Helen Laird
LightNews LightNews
banner
helenlaird.bsky.social
Helen Laird
@helenlaird.bsky.social
940 followers 1.8K following 340 posts
EM A&E consultant (ER attending). NHS. Leadership. Bit political. Anti-racist. Screenwriter. Medical script consultant. She/her 🏳️‍🌈 Trans ally 🏳️‍⚧️ #scriptsky
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
helenlaird.bsky.social
Helen Laird @helenlaird.bsky.social · Nov 11
Hi I’m Helen, I’m an emergency consultant (attending) doctor. I’ve been working in the NHS for 17 years. I’m learning the craft of screenwriting and I am a medical consultant for screenplays.

I was torn between writing a post about lollipops or hitler, so I wrote this into instead.
Reposted by Helen Laird
phoenixblack.bsky.social
I'd love a nomination to The Grey List by anyone who read BLOOD DRIVE:
After a domestic abuse survivor marries a small-town doctor, she suspects her stepson is a vampire preying on children, including her hemophiliac daughter.

THE LOST BOYS meets THE STEPFATHER.
December 3, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Reposted by Helen Laird
bencollins.bsky.social
This is true. It is the best email I got this year.
I work as an elder and hospice caregiver, which I am oddly passionate about. I can love on them shamelessly and no one complains about my codependence. It's a win-win situation. Many of my caregiving colleagues complain about the repetitive questions and, sometimes reactions, of the elderly, especially when those patients happen to read the newspaper, especially with the current downward spiral of our country — as if these people haven't lived through enough horror... I love my dementia peeps, but sometimes wonder if there's a Guinness Book World Record for how many times an hour a dementia patient can repeat the same question — it's got to be in the hundreds. At least with small children, they ask different questions. Dementia patients will get stuck on one short question and ask it until you can interrupt their train(carousel) of thought and successfully redirect their attention. That carousel is pretty manic sometimes. A couple days ago, I picked up my mail from the post office and drove over to the nursing home to take (let's call her "Miss Daisy") Miss Daisy out for a drive. Before we took off on our road trip, to the end of The Road and back, in our landlocked little town (Juneau, Alaska), I set my copy of The Onion down in front of her. Over our two-hour excursion, tiny Miss Daisy read that front page at least a dozen times and each time she would snicker, giggle, and guffaw, then put it down on the dash board and, a minute later, discover it anew. I think it was the best afternoon of my life. We don't often hear them laugh and when they do, it's the sweetest thing you've ever heard. ... Thank you, thank you, thank you, for the really important work all of you do. You make the world a better place.
November 26, 2025 at 9:50 PM
helenlaird.bsky.social
Now watching Passengers. I was enjoying until Aurora’s “what do we do now?” line. Reminds me of this Reese Witherspoon Speech and now I can’t enjoy the rest of the movie ‘cause I’m cross. #scriptsky
Reece Witherspoon Woman of the Year full speech - Ambition is not a dirty word!
YouTube video by Cat K
www.youtube.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Reposted by Helen Laird
erikaleesears.bsky.social
Blue lemons. My print shop is now open for the next 72 hours with 3 limited edition prints. I only open my print shop once a year. #oilpainting #art
November 14, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Reposted by Helen Laird
trishaelliott.bsky.social
I think @scarlettmcnally.bsky.social is absolutely right in this piece from the @bmj.com last month.

Some bits of healthcare can be simple and transactional, but a lot is much more nuanced, and there’s an important role for senior wise clinicians.

Link:
www.bmj.com/content/391/...

