This blog covers the latest UK health care news, publications, policy announcements, events and information focused on the NHS, as well as the latest media stories and local news coverage of the NHS Trusts in Northamptonshire.
Task force to be sent to protect vulnerable children in Northamptonshire Ministers are to send in a task force to crisis-hit Northamptonshire County Council after it emerged hundreds of vulnerable children were being placed at greater risk of harm because of rapidly deteriorating frontline child protection services..
The move follows publication of a highly critical letter by Ofsted inspectors revealing that children referred to council social services were not effectively supported or protected, with 267 young people waiting up to four months to be assessed and allocated a social worker. The Guardian
The hospital has become the UK's first to achieve an international mark of excellence for having a positive work environment for nursing and midwifery staff.
England’s Chief Nurse Ruth May, addressing NGH employees on Wednesday, said: "I’m thrilled for each and every one of you.
"I have seen, felt and heard the difference that this makes and it is a just reward for all your efforts. Our challenge is how it roll it out nationally; let’s have nurses whooping right across England.” Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Understanding the health care needs of people with multiple health conditions Analysis of data from 2014 to 2016 for 300,000 people in England found that one in four adults had two or more health conditions, equating to approximately 14.2 million people in England. Over half (55 per cent) of hospital admissions and outpatient visits and three quarters (75 per cent) of primary care prescriptions are for people living with two or more conditions. In the least-deprived fifth of areas, people can expect to have two or more conditions by the time they are 71 years old, but in the most-deprived fifth, people reach the same level of illness a decade earlier, at 61 years of age. The Health Foundation
Health matters: air pollution This edition of Health matters focuses on air pollution and discusses how local authorities, supported by national policies, have an important role in assessing and improving local air quality - and how the cumulative effects of local action can be significant. It will be of particular value to local authority commissioners, directors of public health, environmental health officers, health and wellbeing boards, CCGs and health professionals. Public Health England
According to the results of an online survey from Diabetes UK, 77% of respondents said they sometimes or often feel down because of their family member’s diabetes.
One third of carers also wanted their family member to see more of a diabetes specialist nurse (DSN), while 11% per cent wanted a trained counsellor or psychologist to support the children or adults with diabetes they care for. OnMedica
The Local Government Association (LGA) has drawn up its own blueprint for reforming the sector and says that income tax or national insurance increases should be urgently considered.
Successive governments have kicked the issue of funding the rising cost of care in the UK “into the long grass”, but after eight years of austerity and cuts to council budgets, the LGA says the issues is at crisis point. The Independent
Hundreds of patients have been denied treatment for serious health problems including cancer, arrhythmia and cardiac chest pains after ministers forced the NHS to impose upfront charges on migrants deemed ineligible for free healthcare, the Guardian can reveal.
In one case, a patient with advanced stage cancer died after she went a year without treatment because an NHS hospital demanded £30,000 upfront to provide chemotherapy. The Guardian
NHS launches quest to eliminate scars 'within a generation' The NHS has launched a project to find medical cures for all types of scar as it opens the world’s first scarring research centre in response to wounded veterans and rising crime.
Experts say they aim to eliminate all scarring “within a generation” and transform the emergency care given to victims of trauma ranging from acid attacks and stabbing to terrorism and war.
Using money from fines levied against banks for financial misconduct, the new Centre for Conflict Wound Research at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital will investigate the fundamental molecular process that leads to scarring. The Daily Telegraph
Ian Trenholm, the chief executive of the Care Quality Commission, says he could take 31 NHS organisations and 163 care homes to court over safety concerns.
He took over the CQC in July and now wants to come down hard on failing adult social care companies and sub-standard branches of the health service.
Mr Trenholm revealed the 11 new additions to the team will review evidence and build cases against the ailing organisations - and more in the future. The Daily Mail See also:
