Heather Still

Health Improvement in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿. Compassion in Public Health. Qual Research. Lived Experience.

[Heather Still @HeatherStill9]

My suffering isn't to serve you.

We.
Were not created.
To be a self help book.
For the healthy.

We are more.

[Heather Still @HeatherStill9]

@sirin_kale @guardiang2 Brilliant piece. Always written with such empathy.
I'd be cautious about giving courses to the NHS. had NHS antenatal last year & they used NCT aids, were hyper unrealistic. Midwife bragged she delayed pethidine for labouring women, 0 info on tears, incontinence. 0 info on c sec

[Rory O'Connor @suicideresearch]

🆕The Scottish statistics for 2023 show a 4% increase in suicide deaths compared to 2022.

The suicide rate in males was more than 3 times that for females.

Rates in the most deprived areas were 2.5 times as high as those in least deprived areas in Scotland.

Every single death is heartbreaking, leaving behind devastated families, friends and communities.

Similar to other countries, sadly an increase is not unexpected given the challenges of recent years, including the cost of living crisis and the economic downturn which have led to financial and social hardship for so many.

We need to continue to do everything we can to ensure that those at risk of suicide receive the care and support that they need when they need it.

🔗https://t.co/V9qw6V9nY7

[Heather Still @HeatherStill9]

In public health we look at reducing health inequalities though I find it uncomfortable seeing examples when healthcare enforces it. I do think we can change, but WH need a stronger evidence base and scrutiny of what's being said to women.

[Heather Still @HeatherStill9]

This made me have a gander at Scotland's boards and one literally tells labouring women to go home and do "light housework" as a form of relaxation. Similar to what @SandsUK says overall, massive variety with minimal evidence.
Sexism contributes to health inequalities.

[Sands - baby loss charity 💜🧡 @SandsUK]

The @SandsUK and @Tommys Joint Policy Unit has found that NHS advice about contacting maternity services with pregnancy concerns varies across the UK.

➡️ https://t.co/pxZbU00mqJ

We're asking the NHS and government how they can improve advice and save babies' lives.

#BabyLoss

[Heather Still @HeatherStill9]

@psychmag @abbarkerpsych This is actually a great discussion and despite not having the outcome I'd obviously like (removal of adverts promoting large alcohol consumption) it's refreshing to have a discourse of varying opinions displayed. Thank you

[Heather Still @HeatherStill9]

Would you accept advertising from gambling? Smoking (if it was legal?) on that same merit? Would they have accepted ads from "working class" alcohol?
A case of wine = responsible?
I do appreciate @psychmag and your openness to discuss this further. Thank you

[Heather Still @HeatherStill9]

@BDevlin1 Thanks Brian. The NHS needs to fire these people quite frankly & we need restorative justice. We make trauma an individualised phenomenon when really it's a collective injury
Can imagine restorative justice might have been useful for your own previous experiences in the NHS

[Heather Still @HeatherStill9]

@psychmag @abbarkerpsych Thank you for this. I find it interesting that the removal of "responsible drinking" (industry talk) has been replaced with "pleasure" - is there room for argument about the amount of alcohol being sold "a case" Vs "a bottle" - harm reduction and responsible advertising?

[Rory O'Connor @suicideresearch]

🗣️Free Suicide Prevention Resources

We have developed 4 modules, the first one is aimed at anyone with an interest in understanding suicide, the other three modules go into more depth into the psychology of understanding and preventing suicide #Science2PreventSuicide

@darkdancer84

[Heather Still @HeatherStill9]

@abbarkerpsych Thanks ☺️. Think it's a needed debate in PH to be honest... I hear industry speak all too often, it pollutes policy at every level. Lot of work to do!

[Heather Still @HeatherStill9]

@psychmag @abbarkerpsych 3/3 finally, I know someone who died from exclusive wine drinking. They would've leapt at that advert for a "case" of wine. Adverts selling heavy drinking does harm individuals, their children and the society they live in. The balance is hard, I get that - thank you for trying.

[Heather Still @HeatherStill9]

@psychmag @abbarkerpsych 2/3
- debate around freedom, markets and social responsibility changes throughout time. If you need alcohol advertising to keep going, it's a necessary evil. But should discourse around this be open and critiques be heard? Absolutely. And this has been displayed.

[Heather Still @HeatherStill9]

@JamesTitcombe Most of this was said at my NHS antenatal class last year.
"Laugh through your labour" because laughing "produces more endorphins than opiates" was a favourite. There's a lot more.

[Heather Still @HeatherStill9]

@catherineroyuk Recent job application for a midwife position at my local.
https://t.co/sfni53FjLY
Btw local mat unit was v "no medication" and ideological. Very ableist for people like myself with additional needs. Had unrealistic drawings about post birth from the NCT.

[IAS @InstAlcStud]

Freezing duty doesn't help pubs, despite what @Jeremy_Hunt claimed in today's Budget.

It helps supermarkets maintain much lower prices than pubs, encouraging people to drink more at home and not in pubs.

[Heather Still @HeatherStill9]

This is a consequence of not talking about dying and death. We find out when it's too late - when we're too stressed and upset. Employers may not be consciously limiting leave, it may be that they too just haven't thought of it to update the policies.
Check your rights.