10 out and proud sapphic celebs you need to know about this Lesbian Visibility Week Here are ten out and proud sapphic celebs who are just eminating lesbian energy - and visibility - from Renee Rapp to Chappell Roan.

10 out and proud sapphic celebs you need to know about this Lesbian Visibility Week www.thepinknews.com/2026/04/17/10-out-and-pr...

A dark blue infographic. Pink and green ribbons in bottom left. Healthwatch logo in bottom right. Text says Poor admin impacts some people more than others

People with a long-term condition are more likely to experience poor NHS admin, along with people who struggle financially or those from an ethnic minority background.
www.healthwatch.co.uk/news/2026-04-16/two-thir...

Bauer Media poster: "Dyke Power's Gonna Sway Your Mama."

Happy Lesbian Visibility Week.

Chair - Starfish Search The health and care system is at a pivotal moment. The 10-Year Health Plan for England promises a revolution in patient power – shifting care from hospitals to communities, from analogue to digital,…

We are seeking a compelling and charismatic leader to become our next Chair. We are looking for an exceptional individual, with vision, sound judgement and an inclusive, respectful leadership style, with the ability to engage and influence at the highest levels.

✨ This Lesbian Visibility Week, we’re celebrating lesbian excellence ✨

Mon 20 Apr | 6pm — FREE Instagram Live on queer women’s health & wellbeing with DIVA Magazine.

Wed 22 Apr | 11:30am — FREE Zoom on the leadership of lesbians.
Tickets: https://prideinleadership.co.uk/upcoming-events

Still lost in the system: the urgent need for better NHS admin | The King's Fund A year on from our December 2024 poll, our latest research shows no improvement in people’s experiences of NHS admin. NHS admin plays a central role in shaping how people experience and perceive the…

When patients experience poor communication, or are on the receiving end of administration errors, their care becomes increasingly unco-ordinated.
Latest report from @thekingsfund.bsky.social paints a grim picture but offers 10 actions for government and healthcare leaders:

NHS patients should be able to write up their own medical records – and not have to rely on Post-it notes | Will Parman The lack of a unified digital repository for patients and healthcare workers means that key medical changes are often missed. But the NHS can learn from US intelligence sharing, says Emerging Voices w...

What if #patients had a secure way to upload their bullet points before their appointment? What if they had the same after the appt as well–for the bulletpoints forgotten, & for the points raised during the consultation that require further clarification?
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

NHS Online will give patients with certain conditions the option of receiving care through a new digital service.

Join us at our free online event on 11th May at 2pm and together we’ll explore at what an online NHS hospital might look like: buff.ly/7MiCFlA

Image shows a hand with a heart in it. Text reads: One year on: actions you can take Look after your own wellbeing and support others if you can. transactual.org.uk/wellbeing

5. Care for yourself and others
Things are really hard right now, so please make sure you're looking after your own wellbeing. If you're able to, support others in the community tool.
transactual.org.uk/wellbeing

#TransRights #Trans #EqualityAct

Text on a blue and pink background reads: Participants needed for PhD study. Reshaping self-reference: a cross-linguistic description of non-binary grammar. Identify as trans, non-binary or queer and gender non conforming. Be over 18. Be anywhere in the world. All languages welcome, but languages I am particularly interested in will be listed in the caption. All information detailed below. A trans flag banner in the background.

A researcher from the University of Essex is recruiting trans speakers of any language, but particularly speakers of Italian, Arabic, Slavic languages, Celtic languages, Native/Indigenous languages of the Americas and Australasia, African languages

Email s.nartus@essex.ac.uk

#TransResearch

The Government’s 10 Year Health Plan sets out major changes to how the NHS will deliver care — but says relatively little about suicide prevention.
www.samaritans.org/news/how-the...

A teal infographic. Green and pink loops bottom left. Blue Healthwatch logo bottom right. Text says Looking after your mental health is important. What support is available to you?

April is Stress Awareness Month. Take a pause and check out our advice on how you can reduce stress and look after your mental health. #StressAwarenessMonth #BeTheChange www.healthwatch.co.uk/advice-and-information/2...

Streeting relaunches women’s health strategy to tackle ‘medical misogyny’ Health secretary says NHS is ‘failing women’ and pledges to end ‘gaslighting’ by doctors Wes Streeting has vowed to stop women being “gaslit” by doctors as he relaunches the women’s health strategy for England. Speaking before the publication of the renewed strategy on Wednesday, Streeting said the NHS was “failing women” and set out measures to help them access the healthcare they need. Continue reading...

Streeting relaunches women’s health strategy to tackle ‘medical misogyny’

Supporting good, safe maternity care Every family should get maternity care that is safe and compassionate. But we know that hasn’t always happened. Some families have had very difficult experiences that changed their lives.

The General Medical Council (GMC) has published a new online resource for individuals and families who have experienced poor maternity care. It’s been designed to help those who have experienced poor care to understand how to raise concerns:

The NHS wants to listen and learn from the experiences of young people diagnosed with cancer to improve the care and support.
Take part in the NHS England #U16CancerPatientSurvey to help us develop cancer services for children and young people.
See www.under16cancerexperiencesurvey.co.uk

The new NHS online hospital launches in 2027, but what is it and how will it work? Join our free online event on 11th May at 2pm to learn more: buff.ly/7MiCFlA

This image is a picture of weighing scales with a clock and a stack of coins.

