Northampton General and Kettering General could merge

Northampton General and Kettering General could merge: Health bosses have revealed they are discussing a possible merger between NGH and KGH into a single trust. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• County’s two hospitals could consider merging Evening Telegraph
• NGH and Kettering General to explore partnership working Northampton General Hospital Statement

Northampton General Hospital chief executive resigns

Northampton General Hospital chief executive resigns: Northampton General Hospital has confirmed its chief executive has resigned, just hours after news emerged of talks between NGH and KGH over a possible merger. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Dr Gerry McSorley announces decision to leave post as CEO Northampton General Hospital Statement

NHS offering private care in pilot plan in county

NHS offering private care in pilot plan in county: Some NHS back, neck and foot patients in Northamptonshire will have the choice of free private care instead from this week. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Model agreement for collaborative commissioning

Model agreement for collaborative commissioning: Following that the NHS Commissioning Board shared a draft model agreement for collaborative commissioning between CCGs, asking for feedback. The final document has now been published. It is editable for your use as the basis for collaborative agreements and contains a number of guidance notes to help you through the process.
An updated data table has also been published which shows the relationship between each CCG and its providers based on acute, maternity and ambulance data.

Antidepressant heart risk confirmed

Antidepressant heart risk confirmed: Some antidepressant drugs known as SSRIs pose a very small but serious heart risk, say researchers. BBC News

You can find the related BMJ article here (requires Athens password).

NHS Employers launches first app

NHS Employers launches first app: Have all the latest NHS workforce news at your fingertips by downloading our new app.

Complaint handling in NHS Trusts

Complaint handling in NHS Trusts: This report outlines the results of an analysis which shows substantial variations in the way in which hospitals display information about how to make a complaint. It also suggests that support to patients is incomplete and unclear, with 35% of staff citing insufficient training in complaints handling as an issue. Key recommendations from the report include:  accessible information on how to make a complaint on Trusts’ websites, as well as on leaflets and posters throughout NHS hospital ward; complaints being regarded as a learning opportunity to avoid creating a culture of blame; and specific provisions for complaint-related staff training and support.

• Report
• The Patient's Association - publications

Mental health patients are being 'detained in all but name'

Mental health patients are being 'detained in all but name': The Care Quality Commission finds mental health patients denied information, and staff inadequately trained.
More people are being sectioned under the Mental Health Act and too many of those detained are subjected to unnecessary restrictions and get too little help to recover, the NHS watchdog reports today.

'We need to change the culture in the NHS'

'We need to change the culture in the NHS': Ahead of next week's Mid Staffs report, three people explain how patient safety and care could be improved.

Quality of care is an issue we all need to face up to

Quality of care is an issue we all need to face up to:  In an open letter to all NHS practitioners, the chief executive of the Foundation Trust Network outlines the challenges the NHS must tackle following the imminent Francis report.

Contraceptive cuts 'will result in 126,000 more abortions by 2020'

Contraceptive cuts 'will result in 126,000 more abortions by 2020': Cuts to contraceptive services will result in 126,000 more abortions between now and 2020, say family planning groups who argue the "short-sighted restrictions" will cost billions in the long run. The Daily Telegraph

Stiff upper lip 'ups cancer risk'

Stiff upper lip 'ups cancer risk': It might have helped the Victorians build an empire, but having a stiff upper lip could be putting Britons in mortal danger from cancer, researchers claim. The Independent

See also:

• British 'stiff upper lip' stopping patients discussing possible cancer symptoms The Daily Telegraph