Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
@stevepenfold.bsky.social
Passionate about public health, health services, & photography.
14 years in England’s NHS & Dept. of Health;
16 years in int’l development, mainly with #USAID.
Looking for career options in UK.
Grateful for intros
14 years in England’s NHS & Dept. of Health;
16 years in int’l development, mainly with #USAID.
Looking for career options in UK.
Grateful for intros
Pinned
I’ve just received my final, delayed payment for work done for #USAID. Sadly, this is me shaking USAID’s hand for the final time to say “Thank you, we achieved so much together.
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
So a Tory former PM criticises the cuts to UK aid while those noted development champions Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, as far as I can tell, have been utterly silent on the subject. Brown was very happy to do it when it was a Tory government doing the cutting. www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
John Major has given quite the speech:
• Aid cuts are "callous"
• Trump and Xi are destabilising the world
• On Trump: "This is not America as I have known her"
• Brexit benefits "are as elusive as Lord Lucan"
• UK should rejoin single market/customs union
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
• Aid cuts are "callous"
• Trump and Xi are destabilising the world
• On Trump: "This is not America as I have known her"
• Brexit benefits "are as elusive as Lord Lucan"
• UK should rejoin single market/customs union
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
John Major condemns ‘callous’ aid cuts and growing national self-interest
In wide-ranging lecture, former PM calls Trump and Xi destabilising and says benefits of Brexit remain elusive
www.theguardian.com
June 26, 2025 at 3:24 PM
So a Tory former PM criticises the cuts to UK aid while those noted development champions Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, as far as I can tell, have been utterly silent on the subject. Brown was very happy to do it when it was a Tory government doing the cutting. www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
This is how my (our) taxes were spent in 🇬🇧 last year.
Only 70p in every £100 went on “overseas aid” … which was before the funding reduction announced earlier this year.
Prior to culling #USAID, the US spent 1% of the federal budget on #internationaldevelopment.
Rounding errors.
Yet vital.
Only 70p in every £100 went on “overseas aid” … which was before the funding reduction announced earlier this year.
Prior to culling #USAID, the US spent 1% of the federal budget on #internationaldevelopment.
Rounding errors.
Yet vital.
June 12, 2025 at 8:33 AM
This is how my (our) taxes were spent in 🇬🇧 last year.
Only 70p in every £100 went on “overseas aid” … which was before the funding reduction announced earlier this year.
Prior to culling #USAID, the US spent 1% of the federal budget on #internationaldevelopment.
Rounding errors.
Yet vital.
Only 70p in every £100 went on “overseas aid” … which was before the funding reduction announced earlier this year.
Prior to culling #USAID, the US spent 1% of the federal budget on #internationaldevelopment.
Rounding errors.
Yet vital.
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
The only people this benefits are Putin and Xi
BBC's Arabic radio service in Lebanon closed after 85 years as part of a £28.5m savings drive. 'Just months later, in October 2023, the Russian state-owned Sputnik news agency took over the frequency. Its news bulletin opened with “This is Moscow”, replacing the previous “This is London” intro.' 🙄
BBC warns Russia is taking over World Service radio frequencies
Russian propaganda is filling the void where the BBC has closed World Service radio services due to cuts
inews.co.uk
June 10, 2025 at 6:54 AM
The only people this benefits are Putin and Xi
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
We found that AI tools - both general like #ChatGPT and research-specific like #Elicit - lack the reliability, relevancy and accuracy to summarise research for teachers. This is important because we have been sold the idea that AI will make research more accessible.
I am delighted to announce that my new paper with @darrenmacey.bsky.social is now published, entitled 'All sizzle, no steak: AI tools are not able to act as credible knowledge brokers by summarising evidence in mathematics education'
bsrlm.org.uk/wp-content/u...
bsrlm.org.uk/wp-content/u...
June 10, 2025 at 6:15 AM
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
Today, I’m joining @prostatecanceruk.bsky.social & men across the whole of the UK - to share a potentially lifesaving message⤵️
You don’t need a finger up the bum to test for prostate cancer. In fact, the first step is a simple blood test you can get free from your GP
You don’t need a finger up the bum to test for prostate cancer. In fact, the first step is a simple blood test you can get free from your GP
June 9, 2025 at 6:54 AM
Today, I’m joining @prostatecanceruk.bsky.social & men across the whole of the UK - to share a potentially lifesaving message⤵️
You don’t need a finger up the bum to test for prostate cancer. In fact, the first step is a simple blood test you can get free from your GP
You don’t need a finger up the bum to test for prostate cancer. In fact, the first step is a simple blood test you can get free from your GP
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
Hero.
Susanna Reid asks British surgeon Victoria Rose, who has just returned from working in Gaza, "will you be going back?"
