‘No chance’ of Cynthia Spencer Hospice closure

‘No chance’ of Cynthia Spencer Hospice closure Cynthia Spencer Hospice is extremley unlikely to close as a result of plans to scale back NHS funding, sources close to the hospice have told the Chron. Chronicle & Echo

Favell House respite centre will close

Favell House respite centre will close Favell House, the respite centre in Northampton for people with conditions such as Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis, will close, health bosses have confirmed today. Chronicle & Echo

NGH welcomes new 'Friends and Family Test' survey

NGH welcomes new 'Friends and Family Test' survey New data from the NHS Friends and Family survey, which asks patients whether they would recommend A&E and inpatient wards to their nearest and dearest based on their own experience, has been released. NGH News

• Patients’ survey sees NGH average for recommendations

First results from NHS Friends and Family test published

First results from NHS Friends and Family test published New data from the NHS Friends and Family survey, which asks patients whether they would recommend  A&E and inpatient wards to their nearest and dearest based on their own experience, has been released today.

The survey, which will grow into the most comprehensive ever undertaken, covers around 4,500 NHS wards and 144 A&E services. It allows hospital trusts to gain real time feedback on their services down to individual ward level and increases the transparency of NHS data to drive up choice and quality.

• 36 NHS hospital wards fail Friends and Family test as patients say they wouldn't want loved ones treated there Independent
• NHS shame: list of wards patients did not recommend Telegraph
• Minister defends simple NHS test Telegraph
• 99 per cent are happy with NHS hospital care (in a survey where only 10 per cent actually responded) Independent
• NHS Confederation comments on the first set of Friends and Family Test results
• RCN responds to friends and family test data

GPs 'flee sinking ship' as more leave the NHS to practise oversees

GPs 'flee sinking ship' as more leave the NHS to practise oversees A rise in the number of GPs leaving the NHS to practise overseas represents "a significant danger" to the profession, the British Medical Association (BMA) has said. Independent

GP out-of-hours providers 'should run NHS 111'

GP out-of-hours providers 'should run NHS 111' Ministers should support GP out-of-hours providers to take over 111 contracts abandoned by NHS Direct, GP leaders believe. GP Online

Experts warn of September surge in asthma

Experts warn of September surge in asthma GPs urged to promote good self-management of asthma
Onmedica

Summary report of qualitative research into public attitudes to personal data and linking personal data

Summary report of qualitative research into public attitudes to personal data and linking personal data 
Wellcome Trust - This report is the result of focus group research which examined public attitudes towards sharing personal data with researchers for public good. The focus groups had a generally positive attitude to the potential benefits of sharing data, for patients themselves and for society. And their doubts were more sophisticated than merely worrying about information falling into malicious hands, or supposedly anonymous information being linked back to identifiable individuals. Some of the worries expressed by the focus groups linked to wider worries about the changing role of the NHS. Kings Fund

• Report
• Wellcome Trust - blog

Another trust gets Lorenzo approval

Another trust gets Lorenzo approval Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust's business case to take Lorenzo has been approved by the CSC LSP Programme Board. EHI News

Care and support for people with ADHD must be improved, says NICE

Care and support for people with ADHD must be improved, says NICE The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued standards to improve the quality of care and support for children, young people and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Employment law reform - changes happening on 29 July 2013

Employment law reform - changes happening on 29 July 2013 The 29 July 2013 sees various significant changes to employment law and practice that employers in the NHS will want to be aware of. NHS Employers News

Guidance for employers on the sharing of information about healthcare workers

Guidance for employers on the sharing of information about healthcare workers Guidance on the sharing of information about healthcare workers where are patient or public safety risk has been identified. NHS Employers News

Mental health unit deaths concerns

Mental health unit deaths concerns There should be greater transparency over deaths in mental health units, say campaigners, after a series of suicides at a hospital in Leicester. BBC Health News

Time pressures mean 'rationed care'

