Shaun Lintern's Avatar

Shaun Lintern

@shaunlintern.bsky.social

Health Editor at The Sunday Times. Health Journalist of the Year 2023. Helped expose #MidStaffs. Public interest journalism matters #E17 #patientsafety πŸ“° https://www.thetimes.co.uk/profile/shaun-lintern πŸ“ DMs open πŸ“¨ shaun.lintern@sundaytimes.co.uk

23,560 Followers  |  1,551 Following  |  1,028 Posts  |  Joined: 25.09.2023
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Posts by Shaun Lintern (@shaunlintern.bsky.social)

In the four years to 2021, 6 other patients at the same NHS trust were overdosed with paracetamol. HSIB warned trusts in 2022 after the death of a patient in her 80s. A review found 4 other cases of adults also overdosed with paracetamol...

09.03.2026 09:09 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

The CPS found 12 staff failed in their legal duty of care to Laura. In a letter, prosecutors said: β€œThe evidence clearly proves that [doctors] prescribed incorrect levels of IV paracetamol for Laura due to her low body weight, which was administered without question by nurses.”

08.03.2026 10:34 β€” πŸ‘ 19    πŸ” 10    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

β€œThe duty of candour is one of the fundamental standards below which care should never fall. It did with Laura" - This comment in a letter from the coroner to CQC has sparked a raft of new actions by regulators years after the family first raised concerns.

08.03.2026 10:15 β€” πŸ‘ 18    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Nine years after paracetamol overdose, medics are told to answer for it Laura Higginson’s widower has forced regulators to review more than 40 doctors and nurses after a long battle against β€˜lies, deceit and obfuscation’

🚨 EXC: Antony Higginson has fought a one man war against the NHS establishment to get answers after his wife was given 6 toxic doses of paracetamol. Now the actions of 41 doctors and nurses are being re-examined after a coroner blasted their honesty:
www.thetimes.com/article/dc5e...

08.03.2026 08:28 β€” πŸ‘ 27    πŸ” 10    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 3

Chris Whitty’s β€˜tour de force’ at MJA Annual Lecture mjauk.org/2026/03/06/c...

06.03.2026 15:17 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 2
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Fast-track passports proposed for people with Motor Neurone Disease We helped shape policy recommendations announced on 5 March by Baroness Casey, chair of the Independent Commission for Adult Social Care.

This is important. My poor mum waited months and months for what she needed last year, struggling on in ways that still gives me nightmares, and I was able to achieve things faster than most might. I hope this is acted on
@rthonwesstreeting.bsky.social www.mndassociation.org/media/latest...

05.03.2026 16:14 β€” πŸ‘ 23    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Professional body brought in by NHS Trust to investigate work of North East surgeon The South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust, which employed a surgeon whose work has been identified as being of β€œconcern”, has called in the…

NHS trust calls in Royal College of Surgeons to investigate orthopaedic surgeon following private hospital concerns www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2590188...

04.03.2026 08:23 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Results announced by UK trial MND-SMART, co-funded by MND Association Results announced by UK trial MND-SMART, co-funded by MND Association

One day we will find something that works for this awful horrible disease. Thanks to all the scientists, researchers, doctors, nurses and patients in these trials. #mnd www.mndassociation.org/media/latest...

03.03.2026 11:55 β€” πŸ‘ 26    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image 28.02.2026 11:20 β€” πŸ‘ 20    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

The Amos interim report tells us nothing new sadly. Families have been put through a process that so far seems pointless. And again NHS England and DHSC past policies and leadership is not being examined nearly enough.

26.02.2026 07:14 β€” πŸ‘ 16    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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🚨 GP practices to be paid up to a max of £12,000 for boosting childhood vaccination rates as Enfield measles outbreak underlines risks of 10-year low uptake in child jabs. In The Sunday Times print edition:

22.02.2026 09:45 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0
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🚨 BREAKING: Hip and knee ops across England will be rationed by the NHS as a major supplier of cement used in orthopaedic surgery has suffered an outage that could last months. To protect emergency trauma patients hospitals will be told to prioritise patients by NHSE today:

18.02.2026 12:05 β€” πŸ‘ 28    πŸ” 21    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 4

Showing that low vaccination rates doesn't always mean people are anti-vaxxers, but that NHS needs better outreach.

17.02.2026 13:50 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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I always like doing a little positive ending to a story (which no one ever reads of course) so here is my bit on the excellent work of GP Zoya Hussain on raising vax rates in her GP work:

17.02.2026 10:47 β€” πŸ‘ 38    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 2
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BMA staff to vote on strike action over 'eroded' pay

More than 400 workers at @bma.org.uk are being balloted on strike action after the doctors trade union offered them a below inflation pay rise of 2.75% www.gmblondon.org.uk/news/bma-sta...

