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Mary Dixon-Woods

@marydixonwoods.bsky.social
6K followers 767 following 339 posts

Director @thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk @uniofcam.bsky.social. I study how to improve and innovate in healthcare quality and safety. Views: Own

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Reposted by Mary Dixon-Woods
Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 6h
As best as I can tell, RFK Jr.'s latest antivax stunt runs counter to the WMA Declaration of Helsinki. Withholding HepB vaccination clearly does not meet any definition of clinical equipoise. Doing it anyway, overseas, is straight up colonialist medicine.
Use of Placebo

    The benefits, risks, burdens, and effectiveness of a new intervention must be tested against those of the best proven intervention(s), except in the following circumstances:

    If no proven intervention exists, the use of placebo, or no intervention, is acceptable; or
    If for compelling and scientifically sound methodological reasons the use of any intervention other than the best proven one(s), the use of placebo, or no intervention is necessary to determine the efficacy or safety of an intervention; and the participants who receive any intervention other than the best proven one(s), placebo, or no intervention will not be subject to additional risks of serious or irreversible harm as a result of not receiving the best proven intervention.

Extreme care must be taken to avoid abuse of this option.
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Solomon @solomonrmissouri.com · 20/08/2026
This energy ONLY
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The Health Foundation @healthfoundation.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
LATEST PODCAST: After several weeks of apocalyptic headlines, how worried about AI in health care should we be? 🎧 bit.ly/4iMUtvP
This image features a podcast cover on a blue background with the text: 'Podcast, Should we worry about AI in health care?, Neil Lawrence in conversation with Jennifer Dixon, Listen now'.
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Reposted by Mary Dixon-Woods
THIS Institute (The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute) @thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk · 08/10/2026
How should AI in healthcare be evaluated when technologies change rapidly and safety risks can be hard to predict? Join #THISspace2026 to examine these challenges and explore evaluation designs and innovation pathways that can address them. Register here: ths.im/2026 @nielspeek.bsky.social
THIS Space 2026 online conference, 24 November. Session: “Evaluating AI for the NHS – is there a better way?”, 13:00–13:50 GMT. Speakers: Carl Macrae, David Taylor, Kathrin Cresswell, Niels Peek and Susanna Stanford.
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Mary Dixon-Woods @marydixonwoods.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Organising perioperative care so structures and processes are optimised for the best outcomes is not easy. This consensus-built indicator set can help assess and monitor how organisations are doing. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
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The Health Foundation @healthfoundation.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Is meaningful progress on waiting lists happening? Our new analysis projects that if recent referral and removal trends continue and there are no future changes in policy, 92% of waits will be within 34.9 weeks by July 2029, almost twice the 18-week standard. Read more ⬇️ bit.ly/4B0JntV
Line graph showing actual and projected maximum waiting times for patient journeys from 2024 to 2029, with the 18-week waiting time target indicated. The target will not be met if projections based on current growth continue.
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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Sewers are one of the most transformational interventions to human health in history, yet they are rarely understood or recognised for their impact. So we are holding an event about them next Tuesday. In person in London or watch online! www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/events/searc...
thebritishacademy.ac.uk
The secret life of sewers
From the Big Stink to the fatberg, London's history has always flowed through what (and how) we flush away. Sewers are one of the most transformational, yet least recognised interventions in the histo...
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Royal College of Physicians @rcphysicians.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
The NAIF 2026 annual report, Beyond hip fracture, is now available. Explore new insights from the expanded audit, now including other injuries, and key opportunities to improve falls prevention, post-fall care and patient outcomes. 🔗 Read the full report: ow.ly/rCtl50ZTrBl
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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Archive of @britishacademy.bsky.social Fellow Stuart Hall is now live. Includes looking at his impact on the history of communication theory, culminating in the architecture of contemporary AI models www.theguardian.com/society/2026... Archive link: stuarthalldigital.bham.ac.uk/archival_mat...
theguardian.com
Thatcherism via the Walkman: Stuart Hall’s British cultural studies preserved online
