Dr Rachel Clarke
@drrachelclarke.com
Palliative care doctor 👩🏻⚕ Author 📚 Winner: 2025 Women's Prize for Non-Fiction 🫀 Founder: Hospice Ukraine 🇺🇦 Rep: Clare Alexander at Aitken Alexander 📝
www.drrachelclarke.com
www.drrachelclarke.com
Pinned
Dr Rachel Clarke
@drrachelclarke.com
· Jun 13
This is a dream come true, a once in a lifetime honour. I am so utterly thrilled to have won the 2025 @womensprize.bsky.social for Non-Fiction.
Heartfelt thanks to everyone who gave me such generous support in writing The Story of a Heart, especially Max & Keira’s incredible, wonderful families 🩷🫁🫀
Heartfelt thanks to everyone who gave me such generous support in writing The Story of a Heart, especially Max & Keira’s incredible, wonderful families 🩷🫁🫀
Than you @martinmckee.bsky.social - hugely important thread 👇
1/ How does the COVID Inquiry's Module 2 report align with what we said in @independentsage.bsky.social at the time? A 🧵on Transparency, Early & Decisive Action, Scientific Advice, Integration of Social & Economic Harms, Communication and Behavioural Science, Governance, Data and Preparedness
November 22, 2025 at 6:36 AM
Than you @martinmckee.bsky.social - hugely important thread 👇
Tomorrow is a hugely important day.
At 4pm, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry will publish its report into the UK’s pandemic decision-making & political governance.
I dearly hope our political leaders & decision-makers will listen, learn &, above all, act on the findings.
Because there will be a next time.
At 4pm, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry will publish its report into the UK’s pandemic decision-making & political governance.
I dearly hope our political leaders & decision-makers will listen, learn &, above all, act on the findings.
Because there will be a next time.
November 19, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Tomorrow is a hugely important day.
At 4pm, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry will publish its report into the UK’s pandemic decision-making & political governance.
I dearly hope our political leaders & decision-makers will listen, learn &, above all, act on the findings.
Because there will be a next time.
At 4pm, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry will publish its report into the UK’s pandemic decision-making & political governance.
I dearly hope our political leaders & decision-makers will listen, learn &, above all, act on the findings.
Because there will be a next time.
"We are not surrounded by cretinous, vicious imbeciles but mostly by careful, thoughtful people who may disagree with us but usually have good reasons for doing so."
Fascinating & wise piece from @naomialderman.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...
Fascinating & wise piece from @naomialderman.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...
Don’t argue with strangers… and 11 more rules to survive the information crisis
Feeling overwhelmed by divisive opinions, endless rows and unreliable facts? Here’s how to weather the data storm
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 1:11 PM
"We are not surrounded by cretinous, vicious imbeciles but mostly by careful, thoughtful people who may disagree with us but usually have good reasons for doing so."
Fascinating & wise piece from @naomialderman.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...
Fascinating & wise piece from @naomialderman.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...
Delighted to share this video of my conversation with @cnn.com's Isa Soares about The Story of a Heart 🫀
edition.cnn.com/2025/11/13/w...
edition.cnn.com/2025/11/13/w...
Rachel Clarke: ‘It’s a tearjerker and modern medical miracle’ | CNN
Rachel Clarke follows the incredible journey of a single heart transplant and how one family’s generosity in the face of incredible loss saves the life of another child. ‘The Story of a Heart’ is a po...
edition.cnn.com
November 15, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Delighted to share this video of my conversation with @cnn.com's Isa Soares about The Story of a Heart 🫀
edition.cnn.com/2025/11/13/w...
edition.cnn.com/2025/11/13/w...
Huge thanks to Rob Delaney, the Kiln Theatre & @intelligence2.bsky.social for last night’s conversation about love, grief, hope, loss, altruism & The Story of a Heart.
We spoke in front of Max’s parents, Emma & Paul, and Keira’s sisters, Katelyn & Keely – what an honour to have them all there 🧡
We spoke in front of Max’s parents, Emma & Paul, and Keira’s sisters, Katelyn & Keely – what an honour to have them all there 🧡
November 14, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Huge thanks to Rob Delaney, the Kiln Theatre & @intelligence2.bsky.social for last night’s conversation about love, grief, hope, loss, altruism & The Story of a Heart.
We spoke in front of Max’s parents, Emma & Paul, and Keira’s sisters, Katelyn & Keely – what an honour to have them all there 🧡
We spoke in front of Max’s parents, Emma & Paul, and Keira’s sisters, Katelyn & Keely – what an honour to have them all there 🧡
"More & more, the nature of high-profile public service is repelling the best & the brightest. That is the great tragedy of our age – & the great opportunity for those who were never in it to serve the public in the first place."
