I know this isn’t unique, but the “urgent” medical appointment request form my GP practice just launched comes with a note saying it will be reviewed “within two working days” which let’s face it is not what anyone means by “urgent”. And that’s just to get into the triage system

Everyone (98%) who takes their child's needs for special / additional educational support to a tribunal wins. We are systematically excluding and letting down children who most need help - because of ongoing cuts / austerity.

Another great thread from Simon Bottery

Nearly 3,000 people are languishing in jail unfairly. We must set them free theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

Unpaid care is at the heart of women's economic inequality. There are >5million unpaid carers in this country- most of them women. *Without unpaid care the economy could not function*. Yet it is continuously overlooked in the Treasury’s spreadsheets Women's Budget Group

It’s out today! ‘Rewild’, by Ben Martynoga, illustrated by me. For ages 12+, but honestly I think this is a great book for all. We explain how we can help nature to help the planet, the importance of whale poo, beavers and how to encourage biodiversity in your own garden.

Wonderful testimonies to the power of Chatty Cafe Scheme in this piece

David Blunkett says devising 99-year prison sentences is his ‘biggest regret’ | David Blunkett | The Guardian #IPPSandal theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/a…

It is so brilliant that the Centre for Loneliness Studies have stepped in to host Campaign to End Loneliness website - there are so many vital resources there which now can be retained and built upon for the future

We overuse the metaphor of the boiling frog and the slow-mo car crash and all that. But this really is SUCH a massive problem we seem to just blithely ignore.

This is a brilliant piece which illustrates the pain and horror of the IPP sentence and the lasting impact it can have. Thank you Simon and Donna Tommy Nicol for writing and speaking so powerfully about Tommy. Please read and join campaigns against this national disgrace.

Good discussion yesterday at #SpringSeminar24 on Time to Act 1 year on & the role of the new Reform Group in focussing & aligning action & policy advocacy. For delegates & others interested in the #socialcarefuture work on “Changing the Story” to date see socialcarefuture.org.uk/changing-the-s… ADASS

Retweet of earlier thread with working links this time! As I prepare to move on from the Nuffield Trust
next week I've been thinking about some of the things I have found myself saying repeatedly over the last 7 years. A thread... (1/10)

Great to see latest analysis from Campaign to End Loneliness - the work they’ve done distilling loneliness data and research for people to use is so vital!

And if you want to have a chat, get in touch...
Kaleidoscope H&C

As someone that had to go to 3 tribunals to get disability benefits (I use a powerchair full time) I'd like to tell Rishi Sunak it is not too easy to get benefits. It is a cruel & harsh system. Perhaps the rise in people unable to work is due to the huge waiting list for the NHS?

Good old fashioned journalism by The Guardian means Department for Work and Pensions will look at this case with some urgency. Perhaps, it should have listened more carefully to charities who have been warning about these injustices with the benefits system for years?
theguardian.com/society/2024/a…

While political attention is elsewhere, a radical little programme of work has slipped out largely under the radar by Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, with quite big implications for how the centre might shift towards place-based working.

A 🧵 on Partnerships for People & Place… gov.uk/government/pub…

“When we feel more like we belong, it’s easier to go on to build deeper friendships”

Hear Trisha Goddard Talk speak to Kate Jopling about what causes us to feel lonely and what we can do about it. Interview from 1:42:55

lght.ly/cleb5p4

We are proud to have highlighted the health impacts of loneliness in people of all ages since 2011. Addressing loneliness isn't just about improving quality of life—it's also about building a more welcoming and compassionate healthcare system, and alleviating strain on resources.