Junior Doctors Strike In Northants

Junior Doctors Strike In Northants NHS Nene and NHS Corby Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are urging residents in Northamptonshire to help reduce pressure on local NHS services following an announcement that junior doctors will take part in strike action during December. About My Area

See also:

• Junior Doctors' industrial action: information for patients Northampton General Hospital
• NHFT response and preparedness for junior doctors strike activity Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• KGH: Don't use A&E unless necessary during doctors's strike Northamptonshire Telegraph

Kettering General Hospital staff win national award for use of new technology

Kettering General Hospital staff win national award for use of new technology A new system introduced to free-up time taken form filling by nursing staff at Kettering General Hospital has won a top, national prize. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Collection: Femal genital mutilation (FGM): guidance for healthcare staff

Collection: Femal genital mutilation (FGM): guidance for healthcare staff Guidance and resources about FGM for healthcare professionals. Department of Health

Jimmy Savile NHS investigations: update on the themes and lessons learnt from NHS investigations into matters relating to Jimmy Savile

Jimmy Savile NHS investigations: update on the themes and lessons learnt from NHS investigations into matters relating to Jimmy Savile In February 2015, the government accepted in principle 13 of the 14 recommendations in Kate Lampard’s lessons learnt report following the investigations into the activities of Jimmy Savile relating to the NHS. This report provides a summary of actions taken in response to the 13 recommendations for the NHS, Department of Health and wider government. Department of Health

Parents 'avoid mental health talks'

Parents 'avoid mental health talks' More than half of parents in England have never spoken to their children about stress, anxiety and depression, a survey suggests. BBC News

Tax on sugary drinks backed by MPs

Tax on sugary drinks backed by MPs A tax on sugary drinks should be introduced as part of a "bold and urgent" set of measures to tackle child obesity in England, MPs say. BBC News

See also:

• MPs demand 20% levy for fizzy drinks and blitz on junk food deals The Daily Mail
• Pressure grows for 20% tax on sugary drinks to fight childhood obesity The Guardian

NHS patients sent for treatment at smaller private hospitals put at risk due to unsafe staffing and facilities

NHS patients sent for treatment at smaller private hospitals put at risk due to unsafe staffing and facilities Serious problems found even in private hospitals rated 'good' by the regulator. The Independent

Most people told to go to hospital after calling NHS 111 did not need emergency treatment

Most people told to go to hospital after calling NHS 111 did not need emergency treatment NHS 111 uses call handlers who are not medically trained and they rely on a computer to offer advice. The helpline that it replaced, NHS Direct, used nurses. The Independent

See also:

• Potential for advice from doctors to reduce the number of patients referred to emergency departments by NHS 111 call handlers: observational study BMJ Open

Urgent talks set to resume to head off junior doctors' strikes

Urgent talks set to resume to head off junior doctors' strikes Two-thirds of maternity doctors would emigrate or quit if government’s contract is implemented, report warns

Government officials and the British Medical Association are due to resume urgent talks to avert a series of strikes by junior doctors starting on Tuesday, as a report warned that many maternity doctors were expected to quit or work abroad if a new government contract at the heart of the dispute comes into force.

Behind-the-scenes discussions were held on Sunday between the parties and an official from the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Doctors must talk (editorial) The Daily Telegraph
• As leaders of the future NHS, junior doctors must come back from the brink The Daily Telegraph
• Junior doctors’ leader Johann Malawana on NHS strikes: ‘No doctor wants to do what we are being pushed into’ The Guardian

What does it take to become a junior doctor?

What does it take to become a junior doctor? As the junior doctors' strike comes nearer, The Telegraph examines what it takes to become a junior doctor. The Daily Telegraph

Good care needs to be a co-production

Good care needs to be a co-production The National Clinical Director for Long Term Conditions looks at what co-production means to the Long Term Conditions Unit and how it is essential to supporting person-centred care, addressing such difficult issues as personalised care and support planning, information-sharing and workforce skills. NHS England

Stocktake of access to general practice in England

Stocktake of access to general practice in England People’s experience of accessing general practice remains positive, with almost 9 in 10 patients reporting in 2014-15 that they could get an appointment. Patient satisfaction with access is, however, gradually and consistently declining, and a fifth of patients report opening hours are not convenient, according to today’s report from the National Audit Office.

See also:

• More patients having trouble contacting GP on phone, report shows The Guardian

Multiple-birth care 'postcode lottery'

Multiple-birth care 'postcode lottery' Women expecting twins or triplets are experiencing poor antenatal care in some areas of England, a report suggests. BBC News

See also:

• Postcode lottery of NHS maternity care for twins, triplets and higher multiples puts babies’ lives at risk across the country Twins and Multiple Births Association
• Tamba and NCT Maternity Services Report: Multiple births Twins and Multiple Births Association & NCT

A&E waiting times 'getting worse'

A&E waiting times 'getting worse' Waiting times in A&E departments across the UK are worsening as pressures grow in hospitals, figures suggest. BBC News

One in five children obese in Year 6

One in five children obese in Year 6 One in 10 children were obese when they started primary school in England last year and one in five were obese when they left, according to new figures. BBC News

HIV infections hit record level across Europe

HIV infections hit record level across Europe This increase is primarily attributed to heterosexual transmission in Eastern Europe. The Independent

Cautious optimism after nine hours of talks to resolve junior doctors dispute

Cautious optimism after nine hours of talks to resolve junior doctors dispute Both sides set to continue talks on Friday in an effort to avoid strike action over government’s threat to impose new working contracts

Both sides in the junior doctors dispute held nine hours of conciliatory talks on Thursday and will resume face to face discussions on Friday in a bid to prevent a planned a series of walkouts over the government’s threat to impose new working contracts.

Representatives of the British Medical Association, NHS Employers and the Department of Health met under the auspices of the independent Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) at un undisclosed London venue in an attempt to end the increasingly bitter dispute before the first strike due next Tuesday, 1 December. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS trusts told to ensure criminal record checks on staff up to date

NHS trusts told to ensure criminal record checks on staff up to date Many trusts are not carrying out regular reviews of personnel despite key recommendation in wake of Savile scandal

NHS trusts in England have been told to ensure that criminal records checks are up to date on their staff and, where necessary, on volunteers, after a survey of trusts revealed that many did not undertake three-yearly reviews.

