First patient receives state of the art radiotherapy treatment for lung cancer at NGH

First patient receives state of the art radiotherapy treatment for lung cancer at NGH: Staff at Northampton General Hospital have carried out the first treatment in the county to target early-stage lung cancer with a technique called stereotactic radiotherapy. NGH News

Leading expert brought in to lead county’s child protection board

Leading expert brought in to lead county’s child protection board: The man who helped turn around the council at the centre of the Baby Peter case has been brought in as the new independent chairman of the county’s Local Safeguarding Children Board. Evening Telegraph

GP’s ‘inaction’ lost chance to save tot’s life

GP’s ‘inaction’ lost chance to save tot’s life: A mother has said it is “disgraceful” that a doctor who failed to properly examine her 19-month-son two days before he died has only been given a warning by the General Medical Council (GMC). Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Closing NHS services: the impossible job?

Closing NHS services: the impossible job?: Heart surgery verdict proves how difficult it is to change the NHS BBC News

UK smoking 'halves' in 40 years

UK smoking 'halves' in 40 years: Smoking in Britain has more than halved and people are drinking on fewer nights of the week, according to a snapshot survey covering the past 40 years. BBC News

'Postcode lottery' for NHS surgery

'Postcode lottery' for NHS surgery: The number of patients undergoing common surgical procedures varies widely across England because of funding restrictions, figures published in The Lancet show. BBC News

Patients are increasingly likely to sue GPs

Patients are increasingly likely to sue GPs:

40% rise in claims against GPs, according to the Medical Protection Society Related items from OnMedica GPs face 20% rise in negligence claims, MDU reports Negligence costs out of control Doctors under unprecedented pressure, claims MDU Only three in five NHS staff happy with care where they work Threat of prosecution could scupper transparency

Heroin and crack use falling

Heroin and crack use falling:
The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) says the numbers of people under 35 using crack and heroin in England is plummeting.
Latest figures show there were 298,752 users in 2010/11, which is the lowest since the NTA was set up 12 years ago.
When the NTA closes at the end of March and the management of substance misuse will be taken over by Public Health England (PHE), local authorities ... Healthcare Today

Nicholson could face private criminal prosecution

Nicholson could face private criminal prosecution: HSJ has reported that Sir David Nicholson could face a private criminal prosecution for corporate manslaughter over deaths at the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust.
The journal said that the NHS chief executive has been named in an application sent to Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court by retired investment banker Alan Edwards, 38, from Greenwich, London. He has applied to the court to seek permission to... Healthcare Today

NMC failed to prioritise patient safety

NMC failed to prioritise patient safety: Health Select Committee chair Stephen Dorrell has accused the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) of not understanding its function.
It has been criticised at the committee’s second nursing accountability hearing for failing to prioritise patient safety, although Mr Dorrell said he welcomed the fact that the new NMC management team was committed to addressing its failings and the latest evidence shows that its ... Healthcare Today

Venture capital firm makes £2m selling hospital to NHS

Venture capital firm makes £2m selling hospital to NHS: A venture capital firm has made £2 million selling a small hospital to the NHS, less than a year after it opened.The Daily Telegraph

Mid Staffs scandal: who buried the damning NHS reports?

Mid Staffs scandal: who buried the damning NHS reports?: Put Patients First: An MP will next week challenge former Labour Ministers to explain who suppressed three damning reports handed to the Department of Health in 2008. The Daily Telegraph

NHS must halt low aspirations and go for gold, says Hunt

NHS must halt low aspirations and go for gold, says Hunt: NHS hospitals should no longer accept "mediocrity" as the "moment has now come" for a dramatic improvement in standards, the Health Secretary warns today. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Coasting culture can kill, Jeremy Hunt warns hospitals The Independent
• NHS 'coasting' culture kills patients, says Jeremy Hunt The Guardian
• Hunt attacks 'complacent' hospitals BBC News
• Hunt – NHS is coasting with complacency Public Service

Royal Bolton Hospital deaths were 'wronglyrecorded'

Royal Bolton Hospital deaths were 'wrongly recorded': A hospital that saw a sudden leap in the number of patient deaths attributed to septicaemia had recorded the deaths wrongly, an inquiry has found. The Independent