Excessive RTs: what’s the problem and why do they happen?

This morning I shared a cranky rant on twitter that looked like this: I’ve linked it back to the original tweet so you can see some of the responses it received. I’ve been musing on it ever since, not least because I’ve been questioning why overwhelmingly people who responded didn’t seem to experience the same […]

Patient Opinion – partners not pen pushers

Last week there was a little storm brewing in my twitter stream. Patient Opinion, who have been an active participant on social media and have been using it to power good for a number of years, were suddenly inundated with concerns for their future. Tim Kelsey, the National Director for Patients and Information at NHS […]

Life after Bobby: one year on

It’s twelve months, one year, 365 days since my Dad died. http://instagram.com/p/gunhbpiYTj/ It doesn’t feel real and yet I’ve developed a low level awareness that’s constantly there. It feels like yesterday but it also feels much longer than a year. If there is one thing that I can emphatically say I’ve learnt over the last […]

Failing hurts

I started writing this on a train to Bath where I’ve the absolute pleasure of spending the night with Rich Watts (my virtual twin) and his family, before heading into Bristol bright and early tomorrow for TEDxBristol. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow which will allow me to spend a whole day focusing on failure, […]

Life after Bobby: In search of meaning

Fifty one weeks, four hours and about 15 minutes ago my Dad died. Bobby J let out his last breath, peacefully, at home very much knowing he was loved. I’ve written about his death before. My Dad’s life and death, have provided the lens through which I viewed my own life of late, and challenged […]

Hashtags 101 #NCASC #NCASC13

I’m the first to admit that when it comes to social media there are no rules, just preferences. However I’m so disappointed to see the same mistake/missed opportunity/confusion two years running by people who, as communications professionals, I think should know better @LGAComms that I’m venting here. My ideal would be that they see this, […]

Life after Bobby: Hospice Care Week

This is the view of the Rocky Mountains in Banff taken from Bow Falls yesterday. What has this got to do with Hospice Care Week? Everything. One of the objectives of Hospice Care Week is to raise people’s awareness of the work that hospices do. There are many myths and misconceptions about hospice care that […]

Social care evidence in practice: an English perspective #KTNConf

I’m typing this sat in the beautiful Banff Springs hotel in Canada where I’ve spent the last couple days at #KTNConf Inspiring Change. Organised and hosted by the Health Research Transfer Network of Alberta (RTNA), this conference has focused on the role of knowledge transfer in inspiring change. Rarely have I had the privilege to […]

Broadening the reach of #TLAP13

Since I started freelancing it has been really important to me to work with people who I think are a) doing important stuff, b) have values similar to mine and c) where I feel I can make a contribution and I’ll enjoy doing the work. I’ve spent a small amount of time recently working with […]

Life after Bobby: I’m free

I’m a member of a very small club that I really wouldn’t want any of you to be members of. That ‘club’ that exists only in loose tweets or sharing of experience, and is no way a club in the true sense of the word, is made up of people who have all felt the […]