Northampton General Hospital welcomes new Directors

Northampton General Hospital welcomes new Directors: Three new non-executive directors have been appointed, and a new executive director joins us in April. NGH News

Few festive 999 calls were genuine emergencies

Few festive 999 calls were genuine emergencies: Only four in 10 calls taken by Northamptonshire’s ambulance service on New Year’s Day were about life-threatening emergencies. Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Action plan for improving the use of medicines and reducing waste

Action plan for improving the use of medicines and reducing waste: The action plan outlines how best practice could be shared across the NHS in the future.
The plan identifies how everybody – not just pharmacists, GPs and care home staff, but also patients and the public – can stop avoidable medicines wastage. The report, Improving the Use of Medicines for Better Outcomes and Reduced Waste: an Action Plan, covers making more effective use of medicines in all NHS settings.  Department of Health

NHS pathology services to be reviewed

NHS pathology services to be reviewed: A review of quality assurance arrangements for NHS pathology services has been announced by NHS medical director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh. GP Online

DH invests £1m in doctors' training

DH invests £1m in doctors' training: The DH is investing £1m in piloting schemes designed to provide better education and training for junior doctors. GP Online

DH plans to become 'digital examplar'

DH plans to become 'digital examplar': The Department of Health has said it wants to become a "digital exemplar in Whitehall" in a plan for doing more of its work online and through social media. E-Health Insider

Primary care IT services: Operating model published

Primary care IT services: Operating model published: This document has been published to show how the management of IT systems will be organised for primary care providers (dentists, pharmacists and optometrists) from April 2013 has been set out. NHS Commissioning Board

Revised Midwives rules and standards come into force

Revised Midwives rules and standards come into force  The NMC

Overweight people 'live longer' study claims

Overweight people 'live longer' study claims: “Being overweight can extend life rather than shorten it,” is the headline in The Independent.

This and related headlines come from a large review of previous research that found that those categorised as overweight were around 6% less likely to have died by the end of a study than those of a healthy weight.

Report shows how NHS trusts are working to improve staff health

Report shows how NHS trusts are working to improve staff health: A study reveals how NHS trusts in England are promoting the wellbeing of employees – from Zumba classes to healthier food
The Staff Health Improvement Project report, which was released in November, reveals the steps taken by 22 NHS trusts in England to support staff health and wellbeing.

15 Steps Challenge toolkit reveals what NHS patients think about their care

15 Steps Challenge toolkit reveals what NHS patients think about their care: In the lead up to the implementation of the NHS friends and family test, a toolkit created by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement offers new insights into how patients feel.

IVF 'postcode lottery' to worsen, Lord Winston warns

IVF 'postcode lottery' to worsen, Lord Winston warns: IVF treatment will be down to a "postcode lottery" this spring when doctors take control of NHS spending, Lord Winston has warned. The Daily Telegraph

HPA update on seasonal norovirus activity: 2 January 2013

HPA update on seasonal norovirus activity: 2 January 2013: Latest figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show there have been 3,877 laboratory confirmed cases of norovirus this season (from week 27 to week 51 2012). The latest figures are 72 per cent higher than the number of cases reported at this point last year, when there were 2,255 cases.