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Alan Simpson

@cityalan.bsky.social
877 followers 1.3K following 68 posts

Professor of Mental Health Nursing Centre for Mental Health Nursing Research King's College London And a little bit of politics. Partner, dad, grandad. Views just mine, sadly.

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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
c.org/5GDkg8KMWx
c.org
Sign the Petition
Stop restricting Freedom Pass travel in London
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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
Thanks to those who came and played such an engaged and constructive part in our workshop on designing relational care approaches to reduce self-harm and suicide in various settings. Lots of lovely ideas #RRNConf25
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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
Really enjoyed our first session at #RRNConf25 Smashing to see so many people and some great questions. Thanks for inviting us. Next up: the workshop.
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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
#RRNConf25 Great to see such a great turnout at this conference on reducing restraint. First talk today by Gambinga Gambinga on naming the named or unrecognised restraints on people’s lives living in the community was genuinely mind-opening. Brilliant.
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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
Looking forward to #RRNConf25, hearing others & presenting a keynote and workshop with Jess Griffiths on Relational Care in reducing self-harm & suicide in inpatient mental health wards & emergency departments. This draws on our work @mentalhealthpru.bsky.social www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
tandfonline.com
Quantitative Evidence for Relational Care Approaches to Assessing and Managing Self-Harm and Suicide Risk in Inpatient Mental Health and Emergency Department Settings: A Scoping Review
There is an over-reliance on structured risk assessments and restrictive practices for managing self-harm and suicidality in inpatient mental health and emergency department (ED) settings, despite ...
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Ed Poole @edpoole1975.bsky.social · 08/11/2025
As a Safety manager in the NHS, Labour is most likely making me redundant, and I could lose my house. Making NHS patients less safe in the process. How are Labour policies changing your life?
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Ruth! @ruthholliday.bsky.social · 08/11/2025
Around 10,000 university workers being made redundant this year. Labour policies are definitely cutting through in higher education …
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Nutmeg Hallett @drnutmeg.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
A packed start to the #RRNConf2025 with @restraintreductionnetwork.org. Already meeting fantastic people. I'm looking forward to spending time with friends and colleagues old and new. So many amazing speakers including @drjohnabaker.bsky.social @cityalan.bsky.social Alexis Quinn and so many more!
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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/the-new-peer...
centreformentalhealth.org.uk
The new peer workforce in mental health services: Optimising implementation and maximising value - Centre for Mental Health
Five people involved in planning, delivering or researching mental health peer support provide personal reflections on their experiences, key challenges and lessons learnt.
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 13/07/2025
1. Yesterday, 86 people were arrested in the UK under the Terrorism Act 2000 for holding signs saying "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action." They are the opposite of terrorists. They were protesting *against* terrorism. 🧵
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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 13/07/2025
USA leading way on inhumane treatment of immigrants
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Farrukh @implausibleblog.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
BBC News provides a 'land of the free' latest Where political views expressed on social media by students will exclude you from getting an education in the US Add that students in the US have already had their visas revoked because of part-taking in pro Palestinian protests
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Scottish Greens @scottishgreens.org · 15/05/2025
In just 3 months Labour licensed more military exports to Israel than the Tories did in all of 2020-2023. Yesterday Israeli strikes killed 80 people, including at least 22 children, while the UN warned that the entire population of Gaza is now at "critical risk" of famine.
thenational.scot
'Massive increase' in UK military equipment sent to Israel under Labour, data shows
LABOUR licensed exports of more military equipment to Israel in the final three months of 2024 than the Tories did for all of 2020-2023, new figures…
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trumpwatchdog.bsky.social @trumpwatchdog.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
You cannot make this stuff up.
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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
Yvette Cooper repeatedly refused to give a straight answer just now on Today to straight Q “Will councils get more money to pay care workers more?” She repeatedly committed to higher carer pay but wouldn’t commit to money so councils can fund it. Think that speaks volumes about the mess we are in.
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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
NEW paper from @mentalhealthpru.bsky.social Check it out. Understanding the barriers and facilitators to delivering peer support effectively in England: a qualitative interview study bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-025-06850-z
bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com
Understanding the barriers and facilitators to delivering peer support effectively in England: a qualitative interview study - BMC Psychiatry
Background Peer support roles within mental health services are rapidly increasing in number and scope in the UK and internationally. This paper explores the facilitators and barriers to delivering pe...
