Thirty per cent of staff on one Northampton General Hospital ward are temps

Thirty per cent of staff on one Northampton General Hospital ward are temps Temporary workers make up almost a third of the staff on one Northampton General Hospital ward, figures show. Hospital board papers revealed that in August, three out of 10 staff on Allebone ward were either bank or agency workers. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Breast cancer 'research gap' warning

Breast cancer 'research gap' warning Ten "critical" gaps in knowledge about how breast cancer spreads and evades therapy must be addressed, say leading experts. BBC News

See also:

• Breast cancer research ‘can save 180,000 lives’ by 2030 - if researchers follow our recommendations - says charity The Independent

Global war on drugs failing - report

Global war on drugs failing - report Illegal drugs are now cheaper and purer than at any time over the last 20 years, suggesting the global "war on drugs" has failed, researchers warn. BBC News

PM promises more flexible GP hours

PM promises more flexible GP hours David Cameron says he wants more patients in England to have the chance to visit a GP outside work hours, with a £50m pilot to run in nine areas. BBC News

See also:

• Press release: Seven day, 8am – 8pm, GP access for hard-working people Department of Health
• Jeremy Hunt pledges £50m for GP Skype sessions and telephone consultations The Independent
• Plan for GP surgeries to open seven days a week The Daily Telegraph

Investment in general practice 2008/9 - 2012/13

Investment in general practice The report draws on information obtained from country level financial monitoring reports from UK health departments and other information from NHS England, NHS Employers and the British Medical Association. Health and Social Care Information Centre

Mental health professionals’ competency tool

Mental health professionals’ competency tool The tool is designed to enable social worker AMHPs to map their continuing professional development targets to the standards of proficiency of the Health and Care Professions Council. The College of Social Work

Info standards site launched

Info standards site launched A new website dedicated to information standards in health and social care has been launched today. E-Health Insider

More data on survival with new skin cancer drug

More data on survival with new skin cancer drug “A cure for skin cancer,” trumpets The Mail on Sunday’s front page, with the announcement of a “historic breakthrough as 'spectacular' drugs bring hope to thousands”.

The Mail’s story was prompted by results discussed at the European Cancer Congress. The news is based on a “pooling” of longer-term data from trials in which people with advanced melanoma (where the cancer has spread to other parts of the body) received the new drug ipilimumab.

General Medical Council to investigate ‘culture of fear’ after doctor suicides

General Medical Council to investigate ‘culture of fear’ after doctor suicides The General Medical Council (GMC) is to re-examine the cases of a number of doctors who committed suicide while being investigated for their fitness to practise. The Independent