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
“We thank the committee for this report – we remain committed to transforming palliative and end of life care through our 10-Year Health Plan.”
I’ve read the NHS 10-year plan cover to cover.
It’s 171 pages long.
Guess how many times the words “palliative care” appear?
Once.
I’ve read the NHS 10-year plan cover to cover.
It’s 171 pages long.
Guess how many times the words “palliative care” appear?
Once.
November 28, 2025 at 8:29 AM
“We thank the committee for this report – we remain committed to transforming palliative and end of life care through our 10-Year Health Plan.”
I’ve read the NHS 10-year plan cover to cover.
It’s 171 pages long.
Guess how many times the words “palliative care” appear?
Once.
I’ve read the NHS 10-year plan cover to cover.
It’s 171 pages long.
Guess how many times the words “palliative care” appear?
Once.
For anyone who cares about ensuring their loved ones can die with comfort & dignity, it makes for singularly depressing reading – key findings summarised in pics below.
But perhaps most depressing of all is the government’s response to the report, this glib one-liner from a spokesperson:
But perhaps most depressing of all is the government’s response to the report, this glib one-liner from a spokesperson:
November 28, 2025 at 8:28 AM
For anyone who cares about ensuring their loved ones can die with comfort & dignity, it makes for singularly depressing reading – key findings summarised in pics below.
But perhaps most depressing of all is the government’s response to the report, this glib one-liner from a spokesperson:
But perhaps most depressing of all is the government’s response to the report, this glib one-liner from a spokesperson:
🧵/ Today a damning parliamentary report on the state of palliative care services in England was published.
Services are patchy, underfunded & “ill-equipped” to address end-of-life needs.
Bereavement support is “frequently inaccessible.
The palliative care workforce is in a “critical” situation”.
Services are patchy, underfunded & “ill-equipped” to address end-of-life needs.
Bereavement support is “frequently inaccessible.
The palliative care workforce is in a “critical” situation”.
November 28, 2025 at 8:25 AM
🧵/ Today a damning parliamentary report on the state of palliative care services in England was published.
Services are patchy, underfunded & “ill-equipped” to address end-of-life needs.
Bereavement support is “frequently inaccessible.
The palliative care workforce is in a “critical” situation”.
Services are patchy, underfunded & “ill-equipped” to address end-of-life needs.
Bereavement support is “frequently inaccessible.
The palliative care workforce is in a “critical” situation”.
But the obvious lesson to learn is this.
When weighing how to act - & even if your group of Downing Street decision-makers is predominantly middle class white men - consider EVERYONE. Including the vulnerable. The voiceless. The overlooked. The people who don't look or sound like you.
When weighing how to act - & even if your group of Downing Street decision-makers is predominantly middle class white men - consider EVERYONE. Including the vulnerable. The voiceless. The overlooked. The people who don't look or sound like you.
November 23, 2025 at 9:27 AM
But the obvious lesson to learn is this.
When weighing how to act - & even if your group of Downing Street decision-makers is predominantly middle class white men - consider EVERYONE. Including the vulnerable. The voiceless. The overlooked. The people who don't look or sound like you.
When weighing how to act - & even if your group of Downing Street decision-makers is predominantly middle class white men - consider EVERYONE. Including the vulnerable. The voiceless. The overlooked. The people who don't look or sound like you.
Herd impunity is right.
The faux handwringing now from certain politicians & pundits now - as though, somehow, anyone who wanted to prevent catastrophic loss of life through lockdown didn't care about the enormity of closing schools & businesses.
Every decision was freighted with difficulty...
The faux handwringing now from certain politicians & pundits now - as though, somehow, anyone who wanted to prevent catastrophic loss of life through lockdown didn't care about the enormity of closing schools & businesses.
Every decision was freighted with difficulty...
November 23, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Herd impunity is right.
The faux handwringing now from certain politicians & pundits now - as though, somehow, anyone who wanted to prevent catastrophic loss of life through lockdown didn't care about the enormity of closing schools & businesses.
Every decision was freighted with difficulty...
The faux handwringing now from certain politicians & pundits now - as though, somehow, anyone who wanted to prevent catastrophic loss of life through lockdown didn't care about the enormity of closing schools & businesses.
Every decision was freighted with difficulty...
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.
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 🧡
"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.
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.
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.
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. 🧵
Here I am in 2020 in the flimsiest, most pitful PPE - like so many other NHS staff, some of whom died from the Covid they caught in their hospitals.
Tory peer Michelle Mone - who today lost her legal case & must repay the govt £122m - dares to claim she’s been ‘scapegoated’.
What, Michelle? 🧵
Tory peer Michelle Mone - who today lost her legal case & must repay the govt £122m - dares to claim she’s been ‘scapegoated’.
What, Michelle? 🧵
October 1, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Here I am in 2020 in the flimsiest, most pitful PPE - like so many other NHS staff, some of whom died from the Covid they caught in their hospitals.
Tory peer Michelle Mone - who today lost her legal case & must repay the govt £122m - dares to claim she’s been ‘scapegoated’.
