KGH working around the clock to clear scan results backlog

KGH working around the clock to clear scan results backlog Kettering General Hospital says it is working additional weekend hours in an attempt to clear a backlog of people waiting for scan results. Northamptonshire Telegraph

NGH to announce cancelled appointments caused by upcoming doctors strikes

NGH to announce cancelled appointments caused by upcoming doctors strikes Northampton General Hospital is planning to cancel some operations as a result of the planned strikes by junior doctors. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Compassionate leadership in health and social care

Compassionate leadership in health and social care If you were to ask any member of the public what they want from health and social care, it’s likely that compassion from the staff who provide care would be high on their wish list. But in order to establish compassionate cultures that manifest on the front line, we need to begin with compassionate leadership. The King's Fund

GMC says patients will suffer if junior doctors' strikes go ahead

GMC says patients will suffer if junior doctors' strikes go ahead The body that regulates the medical profession has warned that patients will suffer if junior doctors in England go ahead with a series of five one-day strikes next week.

The General Medical Council said the scale of the action, planned at such short notice, could not be justified.

The first of four five-day walkouts is due to begin from 12 to 16 September, with the last being in mid-December.

Junior doctors are striking over a new contract which is being imposed.

The GMC has set out advice to doctors before next week's series of one-day strikes. BBC News

See also:

• Junior doctor contract negotiations Department of Health
• Junior doctors row: Medical leaders condemn strikes BBC News
• Theresa May tells junior doctors the Government is not backing down as BMA plans strikes The Daily Mail
• Only one in three doctors support strike reveals leaked document The Daily Mail
• Junior Doctors plan 15 days of more strikes before Christmas The Daily Mail
• Junior doctors are going to war with their patients The Daily Telegraph
• Head of GMC pleads with doctors' union to call off strike, warning hospitals can't provide 'safe service' The Daily Telegraph
• Junior doctors will harm our patients and our NHS if they back the BMA's unethical strikes The Daily Telegraph
• Impact of junior doctors' strikes will be even worse than predicted The Daily Telegraph
• The junior doctors' row overshadows the real danger of an unfunded seven-day NHS The Daily Telegraph
• Junior doctors will betray patients and the NHS by striking more. They should listen to the grown-ups The Daily Telegraph
• Junior doctors could be struck off over industrial action, warns GMC The Guardian
The Observer view on the BMA and the junior doctors’ dispute | Observer editorial The Guardian
• Junior doctors may desert NHS over contract, says union boss The Guardian
• Patients' groups criticise five-day junior doctors strike The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt has got it wrong: junior doctors are not the enemy within The Guardian
• Labour defends junior doctors against 'militant and overpaid' portrayal The Guardian
• So, junior doctors, what exactly is it you’re striking for? The Guardian
• Unite doctors dismayed at decision not to ballot GPs on industrial action OnMedica
• Senior doctors query ramping up of juniors’ strike action OnMedica

No understanding'

No understanding' A culture of shame among South Asians is a barrier to members of the community with mental illness accessing help, says cricketer Monty Panesar. BBC News

Jeremy Hunt said 'what will the Daily Mail say?' when told about funding of HIV prevention drug

Jeremy Hunt said 'what will the Daily Mail say?' when told about funding of HIV prevention drug Fear of a public and right-wing media backlash could be holding back the funding of a new “game-changing” preventative HIV treatment, according to the leader of the drug's clinical trial.

The High Court last month overturned NHS England’s claim that it did not have the power to fund the prescription of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) pills to people at high risk of HIV infection.

NHS England is appealing the ruling, which sparked angry criticism from right-wing politicians and commentators – with some dubbing the new treatment a “lifestyle drug” and “promiscuity pill”, reported the Daily Mail.


In an interview with The Independent, Professor Sheena McCormack said the Government risks being influenced by public outrage instead of making a “straightforward, everyday business decision” according to clinical evidence and costs. The Independent

Welsh 'deemed consent' organ donation system shows promising results

Welsh 'deemed consent' organ donation system shows promising results Health officials encouraged by rise in organ donation consent rate from 49% to 59%, which may signal change in attitude

The number of families agreeing that their loved ones’ organs can be donated for transplantation may be rising more quickly in Wales than other parts of the UK following the introduction of agroundbreaking new consent system, new figures suggest.

Health officials and ministers in Wales are encouraged by how the so-called “deemed consent” system is working and NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has said the picture in Wales is promising. Continue reading... The Guardian

Plans to deny surgery to obese patients and smokers put on hold

Plans to deny surgery to obese patients and smokers put on hold Vale of York NHS group to review policy that would mean overweight patients and smokers waiting up to a year for elective surgery

A health authority that suggested it would deny non-life-threatening surgery to the obese and smokers has said it will put its proposals on hold.

The plans by Vale of York clinical commissioning group (CCG) could have meant that patients who exceed a body mass index (BMI) of 30 would face delays in receiving some NHS surgery for up to a year.Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Obese patients 'surgery ban' in York to be reviewed BBC News
• Obese patients and smokers banned from all routine operations by hospital in 'most severe' rationing ever The Daily Telegraph
• Hospitals to cut costs by denying surgery to smokers and the obese The Guardian
• Obese people and smokers 'banned from routine surgery' as NHS attempts to cut spending costs The Independent

Zika could infect 2.5 BILLION: World Health Organisation warns virus remains an 'international health emergency' as it spreads to new countries

Zika could infect 2.5 BILLION: World Health Organisation warns virus remains an 'international health emergency' as it spreads to new countries New analysis of travel, climate and mosquito patters in parts of Asia and Africa found people in these regions were particularly at risk as Malaysia reported its first case of the virus. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Billions at potential risk from Zika virus in Africa and Asia NHS Choices
• No Zika cases from Olympics, says WHO BBC News
• Zika: Two billion at risk in Africa and Asia, study says BBC News
• In the race for a Zika cure, politics may not be working – but science is The Guardian
• Zika: More than two billion people at risk of catching virus around the world, study shows The Independent

NHS accused of delaying giving free running blades to amputee children

NHS accused of delaying giving free running blades to amputee children The National Health Service has been accused of delaying giving free running blades to amputee children on the eve of the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

George Osborne, the former Chancellor, unveiled a £1.5million fund to pay for new running blades in his Budget five months ago in March.

However, with the Paralympics starting next week, the Department of Health has admitted that the cash has still not been spent. The Daily Telegraph