Raunds man urges people with mental health issues to speak out

Raunds man urges people with mental health issues to speak out A man who has hidden his mental health issues for 30 years says nobody should suffer in silence.

David Beeney says he hid his anxiety disorder from the rest of the world because he feared being discriminated against, and often played the fool to mask his real feelings.

David, who is now a qualified mental health counsellor, wants to share his story to inspire others to seek help. Northamptonshire Telegraph

My cancelled Northampton General Hospital appointments have cost me £6,000, says pub boss

My cancelled Northampton General Hospital appointments have cost me £6,000, says pub boss A publican who has been unable to work after snapping his wrist bone says series of cancelled operations at Northampton General Hospital has left him in agony... and a £6,000 staff bill. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Inclusive Leadership in the NHS

Inclusive Leadership in the NHS This podcast, the first episode in a series of two, explores the theoretical side of inclusive leadership with leading experts Dan Robertson, Joan Saddler and Michelle Tuckey.

Find out about the benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace for both staff and patients, how values based leadership is key to developing a more diverse workforce, and the importance of inclusive leadership in creating inclusive workplaces. NHS Employers

NHS efficiency map

NHS efficiency map The HFMA and NHS Improvement have worked in partnership to update and revise the NHS efficiency map. The map is a tool that promotes best practice in identifying, delivering and monitoring cost improvement programmes in the NHS. The map contains links to a range of tools and guidance to help NHS bodies improve their efficiency. Healthcare Financial Management Association

NHS at risk unless government takes responsibility for crisis, warns NHS Alliance

NHS at risk unless government takes responsibility for crisis, warns NHS Alliance The NHS 'could be made to fail' if the government blames GPs for the crisis facing the health service rather than taking responsibility for it, the NHS Alliance has warned. GP Online

See also:

• New NHS Alliance responds to Theresa May’s plans for a seven-day GP service – Calls for ‘whole-system-and-wellness’ approach to current NHS pressures NHS Alliance

Record numbers of NHS frontline staff have had flu jab this winter

Record numbers of NHS frontline staff have had flu jab this winter Record numbers of NHS staff have had their flu jab this winter, official figures from Public Health England (PHE) show.

Some 594,700 (61.8%) frontline NHS staff across England were vaccinated against flu between 1 September and 31 December last year. That figure is expected to increase in January and February.

The highest level achieved by the end of February in previous winters was 541,757 (just under 55%) in 2014-15. OnMedica

From NHS Director To Mental Health Inpatient In 10 Days

From NHS Director To Mental Health Inpatient In 10 Days Mental illness will affect 1 in 4 of us during our lifetime and I guess now it’s my turn.

I am recovering from the most terrible depression that ripped the heart and soul out of me. Very unexpectedly an NHS Acute Inpatient ward in Hackney has been my home for the past 12 weeks.

As I have worked in mental health services for 29 years, one would think I would be immune to mental illness. I am a registered mental health nurse with 15 years experience as a clinician and latterly 14 years as a manager and then director. But there is no immunity; mental illness can come out of nowhere and affect anyone at any time. Huffington Post UK

Over-cooked potatoes and burnt toast could cause cancer, new research suggests

Over-cooked potatoes and burnt toast could cause cancer, new research suggests Roasting and frying starchy foods could increase the risk of cancer, a Government body has said.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a public warning over the risks of acrylamide - a chemical compound that forms in some foods when they are cooked at high temperatures (above 120C).

A new campaign tells people how they can cut their risk, including opting for a gold colour - rather than darker brown - when frying, roasting, baking, grilling or toasting.

Acrylamide is found in high levels in a range of foods including breakfast cereals (not porridge), chips, potato products (such as waffles or children's potato shapes), biscuits, crackers, crispbread and crisps. The Independent

See also:

• Families urged to 'Go for Gold' to reduce acrylamide consumption Food Standards Agency
• Is burnt toast a health risk? BBC News
• Browned toast and potatoes are 'potential cancer risk', say food scientists BBC News

Young women are now a ‘high-risk group’ for mental illness

Young women are now a ‘high-risk group’ for mental illness Psychological distress in women aged 16-24 is at an all-time high, with record numbers admitting to harming themselves to relieve their distress, according to an alarming study.

Experts say young women are now a “high-risk group” and point to links between mental illness and violence or sexual abuse, and possible pressures from the rise of social media. This has prompted calls from researchers for more funding to protect the nation’s mental health.

The Adult Psychiatric Morbidity survey of mental health and wellbeing, carried out every seven years across England, reveals soaring rates of mental illness among young women, who are suffering from a range of common mental health problems, including depression and anxiety. Despite going to their GP for help, only 20% received treatment in the last 12 months, according to the study. The Guardian

NHS transformation plans are beset by infighting

NHS transformation plans are beset by infighting Negotiations on reforms must be built on trust, otherwise there is little chance of escaping the relentless cycle of crisis management and short-term fixes

Behind the vision documents and targets, what is really going on inside the sustainability and transformation plan (STP) process?

A clinical commissioner outside one meeting was overheard asking: “How are we going to shaft the acute?” But elsewhere there is a growing recognition that old-style NHS infighting is a big part of the problem. For there to be any chance of ensuring services have a viable future, local leaders are increasingly trying to understand what skills they need to run health and care as a system.

Related: Sustainability and transformation plans are 'least bad option' for NHS

They are thinking, ‘What if we behave as doves and they behave as hawks?’ They are worried they might … be taken advantage of Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• A lethal combination of secrecy and jargon has overshadowed NHS plans The Guardian

The true cost of NHS staff sick days

The true cost of NHS staff sick days Hospital staff calling in sick costs the NHS more than £1 billion a year, shocking new statistics show.

Overworked paramedics, nurses and midwives are being forced to take time off to cope with the current crisis, experts have warned.

Despite having a budget of £116.4 billion, a range of services are constantly being scuppered to help combat its growing deficit.

And this increasing pressure on staff to make up for the slashes is forcing the NHS to waste their own diminished budget on providing sick pay, MailOnline can exclusively reveal. The Daily Mail

Winter crisis deepens despite drop in numbers attending A&E units

Winter crisis deepens despite drop in numbers attending A&E units New figures show a deepening winter crisis across the NHS with 52 Accident & Emergency departments ordering ambulances to be diverted to other hospitals.

The record high comes despite a significant drop in the number of patients arriving at casualty units, following repeated advice to stay away unless need is severe.

The figure is almost twice the 27 recorded in the same week last year.

And 45 per cent of NHS trusts in England declared a major alert last week as services came under pressure.

Sixty-eight trusts out of 152 raised the alarm at least once due to bed shortages and problems managing the flow of patients through A&E. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Bed-blocking: 'Managers ask how long patient will live' BBC News
• Fifty-two NHS hospitals sent patients elsewhere in busiest week yet The Guardian