Spotlight on the life-saving work of the Critical Care Unit at NGH on its first anniversary

Spotlight on the life-saving work of the Critical Care Unit at NGH on its first anniversary The new Critical Care Unit at Northampton General Hospital has provided vital support for almost 900 patients and their families in its first year of operation.

The £15.9m state-of-the-art unit opened its doors on June 29, 2022, following an extensive period of design, discussion and building work. Northants Life

Defining our digital heath destiny – shaping an eco-system, or being shaped by disfunction?

Defining our digital heath destiny – shaping an eco-system, or being shaped by disfunction? For health and social care to benefit from digital technologies there needs to be a vibrant ecosystem with innovations that are problem-led and rapid to implement, while using the best evidence-based technology. The evolution of the ecosystem is far from this ideal and risks being shaped by dysfunction. The King's Fund

Six steps to better care for older people in acute hospitals

Six steps to better care for older people in acute hospitals This guidance aims to offer measures that teams should take to improve care and reduce hospital-acquired dependency for those living with frailty, as well as stressing that interventions should be monitored and linked more widely to community-based services. Getting It Right First Time

Urology: towards better care for patients with kidney cancer

Urology: towards better care for patients with kidney cancer This guidance – a collaboration between Getting It Right First Time, the British Association of Urological Surgeons and the British Association of Urological Nurses – describes the key features of a good kidney cancer service and lists the quality actions teams can take to bridge any gaps they identify. It also includes a delivery checklist and case studies illustrating good practice.

Nottingham maternity review set to become UK's largest

Nottingham maternity review set to become UK's largest A review into failings in maternity care in hospitals in Nottingham is set to become the largest in the UK, the BBC understands.

Donna Ockenden, chair of the inquiry, is expected to announce that 1,700 families' cases will be examined.

She was in charge of the probe into services in Shropshire, which found at least 201 babies and mothers might have survived had they received better care.

The review comes after dozens of baby deaths and injuries in Nottingham. BBC News

See also:

• Nottingham baby death inquiry expected to uncover biggest-ever maternity scandal Evening Standard
• Baby died of brain injury after midwives ‘neglected’ mum while breastfeeding The Independent
• Significant change in NUH maternity review means more cases to be investigated Nottingham Post
• Nottingham hospitals trust to be more 'honest' with families affected by maternity failings Nottingham Post
• Crisis in NHS maternity units revealed as 21 rated ‘substandard’ The Observer

Weight-loss jabs investigated for suicide risk

Weight-loss jabs investigated for suicide risk Europe's drugs regulator has told BBC News it is conducting a review of some weight-loss jabs after being alerted to a possible link to thoughts of suicide and self-harm among users.

Member state Iceland notified the European Medicines Agency after seeing three cases.

The safety assessment will look at Wegovy, Saxenda and similar drugs, such as Ozempic, that help curb appetite.

Product leaflets already list suicidal thoughts as a possible side effect. BBC News

Researchers hopeful of treatment of Parkinson’s by 2030 with ‘dual efficacy’ drug

Researchers hopeful of treatment of Parkinson’s by 2030 with ‘dual efficacy’ drug A former diabetes trial drug could be used to treat Parkinson’s disease within years, research suggests.

The drug, which was designed to treat dyskinesia – involuntary movements that are a common side effect in Parkinson’s patients who take levodopa-based medication for several years – could also improve motor symptoms linked to the condition.

According to Parkinson’s UK, the drug – NLX-112 – offers hope that a new multi-faceted treatment could be in reach by 2030. The Independent

See also:

• Clinical trial results offer hope of a new Parkinson’s treatment for motor symptoms and dyskinesia Parkinson's UK

NHS facing new strike action as radiographers announce 48 hour walkout after union rejected government pay offer

NHS facing new strike action as radiographers announce 48 hour walkout after union rejected government pay offer NHS patients in parts of England could face delays to x-rays, scans and cancer treatment when radiographers walk out for 48 hours in a dispute over pay.

The latest strike to hit the health service was confirmed today by the Society of Radiographers (SoR) trade union.

Members of the union at 43 NHS trusts have voted to walk out between 8am on 25 July and 8am on 27 July. Sky News

Revealed: pharma giants pour millions of pounds into NHS to boost drug sales

Revealed: pharma giants pour millions of pounds into NHS to boost drug sales Pharmaceutical giants are pouring tens of millions of pounds into struggling NHS services – including paying the salaries of medical staff and funding the redesign of patient treatment – as they seek to boost drug sales in the UK, the Observer can reveal.

Drug firms are simultaneously funding groups that lobby for greater investment in their disease areas, and in some cases are paying generous consultancy fees to influential ­healthcare professionals, including GPs who have worked as clinical leads for NHS England and have received as much as £480,000 each from industry since 2019.

See also:

• ‘It’s naive to think this is in the best interests of the NHS.’ How Big Pharma’s millions are influencing healthcare The Observer

Patient dies and three hospitalised in Sciensus chemotherapy incident

Patient dies and three hospitalised in Sciensus chemotherapy incident A cancer patient has died and three others have been hospitalised after they were administered unlicensed versions of chemotherapy by Sciensus, a private company paid millions by the NHS to provide essential medication, the Guardian can reveal.

Three health regulators have launched inquiries into the incident, according to people familiar with the matter. It was caused by an issue at the firm’s medicines manufacturing unit. The Guardian

Racism is ‘stain’ on NHS for staff and patients, says psychiatry chief

Racism is ‘stain’ on NHS for staff and patients, says psychiatry chief Racism is “a stain on the NHS” and tackling it is key to recruiting and retaining staff, the outgoing president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) will warn.

The health service has a moral, ethical and legal duty to do more to stamp out racism, Dr Adrian James is expected to say at the college’s international congress in Liverpool. The Guardian

See also:

• NHS 'must do much more to stamp out racism in all its forms' Evening Standard

'Postcode lottery' in prostate cancer care costs thousands of lives a year

'Postcode lottery' in prostate cancer care costs thousands of lives a year A ‘postcode lottery’ in prostate cancer care is costing thousands of lives a year, a charity has warned.

Men living in parts of the North East are almost six times more likely to be diagnosed after their cancer has spread than in the country’s top performing trusts.

Patients in northern counties are also significantly less likely to have access to cutting-edge diagnostics and treatment compared with the South, analysis by Prostate Cancer Research found. The Daily Mail