2015 in health on Twitter

What happened in health on Twitter? Here’s our look back at the last year...

2015 started with headlines about a ‘third world NHS’. Here’s a more considered analysis of the NHS’ January blues.
Our January polling gave little comfort to and of the political parties on health
Imagine a disease wiping out 64,000 U.S. doctors. Now, you understand the impact of Ebola on medics in Sierra Leone.
The misuse of literally makes me figuratively insane.

Oh tarrific. @HPIAndyCowper was on great form on the future of tariff and more.
Labour launched a 10 year plan on health. Mike Birtwistle didn’t think it was a very good idea
Jacob Rees Mogg wanted to legislate to prevent a nanny state.
Is Britain now on half measures? It was reported that fewer young people are drinking.
The election was nearly upon us. Here’s a good reminder of the terror of a photo op gone wrong.
Beautiful writing by Oliver Sacks on learning he has terminal cancer: “When people die, they cannot be replaced. They leave holes that cannot be filled, for it is the fate — the genetic and neural fate — of every human being to be a unique individual, to find his own path, to live his own life, to die his own death.”

The world’s deadliest pandemics.
Our Bill Morgan blogged on why manifestos do matter.
The opening salvos were fired (or posters posted) in the battle on health in the general election.
Our Mike Birtwistle argued that the Conservatives needed first-mover advantage on health spending. They got it.
As the sun set on the 2010 Parliament, we took a look back at a tumultuous five years for the NHS.
Did bee stings save this woman’s life?

The gentleman’s guide to amputation.
Over 700 people used our health policy compass to find out who they were closest to on health. Here are the results.
Causes of musician death by genre.
Was the Department of Health preparing for a lurch to the far left?
Here’s a reminder of how health featured in the General Election.

A new parliament was elected. Here was our guide to the new health influencers.
Jeremy Hunt was returned to Richmond House. Mike Birtwistle argued he deserved a good deal of credit for neutralising health as an election issue.
The history of the world in a single chart.
This is how you pose for your ‘elected official’ photo.
Balancing the books is hard but necessary. Our Bill Morgan blogged on the money.

Apple remote health, end of life planner and neuro implant technicians were all predicted to be some of the hottest jobs in 2025.
The importance of accurate punctuation and grammar.
11 charts that show why Britain faces a carers crisis.
Sharks vs spiders. The world’s deadliest animals.
The Supreme Court made a landmark decision on Obamacare. Here’s a simple guide to what it means.

July 2015 saw the 34th anniversary of the @nytimes reporting on the emergence of ‘a rare cancer seen in 41 homosexuals’.
Interesting evidence emerged about the impact of the soda tax in Mexico.
The Cancer Taskforce published its report. Here was our first take on the challenges it posed to the Government.
Our Sarah Winstone argued that the public health crisis is a speeding train (and we need more than a nudge to avoid it).
Meet a ‘catastrophist’ who thinks that longevity is akin to global warming…

Is volunteering good for your health?
Jeremy Hunt was compared to Jose Mourinho (in how he handles doctors)
The advent of 3D printed drugs could have multidimensional benefits.
Constantly checking your phone could be bad for your brain (unless you are looking at last week in health on Twitter)

We moved offices to Hanover Square.
The 16 most bizarre ICD10 codes. There are some true gems in here.
The case for teaching ignorance in medicine.
We took a look at the trio of appointments who will shape Labour’s health policy.
Britain is one of the most innovative countries (and African countries punch above their weight).
The Ig Nobel prize winners made people laugh and then think
Health has been noisy, but not as noisy as you think. We took a look at what hit the headlines.

There were some amazing pictures of the blood super moon.
Type 1 and type 2 statistical errors explained.
A moving article on Rosemary Kennedy and the tragedy of lobotomies in 1940s America.
When a doctor encountered a real vampire in an emergency room.
The row between the Government and junior doctors continued. Here was Mike Birtwistle’s take on the issue.
Complex and moving. The story of identical twin boys – but one always knew she was a girl.
The origins of Hepatitis C have been traced back to World War 2 hospitals.

We had our party! Politicians continued to prove the NHS was a political football… (see image on the right)
How anxious are people in your area? Find out here.
The gene hackers – a fascinating article on the potential of CRISPR.
First dogs, now pigeons. The role of animals in diagnosing cancer continues to grow.
We had the Spending Review. Although health was declared a ‘winner,’ there is plenty of pain to come
The pregnant man died. Farewell to a public health icon.

Causes of death in Shakespeare plays.
New diabetes cases have dropped in America for the first time in 25 years.
We launched our Christmas game: can you do battle with the Treasury to #save22bn?
This year’s must-have health policy gift involved NHS procurement…
The scientific breakthroughs of 2015. You read about most of them in last week in health on Twitter

Happy new year!

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