Mental health: One in four young women struggling

Mental health: One in four young women struggling Nearly one in four young women have a mental illness, with emotional problems such as depression and anxiety the most common, figures for England show.

The official NHS report found young women aged 17 to 19 were twice as likely as young men to have problems, with 23.9% reporting a disorder.

In children aged five to 15, one in nine had a disorder, up from one in 10 when the review was done 13 years ago.

The findings are based on a survey of more than 9,000 young people. BBC News

See also:

• Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2017 NHS Digital

'Vast gap' in child mental health support in England

'Vast gap' in child mental health support in England There is a "vast gap" in the support provided by the NHS for children with mental health problems, the Children's Commissioner in England says.

Anne Longfield's report criticised slow progress made in improving specialist community services for children.

She said waiting times were too long and was concerned about numbers being rejected by services in some areas.

It comes as the NHS prepares to publish a major report into mental health problems among the young. BBC News

See also:

• Analysis shows children’s mental health services are showing signs of improvement – but a seismic shift in ambition still needed to meet demand Children's Commissioner 
• EVERY school should have mental health officers to tackle child welfare crisis, insists watchdog The Daily Mail

Type 2 diabetes affects 7,000 under-25s in England and Wales

Type 2 diabetes affects 7,000 under-25s in England and Wales There are nearly 7,000 children and young adults under 25 with type 2 diabetes in England and Wales - about 10 times the number reported before, according to Diabetes UK.

Its analysis of 2016-17 data found most were being treated in GP practices rather than in specialist units.

The condition is linked to obesity and is more aggressive in children.

Child health experts said the government should act now to implement proposals to cut childhood obesity. BBC News

See also:

• National Diabetes Audit Report 1- Findings and Recommendations 2016-17 NHS Digital
• Number of young Britons suffering from diabetes sufferers is 'TEN times higher than expected' The Daily Mail
• Type 2 diabetes now affects nearly 7,000 young Britons The Guardian
• Sugary treats which cause obesity account for 70% of items at supermarket checkouts, research finds The Independent

Antidepressant prescribing rose in England after EU referendum

Antidepressant prescribing rose in England after EU referendum Increased uncertainty about the future might have lain behind the rise in antidepressant prescribing in England after the EU referendum in 2016, researchers have suggested in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. They proposed in their research report that mental health provision ought to be strengthened during such periods in future. OnMedica

Language requirements for foreign nurses to be relaxed amid staffing crisis

Language requirements for foreign nurses to be relaxed amid staffing crisis The current English language requirements for foreign nurses and midwives is set to be lowered under new proposals from the regulator.

The move by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is intended to ease the “significant pressure” currently on the NHS workforce.

NMC plans to change the requirements to ensure that those who are “just missing out” make the cut. The Independent

See also:

• NMC proposes changes to English language test Nursing and Midwifery Council
• English language tests will be made easier for foreign nurses to beat staff shortages in NHS The Daily Mail
• Language tests for foreign nurses to be made easier, regulator proposes The Daily Telegraph

UK teenagers turn to mobile apps to help with mental ill health

UK teenagers turn to mobile apps to help with mental ill health Usage of apps that help cope with anxiety, self-harm and depression has soared recently

Tens of thousands of young people in Britain who are struggling with their mental health are seeking help online for problems such as anxiety, self-harm and depression.

Soaring numbers of under-18s are turning to apps, online counselling and “mood diaries” to help them manage and recover from conditions that have left them feeling low, isolated and, in some cases, suicidal. The Guardian

UK pledges £5m to fight 'super gonorrhea'

UK pledges £5m to fight 'super gonorrhea' The UK government has pledged £5 million for the development of new tools for the diagnosis of “super gonorrhoea” as part of a renewed push to combat the rising tide of superbugs around the world.

Professor Dame Sally Davies, chief medical officer for England, has announced an extra £11.5 million to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR), nearly half of which will go on the development of a rapid, point-of-care test for drug-resistant gonorrhoea. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Government promises more funding to fight superbugs Department of Health and Social Care

NHS trusts will be forced to publish concerns raised by staff and patients in wake of Gosport scandal

NHS trusts will be forced to publish concerns raised by staff and patients in wake of Gosport scandal NHS trusts will be forced to publish concerns raised by staff and patients about their care in the wake of the Gosport scandal, the Health Secretary announced on Tuesday.

In a statement to Parliament, Matt Hancock set out the Government’s response to the Gosport Independent Panel’s Report, which was published earlier this year.

At the heart of his speech was the importance of listening to the NHS staff, patients and their families who speak up with concerns – something that did not happen at Gosport War Memorial Hospital at the time. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Gosport hospital deaths: Whistleblowers promised support BBC News

Uncertain future for 'at home' dementia service ran by Northamptonshire County Council

Uncertain future for 'at home' dementia service ran by Northamptonshire County Council A consultation is set to be held over the future of an ‘at home’ dementia service run by Northamptonshire County Council. 

The consultation will ask whether the service should continue to be provided in-house by Northamptonshire Adult Social Services, or whether the customers should receive these services from other providers. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Children born in poorer areas of Northamptonshire have a decade less in life expectancy

Children born in poorer areas of Northamptonshire have a decade less in life expectancy Children born in deprived areas of Northamptonshire are expected to have a shorter life expectancy by almost a decade than those born into affluence.

The stark life expectancy gap within the county was revealed in the latest report by Lucy Wightman, the county’s director for public health. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

The nation's health as an asset: Building the evidence on the social and economic value of health

The nation's health as an asset: Building the evidence on the social and economic value of health This briefing makes the case for the nation’s health to be viewed as an asset that requires long-term investment for our society to prosper.

It also describes a £2m research programme, funded by the Health Foundation, that will assess the effect of an individual’s health on their social and economic outcomes.

Same-day emergency clinics could save NHS 14,000 extra beds

Same-day emergency clinics could save NHS 14,000 extra beds Senior medics have warned the NHS is “on borrowed time” as winter approaches – but say better use of same-day emergency clinics could save at least 14,000 overnight hospital stays.

In a report released today, Winter 2018/19 in the NHS: The solutions, the Society for Acute Medicine (SAM) calls on the government and NHS leaders to “realise urgently” the potential of ambulatory emergency care (AEC).

The service, which sits within acute medical units, offers an alternative to hospital admission for patients with serious medical problems who might otherwise have spent at least one night in a hospital bed.

See also:

• NHS winter crisis can be avoided with ambulatory care, say doctors The Guardian

Age is just a number: views among people aged 50 and over in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Age is just a number: views among people aged 50 and over in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing This analysis of the most recent data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) shows that across the whole sample of more than 6,000 people aged 50 and over in England, most are feeling fairly good about ageing, with 60 per cent saying that growing older is a positive experience. However there are large and consistent differences by socioeconomic status. Centre for Ageing Better

The hospitals that fail to treat patients on time

The hospitals that fail to treat patients on time Nearly one in five local hospital services are consistently failing to hit any of their key waiting-time targets, BBC analysis shows.