#MedSky
BMJ article. Excerpt here. Every time there’s a new plan for the NHS, I worry that those creating the models don’t realise how messy and expansive healthcare is. The NHS 10 year plan hails the new “doctor in your pocket” to provide knowledge, in the form of the NHS App.1 But this drive for online accessibility misses the point that people still need a trusted clinician to interpret their concerns and support an action plan. Half the population have limited health literacy.2 A quarter of adults have multiple comorbidities,3 so single issue advice may be less relevant to them. Knowledge alone isn’t enough. Patients need to be walked through the practicalities of care as well as the information. When designers of health services put barriers in place to limit interventions or investigations, these are often viewed by patients and surgeons as unfair rationing.4 In response, policy makers and service planners aim to democratise health information to inform decision making. But this relies on the assumption that patients’ behaviours and decisions are grounded in logic and evidence, which may be misguided. Clinicians can play a vital role in preventing unwarranted intervention but only when they have the time to individualise care. This helps the NHS remain cost effective, avoiding expensive and risky interventions.
November 15, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Reposted by Helen Laird
drlindadykes.bsky.social
Let’s try a little #MedSky game. When I finished med school:
-gastric lavage had been scrapped for ODs
- Doxapram was still used for T2 resp failure in COPD
- co-danthrusate was widely used,
- Quinolones were magic and only consultants were allowed to prescribe them.

What year did I qualify?
November 14, 2025 at 9:31 PM
helenlaird.bsky.social
It’s 2025 and solicitors are still addressing their letters to hospitals with “Dear Sirs”.
Really???!!! Shall i wait until a man is available to action your request?
November 14, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Reposted by Helen Laird
miasato.bsky.social
I don’t really care if AURORA BOREALIS NORTHERN LIGHTS happened to you. It should have happened to me instead.
November 12, 2025 at 5:15 AM
Reposted by Helen Laird
bertsbooks.bsky.social
First book of the day, the indomitable Kathy Burke's memoir, "A Mind of My Own"! - Michael
November 10, 2025 at 8:59 AM
helenlaird.bsky.social
This is why I have never subscribed to the “too many managers” narrative.

NHS managers do an important and undervalued job and we need more of them.

They’re not in it for the glory or the money are they. These are good people who work hard to help front line staff provide the best care.
November 10, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Reposted by Helen Laird
louiestowell.bsky.social
Just finished the proof of The Golden Monkey Mystery by @piudg.bsky.social, out 15th Jan - now that's an adventure story as adventure stories are meant to be! Death! Monkeys! Jewels! Danger! A subtle deconstruction of colonial childhood narratives! #KidLitUK #UKKidlit
November 10, 2025 at 6:40 AM
helenlaird.bsky.social
I was reading that Bluesky!
November 9, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Reposted by Helen Laird
lorifreshwater.bsky.social
Chef’s kiss, humans
cmcalgary.bsky.social cm 🇨🇦 @cmcalgary.bsky.social · 26d
A new four-lane highway cutting through tens of thousands of acres of protected Amazon rainforest is being built for the COP30 climate summit in the Brazilian city of Belém.

www.bbc.com/news/article... @paulisci.bsky.social
Amazon rainforest cut down to build highway for COP climate summit
The infrastructure required to host COP30 in Belém is undermining the cause, campaigners say.
www.bbc.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Reposted by Helen Laird
nomadicwriter.bsky.social
There are obvious parallels, to me at least, between seeing working-class and more diverse characters on screen alongside the number of w/c & diverse screenwriters seeing their scripts produced and actors playing those roles. Talent is everywhere, equal opportunities aren’t. #ScriptSkyUK #ScriptSky
nomadicwriter.bsky.social 💙 🇺🇦 NomadicWriter (Fritha Malcouronne) 🇺🇦 💙 @nomadicwriter.bsky.social · 28d
Actor Eddie Marsan makes brilliant points in relation to ‘posh’ actors being promoted over actors from working-class and more diverse backgrounds. Likewise, it doesn’t help when w/c & diverse screenwriters aren’t having their ‘voices’ heard on screen. news.sky.com/story/posh-b...

