Northampton student nurse who will do 'everything in his power' for equality shortlisted for diversity award - Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Northampton student nurse who will do 'everything in his power' for equality shortlisted for diversity award A young man who will do ‘everything in his power’ for equality in his role as a student nurse has been nominated for a diversity award.

Solomon Jones, who is ‘born and bred Northampton’, is halfway through his four-year Open University course.

The 22-year-old has worked as a healthcare assistant and an apprentice nurse for nearly two and half years, but has actually been employed by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) for four years. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Health visitors’ fear for children’s wellbeing due to relentless service cuts

Health visitors’ fear for children’s wellbeing due to relentless service cuts Public health budget cuts have left health visiting services unable to offer the minimum level of support in many areas

Many health visitors across England have been robbed of their ability to protect vulnerable families by devastating cuts to public health budgets. That is the headline finding of an annual survey of health visitors in England, published by the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV), alongside calls to ring-fence new funding for the profession.

See also:

• Health Visiting in England: State of Health Visiting in England Institute of Health Visiting
• Public health budget cuts have decimated health visiting services OnMedica

Tackling social inequalities to reduce mental health problems

Tackling social inequalities to reduce mental health problems We all have mental health and we can all experience mental health problems, whatever our background or walk of life. But the risks of mental ill-health are not equally distributed.

The likelihood of our developing a mental health problem is influenced by our biology, and by the circumstances in which we are born, grow, live and age.

Those who face the greatest disadvantages in life also face the greatest risks to their mental health. Mental Health Foundation

Evaluation of the Integrated Personal Commissioning (IPC) programme: final evaluation report

Evaluation of the Integrated Personal Commissioning (IPC) programme: final evaluation report Integrated Personal Commissioning (IPC) is an approach to joining up health and social care, and other services where appropriate. This report outlines the findings of an independent evaluation of IPC and finds that whilst IPC costs more than standard care, it resulted in positive patient experience and increased social care quality of life. Centre for Health Economics, University of York

Walk-in GP services divert more patients from A&E but may not be cost-effective

Walk-in GP services divert more patients from A&E but may not be cost-effective An analysis of the impact of GP-led health centres - around 250 of which were set up between 2008 and 2012 following a review by Lord Ara Darzi under former prime minister Gordon Brown - found that GP services divert significant numbers of patients away from A&E. GPonline

See also:

• Convenient primary care and emergency hospital utilisation (abstract) Journal of Health Economics

NHS 'took 18 months to help after suicide attempt'

NHS 'took 18 months to help after suicide attempt' Poor treatment and aftercare for people who self-harm or attempt suicide is putting their lives at risk, the Royal College of Psychiatrists says.

Many patients treated in A&E for self-harm do not receive a full psychosocial assessment from a mental health professional to assess suicide risk.

Simon Rose, who has attempted suicide many times, told BBC News it once took 18 months to receive aftercare.

NHS England said reducing suicide rates was an "NHS priority".

See also:

• End the treatment lottery putting the lives of self-harming patients at risk Royal College of Psychiatrists

Coronavirus: Britons on Diamond Princess cruise ship to disembark and fly home

Coronavirus: Britons on Diamond Princess cruise ship to disembark and fly home An evacuation flight for Britons trapped on a coronavirus-hit cruise ship in Japan has been delayed by a day, the British embassy has said.

About 70 UK nationals who have spent 16 days in quarantine on the liner had expected to fly home on Friday.

But the flight is "logistically complicated" and will now leave on Saturday, the embassy says.

The group are expected to land in Wiltshire before being quarantined at Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral. BBC News

See also:

• British coronavirus cruise couple say hospital is 'best place' BBC News
• US scientists have completed a coronavirus vaccine The Daily Mail
• British coronavirus cruise ship airlift is DELAYED The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus: Britons aboard Diamond Princess cruise ship will arrive back in the UK on Saturday The Daily Telegraph

The poster project spreading 'happiness and kindness' to NHS staff

The poster project spreading 'happiness and kindness' to NHS staff Artist Andy Leek is best known for his posters spreading positive, motivational messages in cities around the world.

In his latest project, his notes directly address NHS staff workers.

Over 600 of the posters have appeared in staff rooms and breakout areas around the UK. BBC News

NHS hails next generation of surgical robots to help treat bowel cancer

NHS hails next generation of surgical robots to help treat bowel cancer Next generation surgical robots have been hailed by doctors as “a leap forward in surgical precision” in the UK.


Western General Hospital in Edinburgh was first to use the new Versius robotic arm technology in Europe, followed by Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Trust in Buckinghamshire.

The tool is used to perform minimal access surgery – also known as keyhole or laparoscopic surgery – and could reduce patient recovery times and pain. ITV News

Patients at risk in ‘crumbling’ mental health wards, NHS leaders warn

Patients at risk in ‘crumbling’ mental health wards, NHS leaders warn Patient safety is at risk in “crumbling” NHS mental health hospitals starved of the money needed to improve dilapidated buildings, new data has revealed.

Hundreds of vulnerable mentally ill patients are still being cared for in 350 old dormitory-style wards, 20 years after the NHS was told to provide all patients with en-suite rooms.

A lack of funding to refurbish hospitals has also meant too many wards still have ligature points that patients can use to try to harm themselves. The Independent

Hospitals wrongly medicating thousands of dementia patients

Hospitals wrongly medicating thousands of dementia patients Almost two-fifths of NHS hospitals are medicating dementia patients with anti-psychotic drugs rather than offering alternative therapies, it has emerged.

Experts have warned the trend is concerning and goes against guidelines by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) which says alternatives should be tried to help prevent patients becoming agitated and confused in hospital. The Independent

See also:

• Almost 40% of hospitals do not offer non-drug therapies to distressed dementia patients Pharmaceutical Journal

UK’s expensive visa fees 'could deter NHS staff and scientists'

UK’s expensive visa fees 'could deter NHS staff and scientists' High cost of entry under immigration overhaul will put off applicants, says thinktank

The UK’s “sky-high” visa fees could deter vital NHS staff and the “brightest and best” scientists that Boris Johnson wants to attract with his new immigration policy, experts have warned.

Nurses, lab technicians, engineers and tech experts who currently flock to the UK from the EU may not be able to afford to do so if the prime minister’s proposed immigration overhaul becomes law.  The Guardian

Scientists discover new antibiotic that kills bacteria resistant to all known drugs

Scientists discover new antibiotic that kills bacteria resistant to all known drugs Scientists have discovered a new antibiotic that can kill even the toughest superbugs that have become resistant to all other known drugs, a new study reveals.

Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers ran about 6,000 molecules through their artificial intelligence program, searching for those that could kill E. coli.

Of all those, the AI picked out exactly one that appeared most effective against the bacteria and didn't structurally resemble any of the 1,700 FDA-approved compounds included in their library. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Artificial intelligence yields new antibiotic Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• AI discovers antibiotic to treat drug-resistant diseases for first time The Independent