@neiltester
Interested in most things but especially health, social care and the voluntary sector. Freelance consultant: https://neiltesterconsulting.co.uk. Chair, Healthwatch Hertfordshire: https://www.healthwatchhertfordshire.co.uk/. My own views, naturally.
Ministerial statement today on more dental training places, speedier conversion for overseas-qualified dentists, the previously announced interim changes to the NHS dental contract and increases to dental charges.
commonsbusiness.parliament.uk/Document/103...
Would not have predicted Diane Morgan and I have the same answer to the question about the first record we ever bought. Lala lalalalalalalala, lala lalalalalalalala, lala lalalalalalalala lalalaaaaaaaaa.
www.theguardian.com/music/2026/m...
Terry Scott, a middle-aged man in a very 1970s jacket, gestures at a gap over a river, with a rueful expression on his face
Did you know, 52 years ago tonight, Terry Scott drove off the end of the Tees Transporter Bridge? 🧵
This looks really interesting and it’s got me thinking about how other kinds of organisation besides governments might usefully adopt some of the principles to deal with their parallel challenges.
Well, I think what we can take from this result is that it somehow proves everyone right about whatever they thought the result would be.
Never a big Narnia guy but this 6 seconds typifies everything I love about British television.
Probably got the egg with the Green Shield stamps from buying the watch 🧠
There but for the grace of God… I mean, who hasn’t taken their Fabergé egg and £2 million watch down the boozer?
www.thetimes.com/article/0712...
Grant Hardie when he knows he’s played a blinder of a shot… #curling
tenor.com/en-GB/view/m...
Just read a comment on my local newspaper’s website decrying “Neigh Sayers” and that’s set me up nicely for the day.
in this week's newsletter! my very, very hot take, which is that one of the reasons politics has got bad is that our politicians have got.......too good - do read it, see what you think, shout at me, etc youngvulgarian.substack.com/p/politics-i... [free edition!]
Really needed to see a good news story at this point in this particular week…
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
3/3. I’m increasingly glad that Healthwatch Hertfordshire has decided to carry on doing what we do best during the uncertainty, keep all of our options in play and focus on helping our system partners think about and shape the future. This ride isn’t going to get any less interesting…
2/3. First Ian Dodge, who’s led on numerous pieces of legislation in his time, argued that time pressure means they’ll have to ditch them to save the central proposals in the Bill. Now former minister Lord Hunt says the Lords will want a continuing independent voice for people using health services.
Interesting to see that the HSJ podcast has now twice featured experts highlighting the challenge the Government will face in attempting to get the forthcoming Health Bill through Parliament if it includes its current plans concerning Healthwatch. 1/3.
www.hsj.co.uk/policy-and-r...
Classy. Or just auditioning for a role as a panto villain?
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Beautiful and thought-provoking on lots of levels.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Screenshot from the Sunday Times. Two stories next to each other. Photo of Malta. Headline: Forget Dubai - Britons are moving here to cut tax bills instead. Photo of Zohran Mamdani. Headline: Rich New Yorkers eye London as Mamdani plots wealth tax.
Hang on, Sunday Times - maybe make your mind up?
Heritage at Risk register’s out in a week of briefings that the Budget will cut NHS lists. Describes this 123-yr-old hospital as decaying with no solution agreed. That’s just its existence, not its NHS function. Cutting lists needs a serious capital strategy.
historicengland.org.uk/listing/heri...
This article was amended on 4 November 2025 to remove a suggestion that print journalism is "obsolete". Newspapers and magazines are still available.
Love this note at the end of the Guardian’s review of the J**n L***s Christmas ad.
Good to see @healthwatchengland.bsky.social pulling together experiences of children with SEN and disabilities ahead of White Paper. Glad 2 of the examples used come from what people have shared with Healthwatch Hertfordshire - and that one is a good news story. www.healthwatch.co.uk/blog/2025-11...
Whoever’s directing Sunday Brunch just made my morning. @charliehigson.bsky.social said he bonded with @jimmoir1.bsky.social over their partners cheating on them by going fishing together. Cut to young Norwegian singer Sigrid looking utterly staggered that Brits discuss such things on live TV.
This is good news but the Secretary of State’s wrong to say women have been suffering in silence. They’ve consistently been trying to tell the system and being ignored. Sound familiar? Here’s Exhibit A from Healthwatch Hertfordshire: www.healthwatchhertfordshire.co.uk/news/2023-12...
SPOILER ALERT: the blog may not be *entirely* about the TV show…
Who else is looking forward to Celebrity Traitors tonight? I have views…
neiltesterconsulting.co.uk/blogs-and-ar...
I know statistics are poorly understood and are misused. But facts matter
Between the 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021 Census *every* ethnic group in the UK has become *less* geographically segregated and *all* groups, majority and minorities, are more likely to interact with people not like them
Who else is looking forward to Celebrity Traitors tonight? I have views…
neiltesterconsulting.co.uk/blogs-and-ar...
Screenshot of BBC London news. A man with grey hair, wearing a white shirt and dark suit, is being interviewed in a city street. The on-screen caption identifies him as Brent North, Gatwick Diamond Initiative.
While it would make Barry Gardiner MP’s life easier if he represented a one-man constituency, Brett North isn’t going to be pleased with BBC London.