What, Michelle? 🧵
Tory peer Michelle Mone - who today lost her legal case & must repay the govt £122m - dares to claim she’s been ‘scapegoated’.
What, Michelle? 🧵
He had two dying wishes: to be reunited with the dog he loved & to end his days at home, surrounded by the love of his family.
Cookie, of course, was rushed to the hospital stat 😊.
Then multiple teams moved heaven & earth to get oxygen, meds, carers, equipment & logistics in place at home. (2/3)
Cookie, of course, was rushed to the hospital stat 😊.
Then multiple teams moved heaven & earth to get oxygen, meds, carers, equipment & logistics in place at home. (2/3)
September 24, 2025 at 1:26 PM
He had two dying wishes: to be reunited with the dog he loved & to end his days at home, surrounded by the love of his family.
Cookie, of course, was rushed to the hospital stat 😊.
Then multiple teams moved heaven & earth to get oxygen, meds, carers, equipment & logistics in place at home. (2/3)
Cookie, of course, was rushed to the hospital stat 😊.
Then multiple teams moved heaven & earth to get oxygen, meds, carers, equipment & logistics in place at home. (2/3)
When time is short, every moment counts.
And sometimes, what matters most at the bedside isn’t morphine, other drugs or medical interventions but simple human - or, in this case - canine connection.
I am sharing Cookie's photo with permission. You can just glimpse her master behind her. (1/3)
And sometimes, what matters most at the bedside isn’t morphine, other drugs or medical interventions but simple human - or, in this case - canine connection.
I am sharing Cookie's photo with permission. You can just glimpse her master behind her. (1/3)
September 24, 2025 at 1:23 PM
When time is short, every moment counts.
And sometimes, what matters most at the bedside isn’t morphine, other drugs or medical interventions but simple human - or, in this case - canine connection.
I am sharing Cookie's photo with permission. You can just glimpse her master behind her. (1/3)
And sometimes, what matters most at the bedside isn’t morphine, other drugs or medical interventions but simple human - or, in this case - canine connection.
I am sharing Cookie's photo with permission. You can just glimpse her master behind her. (1/3)
September 23, 2025 at 6:45 AM
At work on sofa, lost in a vortex of Harley.
September 10, 2025 at 11:32 AM
At work on sofa, lost in a vortex of Harley.
So delighted to be interviewing academic Liam Shaw about his riveting new book on the rise and fall of antibiotics, which I had the pleasure of reviewing for the Spectator.
Please join us both at @Waterstones Trafalgar Square tomorrow (Wed) evening, 7pm.
And buy his book - it’s brilliant!
Please join us both at @Waterstones Trafalgar Square tomorrow (Wed) evening, 7pm.
And buy his book - it’s brilliant!
September 9, 2025 at 4:50 PM
So delighted to be interviewing academic Liam Shaw about his riveting new book on the rise and fall of antibiotics, which I had the pleasure of reviewing for the Spectator.
Please join us both at @Waterstones Trafalgar Square tomorrow (Wed) evening, 7pm.
And buy his book - it’s brilliant!
Please join us both at @Waterstones Trafalgar Square tomorrow (Wed) evening, 7pm.
And buy his book - it’s brilliant!
This is exactly the kind of despicable scaremongering that Aseem Malhotra has made his modus operandi. Insinuations, hearsay, anti-vaxx, non-evidence-based, lurid, self-enriching, anti-scientific claptrap. Of course Reform UK lapped it up. 1/4
September 6, 2025 at 8:31 PM
This is exactly the kind of despicable scaremongering that Aseem Malhotra has made his modus operandi. Insinuations, hearsay, anti-vaxx, non-evidence-based, lurid, self-enriching, anti-scientific claptrap. Of course Reform UK lapped it up. 1/4
What a beautiful, brutal, tender, savage book this is.
A love story set against the hellishness of the trenches of WWI, In Memoriam utterly grips from first page to last.
In a fictional boarding school in 1914, systemic bullying teaches little boys that to feel is to be weak, contemptible...
A love story set against the hellishness of the trenches of WWI, In Memoriam utterly grips from first page to last.
In a fictional boarding school in 1914, systemic bullying teaches little boys that to feel is to be weak, contemptible...
August 30, 2025 at 1:03 PM
What a beautiful, brutal, tender, savage book this is.
A love story set against the hellishness of the trenches of WWI, In Memoriam utterly grips from first page to last.
In a fictional boarding school in 1914, systemic bullying teaches little boys that to feel is to be weak, contemptible...
A love story set against the hellishness of the trenches of WWI, In Memoriam utterly grips from first page to last.
In a fictional boarding school in 1914, systemic bullying teaches little boys that to feel is to be weak, contemptible...
Absolutely cannot wait to join Rob Delaney to discuss what the story of a heart transplant tells us about compassion, family, 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
August 24, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Absolutely cannot wait to join Rob Delaney to discuss what the story of a heart transplant tells us about compassion, family, 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