Left journalism after 16 years in January to try sth new - wasn't an easy decision, so lovely surprise to be nominated for Specialist Reporter of the Year at the 2025 #ScottishPressAwards 😊❤️🍾
Helen McArdle
@hmcardleht.bsky.social
Former health Correspondent at Herald. Specialist Reporter of the Year 2022, Scottish Press Awards. ❤️ cats, movies, podcasts
That's all folks! My last Saturday analysis column looks back on 16 years at @heraldscotland - what's changed, and the stories that stand out❤️ ANALYSIS What have I learned from 16 years in journalism? www.heraldscotland.com/news/2485404...
Helen McArdle: What have I learned from 16 years in journalism?
After 16 years as a journalist at The Herald, including eight covering health, Helen McArdle reflects on that stories that stood out and what she's…
heraldscotland.com
A tribute to David Lynch, who has died at the age of 78, written by @derekmcarthur.bsky.social in August when the legendary director confirmed he would never step foot on a set again www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2450...
My final #InsidetheNHS column looks at why the ambulance service has been urging out of hours GPs to "consider alternatives" to hospital treatment for patients www.heraldscotland.com/news/2485283...
Why are out of hours GPs being told to keep patients away from hospital?
As out of hours GPs are encouraged to 'consider alternatives' to hospital admissions for patients as the NHS grapples with huge overcrowding, are…
heraldscotland.com
'Wholly unacceptable' EXC Breast cancer survivors 'in limbo' amid two-year wait for NHS reconstruction surgery www.heraldscotland.com/news/2485177...
Breast cancer survivors 'in limbo' amid two-year wait for NHS reconstruction surgery
The delays came to light after Conservative MSP for Glasgow, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, raised the case of one of his constituents - Shareen Gault - in the…
heraldscotland.com
📌Some personal news: Sad to say after more than 16 years, 8 covering health, today is my last day at @heraldscotland.bsky.social and - for now - my last day as a journalist. It's been an absolute blast, so I'll simply sign off with one of my favourite stories👇 www.heraldscotland.com/news/1778288...
Scot on world-first asthma drug trial reveals how huge accidental overdose nearly killed him
RETIRED pharmacologist Dr Richard Marshall is surprisingly laidback as he recalls how a huge overdose of the then-untested asthma drug, salbutamol,…
heraldscotland.com
Helen McArdle@hmcardleht.bsky.social · 2y ago'It all starts with Covid' This wk's Sat analysis on how Covid conspiracy theories planted the seeds for Jan 6 insurrection - and an appetite for medical misinfo 👇 ANALYSIS The surprising links between January 6, Covid denialism, and the 'wellness' boom www.heraldscotland.com/news/2484027...
'It all starts with Covid' This wk's Sat analysis on how Covid conspiracy theories planted the seeds for Jan 6 insurrection - and an appetite for medical misinfo 👇 ANALYSIS The surprising links between January 6, Covid denialism, and the 'wellness' boom www.heraldscotland.com/news/2484027...
The surprising links between January 6, Covid denialism, and the 'wellness' boom
What are the links between the Covid pandemic, the January 6 insurrection, and the boom in health misinformation?
heraldscotland.com
Helen McArdle@hmcardleht.bsky.social · 2y ago'They know they have a problem on their hands because years of a regulatory vacuum has already allowed hundreds of salons around the country to pop up' OPINION Dr Darren McKeown: Scot Govt cosmetic crackdown 'has all the trappings of political manoeuvring' www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2483...
'They know they have a problem on their hands because years of a regulatory vacuum has already allowed hundreds of salons around the country to pop up' OPINION Dr Darren McKeown: Scot Govt cosmetic crackdown 'has all the trappings of political manoeuvring' www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2483...
Scot Govt cosmetic crackdown 'has all the trappings of political manoeuvring'
Dr Darren McKeown, one of Scotland's leading practitioners of aesthetic medicine, fears that patient safety is not being prioritised enough in…
heraldscotland.com
Scot Govt proposals to tighten regulation around who can provide treatment like Botox and filler have been dubbed 'messy' and 'irrational' @heraldscotland.bsky.social EXC Experts warn 'loopholes' in cosmetic crackdown will leave patients exposed to harm www.heraldscotland.com/news/2484738...
Experts warn 'loopholes' in cosmetic crackdown will leave patients exposed to harm
The Scottish Government has published a consultation setting out proposals to tighten regulation on the cosmetic sector. But experts working in the…
heraldscotland.com
The UK's first Safer Drug Consumption Facility opens in Glasgow on Monday. Health correspondent @hmcardleht.bsky.social takes an in-depth look: heraldscotland.com/news/2484531... (1/3)
Visited the UK's first Safer Drug Consumption Facility yesterday ahead of its opening on Monday - full story here👇 "The reality is I think we're going to be busy really quickly." A decade in the making - will Glasgow's drug consumption facility work? www.heraldscotland.com/news/2484531...
A decade in the making - will Glasgow's drug consumption facility work?
As Glasgow's long-awaited Safer Drug Consumption Facility prepares to open its doors to the city's drug users on Monday, the Herald took a tour of…
heraldscotland.com
Biomarker test for lung cancer cuts deaths by 40 per cent @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2484121...
Biomarker test for lung cancer cuts deaths by 40 per cent
Groundbreaking research from the University of St Andrews School of Medicine has found that biomarker testing in individuals at risk of lung cancer…
heraldscotland.com
This wk's #InsidetheNHS looks at why Glasgow's Hospital at Home closed, and why attempts to relaunch it are stalling @heraldscotland.bsky.social The row over NHS Glasgow's Hospital at Home service www.heraldscotland.com/news/2483928...
