Thirty cases of Female Genital Mutilation discovered in Northamptonshire

Thirty cases of Female Genital Mutilation discovered in Northamptonshire Thirty cases of Female Genital Mutilation were discovered by Northampton General Hospital at the start of last year, it has been revealed..

Women who had been victims of the practice, common across many African cultures, were finding that it was causing complications in childbirth years after the original abuse took place.

And now a group of medical and law enforcement specialists in the county have created a team to tackle the problem and to get the message out that FGM is child abuse, it is illegal and will not be tolerated.

The multi-agency campaign is being funded by Northamptonshire Police which is aware there were at least 18 cases in which girls aged between five and 14 years old were at risk of having this procedure carried out. Northants Herald and Post

See also:

• Female Genital Mutilation in Northamptonshire (video) Heart
• FGM Campaign In Northamptonshire Heart
• Campaign to raise awareness of FGM ITV News
• Raising awareness of FGM: "I don't want my daughter to go through that pain" ITV News
• Campaign against Female Genital Mutilation launched Northamptonshire Police
• Female Genital Mutilation Awareness Campaign Launched Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Board

Public perceptions of the NHS

Public perceptions of the NHS  BritainThinks were commissioned to conduct an online survey of 1240 adults living in England to question their perceptions of the NHS as of June 2016. The survey concentrates on general perceptions of the NHS, public health and seven-day services. The BMA

The Zero Suicide Policy challenges – Dr David Fearnley

The Zero Suicide Policy challenges – Dr David Fearnley The Medical Director at Merseycare NHS Foundation Trust looks at the Zero Suicide Policy introduced at the Trust in 2015 and the impact that deaths from suicide are having: Suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 45. Yet prevention remains difficult NHS England

Sugar and public health

Sugar and public health This briefing by POST summarises the health risks associated with eating a diet high in sugar and outlines the policy options that might best enable people to limit their sugar consumption. Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology

Endless winter in NHS 'puts patients at risk'

Endless winter in NHS 'puts patients at risk' The NHS is stuck in an "endless winter" with hospitals left in chaos struggling to cope, doctors and nurses say. BBC News

See also:

• Major hospital incidents becoming year-round occurrence, nurses warn The Guardian

Hard-and-fast prostate radiotherapy 'a win-win for NHS'

Hard-and-fast prostate radiotherapy 'a win-win for NHS' The NHS could save money and patients' time by giving fewer but stronger doses of radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer, say experts. BBC News

Virgin set to take over outstanding GP practice forced to close by £400,000 cuts

Virgin set to take over outstanding GP practice forced to close by £400,000 cuts A GP practice in Essex rated outstanding by the CQC will be taken over next month by the private provider Virgin Care after £400,000 cuts to PMS funding forced existing partners to hand in their notice. GP Online

See also:

• Exclusive: NHS withholds detail of Virgin APMS deal to take over practice facing £400,000 cuts GP Online

The NHS needs a strong dose of tech investment

The NHS needs a strong dose of tech investment The health service could do with an IT injection to help it bring its 1950s-style processes into the 21st century

The announcement of £4.2bn in funding to move the NHS towards a digital, “paper-free” future raises challenges and rekindles memories of past attempts.

In fairness, the NHS gets less credit than it should for its progress with technology. GP surgeries are computerised, the health service has excellent technology for transferring data around the country, digital imaging and online referrals, and the largest secure email service in the world.

Digital services can ensure the NHS continues providing world-leading universal care Continue reading... The Guardian

BMA chief attacks David Cameron over 'safe in my hands' NHS promise

BMA chief attacks David Cameron over 'safe in my hands' NHS promise Mark Porter accuses government at doctor’s union conference of breaking pledges to protect and fund the health service

The leader of Britain’s doctors has accused David Cameron and George Osborne of betraying their promises that the NHS was safe in Conservative hands and would be funded properly.

Dr Mark Porter claimed that the government’s pursuit of a seven-day NHS, its dispute with junior doctors and cuts to public health showed it could not be trusted with the health service. Continue reading... The Guardian

The most vital skill a doctor can have? Listening, says academic who urges medics to embrace 'the old-fashioned approach'

The most vital skill a doctor can have? Listening, says academic who urges medics to embrace 'the old-fashioned approach' The medical profession has certainly been enhanced by the advancement of technology. But has it been at the expense of doctors listening intently? Peter Whorwell thinks so. The Daily Mail

NHS has fewer beds per head than Romania, doctors warn

NHS has fewer beds per head than Romania, doctors warn Britain has half as many hospital beds for its population as Romania, leading doctors have said, amid warnings that NHS trusts are “bulging at the seams".

Consultants said bed shortages meant they could only do only a third of the operations they were able to carry out in the 1960s.

Doctors at British Medical Association (BMA)’s annual meeting said patients were being harmed by cuts which have left Britain with far fewer beds than almost every country in Europe.

They called for an “urgent re-evaluation” of bed numbers, amid fears that plans to tackle a spiralling deficit could endanger patients further. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• UK has half as many hospital beds per patient as France and Germany The Daily Mail