Dr Christine Peters
@microlabdoc.bsky.social
Consultant Clinical Microbiologist
Current interests: Bacteriophage therapy, AMR, hospital water and ventilation, Airborne pathogens, IAQ, Fresh Air in the NHS= ventilation + Culture change
Lots of gardens and hills too
Current interests: Bacteriophage therapy, AMR, hospital water and ventilation, Airborne pathogens, IAQ, Fresh Air in the NHS= ventilation + Culture change
Lots of gardens and hills too
One of those useful bits of science that we have unaccountably somehow managed to spurn.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Masks and respirators for prevention of respiratory infections: a
state of the science review | Clinical Microbiology Reviews
SUMMARY This narrative review and meta-analysis summarizes a broad evidence base on the benefits—and
also the practicalities, disbenefits, harms and personal, sociocultural and environmental
impacts—o...
journals.asm.org
December 14, 2025 at 9:43 AM
One of those useful bits of science that we have unaccountably somehow managed to spurn.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
‘Tis the season of merriment and sporadic interest in masks.
Seasonal reading :
www.bohs.org/app/uploads/...
Seasonal reading :
www.bohs.org/app/uploads/...
www.bohs.org
December 8, 2025 at 10:38 PM
‘Tis the season of merriment and sporadic interest in masks.
Seasonal reading :
www.bohs.org/app/uploads/...
Seasonal reading :
www.bohs.org/app/uploads/...
Top tip
For mask wearing - it’s supposed to stop you breathing in infectious aerosols.
Therefore fit and filter matter.
Inhaling through a baggy blue allows air to zoom round the edges - no very bright given what we know about respiratory viruses being transmitted through airborne route.
For mask wearing - it’s supposed to stop you breathing in infectious aerosols.
Therefore fit and filter matter.
Inhaling through a baggy blue allows air to zoom round the edges - no very bright given what we know about respiratory viruses being transmitted through airborne route.
December 8, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Top tip
For mask wearing - it’s supposed to stop you breathing in infectious aerosols.
Therefore fit and filter matter.
Inhaling through a baggy blue allows air to zoom round the edges - no very bright given what we know about respiratory viruses being transmitted through airborne route.
For mask wearing - it’s supposed to stop you breathing in infectious aerosols.
Therefore fit and filter matter.
Inhaling through a baggy blue allows air to zoom round the edges - no very bright given what we know about respiratory viruses being transmitted through airborne route.
As with all things biological the complexities of the Phage - host interactions is fascinating - defence and counter defence systems abound. Evolution ensures nothing is static.
Add in the human host to the host bacteria and the complexities multiply.
Using phage safely needs in depth knowledge.
Add in the human host to the host bacteria and the complexities multiply.
Using phage safely needs in depth knowledge.
Great trip to Liverpool to the Phage Workshop.
Top points for me
-The AMR need is burgeoning
- regulation is still not crystal clear
- the academic science is mind blowing
- the translation to getting it into patients now is lacking in speed and ease
- the Phage community is inspiring
Top points for me
-The AMR need is burgeoning
- regulation is still not crystal clear
- the academic science is mind blowing
- the translation to getting it into patients now is lacking in speed and ease
- the Phage community is inspiring
November 26, 2025 at 9:01 AM
As with all things biological the complexities of the Phage - host interactions is fascinating - defence and counter defence systems abound. Evolution ensures nothing is static.
Add in the human host to the host bacteria and the complexities multiply.
Using phage safely needs in depth knowledge.
Add in the human host to the host bacteria and the complexities multiply.
Using phage safely needs in depth knowledge.
Great trip to Liverpool to the Phage Workshop.
Top points for me
-The AMR need is burgeoning
- regulation is still not crystal clear
- the academic science is mind blowing
- the translation to getting it into patients now is lacking in speed and ease
- the Phage community is inspiring
Top points for me
-The AMR need is burgeoning
- regulation is still not crystal clear
- the academic science is mind blowing
- the translation to getting it into patients now is lacking in speed and ease
- the Phage community is inspiring
November 26, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Great trip to Liverpool to the Phage Workshop.
Top points for me
-The AMR need is burgeoning
- regulation is still not crystal clear
- the academic science is mind blowing
- the translation to getting it into patients now is lacking in speed and ease
- the Phage community is inspiring
Top points for me
-The AMR need is burgeoning
- regulation is still not crystal clear
- the academic science is mind blowing
- the translation to getting it into patients now is lacking in speed and ease
- the Phage community is inspiring
Reposted by Dr Christine Peters
"My NHS colleagues & I weren’t willing to let the bodies pile high in their thousands. Boris no longer mentions them at all."
