Sarah Holmes

@parthaskar @bmj_latest A loved one, who has had type 1 diabetes for the last 60 years, is utterly terrified of ever being admitted to hospital for exactly this reason.

@bmj_latest Another area in which #Diabetes care is sliding It is a shame to see all gains made slowly start to erode I can say so much about this. So much. Maybe I will.

Patients with diabetes are dying in hospital because their insulin is not being managed appropriately, a patient safety watchdog has warned bmj.com/content/392/bm…

“Every week I’m calling the relatives of UN colleagues and NGO colleagues who are being killed out there on the frontlines.” @UNReliefChief @TFletcher tells me about the deadly risks humanitarian workers are being forced to take and the brutal impact of aid cuts.

@SepsisUK We’ll miss you. But a fully understandable decision. This is not the place it used to be. Thank you for all the support & good advice re sepsis that you have given so many of us over the years

@sophieRblake Hoping that your ECG shows a good result this time. If you can’t have Ribociclib perhaps you will be swapped to one of the other targeted therapies Palbociclib or Abemaciclib. I’ve had all three, ALT went up. Now settled on lowest dose of Abemaciclib.

A few days back home after the most magical two weeks away and my chest infection has come back with a vengeance! I've started antibiotics yesterday and was for sent for a chest X-ray. Thankfully it looks like an infection rather than pneumonia or pleurisy again (which I've had before), so i'm trying to stay positive and get on top of it quickly But I wanted to share something a bit more unexpected. The day after we arrived on holiday, I had an email from my oncology team about my latest ECG. Mine have always been fine, but this time they picked up that my QT interval is a little longer than they'd like. The QT is basically the time it takes for your heart to "reset" between beats, and some medications (including my cancer med ribociclib) can prolong it. A very prolonged QT means the hearts electrical system can make a mistake and the rhythm can go awry. Mine isn't at a dangerous level which is reassuring, and they told me to enjoy my break away, but as a precaution I've had to stop ribociclib and all my supplements. I'm still on letrozole (my hormone blocker) but I won't lie, it's been a little nerve wracking! I've never been off my cancer meds for this long and it's been playing on my mind, even with the beautiful distraction of being away. I'm back in hospital this morning for a transthoracic echocardiogram and another ECG to check everything more closely and will find out what the next step will be. Keeping everything crossed that my heart’s ok! 🤞🏼❤️ #LivingWithCancer

@JamesTitcombe It sounds good to me. If this is helpful in stimulating labour naturally and avoiding post term induction then surely that’s a good thing?

“Acupressure points to support cervical ripening and labour onset…” The state of midwifery education in the NHS is dire….

I have stage four cancer – there will be no cure, but death isn’t necessarily imminent: this is how it feels to live in the long middle | Death and dying | The Guardian theguardian.com/society/2026/m…

If you suspect someone has meningitis, call 999 immediately. Do not wait for all the signs as some may not appear, it can develop quickly and they may become seriously ill. Taking fast action is the best way to get the treatment needed.

@theipaper thank you for being such a brilliant newspaper. All the better enjoyed in the sunshine

@ProfRobHoward My thoughts exactly

My own view about currently proposed assisted dying legislation in a nutshell.

Global Health Partnerships (@THETlinks) have shown that ethical, mutually beneficial collaboration enabling health workers to learn and act globally improves local care. Partnership is not optional in global health. It is essential. A key challenge we face globally is the shortage of health and care workers. While international mobility of health workers yields benefits for high‑income countries, it requires co-investment and strong protections to prevent deepening inequities and weakening health systems among other countries. I call on countries to use the @WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel to guide the migration of health workers in ways that benefit the health systems of the source country, destination country and health workers themselves. My statement at the UK Global Health Summit who.int/news-room/spee…

Such an honour having @DrTedros open the 2026 #UKGlobalHealthSummit. You can read his remarks here: who.int/news-room/spee… #HealthPartnerships #globalNHS #ExpertsInOurMidst

Powerful statement to the Holyrood committee on the Assisted Dying Bill from Tressa Burke, founding CEO of Glasgow Disability Alliance: “[I am] absolutely terrified. And I say that as somebody who was diagnosed with MS 35 years ago... “I thought that assisted dying would be the last absolute self-determination, the greatest exercise of autonomy and choice, and give you that control at that end-of-life stage. “Having now worked with disabled people for 30 years, I am terrified at the thought of it.”

"If we benefit from health workers trained overseas, we also have a duty to help strengthen the systems they come from” argues @AndrewmitchMP theguardian.com/society/2026/m… as new cross-party report launched at #UKGlobalHealthSummit today globalhealth.inparliament.uk/news/appg-publ…

@bensimms65 @AndrewmitchMP Absolutely right

@marklewismd So true. I know staff won’t sit on bed (or patient’s chair), I feel uncomfortable for them if they couch..they just need a little fold up stool/chair they can use. But eye level please, every time.

Reminder: if at all possible please sit down when visiting inpatients or this is basically their bedbound POV (albeit less likely with a pop star & a prime minister looming over them and more likely with a sleep-deprived resident inquiring about post-op bowel motility)

Fascinating tour at Canterbury Cathedral. Centuries of history. Fabulous guide. Highly recommended

"It breaks my heart": UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher says "we're seeing staggering amounts of money, reportedly a billion dollars a day” being spent on the Middle East war, rather than addressing the world’s “huge humanitarian caseload.”

I am deeply troubled by the situation unfolding today across the Middle East. My heart goes out to the civilians trapped in the crossfire. Regardless of borders, everyone deserves to live without the threat of violence around them. Today, we urge leaders to choose the challenging path of dialogue over the senseless route of destruction. The world is watching and hoping for wisdom to prevail over weapons. Peace is the best medicine. 🌍🕊️

@TFletcher I’m so sorry. This must be hugely distressing for you. No one individual could do more than you do to shine a light into the darkest corners of suffering & to call for global action. An incredibly tough role but you rise to every challenge despite the enormous frustrations

The news we feared has come. Rest in peace, Bhan. I’m so sorry we failed you as the world. Your preventable death must spur the anger in us to do better.