The measure was a key recommendation of former barrister Kate Lampard’s report on improvements needed to protect patients in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal. She raised concerns in February about lack of management and oversight over an estimated 78,000 volunteers, highlighting 14 areas where improvements were needed. Continue reading... The Guardian

Rules banning gay and bisexual men from giving blood to be reviewed

Rules banning gay and bisexual men from giving blood to be reviewed Government will ‘look again’ at year-long prohibition imposed on men who have sex with men, says public health minister

The government will conduct a review of the rules prohibiting gay and bisexual men from donating blood, the public health minister Jane Ellison has announced.

Under current legislation, men who have sex with men (MSM) are banned from giving blood for 12 months after having sexual intercourse. Continue reading... The Guardian

Hedge funder who pledged to cut cost of Aids pill sold with 5,000pc mark-up reneges on promise

Hedge funder who pledged to cut cost of Aids pill sold with 5,000pc mark-up reneges on promise Martin Shkreli, who once wrote that he grieves "every time a drug goes generic", has not cut the cost of the pills, as promised. The Daily Telegraph

Junior doctors' strike forces Northampton General Hospital to cancel appointments

Junior doctors' strike forces Northampton General Hospital to cancel appointments Northampton General Hospital is preparing for a staff walk-out after almost 100 per cent of junior doctors voted in favour of striking. Northampton Herald and Post

Hospital inpatient care: over 10,000 more admissions a day than 10 years ago

Hospital inpatient care: over 10,000 more admissions a day than 10 years ago Latest figures show that there were 15.9 million admissions to NHS hospitals in England in 2014-15 - the equivalent of 43,500 per day. This is 1,200 more per day on average than in 2013-145 and 10,400 more per day on average than 10 years ago in 2004-05. Health and Social Care Information Centre

Babies born on the weekend have slightly higher death risk

Babies born on the weekend have slightly higher death risk "Babies delivered at the weekend are significantly more likely to die or suffer serious injury," the Daily Mail reports.

However, while the increase in risk is both significant and an obvious cause for concern, it should be noted that it is a very small increase.

Researchers looked at the outcomes of 1,349,599 births in the two years from April 1 2010, and found that an estimated 770 extra deaths occurred each year above what would occur if all babies were born on weekdays.

Obviously, 770 extra deaths is 770 too many, but it is important to put the figure into a larger context. When we look at the actual numbers, 0.73% of babies born at the weekend died, compared to 0.64% of babies born on weekdays.

While it may be tempting to assume that the extra deaths are all down to staffing issues (e.g. consultants not working at weekends) other factors may be involved. For example, most women giving birth by planned caesarean section did so during the week. Babies born this way may be lower risk, which could make the weekday births appear safer. NHS Choices

Junior doctor dispute 'to go to Acas'

Junior doctor dispute 'to go to Acas' The government has agreed to talks at Acas in the dispute with junior doctors - and is now urging the British Medical Association to call off the three days of strikes planned for December. BBC News

See also:

• Imposition threat must be removed to defer juniors' action British Medical Association
• Correspondence: Health Secretary writes to Dr Mark Porter, Chair of the BMA Department of Health
• NHS Employers begins talks with ACAS NHS Employers
• Junior doctors row: A nightmare for the NHS and patients? BBC News
• Jeremy Hunt agrees to talks with junior doctors in bid to halt strikes The Daily Mail
• Junior doctors' strike: Government agrees to talks at Acas in bid to avoid walkout The Daily Telegraph
• Doctors 'naive' to think no harm will come to patients during strikes, says Harvard The Daily Telegraph
• Junior doctors' strike: what should patients do? The Daily Telegraph
• Junior doctor strikes will go ahead unless government drops imposition threat, warns BMA GP Online
• Doctors strike: Analysis finds that NHS patients will not be more likely to die during action period The Independent
• Junior doctor dispute to go to talks at Acas OnMedica

Doctors should exercise caution in prescribing Ritalin for ADHD

Doctors should exercise caution in prescribing Ritalin for ADHD Cochrane researchers criticise quality of evidence supporting use of methylphenidate. OnMedica

See also:

• Methylphenidate for children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) The Cochrane Library

Chancellor's 3.8bn cash injection for the NHS comes at a price

Chancellor's 3.8bn cash injection for the NHS comes at a price NHS’s burden could ultimately worsen as budget for recruitment, training health professionals and health bodies is cut by 25% under spending review

The chancellor has done a lot to burnish the Conservative party’s standing on the NHS. He has given the health service an extra £3.8bn for 2016-17 – which is most of the additional cash that its boss had been seeking – and earmarked £600m of the money to fund overdue improvements in mental health care, such as for new mothers and those in crisis.

“As [NHS England chief executive] Simon Stevens said, ‘The NHS has been heard and actively supported,’” George Osborne said after the announcement. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Press release: Department of Health's settlement at the Spending Review 2015 Department of Health
• Professor Ian Cumming statement on Spending Review Health Education England
• The King's Fund's response to the Spending Review The King's Fund
• Autumn Budget and Spending Review NHS Employers
• The spending review Nuffield Trust
• NHS England spending review uplift at expense of other health services, economists warn GP Online
• Spending review 'falls short' for general practice, warns top London GP GP Online
• NHS settlement may not be enough for seven-day service, experts warn The Guardian
• 'We need more hospital beds, not more A&E staff' The Guardian
• George Osborne's lack of ideas means care homes face meltdown, warn industry chiefs The Guardian
• Autumn Statement: Plans to force nurses to pay tuition fees will saddle future generations with even more debt The Independent

Expect more teenage pregnancies and STIs as public health cuts kick in

Expect more teenage pregnancies and STIs as public health cuts kick in Slicing money out of local prevention services is ‘economically nonsensical’, completely undermining the pledge to pump billions into the NHS

The term “false economy” is bandied about a lot in discussions about government cuts, but when it comes to slashing public health budgets it is entirely appropriate. Think for one moment about the point of preventative public health services, such as sexual health clinics, suicide prevention schemes and smoking cessation programmes – to avert serious problems and crises later on – and it really isn’t difficult to join the dots.

Reducing or cutting initiatives that help keep people out of doctors’ surgeries and hospitals stores up future problems for an already stretched NHS, yet this is exactly what is happening.

