Part of Northampton General Hospital evacuated after fire

Part of Northampton General Hospital evacuated after fire Part of a hospital was evacuated after a fire broke out on the ground floor of a building.

Six crews were sent to Northampton General Hospital's Cliftonville site just before 14:00 GMT and the public was asked to avoid the area.

The hospital said the blaze was not in a clinical area but some patients were moved "as a precaution". BBC Northampton

See also:

• Firefighters attend blaze at Northampton General Hospital as part of building evacuated Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northampton General Hospital fire sees patients and staff evacuated - as it happened Northants Live

The decline of publicly funded social care for older adults

The decline of publicly funded social care for older adults How are services being provided and has access changed? The latest annual statement from QualityWatch presents a range of key statistics to show how the ability of the state to provide quality social care that older people can access is changing for the worse. Nuffield Trust

Racism is the root cause of ethnic inequalities in health

Racism is the root cause of ethnic inequalities in health According to this briefing, racism is the cause of health inequity, from birth through to adulthood and into later life. It finds that racism is a key driver of ethnic inequalities in health, both directly and indirectly. It has an impact in childhood – with children from ethnic backgrounds being born at a lower birthweight and not hitting developmental milestones, to life-limiting long term illness, and mental illness in adulthood. It also finds that racism leads directly to poorer health through stress or worsening mental health; and indirectly, by exposure to targeted marketing of harmful substances, and toxins in the environment. Race Equality Foundation

Maximising the benefits of research: guidance for integrated care systems

Maximising the benefits of research: guidance for integrated care systems This guidance sets out what good research practice looks like. It supports integrated care systems (ICSs) to maximise the value of their duties around research for the benefit of their population’s health and care and, through co-ordination across ICSs, for national and international impact. It supports integrated care boards, integrated care partnerships and their partners to develop a research strategy that aligns to or can be incorporated into their integrated care strategy, and helps them and their workforce to build on existing research initiatives and activities across health and social care to improve sector-wide performance and best practice. NHS England

Supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people to live happier, healthier, longer lives: bitesize guide for local systems

Supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people to live happier, healthier, longer lives: bitesize guide for local systems This guide draws together a number of resources and provides a one stop shop for professionals who put in place services and approaches to support children, young people and adults who have a learning disability or who are autistic to lead healthier, happier, longer lives. NHS England

Patient safety concerns over Birmingham hospital probe

Patient safety concerns over Birmingham hospital probe An NHS England investigation into claims of a toxic culture at a hospital trust has been described as lacking transparency and undermining trust.

The Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman also said there were "very serious" patient safety issues at University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB).

Criticism is contained in letters seen by the BBC between the ombudsman, the trust and NHS England.

The trust said it had told the ombudsman it took concerns seriously. BBC News

See also:

• University Hospitals Birmingham bullying allegations inquiry findings held up, triggering 'veto' fears Birmingham Live
• Scandal-hit hospital condemned for blocking watchdog from inquiry into patient deaths The Independent

Junior doctors blame health secretary for triggering strikes across England

Junior doctors blame health secretary for triggering strikes across England Junior doctors’ leaders have blamed Steve Barclay for triggering their three-day strike this week by ignoring their concerns and being “dismissive” of their demands for improved pay.

Hospitals in England functioned effectively on Monday, the first day of the stoppage, with consultants – senior doctors – covering work usually done by junior colleagues. Many thousands of trainee medics refused to work, forcing hospitals to cancel outpatient appointments and operations. The Guardian

See also:

• Out in force: junior doctors strike BMA
• NHS Confederation responds to the first day of the junior doctors strike NHS Confederation
• A&E seeing impact of junior doctors' strike - NHS chief BBC News
• 'We're at breaking point' say striking junior doctors BBC News
• I've never seen the NHS this bad - junior doctor BBC News
• Junior doctor strike day two: Tens of thousands of appointments and operations are expected to be cancelled as health leaders warn NHS is facing 'high pressure' due to action The Daily Mail
• Junior doctors are the workhorses – the backbone – of hospitals The Guardian
• NHS leaders warn life-saving surgeries and urgent cancer care will be hit during doctors’ strike The Independent
• Junior doctors launch three-day strike kicking off a week of walkouts by several unions ITV News
• The junior doctors’ strike is about more than just pay The Spectator

NHS leaders are concerned over lack of new funds in the Budget

NHS leaders are concerned over lack of new funds in the Budget When Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor, delivers the Budget on Wednesday (15 March), he is expected to announce policies to limit energy bills, bolster childcare support and give businesses tax breaks. Hunt is not, however, expected to announce additional funding for the NHS – despite the health service facing the biggest crisis in its history. The News Statesman

Scientific breakthrough could prevent breast cancer ‘time bomb’

Scientific breakthrough could prevent breast cancer ‘time bomb’ Scientists have come up with a strategy that could prevent breast cancer from returning in another part of a patient’s body years or decades later.

In what experts have described as a “time bomb”, patients with the most common type of breast cancer – oestrogen receptor positive (ER+) – have a continued risk of their cancer recurring and forming incurable tumours, as secondary or metastatic breast cancer. The Independent

See also:

• Age-associated microenvironmental changes highlight the role of PDGF-C in ER+ breast cancer metastatic relapse (open access) Nature Cancer
• UK scientists discover a new way to help prevent breast cancer ‘time bomb’ Breast Cancer Now

Mediterranean diet rich in seafood and vegetables may slash dementia chances by nearly a quarter

Mediterranean diet rich in seafood and vegetables may slash dementia chances by nearly a quarter A diet rich in seafood, whole grains, nuts and vegetables could slash the chances of dementia by almost a quarter, a study suggests.

Those who ate a Mediterranean diet were significantly less likely to develop the brain disease, research involving more than 60,000 Britons concluded. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Mediterranean diet adherence is associated with lower dementia risk, independent of genetic predisposition: findings from the UK Biobank prospective cohort study (open access) BMC Medicine
• Mediterranean diet can lower dementia risk by quarter, study finds The Independent

Most men with prostate cancer DON'T need harsh treatments, major study

Most men with prostate cancer DON'T need harsh treatments, major study More men with prostate cancer can afford to delay harsh treatments without risking their health, a study suggests.

The decades-long research indicated that active monitoring by healthcare professionals is an equally valid option for men who do not have late-stage cancer.

The study found men who were monitored after being diagnosed were just as likely to survive for at least 15 years as people who underwent more severe radiation or surgical treatments. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Fifteen-Year Outcomes after Monitoring, Surgery, or Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer (abstract) New England Journal of Medicine