Cass Macdonald
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cm7505.bsky.social
Cass Macdonald
@cm7505.bsky.social
270 followers 250 following 43 posts
Ex nurse, Long Covid & disability activist/advocate, hEDS, PoTS,MCAS, MECFS, Keyworker Petition Founder, NB, poly, pan, liberal, human
Posts Replies Media Videos
cm7505.bsky.social
@status.archiveofourown.org currently getting a cloud flare SSL handshake failure message when trying to load stories - anyone else dealing with this? #AO3
May 2, 2026 at 5:58 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
ukpolitics.papernaut.co
THE CANARY: Labour’s DWP cuts expose the party's descent into austerity: Voices from the frontline reveal the devastating impact on disabled claimants facing a bleak future amidst looming reforms.

- by Megan Miley
Terrified, humiliated: three PIP claimants tell the Canary of their fears over Labour's DWP cuts
Terrified, humiliated: three PIP claimants tell the Canary of their fears over Labour's DWP cuts from Canary on 25 March 2025
www.thecanary.co
March 25, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
exceedhergrasp1.bsky.social
Had a meeting this week where I asked detailed questions about a team's statistical plan and the response was "we'll just use AI for it".
papapishu.bsky.social Chris Person @papapishu.bsky.social · Apr 17
Not everything that breaks is technically the fault of vibe coding but the kind of culture that would foster vibe coding is the kind that produces a lot of shit that breaks.
April 17, 2026 at 1:20 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
murtoz.bsky.social
I did an interview last week about living with ME. This article is the result.
Pleased with it overall, no glaring errors, and most of my key messages are in the article even if she didn't put some of the more 'difficult' points in there verbatim.

#mecfs #pwME

www.scotsman.com/health/me-ch...
'My daughter has ME, she went into appointments walking and came out in a wheelchair'
There are an estimated 1.3 million people in the UK with ME 🏥
www.scotsman.com
December 5, 2024 at 1:28 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
chiller.eurosky.social
WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS THIS

#mecfs #pwme
DWP scheme sending people with ME to coaching organisations for neurodivergence
An investigation from the Canary shows the DWP and Access to Work are categorising people with ME as having 'acquired neurodivergence'
www.thecanary.co
April 17, 2026 at 8:48 AM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
edinburghbug.bsky.social
Handy guide for Scottish election '26.
1. All good manifestos need:
edinburghbususers.group/ebug-suggest...
www.cpt-uk.org/media/cc4jqx...
sestran.gov.uk/wp-content/u...
2. Edinburgh hustings details
Links to candidate names & contact details, good Qs & As
edinburghbususers.group/edinburgh-bu...
March 21, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
chasbooth.bsky.social
Along w ward colleague @katrinafaccenda.bsky.social I went on a walk & wheel around the Shore & Kirkgate area this morning w local resident @cm7505.bsky.social to see how completely inaccessible many of our streets are for disabled residents.

I have a long list of actions as a result.

1/2
Photo showing Cass, a wheelchair user, blocked by scaffolding across the footway. Photo showing a sign post positioned next to a kerb in such a way that it blocks wheelchair users. Photo showing a flush kerb with tactile paving. Photo showing a dropped kerb next to a drain and a large pothole.
March 20, 2026 at 12:50 PM
cm7505.bsky.social
Just home from taking local Cllrs round my ‘hood! Thanks to @chasbooth.bsky.social & @katrinafaccenda.bsky.social for taking the time to see its accessibility from a wheelchair perspective
March 20, 2026 at 11:34 AM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
murtoz.bsky.social
it's beyond pitiful. less than 0.0055% of NHS doctors & nurses with basic awareness of severe ME.

This is what happens when the govt doesn't put their money where their mouth is. Just more hot air and neglect

They can't be this incompetent? This has to be intentional.

Protecting Sir Simon?
February 9, 2026 at 5:09 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
lucibee.bsky.social
This is *pitiful*. 😞

@ashleydaltonmp.bsky.social Your department needs to try an *awful* lot harder.
February 9, 2026 at 4:54 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
lucibee.bsky.social
5/n

Today, I received their answer. This is the data table they sent me, of the number of people who have completed each of the 3 modules up to 20 January 2026:
Table shows the numbers completing each module, split by type of email account. An asterisk indicates there were 5 or fewer. Module 1: An introduction to ME/CFS = 8 (.gov.uk), 51 (.ac.uk), 227 (.nhs), 85 (other). Module 2: ME/CFS: guidance for community-based healthcare practitioners = 8 (.ac.uk), 74 (.nhs), 19 (other). Module 3: Managing severe ME/CFS = * (.gov.uk), 7 (.ac.uk), 33 (.nhs), * (other).
February 9, 2026 at 4:43 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
lucibee.bsky.social
4/n

According to the Nuffield Trust, about 1.7 million people work in the NHS.

This includes 188,000 doctors and around 423,000 nurses and midwives.