🔥🔥 🔥 as ever from Marina Hyde
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
🔥🔥 🔥 as ever from Marina Hyde
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
It’s the BBC v Trump, Farage and co. Who in their right mind would want to be its new boss? | Marina Hyde
Public life is a minefield and the best and brightest just don’t want to know. How convenient for foes of the most trusted news organisation in the world, says Guardian columnist Marina Hyde
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:21 PM
"More & more, the nature of high-profile public service is repelling the best & the brightest. That is the great tragedy of our age – & the great opportunity for those who were never in it to serve the public in the first place."
🔥🔥 🔥 as ever from Marina Hyde
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
🔥🔥 🔥 as ever from Marina Hyde
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
"The hard truth about underfunding palliative care is that people who are at their most vulnerable – the dying – suffer more pain, more indignity, less choice & less autonomy than they might have."
Incredibly, only 30% of hospice care is NHS funded.
Pls read my piece in today’s @theguardian.com.
Incredibly, only 30% of hospice care is NHS funded.
Pls read my piece in today’s @theguardian.com.
November 11, 2025 at 1:05 PM
"The hard truth about underfunding palliative care is that people who are at their most vulnerable – the dying – suffer more pain, more indignity, less choice & less autonomy than they might have."
Incredibly, only 30% of hospice care is NHS funded.
Pls read my piece in today’s @theguardian.com.
Incredibly, only 30% of hospice care is NHS funded.
Pls read my piece in today’s @theguardian.com.
Reposted by Dr Rachel Clarke
I do not understand the Labour government's reticence over defending the BBC and social media regulation. Their long-term survival basically depends on it. Their cowardice in the face of it may be the single thing they are most remembered for.
on.ft.com/3JVxC1Z via @FT
on.ft.com/3JVxC1Z via @FT
BBC faces ‘existential’ threat after exit of top executives
Broadcaster’s deepest crisis in recent history comes amid fresh questions over its future role in British society
on.ft.com
November 11, 2025 at 7:35 AM
I do not understand the Labour government's reticence over defending the BBC and social media regulation. Their long-term survival basically depends on it. Their cowardice in the face of it may be the single thing they are most remembered for.
on.ft.com/3JVxC1Z via @FT
on.ft.com/3JVxC1Z via @FT
Reposted by Dr Rachel Clarke
"There are soiled sheets, unvoiced fears, missed doses of morphine. The hard truth, in short, about underfunding palliative care is that people who are at their most vulnerable – the dying – suffer more pain, more indignity, less choice & less autonomy than they might have." Please read this piece:
"We would never tolerate a government that chose to defund 70% of neonatal services, gambling that charities would fill the gap. Yet this is exactly the situation for end-of-life care."
Please read my piece on the travesty of NHS palliative care underfunding 🙏
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Please read my piece on the travesty of NHS palliative care underfunding 🙏
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
As a palliative care specialist, I’ve witnessed the human tragedy of our end-of-life care crisis | Rachel Clarke
While the government debates assisted dying, palliative care is an afterthought. And many more people face death without the care and support they need, says Rachel Clarke
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:06 AM
"There are soiled sheets, unvoiced fears, missed doses of morphine. The hard truth, in short, about underfunding palliative care is that people who are at their most vulnerable – the dying – suffer more pain, more indignity, less choice & less autonomy than they might have." Please read this piece:
Reposted by Dr Rachel Clarke
The reaction to the Panorama edit has been nothing short of hysterical. Yes the BBC has some impartiality problems. But its biggest isn't the one you think.
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
The truth about impartiality at the BBC
And the hysteria of the current "crisis"
open.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:22 PM
The reaction to the Panorama edit has been nothing short of hysterical. Yes the BBC has some impartiality problems. But its biggest isn't the one you think.
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
"We would never tolerate a government that chose to defund 70% of neonatal services, gambling that charities would fill the gap. Yet this is exactly the situation for end-of-life care."
Please read my piece on the travesty of NHS palliative care underfunding 🙏
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Please read my piece on the travesty of NHS palliative care underfunding 🙏
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
As a palliative care specialist, I’ve witnessed the human tragedy of our end-of-life care crisis | Rachel Clarke
While the government debates assisted dying, palliative care is an afterthought. And many more people face death without the care and support they need, says Rachel Clarke
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:07 PM
"We would never tolerate a government that chose to defund 70% of neonatal services, gambling that charities would fill the gap. Yet this is exactly the situation for end-of-life care."
Please read my piece on the travesty of NHS palliative care underfunding 🙏
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Please read my piece on the travesty of NHS palliative care underfunding 🙏
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Dr Rachel Clarke
Amazon is helping fund a $300 million build of a ballroom for the White House.
