GP, Author, Associate Medical Director for LSC ICS focused on
#PopulationHealth
&
#HealthInequity
- Surprisingly tall when sat down - All tweets personal
Saw a sweet old lady in my waiting room this morning, who seemed to be there a while. “Hello, my dear, just checking you’re ok? Have we accidentally forgotten you? Or are we running late?” “Oh no, my love,” she replied, “I’m just here to keep warm.”
#CostOfLivingCrisis
#GP
A privilege to receive an MBE from HM The King yesterday. He is deeply kind & caring. He talked about the pressures on the NHS, the importance of prevention & tackling inequality & the vitality of GPs in providing continuity of care in local communities.
#primarycare
#grateful
Today we say goodbye to my amazing Nanna. 6 months shy of her 100th birthday. She lived with a full heart and a twinkle in her eye. Will be a privilege to play the piano and say a few words at her funeral today. Grateful for a life well lived & an incredible legacy.
1/4 A Day in General Practice (Thread)
Today in my practice of 26.5k patients, we took 1021 calls (sometimes our staff were abused), we triaged 221 people wanting urgent appointments and saw 76 of them F2F. We also provided 272 routine appointments, did 36 home visits and 2 MDTs.
The NHS will not recover unless we build a culture of joy, care and kindness, fundamentally change the way we value people in our most disadvantaged communities, shift towards health creation, prevention, early detection & protection & invest massively in primary care.
Last Monday we had our busiest day ever in our practice. Today, we broke that record again. Primary Care sits in the eye of a perfect storm for the NHS. So grateful for our amazing team and our understanding patients.
#TeamGP
#TeamNHS
1/5 This is a very misleading headline, showing a complete lack of understanding about how General Practice is financed. Very poor journalism. GPs were working 5 full days under pandemic guidance AND delivery weekend vaccine clinics (far more successfully than other providers).
The day has arrived! My new book, ‘Sick Society’ is available to pre-order! If you care about and want to get involved in building a society that works for everyone and regenerate our ecology, then this book is for you!
#sicksociety
#sicksocietybook
We’re proud to announce that Dr Andy Knox, local GP and associate medical director for population health across Lancashire and South Cumbria, has been offered a Membership through Distinction to the Faculty of Public Health.
Well done Andy!
Read more:
I have been married to this incredible, strong, kind, compassionate, empathic, curious, authentic, creative and beautiful woman for 21 years today. I am so grateful for the life we have created together built on our values of love, faithfulness, generosity, humility and hope.
Such an amazing 1st cohort of leaders on the Population Health Leadership Academy. Motivated, compassionate, embedded community leaders! So excited about what this means for
@HealthierLSC
and how we will tackle
#healthinequalities
and create action for change!
@BolaOwolabi8
Today we launch our population health leadership academy for
@HealthierLSC
- exploring the why, what & how of tackling
#healthinequalities
, creating health & wellbeing, developing compassionate leadership & culture of joy in tired teams. So excited about this!
@DurkaDougall
Spending the next few days with some amazing people across the UK, exploring this 2–part question: What does it mean to start with people and genuinely work together to build healthy communities? And how do we create the conditions for this to happen?
#artofhosting
#community
4/4 We have a wonderful team, with a working culture that is compassionate, kind & joyful. The negative press re
#primarycare
can grind you down. But every day our team deliver miracles. Great job today ALL GP teams across the UK. You are AMAZING!
#teamGP
- bedrock for the
#NHS
Will spend today jabbing our local community to protect them against Flu and Covid. These vaccines are safe and life-saving. When your turn comes, please make sure you get yours! We’ve enough to deal with in the NHS and across society this winter. Let’s keep flu & Covid away!
So excited about the 2 new cohorts of our Population Health Leadership Academy for
@LSCICB
- an amazing group of passionate people. Fills me with hope, as we tackle health inequity and improve
#populationhealth
together! Thanks Linda Charles-Ozuzu &
@davehigham70
@HICLancaster
I have loved being part of
@MorecambeBayCCG
- I will be forever grateful for all the wonderful people I have worked with, the kindness I have been shown & the space to grow as a leader. We’ve seen real changes as we’ve worked with our communities. A genuine privilege. Thank you!