Twenty-nine hospital trusts and boards out of 157 have not hit a single target for a whole year.

Northern Ireland is struggling the most - all five trusts have failed their key targets for A&E, cancer and routine operations every time in 2017-18.

NHS leaders said the NHS was facing a very difficult winter. BBC News

See also:

• A FIFTH of NHS hospitals are failing to treat their patients on time The Daily Mail
• A fifth of NHS hospitals are missing all their waiting list targets this year, figures show The Daily Telegraph
• Dozens of NHS trusts fail key targets on waiting times for a year The Independent

NHS claims IAPT programme had over 50% 'recovery' rate last year

NHS claims IAPT programme had over 50% 'recovery' rate last year The improving access to psychological therapies (IAPT) programme met its target for a 50% recovery rate from depression and anxiety for the first time last year.

This is according to NHS Digital statistics, which found 51% of patients who finished a course of treatment in 2017/18 were considered recovered. Pulse

Doctors call for ‘learn not blame’ culture in NHS

Doctors call for ‘learn not blame’ culture in NHS We need a just culture in the NHS in which every individual patient and staff member is valued and cared for, doctors have demandedthis morning. At the launch in Westminster of their "Learn Not Blame" campaign, The Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK) lobbied for a revolution in NHS culture to one that celebrates professionals’ success and good work, and also “acknowledges and learns in a constructive and fair manner when things go wrong”. OnMedica

Children under 10 among those given strong antidepressants in UK

Children under 10 among those given strong antidepressants in UK Guidance warns against prescribing paroxetine and venlafaxine due to risk of suicide

Children aged 10 and under are among hundreds of young people being given strong antidepressant drugs – in breach of official guidance – that increase the risk of suicide, the Guardian can reveal.

Figures show 597 children and teenagers were given paroxetine and venlafaxine last year. Government guidance cautions against their use due to increased suicidal thoughts and behaviour in younger people, but some experts argue they can be used as a last resort when all other treatments have failed. The Guardian

Mental health hospital admissions linked to cocaine use treble in 10 years

Mental health hospital admissions linked to cocaine use treble in 10 years NHS data shows surge in England, with increased availability of drug and government cuts blamed

The number of hospital admissions for mental health disorders linked to cocaine use has almost trebled in the past decade, official figures show.

NHS Digital data has shown that in England between 2017-18 there were 14,470 admissions where patients were experiencing mental and behavioural disorders due to use of cocaine. The number was up year-on-year, substantially higher than the 5,148 between 2007-08. The figures did not distinguish between powdered cocaine and crack cocaine. The Guardian

Terror attack victims let down by NHS mental health services

Terror attack victims let down by NHS mental health services Victims of terror attacks are waiting up to 14 months for their trauma to be treated by NHS mental health services, the biggest study of its kind reveals today.

Some of the adults and children injured, bereaved or caught up in terror attacks have become so desperate they have paid for their treatment rather than wait any longer.

More than three quarters (76%) of the 271 survivors of terror attacks who took part in the unique study said they felt let down and believed mental health services require improvement. Three quarters of those felt the improvement needed should be “dramatic.” The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Terror survivors: Mental health services must improve 'dramatically' BBC News

One in five cancer sufferers face discrimination in the workplace

One in five cancer sufferers face discrimination in the workplace Record number of cancer sufferers are facing discrimination at work as employers fear they will not pull their weight, a study by Macmillan Cancer reveals today.

The number of calls to the charity from cancer victims with work-related problems rose by 74% , up from fewer than 1,000 in 2015/16 to 1,711 in the year to May. Already this calendar year, they have received 3,000. The Daily Telegraph

Majority of Northamptonshire patients have access to out of hours doctors' appointments

Majority of Northamptonshire patients have access to out of hours doctors' appointments The vast majority of patients in Northamptonshire had some access to out of hours appointments with a doctor at the end of September, according to NHS figures.

Data gathered from 61 practices in the NHS Nene CCG during the month showed that 11 per cent of patients, that’s some 67,194 people, could book an appointment on Saturday, Sunday or out of hours on a weekday.

A further 71 percent or 450,556 people had access at some of those times. But 114,200 had no access to appointments outside usual hours. Daventry Express

Briefing highlights 'pressing challenges facing NHS', says NHS Employers in response to report on staff shortages

Briefing highlights 'pressing challenges facing NHS', says NHS Employers in response to report on staff shortages Responding to the report, titled The health care workforce in England: Make or break?, Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, said:

“This briefing clearly highlights the pressing challenges facing the NHS in relation to its workforce.

“Employers are clear that there is much they need to do in their organisations to improve the experience of their people. National action is also required: we must secure more flexibility with the use of the apprenticeship levy, as well as reinstating funds to support CPD and workforce development.

“We will also continue to campaign, alongside our colleagues in the Cavendish Coalition, for a post-Brexit migration system that supports the recruitment of both highly trained health professionals and much needed, and valued, lower-wage roles in social care.”

Right treatment, right time

Right treatment, right time This survey of over 1,600 people on their experiences of care and treatment shows that people severely affected by mental illness are often waiting the longest for treatment and receiving the worst care. It found: 28 per cent were not referred to an appropriate service by their GP, 56 per cent did not receive treatment in the appropriate time, and 51 per cent found they did not receive treatment for a sufficient and appropriate length of time. Rethink Mental Illness
 

Letting local systems lead: how the long-term plan could deliver a more sustainable NHS

Letting local systems lead: how the long-term plan could deliver a more sustainable NHS According to this report, the NHS long-term plan must help bring about a “breakthrough” in the development of local health and care systems by allowing them greater freedom and minimising central control. The report calls for a focus on tackling the barriers to local system working as NHS England prepares to publish its blueprint for the coming decade. NHS Confederation

Medication for mental health: Call to 'end pill-shaming'

Medication for mental health: Call to 'end pill-shaming' "You're weak for taking them." "Why do you need that?" "I wouldn't date someone taking medication."

These are all examples of pill-shaming - where people criticise others and make them feel guilty for taking medication for their mental health.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is worried that people are being made to feel so ashamed that they're put off getting help for conditions such as anxiety and depression. BBC News

Blackpool hospital medic held over poisoning claims

Blackpool hospital medic held over poisoning claims A healthcare professional at a hospital has been arrested over the alleged administration of poison or a noxious substance to patients.

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust raised concerns over care to some patients on 8 November, Lancashire Police said.

The allegations related to the alleged mistreatment and neglect of some patients on the stroke unit in November, police said. BBC News

Hospital noise levels growing worse, say researchers

Hospital noise levels growing worse, say researchers Noise levels in hospitals are getting worse, research suggests.

Anyone who has ever stayed overnight in a hospital will know how difficult it can be to sleep, surrounded by staff, machinery, trolleys and telephones.

