Wednesday 31 December 2014

Northamptonshire folk urged to dial 999 in ‘emergencies only’ - after rise in ambulance calls

Northamptonshire folk urged to dial 999 in ‘emergencies only’ - after rise in ambulance calls

People in Northamptonshire are being urged to dial 999 only in ‘genuine emergencies’ because freezing conditions are putting a strain on the ambulance service. Northampton Chronicle

Admissions to Kettering General Hospital up by a fifth during Christmas period

Admissions to Kettering General Hospital up by a fifth during Christmas period

Kettering General Hospital has faced a 20 per cent rise in the number of people being admitted to accident and emergency since Christmas. Northampton Telegraph

Frontline NHS staff given honours

Frontline NHS staff given honours

A host of frontline NHS staff are among those recognised in the New Year Honour's list. BBC News

Ebola screening tests under scrutiny

Ebola screening tests under scrutiny

Checks for medics returning to the UK after treating Ebola patients are to be reviewed after they cleared a nurse later diagnosed with the virus. BBC News

News story: Ebola contact tracing underway

News story: Ebola contact tracing underway

Public Health England (PHE) is undertaking contact tracing following the confirmed case of Ebola in a healthcare worker returning from Sierra Leone, and as of 6pm on 30 December 2014, has spoken to 63 passengers.

The person had left Sierra Leone on 28 December and had been a passenger on flight AT596 from Freetown to Casablanca, flight AT0800 from Casablanca to London, and transferred at Heathrow to flight BA1478 for onward travel to Glasgow.

Although the risk of infection to other passengers on the flights is considered extremely low, PHE is contacting 132 passengers, and the crew on the flight from Casablanca to Heathrow. Health Protection Scotland is carrying out a similar exercise for the 71 passengers on the Heathrow to Glasgow flight, speaking with 56 to date.

People contacted by Public Health England will be made aware that a person on their flight was confirmed with Ebola after they returned to the UK, although the person would have been in the very early stages of disease and extremely unlikely to be infectious.

First Ebola case linked to bat play

First Ebola case linked to bat play

The Ebola victim who triggered the current outbreak - a two year old boy from a small village in Guinea - may have been infected by playing in a hollow tree housing a colony of bats, say scientists. BBC News

Skin implant replaces the Pill: New chip lasts for 16 years and can be turned off by remote control when you want to conceive 

Skin implant replaces the Pill: New chip lasts for 16 years and can be turned off by remote control when you want to conceive 

Scientists have invented an electronic chip that when slipped under the skin releases daily doses of contraceptive, freeing a woman from the need to remember to take the pill. Mail

David Cameron still more trusted on NHS than Ed Miliband, survey shows

David Cameron still more trusted on NHS than Ed Miliband, survey shows


Labour’s lead as most trusted party on issue falls to three points, while two-thirds of voters willing to pay more tax for NHS

Voters still trust David Cameron more than Ed Miliband on the NHS, despite Labour having made the health service the main focus of its campaigning since the summer, a survey shows.

The ComRes poll shows that 22% say the prime minister is the party leader they most trust to manage the NHS, while 20% name the Labour leader. Guardian

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Guidance: Mental Health Treatment - Supporting Integrated Delivery guidance

Guidance: Mental Health Treatment - Supporting Integrated Delivery guidance

The guidance reflects the changes to responsibility for probation services in England and Wales from 2014 resulting from the Government’s Transforming Rehabilitation reforms and the Offender Rehabilitation Act 2014. Information on who to contact for further information is also included. Public Health England

Poulter announces DWP prescription check

Poulter announces DWP prescription check

The government is planning to give High Street pharmacists access to Department of Work and Pensions IT systems to check whether patients in England are entitled to free prescriptions. EHI News

Care & Support Public Information Campaign Materials

Care & Support Public Information Campaign Materials

The Department of Health and Public Health England are working to help raise public awareness of the Care and Support reforms being introduced in April 2015 and into 2016.

A public information campaign is underway to help ensure those who are affected by the reforms (existing care and support service users, people approaching the point of need and carers) are aware of the changes, and know where to go for further information.

This page has been developed to host a range of campaign materials for trusted partners to download and cascade through their individual networks.