A lot of NHS problems aren’t simply down to funding or staffing but what I can only understand as bizarre admin complications. Here is an individual (and rather boring) example regarding maternity services which potentially could lead to bad consequences ⬇️ You used to book all your scans with the receptionists at antenatal, a bit like a hair appointment. Now, a midwife or doctor has to make a request, that then gets processed by ‘bookings’ (who?) and you get sent a date, which, inevitably, you often can’t make and have to change.

Defending the right to smoke matters – whether you’re Fag-ash Lil or Gillian McKeith. Not because smoking is a good or sensible thing to do, but because adults should be allowed to make decisions that are neither good nor sensible.

A #thread starting with my fave wedding snap 🚬

https://twitter.com/Telegraph/status/1706455145200955431

Even Kaspar Hauser would know that smoking is bad for you. From endless public-health campaigns to the anecdotal realities of ill health felt by long-term smokers, the dangers of smoking pretty much raise awareness by themselves. And yet, some of us still enjoy a puff or two...

Hard not to be worried with my delivery date a few weeks away listening to this story on #Today this morning. Maybe time to share some thoughts on here instead of shouting about them to my partner as I have been doing for the last 9 months:

bbc.co.uk/news/health-62… There is obviously a staffing problem - like most women I’ve barely seen the same midwife twice, meaning notes and prescriptions get lost or delayed. Trying to get one on the phone when you’re chasing up worrying results is almost impossible.