Thousands of Northamptonshire’s abused children let down by lack of NHS mental health plans

Thousands of Northamptonshire’s abused children let down by lack of NHS mental health plans More than 21,000 children in Northamptonshire who have been abused or neglected are not covered by adequate NHS plans for their mental health needs, new NSPCC research estimates.

The charity analysed the latest annual plans published by NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) which set out how they will care for children’s mental health and found that, across England, 88 per cent were failing to properly plan for the needs of vulnerable children including those who had been abused. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Over 1 million children are being let down by inadequate local mental health plans NSPCC
• Transformingmental healthservices for childrenwho have beenabused: A review ofLocal Transformation Plansfor Children and YoungPeople’s Mental Heal NSPCC

Northamptonshire County Council bans spending again

Northamptonshire County Council bans spending again A cash-strapped council has imposed emergency spending controls for the second time this year.

The section 114 notice bans all new expenditure at Northamptonshire County Council, with the exception of statutory services for protecting vulnerable people.

A letter sent to councillors says the authority "knowingly adopted unachievable savings" in 2017-18.

It says the council thought it would get "fairer funding" in a review. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Commissioner drafted in to rescue Northamptonshire County Council outlines contract cull Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Measles outbreaks across England

Measles outbreaks across England Public Health England is advising the public to ensure they have had 2 doses of MMR vaccine after outbreaks of measles are confirmed across England.

NHS England must rethink outsourcing after contract shambles

NHS England must rethink outsourcing after contract shambles NHS England’s outsourcing of primary care support services to Capita Business Services Ltd (Capita) was a shambles.

Its short-sighted rush to slash by a third the £90 million it cost to provide these services was heedless of the impact it would have on the 39,000 GPs, dentists, opticians and pharmacists affected.

Capita recognises that the service it provided was not good enough. Its failures have not only been disruptive to thousands of GPs, dentists, opticians and pharmacists, but potentially have also put patients at risk of serious harm. Public Accounts Committee

See also:

• NHS contract with Capita could have put patients at risk BBC News
• Watchdog blasts NHS England outsourcing ‘shambles’ Public Finance

Heat-related deaths set to treble by 2050 unless Govt acts

Heat-related deaths set to treble by 2050 unless Govt acts Prediction that higher temperatures which caused 2000+ deaths in 2003 will be summer norm by 2040s making adaptation to heatwaves a matter of life and death.

The Environmental Audit Committee publishes its report into ‘Heatwaves: adapting to climate change’.

The Committee has found that failing to address the danger of heatwaves will threaten the wellbeing of an increasing number of vulnerable people.

See also:

• Regular heatwaves 'will kill thousands' BBC News
• Heat-related deaths will treble by 2050 unless government takes urgent action, warn MPs The Independent
• Deaths linked to heat set to rise sharply OnMedica

Meet the NHS duo keeping the elderly safe at home.

Meet the NHS duo keeping the elderly safe at home. An NHS partnership has reduced the number of elderly people admitted to hospital after falling at home.

The scheme is a collaboration between North West Ambulance Service and East Lancashire hospitals in Burnley. BBC News

ADHD diagnosis for adults 'can take seven years'

ADHD diagnosis for adults 'can take seven years' Some adults wait more than seven years to be diagnosed with ADHD because of huge waiting lists, a charity has said.

ADHD Action has lobbied the government to start recording adult ADHD figures, as it already does with autism.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists said people with the behavioural disorder were more likely to commit crime or become suicidal.

About 1.5 million adults in the UK have the condition, ADHD Action said, but only 120,000 are formally diagnosed. BBC News

See also:

• A crisis for ADHD diagnosis and waiting times for adults in the UK is having serious health and other impacts ADHD Action

NHS: New health secretary Matt Hancock says use more apps

NHS: New health secretary Matt Hancock says use more apps There needs to be more use of apps in the National Health Service, the new health secretary says.

Matt Hancock has told Newsbeat there is "loads to do on that area" when asked if they would help the NHS.

He was speaking as he gave more details of the government's plans to transform children and young people's mental health services. BBC News

Government attacked over child mental health plan and told it is ‘sleepwalking into deepening crisis’

Government attacked over child mental health plan and told it is ‘sleepwalking into deepening crisis’ The government has been accused of “sleepwalking into a deepening crisis” on child mental health and attacked for its flagship plans to improve it.

Hundreds of mental health workers will be trained to work in and near schools from the end of next year to help boost young people’s wellbeing, after the government confirmed plans will go ahead.

But the Barnardo’s children’s charity said the £300m approved plan – first set out in a green paper last year – would still leave hundreds of thousands of children without the help they desperately need. The Independent

Happy 40th Birthday IVF. Now let’s discuss your dirty secret

Happy 40th Birthday IVF. Now let’s discuss your dirty secret | Zeynep Gurtin As the world’s first IVF baby turns 40, it’s time to make fertility treatment more widely available in the UK and abroad

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the first IVF birth. Louise Brown, born in Oldham General Hospital in 1978, was heralded by the world’s press as a British medical marvel and a beacon of hope for people with fertility problems. Forty years later, IVF has unquestionably transformed the lives of millions of men and women, giving them the children they so deeply desired. But, despite its evident positives, IVF also hides a dirty secret: its benefits remain largely limited to those who can afford them. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• 'I was the world's first test tube baby. This is my story' The Independent

Woman killed herself after series of NHS trust errors, jury finds

Woman killed herself after series of NHS trust errors, jury finds Five key mistakes contributed to death of Sophie Payne, 22, in mental health unit, says jury

A young woman with mental health problems killed herself after a series of major errors by the NHS trust that was looking after her, a jury at an inquest into her death has found.

It issued a scathing assessment of the care received by Sophie Payne, 22, a “warm, bright and creative” woman who died in July 2017 in the Rose ward of Queen Mary hospital in Roehampton, south-west London. Continue reading... The Guardian

Grandmother banned from phoning 999 or 111 ended up taking overdose to get to hospital

Grandmother banned from phoning 999 or 111 ended up taking overdose  to get to hospital A grandmother who was told by paramedics not to dial 999 even if she had a heart attack took an overdose after repeatedly being refused hospital treatment.

Dorothy Southard, 89, fell outside an Oxford bingo hall in April and contacted the NHS helpline number 111 on three separate occasions because she was feeling unwell.

Paramedics from the South Central Ambulance Service were sent out on each occasion but could not find anything wrong with the pensioner - despite her having two bleeds on the brain - and declined to take her to hospital for a check up. The Daily Telegraph

Noise in NHS children's wards is 'breaching safe levels': Young patients getting less sleep too

Noise in NHS children's wards is 'breaching safe levels': Young patients getting less sleep too Noisy children's wards in NHS hospitals breach guidelines on safe sound levels, say researchers who also found young patients are getting less sleep than they would at home. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Sleep quality and noise: comparisons between hospital and home settings Archives of Disease in Childhood