Time pressures mean 'rationed care' Nurses are "rationing" care because of time pressures, with almost nine out of 10 skipping basic tasks to do urgent clinical duties, a study suggests. BBC health News

NHS England to oversee transistion to new providers of NHS 111 services as NHS Direct gradually withdraws from contracts

NHS England to oversee transistion to new providers of NHS 111 services as NHS Direct gradually withdraws from contracts NHS England today pledged to support commissioners of NHS 111 services to put in place alternative providers to take over the 111 services provided by NHS Direct to patients.  This follows an announcement by NHS Direct that they are seeking to gradually withdraw from their remaining contracts for the NHS 111 service.

The decision has been taken by NHS Direct as they are unable to deliver the service within the agreed contract price.

Callers to the 111 number in the areas currently served by NHS Direct will continue to receive a prompt and safe service.

Local GP-led clinical commissioning groups, supported by NHS England, are now actively discussing with a range of potential providers the best way to continue providing a high quality 111 service for patients.

• NHS Confederation comments on 111 contract withdrawal by NHS Direct
• NHS Direct's pullout from 111 number leaves helpline on life support
• Undercover report reveals staff failures in 111 call centres

Poor dental health and gum disease may cause Alzheimer’s

Poor dental health and gum disease may cause Alzheimer’s Poor dental health and gum disease may be linked to Alzheimer’s disease, a study suggests. Independent

Why NHS England is launching 'TripAdvisor' for patients

Why NHS England is launching 'TripAdvisor' for patients Unleashing the power of people is going to be fundamental to improving outcomes across health care, says Tim Kelsey, National Director for Patients and Information at NHS England.Telegraph

Updated version of the workplace health and safety standards now available

Updated version of the workplace health and safety standards now available The NHS Staff Council’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Partnership Group (HSWPG) has today published a revised version of the workplace health and safety standards document with the support of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). NHS Employers News

Standards of care for people who self-harm must be improved, says NICE

Standards of care for people who self-harm must be improved, says NICE The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a quality standard to improve the quality of care and support for children, young people, and adults who self-harm.

New NICE TA: Aripiprazole for treating moderate to severe manic episodes in adolescents with bipolar I disorder

New NICE TA: Aripiprazole for treating moderate to severe manic episodes in adolescents with bipolar I disorder NICE has just published a new technology appraisal recommending aripiprazole as a treatment for bipolar disorder in young people. Technology Appraisals are systematic evaluations of the effectiveness of health technologies.  They do not have the broad scope of guidelines, which focus on topics rather than technologies, but they do give guidance for clinical practice on the [read the full story...] The Mental Elf

Hospital worker in pornography probe

Hospital worker in pornography probe A worker at a Northamptonshire hospital is arrested for allegedly distributing indecent images. BBC News - Northamptonshire

Politicians demand more information on possible cuts to Cransley Hospice funding

Politicians demand more information on possible cuts to Cransley Hospice funding The Labour group on Northamptonshire County Council has called for immediate action to safeguard funding for two local hospices. Evening Telegraph

7 steps to cultural heaven – David Nicholson

7 steps to cultural heaven – David Nicholson After what feels like 10 years of the NHS and those with an interest in the NHS obsessing about structures and systems, culture is starting to get the profile it deserves. In fact, it is hard to read anything about the NHS these days without culture getting a mention. This is how it should be. But to say this is the real challenge facing the NHS is to grossly underestimate its importance.

Press release: Data collection shake-up as social care moves into the 21st century

Press release: Data collection shake-up as social care moves into the 21st century An overhaul of the way social care data is collected will be brought in to help improve the way that care and support is measured, Care and Support Minister, Norman Lamb said today.

In order to support the new ways of collecting data, the Department of Health has agreed to give local authorities an extra £11.8 million of funding for implementation. The data will be collected by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) and published annually. The statistics will help to improve social care standards by looking at the results people who use care and support are supported to achieve, rather than counting activities and processes.