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M a r c u s 🏳️‍🌈🇧🇧 @marcusjdl.bsky.social · 12/05/2025
How nice to be told by Keir Starmer that my mother who delivered babies, as a midwife, worked nights and damaged her back lifting patients as a nurse, was a pillar of her community as a health visitor has caused “incalculable damage” to the UK !
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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
Seen this?
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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
Great to see this out. Fab collaboration and paper @mentalhealthpru.bsky.social Quantitative Evidence for Relational Care Approaches to Assessing and Managing Self-Harm and Suicide Risk in Inpatient Mental Health and Emergency Department Settings: A Scoping Review www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
tandfonline.com
Quantitative Evidence for Relational Care Approaches to Assessing and Managing Self-Harm and Suicide Risk in Inpatient Mental Health and Emergency Department Settings: A Scoping Review
There is an over-reliance on structured risk assessments and restrictive practices for managing self-harm and suicidality in inpatient mental health and emergency department (ED) settings, despite ...
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NIHR Policy Research Unit in Mental health @mentalhealthpru.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
🔴 Newly published paper - Alternative approaches to standard inpatient mental health care: development of a typology of service models 📄 Published in the International Journal of Mental Health Systems, this study, led by Jess Griffiths, maps a range of alternatives to standard #inpatientcare.
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NIHR Policy Research Unit in Mental health @mentalhealthpru.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
An interesting paper critiquing ‘complex emotional needs’ as a label to individuals given a diagnosis of a personality disorder ⬇️ #MentalHealth #research www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
cambridge.org
A brief critique of the pseudo-diagnosis ‘complex emotional needs’ | The British Journal of Psychiatry | Cambridge Core
A brief critique of the pseudo-diagnosis ‘complex emotional needs’
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NIHR Policy Research Unit in Mental health @mentalhealthpru.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
Interesting article by The Guardian referencing our systematic review findings on Digital Surveillance. It gives a great overview of Oxevison and the concerns over its effect on patients theguardian.com/society/2025... #inpatient #mentalhealth
theguardian.com
Is it safe? Is it spying? Disquiet over NHS ‘magic eye’ surveillance camera in mental health units
Campaign calls for investigation into the use of Oxevison amid concerns over care and its effect on patients
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NIHR Policy Research Unit in Mental health @mentalhealthpru.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
We were honoured to share our recent work on Peer Support at two MHPRU events this year! 🫲🏽🫱🏿 Over 250 people joined us across a webinar and live panel event — and now the video series is live! 🎥 Huge thanks to @thementalelf.bsky.social for bringing it all together 💙 #PeerSupport #MentalHealth
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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
New paper on alternatives to inpatient mental health care, from the team at @mentalhealthpru.bsky.social Alternative approaches to standard inpatient mental health care: development of a typology of service models | International Journal of Mental Health Systems doi.org/10.1186/s130...
doi.org
Alternative approaches to standard inpatient mental health care: development of a typology of service models - International Journal of Mental Health Systems
Background Inpatient mental health care is an integral part of the continuum of mental health care in many countries, though it can be associated with challenges, such as reliance on coercive practice...
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BladeoftheSun @bladeofthes.bsky.social · 19/04/2025
Blatant war crimes committed in Gaza today as Israel drops bombs on tents in 'safe zones'. For no reason except they can because the USA/UK continue to send them weapons despite them blatantly committing Genocide.
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Matthew Hay Brown @matthewhaybrown.bsky.social · 19/04/2025
Putin unilaterally declares a truce for Easter, the first in Russia's three-year war on Ukraine, immediately breaks it, Zelensky says // @siobhanogrady.bsky.social reports from Kyiv with @leadergrev.bsky.social and Catherine Belton www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
washingtonpost.com
Putin declares Easter truce, quickly breaks it, Ukraine says
Putin declared a unilateral truce to begin at 6 p.m. Moscow time. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said “Russian artillery fire has not subsided.”