My piece on the responses to the UK Covid-UK Inquiry report that try to airbrush the dead away.
Sincere thanks, @theobserveruk.bsky.social.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
My piece on the responses to the UK Covid-UK Inquiry report that try to airbrush the dead away.
Sincere thanks, @theobserveruk.bsky.social.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
I’ll never forget the horror of the Covid wards | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 9:18 AM
"My NHS colleagues & I weren’t willing to let the bodies pile high in their thousands. Boris no longer mentions them at all."
My piece on the responses to the UK Covid-UK Inquiry report that try to airbrush the dead away.
Sincere thanks, @theobserveruk.bsky.social.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
My piece on the responses to the UK Covid-UK Inquiry report that try to airbrush the dead away.
Sincere thanks, @theobserveruk.bsky.social.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
In a digital age it’s still remarkable how history revision is possible. Power gets to bludgeon its way to writing history if your democracy is limping.
Powerful piece by @drrachelclarke.com on the COVID inquiry. Those who say it’s easy to be wise in hindsight are being utterly disingenuous. Many of us spoke out at the time, and it’s in the public record.
@independentsage.bsky.social
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
@independentsage.bsky.social
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
I’ll never forget the horror of the Covid wards | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 10:00 AM
In a digital age it’s still remarkable how history revision is possible. Power gets to bludgeon its way to writing history if your democracy is limping.
Reposted by Dr Christine Peters
🚨Liz Carr's evidence against the Assisted Dying Bill
"Once [Assisted Suicide] becomes a medical treatment, then that’s when it terrifies me, because it happens behind closed doors and is based on medical subjectivity"
More from @johnpring.bsky.social 👇
www.disabilitynewsservice.com/health-and-c...
"Once [Assisted Suicide] becomes a medical treatment, then that’s when it terrifies me, because it happens behind closed doors and is based on medical subjectivity"
More from @johnpring.bsky.social 👇
www.disabilitynewsservice.com/health-and-c...
Health and care funding crisis will create pressure to choose assisted suicide, MPs and peers are told
Many terminally-ill people would feel “duress” and “pressure” to choose an assisted suicide if it is legalised, because of the lack of funding for the NHS, palliative care and social care services,…
www.disabilitynewsservice.com
November 15, 2025 at 4:51 PM
🚨Liz Carr's evidence against the Assisted Dying Bill
"Once [Assisted Suicide] becomes a medical treatment, then that’s when it terrifies me, because it happens behind closed doors and is based on medical subjectivity"
More from @johnpring.bsky.social 👇
www.disabilitynewsservice.com/health-and-c...
"Once [Assisted Suicide] becomes a medical treatment, then that’s when it terrifies me, because it happens behind closed doors and is based on medical subjectivity"
More from @johnpring.bsky.social 👇
www.disabilitynewsservice.com/health-and-c...
Reposted by Dr Christine Peters
My opinion on the decline of our national pandemic preparedness and risks to biosecurity in @issuesinst.bsky.social @nationalacademies.org
issues.org/unprepared-p...
issues.org/unprepared-p...
October 28, 2025 at 9:18 PM
My opinion on the decline of our national pandemic preparedness and risks to biosecurity in @issuesinst.bsky.social @nationalacademies.org
issues.org/unprepared-p...
issues.org/unprepared-p...
“The RCM has been raising the exact same concerns that the inspections have found with the Scottish Government, and with individual Health Boards, for years. Secretary and his predecessors to get ahead of the curve”
For years !
For years !
It’s not great that the workforce in the know have not been listened to previously as it seems from this statement.
Going forward now - one of the key lessons once again is LISTEN UP.
No point in “speaking up week” festivals if it’s a one sided effort.
Going forward now - one of the key lessons once again is LISTEN UP.
No point in “speaking up week” festivals if it’s a one sided effort.
Royal College of Midwives warns against further delay as Cabinet Secretary announces new maternity and neonatal taskforce - Royal College of Midwives
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has today warned against any further delay in addressing the challenges faced by maternity services in Scotland. The call comes as the Cabinet Secretary for Health ...
rcm.org.uk
October 30, 2025 at 5:14 PM
“The RCM has been raising the exact same concerns that the inspections have found with the Scottish Government, and with individual Health Boards, for years. Secretary and his predecessors to get ahead of the curve”
For years !