Care Quality Commission report details full extent of bullying culture

Care Quality Commission report details full extent of bullying culture Report was commissioned by new CQC chief executive, David Behan, to determine scale of the problems

The full extent of the bullying culture within the Care Quality Commission has been revealed in an internal report, which talks of fear and harassment, often in a drive to reach targets.

Allegations of a bullying culture at the CQC were first made during the inquiry into poor care at Mid-Staffordshire NHS hospital trust. Low staff morale and fear of criticism were thought to have contributed to the CQC's series of disasters, including overlooking problems at the Winterbourne View care home and the row over an report into inspections at Morecambe Bay where several babies died, which was said to have been suppressed.

TV Reporters reveal staff failures in 111 call centres

TV Reporters reveal staff failures in 111 call centres Serious concerns about the privately run 111 NHS call service are revealed on TV tonight in a Dispatches undercover special. Independent

Guidance: Flu plan: Winter 2013 to 2014

Guidance: Flu plan: Winter 2013 to 2014 This plan sets out a coordinated and evidence-based approach to planning for and responding to the demands of flu across England taking account of lessons learnt during previous flu seasons. It will aid the development of robust and flexible operational plans by local organisations and emergency planners within the NHS and local government. It provides the public and healthcare professionals with an overview of the coordination and the preparation for the flu season and signposting to further guidance and information. Department of health

Alzheimer's blood test edges closer

Alzheimer's blood test edges closer Researchers believe they are closer to developing a blood test that could identify Alzheimer's patients. BBC News

Drug use at lowest level since 1996

Drug use at lowest level since 1996 The proportion of adults who say they use illegal drugs has fallen but 6% of young adults used "laughing gas" in the last year, a Home Office study finds. BBC News

New virus 'not following Sars' path'

New virus 'not following Sars' path' The new Mers virus, which has killed half of those infected, is "unlikely" to reach the same scale as Sars, ministers in Saudi Arabia say. BBC News

NHS Employment Check Standards have been updated

NHS Employment Check Standards have been updated The NHS Employment Check Standards have been updated. There are six documents in total that outline the employment checks that employers must carry out before appointing staff into NHS positions across England. NHS Employers

Enter the CCG

Enter the CCG From time to time I come across something in the NHS that leaves me screaming, but this is the mother and father of them all - the Section 251 debacle. E-Health Insider

Strength in numbers: how independent hospices could raise more income

Strength in numbers: how independent hospices could raise more income This report explores the opportunities and challenges for hospices to raise more income from voluntary and donated sources in the future.

• Report
• Help the Hospices - publications

Auditing the accounts 2012/13: NHS bodies

Auditing the accounts 2012/13: NHS bodies This report summarises the results of auditors’ work for 2012/13 at NHS bodies within the Commission’s audit regime. These bodies comprised NHS trusts, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities. It covers the timeliness and quality of financial reporting, auditors’ local value for money work, the extent to which auditors utilised their statutory reporting powers, and the challenges facing NHS bodies for 2013/14. 

• Report
• Audit Commission - publications

Can the new NHS bodies solve the current problems?

Can the new NHS bodies solve the current problems? Few people would look at the new NHS structure and conclude that the health service needs more organisations.

Who is in charge? Hidden among the predictable dissection of urgent and emergency care woes in the health select committee report, published on Wednesday, are serious concerns about whether the myriad of new NHS bodies are capable of sorting the problems out.

Labour calls for investigation into rise in deaths of older people

Labour calls for investigation into rise in deaths of older people Official figures show 23,400 more deaths of older people than expected in 18 months, with many in poorest parts of country.

