Friday 11 August 2017

Northampton hospital's new diamond-tipped drill blasts calcium off arteries at 170,000rpm

Northampton hospital's new diamond-tipped drill blasts calcium off arteries at 170,000rpm A new treatment that drills hardened calcium off of severely blocked arteries in the heart has come to Northampton General Hospital.

The specialist surgery, known as "rotablation", uses a 2mm diamond-dust tipped burr rotating at 170,000rpm to blast through coronary lesions.

It opens up new options for patients who would otherwise need open-heart surgery. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

REVEALED: The best and worst GP surgeries in Wellingborough as rated by you

REVEALED: The best and worst GP surgeries in Wellingborough as rated by you Albany House Medical Centre is the best GP surgery in Wellingborough, according to the results of a patient survey.

The practice in Queen Street came out on top with 92 per cent of patients who go there saying they had a ‘good’ experience. Northamptonshire Telegraph

New bereavement support group being launched in Corby

New bereavement support group being launched in Corby A Corby hospice which supports people with life-limiting illnesses is launching a group to support those who have lost a loved one.

Lakelands Hospice is setting up a bereavement support group for adults who have been bereaved in the Corby and surrounding areas. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Keeping up with the Johanssons: How does UK health spending compare internationally?

Keeping up with the Johanssons: How does UK health spending compare internationally? Decisions about the appropriate amount to spend on health require more than a simple comparison with what other countries spend, argue John Appleby and Ben Gershlick

The latest data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for the UK and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for other countries, suggest that previous figures have underestimated how much the UK spends on health compared with other countries. The BMJ

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Developing people – improving care: a national framework for action on improvement and leadership development in NHS-funded services

Developing people – improving care: a national framework for action on improvement and leadership development in NHS-funded services This updated framework focuses on helping NHS and social care staff to develop four critical capabilities: systems leadership; established quality improvement methods; inclusive and compassionate leadership; and talent management. NHS Improvement

National maternity and perinatal audit: organisational report 2017

National maternity and perinatal audit: organisational report 2017 This report finds large increase in midwife-led units co-located with obstetric units, increasing birthplace choice for pregnant women but also describes variation in availability of staff, facilities and services. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

BMA urges caution as developers offer £3.3bn primary care premises overhaul

BMA urges caution as developers offer £3.3bn primary care premises overhaul BMA leaders have urged caution after developers offered £3.3bn to build 750 'state of the art' primary care centres over the next parliament if the government will commit to a £200m-a-year bill for rent. GPonline

Connor Sparrowhawk psychiatrist admits failings but denies misconduct

Connor Sparrowhawk psychiatrist admits failings but denies misconduct Dr Valerie Murphy tells tribunal she failed to spot teenager had epileptic seizures in weeks before he drowned in NHS care unit

A consultant psychiatrist has admitted failing to spot warning signs before a vulnerable teenager suffered a seizure and drowned in a bath at an NHS care unit.

Dr Valerie Murphy said she now accepted that Connor Sparrowhawk, 18, had at least two epileptic seizures in the weeks before his death. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS waiting lists longest for a decade

NHS waiting lists longest for a decade Waiting lists for routine NHS treatment such as hip and knee surgery are at their highest for a decade, official figures have shown.

An estimated four million people were waiting to be seen by a specialist at the end of June, the first time the figure has been exceeded since 2007.

Experts said the milestone marked a “symbolic” moment for the under-strain health service, as statistics revealed the number of people waiting more than 18 weeks for consultant-led treatment, which the NHS says should be the maximum time it takes to start treating them, has steadily increased. The Daily Telegraph

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