16.02.2026 10:34 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

For almost a year The Sunday Times has been running a campaign on vaccines. This week we were nominated for a UK Press Award (having won a British Journalism Award in Dec for our vaccines work). That we report this today saddens me greatly:

15.02.2026 19:47 β€” πŸ‘ 188    πŸ” 52    πŸ’¬ 10    πŸ“Œ 3

I am very pleased to tell you that The Sunday Times was the paper that exposed Wakefield. And more recently we have been running a pro-vaccines campaign. We won an award for it in December. I agree some media have promoted conspiracies, we have done the exact opposite.

15.02.2026 19:44 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thank you @shaunlintern.bsky.social for covering our new Marie Curie research.

🚨1 in 3 people in England and Wales die with unmet palliative care needs.

🚨That’s 170,000 people each year.

🚨Meaning that every three minutes someone dies with suffering that could and should be alleviated, but is not.

15.02.2026 10:46 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1

Regardless of the outcome on #AssistedDying we need good quality #palliativecare in the UK. It affects many more people than the AD bill ever will. @mariecurieuk.bsky.social new research is sobering and a call to action πŸ‘‡

15.02.2026 10:32 β€” πŸ‘ 27    πŸ” 14    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0

The one is not linked to the other.

15.02.2026 10:31 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Regardless of assisted dying, we need good palliative care. It affects many many more people than that bill ever will.

15.02.2026 09:22 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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One in three dying in pain as palliative care crisis deepens People in their final days are often not getting proper pain relief, as a study reveals an β€˜enormous volume’ of unnecessary suffering

The government is planning a new modern service framework on #palliativecare but the final report has been delayed to the autumn and has no new money attached to it.

@mariecurieuk says there needs to be 24/7 access to palliative care and advice

Read: www.thetimes.com/article/7552...

15.02.2026 08:47 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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London measles outbreak: more than 60 children infected Cases are spreading between children in Enfield as the virus exploits low MMR vaccination rates, medical experts say

🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Health officials are racing to contain a growing measles outbreak in London, which has struck down dozens of young children and affected 7 schools and a nursery.

UKHSA has warned an outbreak across London could see 40,000 - 160,000 cases:
www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcar...

14.02.2026 18:43 β€” πŸ‘ 231    πŸ” 186    πŸ’¬ 21    πŸ“Œ 86
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One in three dying in pain as palliative care crisis deepens People in their final days are often not getting proper pain relief, as a study reveals an β€˜enormous volume’ of unnecessary suffering

🚨 Clare Welch pleaded for help from NHS 111 as her dying mother screamed in pain in the other room. Told a dr would call, 4 years on she is still waiting for that call back.

New @mariecurieuk research has found 170,000 people die in pain every year: www.thetimes.com/article/7552...

15.02.2026 07:50 β€” πŸ‘ 35    πŸ” 16    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 2

Measles is miserable. We need easy access to vaccine clinics, with health visitors and nurses having the time and resources to answer parents' questions.

14.02.2026 19:51 β€” πŸ‘ 22    πŸ” 10    πŸ’¬ 7    πŸ“Œ 0

Vaccination rates are as low as 50% in some boroughs, even lower in smaller pockets hidden by averages. As each year goes by the pool of unvaccinated children grows. The modelling was UKHSA so can't speak to the figures

14.02.2026 19:15 β€” πŸ‘ 67    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 1

MMR rates in Hackney (not far from the Enfield schools with the current outbreak) are at a shockingly low 60 per cent. It's seriously worrying

14.02.2026 19:01 β€” πŸ‘ 30    πŸ” 16    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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London measles outbreak: more than 60 children infected

Cases are spreading between children in Enfield as the virus exploits low MMR vaccination rates, medical experts say

14.02.2026 18:47 β€” πŸ‘ 16    πŸ” 10    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 6

This matters because London has among the lowest vaccination rates for measles in England - there are many pockets of unvaccinated communities that could be at significant risk from a runaway outbreak:

14.02.2026 18:49 β€” πŸ‘ 165    πŸ” 87    πŸ’¬ 6    πŸ“Œ 9
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London measles outbreak: more than 60 children infected Cases are spreading between children in Enfield as the virus exploits low MMR vaccination rates, medical experts say

🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Health officials are racing to contain a growing measles outbreak in London, which has struck down dozens of young children and affected 7 schools and a nursery.

UKHSA has warned an outbreak across London could see 40,000 - 160,000 cases:
www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcar...

14.02.2026 18:43 β€” πŸ‘ 231    πŸ” 186    πŸ’¬ 21    πŸ“Œ 86