A&E doctors 'should focus on patients, not pay'

A&E doctors 'should focus on patients, not pay' A&E doctors should worry less about their pay packets and more about their patients, the head of NHS Employers has claimed as he dismissed complaints about evening and weekend work. The Daily Telegraph

£25 to see your GP: Majority of doctors want to charge patients for routine appointments

£25 to see your GP: Majority of doctors want to charge patients for routine appointments

The ideal of an NHS free at the point of need was dealt a serious blow today, as a survey of family doctors revealed unprecedented levels of support for charging patients for routine appointments. The Independent

See also:

• Patients should pay us, say doctors The Daily Telegraph
• NHS bosses rule out charging patients to visit GP The Guardian

NHS staff told to stop moaning and come up with solutions

NHS staff told to stop moaning and come up with solutions In an effort to boost morale NHS bosses have banned staff from moaning unless they come up with a solution to the problem. The Independent

Mock health inspections aim to boost quality

Mock health inspections aim to boost quality A new scheme of mock inspections of community health services has started in Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in a bid to drive up standards and ensure services are fit for purpose. Northamptonshire Telegraph

999 recommendations ‘need to be backed by cash’

999 recommendations ‘need to be backed by cash’ Recommendations from a new Government report will only bring relief for paramedics and patients if backed by funds and political will, the East Midlands Ambulance Service chief has said. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Ambulance service chief backs call for more community care Northamptonshire Telegraph

St Andrews nurse struck off for using patient's bank card

St Andrews nurse struck off for using patient's bank card A senior nurse who bought herself goods after snatching a mental health patient’s bank card from a hospital safe has been struck off.

Jean Mberi twice withdrew funds from the woman’s bank account while she was being treated at St Andrew’s Hospital in Northampton.

The woman, referred to as Patient A, had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act and had her possessions, including her bank card, kept in the hospital’s safe.

But Mberi took the woman’s debit card and withdrew a total of £220 out of her bank account, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard. Northampton Herald and Post

Why are we still using ECT?

Why are we still using ECT? Why are we still using electricity to treat depression? BBC News

VIDEO: UK rejects meningitis B vaccine

VIDEO: UK rejects meningitis B vaccine The only vaccine to protect against a deadly form of meningitis should not be introduced in the UK, the body that advises governments on immunisation says. BBC News

Can surgery help after genital mutilation?

Can surgery help after genital mutilation? Can surgery bring hope to survivors of genital mutilation? BBC News

Professional indemnity - forthcoming changes

Professional indemnity - forthcoming changes Legislation is being prepared by the UK Government to take effect in late 2013. It will require all statutory regulated healthcare professionals to have relevant insurance or indemnity to cover their practice & confirm this to their professional body. NHS Employers

CQC introduces new changes to inspection plans

CQC introduces new changes to inspection plans CQC’s new Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards is introducing radical changes to the way hospitals in England are inspected. These are expected to be introduced in August. NHS Employers

Foundation trusts ''to recruit 4,000 nurses''

Foundation trusts ''to recruit 4,000 nurses'' NHS Foundation Trusts have said they intend to recruit 10,000 more clinical staff in 2013/14 Public Service

NHS 111 is a 'sorry saga', say MPs

NHS 111 is a 'sorry saga', say MPs The national deployment for NHS 111 was undertaken prematurely and without a sufficiently sound evidence base, warns Commons Health Committee Public Service

NHS Bed-blockers are taking up two wards in each hospital

NHS Bed-blockers are taking up two wards in each hospital Cuts to council social care have been blamed for restricting care home places and delaying the provision of help for older people in their own homes. The Daily Mail

NHS faces chronic shortage of staff, warns King's Fund

NHS faces chronic shortage of staff, warns King's Fund Deepening gaps in service's workforce so serious that bosses are under pressure to alter pay agreements to attract staff.

