A few days ago, I re – Tweeted a message from Northampton General Hospital about visitor restrictions due to high Covid and flu infections. In my Tweet, I made no reference to the hospitals decision. I simply used it to raise awareness of high infection rates and suggested mask wearing in certain settings and staying at home if unwell. 

This was jumped on as an endorsement of the hospitals policy – thanks to comments from someone with ‘a profile’. It was not an endorsement. Merely an illustration of the significant numbers of flu and COVID cases.  I responded to them because I resented being told by said ‘profile’ that I should not be ‘supporting’ this.  At no point, had I said I was. Twitter for good or evil is a free speech platform.

I do, however, believe that a Trust such as this would not take a decision  like this lightly. I believe that those on the ground with knowledge of the day to day situation are best placed to take difficult decisions.  Of course I understand how this impacts on families and the vulnerable. I never said that I didn’t,  and suggestions that I don’t are entirely untrue but this didn’t  fit the ‘profile’s narrative.   What followed was a pile on – stoked by ‘the profile’, by many obscure Twitter accounts – odd names and 0 to  minimal followers on many of them. 

There is, in my view, far too much acceptance of the real challenges and difficulties that the health service is facing – day in day out.  Our amazing health workers have rights also and for far too long they have been entirely taken for granted. 

So, I’ve experienced the worst of Twitter. Deliberate misinterpretation of a Tweet to suit someone else’s narrative.  My responses were driven entirely by my right to say what I think and not kowtow to the views of someone who simply has a public profile.  Be warned. The truth twisters and bots are out there.  My message for the New Year to all:

‘Seek first to understand – then to be understood”  Stephen Covey

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