In the UK, 40% of hospital patients are bothered by noise at night, according to in-patient surveys.

But it's not only the patients' wellbeing that may be affected - high noise levels can also have an impact on staff performance and burnout rates.

Researchers from King's College London say noise levels in intensive care - where the most vulnerable patients are looked after - regularly exceed 100 decibels. BBC News

Mental health patients have been thrown down the Brexit rabbit-hole | Zoe Williams

Mental health patients have been thrown down the Brexit rabbit-hole | Zoe Williams Normal government has effectively ceased, leaving a crucial health review on hold

The whole thing reads like a misprint: if you present at your GP’s with mild to moderate depression or anxiety, you will wait, on average, six weeks for treatment, which itself sounds like a significant amount of time. But if you arrive with a very severe mental illness – schizophrenia or bipolar disorder – you will wait much longer, 14 weeks, just for an assessment. The average wait for treatment to begin is 19 weeks. One in six people wait longer than six months. Parking the human beings for a second, it makes no sense as a system: physical and mental health are not equivalent, and having a psychotic episode is not the same as breaking your leg. But in the broadest possible terms, this is like fast-streaming people with arthritis while leaving cancer sufferers in a half-year limbo. It’s not a system anyone would design; it’s hard to fathom how it could simply evolve.

Reading the report from the charity Rethink Mental Illness, though, you cannot park the human beings for very long. Heartbreaking testimonies leap off the page: “These answers were on behalf of my husband, who sadly took his own life six weeks ago … I truly believe that, if he had received therapy sooner, he would still be here.” “I was left for months at a time with no contact from my community psychiatric nurse. Following a suicide attempt, I did not hear from them for a month.”

All the determination in the world cannot make more hours in the day, magic more staff on to community psychiatric teams The Guardian

America’s opioid crisis is a warning to the NHS | Chris McGreal

America’s opioid crisis is a warning to the NHS | Chris McGreal The US watchdog that is supposed to protect patients is in thrall to an industry profiting from addiction

Years into America’s opioid epidemic, as the death toll climbed into the hundreds of thousands, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a hearing to consider a drug company application to approve a new high-strength painkiller.

The FDA assembles advisory committees of doctors and scientists to weigh the arguments for and against new drugs. In 2012, an opioid 10 times more powerful than regular painkillers, Zohydro ER, was on the agenda. By then, no one was in any doubt about the ravages of the worst drug epidemic in US history. So far, it has claimed at least 350,000 lives. Around 150 people a day are dying in a crisis with roots in the push for the mass prescribing of opioid painkillers that took off two decades ago.

If one company was making money from a dangerous drug then others were entitled to too The Guardian

Elderly are being 'taken for a ride' by care homes charging thousands in hidden fees, health minister warns

Elderly are being 'taken for a ride' by care homes charging thousands in hidden fees, health minister warns Vulnerable elderly people are being “taken for a ride” by unscrupulous care homes charging them thousands of pounds extra in hidden fees, a health minister has warned.

Care homes have been found to be charging families for care for weeks after residents had died, selling dead residents’ possessions and keeping the cash, and demanding fees for services which were never provided.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) today ordered care homes to provide the public with upfront and fair information, amid concern that families are falling victim to underhand tactics that cost them dearly. The Daily Telegraph

Outsourcing firms could be banned from carrying out NHS cancer screening services

Outsourcing firms could be banned from carrying out NHS cancer screening services Outsourcing companies could be banned from carrying out NHS cancer screening services following scandals where thousands of women were not invited for vital checks.

Health chiefs will launch a major national overhaul of cancer screening programmes with aim of cutting the number of deaths of patients whose diseases could have been caught earlier.

The announcement follows revelations that up to 48,500 women did not receive information regarding cervical cancer screening after a system error at Capita, which is contracted to provide support services across England. The Daily Telegraph

Pensioners are THREE TIMES more likely to hide any mental health conditions

Pensioners are THREE TIMES more likely to hide any mental health conditions YouGov surveyed 2,000 adults for the UK pensioner’s charity Independent Age - and found that 24% of them felt uncomfortable with people knowing they were depressed. The Daily Mail

Round two for STP plans: a fresh start or a dangerous distraction?

Round two for STP plans: a fresh start or a dangerous distraction? In a recent letter to Trust chief executives and clinical commissioning group (CCG) accountable officers, NHS England and NHS Improvement confirmed that they ‘expect all sustainability and transformation partnerships (STPs) and integrated care systems (ICSs) to develop and agree new strategic plans for improving quality, achieving sustainable [financial] balance and delivering the long-term plan’. These will be developed during the first half of 2019 and submitted for sign-off in the summer. Meanwhile, one-year organisational plans will be submitted for 2019/20. The King's Fund

Evidence-based early years intervention

Evidence-based early years intervention The Committee calls on the Government to draw up a new national strategy for early intervention approaches to address childhood adversity and trauma. It urges the Government to capitalise fully on the opportunity that early intervention provides to transform the lives of those who suffer adversity in childhood, while also saving long-term costs to Government. The report identifies examples of early intervention working well around the country, but also the challenges that local authorities and their partners currently face in delivering effective, evidence-based early intervention. House of Commons Science and Technology Committee

Zholia Alemi: Foreign doctor checks after fake psychiatrist case

Zholia Alemi: Foreign doctor checks after fake psychiatrist case Some 3,000 foreign doctors in the UK are being urgently checked after a woman practised psychiatry for 22 years without any qualifications.

Zholia Alemi falsely claimed to have a medical degree from a New Zealand university when she registered in the UK in the 1995.

But she had actually dropped out of medical school in her first year.

The General Medical Council (GMC) - the doctors' watchdog - has apologised for its "inadequate" checks in the 1990s. BBC News

Allied Healthcare to transfer care contracts

Allied Healthcare to transfer care contracts The home care provider was warned this month by the care regulator about its financial sustainability. BBC News

More NHS cyber-attacks 'inevitable', warn experts

More NHS cyber-attacks 'inevitable', warn experts The 2017 WannaCry attack caused havoc. Has enough been done to prepare the system for next time?

Health service insiders fear the NHS will be hit by another cyber-attack similar to the WannaCry ransomware outbreak that caused widespread disruption to hospitals and GP surgeries last year.

Poor leadership, budgetary constraints, deficient IT systems and a lack of qualified staff mean another attack on the health service is inevitable, according to experts at a Guardian event supported by DXC. Guardian technology reporter Alex Hern spoke about the impact of the 2017 WannaCry cyber-attack, and clinicians, cybersecurity specialists, policy advisers and politicians discussed how to best protect NHS IT systems. The Guardian

UK cancer and children’s wards being hit by closures

UK cancer and children’s wards being hit by closures NHS staffing crisis is forcing patients to travel long distances for treatment as services are centralised

Growing numbers of hospital units that provide cancer care and children’s services are among those being forced to shut because the NHS’s deepening staffing crisis means it has too few doctors and nurses to operate them safely.