Global search for new NHS boss

Global search for new NHS boss Outgoing NHS England boss Sir David Nicholson could be replaced with someone from outside the UK, officials have said.The Daily Telegraph

Anxiety disorders cost £10 billion a year

Anxiety disorders cost £10 billion a year More than eight million people in Britain suffer from anxiety disorders caused by the pressures of modern life, costing the country nearly £10 billion a year, according to a new study. The Daily Telegraph

NHS will not give meningitis B vaccine to all UK's children

NHS will not give meningitis B vaccine to all UK's children

A vaccine that protects against a deadly form of meningitis should not yet be made available to all children in the UK, the Government’s advisors on immunisation have said. The Independent

A&E crisis plans 'not good enough'

A&E crisis plans 'not good enough' The plans to relieve the pressure on A&E units in England are not good enough, says MPs who warn of a potential NHS crisis next winter. BBC News

Diabetes 'linked to disability risk'

Diabetes 'linked to disability risk' Adults with diabetes have a higher risk of physical disability than the general population, research suggests. BBC News

2012-13 NHS staff sickness figures released

2012-13 NHS staff sickness figures released Today sees the release of NHS staff sickness absence figures for 2012-13. These show that NHS staff in England took an average of 9.5 working days off sick and also show a slight increase in sickness absence rates nationally.

Liverpool care pathway review shows challenges in care

Liverpool care pathway review shows challenges in care Findings illustrate failures of training around the regime and that it leads to poor practice for terminally ill patients

The law of unintended consequences can be insidious. The Liverpool care pathway (LCP) has been encouraged over the last decade with the express objective of avoiding unnecessary interventions in the care of people who are clearly dying, and ensuring they achieve a good death. However, it should now be phased out and replaced by an individual end-of-life care plan, according to the findings of the independent review led by Lady Julia Neuberger.

EU review: Doctors 'get trained in their free time because of working time rules'

EU review: Doctors 'get trained in their free time because of working time rules' Doctors are having to get trained in their free time because of European Union rules which restrict the number of hours they can work every week.Telegraph

Coming of age in the NHS

Coming of age in the NHS How best can we engage and support our staff and patients to lead the necessary redesign to achieve quality, reliability and the required efficiencies? asks Suzie Bailey. The Health Foundation

AUDIO: Wasted prescriptions cost NHS £300m

AUDIO: Wasted prescriptions cost NHS £300m Jan James, managing director of NHS campaign Medicine Waste talks about the cost of wasted prescription medication. BBC News

Ministers: Improve work fitness test

Ministers: Improve work fitness test Atos, the company which carries out "fitness-for-work" tests on disabled people, is told to improve its services, after an "unacceptable reduction" in quality. BBC News

Plain packs 'help smokers to quit'

Plain packs 'help smokers to quit' Plain packaging for cigarettes seems to make tobacco less appealing and encourages smokers to quit, suggests a study. BBC News

See also:

• 'No excuse' to delay plain cigarette packs after new study, say campaigners The Independent
• 'No excuse for delay on plain cigarette packaging, say campaigners The Daily Telegraph

Skin cancer survival all-time high

Skin cancer survival all-time high Eight out of 10 men and nine out of 10 women, diagnosed with the most dangerous form of skin cancer will survive the disease, says a new report. BBC News

Nurses recorded wrong waiting times

Nurses recorded wrong waiting times Two nurses from Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust are found to have inaccurately recorded patient waiting times in accident and emergency. BBC News

Nurses still struggling to influence IT

Nurses still struggling to influence IT The Royal College of Nursing has called for more nursing input into IT and more IT training for nurses after a survey uncovered a lack of confidence in clinical systems. E-Health Insider

Leicester telehealth scheme expanded

Leicester telehealth scheme expanded A telehealth project for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has prevented 107 hospital admissions in Leicester over the past 30 weeks. E-Health Insider

People with epilepsy 'have higher risk of early death'

People with epilepsy 'have higher risk of early death' "People with epilepsy 11 times more likely to die prematurely, study finds," is the news in The Daily Telegraph. The story comes from a large long-term study of records of people with epilepsy. The study compared them with their unaffected siblings and the general population.

