Government help may be needed for cost of new children's trust for Northamptonshire

Government help may be needed for cost of new children's trust for Northamptonshire Government help may be needed to fund the cost of setting up a new trust to oversee children’s services in Northamptonshire.

The admission came from county council leader Matt Golby during a debate on how much the transformation to two new unitary councils in 2021 would cost.

The county council’s overview and scrutiny committee was told that the cost of establishing the trust, which was announced by Secretary of State for local government James Brokenshire, was not included in the £43million budget estimate for the two new councils. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Achieving a digital NHS: Lessons for national policy from the acute sector

Achieving a digital NHS: Lessons for national policy from the acute sector As a new body, NHSX, becomes established to lead national policy for technology, digital and data, and with the Secretary of State firmly behind plans to create a fully digital NHS, this report seeks to understand how national policy for digitisation is working from the perspective of acute trusts. Do digital leaders feel the commitment to digital over the last two decades is helping to move things forward? And what could be done differently to support digitisation on the ground? Nuffield Trust

See also:

• Going digital: three crucial areas for NHS policy Nuffield Trust
• Inability to recruit key staff and untested standards undermine NHS technology push Nuffield Trust

Saving lives, supporting communities

Saving lives, supporting communities At the frontline of NHS emergency care, the ambulance service is probably the last place you’d expect to see volunteers – but you’d be wrong. There are now over 10,000 people who volunteer in ambulance trusts across England. The King's Fund

PHE calls on all NHS Trusts to ban smoking on hospital grounds

PHE calls on all NHS Trusts to ban smoking on hospital grounds Public Health England (PHE) has found that Trusts are making steady progress in becoming smokefree, with smoking now banned completely on the grounds of more than two thirds (69%) of NHS acute Trusts in England. Yet despite this progress, almost a third (31%) have not yet enforced total smoking bans across hospital premises.

See also:

• Almost one in three NHS hospitals still allow smoking on their premises The Daily Mail

MAC recommends all doctors are added to shortage occupation list

MAC recommends all doctors are added to shortage occupation list The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has recommended that all medical practitioners are now added to the shortage occupation list alongside a number of other suggestions for government. NHS Employers

We still need to talk about boards

We still need to talk about boards This briefing sets out NHS Providers' rationale for board leadership now and in the future. It argues that board leadership, and sound local accountability, are critical in managing risk, and must remain a key component of system working. The briefing is a revised version of a paper NHS Providers published in 2015. NHS Providers

GM fungus rapidly kills 99% of malaria mosquitoes, study suggests

GM fungus rapidly kills 99% of malaria mosquitoes, study suggests A fungus - genetically enhanced to produce spider toxin - can rapidly kill huge numbers of the mosquitoes that spread malaria, a study suggests.

Trials, which took place in Burkina Faso, showed mosquito populations collapsed by 99% within 45 days.

The researchers say their aim is not to make the insects extinct but to help stop the spread of malaria. BBC News

See also:

• Transgenic Metarhizium rapidly kills mosquitoes in a malaria-endemic region of Burkina Faso (abstract) Science
• Malaria mosquitoes wiped out with GM fungus in first controlled ‘real world’ tests The Independent

GP surgery closures in UK 'hit all-time high' in 2018

GP surgery closures in UK 'hit all-time high' in 2018 Research, disputed by NHS, shows 138 practices shut with smaller surgeries worst hit

GP surgery closures across the UK have reached an all-time high, affecting an estimated half a million patients last year, research has found. An investigation by the medical website Pulse found 138 doctors’ premises shut their doors in 2018, compared with 18 in 2013.

GPs said under-resourcing and recruitment difficulties were forcing surgeries to close. They said many smaller practices were merging with others to survive, which allowed them to avoid having to disperse their patient list to other practices much further away. The Guardian

See also:

• Revealed: more surgeries than ever closed last year Pulse
• Urgent action needed to prevent more 'heart-breaking' practice closures, says College Royal College of General Practitioners
• GP retention just as vital as recruitment, says RCGP responding to latest workforce figures Royal College of General Practitioners
• NHS has lost 700 GPs in three years The Daily Mail
• Record 138 surgeries closed down last year as more GPs take early retirement or change carer The Daily Mail
• The diary of a GP driven to despair The Daily Mail
• 2018 saw highest ever number of GP practice closures, with small local surgeries worst affected The Daily Telegraph
• Over half a million patients forced to swap GP surgeries after closures last year, investigation finds The Independent

Nasal flu spray to be offered to all primary school children next winter

Nasal flu spray to be offered to all primary school children next winter The flu vaccine in the form of a nasal spray will be offered to all children in primary school next winter in a bid to boost uptake, health chiefs have announced.

Currently the vaccine is not available in all schools and for many older children it is only on offer in injection form. The Daily Telegraph

Tourists are spreading superbugs across international borders, report warns

Tourists are spreading superbugs across international borders, report warns Holiday-makers are at risk of picking up and bringing home superbugs, according to a study looking at the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) worldwide.

Drug-resistant infections are already responsible for some 700,000 deaths globally each year, but it is estimated that this figure could rise to 10 million annually by 2050 if left unchecked. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Global Geographic Trends in Antimicrobial Resistance: The Role of International Travel (open access) Journal of Travel Medicine

Health Secretary Matt Hancock asks for help to halve childhood obesity in the UK

Health Secretary Matt Hancock asks for help to halve childhood obesity in the UK The Health Secretary today asked for help to deliver the Government's promise to halve childhood obesity over the next 10 years.

Matt Hancock called on England's Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, to prepare an urgent report by September on how best to help children lose weight.

Some 29 per cent of children aged two to 15 are now overweight or obese in England, with 16 per cent of them being obese. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Chief medical officer considers recommending tax on unhealthy food BBC News
• Chief medical officer considers taxing all unhealthy food The Daily Telegraph
• Matt Hancock backs parenting classes as calls for 'targeted support' to help combat obesity epidemic The Daily Telegraph

On call with the community first responders saving lives every day in Northampton

On call with the community first responders saving lives every day in Northampton Ambulances and paramedics are more stretched than ever. The pressures on the NHS’s emergency services means crews are faced with more 999 calls than ever before – so many that at its worst, they have to decide which jobs need their attention first.

But at least in Northampton, a team of some 40 volunteers are making sure there is always someone there when an emergency strikes. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Campaign launched in Corby to prevent ‘dangerous’ wrong decisions over NHS care

Campaign launched in Corby to prevent ‘dangerous’ wrong decisions over NHS care Patients who choose the wrong NHS service may not only be delaying their care but could also be making a ‘dangerous’ mistake, Corby health chiefs warned today (Tuesday) at the launch of a new campaign.

