Research shows Northamptonshire veterans are seeking help for mental health support more quickly

Research shows Northamptonshire veterans are seeking help for mental health support more quickly New research has shown there has been a dramatic fall in the time taken for Northamptonshire veterans to seek mental health support. Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph

Chance to tell the council why we are obese

Chance to tell the council why we are obese Northamptonshire County Council wants to know what county residents think are the reasons the population is becoming increasingly overweight. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Guidance: Introduction of shingles vaccine for people aged 70 and 79 years

Guidance: Introduction of shingles vaccine for people aged 70 and 79 years From 1 September 2013, we plan to:

• offer routine vaccinations to people aged 70 years old to provide protection against shingles
• introduce a catch-up immunisation programme for people aged 79 years

The effectiveness of the vaccine declines with age and so it is not recommended for people aged 80 years or older. Department of Health

See also:

• Guidance: Shingles (herpes zoster): the green book, chapter 28a Department of Health

• Guidance: Shingles vaccination: training slideset for healthcare professionals Department of Health

• Guidance: Vaccination against shingles for adults: Q&As for healthcare professionals Department of Health

Government delays decision on plain packaging of tobacco products

Government delays decision on plain packaging of tobacco products The government has decided to delay any decision on introducing plain packaging for tobacco products in England until it has more evidence on how successful the move has been in Australia, which rolled out the policy in January this year. OnMedica News

See also:

• Downing Street denies claims Tory party adviser influenced U-turn on plain cigarette packets The Daily Telegraph
• David Cameron told to sack strategy chief over link to tobacco giants The Guardian
• Tory strategist Lynton Crosby chaired tobacco meeting last year, says Labour The Guardian
• Tories dismiss tobacco link 'smears' BBC News
• AUDIO: Plain cigarette packets 'will work' BBC News
• Press release: Consultation on standardised packaging of tobacco products Department of Health
• Consultation outcome: Standardised packaging of tobacco products Department of Health

NHS failings 'being suppressed'

NHS failings 'being suppressed' An independent expert on mortality rates suggests that ministers have suppressed details of NHS failings to avoid losing votes. BBC News

See also:

• 13,000 died needlessly at 14 worst NHS trusts The Daily Telegraph
• Labour's 'denial machine' over hospital death rates The Daily Telegraph
• Andy Burnham rejects Tory criticism over past NHS failings The Guardian
• NHS braces for onslaught from Jeremy Hunt in run-up to report on care failure The Guardian

Diabetes kidney damage test 'missed'

Diabetes kidney damage test 'missed' A quarter of people with diabetes do not get the kidney checks they need to detect early signs of damage, a charity suggests. BBC News

80 per cent of major disease deaths are avoidable

80 per cent of major disease deaths are avoidable The difference in life expectancy between the richest and poorest parts of England is now 17 years Public Service

NHS England gets £200,000 fine

NHS England gets £200,000 fine NHS England has been issued with a £200,000 fine from the Information Commissioner's Office after a former PCT was found to have breached the Data Protection Act. E-Health Insider

See also:

• NHS Surrey fined £200000 after losing patients' records BBC News
• ICO fines NHS Surrey £200000 after 3000 patient records sold on eBay Computing
• Patient records sold online – NHS fined £200k Public Service

Six lives: progress report on healthcare for people with learning disabilities

Six lives: progress report on healthcare for people with learning disabilities This progress report finds that whilst some improvements have been made, people with learning disabilities are still experiencing poor care, and face unacceptable inequalities in health and social care.

• Report
• Department of Health - news

See also:

• No review board into early deaths of patients with learning disabilities The Guardian

British child death rates are 'a major crisis', says paediatricians' leader

British child death rates are 'a major crisis', says paediatricians' leader Lack of specialists and GPs with paediatric skills mean preventable deaths twice as high as in other western nations.

NHS faces repeat of A&E winter crisis if plans not drawn up, hospitals warn

NHS faces repeat of A&E winter crisis if plans not drawn up, hospitals warn The NHS faces a repeat of last winter's crisis in accident and emergency units because health officials have yet to draw up plans to cope with rising patient admissions and find the money to help struggling hospitals, it has emerged.

Jeremy Hunt to send 'hit squads' to hospitals where thousands died needlessly

Jeremy Hunt to send 'hit squads' to hospitals where thousands died needlessly Health Secretary will this week send in "hit squads" to as many as 10 hospital trusts where thousands of patients died needlessly. The Daily Telegraph

Neighbourhood watch groups should provide care to 'miserable and lonely' pensioners, says health minister

Neighbourhood watch groups should provide care to 'miserable and lonely' pensioners, says health minister Neighbourhood watch groups should be responsible for providing care to more than a million "miserable and lonely" pensioners, the health minister has said. The Daily Telegraph

Liverpool Care Pathway: Controversial 'end-of-life' regime for dying patients 'to be replaced'

Liverpool Care Pathway: Controversial 'end-of-life' regime for dying patients 'to be replaced' The use of a controversial end-of-life regime should be phased out, an independent review is likely to say. The Independent

See also:

• Treatment of every Liverpool Pathway patient to be reviewed The Daily Telegraph
• Liverpool Care Pathway to be axed in favour of individual treatment plans The Daily Telegraph
• Liverpool care pathway for dying patients to be scrapped after review The Guardian
• Catalogue of abuse that killed off the Care Pathway: Ministers acted after inquiry found vulnerable patients were so dehydrated they had to suck on sponges The Daily Mail
• Death pathway 'should be phased out' BBC News