Former nurses given guaranteed job offer in new recruitment drive at Northampton General Hospital

Former nurses given guaranteed job offer in new recruitment drive at Northampton General Hospital A new campaign to encourage former nurses to return to practice has been launched by Northampton General Hospital and the University of Northampton. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Nine new ambulances could be on the way for Northamptonshire

Nine new ambulances could be on the way for Northamptonshire A loan of £1.2m from the wider NHS could be set to pay for nine new ambulances to cover Northamptonshire. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Change is good for patients and Allied Health Professionals – Helen Marriott

Change is good for patients and Allied Health Professionals – Helen Marriott The Allied Health Professions Medicines Project Lead at NHS England gives her views on the impact new legislation relating to prescribing, supply and administration of medicines will bring to the quality of care patients receive from eligible Allied Health Professions (AHPs). NHS England

See also:

• Changes in medicines legislation for Dietitians, Orthoptists and Therapeutic Radiographers NHS England
• New legislation will increase independent prescribing OnMedica

Thousands of NHS posts lie vacant

Thousands of NHS posts lie vacant Tens of thousands of nursing and doctor posts are vacant and many NHS trusts are looking overseas to fill them, according to a BBC Freedom of Information request. BBC News

See also:

• Health trusts reveal thousands of doctor and nursing vacancies The Daily Mail
• Thousands of NHS doctor and nursing posts are vacant The Daily Telegraph

Tech could offer the NHS 'quick wins'

Tech could offer the NHS 'quick wins' The relationship between the NHS and information technology has not always been smooth.

But, in this week's Scrubbing Up Dr Rob Watson says we shouldn't give up hope - and there is potential for technology to improve the way the health service works, for doctors and patients. BBC News

Ebola nurse discharged from hospital

Ebola nurse discharged from hospital Scots nurse Pauline Cafferkey is discharged from a London hospital after being admitted for a third time since contracting Ebola. BBC News

More tooth decay among English children

More tooth decay among English children The number of children in England having their teeth removed because of decay has increased for the fourth year in a row, figures suggest. BBC News

See also:

• A nation of rotten teeth: Extractions in young children soar by 10% in four years - with sugar-laden diets to blame  The Daily Mail
• Decayed teeth removed from 128,000 children in England since 2011 The Guardian

Cold homes cost the NHS £1billion a year: Every health trust wastes £27,000 a day treating patients with preventable illnesses, says charity

Cold homes cost the NHS £1billion a year: Every health trust wastes £27,000 a day treating patients with preventable illnesses, says charity Every health trust wastes more than £27,000 a day treating patients with health problems caused by living in cold housing, a charity has said. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Cold homes claiming needless lives and costing every local Health and Wellbeing Board in England over £27,000 each day National Energy Action

Junior doctors will boycott review into poor morale

Junior doctors will boycott review into poor morale Medics’ representatives say they won’t discuss morale during dispute over pay and hours, which the review ignores

Junior doctors are preparing to boycott a review into falling morale among medics, the Guardian understands, casting doubt on the inquiry, which was announced on the same day the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, vowed to impose a controversial new contract.

The Department of Health may now be forced to overhaul the terms of the independent review of junior doctors’ poor morale, announced by Hunt earlier this month. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Junior doctor morale review ordered by Jeremy Hunt in disarray after medics threaten to withdraw cooperation The Independent
• Junior doctor calls Jeremy Hunt a 'liar' over claims strike will endanger patient safety The Independent

Childhood obesity strategy delayed further, government admits

Childhood obesity strategy delayed further, government admits Campaigners say delay in publication is ‘unforgivable’ and fear tax on sugary drinks will be rejected

The already delayed childhood obesity strategy will not be published until the summer, the government has said, and campaigners say it is unlikely to include a sugar tax.

“It is a very complex issue and there is a lot of work going on to get it right,” said a Department of Health spokesperson. “There are a lot of different issues that need considering and we want to make sure it is right when we put it out. David Cameron and Jeremy Hunt have said they want it to be a game-changing moment.” Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• How did Britain get so fat? The Daily Telegraph
• GP leaders condemn obesity strategy delay OnMedica

Ambulances referred by NHS 111 service deliberately delayed under secret trust policy, inquiry finds

Ambulances referred by NHS 111 service deliberately delayed under secret trust policy, inquiry finds Ambulances dispatched after people called the NHS 111 helpline were deliberately delayed under a secret policy authorised by a senior health service executive, a leaked report seen by The Daily Telegraph reveals.

Up to 20,000 patients were subject to deliberate delays under the covert operation, which forced high-risk cases in the South East to automatically wait up to twice as long if their call was referred from the helpline.

See also:

• Our response to Daily Mail story about 111 service Care Quality Commission