NHS Health Check implementation review and action plan

NHS Health Check implementation review and action plan This review argues that checking 40-74-year-olds’ blood pressure, cholesterol, weight and lifestyle could identify problems earlier and prevent 650 deaths, 1,600 heart attacks and 4,000 cases of diabetes a year. Before local authorities took over responsibility for commissioning Health Checks in April, there was considerable variation in how widely they were offered. PHE, which leads the NHS Health Check programme, has now launched a ten-point plan to help councils roll them out to 20 per cent of their eligible local population a year –15 million people by 2018/19.

• Review and action plan
• Department of Health - press release

GPC sets out plan to integrate all unscheduled care

GPC sets out plan to integrate all unscheduled care CCGs should integrate all out-of-hours unscheduled care under GP leadership, according to the GPC. GP Online

Could 'good egg' Jeremy Hunt be the saviour of the NHS?

Could 'good egg' Jeremy Hunt be the saviour of the NHS? The health secretary seems to think like a patient and gets down to the nitty gritty by working in hospitals

I have come to the conclusion that the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, is a good egg. As a long-term NHS customer, he does seem to think like a patient. What's more, he has two of the same bees buzzing in his bonnet as I have: that GPs should take back oversight of out-of-hours care, and that the lack of effective IT in the NHS is a disgrace.

Mid-Staffs nursing chief: I’m not to blame

Mid-Staffs nursing chief: I’m not to blame

The former director of nursing at the scandal-hit Stafford Hospital has told a disciplinary hearing that the word "nursing" in her job title was "misleading", as she blamed frontline staff for catastrophic care failings at the hospital. The Independent

Junior doctors' 100-hour weeks 'put patient safety at risk'

Junior doctors' 100-hour weeks 'put patient safety at risk' Junior doctors have warned that they are being left exhausted by 100-hour weeks and 12-day rotations that put patient safety at risk. The Independent

Places still left on our course for staff about to start studying

Places still left on our course for staff about to start studying We still have some places left in July, August and September on our Pre-course Course.

It is designed to give anyone about to start an academic programme a flying start in dealing with:

• Sourcing material from reading lists
• Getting an Athens password
• Accessing electronic journals
• Searching databases
• Getting the most from the support the Library Service can offer you.

If you are going back to education, whether it is a module, short course, degree or postgraduate qualification, this course could help to make your academic life a little easier.

To find out more, including course dates and venues, and how to book, visit our web site.

Would you trust a doctor in a T-shirt?

Would you trust a doctor in a T-shirt? Would you trust a doctor who wears a T-shirt? BBC News

Health checks 'could save lives'

Health checks 'could save lives' Hundreds of lives in England could be saved if the NHS and local authorities did more to encourage people to take up free health checks, the health secretary says. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: Free health checks 'will save lives' BBC News 
• Jeremy Hunt urges over-40s to take advantage of free NHS checks The Independent
• Press release: Call to action on health checks The Department of Health

Doctors urged to cut medicines waste

Doctors urged to cut medicines waste Doctors are being urged to change the way they prescribe medicines to stop £300m of drugs being thrown away each year. BBC News

Updated guide to community pharmacy published

Updated guide to community pharmacy published NHS Employers, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and the General Practitioners Committee of the BMA have published an updated guide to community pharmacy.

Securing the future of general practice: new models of primary care

Securing the future of general practice: new models of primary care NHS England (Midlands and East) commissioned the Nuffield Trust and the King's Fund to review UK and international models of primary care, focusing on those that could increase capacity and help primary care meet the pressures it faces.  The Nuffield Trust

NHS reforms cost taxpayer £1bn for redundancies, IT, closures and more

NHS reforms cost taxpayer £1bn for redundancies, IT, closures and more Controversial changes to the way the NHS is run have so far cost more than £1bn to implement, the government has confirmed. E-Health Insider

Media blames 'ladettes' as alcohol-related deaths rise

Media blames 'ladettes' as alcohol-related deaths rise "More young women dying of alcohol abuse," The Times reports, with much of the media covering the story that the risk of death from an alcohol-related health condition has increased for women in their 30s and 40s.