With the introduction of new services and healthcare providers in the town, the awareness campaign is aiming to help patients select the correct NHS service at the first time of choosing. Northamptonshire Telegraph

How apprenticeships are just the starting point for great careers in healthcare - Training Journal

How apprenticeships are just the starting point for great careers in healthcare In 2017, Government reforms sought to improve the quality of apprenticeship training and boost the number of apprentices in the UK to 3m by 2020.

Apprenticeships are an excellent training route into healthcare for people starting their careers, as well as for individuals looking to develop and progress, and we place huge value on our apprenticeship programmes.

Not only are they a way of addressing staff shortages and boosting the workforce, but apprenticeships enable individuals to gain on the job training and build their knowledge, confidence and experience. As employers, we can upskill our teams and plug skills gaps. Training Journal

Untapped potential: investing in health and care data analytics

Untapped potential: investing in health and care data analytics This report highlights nine key reasons why there should be more investment in analytical capability. Action and investment is needed across the system so the NHS has the right people with the right tools to interpret and create value from its data. This could result in an NHS that can make faster progress on improving outcomes for patients. The Health Foundation

Yet another case of history repeating

Yet another case of history repeating With poor care for people with learning disabilities once again in the news, Helen Buckingham laments the NHS’s failure to learn from what’s gone on before, while arguing that the future doesn’t have to see the same mistakes. Nuffield Trust

RCPsych calls on NICE to update its antidepressant withdrawal advice

RCPsych calls on NICE to update its antidepressant withdrawal advice OFFICIAL guidance on coming off antidepressants needs to reflect the full range of patients’ experiences; the Royal College of Psychiatrists says today.

Existing advice from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) – which provides national guidance to improve health and social care in England – suggests most people should be able to come off antidepressants over four weeks.

However, it is increasingly apparent from the experiences shared by some patients and clinicians, including GPs, that some patients can suffer from more severe symptoms that can last much longer. This may affect those who have been prescribed antidepressants over a long period and who have stopped their use too quickly. Royal College of Psychiatrists

See also:

• Royal College of Pyschiatrists warn doctors anti-depressants have dangerous side effects The Daily Mail

NHS WiFi now available to millions of patients

NHS WiFi now available to millions of patients Free NHS WiFi is now available in 6,749 GP practices and 212 acute, mental health and community NHS Trusts across England, benefitting millions of patients.

95% of GP practices and 98% of NHS trusts are already connected with the remaining four trusts and ten CCGs all underway with their own procurements and set to be live this year. NHS Digital exceeded its target to have 95% coverage, by 31 March 2019, in GP practices and NHS trusts.

Patient safety essentials toolkit

Patient safety essentials toolkit This toolkit includes documents on improving teamwork and communication, tools to help you understand the underlying issues that can cause errors, and valuable guidance about how to create and maintain reliable systems. Each of the nine tools includes a short description, instructions, an example, and a blank template. Please note that free registration is required to access the toolkit. Institute for Healthcare Improvement

English council funding: what’s happened and what’s next?

English council funding: what’s happened and what’s next? This report finds that overall spending on local services by English councils fell by 21 per cent between 2009-10 and 2017-18. Some services have seen much deeper cuts though. Spending on planning & development and housing services fell by more than 50 per cent while cultural & leisure services and highways & transport also saw cuts of more than 40 per cent over the same period. This has allowed councils to protect social care services from the full force of budget cuts. Spending on adult social care fell by 5 per cent between 2009–10 and 2017–18 – although the numbers receiving care fell by much more – and spending on acute children’s social care services (such as social work, safeguarding and fostering) actually rose by 10 per cent. Institute for Fiscal Studies

Ultra-processed food linked to early death

Ultra-processed food linked to early death Ultra-processed foods - such as chicken nuggets, ice cream and breakfast cereals - have been linked to early death and poor health, scientists say.

Researchers in France and Spain say the amount of such food being eaten has soared.

Their studies are not definite proof of harm but do come hot on the heels of trials suggesting ultra-processed foods lead to overeating.

Experts expressed caution but called for further investigation. BBC News

See also:

• Ultra-processed food and adverse health outcomes The BMJ
• Ultra-processed food intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: prospective cohort study (NutriNet-Santé) The BMJ 
• Eating too much ultra-processed foods raises the risk of death The Daily Mail

Transgender no longer recognised as 'disorder' by WHO

Transgender no longer recognised as 'disorder' by WHO Transgender health issues will no longer be classified as mental and behavioural disorders under big changes to the World Health Organization's global manual of diagnoses.

The newly-approved version instead places issues of gender incongruence under a chapter on sexual health.

A World Health Organization expert said it now understands transgender is "not actually a mental health condition".

Human Rights Watch says the change will have a "liberating effect worldwide" BBC News

2,000 domestic abuse survivors placed at risk of homelessness a year, report finds

2,000 domestic abuse survivors placed at risk of homelessness a year, report finds Two thousand domestic abuse survivors a year are put at risk of homelessness or being forced back into the arms of their abuser due to local authority rules saying they are not vulnerable enough to access housing.

An estimated 1,960 households fleeing domestic abuse in England are not being provided with a safe home by local authority housing teams because not everyone escaping domestic abuse is considered in “priority need”, finds a report by Crisis and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Ending Homelessness (APPGEH). The Independent

Woman left infertile after surgeon removes wrong fallopian tube

Woman left infertile after surgeon removes wrong fallopian tube Doctor phoned Chelsie Thomas, 27, to say he had mistakenly removed her left tube

A woman was left infertile after a surgeon removed her healthy fallopian tube by mistake.

Chelsie Thomas, 27, was admitted to Walsall Manor hospital, in the West Midlands, suffering from an ectopic pregnancy in March last year. Though the pregnancy was in her right tube, the doctor mistakenly removed the left fallopian tube during surgery. The Guardian

UK fails to back international agreement on reducing drug costs

UK fails to back international agreement on reducing drug costs The UK has been accused of acting in bad faith after backing away from an international agreement aimed at reducing the cost of drugs worldwide.

In the run-up to this month’s World Health Assembly – the decision-making body of the World Health Organization – member states spent three weeks negotiating the agreement aimed at increasing transparency over drug pricing, with the UK, United States, Germany, Japan and Switzerland demanding changes to the text.

