Hospital staff in Northampton await decision on cancelled salary rise

Hospital staff in Northampton await decision on cancelled salary rise Staff at a St Andrews Hospital are awaiting a decision on whether their postponed pay rises will be reinstated. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Pupils 'suffering in silence' with mental health issues, University of Northampton expert warns

Pupils 'suffering in silence' with mental health issues, University of Northampton expert warns Schools must put the mental health of their pupils at the top of their agenda, a lecturer at the University of Northampton said in a new report for the Government. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Adult social care: a pre-budget report

Adult social care: a pre-budget report This report calls on the Chancellor to bring forward £1.5bn funding from the improved Better Care Fund to make up for the shortfall in adult social care funding. The report also calls on the government to commit to closing the funding gap for the rest of parliament through to 2020 and highlights the urgent need for a cross-party review on the provision and funding of social care in the long-term. House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee

Government urged to tackle 999 ambulance abuse callers

Government urged to tackle 999 ambulance abuse callers Calls have been made for harsher penalties to protect ambulance control room workers from abusive callers.

Figures obtained by the BBC under Freedom of Information laws revealed hundreds of verbal attacks in the past three years including threats to kill, racist and sexual slurs.

The union Unison has urged the government to bring in tougher punishments to deter abusive callers.

The Home Office said sufficient laws were already in place. BBC News

Parents 'should decide' care of baby

Parents 'should decide' care of baby Connie Yates and Chris Gard are challenging doctors in court to keep their son Charlie on life support. BBC News

General practice could be vertically integrated into new accountable care systems, says Stevens

General practice could be vertically integrated into new accountable care systems, says Stevens Accountable care organisations (ACOs) being developed in parts of the NHS will see stronger integration of primary and secondary care under unified leaderships, Simon Stevens has said. GP Online

NHS mental health trust to be prosecuted amid claims it failed to offer safe care

NHS mental health trust to be prosecuted amid claims it failed to offer safe care Southern Health is first NHS provider after Mid Staffs scandal to be taken to court after patient fell from roof at Melbury Lodge, Winchester

A mental health trust is to be the first NHS provider to be prosecuted under legislation brought in after the Mid Staffs scandal.

Southern Health NHS foundation trust is being taken to court after a patient sustained serious injuries during a fall from a low roof at Melbury Lodge, Royal Hampshire county hospital, Winchester, in December 2015. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS manager who earned £1m jailed for fabricating qualifications

NHS manager who earned £1m jailed for fabricating qualifications Jon Andrewes, 63, worked for more than a decade in various senior health jobs across south-west England

A former probation officer who earned more than £1m working in very senior NHS management roles after he fabricated qualifications has been jailed for two years.

Jon Andrewes, 63, claimed to have two PhDs and a master’s degree but only had a higher education diploma in social work and a teaching qualification. He also lied over his work history, falsely claiming to have worked in the Home Office. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS forced to provide 4,500 extra beds a day

NHS forced to provide 4,500 extra beds a day NHS Providers reveals how hospitals avoided a ‘full-blown crisis’ this winter by creating the equivalent of more than eight extra hospitals

Hospitals had to provide 4,500 extra beds a day at the height of the pressures this winter to avoid “a full-blown crisis”, NHS bosses have revealed.

That is the equivalent of creating more than eight extra hospitals to cope with unprecedented demand in recent months when large numbers of patients were stuck on trolleys and in the back of ambulances outside A&E units. Continue reading... The Guardian

Thousands pained by poor artificial limbs from the NHS

Thousands pained by poor artificial limbs from the NHS Ten years ago, Victoria Marks from Cornwall had to amputate one of her legs. Since then the mother of two has been fitted with 'dozens' of prostheses, all costing £5,000. Tired of the constant pain, she gave up. The Daily Mail

NHS trust to start using Uber for non-emergency patients

NHS trust to start using Uber for non-emergency patients Patients will be able to use Uber for journeys including appointments and generally getting out-and-about when they might otherwise be housebound or reliant on family and friends. The Daily Mail