Neil Tester
@neiltester.bsky.social
Interested in most things but especially health, social care and the voluntary sector. Freelance consultant: https://neiltesterconsulting.co.uk. Chair, Healthwatch Hertfordshire: https://www.healthwatchhertfordshire.co.uk/. My own views, naturally.
Hang on, Sunday Times - maybe make your mind up?
November 9, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Hang on, Sunday Times - maybe make your mind up?
Heritage at Risk register’s out in a week of briefings that the Budget will cut NHS lists. Describes this 123-yr-old hospital as decaying with no solution agreed. That’s just its existence, not its NHS function. Cutting lists needs a serious capital strategy.
historicengland.org.uk/listing/heri...
historicengland.org.uk/listing/heri...
Mount Vernon Hospital, Rickmansworth Road, Northwood - Hillingdon | Historic England
Explore every county, district, city and major town across England.
historicengland.org.uk
November 7, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Heritage at Risk register’s out in a week of briefings that the Budget will cut NHS lists. Describes this 123-yr-old hospital as decaying with no solution agreed. That’s just its existence, not its NHS function. Cutting lists needs a serious capital strategy.
historicengland.org.uk/listing/heri...
historicengland.org.uk/listing/heri...
Love this note at the end of the Guardian’s review of the J**n L***s Christmas ad.
November 4, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Love this note at the end of the Guardian’s review of the J**n L***s Christmas ad.
Good to see @healthwatchengland.bsky.social pulling together experiences of children with SEN and disabilities ahead of White Paper. Glad 2 of the examples used come from what people have shared with Healthwatch Hertfordshire - and that one is a good news story. www.healthwatch.co.uk/blog/2025-11...
What are parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities telling us?
Parents across England are speaking up about the challenges they face getting the right specialist support for their children and how families are often left struggling to get the care their children ...
www.healthwatch.co.uk
November 4, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Good to see @healthwatchengland.bsky.social pulling together experiences of children with SEN and disabilities ahead of White Paper. Glad 2 of the examples used come from what people have shared with Healthwatch Hertfordshire - and that one is a good news story. www.healthwatch.co.uk/blog/2025-11...
Whoever’s directing Sunday Brunch just made my morning. @charliehigson.bsky.social said he bonded with @jimmoir1.bsky.social over their partners cheating on them by going fishing together. Cut to young Norwegian singer Sigrid looking utterly staggered that Brits discuss such things on live TV.
October 26, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Whoever’s directing Sunday Brunch just made my morning. @charliehigson.bsky.social said he bonded with @jimmoir1.bsky.social over their partners cheating on them by going fishing together. Cut to young Norwegian singer Sigrid looking utterly staggered that Brits discuss such things on live TV.
This is good news but the Secretary of State’s wrong to say women have been suffering in silence. They’ve consistently been trying to tell the system and being ignored. Sound familiar? Here’s Exhibit A from Healthwatch Hertfordshire: www.healthwatchhertfordshire.co.uk/news/2023-12...
October 23, 2025 at 11:04 AM
This is good news but the Secretary of State’s wrong to say women have been suffering in silence. They’ve consistently been trying to tell the system and being ignored. Sound familiar? Here’s Exhibit A from Healthwatch Hertfordshire: www.healthwatchhertfordshire.co.uk/news/2023-12...
Reposted by Neil Tester
Who else is looking forward to Celebrity Traitors tonight? I have views…
neiltesterconsulting.co.uk/blogs-and-ar...
neiltesterconsulting.co.uk/blogs-and-ar...
“Just go outside!”
I’m writing this just over eight hours before I settle down to watch this evening’s opening episode of Celebrity Traitors. This trailer article in today’s Guardian provides a masterclass in how to org...
neiltesterconsulting.co.uk
October 8, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Who else is looking forward to Celebrity Traitors tonight? I have views…
neiltesterconsulting.co.uk/blogs-and-ar...
neiltesterconsulting.co.uk/blogs-and-ar...