However, when the final agreement was signed on Monday the UK, Germany and Hungary formally dissociated themselves from it as they said they needed more time to consider its implications. The Daily Telegraph

Self-harm increased 50% in middle-aged men after the 2008 financial crisis

Self-harm increased 50% in middle-aged men after the 2008 financial crisis There was a 50 per cent spike in self-harm among middle-aged men after the financial crash of 2008, according to scientists.

A study has found the numbers of men harming themselves rose 'significantly' after the credit crunch.

People aged between 40 and 59 are the most likely to self-harm, according to researchers, and common triggers include alcohol problems and financial trouble. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Self-harm in midlife: analysis using data from the Multicentre Study of Self-harm in England British Journal of Psychiatry

Cruel rationing of vital cataract ops has DOUBLED since 2017

Cruel rationing of vital cataract ops has DOUBLED since 2017 Cruel rationing of vital cataract operations has doubled since NHS officials were ordered to stop refusing patients the surgery, a shocking report has revealed.

At least 2,851 people were turned down for a cataract operation in 2018/19 after their doctor had referred them for the procedure, according to figures published in the British Medical Journal.

Astonishingly, the number of refusals have doubled since guidance published by NHS watchdog NICE in October 2017 was supposed to spell an end to people being denied the operations. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Leading ophthalmologist vows to stamp out “unjustified” screening for cataract surgery The BMJ
• Cataract patients across England being denied NHS surgery The Medical Technology Group
• Investigation reveals doubling in NHS rationing of cataract surgery The Daily Telegraph
• NHS surgery rationing on the rise as thousands rejected for cataract surgery, investigation finds The Independent
• CCGs rationing cataract surgery against guidelines OnMedica

English councils warned on 'running out' of reserve cash

English councils warned on 'running out' of reserve cash Some councils in England (including Northamptonshire County Council) have been warned they risk running out of cash reserves if recent spending continues.

Analysis by the BBC has identified 11 authorities the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (Cipfa) said would have "fully exhausted" reserves within four years unless they topped them up.

The Local Government Association said councils faced "systemic underfunding".

The government said councils were responsible for managing their funds. BBC News

£4.4bn funding gap projected for social care in England as spending per person falls further behind other UK countries

£4.4bn funding gap projected for social care in England as spending per person falls further behind other UK countries New analysis from the Health Foundation shows that there will be a social care funding gap of £4.4bn in England in 2023/24 to meet rising demand and address critical staffing shortages in the sector.

In the absence of an additional funding commitment, the money available for adult social care will rise at an annual average rate of 1.4% a year. This is much lower than the 3.4% a year the government has committed to the NHS and crucially, far below rising demand of 3.6% a year, with increasing numbers of elderly and younger adults needing help with day to day activities such as washing, eating and dressing.

The Health Foundation also point to poor pay and conditions in social care as a major threat to the quality of care and future sustainability of the sector. Staff turnover has been increasing since 2012/13 and there are over 110,000 vacancies in adult social care. Over 40,000 nurses work in adult social care but almost a third are estimated to have left their role within the past 12 months. Adult social care wages are low and below equivalent salaries in the NHS.

See also:

• The real cost of a fair adult social care system The Health Foundation
• English 'short-changed on care funding' BBC News

Five myths of compassionate leadership

Five myths of compassionate leadership The NHS is facing a crisis in staffing with large gaps in the nursing and medical workforces in both primary and secondary care. Recruitment is proving ever more difficult, absenteeism is high and staff are leaving or retiring early. There is no magic solution in sight. Part of the reason is the sustained work overload staff face, which has been increasing over time. This leads to high levels of staff stress (50 per cent higher than in the working population as a whole), harming the physical and mental health of staff across the NHS. It is an unsustainable position which demands a wise and powerful response. The King's Fund

The impact of primary care incentive schemes on care home placements for people with dementia

The impact of primary care incentive schemes on care home placements for people with dementia The interface between primary care and long-term care is complex. In the case of dementia, this interface may be influenced by incentives offered to GPs as part of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) to provide an annual review for patients with dementia. The hypothesis is that the annual reviews reduce the likelihood of admission to a care home by supporting the patient to live independently and by addressing carers’ needs for support. Centre for Health Economics

Evaluation of Babylon GP at hand: final evaluation report

Evaluation of Babylon GP at hand: final evaluation report Ipsos MORI, working in partnership with York Health Economics Consortium, and with advisory input from Professor Chris Salisbury (University of Bristol), were commissioned by NHS Hammersmith and Fulham Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS England in May 2018 to undertake an independent evaluation of the Babylon GP at Hand (BGPaH) practice. This report sets out the final results of the evaluation.

Homeless and disabled: ‘I’m at my wits’ end’

Homeless and disabled: ‘I’m at my wits’ end’ The number of physically disabled people affected by homelessness in England increased by three quarters during an almost 10-year period, according to official statistics.

Now new government figures show thousands of vulnerable people are struggling amid a shortage of suitable accommodation – with many living on the streets.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government says it's "providing councils with almost £1 billion over the next two years to adapt properties for disabled people."

The BBC 's disability news correspondent, Nikki Fox, has been to meet three homeless disabled people in Birmingham to hear their stories. BBC News

Nurses struggling to look after dying patients due of staff shortages, survey finds

Nurses struggling to look after dying patients due of staff shortages, survey finds Nurses are struggling to look after dying patients because of staff shortages, according to a survey.

Two-thirds of nurses (65 per cent) said staffing levels are the main “barrier” to providing good care in the final stages of patients’ lives, according to an annual poll by magazine Nursing Standard and charity Marie Curie.

Last year, 38 per cent reported the same reason.

Meanwhile, more than half (57 per cent) of nurses reported time constraints as an issue, compared to 25 per cent last year. The Independent

See also:

• Two thirds of nurses struggle to provide good care to dying patients due to staff shortages Marie Curie
• Nurses need more support to care for dying people Marie Curie
• End of life care: what thousands of nurses told our annual survey Nursing Standard

Government policy makes people ill – and the NHS pays the price

Government policy makes people ill – and the NHS pays the price Poverty and pollution are political choices. Ministers should be accountable for the burden they put on our health system.

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens has been remarkably successful in prising more money for the health service out of the government, but short-term ministerial thinking about the service and its resources has resulted in an unedifying, dysfunctional scramble for cash in austerity Britain. Finally, though, ideas are emerging that could change all that. The Guardian

Nearly five million children and young people at risk of measles across Europe

Nearly five million children and young people at risk of measles across Europe Some 4.5million young people in Europe are at risk of catching measles because they have not been vaccinated against this highly infectious disease, research has shown.

