15th August 2026

Bullying is rife across the NHS
Here’s yet another report on an individual trust that cites “a divisive and toxic culture”. There are many separate reports on failures of care that say the same thing…. The Ockendon report into maternity care revealed a “culture of bullying, anxiety and fear of speaking out among staff at the trust”. Here’s another. How has this culture developed? Was working in the NHS always like this?  I don’t think so….then why now?

Stop Palantir’s NHS data grab
Despite widespread concerns raised by patients, health workers, human rights organisations and data rights campaigners, the Conservative government awarded a £330m contract to US spy tech company Palantir to run a giant database of our NHS health data. There’s still time to halt Palantir’s NHS data takeover. Sign up here.

Palantir gets UK tax break
Palantir is benefiting from millions of pounds of tax deductions that allow it to pay very little corporation tax in the United Kingdom despite soaring profits.

Maternity centre to close
The Barnstaple unit is closing owing to staff shortages. Mothers in labour will have to trek to Exeter or Taunton, at least an hour and a half away, but usually more, when the roads are thick with holiday traffic.