Every £1 spent on contraception saves £11 in healthcare costs. Cuts to sexual health sector are economically nonsensical. Continue reading... The Guardian

Winter deaths hit 15-year high, shocking official figures show

Winter deaths hit 15-year high, shocking official figures show Last winter saw the highest number of winter deaths since the turn of the millennium as respiratory diseases claimed thousands of lives. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Excess Winter Mortality in England and Wales 2014/15 (Provisional) and 2013/14 (Final) Office for National Statistics
• Winter deaths 'highest since 1999' BBC News
• Ineffective flu vaccine causes the number of excess winter deaths to TRIPLE in a year  The Daily Mail

Award for Northamptonshire’s lifesaving vehicles

Award for Northamptonshire’s lifesaving vehicles An award has been given to East Midlands Ambulance Service for the the way it looks after its fleet of vehicles. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Exploring how available NHS data can be used to show the inequality gap in mental healthcare

Exploring how available NHS data can be used to show the inequality gap in mental healthcare This report collated publicly available data and banded CCGs based on the experiences of mental health service users in their area. The data found specifies in greater detail the differing quality as and outcome of life for those with poor mental health. The report also found across the country that those with mental illnesses are more likely to die earlier and more like to get treated differently by health care professionals. Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce

Supplying the demand for nurses: the need to end the rationing of nurse training places

Supplying the demand for nurses: the need to end the rationing of nurse training places This paper proposes reforming the present financing of nurse education, under which tuition fees and living bursaries are paid up front, and replacing it with a system whereby nursing undergraduates would take out student loans as with any other course. The NHS would then pay back the loan for nursing graduates if they work for the organisation after qualification. The paper argues that this reform would remove the need for a limit on nurse numbers. Nurses who work in the private sector are likely to similarly have their student debt repaid as companies compete with the NHS to recruit nurses. Civitas

Psychological therapy: big differences in recovery rates across England

Psychological therapy: big differences in recovery rates across England Recovery rates for patients treated for mental health disorders are published today, highlighting markedly different outcomes across the country. Health and Social Care Information Centre

See also:

• Psychological therapy outcomes vary vastly between CCGs OnMedica

Loneliness 'may affect the immune system'

Loneliness 'may affect the immune system'"Being lonely won't just make you miserable; it could also suppress your immune system and knock years of your life," the Daily Mail reports.

This headline was prompted by a laboratory study in humans and rhesus macaque monkeys, which aimed to investigate if there were biological mechanisms associated with isolation that could also be associated with the risk of chronic disease or early death.

The findings suggest increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system – responsible for the "fight or flight" response – may overstimulate development of inflammatory white blood cells in the bone marrow. At the same time it may decrease the production of antiviral proteins, reducing the body's ability to fight infections.

However, at this stage this is still just a hypothesis. The study has not directly demonstrated that people who are socially isolated are more likely to become ill or die earlier and the immune system played a key role. NHS Choices

Weekend births 'pose higher death risk'

Weekend births 'pose higher death risk' Babies born in hospitals in England at the weekends have a "significantly" greater chance of dying than those born on weekdays, researchers say. BBC News

See also:

• Association between day of delivery and obstetric outcomes: observational study The BMJ
• Babies delivered at the weekend suffer greater threat of stillbirth or death The Daily Mail
• Babies more likely to die if born in NHS hospitals at weekend The Daily Telegraph
• Weekend-born babies slightly more likely to die in their first week The Guardian
• Babies born at weekends more likely to be stillborn or die in first week of life The Independent

GPs urged to report unfit drivers

GPs urged to report unfit drivers Family doctors must tell the DVLA about any patients who continue to drive when they are medically unfit to do so, says the General Medical Council. BBC News

See also:

• RCGP response to GMC announcement on GPs reporting patients to the DVLA or DVA Royal College of General Practitioners
• Doctors should not become agents of the DVLA The Daily Telegraph

Has Alaska found holy grail of cutting costs and improving healthcare?

Has Alaska found holy grail of cutting costs and improving healthcare? Not-for-profit organisation delivering health services for Alaska Native people has tackled waiting times and improved outcomes. What can the NHS learn?

Truly innovative leaders and organisations look far and wide for inspiration – and often find it in unexpected places; think of Alexander Fleming’s accidental discovery of penicillin. The NHS urgently needs a eureka moment, with primary care and hospital services close to breaking point and waiting times spiralling out of control.

An unexpected inspiration for the NHS might be Southcentral Foundation, the not-for-profit organisation delivering primary, community and mental health services for Alaska Native people in Southcentral Alaska. In the mid-1990s, Southcentral faced many of the challenges crippling NHS services today: four-week waits for routine primary care appointments and GPs coping with 40 or more appointments every day. Continue reading... The Guardian

Simon Stevens won his extra NHS cash. Now for the hard bit

Simon Stevens won his extra NHS cash. Now for the hard bit The NHS boss used all his powers of persuasion to get George Osborne to hand over £3.8bn upfront next year. But can he deliver on transforming care?

So, well played, Simon Stevens. Spectacularly well played, in fact. To have somehow got George Osborne to stump up £3.8bn extra for the NHS next year, at a time when the cash-strapped chancellor had to fix his tax credits problem, as well as finding extra money for security and counter-terrorism, demonstrates that NHS England’s chief executive has persuasive skills of a very high order. To have won the argument, that a sizeable chunk of the extra £8bn ministers had pledged to deliver by 2020 had to come next year, is a real coup. Until as recently as Monday, most NHS leaders were pessimistically saying that the Treasury was being inflexible and remained very unpersuaded of the need for a significant upfront downpayment of the £8bn. Stevens’s refusal to accept Osborne’s preference, to phase in the £8bn over time in equal amounts, shows real backbone and an admirable certainty of purpose. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• News story: Unprecedented investment in the NHS Department of Health
• RCGP response to Chancellor's announcement on NHS investment Royal College of General Practitioners 
• A shot in the arm for an ailing NHS Royal College of Nursing
• An NHS funding plan at last – but what’s the catch? BBC News
• Don't waste 3.8bn NHS funding uplift on seven-day services, warns GPC GP Online
• Osborne to hike NHS budget £3.8bn in 2016/17 GP online
• George Osborne: 'strong, well-funded NHS is absolutely crucial' - video The Guardian
• The Guardian view on the NHS settlement: a good compromise, but not a generous one | Editorial The Guardian
• 'Risks remain' despite George Osborne's £3.8bn cash boost for NHS Northamptonshire Telegraph
• NHS spending boost of £3.8bn next year, £10bn by 2020 OnMedica

Devolution bill poses a serious threat to the NHS

Devolution bill poses a serious threat to the NHS The little discussed and barely comprehended bill has reached committee stage in the Commons, and has significant implications for the health service.