An analysis of vaccination rates across countries in the European Union and European Economic Area shows that about four per cent of the people born in the region since 1999 are not fully protected against the disease. The Daily Telegraph

Working night shifts is NOT linked to an increased risk of breast cancer

Working night shifts is NOT linked to an increased risk of breast cancer Women who work night shifts do not face a higher risk of breast cancer, according to a major scientific analysis.

For decades, it has been suggested that burning the midnight oil could raise the risk of the killer disease.

But researchers have now quashed the fears, after finding no evidence of any greater odds of breast cancer in female night shift workers. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Night shift work and risk of breast cancer in women: the Generations Study cohort (open access) British Journal of Cancer
• Working night shift does not increase likelihood of developing breast cancer despite previous evidence to the contrary, WHO study says The Daily Telegraph
• Night shifts do not increase breast cancer risk, study concludes The Guardian

Hospital builds a replica bus stop in A&E department to calm dementia patients

Hospital builds a replica bus stop in A&E department to calm dementia patients A hospital has built a replica bus stop inside its A&E department to help people with dementia feel at home.

Southend University Hospital has constructed the stand with its own sign, timetable and bench – but no buses will be driving through the department.

It's hoped the stop will provide a familiar sight for people suffering from the brain-damaging disease, which can leave them feeling lost, confused and anxious. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Doctors install replica bus stop inside hospital's emergency department to help dementia patients feel more relaxed The Daily Telegraph

The prevention Green Paper

The prevention Green Paper Prevention is one of the three pillars (alongside workforce and technology) of the Secretary of State’s stated priorities, and his Department has been working towards a Green Paper, due relatively soon as far as we can tell. What’s likely to be in it, and what should be in it? The King's Fund

NHS hands 50,000 people control of their own care

NHS hands 50,000 people control of their own care More than 50,000 people have taken charge of their own care after being handed control of how their NHS funding is spent.

Personal Health Budgets can be used to purchase personalised wheelchairs, assistance dogs and respite care to manage complex health problems, as well as tech devices that can control curtains, lighting, heating and door intercoms to help people live independent lives.

The rollout of the Budgets across the country is two years ahead of scheme and being ramped up further as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. NHS England

More convenient cancer screening services must be rolled out to boost uptake, says Professor Sir Mike Richards

More convenient cancer screening services must be rolled out to boost uptake, says Professor Sir Mike Richards The NHS should roll out online booking, out of hours appointments and text reminders to boost the uptake of breast, cervical and other screening services, leading expert Professor Sir Mike Richards said.

Sir Mike, who was the first NHS cancer director and is a former CQC chief inspector of hospitals, is leading a major overhaul of national cancer screening programmes as part of a renewed drive to improve care and save lives.

Increasing early detection of cancers when they are easier to treat is at the heart of the NHS’s Long Term Plan to upgrade services and make sure patients benefit from new technologies and treatments. NHS England

See also:

• Review of national cancer screening programmes in England - interim report NHS England
• 'Cancer screening should be as easy as booking a flight' BBC News
• 'Difficult if not impossible' to check safety of NHS screening programmes amid litany of failings, expert warns The Daily Telegraph

NHS violence: Nurses talk of attacks by patients in hospital

NHS violence: Nurses talk of attacks by patients in hospital Urine bottles being thrown, doors broken off their hinges and threats of violence.

These are just some of the experiences nurses have faced at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital in Dorset.

They have spoken to the BBC to highlight the issues that many NHS staff face in the work place. BBC News

Ten arrested over Whorlton Hall 'abuse'

Ten arrested over Whorlton Hall 'abuse' Ten workers have been arrested over the alleged abuse of patients with learning difficulties at a specialist hospital.

Seven men and three women were arrested at addresses in Barnard Castle, Bishop Auckland, Darlington and Stockton.

Undercover filming by BBC Panorama at Whorlton Hall in County Durham appeared to show patients being mocked, intimidated and restrained. BBC News

See also:

• Ten staff members are arrested over alleged abuse of patients at scandal-hit NHS-funded hospital The Daily Mail
• 10 Whorlton Hall staff arrested on suspicion of physical and psychological abuse The Daily Telegraph
• Whorlton Hall investigation: 10 arrested over care home ‘abuse’ of patients with learning disabilities The Independent

PIP breast implant scandal: Victims visited by bailiffs

PIP breast implant scandal: Victims visited by bailiffs Women given faulty breast implants fear thousands of them may have to pay back compensation after visits by bailiffs warning them of legal proceedings.

German safety body TUV Rheinland was found liable for the global PIP implant scandal in 2017 and ordered to make payouts to victims by a French court.

The firm has begun an appeal and some 13,000 victims awarded compensation have been issued legal papers. BBC News

Wellness influencers like Belle Gibson promote dangerous pseudoscience as a cure for disease

Wellness influencers like Belle Gibson promote dangerous pseudoscience as a cure for disease Former social media influencer and “wellness guru” Belle Gibson first caught public attention after claiming she cured herself of terminal cancer by rejecting conventional medicine in favour of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Her story was documented on a blog and social media, which became the basis for a successful book and app, featuring lifestyle advice and healthy recipes.

In 2015, however, Gibson was exposed as a fraud. It was revealed that she never had cancer and failed to donate the proceeds from her app to charity, as promised. Now, she has been summoned to appear in Federal Court following her failure to pay a A$410,000 (£224,000) penalty for misleading health claims. The Independent

Cuts may leave NHS short of 70,000 nurses, leaked report warns

Cuts may leave NHS short of 70,000 nurses, leaked report warns Abolition of bursaries for nursing students led to severe fall in number training for the profession

The NHS could be short of almost 70,000 nurses within five years, according to a leaked copy of the government’s long-awaited plan to tackle the staffing crisis.

Blaming the government’s decision to abolish bursaries for nursing students, a draft of the NHS people plan says: “Our analysis shows a 40,000 (11%) shortfall [in the number of nurses needed in England] in 2018-19 which widens to 68,500 (16%) by 2023-24 without intervention, as demand for nurses grows faster than supply.” The Guardian

NHS bosses accused of breaking law in cancer scanning privatisation

NHS bosses accused of breaking law in cancer scanning privatisation Oxfordshire councillors tell health secretary contract for InHealth endangers patients

NHS bosses stand accused of endangering patients, “flagrant” lawbreaking and intimidating a leading hospital trust over their controversial privatisation of cancer scanning services.

