Cass Macdonald

Thanks for everything you’re doing. I recently had an exchange over training; there is NO formal MSc in post viral conditions like MECFS and if we want properly qualified, specialist healthcare professionals for this, Long Covid, PoTS, MCAS etc, that’s what’s needed. I despair

it's beyond pitiful. less than 0.0055% of NHS doctors & nurses with basic awareness of severe ME.

This is what happens when the govt doesn't put their money where their mouth is. Just more hot air and neglect

They can't be this incompetent? This has to be intentional.

Protecting Sir Simon?

This is *pitiful*. 😞

@ashleydaltonmp.bsky.social Your department needs to try an *awful* lot harder.

Table shows the numbers completing each module, split by type of email account. An asterisk indicates there were 5 or fewer. Module 1: An introduction to ME/CFS = 8 (.gov.uk), 51 (.ac.uk), 227 (.nhs), 85 (other). Module 2: ME/CFS: guidance for community-based healthcare practitioners = 8 (.ac.uk), 74 (.nhs), 19 (other). Module 3: Managing severe ME/CFS = * (.gov.uk), 7 (.ac.uk), 33 (.nhs), * (other).

5/n

Today, I received their answer. This is the data table they sent me, of the number of people who have completed each of the 3 modules up to 20 January 2026:

The NHS workforce in numbers Facts on staffing and staff shortages in England.

4/n

According to the Nuffield Trust, about 1.7 million people work in the NHS.

This includes 188,000 doctors and around 423,000 nurses and midwives.

The Royal College of Physicians has over 40,000 members.

www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/the...

Extract from the UK Government's ME/CFS Delivery Plan. Attitudes and education. Action: DHSC will ask relevant stakeholders to: a) consider developing a shared learning resource on ME/CFS, which could be held in an education hub, b) request that the Medical Schools Council (MSC) encourages shared learning and the NHS England e-learning package on ME/CFS to all UK medical schools and encourages medical schools to provide undergraduates with direct patient experience, c) use its networks to raise awareness of NHS England’s e-learning module on ME/CFS. Progress: Discussed potential education hub with the Task and Finish Group - to be explored further. DHSC discussed raising awareness of NHS England’s e-learning with relevant professional bodies. The Royal College of General Practitioners, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists agreed to share and promote NHS England’s e-learning modules. DHSC will continue to reach out to networks including the Royal College of Nursing to promote NHS England’s e-learning modules. NICE has added e-learning to its tools and resources page, with further modules to be added as they become available. DHSC to develop and run a public awareness initiative on ME/CFS, and signpost to e-learning and NICE guidelines as part of the initiative. Timeline and measure of success: Sharing of resources with a wider stakeholder group and a public awareness initiative (by May 2026) are expected to improve both the public and professionals’ understanding of ME/CFS. E-learning to be shared with stakeholders in July 2025. NHS England’s user statistics and feedback on DHSC-led awareness initiative to be monitored and reviewed.

3/n

The UK Government stated that "The Royal College of General Practitioners, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists agreed to share and promote NHS England’s e-learning modules," and that they were working with the Royal College of Nursing.

Extract from the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan (UK Government, 22 July 2025). Action: The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) will ensure that its training on ME/CFS keeps pace with research and guidance in the core postgraduate training for primary and secondary care physicians. Progress: RCP will, for now, rely on NHS England’s e-learning modules, which are considered suitable by RCP. Timeline and measure of success: Aim for all RCP members to undertake the e-learning by the end of 2025. My comment: This should be easily measurable. Has it been achieved?

2/n

The reason I asked was because the ME/CFS Delivery Plan makes some quite distinct promises (alright, "aims") about their e-learning package, including this item in their table of Agreed Actions.

www.gov.uk/government/p...

Email sent to NHS elearning enquiries on 12 January 2026. Subject - Request for information. Dear NHSE elearning hub, I am making a freedom of information request (FOIA 2000) for the following data. In 2024/5, the NHS England elfh e-learning hub introduced 3 new modules on ME/CFS: 1. An introduction to ME/CFS (May 2024). 2. ME/CFS: guidance for community-based healthcare practitioners (January 2025). 3. Managing Severe ME/CFS (September 2025). Please can you tell me how many people have completed each module to date (from date of introduction), and what the breakdown is for logins by NHS staff (nhs.uk), and those in government (gov.uk), academic (ac.uk), and social care sectors (if available). I am happy for your response to be sent to this email address. Many thanks for your help, Lucy B

About a month ago, I made a FOIA request to the NHS England Learning Hub about their new learning modules on ME/CFS...