"I don't know whether [Israel] will let me back in, if they let me back in I'm going back" #GMB
"I don't know whether [Israel] will let me back in, if they let me back in I'm going back" #GMB
June 9, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Hero.
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
Fascism
Watch the slow motion: it appears to me that the officers discuss the photographer and reporter before the one on the end fires on them (it looks to me like he's aiming at the camera, not the reporter, but you decide)
June 9, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Fascism
Still important years after “COVID is over”.
COVID poses extra risk when you’re pregnant. Thanks @juliaraifman.bsky.social for sharing our work.
Getting vaccinated in pregnancy helps protect both mom and baby.
Getting vaccinated in pregnancy helps protect both mom and baby.
Vaccines are key to reducing #COVID risk, especially for pregnant people
“Pregnant women with COVID-19 consistently had a higher risk of death & pneumonia than nonpregnant women of similar age with COVID-19”
Adj. Relative risk of death: 1.68 (1.36–2.08)
Adj. RR of pneumonia: 1.97 (1.82–2.13)
“Pregnant women with COVID-19 consistently had a higher risk of death & pneumonia than nonpregnant women of similar age with COVID-19”
Adj. Relative risk of death: 1.68 (1.36–2.08)
Adj. RR of pneumonia: 1.97 (1.82–2.13)
May 18, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Still important years after “COVID is over”.
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
The fund is backed mainly by philanthropy, at a time of declining donor government foreign aid budgets.
New Gates-backed fund targets maternal and newborn health in Africa
New Gates-backed fund targets maternal and newborn health in Africa
www.devex.com
May 18, 2025 at 9:05 AM
The fund is backed mainly by philanthropy, at a time of declining donor government foreign aid budgets.
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
Here is the @thekingsfund.bsky.social analysis of UK healthcare spending compared to other countries
If you spend less than peer nations, you will have poorer health outcomes, fewer doctors, fewer scanners, fewer hospital beds etc
If you spend less than peer nations, you will have poorer health outcomes, fewer doctors, fewer scanners, fewer hospital beds etc
May 10, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Here is the @thekingsfund.bsky.social analysis of UK healthcare spending compared to other countries
If you spend less than peer nations, you will have poorer health outcomes, fewer doctors, fewer scanners, fewer hospital beds etc
If you spend less than peer nations, you will have poorer health outcomes, fewer doctors, fewer scanners, fewer hospital beds etc
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
I agree with the Lancet.
May 8, 2025 at 9:39 AM
I agree with the Lancet.
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
As a GP, I am not allowed to receive a pen or post-it note pad from a pharmaceutical company rep
The Government banned them in case I was influenced to prescribe a certain medication
This should also be banned @rthonwesstreeting.bsky.social unless you have a way to justify this?
The Government banned them in case I was influenced to prescribe a certain medication
This should also be banned @rthonwesstreeting.bsky.social unless you have a way to justify this?
May 5, 2025 at 5:04 PM
As a GP, I am not allowed to receive a pen or post-it note pad from a pharmaceutical company rep
The Government banned them in case I was influenced to prescribe a certain medication
This should also be banned @rthonwesstreeting.bsky.social unless you have a way to justify this?
The Government banned them in case I was influenced to prescribe a certain medication
This should also be banned @rthonwesstreeting.bsky.social unless you have a way to justify this?
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
#USAID was the largest bilateral donor to the #TB response, contributing 19% of international donor funding in 2022. We estimate that the elimination of #USAID funding may lead to 1,390,900 million additional episodes of symptomatic TB and 420,500 TB deaths over the next 10 years. 2/8
April 27, 2025 at 6:16 AM
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
ChaRM is a point of care device to measure respiratory rate. Please pass this message to at least one global health partner!
The ChaRM device measures respiratory rate. A red light means 'danger.' Studies showed the ChaRM is at least as accurate as a physician. This represents new hope for pneumonia diagnosis by community health workers.
#globalhealth #U5MR #childhealth #SDG3
#globalhealth #U5MR #childhealth #SDG3
April 23, 2025 at 4:07 PM
ChaRM is a point of care device to measure respiratory rate. Please pass this message to at least one global health partner!
I’ve just received my final, delayed payment for work done for #USAID. Sadly, this is me shaking USAID’s hand for the final time to say “Thank you, we achieved so much together.
April 16, 2025 at 3:05 PM
I’ve just received my final, delayed payment for work done for #USAID. Sadly, this is me shaking USAID’s hand for the final time to say “Thank you, we achieved so much together.
10 weeks ago #USAID ‘s partners and contractors received their “Stop Work Order” (me included).
Since then, almost 190,000 people working in international development have lost their jobs, and c.1/3rd of all global funding has gone.
www.usaidstopwork.com is tracking those losses.
