Revamp of children’s ward is priority at Northampton General Hospital says chief executive

Revamp of children’s ward is priority at Northampton General Hospital says chief executive A unit for children and premature babies will be the first to be constructed by Northampton General Hospital under its expansion plans. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Day case surgery: a good news story for the NHS

Day case surgery: a good news story for the NHS Over the past 40 years there has been a revolution in surgery. A combination of new surgical techniques, advances in anaesthesia, the collection and publication of comparative data, and deliberate policy – including financial incentives for hospitals – has led to a large switch to day case surgery. The King's Fund

Antibiotic resistance poorly communicated and widely misunderstood by UK public

Antibiotic resistance poorly communicated and widely misunderstood by UK public People in the UK have little awareness of what ‘antibiotic resistance’ means and how it might affect their health, according to new research commissioned by the Wellcome Trust.

See also:

• Exploring the consumer perspective on antimicrobial resistance Wellcome Trust.
• RCGP response to Wellcome Trust research into antibiotic resistance Royal College of General Practitioners
• Antibiotic resistance 'could end modern medicine': UK's chief doctor issues stark warning as study reveals most of us don't even know what the term really means The Daily Mail

How are you feeling NHS? Emotional wellbeing toolkit launched

How are you feeling NHS? Emotional wellbeing toolkit launched Our new toolkit aims to encourage NHS managers and staff to talk about their emotional wellbeing and the impact this has on performance, colleagues and patient care. NHS Employers

Supporting people with a learning disability and/or autism who have a mental health condition or display behaviour that challenges

Supporting people with a learning disability and/or autism who have a mental health condition or display behaviour that challenges This draft national framework designed to improve the care of people with learning disabilities, shifting services away from hospital care and towards community-based settings. It sets out nine overarching principles which define what ‘good’ services for people with learning disabilities and/or autism whose behaviour challenges should look like. NHS England

NICE produces new draft guidelines on caring for the dying

NICE produces new draft guidelines on caring for the dying "England's health watchdog has put forward new draft guidance to improve the care of adults in their last few days of life," BBC News reports.

The guidelines, produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), have been proposed as an alternative to the controversial Liverpool Care Pathway, which was phased out in 2014.

A good death: Can guidelines help?

A good death: Can guidelines help? Can guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence improve our final moments, asks Smitha Mundasad. BBC News

Do the latest wave of health apps really improve patient care?

Do the latest wave of health apps really improve patient care? There are tens of thousands of health apps on the market but healthcare professionals remain cautious about the benefits they can offer

At the offer of a play on the iPad in the anaesthetics nurse’s hand, five-year-old William Deans instantly forgot his panic triggered by the sight of the operating theatre at Chelsea and Westminster hospital, calmly climbed onto the table and within a minute was being anaesthetised as he played a game chosen for him by the Relax anaesthetics app.

The effect of the electronic tablet loaded with personalised games was, according to his mother Rachel, “like magic” – in less than a minute the situation went from a question mark over whether William’s operation could proceed, to peaceful cooperation and a happy boy with an exciting story to tell at school about the successful operation on his trapped finger. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS treatments such as vasectomies and hip operations to be rationed due to cost-cutting

NHS treatments such as vasectomies and hip operations to be rationed due to cost-cutting More patients could be denied NHS treatments as a result of cost-cutting by health authorities, with hearing aids, vasectomies and knee and hip operations among services set to be rationed in some areas. The Independent

Manchester NHS devolution plans fatally flawed as voluntary organisations not involved, say charity leaders

Manchester NHS devolution plans fatally flawed as voluntary organisations not involved, say charity leaders Charity leaders are warning that the Government’s moves to give Greater Manchester power over health and social care spending could be fatally flawed because voluntary organisations appear to have been forgotten in the plans. The Independent