World's smallest pacemaker fitted at Northampton hospital in first for UK

World's smallest pacemaker fitted at Northampton hospital in first for UK Northampton General Hospital has become the first of its kind in the UK to fit the world’s smallest pacemaker. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Patient transport services turns up six hours later to take elderly Northampton patient home from hospital appointment

Patient transport services turns up six hours later to take elderly Northampton patient home from hospital appointment A 69-year-old man was left waiting in hospital for six hours before Northamptonshire’s new transport service turned up to take him home. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

State of the nation’s health revealed in landmark report from PHE

State of the nation’s health revealed in landmark report from PHE The ‘Health Profile for England’ report is the first time PHE has used its wealth of population health data to give an overall picture of the health of England.

People are living longer than ever – life expectancy in England has now reached 79.5 years for males and 83.1 years for females. However, much of the extra time is spent in poor health.

A major theme of the ‘Health Profile for England’ report is health inequalities; we are simultaneously publishing a focused report examining health inequalities between different population groups. In the richest areas, people enjoy nearly 20 more years in good health than people in the poorest areas.

The ‘Health Profile for England’ report covers life expectancy, major causes of death, morbidity trends, European comparisons, inequality in health, social determinants of health and current health protection issues. Public Health England

Research and analysis: Child sexual exploitation: prevention and intervention

Research and analysis: Child sexual exploitation: prevention and intervention This report summarises the emerging evidence from the UK on the issue of child sexual exploitation. It provides practice examples to support local public health leaders to establish a public health framework for prevention and intervention.

The literature search is a summary of the latest international research about effective interventions to prevent child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation.

The primary audiences for these document are directors of public health and local public health teams. Other interested audiences may include NHS services, local councillors, head teachers and college principals, local children and young people’s services and commissioners, and voluntary and community organisations. Public Health England

Apprenticeships in the NHS - Staff Council guidance

Apprenticeships in the NHS - Staff Council guidance The NHS Staff Council has issued jointly agreed guidance on apprenticeships in the NHS. NHS Employers

Fewer ambulance 999 calls to be classed as 'life-threatening'

Fewer ambulance 999 calls to be classed as 'life-threatening' Fewer 999 ambulance calls will be classed as life-threatening and needing a super-fast response, as part of the biggest shake-up in the service in 40 years.

The move by the NHS in England - and agreed by ministers - will result in about 8% of call-outs being classed as needing the quickest response.

Currently half of call-outs are, but many could wait longer.

NHS bosses said the changes would save lives.

They said the plans would result in the sickest patients getting urgent treatment more quickly.

The changes have been backed by medical experts after being carefully piloted over the past 18 months.

For example, in one of the pilot sites, cardiac arrest patients received a response 30 seconds quicker than they did previously. If this was repeated across the country, it could save 250 lives. BBC News

See also:

• Cars not ambulances are dispatched to hit target times The Daily Mail
• Ambulance trust accused of jeopardising patients by sending cars The Guardian

Driving students away from nursing is a spectacular act of political self-harm

Driving students away from nursing is a spectacular act of political self-harm With 40,000 nursing vacancies unfilled, the news that training applications are down by 23% is disastrous for the NHS.

The deadline for applications has passed and the final figures are out: after rising for years, the number applying for university places has fallen this year. There are 4% fewer from England and 5% fewer from the EU, with a 2% rise from elsewhere. Continue reading... The  Guardian

Hospitals to receive £21m to increase cybersecurity at major trauma centres

Hospitals to receive £21m to increase cybersecurity at major trauma centres Jeremy Hunt pledges funding for 27 hospitals across England after the WannaCry ransomware attack disabled NHS IT systems

Hospitals responsible for treating patients from major incidents including terrorist attacks will receive £21m to beef up their cybersecurity in the wake of the WannaCry assault on NHS IT systems.

Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, has pledged the extra money to try to stop future malware attacks disrupting operations and appointments in key medical centres. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Government responds on cyber security and data Department of Health
• Consultation outcome: New health data security standards and consent/opt-out model Department of Health
• Cyber-security and safe data sharing both imperative for NHS patient care, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
• Hospitals will fail unless they improve cyber security The Daily Mail
• Cyber threats could cost lives unless NHS improves security The Daily Telegraph

Suicides by young people peak in exam season, report finds

Suicides by young people peak in exam season, report finds Research backs fears of campaigners calling for reversal of cuts in counselling services at schools and universities

Suicides among children and young adults peak at the beginning of exam season, it has emerged, adding to fears that pressure to get good results is harming their mental health.

Exams are sometimes the final straw that lead to someone under 25 taking their own life, according to a major inquiry. While experts pointed out that the causes of suicide are always complex, they said academic problems could play a significant role. Continue reading... The Guardian

Weybridge hospital fire: Homes evacuated as flames engulf Surrey medical centre

Weybridge hospital fire: Homes evacuated as flames engulf Surrey medical centre Scores of people were evacuated from their homes in the middle of the night after a fire ripped through a hospital.

Witnesses reported hearing a "loud bang" at Weybridge Community Hospital, in Surrey, before the building was engulfed in flames.

