Frustration at Northampton hospital clinic after calls to crucial phone line go unanswered

Frustration at Northampton hospital clinic after calls to crucial phone line go unanswered Northampton General Hospital bosses have apologised to patients of a facial treatment clinic after many struggled to arrange appointments.

The maxillofacial unit based in Billing Road offers a range of treatments related to the face - from mouth cancer, to jaw problems, orthodontics and dental surgery.

But patients of the clinic have told the Chronicle and Echo how they have simply been unable to make appointments in recent weeks due to the fact the phone lines there were not being answered.

The hospital said the problem was down to "staffing gaps", which have now been filled.

One person quits smoking every 80 seconds in England

One person quits smoking every 80 seconds in England PHE encourages people to join in the mass quit attempt, Stoptober, and get the right stop smoking support for them.

Last year, nearly 400,000 smokers in England quit successfully, which is the equivalent to 1,069 smokers each day. Despite new smokers starting and ex-smokers relapsing, there are now 1 million fewer smokers in England since 2014.

Of the 6.1 million smokers in England, 6 in 10 want to quit but most try to quit using willpower alone (or ‘cold turkey’) despite this being the least effective method. The most successful quit attempts use a combination of effective stop smoking support methods. Public Health England

See also:

• Stoptober 2018 resources Public Health England
• 'Don't go cold turkey' to quit smoking BBC News
• Latest stop smoking campaign includes an online guide to where your nearest e-cigarette shop is The Daily Mail

Recommendations for future EEA migration post-Brexit

Recommendations for future EEA migration post-Brexit The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has published its recommendations for a future migration system post-Brexit.

The report follows a request from the Home Secretary in July 2017 to assess current patterns of European Economic Area (EEA) migration, what likely future patterns may arise, and the impact this will have on the UK. NHS Employers

Shropshire hospitals baby deaths review cases rise to over 100

Shropshire hospitals baby deaths review cases rise to over 100 A review into mother and baby deaths and injuries at hospitals in Shropshire is examining more than 100 cases, it is understood.

In 2017, Jeremy Hunt ordered an investigation into maternity care relating to 23 cases at the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust (SaTH).

That figure expanded to 40 but is now thought to include 104 families.

Meanwhile, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has taken urgent action against the maternity department. BBC News

See also:

• Shrewsbury baby scandal at maternity unit expands to 100 cases The Daily Telegraph
• Scores of cases of alleged poor care on Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals Trust maternity unit to be reviewed The Independent

Public Health England accused of links with drinks industry

Public Health England accused of links with drinks industry Public Health England (PHE) has failed to learn the lessons over its partnership with the drinks industry, warn public health experts in The BMJ.

Last week, Ian Gilmore, a senior government adviser on alcohol policy, stepped down from his role at PHE after the agency partnered with Drinkaware, an alcohol education charity that receives funding from industry, for a new campaign encouraging middle-aged people to have more alcohol-free days per week.

In an editorial for The BMJ, Gilmore and colleagues Linda Bauld and John Britton, of the UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Nottingham, state that voluntary agreements with the tobacco industry in the second half of the 20th century served to “undermine, dilute or constrain measures designed to curtail their activities.” OnMedica

Millions of unpaid carers putting own health at risk to look after loved ones, councils warn

Millions of unpaid carers putting own health at risk to look after loved ones, councils warn Millions of unpaid carers are putting their own health at risk in order to look after loved ones as the adult social care system edges closer to “collapse”, local councils have warned.

Rising demand for care and the increasing cost of providing it is putting more pressure on families to look after loved ones, with many of the 5.7 million unpaid carers in England unable to take a break from their caring roles, according to the Local Government Association (LGA). The Independent

See also:

• Strain on unpaid carers putting adult social care at increased risk of collapse Local Government Association
• Carers action plan 2018 to 2020 Department of Health and Social Care

Smoking will be 'eradicated in England by 2030'

Smoking will be 'eradicated in England by 2030' Smoking will be “eradicated” in England by 2030 as roughly a thousand people quit every day, health chiefs have predicted.

More than a million smokers have kicked the habit since 2014, Public Health England said yesterday, leaving overall rates at their lowest ever, with just 14.9 per cent of adults smoking. The Daily Telegraph

Top journal RETRACTS six studies by disgraced celebrity scientist

Top journal RETRACTS six studies by disgraced celebrity scientist One of the world's top medical journals has retracted six papers by a celebrity scientist.

Brian Wansink, PhD, earned a name for himself with fun, relatable, and (most importantly) viral studies about the way we eat and the way food brands target us. The Daily Mail

NHS pays £100,000 a day to compensate people scarred for life in hospital errors

NHS pays £100,000 a day to compensate people scarred for life in hospital errors More than three people a week are suing the NHS after being left permanently disfigured by treatment that went wrong.

Patients have lost limbs, gone blind or been scarred for life by the NHS and compensation claims are costing the health service more than £100,000 a day.

Since 2010 the NHS has paid compensation to 810 people who suffered a needless amputation of a limb. The Daily Mail