The penny is beginning to drop within the NHS world at last. The seemingly marginal cities and local government devolution bill, now in its Commons committee stage, has major implications for the NHS that have been little discussed and barely comprehended. It all began with Greater Manchester combined authority securing control of its £6bn NHS budget earlier this year, and now several other devolution bids to the Treasury are seeking some NHS remit.

The problem here is not so much that the idea is necessarily wrong in principle, but rather that it hasn’t been thought through. Regions seeking such powers need to meet the Treasury’s requirement of securing “a financially sustainable health and social care system” by 2020. Typically they will claim to be able to do so by developing community-based models of care that focus on preventing expensive hospital treatment. In reality there is little evidence to suggest this model will work.

... ones which achieve or exceed their initial goals in such a way that they become embedded; able to survive a change of government; represent a starting point for subsequent policy development or remove the issue from the immediate policy agenda. Continue reading... The Guardian

Number of rough sleepers in Northampton is double what borough council pledged, report reveals

Number of rough sleepers in Northampton is double what borough council pledged, report reveals The number of rough sleepers in Northampton this year was double the figure the council had aimed for. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

System leaders and patient leaders: learning from a new relationship

System leaders and patient leaders: learning from a new relationship The idea that citizens should be leaders in the services they use is far from new, yet it is still at odds with many aspects of NHS culture. A recently launched programme by The King’s Fund is offering the chance to foster a new type of relationship between citizens and care systems – and to learn from how it evolves.

NHS to get above-inflation cash boost

NHS to get above-inflation cash boost Front-line NHS services in England will get a £3.8bn, above-inflation cash injection next year, amid mounting fears about the pressures they face. BBC News

See also:

• George Osborne's £6billion a year increase for the NHS The Daily Mail
• George Osborne will use Autumn Statement to increase NHS funding by £6billion The Daily Telegraph
• General practice needs an extra £3.8bn a year by 2020 warns RCGP GP Online
• Osborne injects £3.8bn to help reduce NHS financial pressure The Guardian
• George Osborne to fast-track £4bn NHS investment in bid to head off crisis The Independent
• NHS England to get spending boost sooner than expected ITV News

Rise in prosecutions following assaults on NHS staff

Rise in prosecutions following assaults on NHS staff The number of criminal actions following reported assaults on NHS hospital workers increased slightly last year. Figures from NHS Protect show that there were 1,679 criminal proceedings instigated last year - up by 30 from 2013-4. There were 67,864 reported physical assaults against NHS staff in England last year - a small reduction of 819 from 68,683 in 2013-14. OnMedica

Scandal of patients denied 5p pill that shrinks cancer

Scandal of patients denied 5p pill that shrinks cancer Within seven weeks of starting on a new treatment, the tumour in Mary Nike's left breast had shrunk from 1½ in to ½ in. Mary, 58, from Brewood, Staffordshire, was being treated with a 5p pill. The Daily Mail

First UK case of a mother using bleach to 'cure' son's autism reported to Thames Valley Police

First UK case of a mother using bleach to 'cure' son's autism reported to Thames Valley Police Thames Valley Police have confirmed they have received a complaint about the alleged use of MMS, which is similar to bleach. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Autism: Potentially lethal bleach cure feared to have spread to Britain The Independent

Let's tackle mental health stigma and attract trainees to psychiatry

Let's tackle mental health stigma and attract trainees to psychiatry Demand for psychiatrists is growing but the healthcare community needs to get its own house in order if we are to fill the gaps in recruitment

“I’ve got my life back … thanks.”

Through the clinic window, autumn’s blaze of colour is muted with drizzle and dark skies, but inside I am cast in light. I am privy to a private miracle. A corrosive mental illness that was throttling a life is no longer wreaking havoc. Hope, agency and opportunity has emerged. Career and relationships are reinvigorated and joy has been restored. The grace with which I am shown gratitude moves me profoundly and I reconnect with my sense of mission and purpose as a psychiatrist. Not a bad way to start a Monday. Continue reading... The Guardian

Health data from wearable devices could be restricted under new EU regulation

Health data from wearable devices could be restricted under new EU regulation Law firm Osborne Clarke has called on regulators to rethink the implication of the future European General Data Protection Regulation on health information. The Daily Telegraph

Attributes Common to Programs That Successfully Treat High-Need, High-Cost Individuals

Attributes Common to Programs That Successfully Treat High-Need, High-Cost Individuals Care delivery models designed to improve health outcomes and reduce spending for patients with complex health needs vary in their effectiveness. The Commonwealth Fund

Flu jabs at your pharmacy for ‘at risk’ patients

Flu jabs at your pharmacy for ‘at risk’ patients For the first time ever patients who are considered to be in an ‘at risk’ group can get their free flu jab at a local pharmacy. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Detailed guide: Rules for all agency staff working in the NHS

Detailed guide: Rules for all agency staff working in the NHS  Published new guidance on price caps for agency staff working in the NHS and consolidated a separate guidance on nursing agency spend. Monitor

See also:

• Agency price cap guidance published NHS Employers
• NHS agency staff costs cap brought in BBC News

Overspending by NHS trusts hits £1.6bn

Overspending by NHS trusts hits £1.6bn Overspending by NHS trusts in England has risen to £1.6bn this year, as concerns about the financial problems facing the health service grow. BBC News

See also:

• What not to do to stay in budget The King's Fund
• The King's Fund responds to today's NHS financial performance figures The King's Fund
• Press release: Challenging environment for NHS providers Monitor
• NHS in 'unprecedented financial meltdown': Agency staff and bed-blocking blamed as deficit hits 1.6 billion in just six months The Daily Mail
• NHS faces worst financial crisis in its history The Daily Telegraph
• NHS deficit soars to £1.6bn The Guardian
• NHS and Treasury deadlocked over budget increase before spending review The Guardian
• NHS deficit hits £1.6 billion OnMedica

