Northampton General Hospital nurses and midwife receive awards for outstanding compassionate care

Northampton General Hospital nurses and midwife receive awards for outstanding compassionate care Nurses and a midwife from Northampton General Hospital have received DAISY Awards for the outstanding compassionate and sensitive care they have provided for patients.

They were nominated for their awards by patients as part of an international recognition programme that honours and celebrates exceptional care. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

REVEALED: Statistics for West Northamptonshire as gonorrhoea and syphilis cases reach record highs

REVEALED: Statistics for West Northamptonshire as gonorrhoea and syphilis cases reach record highs Statistics surrounding gonorrhoea and syphilis cases in West Northamptonshire have been revealed, as the number of diagnoses, nationally, reach record highs. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Kettering General Hospital chief apologises over children's care

Kettering General Hospital chief apologises over children's care A chief executive whose hospital has been accused of failing children has admitted it has not always "got it right" and apologised at a meeting.

The care regulator has warned Kettering General Hospital (KGH) over its children's and young people's services and rated them inadequate.

Dozens of parents with children who died or became seriously ill have contacted the BBC with concerns.

Deborah Needham told a board meeting she was "here to listen" to worries. BBC Northamptonshire

Leading for all: supporting trans and non-binary healthcare staff

Leading for all: supporting trans and non-binary healthcare staff This report, developed in partnership with the LGBT Foundation, includes new data from a survey and interviews with trans and non-binary people in the NHS. It finds that 55 per cent experienced transphobia in the workplace and 47 per cent experienced negative or stereotypical assumptions about their gender identity. It aims to support leaders to become effective, active allies to their health care staff; take action to ensure working environments are inclusive; and guide decision-making when developing policies for trans and non-binary staff. NHS Confederation

Emergency care continues to face record demand as more people than ever before checked for cancer last year

Emergency care continues to face record demand as more people than ever before checked for cancer last year A&Es across the country experienced the busiest May on record with NHS urgent and emergency care staff remaining under significant pressure, new data published today shows.

Emergency departments across the country had the highest number of attendances for any May (2,240,070) – the third highest total since records began – and over 4,500 patients per day more than in April.

The monthly performance statistics also show ambulance crews attended 624,092 face-to-face call-outs last month, the highest number since May 2022 (632,625).

The high demand came after the busiest winter ever for the NHS and in a month with three bank holiday weekends, which traditionally see more people coming forward for urgent and emergency care. NHS England

See also:

• The King's Fund responds to latest NHS performance stats The King's Fund
• NHS Confederation responds to NHS performance statistics for May 2023 NHS Confederation
• Record demand piles pressure on trusts NHS Providers
• Record NHS waiting list continues to grow quickly despite government ambitions Nuffield Trust
• What the latest NHS performance figures show Evening Standard
• NHS chiefs blame staff shortages for record 7.4m people on waiting lists in England The Guardian

NHS expands high-res skin imaging to speed up cancer diagnoses and treatment for tens of thousands of patients

NHS expands high-res skin imaging to speed up cancer diagnoses and treatment for tens of thousands of patients Tens of thousands of patients are set to receive a diagnosis and treatment for skin cancer faster, with accelerated NHS rollout of ‘teledermatology’, which involves taking high spec images of spots, moles or lesions on people’s skin.

The simple technology which consists of a small lens the size of a 50p piece that can be attached to a phone camera, also called a dermatoscope, is enabling specialist dermatologists to double the number of patients they can review in a day. NHS England

MPs to examine role of pharmacy services in future NHS

MPs to examine role of pharmacy services in future NHS MPs are launching a new inquiry to examine the readiness of pharmacy services to capitalise on future opportunities as the way in which healthcare is delivered is changing.

The inquiry will also consider current challenges around funding, workforce and the digital infrastructure. Planned developments within the profession will enable future pharmacists to be independent prescribers from day one of registration, giving them a greater role within primary care teams.

The Committee will examine the status of pharmacy, focusing on community, primary care and hospital services and how they could best serve the future NHS. Health and Social Care Committee

Long Covid ‘has devastating effect on sufferers’ even more than certain cancers, finds study

Long Covid ‘has devastating effect on sufferers’ even more than certain cancers, finds study Long Covid can affect the quality of patients’ lives more than certain cancers and as much as Parkinson’s disease, a new study has suggested.