Oxfordshire councillors have warned that cancer patients in Thames Valley will receive a poorer service because NHS England has decided to take a contract for PET-CT scanning away from Oxford university hospitals (OUH) trust and hand it to the private firm InHealth. The Guardian

Scientists discover compound that tackles antibiotic resistant bugs

Scientists discover compound that tackles antibiotic resistant bugs Scientists have discovered a new compound that could pave the way for new treatments to tackle superbugs.

Researchers from Sheffield University’s department of chemistry are testing the new compound on gram negative bacteria - the most difficult to treat of all infections.

There have been no new treatments for gram negative infections in the last 50 years and they are top of the World Health Organization’s list of priority pathogens for which new medicines are urgently needed. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Using Nanoscopy To Probe the Biological Activity of Antimicrobial Leads That Display Potent Activity against Pathogenic, Multidrug Resistant, Gram-Negative Bacteria (abstract) ACS Nano
• Economists can help to solve the antibiotic resistance crisis The Independent

'Burn-out' is officially recognized as a disease by the World Health Organization

'Burn-out' is officially recognized as a disease by the World Health Organization 'Burn-out' is officially a disease, according to the World Health Organization.

The agency, currently holding the World Health Assembly in Geneva, added the condition to its catalog, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), on Monday, a year after it was recommended by global health experts.

It will become globally recognized in 2022, giving healthcare providers and insurers precedent to acknowledge, treat and cover symptoms of 'burn-out'. The Daily Mail

St Andrew's Healthcare: Up to 50 patients stuck in secure units

St Andrew's Healthcare: Up to 50 patients stuck in secure units Up to 50 patients, some with learning disabilities and autism who should be released, are stuck in secure units run by a mental health hospital charity.

St Andrew's Healthcare, which treats up to 900 patients, told the BBC there was a lack of suitable community places.

Footage of a teenager locked in seclusion, able to touch their parent only through a door hatch at one of its units, has been shown to the BBC.

The hospital said seclusion was used as an emergency response only. BBC News

Outstanding models of district nursing

Outstanding models of district nursing This report, written in conjunction with the Royal College of Nursing, calls for urgent investment in district nursing, as new figures show the number of district nurses working in the NHS has dropped by almost 43 per cent in England in the last ten years. It explores all the elements which need to be in place to support an outstanding district nursing service. Queen's Nursing Institute

Learning Disability Mortality Review (LeDeR) programme: action from learning

Learning Disability Mortality Review (LeDeR) programme: action from learning This report provides examples of the local changes that have been made to services so far and highlights the extensive work which is happening nationally in response to common themes raised through LeDeR reviews across the country. NHS England

Independent review of local government spending need and funding

Independent review of local government spending need and funding This report identifies a funding gap of over £50bn over the next six years for councils in England. It estimates that by 2025, 78 per cent of the 36 county authorities’ spending will relate to four key service areas: adult social care, children’s services, public health and education services. County Councils Network

Taking the p***: the decline of the great British public toilet

Taking the p***: the decline of the great British public toilet The report explores the state of the UK’s public conveniences, the impact this has on health and wellbeing, and public perceptions of what should be done. It sheds light on the health burden of this declining public toilet provision, which falls disproportionately on people with ill health or disability, the elderly, women, outdoor workers, and the homeless. For example, fear of or knowledge of a lack of facilities nearby can tie people to within a small distance of their home, acting as a ‘loo leash’ for many. Royal Society for Public Health

Mumps and measles cases in England prompt vaccine call

Mumps and measles cases in England prompt vaccine call A significant increase in mumps cases and continuing outbreaks of measles in England have led to calls for people to ensure they are immunised.

Public Health England said even one person missing their vaccinations was "too many".

There were 795 cases of mumps in the first three months of 2019, compared with 1,031 in the whole of 2018.

Most mumps cases are linked to teenagers mixing when they go to university. BBC News

See also:

• MMR vaccination call following high numbers of measles cases Public Health England
• Research and analysis: Measles, mumps and rubella: lab-confirmed cases in England 2019 Public Health England
• Scientist behind anti-vaxxers' favorite study says 'it's just not even a valid' The Daily Mail
• Measles outbreaks in Europe spark calls for children to be vaccinated The Daily Telegraph

Surgeons warn of serious hand injuries from dog leads and collars

Surgeons warn of serious hand injuries from dog leads and collars Surgeons are warning dog owners not to wrap leads around their fingers or wrist because of the dangers of serious hand injury.

They say thousands of people could be at risk from lacerations, friction burns, fractures and ligament injuries.

There were 30 serious hand injuries caused by dog leads last year in Cornwall alone, the British Society for Surgery of the Hand said. BBC News

See also:

• Dog owners are suffering hand injuries because they’re holding their leads wrong The Daily Mail

GPs must maintain commissioning role as CCGs merge

GPs must maintain commissioning role as CCGs merge The role of GPs in organising care must be maintained as part of significant changes to commissioning arrangements in the NHS in England, according to a report published yesterday.
The report by NHS Clinical Commissioners, the representative body of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), warns that planned changes to commissioning as part of the NHS Long Term Plan must not result in any less of a role for GPs and clinicians in this area.

The report The changing face of clinical commissioning highlights the strengths and successes of nine CCGs across England while stressing that clinical leadership must not be lost as the NHS works towards the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan. OnMedica

NHS and care regulator missed care home abuse of vulnerable patients on multiple occasions

NHS and care regulator missed care home abuse of vulnerable patients on multiple occasions Health watchdogs had no concerns when they twice visited a private hospital at the centre of a police investigation into the abuse of patients in the months after it had been inspected, The Independent has learnt.

The government said it was “deeply sorry” for the abuse of patients at Whorlton Hall in County Durham, which cares for people with learning disabilities, autism and complex needs.

See also:

• Whorlton Hall: Care home abuse missed despite at least 100 official visits BBC News
• Care minister Caroline Dinenage 'deeply sorry' over hospital abuse BBC News
• Years after my son died in NHS care, state-sanctioned torture continues The Guardian

Big pharma poured £57m into UK patient charities which could influence NHS drug decision makers, report finds

Big pharma poured £57m into UK patient charities which could influence NHS drug decision makers, report finds Drug companies poured £57m into UK patient groups who research and lobby for new treatments into specific conditions – in many cases the same drugs being marketed by their donors.

An investigation by Bath University researchers into donations by big pharma and other industry bodies found the number of donations between 2014 and 2016 rose by a third and the value more than doubled. The Independent

See also:

• Exposing drug industry funding of UK patient organisations (open access) The BMJ

NHS to sign up patients for 'virtual' A&E in tech revolution

NHS to sign up patients for 'virtual' A&E in tech revolution Exclusive: Patients checking systems will be told by chatbot if they need to go to hospital

Millions of patients will be encouraged to use digital technology to assess how ill they are under a groundbreaking initiative by a leading NHS hospital, as part of a drive to reduce the use of A&E and outpatient appointments.