The closures are leading to patients having to travel further to receive care as NHS bosses increasingly decide to centralise services in fewer hospitals in response to gaps in rotas. The Guardian

People with severe mental health problems forced to wait longer for NHS help than those with mild depression

People with severe mental health problems forced to wait longer for NHS help than those with mild depression People with severe mental health problems are being forced to wait longer for NHS help than those with mild depression, experts have warned.

Research shows that patients with conditions such as schizophrenia and personality disorder are being denied help despite feeling suicidal.

Charity Rethink Mental Illness urged health officials to introduce NHS waiting targets for mental health problems, including a two week maximum wait for those suffering from psychosis. The Daily Telegraph

People with severe mental health problems forced to wait longer for NHS help than those with mild depression

People with severe mental health problems forced to wait longer for NHS help than those with mild depression People with severe mental health problems are being forced to wait longer for NHS help than those with mild depression, experts have warned.

Research shows that patients with conditions such as schizophrenia and personality disorder are being denied help despite feeling suicidal.

Charity Rethink Mental Illness urged health officials to introduce NHS waiting targets for mental health problems, including a two week maximum wait for those suffering from psychosis. The Daily Telegraph

NHS England announces a ‘major overhaul’ of cancer screening programmes

NHS England announces a ‘major overhaul’ of cancer screening programmes A top-to-bottom review has been launched into the screening services after private firm, Capita, failed to send cervical screening reminders and results and waited two months to tell the NHS about the error. The Daily Mail

Family left 'confused and angry' after inquest finds no staff were around when Northampton great-grandmother suffered fall

Family left 'confused and angry' after inquest finds no staff were around when Northampton great-grandmother suffered fall There were no staff to help when a 79-year-old great-grandmother fell from her chair in a Northampton care home and suffered catastrophic injuries, an inquest has heard.

Valerie Mary Hawksworth - who was paralysed on one side from a stroke and battling dementia - was found facedown on the floor in a communal living room at Argyle House care home after she fell out of her reclining chair, broke both wrists and suffered a bleed on the brain.

She died 10 days later at Northampton General Hospital surrounded by her family on May 29, 2018. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Staffing shortfall of almost 250,000 by 2030 is major risk to NHS long-term plan, experts warn

Staffing shortfall of almost 250,000 by 2030 is major risk to NHS long-term plan, experts warn Critical and lasting shortages in the healthcare workforce mean that the forthcoming NHS long-term plan risks becoming an unachievable ‘wish list’ of initiatives to improve the health service. If unaddressed, these shortages could lead to growing waiting lists, deteriorating care quality and the risk that some of the money for frontline services pledged at the Budget will go unspent, according to a new briefing published today by The King’s Fund, the Health Foundation and the Nuffield Trust.

See also:

• The health care workforce in England: make or break? The King’s Fund, the Health Foundation and the Nuffield Trust
• NHS staff shortages could triple in a decade, think tanks warn The Daily Telegraph
• NHS ‘could be short of 350,000 staff by 2030’ The Guardian

Pancreatic Cancer Across Europe - Taking a united stand

Pancreatic Cancer Across Europe - Taking a united stand Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate of all cancers in Europe.

Responsible for over 95,000 EU deaths every year, life expectancy at the time of diagnosis is just 4.6 months. Improvements in patient outcomes have largely stood still for the past four decades, which is of stark contrast to the progression in survival rates that has been witnessed with many other cancers.

The report provides a concise overview on the state of pancreatic cancer across the continent. UEG and its partners are also calling on six initiatives to transform pancreatic cancer outcomes by 2035, which include an increase in research funding and the delivery of a pan-European standard of care. United European Gastroenterology

See also:

• Damning report reveals pancreatic cancer death rates have soared by 5% across Europe The Daily Mail

Thousands caught up in cervical screening blunder

Thousands caught up in cervical screening blunder More than 40,000 women in England have not received information regarding cervical cancer screening after a failure to send out letters by the NHS.

The errors were made between January and June.

Around 4,000 of them were results of tests, the remainder were letters inviting them for screening or reminding them they were due.

Between 150 and 200 of the test results that were not sent out were abnormal results.

But it is thought their intended recipients should have received at least one notification from their GP or screening clinic - as women with abnormal results should be sent letters from two or three sources. BBC News

See also:

• Capita statement on cervical screening correspondence delay Capita
• Nearly 50,000 women are 'at risk of cervical cancer' because of an NHS system error The Daily Mail
• Cervical cancer screening letter blunder saw nearly 50,000 women miss results and screening reminders The Daily Telegraph
• Capita’s cancer screening blunder hits 50,000 NHS patients The Guardian
• Cervical cancer screening: 48,000 women not sent information about test after error by private firm Capita, BMA says The Independent

Pfizer's failed pregabalin patent appeal means NHS could reclaim £502m

Pfizer's failed pregabalin patent appeal means NHS could reclaim £502m The NHS could claim back over half a billion pounds from Pfizer - following a long-running controversy that saw GPs having to switch patients between generic and branded pregabalin - after the Supreme Court ruled that the drug company’s patent for Lyrica (pregabalin) is invalid.

The judgement, handed down this morning, dismissed Pfizer’s final attempt to uphold its patent, and accused the company of trying to hold a ‘monopoly’ with ‘insufficient’ evidence. Pulse

Google takeover of NHS-linked health app is 'totally unacceptable'

Google takeover of NHS-linked health app is 'totally unacceptable' Privacy campaigners have raised fears for patient data following Google’s takeover of a health app used in NHS hospitals.

London-based AI firm DeepMind said its Streams app will be subsumed by the technology giant in a move that one expert described as “totally unacceptable” and a betrayal to patient’s privacy.

DeepMind, which is owned by Google but has operated the app independently until now, justified the decision in a blog post explaining how Google would allow the app to scale in a way that would not be possible by itself. The Independent

See also:

• Google 'betrays patient trust' with DeepMind Health move The Guardian

Diesel pollution stunts children’s lung growth, London study shows

Diesel pollution stunts children’s lung growth, London study shows Major research also shows charging polluting trucks had no effect on health

Pollution from diesel vehicles is stunting the growth of children’s lungs, leaving them damaged for life, a major study has found.

The research, conducted with more than 2,000 school children in London, is the first such study in a city where diesel pollution is a significant factor, and has implications for cities around the world. It also showed that charges to deter polluting trucks from entering the city did reduce air pollution a little but did not reduce the harm to children’s lungs.