'Thousands' in England malnourished

'Thousands' in England malnourished Hospitals in England are seeing thousands of patients suffering from the symptoms of malnutrition. BBC News

NHS mandate consultation expires in two days but critics argue Department of Health kept it quiet

NHS mandate consultation expires in two days but critics argue Department of Health kept it quiet Department of Health's inbox has been overloaded by replies to the consultation in the last couple of days. The Independent

See also:

• NHS consultation expands inbox after flurry of responses The Guardian

Junior doctors call for talks with Jeremy Hunt to avert strike

Junior doctors call for talks with Jeremy Hunt to avert strike Medics say they are desperate to avoid industrial action, as health secretary says patients could die if walkout goes ahead

Hundreds of junior doctors have called on Jeremy Hunt to avert industrial action after the health secretary said patients could die if next month’s planned strikes went ahead.

More than 600 junior doctors signed a letter to Hunt imploring him to enter into talks at the mediation service Acas to solve the dispute over changes to their pay and working hours. They said they had voted for strike action “with a very heavy heart”. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Junior doctors row: A nightmare for the NHS and patients? BBC News
• MPs clash over junior doctor strikes in urgent Commons debate GP Online
• Junior doctors' strike 'puts 60,000 operations a day at risk' The Guardian
• Patients could die if junior doctors' strike goes ahead, says Jeremy Hunt The Guardian
• Junior doctors accuse NHS chief of exploiting Paris attacks to stoke public fears over strike The Independent

George Osborne considers axing student nurse bursaries

George Osborne considers axing student nurse bursaries Stopping public funding for students of nursing would save £800m a year but could worsen NHS recruitment problems

Student nurses may stop receiving bursaries and instead have to take out loans to pay their tuition fees under plans the Treasury is considering.

Officials are examining the viability of the cost-cutting measure which the chancellor, George Osborne, could announce in his spending review next Wednesday. Continue reading... The Guardian

Ebola crisis 'claimed needless lives' because World Health Organisation failed to act quickly

Ebola crisis 'claimed needless lives' because World Health Organisation failed to act quickly Internal memos showed the WHO was reluctant to declare a public health emergency after it had its fingers burned with the Swine Flu pandmeic. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Liberia confirms fresh Ebola cases BBC News
• Thousands died needlessly from ebola because of World Health Organisation’s response The Daily Mail
• Ebola: Scale of latest epidemic is unlikely to be repeated, says expert The Indepdendent

Northamptonshire hospitals target capital city nurses in a bid to plug recruitment gap

Northamptonshire hospitals target capital city nurses in a bid to plug recruitment gap

A recruitment day in London is being organised by hospitals in Northamptonshire in a bid to recruit more qualified nurses. Evening Telegraph

Six people currently needing organ transplant in Northamptonshire are ‘likely to die on waiting list’, according to NHS

Six people currently needing organ transplant in Northamptonshire are ‘likely to die on waiting list’, according to NHS

New figures from the NHS show there are 64 people in Northamptonshire waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Evening Telegraph

NHS bosses pressure Hunt to agree to arbitration with junior doctors

NHS bosses pressure Hunt to agree to arbitration with junior doctors

Health secretary is insisting BMA begins talks before he will consider bringing in conciliation service

Jeremy Hunt is under growing pressure to let independent arbitrators try to settle the junior doctors dispute before their series of strikes starts next month.

Senior NHS figures and leading members of the medical establishment want the health secretary to drop his insistence that the British Medical Association reopen talks with him before asking the Arbitration, Conciliation and Advisory Service (Acas) to mediate between the two sides. Guardian

Continue reading...

NHS on course for worst financial crisis in its history

NHS on course for worst financial crisis in its history

Exclusive: The NHS is expected to declare the largest deficit in its history, amid warnings that hospitals could run out of cash to pay staff within a year. Telegraph

News story: Healthcare worker flu vaccination figures published

News story: Healthcare worker flu vaccination figures published


Latest vaccination figures show 32.4% of frontline healthcare workers had influenza vaccinations in September and October 2015.

Figures published today (19 November 2015) by Public Health England (PHE), show that more than 312,000 frontline healthcare workers in England had a flu vaccination in September and October this year.

This compares to 36.8% of workers who were vaccinated in the same period in 2014 to 2015, and 35% of workers in 2013 to 2014.

Flu experts warn that more workers need to take up the vaccine to help protect themselves and vulnerable patients this winter and help save lives, while keeping NHS services running as normal.

Hospital surveillance in 2014 to 2015 reported a total of 1,187 admissions to intensive care and high dependency units due to lab confirmed flu across England, and 8.4% of these resulted in death.

The annual campaign to drive up NHS staff vaccination rates is called flu fighter (@NHSflufighter, #flufighter). Run by NHS Employers and supported by the Department of Health and PHE, flu fighter is once again providing employers with all the resources they need to help their staff run lively local campaigns which promote vaccinations, answer questions and improve access to them. Flu fighter is now in its fifth year and has helped the NHS to increase frontline staff flu vaccinations from 359,080 (34.7%) in 2010 to 2011 to 541,757 (54.9%) by the end of last winter.

This year, for the first time, NHS Employers is also working with the residential care sector to identify how flu vaccination can become routine for care workers, identifying both challenges and examples of good practice. A tailored set of campaign materials has been made available. Public Health England

NHS Employers responds to consultation on agency price caps

NHS Employers responds to consultation on agency price caps

Read our response to the Monitor and NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA) consultation on the proposed introduction of price caps for agency staff. NHS Employers

The state of medical education and practice in the UK report: 2015

The state of medical education and practice in the UK report: 2015

This report sets out what is happening in the education and practice of doctors, and considers some of the current challenges facing the profession and the systems in which it works. An online resource containing the GMC’s registration, education and fitness to practise data is published alongside the report.
General Medical Council 

Report
General Medical Council - news

Assaults on NHS staff a “barometer” for health care under strain - RCN

Assaults on NHS staff a “barometer” for health care under strain - RCN

RCN comments on new figures showing that attacks on NHS staff in the acute sector have risen in the past year.

