A third of Northamptonshire's elderly have not had flu jab

A third of Northamptonshire's elderly have not had flu jab Nearly a third of over-65s in Northamptonshire are not protected against the flu.

A report by NHS England says nearly 40,000 over-65s in the county did not claim their free winter flu jab by the end of 2016. NHS England is urging the people of the county to make sure older friends and relatives claim their jab and stay protected against flu this winter. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Hospital bosses issue warning over A&E after latest figures are released

Hospital bosses issue warning over A&E after latest figures are released More than 2,000 patients were seen at Northampton General Hospital's A&E department in January, new figures have revealed. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Kettering struggles with radiology backlog after IT deployment

Kettering struggles with radiology backlog after IT deployment A Midlands regional digital radiology service is being blamed for a massive reporting backlog that has harmed at least one patient.

Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust says thousands of reports has been delayed since a new radiology and PACs system was deployed in June, 2016.

In its board papers, the trust said the backlog in CT and MRI scans had led to 68 cases of potential patient harm. So far, the trust had identified one confirmed case where the delay has caused patient harm. Digital Health

The economics of health inequality in the English NHS: the long view

The economics of health inequality in the English NHS: the long view This paper provides a historical overview of health inequality policy in England and how government policy and academic research has evolved over time in response to shifts in socioeconomic inequalities. Centre for Health Economics

'Trapped': Thousands call Childline for mental health help

'Trapped': Thousands call Childline for mental health help More than 50,000 sought mental health advice in 2016 - with girls far likelier to call than boys. BBC News

See also:

• Almost two-thirds of children worry 'all the time' BBC News

Is a 'seven-day NHS' feasible?

Is a 'seven-day NHS' feasible? The "seven-day NHS" was a key pledge of former Prime Minister David Cameron, and has been taken on by Theresa May.

Her government envisages people having access to local GPs seven days a week. It also wants patients to receive the same level of urgent and emergency care in hospitals in England at weekends, as on Mondays to Fridays.

But is this feasible? BBC News

NHS week: Nine in 10 hospitals 'overcrowded' this winter

NHS week: Nine in 10 hospitals 'overcrowded' this winter Analysis shows most hospitals have too many patients on wards, risking infections and delays in care. BBC News

See also:

• NHS gives BBC exclusive access to A&E BBC News
• NHS week: What the NHS does for you BBC News
• NHS week: What's for the chop where you live? BBC News
• NHS Health Check: Which part of the UK is doing the best? BBC News
• NHS week: How the system clogs up BBC News
• NHS Health Check: Voices from the NHS frontline BBC News
• NHS Health Check: 'How NHS changed our lives' BBC News
• Life on an NHS waiting list: Peter's story BBC News
• NHS Health Check: Short GP consultations crazy, say GPs BBC News

NHS treats or discovers Female Genital Mutilation 'every hour'

NHS treats or discovers Female Genital Mutilation 'every hour' A new case of female genital mutilation (FGM) is either discovered or treated at a medical appointment in England every hour, a charity has said.

Plan International UK said statistics provided by NHS Digital showed that between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2016, there were 8,656 attendances where FGM was identified or a procedure for FGM was undertaken. This represents an average of 23.7 attendances per day, or one attendance every 60.7 minutes. OnMedica

Theresa May urged to take ‘tangible action’ on mental health as unexpected deaths rise 50% in three years

Theresa May urged to take ‘tangible action’ on mental health as unexpected deaths rise 50% in three years Theresa May must match her promise to end the stigma around mental health problems with “tangible action”, the head of Labour’s mental health campaign has said.

Calls for the Government to honour its pledges came as it emerged the number of unexpected patient deaths reported by mental health trusts in England has risen by 50 per cent in three years. The Independent

The Guardian view on the NHS: more cash, less dog-whistling needed | Editorial

The Guardian view on the NHS: more cash, less dog-whistling needed | Editorial In launching an ugly offensive on overseas patients, the British government is trying to deflect attention from a funding crisis of its own making

Another week, another dreadful story about patients suffering at the hands of our increasingly cash-strapped NHS and care system. This time it was Iris Sibley, an 89-year-old woman kept isolated on a hospital ward for six months, despite being well enough to be discharged, because of a failure to find a suitable nursing home place. The result: not just huge financial expense for the NHS, but great human cost in distress and anxiety for Iris and her family. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• The NHS requires desperate reform and a Health Secretary who is able to carry it out The Independent

Sobbing teenagers, angry staff and threats: my week in NHS payroll

Sobbing teenagers, angry staff and threats: my week in NHS payroll Being personally responsible for the distribution of millions of pounds of public money brings many challenges

I arrive at my desk just as our manager approaches a colleague suffering from back pain and asks how she’s doing. She replies that she is in a lot of pain. Our manager responds: “I’m not interested; I’m asking if you’re going to meet your deadline. If you don’t complete your work by 10am you can explain to 5,000 people that they haven’t been paid due to your failure to do your job properly.” Continue reading... The Guardian

Maternity crisis looms over tide of retiring staff: Third of midwives are aged over 50 as Royal College say an extra 3,500 are needed to cope

Maternity crisis looms over tide of retiring staff: Third of midwives are aged over 50 as Royal College say an extra 3,500 are needed to cope Maternity services are on the brink of a crisis because so many midwives are approaching retirement, healthcare leaders warn.

A third of midwives in England are over the age of 50, around 7,200 in total, including 1,000 who are over 60.

The Royal College of Midwives also says the country needs an extra 3,500 professionals to cope with the rising birthrate. The Daily Mail

Elderly woman occupied an NHS bed for 6 MONTHS

Elderly woman occupied an NHS bed for 6 MONTHS Iris Sibley, 89, had been taken to Bristol Royal Infirmary last June after she suffered a fall at her care home. It took health officials until January 4 to find her a suitable nursing home. The Daily Mail

See also:

• The long wait BBC News
• Woman, 89, trapped on NHS ward for six months at cost of £80k as place in nursing home could not be found The Daily Telegraph
• Woman, 89, trapped in hospital for six months despite being fit to leave The Guardian
• 'Somebody has to admit the system is broken': The 89-year-old woman who sums up the NHS crisis The Independent

Every NHS trust to charge health tourists 'upfront' under law change

Every NHS trust to charge health tourists 'upfront' under law change Every NHS trust will have to charge foreign patients “upfront” unless they can prove they are eligible for non-urgent care, Jeremy Hunt has announced.

The Health Secretary said the law would be changed from April to ensure that overseas patients made a “fair contribution” to healthcare they received.

The move means anyone flying to the UK for non-urgent treatment such as a hip operation or cataract removal could now be turned away unless they agree to pay the NHS bill. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Reality Check: How much could NHS recover from foreign patients? BBC News
• Upfront charges for NHS 'health tourists' in England BBC News
• GPs could be forced to report patients' immigration status in NHS charging scheme GP Online
• BMA says foreign patient crackdown 'unworkable' OnMedica

Baby should be vaccinated against infections that can lead to meningitis despite mother's opposition, judge rules

Baby should be vaccinated against infections that can lead to meningitis despite mother's opposition, judge rules A baby should be vaccinated against infections that can lead to meningitis despite his mother's opposition, a High Court judge has ruled.

The seven-month-old boy's mother said the Haemophilus Influenza Type b (Hib) vaccine and the pneumococcal conjugate (PCV) vaccine could cause adverse reactions.

But social services staff argued the vaccinations were in the youngster's best interests because it would give him the best chance of protection against life-threatening diseases such as bacterial meningitis, pneumonia and septicaemia. The Daily Telegraph