Kate Polling
@katepolling.bsky.social
Mental health researcher, NHS psychiatrist, Clinical co-lead, SLaM's Clinical Informatics Service. Interested in health inequalities, self-harm, crisis care & using clinical data to make things better.
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/catherine-polling
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/catherine-polling
Pinned
Clinical Informatics Service
www.maudsleybrc.nihr.ac.uk
Delighted that @maudsleynhs.bsky.social's Clinical Informatics Service has been shortlisted for @rcpsych.bsky.social Digital Team of the Year. More about our team, supported by @maudsleycharity.bsky.social here www.maudsleybrc.nihr.ac.uk/facilities/c...
Reposted by Kate Polling
Does global rise in diagnosed #neurodivergence reflect an increased awareness or does it indicate something else?
The 62nd Maudsley Debate, chaired by IoPPN’s Francesca Happé, aims to tackle that question. #MaudsleyDebates
The 62nd Maudsley Debate, chaired by IoPPN’s Francesca Happé, aims to tackle that question. #MaudsleyDebates
October 22, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Does global rise in diagnosed #neurodivergence reflect an increased awareness or does it indicate something else?
The 62nd Maudsley Debate, chaired by IoPPN’s Francesca Happé, aims to tackle that question. #MaudsleyDebates
The 62nd Maudsley Debate, chaired by IoPPN’s Francesca Happé, aims to tackle that question. #MaudsleyDebates
Reposted by Kate Polling
Okay, for the folks who asked: here's the majority AI view, writing up the reasonable, thoughtful view on AI that the vast majority of people in tech hold, that gets overshadowed by the bluster and hype of the tycoons trying to shill their nonsense. anildash.com/2025/10/17/t... Please share!
The Majority AI View - Anil Dash
A blog about making culture. Since 1999.
anildash.com
October 17, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Okay, for the folks who asked: here's the majority AI view, writing up the reasonable, thoughtful view on AI that the vast majority of people in tech hold, that gets overshadowed by the bluster and hype of the tycoons trying to shill their nonsense. anildash.com/2025/10/17/t... Please share!
Delighted that @maudsleynhs.bsky.social's Clinical Informatics Service has been shortlisted for @rcpsych.bsky.social Digital Team of the Year. More about our team, supported by @maudsleycharity.bsky.social here www.maudsleybrc.nihr.ac.uk/facilities/c...
Clinical Informatics Service
www.maudsleybrc.nihr.ac.uk
October 18, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Delighted that @maudsleynhs.bsky.social's Clinical Informatics Service has been shortlisted for @rcpsych.bsky.social Digital Team of the Year. More about our team, supported by @maudsleycharity.bsky.social here www.maudsleybrc.nihr.ac.uk/facilities/c...
The responses to this are just what I needed on a Monday morning. Some things are getting better!
Please give me an unironic list of things that have gotten better over the last ten years because I’m spiraling.
I’ll start: you can buy an enormous TV from Costco for like $100 bucks now.
I’ll start: you can buy an enormous TV from Costco for like $100 bucks now.
September 15, 2025 at 6:31 AM
The responses to this are just what I needed on a Monday morning. Some things are getting better!
Reposted by Kate Polling
City Hall has triggered a high air pollution alert for Tuesday 12 August as hot weather is expected to increase pollutant levels.
We're urging Londoners to look after themselves, stop their engines idling, and refrain from burning wood or garden waste.
We're urging Londoners to look after themselves, stop their engines idling, and refrain from burning wood or garden waste.
August 12, 2025 at 6:31 AM
City Hall has triggered a high air pollution alert for Tuesday 12 August as hot weather is expected to increase pollutant levels.
We're urging Londoners to look after themselves, stop their engines idling, and refrain from burning wood or garden waste.
We're urging Londoners to look after themselves, stop their engines idling, and refrain from burning wood or garden waste.
Reposted by Kate Polling
Trying to change the population is creepy and dangerous, full stop. But pronatalism is also wrong on the science, particularly the US brand of it. Here's a nice explainer on some of its more egregious logical flaws.
From @lesja.bsky.social @karenguzzo.bsky.social and @shelleydclark.bsky.social
From @lesja.bsky.social @karenguzzo.bsky.social and @shelleydclark.bsky.social
Fears that falling birth rates in US could lead to population collapse are based on faulty assumptions
While the changes in population structure that accompany low birth rates are real, the impact of these changes has been dramatically overstated.
theconversation.com
August 7, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Trying to change the population is creepy and dangerous, full stop. But pronatalism is also wrong on the science, particularly the US brand of it. Here's a nice explainer on some of its more egregious logical flaws.