Project lead says it celebrates ‘incredible contributions’ Jamaica-born sociologist made to Britain’s culture
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Benjamin Braun @benbraun.social · 07/10/2026
“It’s a story about a bunch of historians who were knowledgeable about emerging technologies and knew how to code … and who spent a lot of time, some of it wasted time, at a big table chatting.” On the history of Zotero. Which, unsurprisingly, is beautiful.
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Jack Iwashyna @iwashyna.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
New @nejm.org Voices: how I write an introduction to a research manuscript “My first piece of advice…: write your introduction backwards. “My second piece of advice: innovate in your ideas, not in the structure of how you present the ideas.” voices.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
voices.nejm.org
Start Here to Write a Research Introduction Section
A step-by-step guide to writing a concise introduction to a clinical research manuscript
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Milbank Memorial Fund & The Milbank Quarterly @milbankfund.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
A recent Milbank Quarterly article found that the Massachusetts Medicaid program improved maternal care quality when it intentionally & strategically incorporated maternal health-specific provisions into Medicaid ACO contracts — and provided resources for patient tracking & care coordination teams
milbank.org
How Medicaid Accountable Care Organizations Advance Maternal Health Care Quality: Drivers of Change and Challenges from the Perspective of ACO Leaders, Clinicians, and Care Coordinators | Milbank Quar...
In the wake of a US maternal health crisis, Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) may be a key opportunity to improve maternal health care.
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Jack Iwashyna @iwashyna.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
"Paired Spo2 measurements differed by ≥ 3% during 33% of monitored time (95% CI, 30%-35%) and by ≥ 5% during 13% of the time (95% CI, 12%-15%). The concordance correlation coefficient was 0.41, indicating poor agreement between paired Spo2 measurements." www.chestcc.org/article/S294...
chestcc.org
Discrepancy Between Peripheral Oxygen Saturation Measurements Obtained Simultaneously From 2 Pulse Oximeters Made by Different Manufacturers in Acutely Ill Patients
Among adults hospitalized with acute hypoxemia, Spo2 values measured simultaneously by 2 pulse oximeters from different manufacturers differed by a clinically meaningful amount approximately one-third...
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The New Yorker @newyorker.com · 04/10/2026
A cartoon by Rose Anne Prevec.
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The Health Foundation @healthfoundation.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Want to spend a year in the United States conducting internationally comparative research and developing leadership skills? Apply for the @commonwealthfund.org​ 2027–28 Harkness Fellowships in Health Care Policy and Practice ⬇️ bit.ly/4x2lsYL
The image shows a group of people standing in front of the United States Capitol building, with text promoting applications for the Harkness Fellowships program.
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The BMJ @bmj.com · 02/10/2026
Two new BMJ studies suggest that robotic assisted hip and knee replacements offer no clear benefit over conventional surgery for implant survival, revision risk, or surgical complications bit.ly/4hHx2C5 bit.ly/3TY0uf7
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John Williams @johnhuww.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Is AI supercharging science? “While the average surveyed scientist reported saving almost 7 hrs per week thanks to AI…a significant amount goes on manually auditing & verifying the results of work performed by AI — what the researchers termed the “verification tax” giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com
The AI Shift: Is AI supercharging science?
Productivity gains in analysis are getting stuck in physical-world bottlenecks
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Royal College of Physicians @rcphysicians.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
📢 Applications are open for the RCP Whitney-Wood Scholarship! Up to £50,000 is available for health and medicine research, with cancer-focused projects especially encouraged. Open to subscribing RCP members and fellows. 🔗 Find out more and apply now: ow.ly/U5Cf50ZSCJj
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Intensive Care Society @ics-updates.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
💡Help lead the next phase of intensive care research! We're recruiting for Directors of Research across: - Organ Dysfunction & Failure - Infection & Inflammation - Recovery & Long-Term Outcomes - Data & Methodology Applications close 12 October: ics.ac.uk/about-us/vac... #CriticalCare #Research
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Cambridge University Library @theul.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
This #NationalPoetryDay, discover unpublished work by Seamus Heaney in Cambridge. Our free exhibition, Living Water, features two rare pieces by Heaney: a poem and a short story. They are not online & can only be experienced in person at the exhibition. 🔗 Plan your visit: loom.ly/64SyJug