Independent bookstores are donating to food banks and organizations that help with food insecurity.
They are not the same.
Independent bookstores are donating to food banks and organizations that help with food insecurity.
They are not the same.
October 30, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Amazon is helping fund a $300 million build of a ballroom for the White House.
Independent bookstores are donating to food banks and organizations that help with food insecurity.
They are not the same.
Independent bookstores are donating to food banks and organizations that help with food insecurity.
They are not the same.
Just disgusting from 3p Lee - who wants to stigmatise, shame and risk the lives of people with disabilities. Truly gutter politics.
October 29, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Just disgusting from 3p Lee - who wants to stigmatise, shame and risk the lives of people with disabilities. Truly gutter politics.
Heartbroken to read today’s National Audit Office report describing the postcode lottery of care faced by palliative care patients.
Two thirds of hospices are in debt.
Hospices are being forced to cut their staff & beds.
300 beds closed in 2024 alone. 🧵
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Two thirds of hospices are in debt.
Hospices are being forced to cut their staff & beds.
300 beds closed in 2024 alone. 🧵
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Hundreds of hospice beds and staff cut in England amid funding crisis
National Audit Office reports nearly two-thirds of independent hospices in deficit in 2023-24 as demand increases
www.theguardian.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Heartbroken to read today’s National Audit Office report describing the postcode lottery of care faced by palliative care patients.
Two thirds of hospices are in debt.
Hospices are being forced to cut their staff & beds.
300 beds closed in 2024 alone. 🧵
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Two thirds of hospices are in debt.
Hospices are being forced to cut their staff & beds.
300 beds closed in 2024 alone. 🧵
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by Dr Rachel Clarke
“Science is never settled” sounds reasonable—but it’s often a rhetorical trick to undermine consensus on issues like vaccines or climate change.
Science evolves, but some things are overwhelmingly supported by evidence.
My latest for Live Science
www.livescience.com/...
1/10
Science evolves, but some things are overwhelmingly supported by evidence.
My latest for Live Science
www.livescience.com/...
1/10
There is such a thing as 'settled science' — anyone who says otherwise is trying to manipulate you
How bad-faith arguments sow doubt by weaponizing scientific humility.
www.livescience.com
October 28, 2025 at 8:36 AM
“Science is never settled” sounds reasonable—but it’s often a rhetorical trick to undermine consensus on issues like vaccines or climate change.
Science evolves, but some things are overwhelmingly supported by evidence.
My latest for Live Science
www.livescience.com/...
1/10
Science evolves, but some things are overwhelmingly supported by evidence.
My latest for Live Science
www.livescience.com/...
1/10
Lab in surf and seals in sea. Could anything be more joyful? Harley goes wild in Norfolk 💚🐕🐟
October 27, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Lab in surf and seals in sea. Could anything be more joyful? Harley goes wild in Norfolk 💚🐕🐟
Hugely looking forward to discussing UK maternity care, women's bodies, birth trauma & how we make things better for women with two deeply courageous campaigners & authors, former MP Theo Clarke & NHS midwife @leahhazard.bsky.social.
📆 Sun 9 Nov, 10.30am
📍 Stroud
🎟️ @stroudbookfestival.bsky.social
📆 Sun 9 Nov, 10.30am
📍 Stroud
🎟️ @stroudbookfestival.bsky.social
October 27, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Hugely looking forward to discussing UK maternity care, women's bodies, birth trauma & how we make things better for women with two deeply courageous campaigners & authors, former MP Theo Clarke & NHS midwife @leahhazard.bsky.social.
📆 Sun 9 Nov, 10.30am
📍 Stroud
🎟️ @stroudbookfestival.bsky.social
📆 Sun 9 Nov, 10.30am
📍 Stroud
🎟️ @stroudbookfestival.bsky.social
Of course she has. The small matter of owing £122 million to UK taxpayers for her disgusting profiteering in a global pandemic means nothing to Michelle Mone.
NHS staff died in my hospital from the Covid they caught there - her dodgy PPE racket was vile.
NHS staff died in my hospital from the Covid they caught there - her dodgy PPE racket was vile.
October 26, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Of course she has. The small matter of owing £122 million to UK taxpayers for her disgusting profiteering in a global pandemic means nothing to Michelle Mone.
NHS staff died in my hospital from the Covid they caught there - her dodgy PPE racket was vile.
NHS staff died in my hospital from the Covid they caught there - her dodgy PPE racket was vile.
Such a joy to discuss Max, Keira & The Story of a Heart in the company of Max's mum, Emma, & his extraordinary transplant surgeon, Asif Hasan, at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital this month 💙🫀🫁 #organdonation
www.mirror.co.uk/news/tears-s...
www.mirror.co.uk/news/tears-s...