This study reveals the terrible legacy of successive governments’ failure to act over illegal levels of air pollution The Guardian

See also:

• Impact of London's low emission zone on air quality and children's respiratory health: a sequential annual cross-sectional study (open access) The Lancet Public Health
• Air pollution: Low emission zones not preventing stunted lung growth in London children The Independent

One in 10 countries have inadequate protection against a 'catastrophic' biological event

One in 10 countries have inadequate protection against a 'catastrophic' biological event Fewer than one-in-10 countries have met global standards for securing killer germs, increasing risks of an accidental disease outbreak or bioterrorism, a campaign group has warned.

Just 19 countries completing a United Nations safety check have built or shown strong biosecurity safeguards. No countries meet the highest standard for biosecurity.

The lack of robust controls increases the chances of a “catastrophic” biological event, according to NTI, a campaign group tracking nuclear, biological and chemical threats. The Daily Telegraph

The 'wiggle-ometer': the latest weapon in the fight against superbugs

The 'wiggle-ometer': the latest weapon in the fight against superbugs The “wiggle-ometer” might not sound like the most hi-tech piece of kit but it could be the saviour of modern medicine.

Developed by academics from the University of Bristol, led by Dr Massimo Antognozzi, the imaging machine detects minute movements in bacteria, determining whether they’ve been affected by particular antibiotics.

The wiggle-ometer is one of more than 70 projects from around the world in the running for the £8 million Longitude Prize, launched by the government in 2014, in a bid to combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The Daily Telegraph

Task force to be sent to protect vulnerable children in Northamptonshire

Task force to be sent to protect vulnerable children in Northamptonshire Ministers are to send in a task force to crisis-hit Northamptonshire County Council after it emerged hundreds of vulnerable children were being placed at greater risk of harm because of rapidly deteriorating frontline child protection services..

The move follows publication of a highly critical letter by Ofsted inspectors revealing that children referred to council social services were not effectively supported or protected, with 267 young people waiting up to four months to be assessed and allocated a social worker. The Guardian

See also:

• Commitment to improve following Ofsted feedback Northamptonshire County Council
• Inspection into the governance of Northamptonshire county council Ofsted
• Northamptonshire County Council: Children in care 'at risk' BBC Northampton
• Safety of hundreds of Northamptonshire children 'unknown', says new Ofsted report Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Government 'minded' to send another highly-paid commissioner into Northamptonshire County Council Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Social workers faced with assessing up to 50 children in Northamptonshire each are 'drowning in cases', report finds Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• 'We know our children's services are not working well and we will put this right', promises Northamptonshire County Council after damning report Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Agency manager at Northamptonshire children's services was paid equivalent of £99,000 salary Northamptonshire Telegraph

Morale boost for nurses as Northampton General Hospital named 'positive workplace'

Morale boost for nurses as Northampton General Hospital named 'positive workplace' Northampton General Hospital has jumped ahead of its rivals in the competition to attract new nurses and midwives.

The hospital has become the UK's first to achieve an international mark of excellence for having a positive work environment for nursing and midwifery staff.

England’s Chief Nurse Ruth May, addressing NGH employees on Wednesday, said: "I’m thrilled for each and every one of you.

"I have seen, felt and heard the difference that this makes and it is a just reward for all your efforts. Our challenge is how it roll it out nationally; let’s have nurses whooping right across England.” Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Understanding the health care needs of people with multiple health conditions

Understanding the health care needs of people with multiple health conditions Analysis of data from 2014 to 2016 for 300,000 people in England found that one in four adults had two or more health conditions, equating to approximately 14.2 million people in England. Over half (55 per cent) of hospital admissions and outpatient visits and three quarters (75 per cent) of primary care prescriptions are for people living with two or more conditions. In the least-deprived fifth of areas, people can expect to have two or more conditions by the time they are 71 years old, but in the most-deprived fifth, people reach the same level of illness a decade earlier, at 61 years of age. The Health Foundation

Health matters: air pollution

Health matters: air pollution This edition of Health matters focuses on air pollution and discusses how local authorities, supported by national policies, have an important role in assessing and improving local air quality - and how the cumulative effects of local action can be significant. It will be of particular value to local authority commissioners, directors of public health, environmental health officers, health and wellbeing boards, CCGs and health professionals. Public Health England

Shropshire baby deaths: Review cases rise to 215

Shropshire baby deaths: Review cases rise to 215 More than 200 families have raised concerns about maternity care at a hospital trust being investigated over a cluster of deaths and injuries.

The government-ordered review into Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust (SaTH) has now widened for a third time after initially focusing on 23 cases.

The trust said 215 families had now come forward alleging maternity errors.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock put the trust in special measures less than a week ago amid patient safety concerns. BBC News

See also:

• Inspectors widen review into troubled NHS maternity unit for the THIRD time The Daily Mail
• Baby death review into scandal-hit NHS trust widens to 215 cases The Daily Telegraph

Diabetes glucose monitors 'available to thousands more'

Diabetes glucose monitors 'available to thousands more' Wearable glucose monitors will be made available to tens of thousands more people with type 1 diabetes from April 2019, NHS England has announced.

Its decision comes after an investigation found patients in some areas of the country were being denied access to the device.

It reduces the need for finger-prick blood tests and helps people with diabetes to manage their condition.

Diabetes charities called the change of policy a huge step forward. BBC News

See also:

• NHS to provide life changing glucose monitors for Type 1 diabetes patients NHS England
• NHS to provide flash glucose monitoring for people with Type 1 diabetes Diabetes UK

Carers of diabetics risk mental health problems

Carers of diabetics risk mental health problems Three quarters of carers for people with diabetes experience emotional or mental health problems, new research shows.

According to the results of an online survey from Diabetes UK, 77% of respondents said they sometimes or often feel down because of their family member’s diabetes.

One third of carers also wanted their family member to see more of a diabetes specialist nurse (DSN), while 11% per cent wanted a trained counsellor or psychologist to support the children or adults with diabetes they care for. OnMedica

Government must raise taxes to plug £3.6bn social care funding shortfall, councils say

Government must raise taxes to plug £3.6bn social care funding shortfall, councils say Tax rises are urgently needed to plug a yawning hole in funding the care of the elderly and adults with disabilities and must be put forward by government in its delayed social care green paper, councils have said.

The Local Government Association (LGA) has drawn up its own blueprint for reforming the sector and says that income tax or national insurance increases should be urgently considered.

Successive governments have kicked the issue of funding the rising cost of care in the UK “into the long grass”, but after eight years of austerity and cuts to council budgets, the LGA says the issues is at crisis point. The Independent

See also:

• Government must make case for increases in national taxation to rescue adult social care Local Government Association

NHS denied treatment for migrants who can't afford upfront charges

NHS denied treatment for migrants who can't afford upfront charges Experts warn that ‘hostile’ approach risks worsening the health of already sick patients

Hundreds of patients have been denied treatment for serious health problems including cancer, arrhythmia and cardiac chest pains after ministers forced the NHS to impose upfront charges on migrants deemed ineligible for free healthcare, the Guardian can reveal.