From @lesja.bsky.social @karenguzzo.bsky.social and @shelleydclark.bsky.social
From @lesja.bsky.social @karenguzzo.bsky.social and @shelleydclark.bsky.social
Reposted by Kate Polling
It's not enough. But it's something. Please give if you can, and tell your reps to stop this horror. chuffed.org/project/help...
North Gaza: Food, Water & Other Distributions
Translating Falasteen (Palestine), in collaboration with The Sameer Project, launched a fundraising campaign to support families in Gaza facing severe hardships. Our mission is to provide essential ai...
chuffed.org
July 24, 2025 at 11:19 PM
It's not enough. But it's something. Please give if you can, and tell your reps to stop this horror. chuffed.org/project/help...
I re-read this every year and am always glad I did.
Thanks for the reminder @janemunday.bsky.social. Every summer, I repost this article DROWNING DOES NOT LOOK LIKE DROWNING. To date, I know of FOUR kids who were saved after someone who'd clicked on the link learnt how to spot actual drowning. Take time to read and pass on.
slate.com/technology/2...
slate.com/technology/2...
Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning
Drowning is not the violent, splashing call for help that most people expect.
slate.com
June 20, 2025 at 6:51 AM
I re-read this every year and am always glad I did.
I learned a great deal from this (very long) thread, definitely worth a read to try and understand what the new pope might mean (inc that this US pope won't/shouldn't please JD Vance and his ilk)
Pope Leo's first sermon and, uh, his using the phrase "be ever more fully a city set upon a hill" and cf'ing it to Rev 21:10 instead of any of the others before saying "many baptized Christians" are "living in a state of practical atheism" is. Well. Shots fired!
www.npr.org/2025/05/09/g...
www.npr.org/2025/05/09/g...
Read Pope Leo XIV's first homily as pope
During his homily, delivered in Italian, Leo XIV said that Christians must serve a world that is often hostile to their beliefs.
www.npr.org
May 10, 2025 at 7:39 AM
I learned a great deal from this (very long) thread, definitely worth a read to try and understand what the new pope might mean (inc that this US pope won't/shouldn't please JD Vance and his ilk)
Reposted by Kate Polling
Just a reminder that fascists, authoritarians, dictators of all stripes destroy archives— books, museums, databases, &c— because those things provide windows onto a plurality of other ways we might organize the world.
And so preserving, defending, and spreading that knowledge harms those regimes.
And so preserving, defending, and spreading that knowledge harms those regimes.
February 19, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Just a reminder that fascists, authoritarians, dictators of all stripes destroy archives— books, museums, databases, &c— because those things provide windows onto a plurality of other ways we might organize the world.
And so preserving, defending, and spreading that knowledge harms those regimes.
And so preserving, defending, and spreading that knowledge harms those regimes.
Reposted by Kate Polling
Woooooooo ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Someone’s done it - archived the entire datasets of the US CDC before the orange toddler could destroy them.
#episky #medsky #academicsky
Someone’s done it - archived the entire datasets of the US CDC before the orange toddler could destroy them.
#episky #medsky #academicsky
The entire archive of CDC datasets can be found here.
HUGE shoutout to data archivists- this work is important 👏🙌🏻
archive.org/details/2025...
HUGE shoutout to data archivists- this work is important 👏🙌🏻
archive.org/details/2025...
February 2, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Woooooooo ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Someone’s done it - archived the entire datasets of the US CDC before the orange toddler could destroy them.
#episky #medsky #academicsky
Someone’s done it - archived the entire datasets of the US CDC before the orange toddler could destroy them.
#episky #medsky #academicsky
Reposted by Kate Polling
As someone who’s worked with, on, about NHS data, I can’t emphasise enough that it is far far from a carefully curated, nationally complete and ready to use data set. I keep reading otherwise sensible sounding pieces that comment on the uh-mazing data we can straightforwardly exploit.
January 28, 2025 at 8:37 AM
As someone who’s worked with, on, about NHS data, I can’t emphasise enough that it is far far from a carefully curated, nationally complete and ready to use data set. I keep reading otherwise sensible sounding pieces that comment on the uh-mazing data we can straightforwardly exploit.