The Royal College of Physicians has over 40,000 members.

www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/the...
The NHS workforce in numbers
Facts on staffing and staff shortages in England.
www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk
February 9, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
lucibee.bsky.social
3/n

The UK Government stated that "The Royal College of General Practitioners, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists agreed to share and promote NHS England’s e-learning modules," and that they were working with the Royal College of Nursing.
Extract from the UK Government's ME/CFS Delivery Plan. Attitudes and education. Action: DHSC will ask relevant stakeholders to: a) consider developing a shared learning resource on ME/CFS, which could be held in an education hub, b) request that the Medical Schools Council (MSC) encourages shared learning and the NHS England e-learning package on ME/CFS to all UK medical schools and encourages medical schools to provide undergraduates with direct patient experience, c) use its networks to raise awareness of NHS England’s e-learning module on ME/CFS. Progress: Discussed potential education hub with the Task and Finish Group - to be explored further. DHSC discussed raising awareness of NHS England’s e-learning with relevant professional bodies. The Royal College of General Practitioners, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists agreed to share and promote NHS England’s e-learning modules. DHSC will continue to reach out to networks including the Royal College of Nursing to promote NHS England’s e-learning modules. NICE has added e-learning to its tools and resources page, with further modules to be added as they become available. DHSC to develop and run a public awareness initiative on ME/CFS, and signpost to e-learning and NICE guidelines as part of the initiative. Timeline and measure of success: Sharing of resources with a wider stakeholder group and a public awareness initiative (by May 2026) are expected to improve both the public and professionals’ understanding of ME/CFS. E-learning to be shared with stakeholders in July 2025. NHS England’s user statistics and feedback on DHSC-led awareness initiative to be monitored and reviewed.
February 9, 2026 at 4:18 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
lucibee.bsky.social
2/n

The reason I asked was because the ME/CFS Delivery Plan makes some quite distinct promises (alright, "aims") about their e-learning package, including this item in their table of Agreed Actions.

www.gov.uk/government/p...
Extract from the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan (UK Government, 22 July 2025). Action: The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) will ensure that its training on ME/CFS keeps pace with research and guidance in the core postgraduate training for primary and secondary care physicians. Progress: RCP will, for now, rely on NHS England’s e-learning modules, which are considered suitable by RCP. Timeline and measure of success: Aim for all RCP members to undertake the e-learning by the end of 2025. My comment: This should be easily measurable. Has it been achieved?
February 9, 2026 at 4:11 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
lucibee.bsky.social
About a month ago, I made a FOIA request to the NHS England Learning Hub about their new learning modules on ME/CFS...

🧵 1/n
Email sent to NHS elearning enquiries on 12 January 2026. Subject - Request for information. Dear NHSE elearning hub, I am making a freedom of information request (FOIA 2000) for the following data. In 2024/5, the NHS England elfh e-learning hub introduced 3 new modules on ME/CFS: 1. An introduction to ME/CFS (May 2024). 2. ME/CFS: guidance for community-based healthcare practitioners (January 2025). 3. Managing Severe ME/CFS (September 2025). Please can you tell me how many people have completed each module to date (from date of introduction), and what the breakdown is for logins by NHS staff (nhs.uk), and those in government (gov.uk), academic (ac.uk), and social care sectors (if available). I am happy for your response to be sent to this email address. Many thanks for your help, Lucy B
February 9, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
europeanmovement.co.uk
Leaving the EU and walking away from frictionless trade has damaged businesses across the UK. As European companies turn to partners inside the bloc, repairing our relationship with Europe must be a priority.
How Brexit turned "made in Britain" into a hindrance. Brexit has greatly hampered UK design brands' ability to sell their products in the EU and turned the "made in Britain" label into a costly burden, industry leaders told Dezeen.
January 30, 2026 at 3:52 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
georgemonbiot.bsky.social
To those saying, "but the Greens will split the vote":
1. Things have changed.
2. It's not the Green's fault that Starmer has the Merdas Touch (turns everything to shit)
3. When the Greens offer the only inspiring option, perhaps we should see the Labour candidate as splitting the vote.
January 30, 2026 at 3:18 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
georgemonbiot.bsky.social
Oh, and
4. Despite the demand for proportional representation from Labour members, Starmer won't change
our ridiculous First Past the Post system. So he's in no position to blame anyone for "splitting the vote".
share.google/buxD1tZ5BfKk...
January 30, 2026 at 3:55 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
number10cat.bsky.social
Let's hope this positive news gets as much attention as the people who try to convince us that the UK is a murder ravaged hellscape.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Homicides at lowest level in nearly 50 years, ONS statistics show
The 499 homicide cases in the year to September were the lowest in England and Wales since 1977.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 29, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
openbritain.bsky.social
If he’s in your corner, you’re fighting for the wrong team 💀

Tommy Robinson has endorsed Matt Goodwin, Reform UK’s candidate in the Gorton & Denton by-election.
January 30, 2026 at 4:00 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
goodlawproject.org
Rough day for Sex Matters
Image showing news where Sex Matters has lost (twice in a day)
January 29, 2026 at 5:58 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
mmfa.bsky.social
Chaya Raichik, who runs the social media account Libs of TikTok, has spent the days following Alex Pretti’s killing doxxing ordinary working people — teachers, nurses, school board members — for speaking out against federal immigration officials or expressing sympathy for Pretti.
Libs of TikTok is doxxing teachers and nurses who support Alex Pretti or oppose ICE, trying to get them fired
www.mediamatters.org
January 29, 2026 at 6:34 PM
Reposted by Cass Macdonald
motherjones.com
Thousands of obtained documents show that Clearview AI’s founders always intended to target immigrants and the political left.

Now their digital dragnet is in the hands of the Trump administration.
The shocking far-right agenda behind the surveillance tech used by ICE and the FBI
Clearview AI’s founders always intended to target immigrants and the political left. Now their digital dragnet is in the hands of the Trump administration.
www.motherjones.com
January 30, 2026 at 4:09 PM