The row over NHS Glasgow's Hospital at Home service
NHS Glasgow planned to revamp its Hospital at Home service, but instead it has been mothballed with nothing to replace it - and a deadlock over…
heraldscotland.com
The UK's first official consumption room for illegal drugs including heroin and cocaine is due to open in Glasgow this month www.heraldscotland.com/news/2484029... @hmcardleht.bsky.social
💥Make it a HappyNY Get @heraldscotland.bsky.social for £25 for the whole of 2025 - and catch up on in depth series like this one heraldscotland.com/subscribe/ 👇 Skin Deep: Inside the Herald's investigation into Scotland's booming beauty industry www.heraldscotland.com/news/2477701...
Skin Deep: Inside the Herald's investigation into Scotland's booming beauty industry
During a four-day series in August, the Herald investigated Scotland's rapidly growing cosmetic sector. Here we look back on some of the highlights.
heraldscotland.com
New research makes the case - once again - for distributing GP spend by need to most deprived areas. I hear from one patient who benefitted @heraldscotland.bsky.social How can we close health inequalities? Invest in GP practices and grassroots schemes www.heraldscotland.com/news/health/...
How can we close health inequalities? Invest in GP practices and grassroots schemes
New research in Glasgow into health inequalities has highlighted the need to invest a larger share of resources into GP practices and grassroots…
heraldscotland.com
Paul has gone from being homeless, on the streets, using drugs and alcohol to becoming an athlete - thanks to the kindness of a stranger @heraldscotland.bsky.social 'Adult fostering' is transforming lives in Scotland - so why isn't it talked about? www.heraldscotland.com/news/health/...
heraldscotland.com
The last Sat analysis of 2024 takes a look at the complexities behind Scotland and England's waiting list divide @heraldscotland.bsky.social ANALYSIS Was the NHS in Scotland right not to prioritise patients with the longest waits? www.heraldscotland.com/news/2481875...
heraldscotland.com
They're not calling it an 'extraordinary' flu season for nothing - unusually high rates of infection right now, already worse than in 2022/23 Scotland hit by worst flu season in years as hospital admissions surge 65 per cent www.heraldscotland.com/news/2482092...
Right now, get @heraldscotland.bsky.social for the next 13 months for £25 - perfect chance to catch up with in-depth series like this one👇 www.heraldscotland.com/subscribe Scotland and Alcohol: How the Herald investigated our relationship with booze www.heraldscotland.com/news/2477699...
Scotland and Alcohol: How the Herald investigated our relationship with booze
We take a look back at the Herald's second impact series, exploring Scotland's relationship with alcohol. Why did we do it and what did we learn?
heraldscotland.com
Two years ago today, Scott McQuade arrived at A&E for the start of a 2-year sepsis nightmare. He is finally home thanks to the kind donations of friends and strangers👇 EXC Sepsis survivor home for first Christmas in two years thanks to £30k fundraiser www.heraldscotland.com/news/2477685...
heraldscotland.com
Flu cases take up one in 15 beds at major hospital amid 'extraordinary' outbreak @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2481544...
Flu cases take up one in 15 beds at major hospital amid 'extraordinary' outbreak
Almost one in 15 beds at Grampian’s biggest hospital are currently occupied by patients with influenza, as Public Health Scotland data shows flu…
heraldscotland.com
'Too often doctors who want to disclose patient safety issues are disciplined or threatened' - #ThirlwellInquiry ANALYSIS These might be the most important lessons for the NHS from Lucy Letby public inquiry @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2480566...
These might be the most important lessons for the NHS from Lucy Letby public inquiry
The Thirlwell public inquiry into Lucy Letby has concluded for the Christmas break - but one of its final witnesses had plenty to say about what is…
heraldscotland.com
Christmas joy 🎅for Graham Casey, 63, from Bearsden who is now in remission after a shock diagnosis two years ago EXC 'Christmas will be special this year': Grandad's cancer mistaken for pulled muscle @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/health/...
'Christmas will be special this year': Grandad's cancer mistaken for pulled muscle
A Glasgow grandad whose incurable cancer was dismissed as a pulled muscle is counting down the days until he finally gets to celebrate his first…
heraldscotland.com
The @heraldscotland.bsky.social did a deep dive earlier this year into the sector. New proposals interesting - but I'm not sure they'll go far enough for campaigners Scot Govt sets out new proposals to tighten regulation of cosmetic sector www.heraldscotland.com/news/2480941...
Scot Govt sets out new proposals to tighten regulation of cosmetic sector
The public is being asked for their views on how best to further regulate non-surgical cosmetic procedures to improve client safety.
heraldscotland.com
One patient waiting for gallbladder surgery was told he faces a 70 week wait before he can be added to the waiting list Golden Jubilee: Number of operations fall at NHS Scotland's biggest elective hub www.heraldscotland.com/news/2480114...
Golden Jubilee: Number of operations fall at NHS Scotland's biggest elective hub
The Golden Jubilee hospital in Clydebank is designed to reduce waiting times for the NHS in Scotland. But statistics show that it actually carried…
heraldscotland.com
Helen McArdle@hmcardleht.bsky.social · 2y agoOur last #InsidetheNHS for 2024 looks at how and why NHS Grampian is struggling to meet demand for care in the wake of November's 'critical incident' 'This can't continue': Inside the 'high risk' pressures engulfing NHS Grampian www.heraldscotland.com/news/2480108...