Reposted by Kate Polling
AI can make errors when integrated into healthcare systems.
...but so do humans.
We don't have good processes to correct these errors for humans or AIs.
Some thoughts based on three different clinical encounters as a patient, where my clinician(s) used AI - or not.
bit.ly/42bkqwG
...but so do humans.
We don't have good processes to correct these errors for humans or AIs.
Some thoughts based on three different clinical encounters as a patient, where my clinician(s) used AI - or not.
bit.ly/42bkqwG
A Tale of Three Artificial Intelligence (AI) Experiences in Healthcare Interactions
AI tools are being increasingly used in healthcare, particularly for tasks like clinical notetaking during virtual visits. As a patient, I’ve had three recent experiences with AI-powered notetaking to...
bit.ly
January 10, 2025 at 8:39 PM
AI can make errors when integrated into healthcare systems.
...but so do humans.
We don't have good processes to correct these errors for humans or AIs.
Some thoughts based on three different clinical encounters as a patient, where my clinician(s) used AI - or not.
bit.ly/42bkqwG
...but so do humans.
We don't have good processes to correct these errors for humans or AIs.
Some thoughts based on three different clinical encounters as a patient, where my clinician(s) used AI - or not.
bit.ly/42bkqwG
Reposted by Kate Polling
This is a very thoughtful piece by @alisonleary1.bsky.social in the @bmj.com.
In any organisation, we need the right combination of new enthusiasm and recent training, alongside the experience and wisdom of those who’ve been around a while.
#MedSky
#PatientSafety
www.bmj.com/content/387/...
In any organisation, we need the right combination of new enthusiasm and recent training, alongside the experience and wisdom of those who’ve been around a while.
#MedSky
#PatientSafety
www.bmj.com/content/387/...
“Rookie factor”: why healthcare workforce policy needs to embrace experience
What price experience? I have been working across several safety critical industries for years and in terms of the approaches that these industries take to workforce issues there are some stark differ...
www.bmj.com
December 28, 2024 at 8:46 AM
This is a very thoughtful piece by @alisonleary1.bsky.social in the @bmj.com.
In any organisation, we need the right combination of new enthusiasm and recent training, alongside the experience and wisdom of those who’ve been around a while.
#MedSky
#PatientSafety
www.bmj.com/content/387/...
In any organisation, we need the right combination of new enthusiasm and recent training, alongside the experience and wisdom of those who’ve been around a while.
#MedSky
#PatientSafety
www.bmj.com/content/387/...
Reposted by Kate Polling
Seems like it is a day to reissue the @britishacademy.bsky.social report from 2012 on the efficacy of league tables in the public sector and especially to flag this point: often the level of statistical uncertainty involved renders them meaningless
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/publications...
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/publications...
November 13, 2024 at 9:30 PM
Seems like it is a day to reissue the @britishacademy.bsky.social report from 2012 on the efficacy of league tables in the public sector and especially to flag this point: often the level of statistical uncertainty involved renders them meaningless
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/publications...
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/publications...
Still growing thread full of advice worth think about... so much that I'm going to have to read it in stages.
For every like I will post 1 UX fact
(I'm not doing a meme image for this, UX fact #0 is that content is more important than visuals)
(I'm not doing a meme image for this, UX fact #0 is that content is more important than visuals)
October 26, 2024 at 12:56 PM
Still growing thread full of advice worth think about... so much that I'm going to have to read it in stages.
Really useful article on how to think about making clinican interactions with AI useful and avoid turning clinicians into 'liability sinks'. Look forward to seeing more coming out of this project.
Exactly this. We're working on a project with the MPS Foundation around these issues, and hoping to agree some recommendations which will help reduce these risks.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Clinicians risk becoming “liability sinks” for artificial intelligence
www.sciencedirect.com
September 28, 2024 at 12:59 PM
Really useful article on how to think about making clinican interactions with AI useful and avoid turning clinicians into 'liability sinks'. Look forward to seeing more coming out of this project.
Reposted by Kate Polling
A quick thread on schools and phones. I'm quite in favour of older kids having phones and managing their own social relationships/travel/finances and learning about how to be good digital citizen. Seems sensible and useful preparation for more independence and autonomy.
September 15, 2024 at 6:15 AM
A quick thread on schools and phones. I'm quite in favour of older kids having phones and managing their own social relationships/travel/finances and learning about how to be good digital citizen. Seems sensible and useful preparation for more independence and autonomy.