A revolution in the NHS’s embrace of technology will see patients in Birmingham advised to use online – live and automated – chat services, online symptom checkers and video consultations with doctors and nurses to help relieve the “unsustainable” pressure on services. The Guardian

Four pharma companies ‘worked together to inflate a drug price 700% in just four years’

Four pharma companies ‘worked together to inflate a drug price 700% in just four years’  The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has accused pharmaceutical firms Alliance, Focus, Lexon and Medreich of breaking competition law by setting up a controlled supply of a medicine. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Drug firms accused of illegal market sharing over anti-nausea tablets Competition and Markets Authority
• Colluding drug firms 'cost the NHS millions of pounds' BBC News
• Collusion by drug firms cost NHS millions of pounds, watchdog finds The Independent

Nurses are routinely told by NHS bosses to put up with sex pest patients

Nurses are routinely told by NHS bosses to put up with sex pest patients Nurses are routinely told by hospital bosses to put up with sexual harassment at work because it is an ‘occupational hazard’, a conference heard.

Staff said the ‘sexy nurse stereotype from Carry On films’ persists and meant patients felt they could get away with inappropriate comments or touching.

Speaking at the Royal College of Nursing annual congress in Liverpool, nurses said they had received rape threats, sexual comments and been followed to their cars – only for NHS managers to laugh it off. The Daily Mail

Northamptonshire health boss reveals plans for the future

Northamptonshire health boss reveals plans for the future Toby Sanders has a big job. As chief executive of Northamptonshire’s two NHS clinical commissioning groups he has responsibility for an annual budget just shy of £1bn and it’s his role to make sure the health services in the county are performing well and meeting the needs of our ever growing and ever ageing population.

Appointed in November last year after a successful seven years in the same role in West Leicestershire, the new chief executive has plans to shake up the county’s healthcare system in line with the NHS’s new 10-year plan that was published earlier this year. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Nurse at Northampton GP surgery cautioned by police after prescribing Class C drug to wife

Nurse at Northampton GP surgery cautioned by police after prescribing Class C drug to wife A Northampton nurse is facing possible sanctions after admitting to doling out medication in a "cavalier" manner without proper authority on several occasions.

Kyle Hastings, who works at St Luke's Primary Care Centre in Duston, has been facing a Nursing and Midwifery Council panel over incidents dating between 2016 and 2017 involving misuse of prescriptions. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Kettering General Hospital out of 'special measures' after CQC inspection

Kettering General Hospital out of 'special measures' after CQC inspection A hospital criticised for its safety standards has been taken out of special measures after two years by inspectors, but remains as "requires improvement".

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said all areas of Kettering General Hospital have been rated "good" or "requires improvement". BBC Northampton

What does NHSX have to learn from other countries’ experiences of digitisation in health systems?

What does NHSX have to learn from other countries’ experiences of digitisation in health systems? What are the fundamental challenges facing policy-makers who want to see the widescale adoption of effective digital technology in the health and care system? The King's Fund

Joining the dots: connecting behavioural insights to improvement, and to our humanity

Joining the dots: connecting behavioural insights to improvement, and to our humanity Behavioural insights – often referred to as ‘nudging’ – are lessons from psychology, cognitive science, social science and behavioural economics that shine a light on how we make choices. At their core is the recognition that we are not always consistent nor rational in our choices and behaviour. Rather, our behaviour is determined by a fallible brain that is greatly influenced by the context in which our choices are made. The Health Foundation

Social care: Free at the point of need - The case for free personal care in England

Social care: Free at the point of need - The case for free personal care in England Adult social care is one the most important public services in the UK. For hundreds of thousands of people it provides vital care and support – in their homes or in a residential setting – to ensure that they can maintain their independence, dignity and quality of life as they age. This may involve receiving help with basic tasks such as getting up or eating, or 24-hour support for people with complex needs such as dementia.

But unlike its sibling service – the NHS – social care has been consistently undervalued. This can be seen in the different principles which underpin the two services: whilst the NHS is free at the point of need, social care is means tested, with only those on low incomes entitled to receive statutory support. As a result, approximately half of all people formally receiving social care, privately finance at least part of their care – and this figure has been growing. Institute for Public Policy Research
See also:

• 21st century social care: what’s wrong with social care and how we can fix it Policy Exchange
• Personal care should be free for over-65s, says thinktank The Guardian

Hospital 'abused' vulnerable adults in Durham

Hospital 'abused' vulnerable adults in Durham The abuse and mistreatment of vulnerable adults at a specialist hospital has been uncovered by the BBC's Panorama programme.

Undercover BBC filming shows staff intimidating, mocking and restraining patients with learning disabilities and autism at Whorlton Hall, County Durham.

Experts said the culture was deviant at the privately-run NHS-funded unit with evidence of "psychological torture".

A police investigation has been launched and 16 staff suspended. BBC News

See also:

• Undercover hospital abuse scandal (Available until March 2020 on iPlayer) BBC Panorama
• The failings in learning disability services in six charts BBC News
• Hospital staff 'abused' vulnerable patients in Durham, BBC's Panorama reveals BBC News
• Undercover footage shows autistic patients 'tortured' in repeat of Winterbourne View scandal The Daily Telegraph
• Secret filming reveals abuse of disabled and autistic patients The Guardian
• Staff filmed bragging of assaulting and abusing vulnerable patients at care home run by US multinational The Independent

Cannula sleeves: 'Simple solution for dementia patients'

Cannula sleeves: 'Simple solution for dementia patients' When singer Sharon Wallace volunteered at a hospice in her local area, she noticed how small things can make a huge difference.

"It can be heartbreaking when you see people affected by dementia," she said. "They're often in another world, but music can really help," she told the BBC.

She also noticed how some of the residents with dementia could be quite fidgety. BBC News

NHS warning: Drivers wearing lanyards 'risk injury'

NHS warning: Drivers wearing lanyards 'risk injury' NHS staff are being warned not to wear their lanyards when driving or travelling in cars because of the risk of injury if an airbag goes off.