Reposted by Neil Tester
I know statistics are poorly understood and are misused. But facts matter
Between the 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021 Census *every* ethnic group in the UK has become *less* geographically segregated and *all* groups, majority and minorities, are more likely to interact with people not like them
Between the 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021 Census *every* ethnic group in the UK has become *less* geographically segregated and *all* groups, majority and minorities, are more likely to interact with people not like them
October 7, 2025 at 6:24 PM
I know statistics are poorly understood and are misused. But facts matter
Between the 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021 Census *every* ethnic group in the UK has become *less* geographically segregated and *all* groups, majority and minorities, are more likely to interact with people not like them
Between the 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021 Census *every* ethnic group in the UK has become *less* geographically segregated and *all* groups, majority and minorities, are more likely to interact with people not like them
Who else is looking forward to Celebrity Traitors tonight? I have views…
neiltesterconsulting.co.uk/blogs-and-ar...
neiltesterconsulting.co.uk/blogs-and-ar...
“Just go outside!”
I’m writing this just over eight hours before I settle down to watch this evening’s opening episode of Celebrity Traitors. This trailer article in today’s Guardian provides a masterclass in how to org...
neiltesterconsulting.co.uk
October 8, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Who else is looking forward to Celebrity Traitors tonight? I have views…
neiltesterconsulting.co.uk/blogs-and-ar...
neiltesterconsulting.co.uk/blogs-and-ar...
While it would make Barry Gardiner MP’s life easier if he represented a one-man constituency, Brett North isn’t going to be pleased with BBC London.
September 22, 2025 at 9:47 PM
While it would make Barry Gardiner MP’s life easier if he represented a one-man constituency, Brett North isn’t going to be pleased with BBC London.
I’ve moved house and I’m still stowing away a whole load of things that I know why I kept but that don’t have obvious places to go. One is this notebook in which I started to note down some of my 7-year-old’s questions. If anyone can answer them, it would help me stop being such a deadbeat dad 🤣
September 21, 2025 at 7:01 PM
I’ve moved house and I’m still stowing away a whole load of things that I know why I kept but that don’t have obvious places to go. One is this notebook in which I started to note down some of my 7-year-old’s questions. If anyone can answer them, it would help me stop being such a deadbeat dad 🤣
Not entirely sure why they buried the key to it all in the 14th paragraph…
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/s...
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/s...
Newly retired UK teachers ‘sick with worry’ after delays in pension payments
Current and retired staff complain about delays, backlogs and poor communication at Teachers’ Pensions
www.theguardian.com
September 19, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Not entirely sure why they buried the key to it all in the 14th paragraph…
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/s...
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/s...
Important from @healthwatchengland.bsky.social. I was invited for mine 7 years after I became eligible, finally went 2-and-a-half years later, had blood pressure of 170/120 and dread to think what might have happened. (Exercise and meds have sorted the BP now.)
www.healthwatch.co.uk/blog/2025-09...
www.healthwatch.co.uk/blog/2025-09...
Time to get serious about men’s NHS Health Checks
Our new research shows that too many men are missing out on the NHS Health Check, which is essential in preventing illness and saving lives. Read our findings and calls to action for healthcare leader...
www.healthwatch.co.uk
September 18, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Important from @healthwatchengland.bsky.social. I was invited for mine 7 years after I became eligible, finally went 2-and-a-half years later, had blood pressure of 170/120 and dread to think what might have happened. (Exercise and meds have sorted the BP now.)
www.healthwatch.co.uk/blog/2025-09...
www.healthwatch.co.uk/blog/2025-09...
Reposted by Neil Tester
Nothing will stop the illegal ice cream vans on Westminster Bridge
September 13, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Nothing will stop the illegal ice cream vans on Westminster Bridge
I find it quite endearing that there are still PR people who think I’m going to read this now and still remember it, after weeks of the world continuing its accelerating descent, in October.