Immunisation and screening: local government's new public role

Immunisation and screening: local government's new public role This briefing explains the challenges facing councils and the opportunities they have to help deliver efficient and good quality vaccination and screening programmes.

• Briefing
• LGA - publications

NHS recorded £2.1 billion surplus last year

NHS recorded £2.1 billion surplus last year NHS performance was slightly stronger in 2012-13 than in 2011-12  OnMedica

See also:

• 2012-13 update on indicators of financial sustainability in the NHS National Audit Office

CCG membership forces half of GPs to change clinical practice

CCG membership forces half of GPs to change clinical practice More than half of practices say that being a CCG member had changed their clinical practice in terms of prescribing patterns, referral pathways and volume of referrals, according to research. GP Online

Tory strategist Lynton Crosby in new lobbying row

Tory strategist Lynton Crosby in new lobbying row Exclusive: Firm he founded, Crosby Textor, advised private healthcare providers how to exploit NHS 'failings'

The lobbying firm founded by the Tories' chief election strategist, Lynton Crosby, advised private healthcare providers on how to exploit perceived "failings" in the NHS, according to a leaked document obtained by the Guardian.

Lonely lives of the rural elderly

Lonely lives of the rural elderly Shop closures and bus service cuts causing social isolation says report which found half of over 75s living alone. The Daily Telegraph

Four in five sufferers of skin cancer now survive

Four in five sufferers of skin cancer now survive

More than 80 per cent of people diagnosed with malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, will now survive the disease, scientists have said. Yet British sunbathing habits mean the number of cases continues to rise. The Independent

NHS Nene CCG Shaping your local healthcare prospectus published

NHS Nene CCG Shaping your local healthcare prospectus published NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has published its prospectus for 2013/14, ‘Shaping your local healthcare'. 

MPs meet minister over 'unfit' A&E

MPs meet minister over 'unfit' A&E A health minister agrees to look at a bid to expand an A&E department deemed "unfit for purpose" at Kettering General Hospital. BBC Northamptonshire

Warning over cancer health issues

Warning over cancer health issues Hundreds of thousands of people in the UK face poor health or disability after being treated for cancer, says a report from Macmillan Cancer Support. BBC News

See also:

• Cured, but at what cost? MacMillan Cancer Support

Five ways the NHS landscape is changing

Five ways the NHS landscape is changing What has the last week taught us about the NHS? BBC News

Alcohol deaths 'up' in young women

Alcohol deaths 'up' in young women Deaths from alcohol-related disease in women born in the 1970s are rising, contrary to the overall trend, a study suggests. BBC News

See also:

• Numbers of young women dying due to alcohol increasing The Daily Telegraph

Survey on female leaders in healthcare

Survey on female leaders in healthcare This survey, conducted in conjunction with the HSJ, suggests that women are still facing barriers to becoming senior leaders in the NHS. Just under half of the respondants thought having children put their career at a disadvantage, and two thirds felt a greater pressure to prove themselves than their male counterparts. Other respondents said that they struggled with a culture of an old boys’ network and attitudes to women leaders. Over a third said they had encountered sexual discrimination and over half said they had been bullied in the workplace.

Please note: in order to view the results of this survey, free registration with the HSJ is required.

• Survey results
• Related blog
• Pinterest board of inspiring women in healthcare
• The King's Fund - press release

NHS 111 inquiry slams providers, commissioners and NHS England

NHS 111 inquiry slams providers, commissioners and NHS England A damning report into failings with NHS 111 found local commissioners lacked necessary skills and tried to cut costs, providers lacked capacity and capability, and NHS England failed to provide proper central oversight and support. GP Online

See also:

• Full 111 rollout put back to 2014 BBC News

'Jaw-dropping' rise in NHS claims after scandals

'Jaw-dropping' rise in NHS claims after scandals Claims against the NHS for medical negligence have risen by more than 20 per cent in just one year after a succession of hospital scandals, official figures show. The Daily Telegraph

While dubious mortality rates grab headlines, NHS privatisation gallops on | Polly Toynbee

While dubious mortality rates grab headlines, NHS privatisation gallops on | Polly Toynbee The ferocity of the battle over 'dangerous' hospitals was not synthetic. The future of the NHS itself is under attack.