For years !
It’s not great that the workforce in the know have not been listened to previously as it seems from this statement.
Going forward now - one of the key lessons once again is LISTEN UP.
No point in “speaking up week” festivals if it’s a one sided effort.
Going forward now - one of the key lessons once again is LISTEN UP.
No point in “speaking up week” festivals if it’s a one sided effort.
Royal College of Midwives warns against further delay as Cabinet Secretary announces new maternity and neonatal taskforce - Royal College of Midwives
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has today warned against any further delay in addressing the challenges faced by maternity services in Scotland. The call comes as the Cabinet Secretary for Health ...
rcm.org.uk
October 30, 2025 at 5:09 PM
It’s not great that the workforce in the know have not been listened to previously as it seems from this statement.
Going forward now - one of the key lessons once again is LISTEN UP.
No point in “speaking up week” festivals if it’s a one sided effort.
Going forward now - one of the key lessons once again is LISTEN UP.
No point in “speaking up week” festivals if it’s a one sided effort.
It’s not great that it’s press that actually give effective voice to those raising serious valid concerns. Still @johnswinney.bsky.social
Now. Current.
Publish what happened internally, and have the decency to directly listen to the midwives who raised concerns to see where escalation went wrong
Now. Current.
Publish what happened internally, and have the decency to directly listen to the midwives who raised concerns to see where escalation went wrong
To demonstrate a serious intent on culture and whistleblowing you could use this opportunity to delve deep into recent “speaking up” history.
Make public:
How many boards had internal whistleblows re maternity in last couple years ?
How many times were INWO or HIS contacted re same ?
Make public:
How many boards had internal whistleblows re maternity in last couple years ?
How many times were INWO or HIS contacted re same ?
If a fair section of the voting public are cynical by this stage of flowery promises -how will you evidence the real changes you promise both in terms of real on the ward staffing and coal face culture ? @johnswinney.bsky.social
we have heard A LOT about speaking up being encouraged and yet ….
we have heard A LOT about speaking up being encouraged and yet ….
October 29, 2025 at 5:56 PM
It’s not great that it’s press that actually give effective voice to those raising serious valid concerns. Still @johnswinney.bsky.social
Now. Current.
Publish what happened internally, and have the decency to directly listen to the midwives who raised concerns to see where escalation went wrong
Now. Current.
Publish what happened internally, and have the decency to directly listen to the midwives who raised concerns to see where escalation went wrong
To demonstrate a serious intent on culture and whistleblowing you could use this opportunity to delve deep into recent “speaking up” history.
Make public:
How many boards had internal whistleblows re maternity in last couple years ?
How many times were INWO or HIS contacted re same ?
Make public:
How many boards had internal whistleblows re maternity in last couple years ?
How many times were INWO or HIS contacted re same ?
If a fair section of the voting public are cynical by this stage of flowery promises -how will you evidence the real changes you promise both in terms of real on the ward staffing and coal face culture ? @johnswinney.bsky.social
we have heard A LOT about speaking up being encouraged and yet ….
we have heard A LOT about speaking up being encouraged and yet ….
Damning report finds 'culture of mistrust' at Edinburgh maternity unit - BBC News
A review said staffing shortages also contributed to delays and patients being harmed at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 29, 2025 at 5:53 PM
To demonstrate a serious intent on culture and whistleblowing you could use this opportunity to delve deep into recent “speaking up” history.
Make public:
How many boards had internal whistleblows re maternity in last couple years ?
How many times were INWO or HIS contacted re same ?
Make public:
How many boards had internal whistleblows re maternity in last couple years ?
How many times were INWO or HIS contacted re same ?
If a fair section of the voting public are cynical by this stage of flowery promises -how will you evidence the real changes you promise both in terms of real on the ward staffing and coal face culture ? @johnswinney.bsky.social
we have heard A LOT about speaking up being encouraged and yet ….
we have heard A LOT about speaking up being encouraged and yet ….