Brilliant from
@HelenStokesLam
on
@BBCr4today
- The
#NHS
is on its knees due to toxic combination of: record underfunding since 2010, poor workforce recruitment, huge gaps in social care provision & pandemic backlog. Answer is NOT insurance-based system as widens inequalities.
Deliberately doing more walking meetings. Had the pleasure of time with this guy today. One of the most authentic leaders I know.
@PatelYak
works in and with our communities better than anyone else I know. I always learn so much from him.
#humility
#leadership
@LancasterCVS
I had breakfast with my dear friend
@Dusty18580426
this morning. We got to know each other through the
#povertytruth
commission. He is doing such amazing things to help tackle homelessness, loneliness, food poverty and injustice in our communities. I love him!
#mentor
Today we launch cohort 2 of our population health leadership academy! Love creating time & space for leaders to be together and focus their energy & compassion on tackling (health) inequalities & inequities. Together, with our communities, we can turn the tide.
@HealthierLSC
“On average, systems that invested more in community care saw 15% lower non-elective admission rates, 10% lower ambulance conveyance rates, & lower average activity for elective admissions & A&E attendances.” Vital reading for ICBs
@LSCICB
from
@NHSConfed
Looking forward to the launch of the latest poverty truth commission in Lancaster today. The more we listen, the more we learn & suspend judgement, the more we build friendships & together turn the tide of injustice. It starts with humility.
#lovewins
#TogetherWeCan
#poverty
My last F2F consultation was at 1820h. Complex rheumatology issue. Advice & guidance to consultant colleague. Answer back within 30 mins. Phoned patient with plan by 1915h, who then thanked me and asked me to go home, switch off and enjoy time with my family.
#KindnessMatters
Doing some deep learning at the
@LSCICB
Population Health Leadership Academy today. How do we apply improvement methodology to tackling health inequity? Incredible input and insights from
@AilsaBrotherton
@foxyvelo
& Chris Bentley! What a line up!
So important to try & remember to align ourselves & our practice with our values. In truth I don’t always manage this, but I find having a visual reminder so helpful to call me back to my centre when I veer off track. Thanks to my wife for painting this for me a few years ago.
“The analysis demonstrated that investing in more GPs per head leads to reductions in both A&E attendances and long-stay non-elective inpatient spells.” Who knew?! So let’s invest in
#primarycare
&
#prevention
for
#ROI
as per
@Carnall_Farrar
&
@NHSConfed
NEWS: Eden Project Morecambe has been awarded a £50m investment by the Gov’s Levelling Up Fund. Thank you to the
#Morecambe
community and our partners for their unwavering support and contribution:
@LancasterCC
,
@LancashireCC
, Lancashire Enterprise Partnership &
@LancasterUni
Today was brilliant at the
@LSCICB
Population Health Leadership Academy. We have an unapologetic focus on developing as compassionate leaders. Our learning today was with the
#Enneagram
followed by the amazing
@ProfDonnaHall
on leading with authenticity. Utterly inspiring!
Today I’ve been on a hot date with my amazing wife of very nearly 20 years, Kat, to Centre Court, Wimbledon - a life-long dream! Brilliant matches. A wonderful day!
#Grateful
#love
Big thanks to my wonderful sister-in-law for making it possible!
#LTA
Damp & mouldy housing is detrimental to children’s health & leads to 1000s of hospital admissions each winter with breathing probs. Local govt need more resource to tackle this major problem. Good to talk to
@JoshHalliday
& grateful it’s in the spotlight!
Great defence of General Practice & Primary Care by brilliant
@ClareGerada
&
@Voa1234
on
@bbcquestiontime
Foundation of sustainable NHS. Without it NHS falls. We must invest in and champion it like never before. Continuity, Personalised, Innovative, Integrated Population Health.
Thank you so much to everyone who came to my London book launch! I am overwhelmed by the love and support from so many I admire. Together we can find a way to heal our
#sicksociety
My brilliant, kind, intelligent, beautiful, caring son
@JoshKno20891805
is 18 today! He’s massively passionate about politics. You know what he wanted for his birthday? The new books from
@campbellclaret
&
@RoryStewartUK
! Happy Birthday Joshua!