In one case, a patient with advanced stage cancer died after she went a year without treatment because an NHS hospital demanded £30,000 upfront to provide chemotherapy. The Guardian

See also:

• Cancer patient died after NHS demanded £30,000 for treatment The Guardian

NHS launches quest to eliminate scars 'within a generation'

NHS launches quest to eliminate scars 'within a generation' The NHS has launched a project to find medical cures for all types of scar as it opens the world’s first scarring research centre in response to wounded veterans and rising crime.

Experts say they aim to eliminate all scarring “within a generation” and transform the emergency care given to victims of trauma ranging from acid attacks and stabbing to terrorism and war.

Using money from fines levied against banks for financial misconduct, the new Centre for Conflict Wound Research at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital will investigate the fundamental molecular process that leads to scarring. The Daily Telegraph

Regulator hires ex-military and police officers in crackdown on failing care homes

Regulator hires ex-military and police officers in crackdown on failing care homes The NHS and care home regulator has employed former military and police officers to get tough in a crackdown on poor care standards.

Ian Trenholm, the chief executive of the Care Quality Commission, says he could take 31 NHS organisations and 163 care homes to court over safety concerns.

He took over the CQC in July and now wants to come down hard on failing adult social care companies and sub-standard branches of the health service.

Mr Trenholm revealed the 11 new additions to the team will review evidence and build cases against the ailing organisations - and more in the future. The Daily Mail

See also:

• CQC is considering 31 NHS prosecutions, new chief reveals Health Service Journal

Special measures Kettering hospital to expand A&E

Special measures Kettering hospital to expand A&E A hospital in special measures has announced £2.4m of improvements to its "cramped" emergency department.

In February, inspectors said Kettering General "requires improvement", an upgrade on 2017's "inadequate" rating.

The hospital sees 93,000 A&E patients per year - 180 on some busy days - which has doubled in the past 20 years.

An adjoining fractures clinic will be moved and a new area opened by Christmas to treat minor injuries, which make up about 40% of cases. BBC Northampton

See also:

• KGH begins £.24 million expansion to improve A&E care Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northampton hospital urges patients to pick treatment over commitments as NHS faces worst cancer figures on record

Northampton hospital urges patients to pick treatment over commitments as NHS faces worst cancer figures on record Northampton General Hospital is urging patients to choose treatments over commitments in the face of the 'worst' national NHS figures on record for treating cancer.

National figures suggest the NHS is on course for its worst annual targets for cancer treatment waiting times record.

The NHS aims to have patients into hospital for their first treatments within 62 days of first-referral by their GP. Hospitals aim to have 85 per cent of patients treated in this time. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

How much would NHS costs rise if there’s no Brexit deal?

How much would NHS costs rise if there’s no Brexit deal? With it still possible the United Kingdom will leave the European Union without a deal, Mark Dayan looks at the impact that would have on NHS costs. Nuffield Trust

See also:

• NHS faces £2.3bn cost of no-deal Brexit, report warns The Independent

WHO Report on Surveillance of Antibiotic Consumption: 2016 - 2018 Early implementation

WHO Report on Surveillance of Antibiotic Consumption: 2016 - 2018 Early implementation Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to health and human development, affecting our ability to treat a range of infections. Treatments for a growing number of infections have become less effective in many parts of the world due to resistance. The link between antimicrobial resistance and use of antimicrobials is well documented. However, little information is available on antimicrobial use in low-income countries. This report presents 2015 data on the consumption of systemic antibiotics from 65 countries and areas, contributing to our understanding of how antibiotics are used in these countries. World Health Organization

See also:

• 'Urgent action' is needed to tackle global misuse of antibiotics The Daily Mail
• WHO warns 'urgent action' is needed to tackle global misuse of antibiotics The Daily Telegraph
• Antibiotics vital for fighting drug resistant superbugs drastically overused in many countries, WHO report warns The Independent

Measles outbreaks across England

Measles outbreaks across England Public Health England is advising the public to ensure they have had 2 doses of MMR vaccine after outbreaks of measles are confirmed across England.

Encouraging people to choose self care for life

Encouraging people to choose self care for life More than 22 million people are being targeted as part of Self Care Week.

Under the banner of “Choose Self Care for Life” the aim is to engage and empower people to better look after their own health.

Whether it is about self-treatable conditions, long term conditions, or lifestyle choices to ensure better physical health and mental wellbeing, this week raises awareness of the huge benefits of people looking after themselves better. NHS England

Focused review of suicides among armed forces personnel

Focused review of suicides among armed forces personnel This focused review of suicides in service personnel (SP) aims to identify additional measures for preventing suicide. This report is based on evidence drawn from a review of defence publications, an examination of published statistics relating to suicide, a systematic review of the academic literature, interviews with 53 key stakeholders across defence, a national and international benchmarking exercise and an original academic study of self-harm in the UK. Ministry of Defence

Britain's first specialist wound hub to open

Britain's first specialist wound hub to open Terror attack victims and injured soldiers are among those set to benefit from Britain's first specialist wound research centre.

Staff are developing new techniques to treat burns, with the goal of achieving scar-free healing within a generation.

It will also give mental health support to those with physical injuries.

The Centre for Conflict Wound Research at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital will be opened by the The Countess of Wessex later on Tuesday. BBC News

Long waits for Transgender NHS appointments 'putting lives at risk'

Long waits for Transgender NHS appointments 'putting lives at risk' Transgender campaigners are warning that lives are being put at risk, as people are being left waiting months or even years for the earliest stages of treatment to help them undergo gender reassignment on the NHS.

In most cases, people seeking hormone treatments or surgery must be seen by one of the country's seven Gender Identity Clinics.

Three years ago, an ITV News investigation found that there were 4000 adults on the waiting list at GICs across the country, with an average wait of 8 months.

In 2018, people are facing waits of up to two years at the most in-demand clinics. ITV News

Too many baby deaths avoidable, report into NHS finds

Too many baby deaths avoidable, report into NHS finds Each Baby Counts project analyses cases of stillbirth, neonatal death and babies born with brain damage

Seven out of 10 stillbirths, neonatal deaths and babies brain damaged at birth could be avoided if the NHS provided better care during labour, a new government-funded report has found.

The inquiry identified lack of staff, the pressure on maternity units and a failure by midwives and obstetricians to follow guidelines as common factors in such events. The Guardian

See also:

• Each Baby Counts: Themed report on anaesthetic care Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Home Office scraps scheme that used NHS data to track migrants

Home Office scraps scheme that used NHS data to track migrant s Secret data-sharing deal dropped after legal action by Migrants’ Rights Network

The Home Office has abandoned a controversial “hostile environment” scheme using NHS data to track down patients believed to be breaching immigration rules.

In the face of a legal challenge brought by the Migrants’ Rights Network, a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Health, NHS Digital and the Home Office is being scrapped. The Guardian

NHS trust uses children of staff in hard-hitting campaign against violence

NHS trust uses children of staff in hard-hitting campaign against violence New posters put up by an NHS trust feature young children urging people not to attack hospital workers.