Reposted by Kate Polling
It is my conviction that people who understand, at a fundamental level, what computers can and cannot do, are less susceptible to AI hype.
Look at this wonderfully accessible introduction to the Theory of Computation
youtu.be/SV57Yv8BXBc?... 🌈🎬🍿
youtu.be/SV57Yv8BXBc?... 🌈🎬🍿
Why study theory of computation?
What exactly are computers? What are the limits of computing and all its exciting discoveries? Are there problems in the world that computers can never, EVER solve? Theory of computation is the fascinating theoretical study of computer science that explores the limitations of computing—which, of course, anyone can learn. :) _____________________ Additional resources: Michael Sipser. 2006. Introduction to the Theory of Computation (2nd. ed.). International Thomson Publishing. - The main source of my Theory of Computation knowledge (a textbook). De Mol, Liesbeth, "Turing Machines", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2019 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.) https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2019/entries/turing-machine/ - To learn more about the Entscheidungsproblem, for which Turing originally invented the concept of Turing Machines. _____________________ Finally, this video project could not have been done without the support and guidance of Audrey St. John at Mount Holyoke College, a truly incredible professor-mentor-human.
youtu.be
August 5, 2024 at 5:31 PM
It is my conviction that people who understand, at a fundamental level, what computers can and cannot do, are less susceptible to AI hype.
Reposted by Kate Polling
This is a great piece of writing, and shocking because - if this is our big debate, our big issue, that people are just asking “questions” about - we should be hearing this argument all the time, from the other side, as a mainstream take. That’s who was crowding the streets. Speak for those people.
Excellent piece from @nesrinemalik.bsky.social as always. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
After the riots, Keir Starmer should tell us the truth about our country. This is why he won't | Nesrine Malik
The violence exposed racist narratives based on lies. Yet where is the counter-argument, asks Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik
www.theguardian.com
August 19, 2024 at 6:25 AM
This is a great piece of writing, and shocking because - if this is our big debate, our big issue, that people are just asking “questions” about - we should be hearing this argument all the time, from the other side, as a mainstream take. That’s who was crowding the streets. Speak for those people.
Reposted by Kate Polling
Late #DigitalFriday entry (hey i was trapped in a train with the heating stuck on 🥵) - reminder that if you want functional, AI free google searches, you can have them at udm14.com
August 17, 2024 at 7:56 AM
Late #DigitalFriday entry (hey i was trapped in a train with the heating stuck on 🥵) - reminder that if you want functional, AI free google searches, you can have them at udm14.com
Reposted by Kate Polling
If you know of verified fundraisers for amenities, community centres and businesses destroyed by fascist twats in the last few days, please drop them here for a boost.
👇👇👇
👇👇👇
August 4, 2024 at 12:39 PM
If you know of verified fundraisers for amenities, community centres and businesses destroyed by fascist twats in the last few days, please drop them here for a boost.
👇👇👇
👇👇👇
Reposted by Kate Polling
FUPS data came up today. It means imperfect data but little chance of getting anything better.
F = flawed
U = uncertain
P = proximal (proxy)
S = sparse
We need to learn to act with FUPS data. Paper here on how:
bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
F = flawed
U = uncertain
P = proximal (proxy)
S = sparse
We need to learn to act with FUPS data. Paper here on how:
bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
Using flawed, uncertain, proximate and sparse (FUPS) data in the context of complexity: learning fro...
The use of routinely collected data that are flawed and limited to inform service development in healthcare systems needs to be considered, both theoretically and practically, given the reality in man...
bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com
October 28, 2023 at 2:52 AM
FUPS data came up today. It means imperfect data but little chance of getting anything better.
F = flawed
U = uncertain
P = proximal (proxy)
S = sparse
We need to learn to act with FUPS data. Paper here on how:
bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
F = flawed
U = uncertain
P = proximal (proxy)
S = sparse
We need to learn to act with FUPS data. Paper here on how:
bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
Reposted by Kate Polling
People working at UK universities will want to sign this open letter to the UKRI. The govt is trying to shut down academic freedom (on things like, you know, being able to criticise genocide...)
docs.google.com/document/d/e...
docs.google.com/document/d/e...
October 30, 2023 at 8:24 AM
People working at UK universities will want to sign this open letter to the UKRI. The govt is trying to shut down academic freedom (on things like, you know, being able to criticise genocide...)
docs.google.com/document/d/e...
docs.google.com/document/d/e...