Elspeth Davies

🧵NOT BY ME, this is a post from someone who wants to remain anonymous but works extensively with trans people pre-transition. They were asked by someone “why do you think that’s so much [coverage of trans people] in the news at the moment?”

This was their response:

20.04.2025 07:54 — 👍 1844    🔁 1033    💬 49    📌 139

People in Gaza collect water

Doctors working in Gaza have made urgent pleas, saying that they feel abandoned by the world amid renewed Israeli airstrikes.

Justice in healthcare means actively supporting the people of Gaza and helping to rebuild the health system, say
@mohammadrazai.bsky.social et al
www.bmj.com/content/389/...

15.04.2025 09:23 — 👍 35    🔁 18    💬 0    📌 2

Protests over benefit cuts

"The logic behind this rhetoric is a symptom of a deeply sick society—one that views people only as valuable if they serve the economy."

Rhiannon Mihranian Osborne on the government narrative of "back to work" as the solution for all health problems
www.bmj.com/content/389/...

14.04.2025 10:02 — 👍 19    🔁 12    💬 0    📌 2

"Perhaps it is possible to have a body that is unruly, broken, bruised and to actually be OK. To be bloody spectacular. To pick the shards of the broken vase off the floor and superglue life back together, marvelling at the scent of the flowers (and then find a plaster for the blood)."

09.04.2025 14:07 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Mental health appointment

"In focusing particularly on the 'overdiagnosis' of people who rely on the welfare state because they live in a state of significant distress, we risk stigmatising some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the UK."
www.bmj.com/content/389/...

07.04.2025 09:11 — 👍 29    🔁 10    💬 2    📌 2

Distress is real & can be disabling. But does giving it a medical name help? Thoughtful article that dares to mention the possible ovediagnosis of breast cancer & high blood pressure as well as mental health problems. Why raise awareness then punish those who become aware?

04.04.2025 14:47 — 👍 6    🔁 3    💬 0    📌 0

Thanks Caroline for reading. I agree that the primary care approach relies heavily on prescribing. But some MH conditions are diagnosed by GPs, esp anxiety and depression. I think we should also discuss the value of mental health diagnoses more generally, including in secondary care settings.

06.04.2025 09:46 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Hi Trisha, thanks so much for reading and for this lovely summary of our article!

06.04.2025 09:24 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Excellent short article that really clarifies the debate..

'What may get lost in debates about the appropriate boundaries of diagnostic categories is what really matters: people are suffering, and they visit their GPs to ask for help. Our focus should be on how we can best respond with care.'

06.04.2025 07:37 — 👍 9    🔁 5    💬 0    📌 0

How do we talk about overdiagnosis of mental health conditions without dismissing people’s suffering? On 16 March the health and social care secretary, Wes Streeting, made headlines by declaring in an interview that there was an “overdiagnosis” of mental health conditions. The comment was made in the ...

This is an excellent opinion piece in the @bmj.com from @helensalisbury.bsky.social and @elspethdavies.bsky.social.

Lots of pertinent comments about overdiagnosis in general and its role in both physical and mental health.

#MedSky
#MentalHealth
#Overdiagnosis

www.bmj.com/content/389/...

06.04.2025 07:21 — 👍 46    🔁 20    💬 11    📌 2

How do we talk about overdiagnosis of mental health conditions without dismissing people’s suffering? On 16 March the health and social care secretary, Wes Streeting, made headlines by declaring in an interview that there was an “overdiagnosis” of mental health conditions. The comment was made in the ...

The medicalisation of distress, and possible overdiagnosis of MH conditions needs discussion focused on how best to help people, rather than as route to cut the benefits bill.
Elspeth Davies and me in @bmj.com
www.bmj.com/content/389/...

04.04.2025 12:54 — 👍 40    🔁 16    💬 6    📌 5