How the NHS can build external partnerships

How the NHS can build external partnerships Successful partnerships can offer benefits to both the public and private sectors.

Bain buys £230m stake in UK blood plasma supplier

Bain buys £230m stake in UK blood plasma supplier The government has sold a majority stake in Plasma Resources UK, the Department of Health's blood plasma supplier, to private equity firms Bain Capital for £230m.The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Bain Capital buys majority stake in Plasma Resources UK The Guardian

Elderly patients wait up to a year for dementia tests

Elderly patients wait up to a year for dementia tests

Elderly patients are waiting up to a year for a dementia diagnosis and face delays getting the help they need, even after diagnosis, an investigation has revealed. The Independent

See also:

• Dementia patients wait a year for diagnosis The Daily Telegraph
• National Audit for Dementia Care in General Hospitals 2012-13 Second report Royal College of Psychiatrists

Health warning as temperature soars

Health warning as temperature soars As the hot weather continues, NHS Corby and NHS Nene clinical commissioning groups are reminding people to take simple steps to stay safe and well. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Two perfect babies. But you've just paid Bernice £44,000 compensation for having them

Two perfect babies. But you've just paid Bernice £44,000 compensation for having them Bernice met the directors of Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust last March, after she had her dummy implant removed at four months pregnant. She had been promised an investigation and an explanation as to why the contraception... The Daily Mail

The Keogh Report: reacting to reactions

The Keogh Report: reacting to reactions Yesterday's high octane ding-dong in the House of Commons over the Keogh report was an example of the unacceptable face of political interference in the delivery of healthcare, says Stephen Thornton. The Health Foundation

Hospital inspections 'to be tougher'

Hospital inspections 'to be tougher' he new chief inspector of hospitals in England promises more robust and broader inspections, as he acknowledges previous methods were "flawed". BBC News

See also:

• 'Whistleblower-in-chief' reveals plan to fix NHS: make you the inspector The Independent
• Army of patients to be recruited to inspect NHS The Daily Telegraph
• NHS care watchdog CQC to overhaul hospital inspection system The Guardian
• 'Stigma associated with raising concerns must be removed' The Guardian
• Patients, not bureaucrats, will be on new inspection teams to sort out NHS hospitals The Daily Mail

Minimum alcohol price plan shelved

Minimum alcohol price plan shelved The government will not introduce a minimum price for a unit of alcohol in England and Wales but will stop it being sold below the cost of duty plus VAT. BBC News

'Cancer sniffing' knife designed

'Cancer sniffing' knife designed An "intelligent" knife that can sniff out tumours to improve cancer surgery has been developed by scientists. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: 'Intelligent' knife detects cancer BBC News
• Magic scalpel that sniffs out tumours in an instant is set to revolutionise cancer surgery The Daily Mail

Why not... privatise the NHS?

Why not... privatise the NHS? Arguments for and against the biggest taboo in UK politics. BBC News

Community nursing insulin chart

Community nursing insulin chart The risks associated with the administration of insulin are well known and the maladministration of insulin is now a never event.

An insulin chart has been developed by experienced community health services pharmacists and includes a number of safety features within the chart design, for example it is pre-printed with the word “units”. NHS Networks

Dementia rates dropping

Dementia rates dropping “Dementia rates fall as public health improves,” is the good news story greeting readers of The Daily Telegraph.

The news comes from UK based research published in The Lancet medical journal. The research showed the number of people with dementia in the UK in 2011 was much lower than researchers predicted based on trends two decades earlier.