Damning report finds 'culture of mistrust' at Edinburgh maternity unit - BBC News
A review said staffing shortages also contributed to delays and patients being harmed at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 29, 2025 at 5:37 PM
If a fair section of the voting public are cynical by this stage of flowery promises -how will you evidence the real changes you promise both in terms of real on the ward staffing and coal face culture ? @johnswinney.bsky.social
we have heard A LOT about speaking up being encouraged and yet ….
we have heard A LOT about speaking up being encouraged and yet ….
What may never be clear re staffing is how many staff raised staffing as an issue prior to public exposure and political expediency of talking good talk.
Data on every single staff concern needs collected and scrutinised - by public and staff representatives to change the rut we are stuck in.
Data on every single staff concern needs collected and scrutinised - by public and staff representatives to change the rut we are stuck in.
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
Raising concerns should never be at risk of jobs as feared by midwives in this piece
The language of “we will work to make staff feel that they are safe to raise concerns” is loaded
The q is not do they feel it - but actually ARE they ?
no - not yet in Scotland
Raising concerns should never be at risk of jobs as feared by midwives in this piece
The language of “we will work to make staff feel that they are safe to raise concerns” is loaded
The q is not do they feel it - but actually ARE they ?
no - not yet in Scotland
Disclosure - How Safe Is My Baby?
Midwife whistleblowers reveal the reality inside Scotland’s busiest maternity hospital. We hear from the families across Scotland dealing with loss and fighting for answers.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 28, 2025 at 6:56 PM
What may never be clear re staffing is how many staff raised staffing as an issue prior to public exposure and political expediency of talking good talk.
Data on every single staff concern needs collected and scrutinised - by public and staff representatives to change the rut we are stuck in.
Data on every single staff concern needs collected and scrutinised - by public and staff representatives to change the rut we are stuck in.
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
Raising concerns should never be at risk of jobs as feared by midwives in this piece
The language of “we will work to make staff feel that they are safe to raise concerns” is loaded
The q is not do they feel it - but actually ARE they ?
no - not yet in Scotland
Raising concerns should never be at risk of jobs as feared by midwives in this piece
The language of “we will work to make staff feel that they are safe to raise concerns” is loaded
The q is not do they feel it - but actually ARE they ?
no - not yet in Scotland
Disclosure - How Safe Is My Baby?
Midwife whistleblowers reveal the reality inside Scotland’s busiest maternity hospital. We hear from the families across Scotland dealing with loss and fighting for answers.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 28, 2025 at 6:52 PM
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
Raising concerns should never be at risk of jobs as feared by midwives in this piece
The language of “we will work to make staff feel that they are safe to raise concerns” is loaded
The q is not do they feel it - but actually ARE they ?
no - not yet in Scotland
Raising concerns should never be at risk of jobs as feared by midwives in this piece
The language of “we will work to make staff feel that they are safe to raise concerns” is loaded
The q is not do they feel it - but actually ARE they ?
no - not yet in Scotland
Re all the maternity scandals- it really is a shameful failure of our country- pregnant women and babies for pity’s sake
If we can allow wave after wave of toxicity and incompetence at with cost paid by the most vulnerable, we are sunk very low indeed by any historical and contemporary measure.
If we can allow wave after wave of toxicity and incompetence at with cost paid by the most vulnerable, we are sunk very low indeed by any historical and contemporary measure.
October 28, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Re all the maternity scandals- it really is a shameful failure of our country- pregnant women and babies for pity’s sake
If we can allow wave after wave of toxicity and incompetence at with cost paid by the most vulnerable, we are sunk very low indeed by any historical and contemporary measure.
If we can allow wave after wave of toxicity and incompetence at with cost paid by the most vulnerable, we are sunk very low indeed by any historical and contemporary measure.
If only true reflection always generated such beauty
October 28, 2025 at 10:52 AM
If only true reflection always generated such beauty
"We find that serious adverse event reviews are not always undertaken quite as thoroughly as they might be and that the learning from these reviews is not always made,"
Not acceptable.
Not acceptable.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Beyond the headline of the pain that has been suffered, there is some thought provoking quotes here about listening to patients, limitations of SAER process and the utterly endemic malignant approach of putting reputation above all else.
Beyond the headline of the pain that has been suffered, there is some thought provoking quotes here about listening to patients, limitations of SAER process and the utterly endemic malignant approach of putting reputation above all else.
'My wife died in childbirth but wasn't told she'd been given labour drug overdose'
Jacqui Hunter died less than 24 hours after being told that her daughter had died in the womb.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 28, 2025 at 9:56 AM
"We find that serious adverse event reviews are not always undertaken quite as thoroughly as they might be and that the learning from these reviews is not always made,"
Not acceptable.