Since then, almost 190,000 people working in international development have lost their jobs, and c.1/3rd of all global funding has gone.
www.usaidstopwork.com is tracking those losses.
April 14, 2025 at 10:03 PM
10 weeks ago #USAID ‘s partners and contractors received their “Stop Work Order” (me included).
Since then, almost 190,000 people working in international development have lost their jobs, and c.1/3rd of all global funding has gone.
www.usaidstopwork.com is tracking those losses.
Since then, almost 190,000 people working in international development have lost their jobs, and c.1/3rd of all global funding has gone.
www.usaidstopwork.com is tracking those losses.
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
“…today’s antivirals are so effective that if taken during pregnancy, the risk of passing HIV to the infant is minimal. Without these drugs, around a quarter of babies born to HIV-positive mothers would also contract the virus – and half of them would die before the age of two.”
I signed the 10% Giving Pledge this year, and this week, I decided to donate 19% of my annual income to global health charities.
It's not going to be anywhere near "enough", but I'm happy to do it --
It's not going to be anywhere near "enough", but I'm happy to do it --
We don't have to sit back and just watch the horror unfold
This month, I signed a pledge to donate at least 10% of my lifetime income to effective charities.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev
April 11, 2025 at 2:49 PM
“…today’s antivirals are so effective that if taken during pregnancy, the risk of passing HIV to the infant is minimal. Without these drugs, around a quarter of babies born to HIV-positive mothers would also contract the virus – and half of them would die before the age of two.”
#USAID used to wholly or partially fund a Demographic Health Survey every 5-10 years in most countries it worked in. These provided data such as infant & maternal deaths & uptake of contraception. These proved USAID’s ability to deliver change & provided data other partners relied upon.
Gone. 😖
Gone. 😖
Why the US aid defunding crisis threatens to trigger a full collapse for crucial humanitarian data.
The data streams that underpin humanitarian response are about to collapse
Famine warning, needs assessments, health data: Humanitarian action will be groping in the dark if vital data sources are allowed to crumble.
buff.ly
April 9, 2025 at 8:13 AM
#USAID used to wholly or partially fund a Demographic Health Survey every 5-10 years in most countries it worked in. These provided data such as infant & maternal deaths & uptake of contraception. These proved USAID’s ability to deliver change & provided data other partners relied upon.
Gone. 😖
Gone. 😖
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
(1/4) Strong leadership means taking risks and trying things - but when it doesn’t work, realising your mistake and correcting it. Quickly.
April 4, 2025 at 2:32 PM
(1/4) Strong leadership means taking risks and trying things - but when it doesn’t work, realising your mistake and correcting it. Quickly.
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
The reason I bang on about the NHS is that I have worked in it for 40 years
Over half it’s existence
I remember a time, not that long ago when the majority of things worked well
Something happened in 2010 that changed that
I am fighting for a collective memory & fight for a better future
Over half it’s existence
I remember a time, not that long ago when the majority of things worked well
Something happened in 2010 that changed that
I am fighting for a collective memory & fight for a better future
March 21, 2025 at 7:56 AM
The reason I bang on about the NHS is that I have worked in it for 40 years
Over half it’s existence
I remember a time, not that long ago when the majority of things worked well
Something happened in 2010 that changed that
I am fighting for a collective memory & fight for a better future
Over half it’s existence
I remember a time, not that long ago when the majority of things worked well
Something happened in 2010 that changed that
I am fighting for a collective memory & fight for a better future
Wow. 👇🏼
Gilead data suggest once-yearly shot of PrEP drug blocks HIV infection
Gilead data suggest once-yearly shot of PrEP drug blocks HIV infection
Last year, Gilead released data showing that an HIV drug, called lenacapavir, could provide virtually complete protection against infection with just a
buff.ly
March 11, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Wow. 👇🏼
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
Reposted by Steve Penfold FRSPH FCMI
At centre of Texas outbreak, around 20% of kindergarten are unvaccinated, which (very roughly) would suggest a potential R = 18 x 0.2 = 3.6. Which is similar to early COVID in terms of transmissibility, and a big problem. More on how we assess measles risk: kucharski.substack.com/p/measles-he...
2/
2/
Measles, herd immunity and the risk of outbreaks
The fine line between epidemics and elimination
kucharski.substack.com
March 2, 2025 at 9:05 AM
At centre of Texas outbreak, around 20% of kindergarten are unvaccinated, which (very roughly) would suggest a potential R = 18 x 0.2 = 3.6. Which is similar to early COVID in terms of transmissibility, and a big problem. More on how we assess measles risk: kucharski.substack.com/p/measles-he...
2/
2/