The North Tees and Hartlepool NHS trust, in North East England, is using the images of its own staff's children to try and reduce violence.

More than one in six workers at the trust (15 per cent) say they have experienced violence from patients, relatives or the public over the last year.

And, as another busy winter approaches, bosses have launched the campaign promoting their zero-tolerance approach to 'unacceptable' abuse. The Daily Mail

Paramedics will now be taught self-defence because the police 'don't turn up' when they're attacked

Paramedics will now be taught self-defence because the police 'don't turn up' when they're attacked Paramedics will be given self-defence lessons because over-stretched police no longer respond quickly enough to their calls for help.

South Western Ambulance Service staff will be given the training after its boss revealed assistance from police has been 'reduced'.

Restraint training, known as safer holding training, has already been given to five per cent of staff at the service and will be rolled out to the rest over the next two years.

It comes after it was reported incidents relating to violence and aggression against SWAS staff had almost doubled in a year up to 1,049 in 2017/18. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Self-defence lessons for paramedics because police failing to respond The Daily Telegraph

Northants hospital gains international stamp of excellence for nurse working conditions

Northants hospital gains international stamp of excellence for nurse working conditions Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust has been named one of the best places in the world for nurses and midwives to work.

The trust, which runs a single hospital in Northamptonshire, is the first in the UK to achieve Pathway to Excellence accreditation from the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center (ANCC).

The international stamp of approval is given to hospitals that create a positive work environment for nurses and midwives to enable them to deliver outstanding patient care. Nursing Times

NHS leaders commit to specialist health support for veterans in every part of NHS

NHS leaders commit to specialist health support for veterans in every part of NHS NHS leaders have confirmed today that specialist health support for veterans will be available in every part of the health service, across the country.

The commitment will ensure that those who have served in the armed forces have the best possible experience of the NHS and get the best care, regardless of whether they get help from their GP, a hospital or a specialist service. NHS England

Tackling Bullying: A guide for action

Tackling Bullying: A guide for action Ambulance colleagues have produced a new guide, Tackling Bullying in Ambulance Trusts: A guide for action.

The guide contains analysis, advice, case studies and recommendations for how to tackle bullying and create positive cultures in ambulance trusts. It has been created by ambulance colleagues as a call to action to implement changes and improve staff experience. NHS Employers

Millennials admit they often don’t stop to help people in need, finds poll

Millennials admit they often don’t stop to help people in need, finds poll One in five millennials who have seen someone experiencing physical difficulties in public said they did not offer to help, a poll has found.

More than a quarter of those who did not try to help said they did not know what to do, while 16 per cent said they would have felt awkward doing so, according to the survey by Parkinson’s UK.

The findings have been revealed to mark the launch of the charity’s campaign about freezing, a little-known symptom of Parkinson’s disease that often strikes in crowded, public spaces. The Independent

See also:

• A fifth of millennials who have seen someone experiencing physical difficulties in public don't provide help Parkinson’s UK
• Millennials will not stop to help people with medical problems, survey by Parkinson's UK finds The Daily Telegraph

What’s it like for a psychiatrist to section someone? I wish I didn’t know

What’s it like for a psychiatrist to section someone? I wish I didn’t know | Mariam Alexander I’d gladly never deprive anyone of their liberty again. But sometimes, it saves lives

I’m a psychiatrist. When people discover this, after the obligatory, “Are you analysing me right now?” (no – at least not in the way you think), the next question is nearly always, “Do you section people?”

For the uninitiated, being “sectioned” in England and Wales means being detained in a hospital under the Mental Health Act (MHA). This can happen if someone is experiencing a mental disorder of a “nature and degree” that could jeopardise their health or safety or the safety of others, and they are unwilling or unable to agree to hospital admission. The Guardian

Hancock to tell summit of goal to revolutionise NHS with new tech

Hancock to tell summit of goal to revolutionise NHS with new tech Health secretary to speak at GovTech summit in Paris and meet Emmanuel Macron

The health secretary, Matt Hancock, is to meet the French president, Emmanuel Macron, the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, and other world leaders at a summit on new technologies that could revolutionise health and social care.

The minister will champion the UK’s genomics, life sciences and artificial intelligence programmes as he addresses the GovTech summit in Paris on Monday about how innovation can transform patients’ lives. The Guardian

See also:

• Hancock attends Paris summit in search for technology to improve NHS ITV News

Hospital food at risk from no-deal Brexit

Hospital food at risk from no-deal Brexit Department of Health writes to trusts advising of contingency plans for short supply of imported ingredients

Hospitals could run out of much of the imported food that goes into millions of patient meals in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the Department of Health and Social Care has admitted in a letter to all NHS trusts in England.

The department said it was urgently planning to cope with potential “short supply of certain ingredients imported from the EU”, which involves advising suppliers how to use “substitute foodstuffs to maintain nutritional balance” of meals. The Guardian

See also:

• Brexit: Preparations made for hospital food shortages if UK crashes out of EU with no deal The Independent

NHS tells staff to use Whatsapp to communicate during emergencies

NHS tells staff to use Whatsapp to communicate during emergencies The NHS has told staff to use Whatsapp to communicate during emergencies after producing its first guide for staff.

Medics have already turned to encrypted communication apps to deal with emergency situations such as the 2016 Croydon tram crash, and last year's Grenfell Tower fire and terrorist attacks in London Bridge and Manchester.

The new guidance will help NHS organisations and staff to make a judgment on how and when to use instant messaging safely in acute clinical settings, taking into account data sharing and data privacy rules. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Instant messaging services a “vital part of the NHS toolkit” during a crisis NHS England

NHS bosses and GPs are blaming each other for flu jab fiasco

NHS bosses and GPs are blaming each other for flu jab fiasco NHS bosses and GPs are blaming each other for failing to provide enough flu jabs for the over-65s.

Thousands of elderly patients have not yet been vaccinated after surgeries and chemists ran out of stock.

One pharmacist in Bristol said he was turning away 15 elderly patients a day and shortages have also been reported in Surrey, Kent, Middlesbrough, Birmingham and Bolton. The problems were triggered by the rollout of a new jab. The Daily Mail

Cancer specialists slam decision by health watchdog to NOT recommend a drug for ovarian cancer

Cancer specialists slam decision by health watchdog to NOT recommend a drug for ovarian cancer Cancer specialists have today slammed the 'disappointing' decision by the health watchdog to not recommend an ovarian cancer drug.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has said olaparib was not considered to be cost effective.

The 'pioneering' drug is available on the NHS for women with ovarian cancer who have inherited mutations to the BRCA genes.