Not acceptable.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Beyond the headline of the pain that has been suffered, there is some thought provoking quotes here about listening to patients, limitations of SAER process and the utterly endemic malignant approach of putting reputation above all else.
Beyond the headline of the pain that has been suffered, there is some thought provoking quotes here about listening to patients, limitations of SAER process and the utterly endemic malignant approach of putting reputation above all else.
'My wife died in childbirth but wasn't told she'd been given labour drug overdose'
Jacqui Hunter died less than 24 hours after being told that her daughter had died in the womb.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 28, 2025 at 8:56 AM
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Beyond the headline of the pain that has been suffered, there is some thought provoking quotes here about listening to patients, limitations of SAER process and the utterly endemic malignant approach of putting reputation above all else.
Beyond the headline of the pain that has been suffered, there is some thought provoking quotes here about listening to patients, limitations of SAER process and the utterly endemic malignant approach of putting reputation above all else.
Intrigued by this lung protector amongst the medical items on display in #InvararyJail - 1800s
Looks like a respirator mask idea
Never fails to surprise how the airborne infection concept regresses and even disappeared so comprehensively over the last few decades.
Looks like a respirator mask idea
Never fails to surprise how the airborne infection concept regresses and even disappeared so comprehensively over the last few decades.
October 26, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Intrigued by this lung protector amongst the medical items on display in #InvararyJail - 1800s
Looks like a respirator mask idea
Never fails to surprise how the airborne infection concept regresses and even disappeared so comprehensively over the last few decades.
Looks like a respirator mask idea
Never fails to surprise how the airborne infection concept regresses and even disappeared so comprehensively over the last few decades.
Still familiar - just an electric bulb in place of a mirror, and two eye pieces for binocular vision - but the counting chamber looks similar
On a daily basis we still rely on basic Gram stain microscopy to help choose antibiotics
#IveraryJail
On a daily basis we still rely on basic Gram stain microscopy to help choose antibiotics
#IveraryJail
October 26, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Still familiar - just an electric bulb in place of a mirror, and two eye pieces for binocular vision - but the counting chamber looks similar
On a daily basis we still rely on basic Gram stain microscopy to help choose antibiotics
#IveraryJail
On a daily basis we still rely on basic Gram stain microscopy to help choose antibiotics
#IveraryJail
If the public want better healthcare and appropriately placed confidence in the NHS - this kind of skanky garbage needs to stop.
It doesn’t take much neuronal effort to figure out where we need to place tough zero tolerance .
davidhencke.com/2025/10/21/r...
It doesn’t take much neuronal effort to figure out where we need to place tough zero tolerance .
davidhencke.com/2025/10/21/r...
Revealed: How a whistleblower doctor’s career was wrecked by a NHS trust manager aided by NHS Resolution
Two weeks ago I published a critical examination of how NHS Resolution’s Practitioner Performance Advice service contributed to the demise of whistleblower doctors revealing patient safety is…
davidhencke.com
October 26, 2025 at 10:21 AM
If the public want better healthcare and appropriately placed confidence in the NHS - this kind of skanky garbage needs to stop.
It doesn’t take much neuronal effort to figure out where we need to place tough zero tolerance .
davidhencke.com/2025/10/21/r...
It doesn’t take much neuronal effort to figure out where we need to place tough zero tolerance .
davidhencke.com/2025/10/21/r...
The wonderful attention to ventilation by prison improvement efforts of the Victorian era are inspiring.
Inverary “new” prison focussed on plenty fresh air through natural ventilation. Over 150 years ago.
Mind you watch out where the exhaust is placed - wouldn’t like to walk past this
Inverary “new” prison focussed on plenty fresh air through natural ventilation. Over 150 years ago.
Mind you watch out where the exhaust is placed - wouldn’t like to walk past this
October 26, 2025 at 9:52 AM
The wonderful attention to ventilation by prison improvement efforts of the Victorian era are inspiring.
Inverary “new” prison focussed on plenty fresh air through natural ventilation. Over 150 years ago.
Mind you watch out where the exhaust is placed - wouldn’t like to walk past this
Inverary “new” prison focussed on plenty fresh air through natural ventilation. Over 150 years ago.
Mind you watch out where the exhaust is placed - wouldn’t like to walk past this