Promo image featuring a historical portrait of poet Seamus Heaney in a tweed jacket and tie, overlaid with the Cambridge University Library logo and text promoting an exhibit of his unpublished work for National Poetry Day.
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The Health Foundation @healthfoundation.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
NEW PODCAST: After several weeks of apocalyptic headlines, how worried about AI in health care should we be? 🎧 bit.ly/4iMUtvP
This image features a podcast cover on a blue background with the text: 'Podcast, Should we worry about AI in health care?, Neil Lawrence in conversation with Jennifer Dixon, Listen now'.
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Reposted by Mary Dixon-Woods
Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Gut-wrenching that so many families are still suffering so much after such intense scrutiny - and support. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
East Kent NHS admits 'failing families' over stillbirths
An independent review ordered by the trust finds systemic issues lay at the heart of the failures.
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The Public Domain Review @publicdomainrev.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
From the early 1400s, a lavishly illustrated vellum scroll (almost 18 ft long!) of the works of English physician John of Arderne, one of the founding figures of modern surgery: publicdomainreview.org/collection/a…
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Emma Wilkinson @emmajourno.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Just ban them now!!! There is no reason for tanning beds to exist How social media helped make sunbeds dangerous again observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
observer.co.uk
How social media helped make sunbeds dangerous again
Melanoma is now one of the most common cancers in people aged 15 to 34, and attributed to a growing trend in sunbed use fuelled by TikTok and Instagram
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Paul Pharoah @paulpharoah.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan... Our policy paper on the expansion of cancer susceptibility gene testing from specialist clinics to routine oncology or even the population. In short, the clinical value of testing outside specialist setting is not a given. DM me if you want access to the paper.
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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Such a great opportunity. We are offering scholars the chance to spend a year at the Foreign Office through one of our Innovation Fellowships. The priority themes are outlined below. We offer up to £120k for the fellowship. Please help spread the word! www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche...
The Academy and the FCDO invite applications for Fellowships in any of the following areas:
1. Applied History
2. Critical Infrastructure and European
Warfare
3. South Asia Geopolitics and Regional
Security
4. The UK-France Relationship in 2027 and
Beyond
5. UK National Security Strategy
Scheme opens date: 22 September 2026
Application Deadline: 18 November 2026,
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Mike Inouye @mikeinouye.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
📣 It's been a long time coming but delighted to see that the @nejm.org review from David Hunter and me is out! "Clinical Uses of Common Genetic Variants Associated with Common Diseases" www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.... The next 10 years will be a very exciting time for genomic population health
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NEJM.org @nejm.org · 23/09/2026
David J. Hunter, MB, BS, FMedSci, and Michael Inouye, PhD, review the ways common genetic variants, polygenic risk scores, and pharmacogenomic genotyping may be useful in the prevention of common diseases and the treatment of common diseases after diagnosis. Full review: nej.md/4Amwv0F
An illustrated diagram from the Review Article "Clinical Uses of Common Genetic Variants Associated with Common Diseases" that shows the levels of human genome analysis and implications for analysis of disease risk and diagnosis.
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Nuffield College Library @nuffieldlibrary.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Why the mortality penalty of smoking is rising over time doi.org/10.1093/pnas... Paper in @pnasnexus.org by Ralph Lawton, @nuffieldcollege.bsky.social Senior Research Fellow @drjenndowd.bsky.social, Jonathan Skinner and Ellen Meara
doi.org
Why the mortality penalty of smoking is rising over time
Abstract. The adverse association between smoking and mortality is well known, yet estimated risks for smokers have risen markedly in recent decades. Expla
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British Journal of Anaesthesia @bjajournals.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Platform trials evaluate multiple interventions within one or more domains, offering a flexible alternative to traditional RCTs and enabling more efficient identification of effective or harmful treatments #OpenAccess www.bjaopen.org/article/S2772-6096(…
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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
X has often been ignoring & even protecting the open imcitement of arson against asylum seekers since at least 2023 in Knowsley, and again in summer 2024, 2025, 2026 in Belfast. The platform has legal duties to remove & prevent unlawful content, but does nothing proactively bsky.app/profile/sund...
