Northampton General Hospital 'overwhelmed' by messages of support following warts-and-all junior doctors documentary

Northampton General Hospital 'overwhelmed' by messages of support following warts-and-all junior doctors documentary Following a plucky Channel 4 documentary that saw film crews gain unparalleled access to Northampton General Hospital bosses have said they have been inundated with messages of support on social media. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Health minister visits KGH after trust placed into special measures

Health minister visits KGH after trust placed into special measures The Minister of State at the Department of Health, MP Philip Dunne, visited KGH on Thursday after its recent CQC report.

Mr Dunne took time to speak to staff and directors as well as meeting with local MPs and Conservative colleagues Philip Hollobone, Peter Bone and Tom Pursglove.

The visit comes after the hospital was placed into special measures when it was rated as inadequate by the health regulators. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Childhood mortality in England and Wales: 2015

Childhood mortality in England and Wales: 2015 2015 saw the first increase in the infant mortality rate in England and Wales since 2006. The rate rose to 3.7 deaths per 1,000 births from the record low of 3.6 in 2014, but it remains low in historical terms. There are many risk factors contributing to infant mortality such as birthweight, mother’s age at birth of child, and the parents’ socio-economic status. Office for National Statistics

See also:

• Infant deaths rise for first time since 2003 says ONS The Daily Mail

Shops agree to limit sugary drinks sales in hospitals

Shops agree to limit sugary drinks sales in hospitals The NHS in England wants to reduce sugar intake by patients and staff to reduce health problems.

WHSmith, Marks & Spencer, Subway and Greggs have all agreed to cut the proportion of sugary drinks they sell in their hospital shops in England.

NHS England has asked all retailers with hospital outlets to limit the drinks to no more than 10% of the total beverages they sell by next April.

Companies that do not comply will face a total ban on selling sugary drinks in hospital shops.

Campaigners welcomed the move to limit sugar intake in hospitals. BBC News

Contract crackdown on hospitals wasting millions of GP appointments

Contract crackdown on hospitals wasting millions of GP appointments GP leaders have welcomed an update to the standard NHS contract that aims to crack down on hospitals dumping work on practices and save millions of appointments a year. GPonline

Police cannot continue to fill gaps left by mental health cuts, report says

Police cannot continue to fill gaps left by mental health cuts, report says Chief inspector of constabulary says forces increasingly used as service of first resort and face ‘unacceptable drain’ on resources

Police cannot continue to pick up the slack for cuts in other public services, especially the shortage in mental health provision, Her Majesty’s chief inspector of constabulary has warned.

In an annual state of policing report, Sir Tom Winsor highlights a “modern tsunami of online fraud” and increased police awareness of crimes against the elderly and child sexual exploitation as among the increasing daily pressures facing officers. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• State of Policing: The Annual Assessment of Policing in England and Wales 2016 Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary
• Police used as 'first resort' for mental health care, watchdog warns BBC News
• Mental health provision now so bad patients are locked up with criminals, a damning report finds The Daily Telegraph

Crackdown on migrants forces NHS doctors to 'act as border guards'

Crackdown on migrants forces NHS doctors to 'act as border guards' Charity condemns government guidance allowing Home Office to access details of undocumented migrants seeking care

A medical charity has launched a campaign against government guidance that “makes border guards of doctors” by allowing the Home Office to access details of undocumented migrants who seek NHS treatment.

Doctors of the World runs clinics for undocumented migrants, victims of trafficking and asylum seekers. It has assisted numerous patients, some pregnant and some with cancer, who are afraid of accessing NHS healthcare due to concerns that a visit to the doctor could lead to deportation. Continue reading... The Guardian

The harrowing hospital night shift nothing could have prepared me for

The harrowing hospital night shift nothing could have prepared me for Years of medical training can never prepare you for your role in someone else’s tragedy and its emotional impact

The most important part of every night shift is matching your scrub top to your bottoms. Odd shades, bad luck. Match for the best chance of success.

I’m full of superstition because fate doesn’t follow conventional rules. I sit, cross-legged comparing until I’m satisfied with my choice. I pull my clothes off and my blue scrubs on. Stethoscope, badge and water bottle. Downstairs, grab phone and rush to handover, hoping I’ve remembered my pen. Continue reading... The Guardian

Breast cancer patients 'are abandoned by the NHS'

Breast cancer patients 'are abandoned by the NHS' Around 36,000 women in England have incurable or secondary breast cancer. Just 21 per cent of 155 hospitals and health trusts have a specialist cancer nurse for patients with incurable breast cancer. The Daily Mail

Anonymous STI text messaging service launches in the UK

Anonymous STI text messaging service launches in the UK Under a new scheme being tried in Teesside patients who test positive for an STI will be offered the chance to have their previous sexual partners notified that they are at risk. The Daily Mail

Number of patients forced to endure mixed sex wards trebles in two years

Number of patients forced to endure mixed sex wards trebles in two years THE number of patients who had to endure mixed-sex hospital ward has trebled in two years, new figures show.

Almost 8,000 patients were treated in shared accommodation in the 12 months to March, the statistics show - a rise from 2,655 in 2014/15.

NHS rules that say men and women should be treated on different wards. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Almost 8,000 NHS patients endure mixed sex wards The Daily Mail