Healthwatch Northamptonshire produces a report in which patients say Northampton General Hospital 'did not meet the standard' expected

Healthwatch Northamptonshire produces a report in which patients say Northampton General Hospital 'did not meet the standard' expected Healthwatch Northamptonshire has released a report on patient experience at Northampton General Hospital coincides with the publication of the Care Quality Commission’s inspection report on the hospital.

The report captures the views, opinions and reported experiences of patients during 2012 and 2013 who talked to Healthwatch Northamptonshire during that time. Northampton Herald and Post

One year on, new commissioning groups are an improvement on their predecessors but do not reflect the views of members, say GPs

One year on, new commissioning groups are an improvement on their predecessors but do not reflect the views of members, say GPs Less than half of GPs feel decisions made by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), the doctor-led bodies created by the NHS reforms to hold local health budgets, reflect their views, suggests a survey by the Nuffield Trust and The King’s Fund. However, the research also suggests that three times as many GPs think they can influence the work of their CCG than could influence their predecessors – primary care trusts. The King's Fund

See also:

• How engaged are CCG members one year on? The King's Fund

When it comes to person-centred care, do we need measurement or feedback? Part 1

When it comes to person-centred care, do we need measurement or feedback? Part 1 Measurement in healthcare is highly complex and subject to a range of human factors, so how do you start to measure something as contextually sensitive and elusive as person-centeredness? asks Darshan Patel. The Health Foundation

How to ensure the right people, with the right skills, are in the right place at the right time

How to ensure the right people, with the right skills, are in the right place at the right time This guidance has been jointly issued by NHS England and the Care Quality Commission in order to help deliver on the commitments associated with publishing staffing data regarding nursing, midwifery and care staff levels. NHS England

• Guidance
• Staffing letter
• Table of actions
• Frequently asked questions

See also:

• Safe staffing expectations and guidance issued NHS Employers

High air pollution 'set to spread'

High air pollution 'set to spread' High levels of air pollution which have been affecting parts of England are set to get worse and spread, the government warns. BBC News

Fears over dementia diagnosis push

Fears over dementia diagnosis push Questions are being raised about the government's drive in England to increase dementia diagnosis rates. BBC News

AUDIO: Mental health care 'needs transforming'

AUDIO: Mental health care 'needs transforming' Dr Peter Aitken, from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, says the NHS needs a "significant transformation" in mental health care. BBC News

Call to make 5 a day fruit and veg into '7 a day'

Call to make 5 a day fruit and veg into '7 a day' “7 a day fruit and veg 'saves lives’” reports BBC News, while The Daily Telegraph states that “10 portions of fruit and vegetables per day” is best.

The headlines have been prompted by the results of a UK-based study that used information on more than 65,000 randomly selected adults who were participating in the Health Survey for England.

This is an ongoing health survey that looks at health and lifestyle factors such as fruit and vegetable consumption. The researchers followed up participants for an average of 7.7 years after their initial participation.

The researchers found that eating fruit and vegetables was associated with a lower risk of death from any cause, looking especially at deaths as a result of cardiovascular disease and cancer. The higher a person's intake of fruit and vegetables, the greater the protective effects seemed to be.

Unnecessary jobs in the NHS

Unnecessary jobs in the NHS This briefing is the result of Freedom of Information requests submitted to NHS organisations regarding non-clinical NHS staff roles. The Taxpayers' Alliance

• Briefing
• Data by region and highest pay

Politicians ‘lack will’ to tackle challenges faced by NHS

Politicians ‘lack will’ to tackle challenges faced by NHS Survey shows eight out of ten MPs feel changes to the NHS are essential. OnMedica

See also:

• Nearly half of politicians think 'free' NHS is in jeopardy NHS Confederation
• Members survey findings NHS Confederation

Community treatment orders simply don’t work

Community treatment orders simply don’t work Community Treatment Orders (CTOs) were introduced in the UK in the last revisions of the Mental Health Act. They are highly controversial, and unpopular amongst the mental health community. They clearly impact on an individual’s Human Rights. Interestingly, they cannot enforce a treatment but can require an individual to return to hospital or a place of treatment. [read the full story...] The Mental Elf

Why technology is no longer a barrier in the NHS

Why technology is no longer a barrier in the NHS IT has had a difficult past in the health service, but using it to increase efficiency remains a priority

The relationship between IT and the NHS has often been one fraught with misunderstanding and disaster.Take the infamous IT programme, Connecting for Health, as an example; it aimed to make accurate patient records available to NHS staff at all times but was abandoned in 2013 after costing the taxpayer nearly £10bn. Successful IT is built around patient care, not technology, and if you get this right, clinicians will be demanding it, not resisting it. The Guardian

Focus on wellbeing an alternative cure for the NHS's ills

Focus on wellbeing an alternative cure for the NHS's ills Better prevention, as well as better treatment, can be achieved by government departments joining forces

The Department of Health (DH) faces an enormous challenge: how to meet ever-increasing demand from an ageing society while public spending increases no faster than inflation. And maybe less fast: last month's budget implies further public expenditure cuts, to meet the government's deficit targets.

The "solution" most often proposed is further below-inflation pay rises for NHS staff, more reconfiguration of hospitals and new ways of enhancing productivity. There is no alternative? Well, actually this time there is: but it involves a radical change of focus, a Whitehall shakeup, and some tough spending choices. The Guardian

NHS ‘bad eggs’ could be struck off under new regulation plans drawn up by the Law Commission in response to Mid-Staffs scandal

NHS ‘bad eggs’ could be struck off under new regulation plans drawn up by the Law Commission in response to Mid-Staffs scandal

NHS staff who perform poorly in their job could face being struck off, under wide-ranging plans drawn up by the Law Commission. The Independent

New NHS chief warns of the burden of an ageing population

New NHS chief warns of the burden of an ageing population The traditional way some NHS services are delivered "no longer makes much sense", Simon Stevens will say, as he warns that a massive "effort" is needed to relieve pressure on the organisation because of the growing elderly population. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Full text of Simon Stevens’ speech NHS England
• Can Simon Stevens build a coalition for change? The King's Fund
• NHS must do more to help people stay healthy, says new boss The Daily Telegraph