Studies have shown a larger amount of women could also benefit from the drug. But Nice says it would not expand its use in draft guidelines. The Daily Mail

See also:

• NHS patients set to have access to breakthrough drug The Daily Mail

Outcry as boys' HPV 'catch-up' is rejected by the government

Outcry as boys' HPV 'catch-up' is rejected by the government The Government is refusing to ‘backdate’ boys’ vaccination against the deadly Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) – a move that will cause thousands of cancers and cost many lives.

In July, in a major victory for this newspaper’s End The Vaccine Apartheid campaign, Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that the HPV vaccine, previously available only to girls, would be given to Year 8 schoolboys, aged 12 and 13, from September 2019. The Daily Mail

Waiting times steady as admission rates recover

Waiting times steady as admission rates recover The English waiting list shrank slightly in September as elective admissions picked up after the summer holidays. Waiting times were broadly steady, and the number of one year waiters edged down.

All of that is encouraging. But it is also worth noting that the waiting list is still much longer than it was a year ago, and this is putting continued pressure on waiting times.

As winter approaches and bed pressures remain high, it is doubtful whether the ambition to hold the waiting list steady across the financial year can now be achieved.

Near the bottom of the table, Northampton General Hospital Trust are a new entrant, having risen five places, with waiting times up from 26.3 weeks to 26.8 weeks during September. Health Service Journal

GP surgery will have to be sold before new medical centre can be built, Northampton patients told

GP surgery will have to be sold before new medical centre can be built, Northampton patients told The reason for the delay in starting construction of a medical centre near Northampton has come to light.

Marsh Spinney Medical Centre in Moulton was given the go ahead in July 2017, to be built on land near Sandy Hill Lane along with 84 new houses.

Yet with work started on the first homes at Marsh Spinney estate, there is no sign of construction beginning on the medical centre.

And it has now come to light that the existing Moulton Surgery needs to be sold before the new medical centre can be built. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Fresh batch of flu jabs on offer in Northamptonshire

Fresh batch of flu jabs on offer in Northamptonshire A new batch of flu jabs are on offer across the county after those at risk faced a delay of up to six weeks.

Last month it was revealed pharmacists and GPs in parts of Kettering and Corby were facing a gap in supply. It left one 76-year-old woman fearing the worst with many elderly patients unable to have their jab.

Now health Leaders in Corby and across Northamptonshire have announced that a new batch of free flu jabs are on offer to those at risk. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Budget 2018: What it means for health and social care

Budget 2018: What it means for health and social care Following the NHS financial settlement this summer, all eyes moved to the Budget to find out what the new money means in the context of other health spending and the overall government finances. As the dust settles, we've joined forces with the Health Foundation and The King's Fund to break it all down into an easy-to-understand explainer. The Nuffield Trust

Outpatients: the future – adding value through sustainability

Outpatients: the future – adding value through sustainability The traditional model of outpatient care is no longer fit for purpose, ie speciality opinion, diagnosis and disease monitoring. It places unnecessary financial and time costs on patients, clinicians, the NHS and the public purse. Growing demand and expectations cannot be, and are not being, met by the status quo. It is no longer acceptable to solely consider the cost of clinical interventions in relation to individual health outcomes.

In order to continue to deliver high-quality healthcare, we must start to think in terms of value and sustainability; identifying a balance between cost and outcomes (value) and long-term impacts (sustainability). Royal College of Physicians

See also:

• ‘One size fits all’ outpatient care no longer fit for purpose says RCP Royal College of Physicians
• NHS outpatients service 'stuck in the 18th Century' BBC News
• NHS 'should use Skype to help cut 'unnecessary hospital appointments', says top doctor The Daily Mail
• NHS responsible for 5 per cent of all traffic on roads The Daily Telegraph

Guidance: Antibiotic awareness: toolkit for healthcare professionals in England

Guidance: Antibiotic awareness: toolkit for healthcare professionals in England How to use antibiotic awareness resources to support the Antibiotic Guardian campaign and local initiatives. Public Health England

'Remarkable' decline in fertility rates

'Remarkable' decline in fertility rates There has been a remarkable global decline in the number of children women are having, say researchers.

Their report found fertility rate falls meant nearly half of countries were now facing a "baby bust" - meaning there are insufficient children to maintain their population size.

The researchers said the findings were a "huge surprise".

And there would be profound consequences for societies with "more grandparents than grandchildren". BBC News

See also:

• Population and fertility by age and sex for 195 countries and territories, 1950–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 (open access) The Lancet
• Revealed, the countries with the highest fertility rates The Daily Mail
• ‘Baby bust’: Watershed as birth rates in UK and nearly half of world’s countries plunge, forcing more reliance on immigration, report warns The Independent
• Global progress in health is not inevitable OnMedica

Diabetes prescriptions costing NHS £1bn a year, figures reveal

Diabetes prescriptions costing NHS £1bn a year, figures reveal Prescriptions for diabetics are now costing the NHS in England more than £1bn a year, new figures show.

NHS Digital said the “total net ingredient” cost of prescriptions for diabetes was £1,012.4m in 2017-18, up from £983.7m a year earlier.

Almost one in 20 (4.9 per cent) of prescriptions written by GPs are for diabetes treatments, with 53.4 million items prescribed for diabetes last year.

They make up more than one-tenth (11.4 per cent) of total primary care net ingredient costs. The Independent

See also:

• Diabetes prescriptions now cost NHS £1bn, figures show BBC News
• Diabetes medicines now cost the NHS more than £1BILLION a year Diabetes medicines now cost the NHS more than £1BILLION a year The Daily Mail

NHS cancer treatment wait statistics 'set to be worst on record'

NHS cancer treatment wait statistics 'set to be worst on record' Lowest percentage of patients treated since new standards introduced, figures show

The NHS is on course for its worst annual cancer waiting statistics on record, official figures suggest.

In eight out of nine published cancer targets, between April and September, the health service treated the lowest or joint lowest percentage of patients since operation standards were introduced, according to official figures published on Thursday. The Guardian

Fire crews drafted in to help NHS cope with 'extreme pressure' ahead

Fire crews drafted in to help NHS cope with 'extreme pressure' ahead Fire crews will be drafted in to take patients home from an NHS trust which has been beset by winter crises.

Worcestershire Acute Hospital Trust has agreed the plans with fire services in a bid to prevent overcrowding and bedblocking.

Under the arrangement, the fire service will be used to bring vulnerable patients home, settle them and check surroundings are safe, officials said. The Daily Telegraph

Tougher rules demanded for robotic surgery after 'catalogue of errors' leads to music teacher's death

Tougher rules demanded for robotic surgery after 'catalogue of errors' leads to music teacher's death A
coroner has demanded tougher rules governing the use of robotic surgery after a heart patient died because an under-trained surgeon botched his operation while using a state-of-the-art system.

The family of Stephen Pettitt, 69, last night blamed a “catalogue of errors” following a verdict which found the music teacher would almost certainly have survived had the robot not been used. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Newcastle robot surgery inquest: 'Risk of further deaths' BBC News