Work needed to end discrimination for NHS staff

Work needed to end discrimination for NHS staff

Study shows wide variation in discrimination across country. OnMedica News

Plans to speed up cancer drugs access

Plans to speed up cancer drugs access

A new Cancer Drugs Fund is to be set up to improve access to cancer drugs, says a consultation document from NHS England. BBC News

• Expensive cancer drugs may be offered to NHS patients during trial period  Guardian

Last line in antibiotic resistance under threat

Last line in antibiotic resistance under threat

"The last line of antibiotic defence against some serious infections is under threat," The Guardian reports, after researchers found that E.coli bacteria from food products in China has developed resistance to colistin – a polymixin antibiotic.

This antibiotic is, in a sense, a weapon of last resort in the antibiotics armoury, and is sometimes used to serious treat infections that have become resistant to other strong antibiotics.

The researchers found that colistin resistance was caused by a gene called MCR-1. This gene was found on a piece of bacterial DNA that can be transferred between bacteria.

They took a number of samples from animals in abattoirs, and raw meat from open markets and supermarkets in China to identify how frequently the MCR-1 gene is found in bacteria.

The study found the MCR-1 gene in E. coli collected from 15% of raw meat samples and 21% of animals tested from 2011-14. The gene was also found in E. coli from 1% of hospital inpatients in China.

As this study was conducted in China, we do not know whether the situation is the same in the UK. However, antibiotic resistance is a global concern that could potentially advance more quickly than new antibiotics can be developed.

An editorial accompanying the study recommends that the use of polymixin should be restricted in agriculture, as we could end up with a situation where doctors are forced to say, "Sorry, there is nothing I can do to cure your infection".

'More money needed' to beat TB

'More money needed' to beat TB

More investment is needed to beat tuberculosis (TB), which has become one of the most deadly infectious diseases in the world, a coalition of health agencies warn. BBC News

Liver deaths 'likely to increase' after relaxation of alcohol tax policies

Liver deaths 'likely to increase' after relaxation of alcohol tax policies


Deaths from liver disease in UK quadrupled between 1980 and 2013 as alcohol became cheaper due to policy encouraged by lobbying from drinks industry, report says

Deaths from liver disease are likely to increase as a result of the government’s relaxation of alcohol taxation policies, say liver experts, who voice concern about a shortage of specialists to treat patients across the UK.

Only a third of district general hospitals have a liver specialist on the staff, according to a new report. It warns that obesity and alcohol are fuelling a rise in liver disease, which can cause cirrhosis, cancer and death if not caught early enough to be treatable.
Guardian

Continue reading...

Nurse from Northampton wins award after reducing maximum length of her patients’ hospital stay by 18 weeks

Nurse from Northampton wins award after reducing maximum length of her patients’ hospital stay by 18 weeks A Macmillan nurse based at Northampton General Hospital has won a national award for her work with brain tumour patients. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Junior doctors 'overwhelmingly back strikes'

Junior doctors 'overwhelmingly back strikes' Junior doctors have overwhelmingly voted in favour of going on strike in their dispute with ministers over a new contract.

Some 98% voted in favour of a full strike and 99% in favour of action just short of a full strike.

The first walk-out will take place on 1 December with another two dates earmarked for later in the month. BBC News

See also:

• Junior doctors 'to vote for strikes' BBC News
• VIDEO: Junior doctors 'will support strikes' BBC News
• Hospitals may be sued if they hire locums to cover junior doctors' strike The Daily Mail
• Doctors' strike: Junior medics poised to back first 'all out' strike in NHS history The Daily Telegraph
• Junior doctors explain why they are striking The Daily Telegraph
• Doctors should never strike, and their threat must be withdrawn The Daily Telegraph
• The BMA should retreat before real harm is done The Daily Telegraph
• How much are junior doctors paid, and why are they threatening to strike? The Daily Telegraph
• Viewpoint: DH still has time to show common sense and avoid junior doctor strike GP Online
• Junior doctors expected to vote for strike as ballot closes The Guardian
• Junior doctors, Jeremy Hunt and the facts behind the strike ballot The Guardian
• The truth is we have no choice': junior doctors on striking The Guardian
• Hunt at loggerheads with BMA over junior doctor talks as strike ballot result nears OnMedica

On targets: How targets can be most effective in the English NHS

On targets: How targets can be most effective in the English NHS "This report does not set out to determine whether targets, as a concept, are good or bad, but focuses on how targets can be most effective for improving quality of care. It builds on the evidence base regarding the impact of targets to identify good practice in designing new or improved targets, and considers how policymakers can apply these lessons to the challenges facing the NHS." The Health Foundation

Continuous improvement of patient safety

Continuous improvement of patient safety This report makes the case for changing the way patient safety is approached in the NHS. It argues that change is needed in: how safety is understood, because current approaches to measurement don’t provide the full picture; how safety is improved, because existing approaches alone will not address the most intractable problems; how risk is perceived, because comfort-seeking behaviours will not create a genuine culture of learning. The Health Foundation

NHS financial temperature check: November 2015

NHS financial temperature check: November 2015 This briefing summarises finance directors' views on financial challenges facing the NHS. Please note that you need to complete a registration form to view this document. Healthcare Financial Management Association

World on cusp of 'post-antibiotic era'

World on cusp of 'post-antibiotic era' Bacteria are now resistant to drugs of last resort meaning the world is on the cusp of a "post-antibiotic era", warn scientists. BBC News

See also:

• Emergence of plasmid-mediated colistin resistance mechanism MCR-1 in animals and human beings in China: a microbiological and molecular biological study Lancet Infectious Diseases
• Analysis: Antibiotic apocalypse BBC News
• Q&A: Antibiotic resistance BBC News
• Superbugs 'are now resistant to ALL drugs and antibiotic defences' The Daily Mail
• E.coli has developed resistance to last-line of antibiotics, warn scientists The Daily Telegraph

Crisis talks with care homes 'on brink'

Crisis talks with care homes 'on brink' Crisis talks are taking place later between care home owners and council leaders amid mounting concern a large number of providers are preparing to pull out of the market. BBC News

HIV home-test kit launched in England

HIV home-test kit launched in England A free HIV home-testing kit has been launched across England as the latest figures show 18,100 people in the UK are unaware they have the infection. BBC News

See also:

• Press release: Free HIV home sampling launched to increase HIV testing Public Health England

Jeremy Hunt statement on weekend hospital care is misleading, experts warn

Jeremy Hunt statement on weekend hospital care is misleading, experts warn Health secretary’s claim that only 10% of patients are seen by a senior doctor within 14 hours at the weekend are refuted by statisticians and NHS England.