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The British Academy @britishacademy.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
"Technology requires a social licence to operate." Our chief executive, @hetanshah.bsky.social has written for UKRI on how the humanities and social sciences are central to addressing questions about how AI can be adopted and governed for the public good. Read the article: bit.ly/3Tj8aZ2
bit.ly
Why AI will fail without the humanities and social sciences
AI can transform society. But only if society has a say in shaping it, writes Hetan Shah, Chief Executive of The British Academy.
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Kieran Walshe @kieranwalshe.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Don't miss this! Our annual Teddy Chester lecture, this year given by Mary Dixon-Woods. Full details at www.alliancembs.manchester.ac.uk/events/the-a.... Please share/pass on
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THIS Institute (The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute) @thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk · 14/09/2026
Successful innovation depends on the people as much as the technology. Our latest Explain THIS resource explores clinician engagement and why it matters for introducing and sustaining healthcare innovations. Read the latest resource: buff.ly/HmX7V5r
Infographic titled “Top tips for engaging clinicians in adopting new technologies and innovations.” Using illustrated healthcare-themed panels connected by arrows, the graphic presents seven recommendations for successful technology adoption: (1) Involve clinicians from start to finish, (2) Provide training on new technologies, (3) Use peer-to-peer influence to help drive engagement, (4) Create clear communication channels and feedback loops, (5) Bring discussions about new technologies into natural workflow moments, (6) Recognise the time and effort clinicians contribute, (7) Share real-world impacts and progress.
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British Journal of Anaesthesia @bjajournals.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
🎙️ New opportunity! BJA Education trainee podcast & social media editor 🎙️ Apply by 18th September For more details follow the link: bit.ly/4A1CsA2
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Shaun Lintern @shaunlintern.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Lucy Letby: Thirlwall inquiry lays bare the responsibility of NHS management – here’s what needs to change for the future, by @profjudithsmith.bsky.social theconversation.com/lucy-letby-t...
theconversation.com
Lucy Letby: Thirlwall inquiry lays bare the responsibility of NHS management – here’s what needs to change for the future
The report described the number of ways that management and organisational faults contributed to the tragedies that occurred at the hospital.
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Danté Banks @dantebanks.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Oh no. We've lost another icon. 😕 Bonnie Greer, writer and cultural commentator, dies aged 77
theguardian.com
Bonnie Greer, writer and cultural commentator, dies aged 77
The British-American novelist and playwright who regularly appeared on current affairs shows will be remembered for her ‘warmth, humour and generosity’, says her husband
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THIS Institute (The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute) @thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk · 15/09/2026
We’re looking for NHS hospital doctors working in general/acute medicine (currently or within the past 12 months) to be interviewed for a new study on keeping up to date with clinical guidelines. Book an interview: buff.ly/ovmMdye
Focused healthcare professional with a stethoscope and green lanyard looking at a laptop screen.
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Journal of Clinical Epidemiology @jclinepi.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
When to conduct a new systematic review or continue updating an existing living systematic review: rationale and considerations - Journal of Clinical Epidemiology www.jclinepi.com/article/S089...
jclinepi.com
When to conduct a new systematic review or continue updating an existing living systematic review: rationale and considerations
Living systematic reviews (LSRs) aim to synthesize all available evidence meeting pre-specified eligibility criteria to answer a research question and to continually update the review by incorporating...
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Critical Care Reviews @criticalcarereviews.com · 12/09/2026
Hospital sinks and healthcare-associated infection: ecology, transmission, surveillance and mitigation CCR Journal Watch criticalcarereviews.com/latest-evid…
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Nuffield Trust @nuffieldtrust.org.uk · 12/09/2026
The total number of E.coli cases in England has increased since 2012/13. Explore our #QualityWatch indicator for more on the trend in healthcare-associated infections. 👉 buff.ly/6PjUXcP
Line chart showing annual counts of Escherichia coli infections between 2012/13 and 2024/25. Headline reads: “How has the frequency of Escherichia coli infections changed over time?” The chart tracks total cases, hospital-onset cases and community-onset cases.