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Lewys Beames @lewysbeames.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
www.rcn.org.uk/magazines/Pe...
rcn.org.uk
Seni's Law: preventing deaths from restraint in mental health settings | RCN Magazine | Royal College of Nursing
After disproportionate force during restraint led to Seni’s death, his mum Aji made it her mission to protect mental health service users
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Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience @kingsioppn.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
The final AdStAC paper published on implementing #AdvanceChoiceDocuments for Black people in #MentalHealthcare➡️http://tinyurl.com/AdStAC2025 🖊️We heard from a clinician, facilitator & service-user involved in the project in our blog series: kcl.ac.uk/empowering-b... @maudsleycharity.bsky.social
kcl.ac.uk
Empowering Black voices in mental health care: the advance choice journey | King’s College London KBS_Icon_questionmarklink-ico
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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
So @hmtreasury is forcing @DWPgovuk to find more savings, in part by cutting the Universal Credit Standard Allowance (after raising it a bit). Here's what the Green Paper said about the current position & why UC needs to rise: it's been cut so low it's driving destitution.
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The Canary @thecanaryuk.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
Tax the super-rich: protest breaks out over Spring Statement right at Rachel Reeves' front door Author and economist Gary Stevenson, Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer, and Labour peer Prem Sikka addressed the crowd - calling for Reeves to back down www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/...
thecanary.co
Tax the super-rich: protest breaks out over Spring Statement right at Rachel Reeves' front door
Tax the super-rich: protest breaks out over Spring Statement right at Rachel Reeves' front door from Canary on 26 March 2025
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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
WATCH: Jeffrey Goldberg explaining what he was sent by Hegseth accidentally… followed by Hegseth furiously denying it. If you can’t tell who is lying here, please come play poker with us — and bring a lot of cash! 🙃
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Russ Jones @russincheshire.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
Britain's 177 billionaires sit on £965 bn - more EACH than the average Brit will earn in 1000 lifetimes. So obviously, Labour decided NOT to have a 2% wealth tax on this obscene, unspendable hoarding. More poverty for 6.9m disabled Britons is their solution. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
theguardian.com
Further benefits cuts planned as Rachel Reeves forced to find extra £1.6bn
Chancellor risks wrath of Labour backbenchers with spring statement set to confirm deeper cuts
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womensartbluesky.bsky.social @womensartbluesky.bsky.social · 22/03/2025
Sojourner Truth (1797-1883), abolitionist, women's rights advocate, who chose to be photographed with her knitting. As an enslaved person, she had knitted/spun endlessly and when free later in life, she taught knitting to former enslaved women aiding self-sufficiency #womensart
Monochrome photograph featuring a sitting Black woman in a long dress and white shawl holding knitting pn a table beside her, looking outwards
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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
Canada giving Marco Rubio the tiniest red carpet they could find in a thrift shop somewhere.
Marco Rubio gets off a plane to a postage stamp sized red carpet
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Ann (she/her) @agvbergin.net · 12/03/2025
Recovery in the Bin have published research on what goods and services people buy in order to managed their disabilities. Must-read apropos the conversation over PIP, NB the research includes people who don't receive benefits too. recoveryinthebin.org/2025/02/27/i...
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Hat (they/them) @hatporter.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
We urgently need more research to improve support for people with problematic menstruation. Please share what research questions you think are most important to understand about problematic menstrual bleeding exe.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
exe.qualtrics.com
Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management
The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.
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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
Are the Nursing and Midwifery Council undermining mental health nursing and the quality of mental health nursing care? onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Generic Nursing in Through the Back Door? Concerns Around Nursing and Midwifery Council Processes for International Nurse Recruitment and Potential Impact on Mental Health Nursing in the UK
Click on the article title to read more.
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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
Good to see publication of NHSEngland's principles on using digital technologies in mental healthcare, strongly informed by the review of evidence conducted by our fab team at the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Mental Health england.nhs.uk/long-read/pr...
england.nhs.uk
NHS England » Principles for using digital technologies in mental health inpatient treatment and care
Executive Summary The principles for digital technologies help clinicians consider whether use of a digital technology is the most appropriate, effective and least restrictive method of caring for or ...