🧵 1/n

How Brexit turned "made in Britain" into a hindrance. Brexit has greatly hampered UK design brands' ability to sell their products in the EU and turned the "made in Britain" label into a costly burden, industry leaders told Dezeen.

Leaving the EU and walking away from frictionless trade has damaged businesses across the UK. As European companies turn to partners inside the bloc, repairing our relationship with Europe must be a priority.

To those saying, "but the Greens will split the vote":
1. Things have changed.
2. It's not the Green's fault that Starmer has the Merdas Touch (turns everything to shit)
3. When the Greens offer the only inspiring option, perhaps we should see the Labour candidate as splitting the vote.

This is a disgracefully dishonest headline from the BBC. Its motivation can only be deliberately to mislead the public about who lost the case.

Oh, and
4. Despite the demand for proportional representation from Labour members, Starmer won't change
our ridiculous First Past the Post system. So he's in no position to blame anyone for "splitting the vote".
share.google/buxD1tZ5BfKk...

I can confirm that Sex Matters has been refused permission to bring its anti-democratic, exclusionary, and bigoted challenge to the inclusive space at Hampstead Ponds. More to follow.

Homicides at lowest level in nearly 50 years, ONS statistics show The 499 homicide cases in the year to September were the lowest in England and Wales since 1977.

Let's hope this positive news gets as much attention as the people who try to convince us that the UK is a murder ravaged hellscape.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

If he’s in your corner, you’re fighting for the wrong team 💀

Tommy Robinson has endorsed Matt Goodwin, Reform UK’s candidate in the Gorton & Denton by-election.

Image showing news where Sex Matters has lost (twice in a day)

Rough day for Sex Matters

Libs of TikTok is doxxing teachers and nurses who support Alex Pretti or oppose ICE, trying to get them fired

Chaya Raichik, who runs the social media account Libs of TikTok, has spent the days following Alex Pretti’s killing doxxing ordinary working people — teachers, nurses, school board members — for speaking out against federal immigration officials or expressing sympathy for Pretti.

The shocking far-right agenda behind the surveillance tech used by ICE and the FBI Clearview AI’s founders always intended to target immigrants and the political left. Now their digital dragnet is in the hands of the Trump administration.

Thousands of obtained documents show that Clearview AI’s founders always intended to target immigrants and the political left.

Now their digital dragnet is in the hands of the Trump administration.

Al Fayed survivors urge Harrods not to share their data with abuser’s estate Change to the Harrods redress scheme risks personal information being shared with the Fayed estate, warn survivors

Al Fayed survivors urge Harrods not to share their data with abuser’s estate

A text graphic with a purple and pink background that says 'Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Supports a Ban on Conversion Practices'

We are thrilled to see that the Parliament of the Council of Europe (PACE) has voted in favour of a resolution calling for member states to ban conversion practices.

100%

I doubt they’ll have me - I know too much and I cause a lot of trouble 😆

Help Improve Infection Prevention in Scotland’s NHS - Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland NHS National Services Scotland is looking for Lay Representatives to help with important work on Infection Prevention and Control, contributing patient and public-centred insights to support the devel...

@drtomlinsonep.bsky.social @evonnetcurran.bsky.social @safedavid3.bsky.social the linked job description is worth a gander. Concerning in this climate, IMO www.alliance-scotland.org.uk/blog/news/he...

Emma Harper MSP mentioned in her speech in parliament today that staff with concerns in the NHS should speak up and be listened to.

No doubt intends well, but demonstrates a shallow understanding of the current state of play.

Don’t ask people to speak up until you can PROVE it’s safe to do so.

Help Improve Infection Prevention in Scotland’s NHS - Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland NHS National Services Scotland is looking for Lay Representatives to help with important work on Infection Prevention and Control, contributing patient and public-centred insights to support the devel...

@microlabdoc.bsky.social have you seen this - and the linked job description (specifically the bottom of the linked document) - wtf? www.alliance-scotland.org.uk/blog/news/he...

Denmark confirms an expanded, more permanent Danish and NATO military presence in and around Greenland, beginning today. Deployments span land, sea, and air, including protection of critical infrastructure, fighter jets, and naval operations. Sweden has committed forces; other NATO allies may follow

I Stand With Greenland #GreenlandIsNotForSale

Can we join Greenland 🇬🇱 instead? Asking for a friend.

Greenland

Denmark’s Army Chief Says He’s Ready to Defend Greenland Danish forces are moving to the island to show NATO—and Trump—that they’re serious about security.

The Danish military gears up to defend Greenland
www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...