CEO paid up to £220000 needed to manage new group that will merge Northampton and Kettering hospitals

CEO paid up to £220000 needed to manage new group that will merge Northampton and Kettering hospitals The group model that will soon see the management departments of two Northamptonshire hospitals merged, is now recruiting its first ever group Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital will keep their own A&E, maternity and paediatric services, but other services, as well as HR, strategy and finance departments will be merged. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Worst January for people waiting longer than four hours in A&E

Worst January for people waiting longer than four hours in A&E Responding to NHS England's monthly performance statistics, Tim Gardner, Senior Policy Fellow at the Health Foundation, said:

‘Today's figures show NHS performance on the main waiting time targets is close to record lows. Despite the lack of a cold snap and flu being less severe than feared so far, this was the worst January for people waiting longer than four hours in A&E since records began. Performance against the 18 week target for non-urgent operations hit an all-time low. The Health Foundation

See also:

• Combined Performance Summary: December 2019 - January 2020 Nuffield Trust
• NHS figures show new government must take rapid action Nuffield Trust
• Twelve-hour A&E wait times quadruple in a single year, the worst on record The Daily Mail
• Record number of A&E 'trolley waits' reached in January, NHS say The Guardian

Research and analysis: HPV vaccination uptake in men who have sex with men (MSM)

Research and analysis: HPV vaccination uptake in men who have sex with men (MSM) Report presenting human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination uptake (initiation and completion) in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM). Public Health England

Coronavirus: No change in outbreak despite China spike, WHO says

Coronavirus: No change in outbreak despite China spike, WHO says Coronavirus cases are not rising dramatically outside China despite a spike in Hubei province, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.

The only exception was on a cruise liner docked in Japan, where 44 new cases were reported, bringing the total there to 218.

There was also no major shift in the coronavirus's pattern of mortality or severity, according to the WHO. BBC News

See also:

• Detailed guide: Coronavirus (COVID-19): latest information and advice Department of Health and Social Care
• CMO for England announces ninth case of novel coronavirus Department of Health and Social Care
• Dentists threatened by coronavirus face-mask shortage BBC News
• Are coronavirus tests flawed? BBC News
• Coronavirus: Sharp increase in deaths and cases in Hubei BBC News
• Coronavirus: Hunt for contacts of latest UK case BBC NewsCoronavirus in Westminster: Infected patient went to bus conference The Daily Mail
• London coronavirus victim turned up at Lewisham A&E in an UBER The Daily Mail
• Nearly 800 Britons are tested for the killer coronavirus in a day The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus latest news: First London virus victim took Uber to hospital The Daily Telegraph
• Coronavirus: medical chief says UK hopes to delay any outbreak until summer The Guardian
• Coronavirus: How to avoid catching and spreading COVID-19  Sky News

Mumps cases hit decade high in England

Mumps cases hit decade high in England Health officials are urging people to have both parts of the MMR vaccine after cases of mumps in England reached their highest level in a decade.

Outbreaks in universities and colleges raised the number of cases of the painful viral illness to 5,042 in 2019 - four times the number in 2018.

Most were in young adults who missed out on the MMR jab. BBC News

See also:

• Mumps outbreaks across England Public Health England

Government to allow more NHS staff to prescribe medicines as ministers relax rules post-Brexit

Government to allow more NHS staff to prescribe medicines as ministers relax rules post-Brexit The government is aiming to relax rules to allow more NHS staff other than doctors to prescribe drugs to patients.

It is part of new legislation presented to Parliament on Thursday, which will also seek to soften regulations governing the UK’s £74bn life sciences sector to make the UK more competitive post-Brexit.

Ministers hope to give more midwives, physiotherapists, paramedics and other staff the power to prescribe what the Department of Health and Social Care described as “low risk medicines” which it said could help reduce unnecessary GP appointments. The Independent

See also:

• New bill gives hospitals power to develop personalised treatment Department of Health and Social Care

Safety watchdog launches probe into NHS maternity delays causing deaths and brain damage

Safety watchdog launches probe into NHS maternity delays causing deaths and brain damage A national investigation into maternity safety across England has been launched amid fears delays in delivering babies are causing deaths and leaving children with permanent brain damage.

Safety watchdog, the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) has said it will examine delays in delivering babies where there are suspicions the baby is in difficulty. It will make national safety recommendations for the whole health service. The Independent

Review launched into East Kent NHS trust after baby deaths

Review launched into East Kent NHS trust after baby deaths Government’s decision comes amid reports of at least seven preventable deaths since 2016

The government has announced an independent review into maternity services at an NHS trust where a number of babies have died.

“Immediate actions” have also been promised and an independent clinical team has been placed “at the heart” of East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust. It comes amid reports that at least seven preventable baby deaths may have occurred at the trust since 2016, including that of Harry Richford. The Guardian

See also:

• East Kent baby deaths: Independent review into NHS trust BBC News
• Government announces independent review into maternity services at under-fire NHS trust The Daily Telegraph

Homeopaths banned from practising quack autism 'treatment' by Government

Homeopaths banned from practising quack autism 'treatment' by Government A Government watchdog has warned homeopaths that they must stop practising so-called treatments for autism, but the NHS director wants the 'quack' practitioners struck off completely.

The Society of Homeopaths have been given a three month deadline to withdraw advertising for bogus 'cures' for autism.

The Professional Standards Authority today said it would only renew the societies accreditation on those grounds. The Daily Mail