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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 05/02/2025
Good to see this paper from the ENRICH trial of peer support which suggests including peer support in an aftercare package reduces average costs of care. Peer support for discharge from hospital to community mental healthcare: a cost analysis gpsych.bmj.com/content/38/1...
gpsych.bmj.com
Peer support for discharge from hospital to community mental healthcare: a cost analysis
To the editor:
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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
Good blog from @jillstavert.bsky.social for the wonderful team @thementalelf.bsky.social This one is about patient and carer experiences of compulsory treatment. Spoiler: not good
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Nutmeg Hallett @drnutmeg.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
📢 New Open-Access Book! Coercion & Violence in Mental Health Settings explores international perspectives on coercion & rights-based care, centring lived experience. 📖 Read my article: lnkd.in/evJpah3k 📚 Free book: link.springer.com/book/10.1007... How do we centre lived experience in reform?
link.springer.com
Coercion and Violence in Mental Health Settings
This new edition integrates theoretical explanations, empirical findings and practical solutions from many countries and settings.
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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
@ucu.org.uk nothing on Cardiff cuts?!
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Glen O'Hara @gsoh31.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
There's a critical nursing shortage. The Welsh NHS is, frankly, a byword for poor results. And now Cardiff University is to close its nursing courses. Well done everyone, genius-level stuff! 👏👏👏👏👏 www.rcn.org.uk/news-and-eve...
rcn.org.uk
Critical nursing shortages leave patients unsafe|Royal College of Nursing | Royal College of Nursing
Due to severe workforce shortages in hospitals and community services, patients are experiencing pain and, in many cases, being cared for in corridors. Today, the Royal College of Nursing in Wales (RC...
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Alan Simpson @cityalan.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
Painful to think of the sadness and exasperation my brilliant nurse academic colleagues are feeling as Cardiff University cut nursing education. At a time of GLOBAL nursing shortages.
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Tympanic & Frisketty @luckyerica3.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
If you are interested in campaigning on mental health, psychiatric and human rights in a service user/survivor context, I recommend joining Courtney Buckler, NSUN campaign manager for this Feb's meeting. www.nsun.org.uk/news/current...
nsun.org.uk
Current issues in mental health policy (Network Meeting February 2025)
This space is an opportunity to learn more about policy and campaigns at NSUN, to ask questions and input on our work, and to help guide the way we support members going forward!
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Harry Eccles @harryeccles.bsky.social · 24/01/2025
This confusing headline basically should say: "BBC verifies that Israel was lying and is guilty of war crimes" They just can't quite manage to say the words considering how they've enabled the lies for the past year. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Mostly civilians died in IDF attack on Lebanon village, BBC finds
An IDF attack on a Lebanese apartment block targeting Hezbollah killed mostly civilians, BBC finds.
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UNITED24 Media @united24media.com · 23/01/2025
🔴 BREAKING: Russian forces have reportedly executed six Ukrainian prisoners of war, according to Ukrainian activist Serhii Sternenko. According to the activist, the crime was recorded on a phone by one of the perpetrators.
united24media.com
Russian Forces Allegedly Execute Six Ukrainian POWs on Camera
Russian forces allegedly executed six Ukrainian POWs, according to activist Serhii Sternenko, highlighting ongoing violations of international law.
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Dr Simon Bradstreet @sbradstreet.bsky.social · 22/01/2025
Crisis Cafés are increasingly common form of crisis alternative. A new study provides the first evidence on their UK implementation. Blogged for @thementalelf.bsky.social by @nicolaclibbens.bsky.social and Daisy Mbwanda we explore what needs to happen next www.nationalelfservice.net/populations-...
nationalelfservice.net
Crisis cafés: so much more than a cuppa - National Elf Service
Crisis Cafés are a novel form of community-based crisis alternative and this interview study provides the first evidence on their UK implementation.
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The Mental Elf @thementalelf.bsky.social · 22/01/2025
Tell me what you want, what you really really want: lived experience involvement in co-developing outcome measures www.nationalelfservice.net?p=212822 "Have you ever asked people with lived experience what they think the main outcomes of your study should be?"
nationalelfservice.net
Lived experience involvement in co-developing outcome measures.
Laura Hemming blogs a systematic review which explores the involvement people with lived experience in the co-development of mental health outcome measures.
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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 22/01/2025
A stark legacy of austerity. Whether you think it was necessary or not it was done in an incredibly damaging way.
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