It comes after an NHS worker, who crashed while driving home, suffered a perforated bowel from keys attached to her lanyard. BBC News

Three-quarters of food bought in UK hospitals is unhealthy, audit shows

Three-quarters of food bought in UK hospitals is unhealthy, audit shows NHS staff, patients and visitors shun nutritious snacks in favour of crisps, sweets and cakes

Researchers have called for radical restrictions on junk food in UK hospitals after an audit of NHS health centres found that people overwhelmingly bought unhealthy snacks and drinks on the premises.

Three-quarters of the best-selling snacks in hospital cafes and canteens were rated as unhealthy, along with half of the most popular cold drinks, according to a report by the audit’s authors.  The Guardian

See also:

• Mapping the snack and drink landscape in a large UK hospital site PsyArXiv
• Junk food should be banned from hospital shops, experts warn  The Daily Mail

Ten million in rural areas now lack basic services like GP surgeries, hospitals and nursing homes

Ten million in rural areas now lack basic services like GP surgeries, hospitals and nursing homes Huge swathes of rural Britain have become ‘healthcare deserts’ where millions struggle to access GP appointments and hospital treatment, nurses have warned.

The ten million people who live in the English countryside are served by grossly inadequate healthcare, they say. And with GP practices, community hospitals and nursing homes closing, things are getting worse.

While other parts of the NHS are turning to revolutionary online systems and app-based healthcare, patchy mobile service and substandard broadband means this is a pipedream in many rural areas. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Swathes of countryside becoming 'healthcare deserts' with £100 trips for hospital care The Daily Telegraph

Northampton General Hospital to improve care for the armed forces community

Northampton General Hospital to improve care for the armed forces community Northampton General Hospital has been named a Veteran Aware hospital in recognition of its commitment to improving NHS care for veterans, reservists, members of the armed forces and their families.

The accreditation, from the Veterans Covenant Hospital Alliance (VCHA), acknowledges the hospital’s pledge to train specific staff on veteran needs - as well as making veterans, reservists and service families aware of charities beneficial to them such as mental health services. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Adult social care needs to be 'more integrated' when unitary takes over control in Northampton

Adult social care needs to be 'more integrated' when unitary takes over control in Northampton A report has recommended that health services for adult social care in Northamptonshire needs to be more ‘integrated’ when the new unitary authorities are created in 2021.


Tackling loneliness and giving greater assistance to the black and mixed ethnicity (BAME) community are also highlighted as key things to tackle in the report, which has been written up by councillors on the overview and scrutiny committee of Northampton Borough Council. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Hundreds of under-75s die from stroke and heart disease in Northamptonshire

Hundreds of under-75s die from stroke and heart disease in Northamptonshire Hundreds of under-75s have died from stroke and heart disease in Northamptonshire in recent years as progress in reducing death rates for the conditions slows, new figures show.

The trend reflects the findings of a British Heart Foundation report, which reveals deaths from cardiovascular diseases in the UK among under-75s have risen for the first time in more than 40 years. Daventry Express

Improving access out of hours: Evaluation of extended-hours primary care access hubs

Improving access out of hours: Evaluation of extended-hours primary care access hubs Could schemes aiming to increase the availability of primary care health care access out of hours improve the overall quality of services and patient experience in outer east London? The Nuffield Trust was commissioned by Barking, Havering and Redbridge CCGs to evaluate the impact of access programmes in these boroughs.

Action needed to spot and stop sepsis, say nurses calling for national early-warning system for children

Action needed to spot and stop sepsis, say nurses calling for national early-warning system for children Health care staff and the public must be educated on the signs of sepsis to save tens of thousands of lives lost each year, nursing staff will say today.

Between 1,000 and 4,000 under-fives die of sepsis every year in the UK, according to the UK Sepsis Trust. Yet there is not currently a universal, nationally validated system to identify deterioration in child patients. Royal College of Nursing

See also:

• NHS can beat sepsis, says quadruple amputee  BBC News
• Medics are failing to spot sepsis in children due to inadequate screening The Daily Mail
• Thousands of children dying needlessly amid lack of sepsis checks The Daily Telegraph
• NHS failure to agree child sepsis alert system 'risking lives' The Guardian

Under the skin: listening to the voices of older people in influenza immunisation

Under the skin: listening to the voices of older people in influenza immunisation This report finds that attitudes of older adults to influenza immunisation are a significant factor in influencing the vaccination rates amongst this group. It argues that efforts to increase the vaccination coverage rates among the older population needs to move beyond associating age with vulnerability and towards presenting immunisation as a positive and healthy lifestyle choice. International Longevity Centre UK

Fit for the future: a vision for general practice

Fit for the future: a vision for general practice This report outlines RCGP's vision for the future of general practice and it is informed through consultation with GPs, health professionals and patients, alongside research commissioned from The King's Fund. It makes the case for longer face-to-face GP consultation times and wider skill-mix within general practice. Royal College of General Practitioners

Care of every patient held in long-term segregation to be reviewed

Care of every patient held in long-term segregation to be reviewed Health secretary ‘moved and appalled’ after report identifies dozens of people spending prolonged periods in isolation

The care of every patient stuck in segregation will be independently reviewed, the health secretary has announced, after a report suggested many vulnerable people were being failed.

Matt Hancock said he had been “deeply moved and appalled” by stories of people with autism and learning disabilities spending prolonged periods in isolation in mental health units, and vowed to improve their treatment. The Guardian

See also:

• NHS invests £5 million to improve care for people with a learning disability NHS England

NHS nurse who offered a Bible to a cancer patient loses appeal after tribunal ruled she was 'rightly sacked for religious fervour'

NHS nurse who offered a Bible to a cancer patient loses appeal after tribunal ruled she was 'rightly sacked for religious fervour' A nurse who offered a bible to a cancer patient and encouraged him to sing The Lord is My Shepherd was fairly dismissed, a court has ruled.

Sarah Kuteh was given the sack from her job at Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford, Kent, in 2016 for repeatedly talking to patients about her faith and handing out a bible, in breach of Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) rules. The Daily Telegraph

Heart failure missed in thousands of women because doctors assume it's a 'man's disease'

Heart failure missed in thousands of women because doctors assume it's a 'man's disease' Women are less likely than men to be diagnosed with potentially fatal heart failure because of unconscious bias among doctors, new research suggests.

A major study analysing more than 93,000 patients over four years found women were nine per cent less likely to receive a diagnosis and 13 per cent less likely to get the right prescription. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Diagnostic tests, drug prescriptions, and follow-up patterns after incident heart failure: A cohort study of 93,000 UK patients (open access) PLOS Medicine
• Women less likely to be resuscitated and survive a cardiac arrest than men, study finds The Independent
• Women less likely to be resuscitated and survive cardiac arrest OnMedica

Merger proposed for Northamptonshire's two health commissioning groups

Merger proposed for Northamptonshire's two health commissioning groups The two organisations that commission Northamptonshire’s health services could join together.