Residents near the three-storey medical centre, which houses a walk-in centre that is only open during the daytime, were given refuge inside St James' Parish Church after being told to leave their homes for safety reasons. The Daily Telegraph

Abusive caller who phoned Northamptonshire's ambulance service 999 line 1,868 times, jailed for six months

Abusive caller who phoned Northamptonshire's ambulance service 999 line 1,868 times, jailed for six months Northamptonshire's ambulance service has seen an abusive caller, who rang 999 1,868 times and cost the NHS £30,936, handed a six month prison sentence. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Big cuts planned to public health budgets

Big cuts planned to public health budgets Central government cuts have forced councils to reduce planned spending on vital public health services such as sexual health clinics and reducing harm from smoking, alcohol and drugs by £85 million, according to new analysis by The King’s Fund.

The analysis, based on Department of Communities and Local Government data, shows that councils in England are planning to spend £3.4 billion on public health services in 2017/18. But on a like-for-like basis (to exclude the impact of changes to how budgets are calculated over different years) councils will spend only £2.52 billion on public health services in 2017/18 compared to £2.60 billion the previous year. Once inflation is factored in, we estimate that, on a like-for-like basis, planned public health spending is more than 5 per cent less in 2017/18 than it was in 2013/14. The King's Fund

See also:

• Chickens coming home to roost: local government public health budgets for 2017/18 The King's Fund
• 'Reckless' cuts to sexual health services fuel soaring STD levels The Daily Telegraph

Councillors' perceptions of Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships

Councillors' perceptions of Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships This survey of local councillors finds that less than a quarter of respondents are confident that STPs will succeed and that the majority feel that they have not been involved with shaping, commenting on or approving of the plans. The report argues that STPs should be more democratically accountable through local health and wellbeing boards, which should also be given a legal duty to sign off the plans. Local Government Association

The C word: how we react to cancer today

The C word: how we react to cancer today This report argues that with cancer diagnoses becoming more common than marriage in the UK, there is a greater need for the public to be better informed about the reality of cancer diagnosis and treatment. The report explores people's experiences when receiving a cancer diagnosis and how best to support patients following diagnosis. Macmillan

Theresa May urged to appoint learning disability commissioner

Theresa May urged to appoint learning disability commissioner The "shocking" case of a man with learning disabilities and terminal cancer has led to a call for the prime minister to appoint a commissioner for learning disabled people's rights.

Ian Shaw, 34, spent nine years in secure hospitals before being moved into community care last year.

The cancer was found and his parents say the units should have spotted it.

Sir Stephen Bubb, author of two reports on secure units, has told Theresa May Ian's case highlights ongoing failures.

Sir Stephen told the BBC that Ian's story was "all too typical".

"It has led me to believe that institutional care is at root abusive and we must close these institutions." BBC News

Contaminated blood scandal inquiry announced

Contaminated blood scandal inquiry announced A UK-wide inquiry will be held into the contaminated blood scandal that left at least 2,400 people dead, the prime minister has confirmed.

A spokesman for Theresa May said it would establish the causes of the "appalling injustice" that took place in the 1970s and 1980s.

Thousands of NHS patients were given blood products from abroad that were infected with hepatitis C and HIV.

It's been called the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS. BBC News

See also:

• Prime Minister announces inquiry into contaminated blood scandal that left 2,400 dead The Daily Telegraph
• Contaminated blood scandal: Theresa May orders inquiry The Guardian
• What is the contaminated blood scandal? The Guardian
• Blood contamination has killed 2,400. Why was this disaster ignored for so long? The Guardian
• Contaminated blood survivor: 'I think they just expected us to die' The Guardian

Measles 'tragedy' kills 35 across Europe

Measles 'tragedy' kills 35 across Europe Thirty-five people have died in the past year from measles outbreaks across Europe, the World Health Organization has warned.

It described the deaths - which can be prevented with vaccination - as an "unacceptable tragedy".

A six-year-old boy in Italy was the latest to die from the infection. More than 3,300 measles cases have been recorded in the country.

The most fatalities - 31 - have been in Romania.

But there have also been deaths in Germany and Portugal since June 2016. BBC News

ITV News reveals scale of NHS vacancies that threatens closed wards and cancelled operations

ITV News reveals scale of NHS vacancies that threatens closed wards and cancelled operations An ITV News investigation has revealed the scale of vacancies in NHS hospitals stretching across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Some hospitals reported more than 1,000 vacancies with the biggest gaps, at every trust, in nursing.

Others admitted crucial roles have remained unfilled for years, despite repeated advertising.

ITV News asked every acute trust in the country to disclose how many staff posts were vacant.

In total 92 trusts responded to our Freedom of Information request.

Cleaners at London hospitals stage seven-day strike over pay

Cleaners at London hospitals stage seven-day strike over pay More than 700 cleaners, security guards, catering staff and porters walk out after Serco refuses 30p a an hour pay rise

Domestic staff in London hospitals have begun a week-long strike in a dispute with private contractor Serco over low pay and job cuts, with organisers saying it is the biggest cleaners’ strike in the UK’s history.

Hospitals that are part of Barts Health NHS trust were expected to face serious consequences as more than 700 cleaners, security guards, catering staff and porters employed by Serco walked out on Tuesday. The action came after a ballot resulted in 99% of workers voting to strike. Continue reading... The Guardian

Margaret Willcox: ‘Relations with the NHS are tense. But we will rise above it

Margaret Willcox: ‘Relations with the NHS are tense. But we will rise above it’ We must pursue integration with the health service despite our differences, says the president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services

As president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (Adass), Margaret Willcox finds herself in an unusual position. In the mounting friction between health and social care, she’s a leading figure on one side of the fence who also spent half her career on the other side – starting out as a nurse. Continue reading... The Guardian