky.com/story/firm-l...

Firm linked to Tory peer Michelle Mone breached £122m PPE contract, judge rules

A company linked to Tory peer Baroness Michelle Mone breached a government contract of nearly £122m to supply surgical gowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, the High Court has ruled.

news.sky.com

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Samantha Wathen @samanthajwathen.bsky.social · 8d

Good to finally see some consequences for these despicable companies who were happy to risk the lives of healthcare staff in order to make themselves richer.

No fine will ever be enough though and will not bring back our health and care workers who died unnecessarily. I hope it's the first of many.

The Independent @the-independent.com · 8d

BREAKING | Company linked to Michelle Mone ordered to repay government £122m over Covid PPE

Company linked to Michelle Mone ordered to repay government £122m over Covid PPE

www.independent.co.uk

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EveryDoctor @everydoctor.org.uk · 9d

🩺 The Mindful Nurse has launched a petition calling for safer NHS staffing levels. We think this is a brilliant step 👏

Let’s protect our staff and patients 💙

👉 Sign here: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...

Petition: Introduce legally enforceable safe nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in the NHS

Make minimum staffing levels a legal requirement by introducing national nurse-to-patient ratios that can help guarantee patient safety and protect staff wellbeing.

petition.parliament.uk

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Samantha Wathen @samanthajwathen.bsky.social · 9d

10000000000000000000 times this.

Prof Devi Sridhar @profdevisridhar.bsky.social · 9d

People thinking that Reform's suggestions of getting rid of legal immigrants will fix the NHS have no idea how much it will hurt healthcare. Immigrants & children of immigrants keep the NHS functioning. Same with social care.

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