Kieran Walshe

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.

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

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!)

Health research in England is grinding to a halt Wes Streeting, the UK health and social care secretary, announced in 2024 that “the NHS is broken” against a background of ballooning waiting lists, delays in disease detection, and reduced staff prod...

New comment piece by me & colleagues in @bmj.com on the using health data for research in UK

Processes are so complex and so slow now that less research is happening and we are wasting the enormous potential of the NHS to drive innovation

www.bmj.com/content/390/...

I went last week to the funeral of Penny Mullen who died in May aged 81. She was an academic at the Health Services Management Centre in Birmingham for many years, supervised my PhD, and was later a colleague. Uncompromising, irascible but absolutely dedicated to her students and her work. RIP.

Really interesting and challenging paper about the evolution of UK health economics, role of women academics and the early dominance by a male cadre of senior profs. Well worth reading. Full paper at www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Polygenic risk scoring and precision prevention I’ve had occasional long and at times difficult correspondence with various bodies who are busy promoting polygenic risk scoring who want me to be a “strategic partner” or something (ie “Greg Fell …

gregfellpublichealth.wordpress.com/2025/07/05/p...

Polygenic risk scoring and precision prevention

Cynics view

I think "neighbourhood health hub" is an anagram of "Darzi polyclinic".

Our social meet up and run this morning! The best way to start the the second day of the conference ☀️ Thank you to those who joined us and @kieranwalshe.bsky.social for leading and finalising the route! #HSRUK25

Q. What's the difference between a neighbourhood health hub and a Darzi polyclinic?
A: About 16 years! More at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycli...

It is a bit frustrating that we have endless news coverage this morning of the government's 10 year plan for the NHS, but the document is nowhere to be seen on the DHSC website. So it's all spin and no substance yet.

Devereux Review of the Office for National Statistics performance and culture Statistics for the Public Good

The Devereux Review of the performance and culture of the ONS is out. Makes for tough reading including criticism of the Board ('With hindsight, stronger intervention earlier might have resulted in the welcome change of direction now evident at ONS.')
uksa.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/publication/...

Everyone involved in university governance should read the SFC review of Dundee University's financial crisis. It pulls no punches in its criticism of senior leaders. Full report at
www.sfc.ac.uk/wp-content/u...

Don't forget the arts when it comes to R&D spending The UK's creative economy is worth more than our life sciences, aerospace and automotive industries combined

‘We need to optimise R&D for our actual economy, rather than the one we imagine we have. The UK is an 80 per cent services economy with strengths in finance, law, and a creative economy which accounts for around 6% of the UK’s goods and services.’
My bit in CityAM
www.cityam.com/dont-forget-...

'Healthcare Management' (Moralee et al) - 4th edition contains 23 chapters and 500+ pages of the latest, expert-written healthcare management insight and analysis. You can get a copy via: lnkd.in/eEH5an8W and there's currently a 20% discount using the code OPENUP20.

Watch this short video

These are 3 of the bravest people on earth—they know that folks like Jay Bhattacharya & his partner RFK Jr could retaliate & fire them

But they say:

“You can get another job but you cannot get another soul”

Extremely powerful and courageous.

This is a quite extraordinary deep dive into what's going on inside ChatGPT when you ask it something - spoiler alert, it simply cannot be trusted and it lies readily. Wow.

Four UK health professionals selected to be part of the Harkness Fellowships 2025–26 The Commonwealth Fund, in collaboration with the Health Foundation and National Institute for Health and Care Research, has chosen four health professionals from the UK to be part of a cohort of 10 Fellows.

A huge congratulations to our four UK Harkness Fellows: Chukwuebuka Anyaegbuna, Rocco Friebel, Lucinda Hiam and William Roberts who are joining the @commonwealthfund.org 2025–26 Harkness Fellowships in Health Care Policy and Practice.

Read our announcement ⬇️

“Out Of His Depth,” “Sold His Soul,” “Clueless”: NIH Staffers Speak Out About Director Bhattacharya Widespread dissatisfaction over the NIH’s “continuous free fall” has people speaking out.

NEW: Important Context spoke with a dozen people working at NIH about Director Jay Bhattacharya.

The descriptions were universally unflattering, painting the health economist as ineffectual, dishonest, ideological, arrogant, and uncommitted to science.

www.importantcontext.news/p/out-of-his...

Great to see the 4th edition of our textbook on Healthcare Management just out - with new editorial team and loads of new and updated content.

Trump’s new ‘gold standard’ rule will destroy American science as we know it | Colette Delawalla The new executive order allows political appointees to undermine research they oppose, paving the way to state-controlled science

Our op-ed in the Guardian addresses the danger of Trump's "Gold Standard Science" executive order.

with
@cdelawalla.bsky.social
@vambros.bsky.social
Carol Greider
@michaelemann.bsky.social
@briannosek.bsky.social

Not sure if this is hilarious or horrifying - perhaps both. Not surprising though that the anti-science MAGA advocates now running HHS, NIH, CDC etc don't bother much with proper scientific methods.

Very sorry to hear of the death of Penny Mullen - a longtime stalwart on the staff of the Health Services Management Centre at the University of Birmingham. Penny was irascible but kind, and much loved especially by students because they saw how hard she worked for them and how much she cared.

Here it is! The newly published 4th edition of our Healthcare Management textbook from OUP McGraw Hill, with an expanded editorial team of @simon76moralee.bsky.social @mannisidhu.bsky.social @kieranwalshe.bsky.social and me. #evidencebased #healthmanagement

uk.bookshop.org/p/books/heal...

Cracking statement from Sandi Toksvig who is standing for Chancellor of the University of Cambridge!

www.cam.ac.uk/about-the-un...

It pains me to say this, but if you are not a US citizen, you should not attend scientific conferences in the US, visit US institutions, or otherwise travel to our country.

Right now it's not worth the risk.

Hopefully that will change. If it doesn't, science in the US is sunk anyway.

🚨 Dr Toli Onon, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, and currently chief medic at Manchester University NHS Trust, will be England's new chief inspector of hospitals for the @carequalitycomm.bsky.social

YouTube video by Russell England "Brexit five years on - It has been a disaster" GB News interview with fisherman Andy Dixon

GB News : "Brexit is a good thing?"

Brexit Fisherman : "It's been a disaster"

"But exports?"

"Red tape is 100 fold, our main market is the EU"

"But EU fisherman?"

"They didn't come here"

"But charge more?"

"They can buy in the EU"

"How would you vote?"

"I'd vote for Remain in a heart beat"