'Repeated failings' at St Andrew's Healthcare mental health charity

'Repeated failings' at St Andrew's Healthcare mental health charity A mental health hospital charity has been told it made "repeated and systemic failings" in its leadership by health inspectors.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) raised several concerns at St Andrew's Healthcare, based in Northampton.

They included a two-year backlog to address issues found by the CQC in previous inspections.

St Andrew's Healthcare said it had new leaders who were committed to making improvements. BBC Northampton

See also:

• St Andrews Healthcare Care Quality Commission
• Comments show 'inadequate' Northampton hospital did not take severe failings 'seriously enough', says watchdog Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Junior doctors 2018 contract refresh guidance

Junior doctors 2018 contract refresh guidance This guidance published in partnership with the British Medical Association, aims to support employers to appoint and develop flexible training champions. The champion will play a strategic role in promoting and improving existing support for less than full-time trainee doctors and dentists, advocating for them where necessary. The ultimate intention behind the introduction of the role was to create a shift in culture within the NHS, to give trainees more flexibility, and to offer them support as they carry out their training and other commitments they may have. NHS Employers

The risks behind the hype of stem-cell treatments

The risks behind the hype of stem-cell treatments Some private clinics are charging UK patients thousands of pounds for unproven and unregulated treatments using the "healing powers" of stem cells, the BBC has found.

And experts are warning some of these "therapies" can cause significant harm.

Stem cells can become many types of cells in the body, from muscle to brain, and can repair damaged tissue.

But they are approved only for treating some blood conditions, for skin grafts and the repair of damaged corneas. BBC News

Running marathon cuts 'artery age by four years'

Running marathon cuts 'artery age by four years' Training for and completing a marathon improves the health of a new runner's arteries, cutting about four years off their "vascular age", a study suggests.

Researchers from Barts and University College London tested 138 novice runners attempting the London Marathon.

Over six months of training, their arteries regained some youthful elasticity, which should reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. BBC News

See also:

• Training for a First-Time Marathon Reverses Age-Related Aortic Stiffening (abstract) Journal of the American College of Cardiology
• Running your first marathon ‘makes you four years younger’ in heart health The Daily Telegraph

Dozens of hospitals leaving NHS staff at risk of attacks by patients

Dozens of hospitals leaving NHS staff at risk of attacks by patients Dozens of NHS hospitals are breaking the law by failing to protect staff from violent attacks, it has emerged.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has said 25 NHS trusts are in breach of rules designed to make sure they manage risks to their staff from violent patients or members of the public.

This follows 38 inspections by the regulator since April 2018. The Independent

See also:

• Two-thirds of trusts failing to protect staff from violence HSJ

'Children cannot give consent to transgender treatment', nurse launching legal test case claims

'Children cannot give consent to transgender treatment', nurse launching legal test case claims Children cannot consent to transgender treatment, a nurse bringing a landmark legal case has said, claiming that many are autistic, homosexual or just confused.

Susan Evans, 62, a former psychiatric nurse at the Tavistock and Portman NHS foundation trust, said that “experimental” and “invasive medical treatment” should be prevented in order to protect children. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Psychiatric nurse launches legal action against NHS clinic The Daily Mail
• Nurse bids to stop puberty blocking drugs on the NHS  Metro

AI can diagnose brain tumors better, faster and earlier than doctors can

AI can diagnose brain tumors better, faster and earlier than doctors can Artificial intelligence can detect brain tumors during surgery better than trained doctors, a new study claims.

Researchers developed a computer algorithm that could diagnose the cancerous masses with almost 95 percent accuracy.

The results analyzed by neuropathologists were slightly less accurate at around 94 percent. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Near real-time intraoperative brain tumor diagnosis using stimulated Raman histology and deep neural networks (abstract) Nature Medicine
• Artificial intelligence can accurately diagnose brain tumours within minutes The Independent