Leading statisticians have cast serious doubt on Jeremy Hunt’s claim that only 10% of patients are seen by a consultant within 14 hours of being admitted to hospital at a weekend, and described it as unfair, misleading and a gross underestimation.

NHS England has also distanced itself from the health secretary’s claim and said that the evidence it has collected on hospitals’ performance in this area does not bear out his interpretation of it. Continue reading... The Guardian

Give HPV vaccine to men who have sex with men, government told

Give HPV vaccine to men who have sex with men, government told Advisers say extending use of cervical cancer vaccine given to girls could help cut risk of anal, penile and throat cancers

Government advisers say the HPV vaccine that has been offered to girls aged 12 or 13 since 2008 to help protect them against cervical cancer should now also be available to men who have sex with men.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommends a targeted programme of three doses for those aged up to 45 attending clinics specialising in treating HIV and genito-urinary conditions. There should be no lower age limit. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Guidance: JCVI statement on HPV vaccination of men who have sex with men Department of Health

Half of stillbirths could be avoided through basic checks and listening to women

Half of stillbirths could be avoided through basic checks and listening to women More than half of stillbirths might be prevented if maternity units carried out basic checks and acted on the concerns raised by pregnant women, study finds. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Better care 'could reduce stillbirths' BBC News
• 600 stillbirths a year caused by NHS errors in monitoring and treatment  The Daily Mail

Troubled private ambulance transport service will not bid for new contract in Northamptonshire

Troubled private ambulance transport service will not bid for new contract in Northamptonshire A much-criticised private company that ferried Northamptonshire people to hospital appointments will not seek to extend its contract. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Living a long life? How mental health impacts life expectancy

Living a long life? How mental health impacts life expectancy People living with a serious mental health condition die 12-13 years younger than other people. Most of this is due to physical illness and unintentional harm. RSA open Public Services Network

See also:

• Mental health early deaths 'worrying' BBC News
• VIDEO: 'I don't feel like I was listened to' BBC News

Female GPs dominate the profession for the first time according to new GMC report

Female GPs dominate the profession for the first time according to new GMC report In a few years’ time women doctors will out number male colleagues – already there are more practising women GPs under 40 than men, according to the General Medical Council’s The state of medical education and practice in the UK report 2015.

Heat maps show 'antibiotic surge'

Heat maps show 'antibiotic surge' A huge and potentially inappropriate surge in antibiotic prescriptions in winter has been identified through the first detailed maps of seasonal prescribing in England. BBC News

Spending review - a big week ahead for the NHS

Spending review - a big week ahead for the NHS There's just a week to go until a policy announcement which could prove the most significant for the NHS in this Parliament.

Chancellor George Osborne will unveil the results of his spending review setting out, along with other departments, the path for the health budget. At a time of intense pressure on the health service, the Treasury's decision about future spending totals and the timing of increases will be critical. BBC News

High cost of unscheduled care for MS patients

High cost of unscheduled care for MS patients Emergency admissions for MS patients costs NHS £43m per year. OnMedica

Passport to practise could threaten patient safety

Passport to practise could threaten patient safety GMC urges government and European Commission to assess impact before introducing card. OnMedica

Pet owners blamed for increasing risk of MRSA and E.coli by not following animal medicine instructions

Pet owners blamed for increasing risk of MRSA and E.coli by not following animal medicine instructions Public Health England urges owners of sick pets to ensure antiobiotics are used strictly as directed. The Independent

See also:

• Call for curb on antibiotics for pets after owners catch infections The Daily Mail

Children are waiting six months to even be assessed for a mental health condition

Children are waiting six months to even be assessed for a mental health condition Provision is uneven across the country after referral. The Independent

Mental health needs urgent extra funding to avert crisis, say trust chief executives | Claire Murdoch

Mental health needs urgent extra funding to avert crisis, say trust chief executives | Claire Murdoch Ahead of the spending review, 10 London mental health trusts warn against raiding their budgets to plug funding shortfalls in acute hospitals.

The NHS is facing the greatest financial challenge in its history. Figures for the first three months of the financial year reveal an accumulated NHS deficit of almost £1bn. The independent health thinktank, the Nuffield Trust, says deficits have now become the “new normal” in the NHS, with four out of five trusts now in the red. The figures for the second quarter of the financial year are feared to be significantly worse. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS cannot make £22bn cut sought by government, finance chiefs warn

NHS cannot make £22bn cut sought by government, finance chiefs warn Fears also raised that deficit will exceed forecast £2bn and all of England’s 156 acute hospital trusts will end 2015-16 in the red

The NHS needs much more than the £8bn ministers have promised and will not deliver the £22bn of savings it has pledged, according to NHS finance chiefs.

The service in England is heading for a deficit this year even bigger than the £2bn already widely forecast, according to research by the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA). Continue reading... The Guardian

'Everyone likes to be thanked': How patient feedback is improving NHS care

'Everyone likes to be thanked': How patient feedback is improving NHS care Listening to patients is vital to improve performance. Two hospital trusts whose feedback systems helped turn their services around reveal how they did it

Five years ago, Surrey and Sussex healthcare NHS trust was one of the worst performing hospitals in the country. Now, it is one of the best. In March, the healthcare regulator, the Quality Care Commission, awarded the trust a “good” rating in every category.

The trust’s approach to feedback has played a central part in this turnaround. Fiona Allsop, its chief nurse, says: “One of the reasons we’ve got there is by listening to our patients … We’re providing services for our local community. We want to give them opportunities to get involved in what we do.” Continue reading... The Guardian

Jeremy Hunt: 'very difficult' to avoid patient harm if doctors' strike goes ahead

Jeremy Hunt: 'very difficult' to avoid patient harm if doctors' strike goes ahead Jeremy Hunt warns of risks to patients from doctors' strikes, as he makes a last ditch plea to unions in a bid to head off industrial action. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• VIDEO: 'Strike would have profound impact' BBC News
• VIDEO: How do junior doctors feel about strike? BBC News
• Junior medics who don't want to strike abused by colleagues The Daily Mail

NHS sustainability: there aren’t always more fish in the sea

NHS sustainability: there aren’t always more fish in the sea With the Spending Review fast approaching, most things currently written about the NHS begin by saying that the system is running out of money (which it is). They go on to say that social care and other public services are in an even worse state (which they are), and call for a combination of more money and greater efficiency.