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
‘Partridge is more popular than me – that’s a given!’ Steve Coogan on Alan’s glorious return
For three decades, he has played one of the UK’s greatest ever comedy characters. But how different is he to Alan Partridge really? Ahead of the presenter’s new show about mental health, Coogan is put...
www.theguardian.com
September 12, 2025 at 6:15 PM
I find it quite endearing that there are still PR people who think I’m going to read this now and still remember it, after weeks of the world continuing its accelerating descent, in October.
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
Reposted by Neil Tester
Claire has overseen a period of pretty substantial (unprecedented?) growth in spending on mental health services ... Yet it's miles away from meeting need and demand
The commitment to that growing investment now very clearly at an end
The commitment to that growing investment now very clearly at an end
September 11, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Claire has overseen a period of pretty substantial (unprecedented?) growth in spending on mental health services ... Yet it's miles away from meeting need and demand
The commitment to that growing investment now very clearly at an end
The commitment to that growing investment now very clearly at an end
I can EXCLUSIVELY reveal that when someone posts something on LinkedIn the Guardian thinks it counts as an EXCLUSIVE.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Labour comms director helped write manifesto while still working at TikTok
Exclusive: James Lyons rewrote 2024 election pledges ‘over evenings and weekends’ before his exit from social media company
www.theguardian.com
September 10, 2025 at 12:17 PM
I can EXCLUSIVELY reveal that when someone posts something on LinkedIn the Guardian thinks it counts as an EXCLUSIVE.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Neil Tester
A textbook case of how not to report polls.
'50%? Oh my god!'
'Oh, you mean a 9-point increase'?
'50%? Oh my god!'
'Oh, you mean a 9-point increase'?
September 9, 2025 at 8:45 PM
A textbook case of how not to report polls.
'50%? Oh my god!'
'Oh, you mean a 9-point increase'?
'50%? Oh my god!'
'Oh, you mean a 9-point increase'?
Reposted by Neil Tester
The doctor quoted by Dr Aseem Malhotra
in his speech today was listed in 2020 as having a financial interest in a rival Covid vaccine and company.
in his speech today was listed in 2020 as having a financial interest in a rival Covid vaccine and company.
September 6, 2025 at 5:54 PM
The doctor quoted by Dr Aseem Malhotra
in his speech today was listed in 2020 as having a financial interest in a rival Covid vaccine and company.
in his speech today was listed in 2020 as having a financial interest in a rival Covid vaccine and company.
Reposted by Neil Tester
Nudge. Always felt too simplistic to me, especially when it comes to health and health services.
Does anyone have an example of nudge making a meaningful difference in healthcare?
Aware that reach is a problem on this platform, so please pass on. Trying to write something for publication. Thanks!
Does anyone have an example of nudge making a meaningful difference in healthcare?
Aware that reach is a problem on this platform, so please pass on. Trying to write something for publication. Thanks!
September 5, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Nudge. Always felt too simplistic to me, especially when it comes to health and health services.
Does anyone have an example of nudge making a meaningful difference in healthcare?
Aware that reach is a problem on this platform, so please pass on. Trying to write something for publication. Thanks!
Does anyone have an example of nudge making a meaningful difference in healthcare?
Aware that reach is a problem on this platform, so please pass on. Trying to write something for publication. Thanks!
Reposted by Neil Tester
I see ITV are doing a drama about The Thick of It inquiry episode.
September 2, 2025 at 7:52 AM
I see ITV are doing a drama about The Thick of It inquiry episode.
Reposted by Neil Tester
Friend’s 8 yo is in hospital in Malaysia. This is how lunch comes. Different smiley face every time. Why aren’t we doing this?
August 28, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Friend’s 8 yo is in hospital in Malaysia. This is how lunch comes. Different smiley face every time. Why aren’t we doing this?
Animated BSL station platform warning message 👍
August 29, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Animated BSL station platform warning message 👍