Total E. coli infections increased from around 32,000 in 2012/13 to nearly 44,000 in 2024/25. Cases rose steadily until 2019/20, fell sharply in 2020/21, and then increased again to reach their highest level at the end of the period.

Community-onset cases accounted for most infections throughout the period, rising from around 25,000 in 2012/13 to more than 35,000 in 2024/25. Hospital-onset cases remained comparatively stable, fluctuating between around 6,500 and 8,500 cases, with a dip in 2020/21 followed by a gradual increase.

The chart shows that the long-term rise in E. coli infections has been driven primarily by an increase in community-onset cases rather than hospital-onset cases.
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Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 11/09/2026
Why is 'lb' the abbreviation for 'pound'?
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Mary Dixon-Woods @marydixonwoods.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
It was great to be part of the Health Systems Working Group for the Commission on the Regulation of AI in Healthcare. Its landmark report offering recommendations for a future regulatory framework is now published. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6aa01a...
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
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Pritesh Mistry @mustbemistry.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
The U.K. commission on the regulation of Al in healthcare has now been published. It aims to set the U.K. as an health innovation leader with proportionate regulation to support Al use with patient safety. www.gov.uk/government/p...
gov.uk
National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare: Recommendations for a future regulatory framework
Recommendations from the National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare, which was established to advise government on a future regulatory framework for AI in healthcare.
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National Audit Office @nao.org.uk · 09/09/2026
Patients are still facing long waits at A&E and delayed discharge from hospitals, despite efforts from NHS England to improve A&E performance. Read the full report here: www.nao.org.uk/reports/mana...
nao.org.uk
Managing the flow of patients through hospital from A&E  - NAO report
This report looks at how well patients flow through A&E into the wider hospital in England and at the support NHSE provides.
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COPE @publicationethics.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
COPE Members are welcome to submit cases for advice from other COPE Members and COPE Council. If you have a publication ethics issue you would like to to present to the September COPE Forum submit your case: ow.ly/7PIQ50ZG7CP #COPEForum #COPEMembers #PublicationEthics #ResearchIntegrity
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John Burn-Murdoch @jburnmurdoch.ft.com · 08/09/2026
As I see it, the unifying global trend is the deluge of digital distractions which are eroding people’s capacity to focus and think for extended periods of time, making strict structures and proven methods especially important for education. Full piece here: www.ft.com/content/a801...
ft.com
Have humans passed peak brain power?
Data across countries and ages reveal a growing struggle to concentrate, and declining verbal and numerical reasoning
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Kevin Fong @drkevinfong.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Just over a week to go to the launch of #MinuteSix and more lovely words about the book, this time from surgeon extraordinaire David Nott. You can get the hardback & audiobook here: amzn.eu/d/099kEpm1
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Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Hidden costs of UKRI funding ‘taking a toll on research activity’. Overlooked costs of developing and delivering projects are worsening losses made by institutions, report finds. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
researchprofessionalnews.com
Hidden costs of UKRI funding ‘taking a toll on research activity’ - Research Professional News
Overlooked costs of developing and delivering projects are worsening losses made by institutions, report finds
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Nuffield Trust @nuffieldtrust.org.uk · 06/09/2026
Stuti's article explores issues identified in our recent #QualityWatch analysis of data on long A&E waits. Read the full analysis on whether current policy can make a difference 🔍️ buff.ly/LD2BB8g
nuffieldtrust.org.uk
Long waits for a hospital bed in an emergency: will urgent care policies make a difference for patients?
Stories and images of large numbers of people waiting in overcrowded A&E departments are sadly not new. There has been growing concern in recent years, however, about the number of patients who are…
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