But more money and using existing resources better – while both needed – won’t be enough to meet the challenges facing the NHS: we also need to think differently about who governs NHS resources, and how. The King's Fund

New whistleblowing policy for the NHS - have your say

New whistleblowing policy for the NHS - have your say Monitor, the TDA and NHS England are out to consultation on their draft whistleblowing policy for the NHS. Help ensure it meets your local needs by having your say. NHS Employers

More than 400 pharmacists to be recruited to GP surgeries by next year

More than 400 pharmacists to be recruited to GP surgeries by next year NHS England has more than doubled funding from £15m to £31m for its clinical pharmacists in general practice pilot, due to an overwhelmingly positive response from GP surgeries. NHS England, Health Education England, the Royal College of General Practitioners and the BMA are today announcing the 73 applications that will receive a share of the funding, which will cover 698 GP practices and include 403 clinical pharmacists.

Recruitment of pharmacists for the three year initiative, which was announced in July, will begin immediately, giving patients the additional support of an expert pharmacist in their GP surgery from Spring 2016.

Examples of the benefits patients can expect include extra help to manage long-term conditions, specific advice for those with multiple medications and more access to clinical advice on treatments. Royal College of General Practitioners

See also:

• More than 400 pharmacists to be recruited to GP surgeries by next year NHS England

Breast cancer drug 'too costly' for NHS

Breast cancer drug 'too costly' for NHS A life-extending breast cancer drug will not be routinely offered on the NHS in England and Wales because it is still too expensive, says the watchdog NICE. BBC News

See also:

• Kadcyla price still too high NICE
• Breast cancer drug Kadcyla is axed by NHS because of its cost The Daily Mail
• Postcode lottery for cancer drug as Nice rules Kadcyla too expensive The Guardian
• Breast cancer drug too expensive to be routinely available on NHS, watchdog rules The Independent
• Roche breast cancer drug at centre of UK pricing row Reuters

Drugmakers urge new antibiotics funds

Drugmakers urge new antibiotics funds AstraZeneca and pharmaceutical bodies warn of a "terrible human cost" unless new ways of funding antibiotics are found. BBC News

Iain Duncan Smith's tougher fit-to-work tests coincide with 590 additional suicides

Iain Duncan Smith's tougher fit-to-work tests coincide with 590 additional suicides Academic researchers also find 279,000 cases of mental ill health and 725,000 more prescriptions for antidepressants. The Independent

See also:

• ‘First, do no harm’: are disability assessments associated with adverse trends in mental health? A longitudinal ecological study (open access) Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 

More babies born to women over 35 than under 25 for the first time

More babies born to women over 35 than under 25 for the first time Latest figures show not only are women having children later in life, but fewer women are having children at all. The Independent

Health watchdog blew £8.7 million on luxury hotels, dinners and travel expenses for hospital and care home inspectors in a year

Health watchdog blew £8.7 million on luxury hotels, dinners and travel expenses for hospital and care home inspectors in a year The Care Quality Commission spent it during routine checks of hospitals and care homes. It includes an £80,000 hotel bill racked up by 118 officials inspecting a single NHS trust in Dorset. The Daily Mail

GMC calls for tougher powers to check European doctors' skills

GMC calls for tougher powers to check European doctors' skills Regulator’s chief executive says EU rules still have major weaknesses and moves to introduce digital ‘passports to practise’ could make matters worse

EU rules governing the checks that UK authorities can make on doctors still have major weaknesses seven years after a patient safety scandal revealed catastrophic flaws in the system, according to Britain’s medical regulator.

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the General Medical Council (GMC), said it must have the same powers to check the competence and medical skills of doctors from Europe as it already does for medics from the rest of the world.

We are worried that something will go wrong if we are not able to do what we need to do. Continue reading... The Guardian

Andrew Lansley takes post advising drugs firm involved in dispute with NHS

Andrew Lansley takes post advising drugs firm involved in dispute with NHS Former health secretary declares three more private sector jobs roles on House of Lords register of interests.

Andrew Lansley, the former health secretary, has taken on three more private sector jobs, including advising a pharmaceuticals firm at the centre of a row over the price it charges the NHS for cancer drugs.

Despite David Cameron’s promise in 2010 to end the “revolving door” between Whitehall and the private sector, the recently ennobled Tory peer has declared work as an adviser to Roche, the Swiss drugs company, and as an adviser to private equity firm Blackstone on investments in the health sector. Continue reading... The Guardian

Telling people they are at risk of disease makes the healthy sick, warns professor

Telling people they are at risk of disease makes the healthy sick, warns professor Doctors are treating people at risk of disease as if they have already developed the condition, an expert warns. The Daily Telegraph

New laser treatment for prostate patients treated at Kettering General Hospital

New laser treatment for prostate patients treated at Kettering General Hospital Kettering General Hospital has introduced a new laser operation to help patients who need treatment for benign enlargement of the prostate. Northamptonshire Telegraph

ESPAUR report reveals continued rise in antibiotic resistant infections

ESPAUR report reveals continued rise in antibiotic resistant infections A new report from Public Health England shows that overall antibiotic resistant infections increased through 2014. Rates of bloodstream infections caused by Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae increased by 15.6% and 20.8% respectively, from 2010 to 2014. However, Streptococcus pneumoniae bloodstream infections reduced by 23% between 2010 and 2014, which may be related to increased pneumococcal vaccination rates.

See also:

• English surveillance programme for antimicrobial utilisation and resistance (ESPAUR) report Public Health England
• Shared decision making reduces antibiotic use OnMedica
• Dr Maureen Baker: GPs have made real progress on antibiotic prescribing, but there's still more to do GP Online
• 'Last resort' antibiotics pose growing threat to healthcare, report warns The Guardian
• Hospitals turning to last-resort antibiotics as drug-resistant infections continue to rise The Independent