Developers finally submit plans to convert fire-ravaged hospital near Duston into homes

Developers finally submit plans to convert fire-ravaged hospital near Duston into homes Long-awaited plans to demolish a fire-gutted former psychiatric hospital near Duston and replace the site with flats and houses have been submitted. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Mental-health 'serious incidents' rise

Mental-health 'serious incidents' rise More than 8,000 serious incidents were reported by mental health trusts in England last year - an increase of more than a third over a three-year period. BBC News

See also:

• Spike in mental health patient deaths shows NHS 'struggling to cope' The Guardian

NHS England to ask military veterans how to improve mental health services

NHS England to ask military veterans how to improve mental health services NHS England is asking armed forces veterans to share their experience of mental health services and help improve future care across the country.

The launch of a national survey will help improve the care available for veterans as they move from military to civilian life.

NHS 111 'missed chances to save baby'

NHS 111 'missed chances to save baby' The NHS out-of-hours helpline missed an opportunity to save the life of a baby who died from blood poisoning following a chest infection, says a damning report. BBC News

See also:

• NHS helpline 'not sensitive enough' to detect deadly child illnesses The Daily Telegraph
• NHS non-emergency helpline 'unable to identify children's deadly diseases' The Guardian

First wave of technological innovation pilots for NHS announced

First wave of technological innovation pilots for NHS announced ‘Test Bed’ projects to target elderly and those with long-term conditions and mental ill health. OnMedica

Spending on agency midwives in England

Spending on agency midwives in England This report is a result of freedom of information (FOI) requests that the RCM sent to 136 NHS trusts in England last year about spending on agency nurses. The FOI had a response rate of over 95 per cent with 130 trusts responding and it found that over 73 per cent of trusts in London with maternity services rely on agency midwives to staff their services. As a result, the spend on agency midwives has increased from £10,159,099 in 2012 to £17,849,767 in 2014 - representing an increase of almost 76 per cent. Royal College of Midwives

General practice faces nurse exodus as two thirds say they are underpaid

General practice faces nurse exodus as two thirds say they are underpaid Two thirds of practice nurses believe they are underpaid and a third plan to retire in the next five years, according to a poll that sheds new light on the deepening GP crisis. GP Online

Number of mental health nurses falls 10%

Number of mental health nurses falls 10% Labour attacks government over ‘shocking’ English figures, which show workforce shrank as demand for services surged

The number of specialist mental health nurses has fallen more than 10% over the past five years, the Guardian has learned, putting the care of rising numbers of patients at risk.

The loss of one in 10 of the entire mental health nursing workforce in England has occurred mainly in hospitals and mental health units treating some of the sickest patients, official NHS figures show.
Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• I wish I could do more to protect your loved ones in mental health crisis The Guardian
• 'I didn't matter': the long wait for mental health treatment The Guardian

Tackling mental illness early: the people being taught to spot warning signs

Tackling mental illness early: the people being taught to spot warning signs Thousands are being trained to offer timely help to those at risk, including teenagers, corporate lawyers and firefighters

Prevention is better than cure and that goes for mental health too, perhaps even more than other illnesses.

So, up and down the country, more is being done to make people aware of the risks and of what they can do to develop the psychological flexibility that can help avert mental illness. Continue reading... The Guardian

George Osborne and Bill Gates announce £3 billion pledge to fight malaria

George Osborne and Bill Gates announce £3 billion pledge to fight malaria The pledge supports the World Health Organisation's mission to reduce malaria deaths by 90% by 2030. The Independent

See also:

• The Ross Fund - Combatting the world's most serious diseases Department of Health
• Osborne pledges cash to beat malaria BBC News

Harvard and MIT close to 'cure' for Type 1 diabetes which will end daily injections

Harvard and MIT close to 'cure' for Type 1 diabetes which will end daily injections Scientists at MIT and Harvard have proven that planting insulin-producing cells into mice can completely restore insulin function for a long time. The Daily Telegraph

Hospital to turn away drunk patients so staff can focus on those who are critically ill

Hospital to turn away drunk patients so staff can focus on those who are critically ill Kent and Canterbury Hospital will send intoxicated patients elsewhere to relieve pressure on its emergency care centre. The Trust will ask ambulances not to take drunk patients there. The Daily Mail