Andrew Vallance-Owen

Fun-loving medic; CMO Medicover (EU & India); Chair Cerina & Fitness Genes. Advisor to Bite Back 2030 & IamYiam. Tweeting in a personal capacity.

[Andrew Vallance-Owen @AndrewVOwen]

@drphilhammond I agree Phil. Many doctors I have discussed this with have misgivings about the verdict. I haven’t researched it like you but, speaking generally, over the years I have found that cover ups cause much more trouble when discovered than declaring the problem openly from the start

[louis appleby @ProfLAppleby]

I support the Cass Review & the #SupremeCourt ruling.

But the main issue for me is the mental health of young people hearing alarming claims about their place in society.

We - all of us, whatever our perspective - have a collective responsibility: support, reassure, keep safe.

[𝓒𝓵𝓮𝓸 🇬🇷🇺🇸🌊 @cleo_512]

Lech Walesa (81), 1983 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, 2nd President of Poland.

Letter to Trump.
#IStandWithUkraine

[Andrew Vallance-Owen @AndrewVOwen]

@CStewart_CS @TheBrooke @naomiandjack @AlStewartOBE Yes, a lovely picture Clementine and so glad he obviously continues to love life when things must be very frustrating at times. Give him my best wishes for a great Christmas and many more!

[Andrew Vallance-Owen @AndrewVOwen]

@AlStewartOBE Great set of pics Alastair! The lovely one with Charles took me back to those NUS days, touring the country for the hustings!

[Tim Cook @doctimcook]

@Jo_McGinn @RCoANews Interesting
I don’t consider anyone I work with works ‘under’ me. They may be more junior, less experienced, fulfil a different role and not lead the team but they work ‘with’ me not ‘under’ me.

Of course they may take a different view.

[Andrew Vallance-Owen @AndrewVOwen]

@ProfKarolSikora A lot of sense from a party which has nothing to lose. Also need to separate the NHS from civil servant (ie Deparment of Health) interference and to reduce NHS England influence significantly by devolving more decision making and control to local health/healthcare organisations

[Jacqueline Simmond @jacksimmom]

@ProfKarolSikora I totally agree with everything you say. We have layers and layers of management, huge HR departments specialist management roles and so on. I started in the nhs when the consultant, the secretary and the matron ran the service more effectively

[Peter Watts @PeterWa42129878]

@ProfKarolSikora When the NHS fails (as it frequently does), it's always the government that gets blamed. Never a peep from NHS management.

[Professor Karol Sikora @ProfKarolSikora]

Reading through the hundreds and hundreds of pages of central NHS communications about how to shut me down, I want to ask. Do they not have better things to be doing?

I once called the NHS the 'last bastion of communism' and they've never forgiven me for it. Then lockdown came, and I made my concerns clear about how restrictions would ultimately cause more far harm than good. Another pin in the Sikora voodo doll.

In their eyes, I'm a dangerous dissident to the holy NHS religion. Always have been.

If these people want to dissect and spy on my every word, fine I don't care. But when they're doing it on public money, that's a different problem.

It is honestly astonishing. There will soon be a dossier on this post - I may even request it.

I've been in medicine for 50 years, I was chief of the WHO cancer programme, I've helped to develop hundreds of cancer centres and treated thousands and thousands of patients.

Even if they don't like my opinion, I'd like to think it's based on enough experience for it to be heard with a modicum of respect.

If politicians are serious about sorting out the NHS, then its central leadership MUST be held to account.

I'm fortunate to have a big platform to defend myself, what about the countless individuals who can't do that? Who feel unable to speak out because of the toxic culture that has been fostered in the health service?

We've seen what happens when free debate gets suffocated in the NHS, and the consequences can be fatal.

It is a total and utter mess. The health service is in need of fundamental reform. Rather than using the vast resource at its disposal in an attempt to shut down critics, perhaps NHS leadership should start listening to some new ideas.

It can't get much worse.

[Ann Haydon @HeadHarrowHK]

The brilliant broadcaster @AlStewartOBE . The Stewart family is one which is full of love, loyalty, optimism and support, evident in this very post ! Proud to call them all dear friends.

[Andrew Vallance-Owen @AndrewVOwen]

@AlStewartOBE Brilliant to see you Alastair and in great form too...of course!

[Andrew Vallance-Owen @AndrewVOwen]

@JaneEAppleton @AndrewMarr9 The old town in Warsaw was rebuilt in a similar way

[Clementine Stewart @CStewart_CS]

Love this so much.
I’m proud that kindness is one of our school values.
In a word where you can be anything, be kind.
We could all do with a little more kindness ❤️thanks for the share @JessWhiteIAm

[Clementine Stewart @CStewart_CS]

Awesome work @allontheboard - such a powerful message and one which everyone needs to hear. Our children’s mental health and physical health must come before all else. #MentalHealthAwareness #childrensmentalhealth @Place2Be

[Andrew Vallance-Owen @AndrewVOwen]

@RoryStewartUK Good pic, would recommend Antarctica to anyone - the last great wilderness. While on, currently loving the book although, sadly, much of it only confirms suspicions I have had for years!! Hope we’ll see more of you!

[Andrew Vallance-Owen @AndrewVOwen]

@RslewisSally Here here Sally, Mathew Syed has a very interesting and balanced piece in the Sunday Times today, but all very depressing and hard to be optimistic with the current senior players in place.

[Andrew Vallance-Owen @AndrewVOwen]

@RoyLilley Nice one Roy!

[Andrew Vallance-Owen @AndrewVOwen]

@CStewart_CS I so agree with you. Our 4th grandchild was born in Amsterdam this morning . The rest of the family arrive here in Hertfordshire tomorrow. Please give my very best wishes to Dad and to you all for a lovely Christmas together and a happy, healthy (as far as possible) New Year!