Asif Hasan cried as he read about heart donor Keira Ball
Asif Hasan spoke movingly of the op which changed history, and saw a new organ donor law in England. He has carried out hundreds of transplants in his career.
www.mirror.co.uk
October 26, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Such a joy to discuss Max, Keira & The Story of a Heart in the company of Max's mum, Emma, & his extraordinary transplant surgeon, Asif Hasan, at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital this month 💙🫀🫁 #organdonation
www.mirror.co.uk/news/tears-s...
www.mirror.co.uk/news/tears-s...
Reposted by Dr Rachel Clarke
Absolutely cannot wait to join Rob Delaney to discuss our books & what The Story of a Heart tells us about compassion, care, medical innovation & the NHS 🫀💗🩺
Thank you @intelligence2.bsky.social for arranging this dream conversation.
Please join us!
📆 13 Nov
📍 Kiln Theatre, London
⏰ 7pm
Thank you @intelligence2.bsky.social for arranging this dream conversation.
Please join us!
📆 13 Nov
📍 Kiln Theatre, London
⏰ 7pm
October 22, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Absolutely cannot wait to join Rob Delaney to discuss our books & what The Story of a Heart tells us about compassion, care, medical innovation & the NHS 🫀💗🩺
Thank you @intelligence2.bsky.social for arranging this dream conversation.
Please join us!
📆 13 Nov
📍 Kiln Theatre, London
⏰ 7pm
Thank you @intelligence2.bsky.social for arranging this dream conversation.
Please join us!
📆 13 Nov
📍 Kiln Theatre, London
⏰ 7pm
Dear athletic (or less athletic, as in *me*) friends & followers… might you be up for running next October’s Oxford Half Marathon in aid of @hospiceukraine.com? 🇺🇦
We are a small charity supporting palliative care teams in Ukraine doing amazing work under ongoing conditions of war...
We are a small charity supporting palliative care teams in Ukraine doing amazing work under ongoing conditions of war...
Rachel invited you — don't leave them hanging
Join Rachel at Oxford Half 2026
www.letsdothis.com
October 26, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Dear athletic (or less athletic, as in *me*) friends & followers… might you be up for running next October’s Oxford Half Marathon in aid of @hospiceukraine.com? 🇺🇦
We are a small charity supporting palliative care teams in Ukraine doing amazing work under ongoing conditions of war...
We are a small charity supporting palliative care teams in Ukraine doing amazing work under ongoing conditions of war...
Reposted by Dr Rachel Clarke
Yay. Priceless. The right column at the right time. And a gleefully English two fingers to the haters.
October 25, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Yay. Priceless. The right column at the right time. And a gleefully English two fingers to the haters.
Hospital medicine in perfect pocket canine form today 💙💙💙🐕🐕🐕
October 23, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Hospital medicine in perfect pocket canine form today 💙💙💙🐕🐕🐕
Absolutely cannot wait to join Rob Delaney to discuss our books & what The Story of a Heart tells us about compassion, care, medical innovation & the NHS 🫀💗🩺
Thank you @intelligence2.bsky.social for arranging this dream conversation.
Please join us!
📆 13 Nov
📍 Kiln Theatre, London
⏰ 7pm
Thank you @intelligence2.bsky.social for arranging this dream conversation.
Please join us!
📆 13 Nov
📍 Kiln Theatre, London
⏰ 7pm
October 22, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Absolutely cannot wait to join Rob Delaney to discuss our books & what The Story of a Heart tells us about compassion, care, medical innovation & the NHS 🫀💗🩺
Thank you @intelligence2.bsky.social for arranging this dream conversation.
Please join us!
📆 13 Nov
📍 Kiln Theatre, London
⏰ 7pm
Thank you @intelligence2.bsky.social for arranging this dream conversation.
Please join us!
📆 13 Nov
📍 Kiln Theatre, London
⏰ 7pm
This is Trevor Fisher, speaking to @channel4news.bsky.social from Arthur Rank Hospice in Cambridgeshire this week.
As a palliative care specialist, Trevor’s interview has devastated me.
His hospice has just been told Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust is withdrawing £800k of funding. 🧵
As a palliative care specialist, Trevor’s interview has devastated me.
His hospice has just been told Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust is withdrawing £800k of funding. 🧵
October 4, 2025 at 2:38 PM
This is Trevor Fisher, speaking to @channel4news.bsky.social from Arthur Rank Hospice in Cambridgeshire this week.
As a palliative care specialist, Trevor’s interview has devastated me.
His hospice has just been told Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust is withdrawing £800k of funding. 🧵
As a palliative care specialist, Trevor’s interview has devastated me.
His hospice has just been told Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust is withdrawing £800k of funding. 🧵