Calling all LGBT+ organisations 📣

Have you ever received an enterprise development grant? Are you interested in receiving one? Please complete this 5-minute survey to inform enterprise grant funders what would help strengthen your organisation.

You can fill out the survey here: buff.ly/5V8h0Vw

New inquiry: Cross-border healthcare arrangements between England and Wales - Committees - UK Parliament The challenges faced by people accessing cross-border healthcare is the focus of a new inquiry from the Welsh Affairs Committee.

What do NHS patients across Wales and parts of England need to access cross-border healthcare services?

The Welsh Affairs Committee has launched an inquiry into the most pressing issues for those using cross-border healthcare:

We use the experiences of Cheshire and Merseyside patients to shape cancer services and raise awareness of the disease – and our patient reps do a fantastic job.
Jenny Brazier, Patient Engagement Senior Project Officer, has written a blog about this.
See: cmcanceralliance.nhs.uk/blog/beyond-...

Bowel cancer screening programme extended to people aged up to 70 Galway man (59) tells of his shock when BowelScreen test found cancer, despite lack of symptoms

#BowelScreen patient advocate Joe Grogan says: "Once the little sample is in the tube, that’s it. For what those five minutes have meant to me, I’d do it every day if I had to".

#ChooseScreening
#BowelCancerAwarenessMonth 👇

www.irishtimes.com/health/2025/...

Graphic has the TransActual, Trans Nonbinary & Gender Diverse Adults PSP, Gendered Intelligence, Lancaster University and James Lind Alliance logos on it. Text says: we need you! Tell us your priorities. We'll advocate for and help direct funding to research in these areas. Take part at wp.lancs.ac.uk/transadultspsp

Shape future trans+ healthcare research by taking the Trans, Non-binary and Gender Diverse Adult priority setting survey today! Your answers will inform research priorities and support funding applications.

Take the survey at wp.lancs.ac.uk/transadultspsp

Meta-analysis of gut microbiome reveals patterns of dysbiosis in colorectal cancer patients Introduction. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignant tumour in which dysbiosis of the gut microbiome is a contributing factor in the development of cancer. However, the species composition and species-specific changes in the gut microbiome related to CRC still require comprehensive investigation. Hypothesis. There is a significant difference in gut microbiome between CRC patients and healthy individuals. Aim. The microbiome-based association test methods are used for the association between the microbiome and host phenotypes, and linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis is...

It's Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. Find out the differences in gut microbiome composition between colorectal cancer patients and healthy individuals in JMM: https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.002042 #BowelCancerAwarenessMonth #JMM

Know the symptoms of bowel cancer. This post contains the Bowel Cancer UK logo. Changes in bowel habits, change in the frequency or consistency of stools, rectal bleeding or blood in the stool, abdominal pain, bloating, or cramping, unexplained weight loss, fatigue or tiredness and lumps/pain in your tummy.

Did you know ❓❔

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK.

Here are the main symptoms 📸

Other health problems can cause similar symptoms – but it’s important to get them checked by a GP if you have any symptoms for 3 weeks or more.

#BowelCancerAwarenessMonth

👋 Our helpline is now closed for the bank holiday weekend. We'll be open again from 9:30am on Tuesday 7th April to answer your calls and emails.

Take a look at our website for a range of useful patient information and guidance: buff.ly/ynIIHGY

Solving the NHS maze for patients and GPs The Patients Association and the Royal College of GPs have launched a joint report calling for the NHS to be easier to navigate - as well as improving access to GP care and continuity.

Patients and GPs told us the same thing: navigating the NHS can feel like a maze

Our joint report with the Royal College of General Practitioners calls for the system to be easier to navigate, alongside improving access to GP care & continuity

Read the report: buff.ly/v6Wg42m

Our amazing patient reps project has been highlighted in this great blog.
'Using patient stories to create significant impact and improve cancer patient experience,' has been published by patient safety charity Patient Safety Learning.
Read it here: ow.ly/7Bzy50YBF8Z
@patientsafetylearning.org

NMC Nursing & Midwifery Council

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has developed a new leaflet that can help patients decide what to do if they think a midwife, nurse or nursing associate may have done something wrong.

buff.ly/TJOeQ7S

Beyond BMI: Removing Harmful Barriers to Joint Replacement Surgery Beyond BMI sets out the evidence and impact of Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in England using body mass index (BMI) thresholds as a way of rationing joint replacement surgery.

A new report from Arthritis UK highlights growing concerns about access to joint replacement surgery in England, with some patients facing delays or being refused treatment based on their weight.

📢 In 2025, public dissatisfaction with the NHS saw its biggest fall in 25 years. But despite the increase, data from the British Social Attitudes survey shows that satisfaction remains historically low.

👉 Read the full report, co-authored with @nuffieldtrust.org.uk: https://bit.ly/4bHaApt

Amgen, proud supporters of The Patients Association

We’re excited to welcome @amgen.bsky.social as our newest corporate member!

The support of our corporate members help us continue to be there for patients across the UK.

Find out more: buff.ly/yqFToBh