Northampton General Hospital rating drops from 'good' to 'requires improvement' amid reports of 'bullying culture'

Northampton General Hospital rating drops from 'good' to 'requires improvement' amid reports of 'bullying culture' Northampton's hospital has been given orders to improve after a watchdog found issues ranging from bullying to an unexpected maternity ward death during an inspection.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) also found incidents of staff failing to store medicines properly while waiting times for those requiring treatment were found to be consistently worse than national standards.

The hospital, which employs almost 4,500 staff, has been rated as requires improvement overall today, falling from good, which it was awarded in its previous report in 2017. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Northampton General Hospital inspection report Care Quality Commission
• Northampton General Hospital has 'culture of bullying' say inspectors BBC Northampton

Kettering A&E to get £46m for new urgent care hub

Kettering A&E to get £46m for new urgent care hub An A&E department where doctors' offices and broom cupboards were used as extra space for patients is to receive an extra £46m from the government.

Kettering General Hospital bosses had demanded new investment "here and now" for an urgent care hub.

Its A&E was built to accommodate 100 people a day, but now regularly has 300 patients. BBC Northampton

National survey shows most people experience good urgent and emergency care, but lengthy waiting times remain a problem

National survey shows most people experience good urgent and emergency care, but lengthy waiting times remain a problem Findings from a survey of more than 50,000 people who received urgent and emergency care from services provided by 132 NHS trusts across England show that the majority are positive about most aspects of their care and treatment. However, a significant number continue to report long waits, particularly those attending major accident and emergency (A&E) departments. Care Quality Commission

See also:

• Urgent and emergency care survey 2018 Care Quality Commission
• Four in ten A&E patients are forced to wait over an hour before being seen by a nurse or doctor The Daily Mail
• A&E patients left waiting in unnecessary pain, watchdog warns The Daily Telegraph

Steps to expand placement capacity

Steps to expand placement capacity The NHS Long Term Plan sets out ambitions to increase the number of people in learning placements across the NHS. To meet these ambitions, employers will have to scale up the ability to offer a safe and high-quality learning environment that supports workforce development. Based on conversations with those organisations which have already grown their capacity, this briefing sets out a series questions and actions, under six key areas to help employers reflect on what more they can do to increase placement capacity in a way that is sustainable for their organisation. NHS Employers

Babies born at 22 weeks 'can now survive'

Babies born at 22 weeks 'can now survive' Improving survival rates for extremely premature babies mean it is now possible to save the lives of babies born at 22 weeks, guidance says.

Previously it was recommended that only babies born at 23 weeks or later were given treatment to save their lives.

But there is now evidence those born earlier can survive - although only in small numbers - the British Association of Perinatal Medicine said. BBC News

See also:

• New BAPM Framework on Extreme Preterm Birth Published British Association of Perinatal Medicine

Almost half of women with breast cancer 'experience sexual problems after treatment'

Almost half of women with breast cancer 'experience sexual problems after treatment' Nearly half of women diagnosed with breast cancer have experienced sexual difficulties as a result of treatment, a new survey suggests.

The research, conducted by Breast Cancer Now and YouGov, questioned more than 1,000 women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in the last 10 years. The Independent

See also:

• “I was too embarrassed to ask for help”: Devastating impact on thousands who face sexual difficulties after breast cancer Breast Cancer Now

Don't make yourself comfortable: GPs to trial standing appointments to 'set an example'

Don't make yourself comfortable: GPs to trial standing appointments to 'set an example' GPs are to pilot standing-up appointments to “set an example” to patients about the perils of a sedentary lifestyle.

Backed by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), the study will also investigate whether doing so will shorten the length of consultations.

Starting in the Midlands, the pilot scheme will see family doctors equipped with £2,000 desks that can switch from sitting to standing formats at the push of a button. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Doctors will get standing desks as part of trial The Daily Mail

Parents urged to vaccinate children against whooping cough as number of cases rises four-fold

Parents urged to vaccinate children against whooping cough as number of cases rises four-fold Parents have been urged to vaccinate their children against whooping cough, as the number of cases has risen four-fold this decade.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly-contagious bacterial infection which is spread through the coughs and sneezes of an infected person. The Daily Telegraph

High blood pressure drugs more effective if taken at night before bed, study finds

High blood pressure drugs more effective if taken at night before bed, study finds High blood pressure patients are being urged to take their medication before going to bed to slash their risk of an early death.

A study found adults with hypertension were less likely to suffer heart attacks, heart disease or strokes, if they took the drugs in one go at bedtime.

Spanish scientists looked at more than 19,000 patients on medication for high blood pressure, who were tracked for an average of six years. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Bedtime hypertension treatment improves cardiovascular risk reduction: the Hygia Chronotherapy Trial (open access) European Heart Journal