Research led by University College London (UCL) and the University of Exeter examined the impact of long Covid on the lives of 3,754 people who were referred to a clinic for the illness. The Independent

See also:

• Impact of fatigue as the primary determinant of functional limitations among patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome: a cross-sectional observational study (open access) BMJ Open
• Long Covid can impact fatigue and quality of life worse than some cancers University College London
• Long Covid can impair quality of life more than advanced cancers, study says The Guardian
• Long Covid Fatigue Can Be More Debilitating Than These Diseases Huffington Post UK
• Diabetes drug could reduce chances of getting long COVID, study suggests Sky News

Taurine may extend life and health, scientists find

Taurine may extend life and health, scientists find Taurine - a nutrient found in meat, fish and sold as a supplement - extends life and boosts health in a range of animal species, scientists say.

Levels of taurine decline with age in different species, including people.

Experiments on middle-aged animals showed boosting taurine to youthful levels extended life by over 10% and improved physical and brain health.

The researchers say taurine may be an "elixir of life" - but topping up levels in people has not been tested.

So the team, at Columbia University, in New York, recommend against people buying taurine pills or energy drinks packed with taurine in an attempt to live longer. BBC News

See also:

• Taurine linked with healthy aging (open access) Science
• Common energy drink ingredient taurine ‘may slow ageing process’ The Guardian
• Common energy drink ingredient could hold key to ‘fountain of youth’ The Independent
• Taurine supplements extend lifespan and health in old age in mammals New Scientist
• Deficiency in taurine amino acid may speed up ageing process, say scientists Sky News

Thirteen times as many people waiting too long for urgent cancer check-ups than in 2010, NHS figures reveal

Thirteen times as many people waiting too long for urgent cancer check-ups than in 2010, NHS figures reveal Sky News analysis of new NHS figures shows almost 600,000 people had to wait longer than the recommended two weeks to see a specialist after an urgent cancer referral, with waits for treatment little better. Cancer doctors say NHS staff shortages are to blame.

Ministers accused of neglecting 'tidal wave' of child mental ill health in England

Ministers accused of neglecting 'tidal wave' of child mental ill health in England Ministers have been accused of failing to grasp the “tidal wave” of mental ill health blighting children’s lives, after research found that only a quarter of English primaries will be able to offer vital school-based support by the end of next year.

With almost one in five pupils aged seven to 16 now thought to have a mental health disorder, specialist support teams were set up to work with children in schools, addressing early symptoms and reducing pressure on overstretched NHS services. The Guardian

Fat Britain sends NHS prescriptions bill rocketing past £10 BILLION

Fat Britain sends NHS prescriptions bill rocketing past £10 BILLION Britain's ever-bulging waistline has sent the NHS's annual prescription bill past the £10billion milestone.

Official data for the 2022/23 financial year revealed a record £10.4bn was spent on supplying drugs in England last year — up 8 per cent on the previous calendar year. 

Drugs designed to treat type 2 diabetes, a common health complication of obesity, were the biggest burden. The Daily Mail

See also:

• How obesity evolved from a lack of willpower into a disease The Daily Telegraph
• Weight-loss drugs aren’t a magic bullet for Britain’s obesity crisis The Guardian

Warning to hay fever sufferers from the Met Office

Warning to hay fever sufferers from the Met Office Sufferers of hay fever have been told their misery is nowhere near over yet, with the 'pollen bomb' set to last weeks.

Millions have been battered by the seasonal sniffles over the past month. 

And levels are forecasted to be very high across England and Wales this weekend, too. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Pollen forecast (East Midlands) Met Office

Ban disposable vapes to save youths from the 'Wild West market', Children's Commissioner says

Ban disposable vapes to save youths from the 'Wild West market', Children's Commissioner says Disposable vapes must be banned and others sold in plain packaging to end the ‘Wild West market’ in e-cigarettes, the Children’s Commissioner for England has said.

Dame Rachel de Souza fears that children feel under pressure to take part in the damaging habit. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Glastonbury: Disposable vapes added to 'what not to bring' list BBC News
• Disposable vapes should be banned to protect children, UK paediatricians say The Guardian