#ScriptSkyUK
Image is a screenshot of a Sky News article in which British actor Eddie Marsan is discussing difficulties for working-class actors getting on in the TV and film industry. It reads: Eddie Marsan, star of major blockbusters such as the Sherlock Holmes films and Misdion Impossible III, as well as TV series Ray Donovan, and Supacell, said there’s one thing he’s come to notice is how few of his cast mates tend to share his working-class roots. “If you want to become an actor in this country, and you come from a disadvantaged background, you have to be exceptional to have a hope of a career,” he says. “If you come from a privileged background you can be mediocre.”
November 6, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Reposted by Helen Laird
nomadicwriter.bsky.social
Anyone fancy a lovely weekend in Newcastle meeting Russell T Davies, other high profile screenwriters, industry professionals and production companies?

Would love to go with someone. Make a great weekend of it.

newwritingnorth.com/event/screen...

#ScriptSkyUK #ScriptSky #WritingCommunity.
Screenwriting Weekender - New Writing North
newwritingnorth.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Reposted by Helen Laird
drlindadykes.bsky.social
Just requested ax “Xray penis” rather than “Xray pelvis” and don’t know whether to blame my varifocals, the screen size, or the multiple interruptions I had whilst trying to place the blasted order 🤦🏼‍♀️😳 #humanfactors
November 6, 2025 at 1:00 PM
helenlaird.bsky.social
#scriptskyuk

Wrong hashtag
helenlaird.bsky.social Helen Laird @helenlaird.bsky.social · 27d
My mum took me to see Shirley Valentine at the Brixton Ritzy (pre-refurb) when I was 10. As it was a 15 it was a bit naughty. I loved it. “Boat is boat…”

Anyone know where I can watch it right now?

#ukscriptsky
November 7, 2025 at 9:21 AM
helenlaird.bsky.social
My mum took me to see Shirley Valentine at the Brixton Ritzy (pre-refurb) when I was 10. As it was a 15 it was a bit naughty. I loved it. “Boat is boat…”

Anyone know where I can watch it right now?

#ukscriptsky
November 7, 2025 at 9:20 AM
helenlaird.bsky.social
Let’s step up & vaccinate more people in the UK. This is the first year since it was available that I couldn’t get a Covid vaccine as a front line medic. I caught it in September & have been getting back to back viruses since no doubt due to Covid dampening my immune response.
#covid #nhs #vaccine
Covid jab less harmful than the virus itself, study reveals
It comes amid previous concerns about potential harm from the jab
www.independent.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Reposted by Helen Laird
gennhutchison.bsky.social
Hey, hey, this premiered tonight on Apple TV. My husband and a whole lotta friends of mine spent the last few years making it. It’s very good. You should check it out.
Ad for Pluribus on a curved screen. It features an artist’s closeup portrait of Rhea Seehorn, in character against a yellow background. About 3/4 of her head is visible. She’s looking up, her mouth open and expression troubled. Her hair is windblown. The ad reads From the creator of Breaking Bad. Pluribus, new series Nov. 7. The I in Pluribus is a 1.
November 7, 2025 at 6:48 AM
helenlaird.bsky.social
Watching Back to the future with my kid and boy they don’t make PGs like that anymore.

Swearing, voyeurism, incestuous attraction and an attempted rape.

I still enjoyed it though so did the kid.
November 6, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Reposted by Helen Laird
swilk.bsky.social
Today's Work in Progress
November 6, 2025 at 2:43 AM
Reposted by Helen Laird
louiestowell.bsky.social
Discussion of lots of people being on long term sick leave since 2019 without mentioning covid is like talking about wwii without mentioning bombs or guns. And yet....
November 5, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Reposted by Helen Laird
louiestowell.bsky.social
Such a mystery, what MASS DISABLING EVENT could have happened after 2019 to cause this?
November 5, 2025 at 9:14 AM
helenlaird.bsky.social
Just watched Riot Women. I can’t think of an actress other than Joanna Scanlan who could perform that rope scene with such grace and depth and get that laugh when the phone rings. Humour from the depths of grief. Such talent. #RiotWomen. #scriptsky
November 4, 2025 at 12:23 AM