Dedication and 'infectious enthusiasm' earn Northampton nurses national recognition

Dedication and 'infectious enthusiasm' earn Northampton nurses national recognition Two nurses from Northampton General Hospital have earned on the highest healthcare awards available for going above and beyond the expectations of their role.

Holly Slyne and Gillian Smith are among some of the first nurses nationally to receive the Chief Nursing Officer silver award.

The award and two bespoke badges were presented to them during a visit to the hospital in June from Susan Aitkenhead, deputy Chief Nursing Officer. Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Health campaigners question whether Northamptonshire health trust boss can take on a second job

Health campaigners question whether Northamptonshire health trust boss can take on a second job Health campaigners have questioned the decision to appoint a part-time chief executive to a failing Leicestershire health trust.

Angela Hillery has been hired to replace retiring chief of Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Dr Peter Miller, and faces the challenging task of overturning a recent CQC report which highlighted multiple failings within the trust.

But Ms Hillery will stay in post at Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust - a trust rated outstanding by the CQC - while carrying out the role.Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Stronger evidence needed to improve confidence in medicinal cannabis

Stronger evidence needed to improve confidence in medicinal cannabis Despite the rescheduling of medicinal cannabis, very few prescriptions have been issued. One of the many reasons for this is because of the gaps in the evidence base.

Most forms of medicinal cannabis are unlicensed and do not have NICE approval, says the Health and Social Care Committee report on Drugs policy: medicinal cannabis. Commons Select Committee: Parliament UK

See Also:

• Medical cannabis 'expectations unfairly raised' BBC News - Health

Physical activity helps children to deal with life’s challenges

Physical activity helps children to deal with life’s challenges  Public Health England, Disney UK and Sport England launch new Change4Life campaign to inspire children to get more active. A new survey from Change4Life and Disney UK has found that less than half of parents are aware that physical activity can build children’s self-confidence (49%), reduce anxiety (47%) and improve their self-esteem (46%). Just 16% (1 in 6) think that physical activity can help children develop attributes which make it easier to cope with life’s little set-backs. GOV.UK

See Also:

• Health chiefs team up with Disney to create games for children to stay active and fight obesity Mail Online

Alcohol abuse affects one in five UK inpatients, study suggests

Alcohol abuse affects one in five UK inpatients, study suggests One in five people admitted to a UK hospital drinks alcohol in a harmful way and one in 10 depends on it, a study suggests.

King's College London researchers want people with issues caused by drinking to be screened. They are also calling for more trained staff to give support.

Alcohol can cause a large number of medical conditions, which costs the NHS in the UK around £3.5bn a year. BBC News - Health

See Also:

• One in ten patients in NHS hospitals is alcohol dependent, Kings College study finds The Telegraph
• New report reveals staggering cost to NHS of alcohol abuse The Guardian
• One in ten NHS inpatients are alcohol DEPENDENT Mail Online

Health of older people suffering in poor housing, MPs warn

Health of older people suffering in poor housing, MPs warn More than 2 million older people are suffering physical and mental ill health and even death as a consequence of living in substandard and non-accessible homes, according to a cross-party group of MPs.

Substandard housing costs the NHS £1.4bn every year with cold, damp and other hazards causing falls and exacerbating conditions such as heart disease, strokes, respiratory illnesses and arthritis as well as contributing to poor mental health, according to an in-depth inquiry by the all-party parliamentary group for ageing and older people. The Guardian

See Also:

• APPG report launch: Decent and Accessible Homes for Older People Age.UK

Making the right choices: using data-driven technology to transform mental healthcare

Making the right choices: using data-driven technology to transform mental healthcare This report examines the current landscape of data-driven technologies and their applications in mental health care, highlighting areas where these tools offer the most potential for the NHS and its patients. It discusses what makes mental health different from other areas of health, and the implications this has for the application of data-driven tools. It also examines barriers to implementation, and proposes ways to move forward. King's Fund - Health Management and Policy Alert

See Also:

• Report: Making the right choices: using data-driven technology to transform mental healthcare Reform

How good are hospitals at treating 'hidden killer'?

How good are hospitals at treating 'hidden killer'? Patients' lives are being put at risk because of delays giving them treatment for sepsis, experts are warning.

Hospitals are meant to put patients on an antibiotic drip within an hour when sepsis is suspected - but research by BBC News suggests a quarter of patients in England wait longer.

Delays raise the chance of potentially fatal complications such as organ failure. But NHS England said there were signs performance was improving. And it said hospitals were getting better at spotting those at risk sooner. BBC News - Health

Children’s hospices to receive £25 million a year as part of NHS Long Term Plan

Children’s hospices to receive £25 million a year as part of NHS Long Term Plan Funding for children’s hospices will rise to £25 million a year, NHS England has pledged. Medical advances mean the NHS can help seriously ill children and young people with more complex health issues live longer, more fulfilling lives. NHS England’s hospice grant programme currently provides £12 million a year for children’s hospices, helping to provide care and support to children and their families close to home in their final days. NHS England