2/4 Everyone saw over their 'recommended' number of patients (which leads to clinician fatigue and more possible mistakes) - GPs, ANPs, Nurses, Physios, MH Team, HCAs, Pharmacists working flat out. All of it FREE at the point of service, with real care & v few referrals to
@UHMBT
We’ve had a couple of brilliant, challenging & inspiring days at
@HICLancaster
with the
@LSCICB
Population Health Leadership Academy. So grateful to
@ProfImogenTyler
@necroborders
&
@DrHNaqvi
for changing our thinking & practice about Stigma, Racism & health inequity. So good!
My eldest son
@JoshKno20891805
collects his ‘A level’ results today. I told him: “No matter what happens today, I love you. Good or bad, no marks on a bit of paper define who you are. I see you. I know how hard you worked. I am proud of you. You are always welcome home.”
Lancaster Health Festival is buzzing today! Here is its founder,
@UHMBT
chaplain
@IanDewar
doing what looks like a pole dance?! Fancy a go? He’s encouraging us to rediscover the lost art of living!
5/5 The truth is, our society is still extremely male dominated and many of the 'part-time' GPs are women, who are not only squishing their hours into less days, but also doing all the stuff which often still falls to women in society.
#maleprivilege
So please stop it,
@Telegraph
Such a joy to be with these two wonders
@AilsaBrotherton
&
@NHSBenMorris
presenting
@TheIHI
forum on how we combine improvement and population health to tackle health inequity. Learning to listen, being changed in the process, outraged at injustice and challenging poor outcomes!
1/4 It's going to take brave leadership from both
@NHSEngland
& all new ICS CEs to recognise that we are not yet out of the pandemic frying pan but are entering the fire of a massive economic downturn, with huge food/fuel/mortgage/rent poverty. It will be a crisis situation.
Great sense of partnership across primary & secondary care this morning. I saw a complex respiratory patient at 1030h, emailed consultant with my concerns and sent for immediate CXR. He reviewed it & called me with a plan by 1300h! He will f/u in clinic in 2w to review! Easy!
Tonight was family Christmas movie night… and what a film! Everyone should see
#Wonka
- it is a perfect piece of Christmassy magic! Absolutely loved it! Great job
@HackedOffHugh
@RealChalamet
This is Lizzi. She’s done incredible work this last year, reaching out to people in Lancaster struggling with trauma, who don’t engage with the NHS. She’s built trusting relationships, uncovered huge need through holistic
#enhancedhealthchecks
& understood what matters to them.
Super excited to be co-hosting a day with the wonderful
@BWDDPH
Abdul Razaq on Climate Change and Our Population’s Health. Great partnership work with Public Health Teams, who lead this work so brilliantly. Such a vital issue which we take seriously in
@LSCICB
-
#timetoact
Let me just say this:
@shutcake
aka Fatima Khan-Shah is a wonderful human being, a brilliant leader, a compassionate friend, a genuinely kind person and an excellent mum.
@WYpartnership
&
@TheKingsFund
are lucky to work with her!
Got to spend some time with my friend & GP hero
@markspen9999
in fabulous Fleetwood today. Left feeling encouraged, hopeful, inspired & loved! It’s wonderful what is growing there. Longevity & commitment to a place together with others means nothing is impossible?
#daretodream
If you’re in or around Manchester and would like to come to the launch of my book
#sicksociety
on Thursday 21st March, it would be great to see you! Here is the link to book your free ticket!
3/4 In our practice, we still run personal lists for really good continuity of care and run an urgent care service for 'on the day' issues, which can be handed onto own GP if needed for follow-up. All of this with several less GPs than a couple of years ago - we have remodelled.
Incredible achievement
@BolaOwolabi8
and absolutely deserved! Your work to tackle health inequalities and national leadership on this agenda has been outstanding! Congratulations!
VITAL reading! If we’re going to have a sustainable
#NHS
now & in the future, we must shift to
#populationhealth
& significantly shift funding into
#PrimaryCare
- great from
@TheKingsFund
Making Care Closer To Home A Reality | The King's Fund
Dear
@BBCNews
This 👇🏻 Headline about children living in poverty in England is FAR more important than nonsense about the government disapproving of the CEO of a bank. Lead with what matters! Numbers in temporary accommodation in England hit record
Staggering to hear the extent of health inequalities in Northern Ireland. Incredible work & research being done by
#DeepEnd
GPs. Primary care in England has much to learn from NI, which is the deepend of the deepend! Brilliant passion from Dr Lisa Collins.
This is Claire. She’s amazing & leads our team in North Lancashire. She worked with primary care teams this year to develop the
#personreachlevel
to help us quantify the time & steps needed to proactively build trusting relationships with people who don’t engage with the NHS.
Such a privilege to have new patients from Ukraine. Such a very different health service and some fascinating prescribing practices. Consultations are long and complicated but so interesting and enjoyable. Very grateful to learn new things. We must never lose the
#NHS
-
#grateful
Wisdom begins with humility. Wisdom listens. Wisdom is willing to change. Wisdom does not insist it is right when the evidence shows otherwise. Wisdom is rooted in love.
As a GP, the art of a clinical consultation is about deep listening & collaborating with my patients to solve these 5 questions: What do we know? What do we not know? What do we therefore need to know? How are we going to know? What will we do once we know/don’t know? Agree? 🤔
As biggest employer in UK, how should
@NHSuk
respond to the cost of living crisis? Ideas: free parking for staff (esp all bands up to 5)/free public transport, living wage, free tea & toast, mental health support for all staff, after school hot meals, free uniform.
#dutyofcare
This is so beautiful, educational and helpful. Such a brilliant and compassionate insight into
#Autism
- vital watching for all GPs and clinicians. Thank you so much
@ChrisGPackham
for making this. Thank you to all who have bravely let us see and understand them more.
Out on a date with this one to see
@boniver
in
#Manchester
- even after all these years, she still eats my snacks and drinks my drink… it’s lucky I love her ever such a lot!
Although levelling up is going to "cost more than expected", the cost of not doing so is stark. We will not level up unless we change the funding formula to properly reflect IMD and ethnicity. People dying earlier in the north and more children in poverty. Time for change!
@LawrenceDunhill
Mortality rate for causes considered preventable for under 75s. Similar map for children in absolute poverty. Red is significantly below average, green significantly better.
I work with such an incredible
#populationhealth
team in
@HealthierLSC
- we know we play one part in a bigger & integrated public health reality, but we also take this really seriously. Today we’ve been applying a logic model to our work programme whilst having loads of fun!
On Fridays I try to get out & about. I want to listen deeply, to be uncomfortable & challenged, to understand what isn’t working & hear from people in our communities what needs to change. Morning with these champions!
#povertytruth
#youthtruth
@Dusty18580426
&
@JennyNatusch
❤️❤️
2/5 The 'rise in salary' is not hard to justify. It was given to pay our staff to help run the clinics, not line our pockets. GPs shifted to completely new & flexible ways of working, continuing to see patients face to face, including home visits, with inadequate PPE.
Great to be in London today at the
#KFPopulationHealth
conference. Speaking later alongside a lovely bunch exploring how the NHS and ICBs need to change if we’re really going to do this work. Sharing some of our journey in
@LSCICB
and learning from others!
@TheKingsFund
#theoryu
You know what I love about working in the NorthWest? People are full of passion to make a difference. Seen that across the
@NHSNW
& partners today as we looked at
#CVDpreventionNW
& how we build healthy communities. Grateful to be part of it!
@FurberA
@dr_sakthi
@Shahed__Ahmad
Yesterday was magical! Getting to watch
@ManUtd
win the
#FACupFinal2024
with my youngest son. Incredible atmosphere- amazing memories! Brilliant defensive performance and superb on the break. Yes!
1/2 There is a cognitive dissonance between, on the one hand “levelling up” by focusing on Maths and English and on the other leaving the same children who need help, hungry and without warm houses heading into winter. It makes no sense and is deeply unjust.
4/5 Many of our 'part time' GPs who work full time hours in their '3 days a week', also lecture in medical schools, have medical leadership jobs, or you know, care for their family/loved ones and/or do a raft of other voluntary things, whilst paying their taxes!
This is what Primary Care Leadership looks like! Two of my favourites! Chair of
@rcgp
the wonderful
@KamilaRCGP
& national director of health inequalities for
@NHSEngland
the marvellous
@BolaOwolabi8
I love the passion they are bringing to health inequalities in Primary Care!