Clinicalskills Net trial - still time to give your views

Clinicalskills Net trial - still time to give your views:

 As we previously mentioned in our Web Site of the Month feature, our trial of Clinicalskills.Net runs until the end of March, so there is still time for you to have a look at the package and give us your feedback.

Lots of staff have already told us their views but we are keen to have the widest possible feedback before deciding on if we should purchase it.

To gain access to Clinicalskills.net please see The Street for NGH staff or The Hub for NHFT staff, or contact one of the libraries.

We really would like to know what you think...

Union criticises ambulance policy

Union criticises ambulance policy: A union criticises the standard of care offered by some new front line ambulance staff. BBC Northamptonshire

County ambulance station proposals published

County ambulance station proposals published: Kettering will house the only fully equipped ambulance station in north Northamptonshire, according to plans published by the East Midlands Ambulance Trust (EMAS). Evening Telegraph

New ‘gold’ lung cancer care at Northampton hospital

New ‘gold’ lung cancer care at Northampton hospital: Staff at Northampton General Hospital are pioneering a new way of treating lung cancer which involves implanting a small piece of gold into a patient’s tumour. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Tough times, tough choices

Tough times, tough choices: This report sets out four ‘tough choices’ faced by the NHS and what the impact of each could mean for patients and local services. The four tough choices identified are: do nothing; spend more; do more for less; and do things differently. It highlights the increasing pressure the NHS has come under to maintain funding in line with demand. The report is accompanied by two factsheets providing an overview of NHS funding.

• Report
• Briefing
• Overview of NHS finances factsheet
• How does the financial situation compare? factsheet

See also:

• NHS could charge fee to call out the doctor The Daily Telegraph
• Four options for reviving the NHS The Guardian

Drug-resistant pandemic flu warning

Drug-resistant pandemic flu warning: Australian experts are concerned about a new type of drug-resistant pandemic flu that is circulating in the population at large. BBC News

See also:

• Virus responsible for swine flu pandemic becoming increasingly resistant to Tamiflu The Independent
• Swine flu 'growing in resistance' to Tamiflu The Daily Telegraph

Basic care for elderly 'lacking'

Basic care for elderly 'lacking': Basic care for the elderly in hospitals and care homes in England is still not good enough, the regulator says. BBC News

The NHS: the envy of the world?

The NHS: the envy of the world?: This paper provides an analysis of a survey carried out by ICM on behalf of Civitas. The poll examined the public's attitudes towards the NHS in relation to other healthcare systems and private provider involvement in the NHS.

• Analysis
• Survey results
• Civitas - news

h A framework for sexual health improvement in England

h A framework for sexual health improvement in England: This framework sets out the government’s ambitions for improving sexual health. It is designed to be used by local organisations when they are looking at how best to provide sexual health services in their area.It aims to provide the information, evidence base and support tools to enable those involved in sexual health improvement to work together effectively.

• Guidance
• Department of Health - news

Social media highway code

Social media highway code: This publication aims to help UK doctors navigate their way around the ethical and confidentiality dilemmas of social media. It is intended to help and encourage healthcare professionals to communicate effectively using various social media channels, whilst adhering to the conventions that their patients, their colleagues and the public might reasonably expect.

• Guidance
• RCGP - news

Snap inspections expose scandal of 'institutionalised abuse' in care homes and hospitals

Snap inspections expose scandal of 'institutionalised abuse' in care homes and hospitals: A landmark programme of unannounced inspections in hospitals and care homes has found that more than a third are still failing to respect elderly people's basic dignity, despite a series of scandals. The Daily Telegraph

Ministers 'ploughing on regardless' with GP contract reform

Ministers 'ploughing on regardless' with GP contract reform: Ministers have been accused of risking the care of patients by "ploughing on ahead" with reforms to the GP contract, regardless of grassroot concerns. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Consultation on GP contract 2013/14: government response

Gagged NHS whistleblowers will be allowed to speak out, Sir David Nicholson says

Gagged NHS whistleblowers will be allowed to speak out, Sir David Nicholson says: Hundreds of whistleblowers are free to come forward with damaging disclosures about NHS after gagging orders were lifted. The Daily Telegraph

Hip fracture patients suffering 'indefensible postcode lottery'

Hip fracture patients suffering 'indefensible postcode lottery': Hip fracture patients across Britain are suffering an "indefensible" postcode lottery of care, according to a report that shows a threefold difference in average length of hospital stay. The Daily Telegraph

Former chief nurse at scandal-hit Stafford Hospital failed to ensure adequate staff levels, hearing told

Former chief nurse at scandal-hit Stafford Hospital failed to ensure adequate staff levels, hearing told:
A former chief nurse at scandal-hit Stafford Hospital was a "bully" who intimidated staff and "wholly failed" in her management responsibilities in areas such as ensuring adequate staffing levels, a disciplinary hearing has been told. The Independent