Northampton residents still waiting for new GP surgery, 16 months after planning permission granted

Northampton residents still waiting for new GP surgery, 16 months after planning permission granted A doctor's surgery in Northampton that was described as urgently needed has not begun construction 16 months after the go-ahead was given.

Marsh Spinney Medical Centre in Moulton was given the go ahead in July 2017 to be built off Sandy Hill Lane. along with 84 new houses. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Prevention is better than cure – and actions speak louder…

Prevention is better than cure – and actions speak louder… Matt Hancock’s arrival at the Department of Health and Social Care was an opportunity for a refresh of the government’s priorities on health, beyond the budget settlement for the NHS secured as part of the NHS70 celebrations. All were watching eagerly then for a sign of his priorities, and many were pleased that prevention was signalled as one of them. The King's Fund

See also:

• Health Foundation response to the Department of Health and Social Care’s Prevention Vision The Health Foundation
• The King's Fund responds to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care's vision for prevention The King's Fund
• 'Prevention better than cure' is sensible way forward - but more funding and more GPs are needed to make it happen, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
• Matt Hancock accused of aiming for a 'nanny state' The Daily Mail
• Let me eat cake: the health secretary’s prevention talk is meaningless The Guardian

Understanding the health of babies and expectant mothers

Understanding the health of babies and expectant mothers Progress on stillbirths and neonatal and infant mortality has slowed down in the UK in recent years. This explainer from Jessica Morris looks at the possible reasons why, and what can be done about it. Nuffield Trust

See also:

• Are the government’s targets for reducing stillbirths and neonatal deaths achievable? Nuffield Trust

Brexit and the Health & Social Care Workforce in the UK

Brexit and the Health & Social Care Workforce in the UK The UK’s H&SC workforce is under considerable strain to provide services for an ageing population with increasingly complex needs. While many of the problems supplying new recruits into the sector pre-date the 2016 Brexit referendum, the vote to leave the European Union (EU) has added another layer of challenge and uncertainty for planning this future workforce.

This report examines recent trends in the UK’s H&SC workforce and the critical role of EEA nationals within it. National Institute of Economic and Social Research

See also:

• Brexit: NHS nursing vacancies will top 51,000 by end of transition period in 2021, report warns The Independent

A society of readers

A society of readers Demos carried out research over the summer of 2018 to assess the potential impact of reading on several great challenges of our time: loneliness, mental health problems, dementia and social (im)mobility.

More pancreatic cancer patients could receive surgery if treated faster

More pancreatic cancer patients could receive surgery if treated faster Hundreds more early-stage patients with the quickest killing cancer could be eligible for surgery - the only potential cure - if avoidable delays to their treatment were removed according our new report.

Nearly two thirds (57 per cent) of stage one and stage two pancreatic cancer patients in England do not have surgery and the charity believes too many are being denied their only chance of survival because the extremely aggressive cancer spreads while they await treatment. Pancreatic Cancer UK

See also:

• Pancreatic cancer won't wait: policy briefing Pancreatic Cancer UK
• Pancreatic cancer won't wait: The case for faster treatment Pancreatic Cancer UK
• Hundreds of pancreatic cancer patients denied life-saving surgery because of delays The Daily Telegraph

All parents should be offered the opportunity to engage with the review of their baby’s death

All parents should be offered the opportunity to engage with the review of their baby’s death When a baby dies in hospital, a Perinatal Mortality Review (PNMR) takes place. Currently, parents are largely unaware these reviews even take place and in most cases, bereaved parents are not given the opportunity to be involved and share their perspective of their care. This PARENTS study tested the hypothesis at two UK hospitals (Bristol and Manchester) that involving parents would have the potential to answer parents’ questions and therefore support them in grieving, drive patient safety improvements, and promote an open culture within healthcare. University of Bristol

Patients facing NHS tests 'bottleneck'

Patients facing NHS tests 'bottleneck' A rising number of patients are facing long waits for key NHS tests as UK hospitals struggle with staff shortages, a BBC investigation shows.

Tests such as scans and biopsies are crucial for diagnosing illnesses.

But tens of thousands of patients are waiting weeks - sometimes months - for them, leading to potentially harmful delays before treatment can start.

Figures obtained by the BBC under the Freedom of Information Act suggest a lack of radiographers is a key cause. BBC News

'Too many children' have tonsils removed unnecessarily

'Too many children' have tonsils removed unnecessarily Thousands of children are having their tonsils removed unnecessarily, costing the NHS millions of pounds each year, according to experts.

They found seven in every eight children given tonsillectomies were unlikely to benefit from the operation.

NHS England has already said it plans to cut back on this surgery, along with other "ineffective" treatments, where the harms outweigh any gains. BBC News

Rethink study funds for nurses to bolster headcount, government urged

Rethink study funds for nurses to bolster headcount, government urged The government must prioritise funding for nursing higher education in England if it is to halt the ‘catastrophic fall’ in the nurse headcount, says the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) at the launch of its Fund Our Future campaign.

Led by RCN student members, the campaign aims to get at least £1bn a year back into nursing higher education in England to help students struggling to make ends meet. OnMedica

Google Maps lead women to fake abortion clinics

Google Maps lead women to fake abortion clinics British women seeking an abortion are being directed by Google to centres that try and persuade them not to have a termination, a Sunday Telegraph investigation has found.

Search results for abortion clinics across the country suggest addresses and phone numbers to make appointments at “pregnancy crisis centres”, which are often linked to religious organisations, across England, Scotland and Wales.

See also:

• Google Maps is directing women to fake abortion clinics The Independent

Superbugs as great a threat to health

Superbugs as great a threat to health Superbugs do as much human damage in Europe as flu, HIVand tuberculosis combined, new data has revealed.

Researchers have found that an estimated 33,000 people died from infections that were resistant to antibiotics in 2015, out of a total of 670,000 cases in Europe.

Previous estimates have put the number of deaths from AMR at around 25,000 a year in Europe. The Daily Telegraph