The move has been put to the governing bodies of both the Nene Clinical Commissioning Group and the Corby Clinical Commissioning Group by their joint chief executive Toby Sanders who joined the trusts in November.

Corby is the smallest CCG in the country and commissions services specifically for the Corby area. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Parity of esteem: delivering physical health equality for those with serious mental health needs

Parity of esteem: delivering physical health equality for those with serious mental health needs This report gives an overview of the work the RCN is doing to address the mortality gap between people with serious mental illness and the rest of the population as well as our work towards establishing parity of esteem between mental and physical health. Royal College of Nursing

Interim report: Review of restraint, prolonged seclusion and segregation for people with a mental health problem, a learning disability and or autism

Interim report: Review of restraint, prolonged seclusion and segregation for people with a mental health problem, a learning disability and or autism This report gives the interim findings from our review of the use of restrictive interventions in places that provide care for people with mental health problems, a learning disability and/or autism. Care Quality Commission

See also:

• 'Broken' care system for most vulnerable BBC News
• Autism scandal: children as young as 11 locked in isolation for years on end The Daily Telegraph

15-minute minimum consultations, continuity of care through 'micro-teams', and an end to isolated working: this is the future of general practice

15-minute minimum consultations, continuity of care through 'micro-teams', and an end to isolated working: this is the future of general practice It states that by 2030 face-to-face GP consultations will be at least 15 minutes, with longer for those patients who need it.

Recent research showed that the UK offers some of the shortest GP consultations amongst economically-advanced nations at 9.2 minutes – with another study finding that the average GP consultation involved discussion of two and a half health problems.

It's estimated that the number of people with a single chronic condition increased by 4%, and with multiple chronic conditions by 8% per year between 2003/4-2015/16 – and that patients with long-term conditions account for around 50% of all GP appointments.

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: "It is abundantly clear that the standard 10-minute appointment is unfit for purpose. It's increasingly rare for a patient to present with a just single health condition, and we cannot deal with this adequately in 10 minutes. Royal College of General Practitioners

See also:

• GPs call for end of the 10-minute consultation amid warnings slots among shortest in western world The Daily Telegraph
• GPs say 10-minute appointment with doctor is too short The Guardian
• Ten-minute appointments too short to be useful and must be phased out by 2030, say GPs The Independent

The hospital helping families with baby loss

The hospital helping families with baby loss Losing a baby is devastating enough, without having to go through this experience just feet away from people giving birth. A hospital in the Midlands now hopes to take action by building a safe haven for families enduring the loss of their babies. BBC News

Stress from poverty 'over-medicalised'

Stress from poverty 'over-medicalised' More than 70 million prescriptions for anti-depressants were issued in England in 2018 - and low-income areas had some of some of the highest prescription rates.

BBC Radio 4's PM programme meets some of those interviewed for a new study, Poverty, Pathology and Pills, warning against "over-medicalising poverty". BBC News

Artificial intelligence diagnoses lung cancer

Artificial intelligence diagnoses lung cancer Artificial intelligence is better than specialist doctors at diagnosing lung cancer, a US study suggests.

The researchers at Northwestern University in Illinois and Google hope the technology could boost the effectiveness of cancer screening.

Finding tumours at an earlier stage should make them easier to treat. BBC News

See also:

• End-to-end lung cancer screening with three-dimensional deep learning on low-dose chest computed tomography (abstract) Nature Medicine

MPs call for action over medicinal cannabis on NHS

MPs call for action over medicinal cannabis on NHS MPs have expressed frustration over the NHS failure to issue prescriptions to patients in need of medicinal cannabis, despite the law being changed six months ago.

In a lengthy backbench debate last night, Conservative MP Sir Mike Penning called for urgent action in the case of severely epileptic children, for whom medicinal cannabis has helped to reduce their seizures. iNews

More than 500 people told to get HIV tests after visiting dentist in Hertfordshire town

More than 500 people told to get HIV tests after visiting dentist in Hertfordshire town Hundreds of patients at a Hertfordshire dental surgery have been told to take HIVtests after their appointments.

The Dentality @ Hoddesdon practice sent letters to 563 patients who underwent dental scaling practice warning them about exposure “to a blood-borne virus such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C or HIV”.

Public Health England (PHE) said a dedicated phone line has been set up to help patients access further information and book a blood test. The Independent

When survival is a popularity contest: the heartbreak of crowdfunding healthcare

When survival is a popularity contest: the heartbreak of crowdfunding healthcare A growing number of Britons are turning to online fundraising for essential treatment in a desperate, ‘Dickensian’ attempt to get around NHS shortfalls. But does it work?

Heather Bellamy’s March appointment at the Queen Elizabeth hospital in King’s Lynn didn’t go well. She had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia five years before, in December 2014; now, her doctor explained gently, she had run out of options on the NHS. Bellamy, 48, would be starting a chemotherapy drug called azacitidine that could extend her life expectancy from two months to six. Her doctor asked if she had a bucket list. “I felt crushed,” she remembers.

Speaking one month on, Bellamy – a senior practice nurse and a mother of four from Downham Market in Norfolk – isn’t chasing her dreams of bungee jumping or swimming with dolphins. Instead, she is fundraising online for an experimental cancer drug, enasidenib, which has been approved by the US authorities but is not available on the NHS.

It’s normalising the idea that, to get essential health services, you need to compete with all these other people. The Guardian

Nurses say too many patients are being subjected to 'do not resuscitate' orders without families being told

Nurses say too many patients are being subjected to 'do not resuscitate' orders without families being told Nurses have warned that too many hospital patients are being subjected to “do not resuscitate orders” without relatives being told - with one describing finding her own great-aunt in such circumstances.

The Royal College of Nursing yesterday heard repeated warnings that “failures to communicate” meant families were left shocked to discover such decisions had been taken about their loved ones. The Daily Telegraph

Nurses call for prostitution to be decriminalised, after RCN vote

Nurses call for prostitution to be decriminalised, after RCN vote Nurses are calling for prostitution to be decriminalised, saying it is a matter of “fundamental human rights”.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is to start actively lobbying the Government to change the law following a vote at the union's conference in Liverpool.

Members said it would help protect women and give them more rights, saying prohibition only served to isolate vulnerable people. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Decriminalise prostitution, say nurses BBC News
• Royal College of Nursing votes to support decriminalising prostitution The Guardian