NHS warns private ambulance firm over loss of local Northampton knowledge in control room

NHS warns private ambulance firm over loss of local Northampton knowledge in control room A company that takes non-emergency patients to hospital has been warned for being late to appointments and closing its Northampton control room. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Supporting doctors with health concerns

Supporting doctors with health concerns The General Medical Council (GMC) has published a report following a roundtable event with healthcare experts and leaders from across the UK.

NHS Reserve Forces footprint map launches

NHS Reserve Forces footprint map launches The NHS Reserve Forces footprint map has launched to help employers see their public commitment to the Reserve Forces, and provide available support contact details. NHS Employers

Could anti-inflammatory drugs prevent schizophrenia?

Could anti-inflammatory drugs prevent schizophrenia?"It may be possible to prevent schizophrenia by calming the brain's immune system," BBC News reports after researchers found raised levels of immune activity in people thought to be at high risk of developing schizophrenia.

The research looked at the activity of a type of cell known as microglial cells. These serve as the primary immune cells for the brain and central nervous system, protecting these vital regions of the body against infection. NHS Choices

NHS starts diabetes 'stem cell factory'

NHS starts diabetes 'stem cell factory' The NHS is setting up a stem cell factory to help treat people with diabetes. BBC News

Ebola nurse's condition 'improves'

Ebola nurse's condition 'improves' UK nurse Pauline Cafferkey, who contracted Ebola in West Africa, now in "serious but stable" condition - hospital. BBC News

GMC seeks to overturn decision not to strike off paedophile doctor

GMC seeks to overturn decision not to strike off paedophile doctor It wants the Professional Standards Authority to refer the case to the High Court. OnMedica

The scars of modern slavery: trafficked people with severe mental illness

The scars of modern slavery: trafficked people with severe mental illness Yesterday was #AntiSlaveryDay, so today we are publishing a blog by Mina Fazel who considers the findings of an historical cohort study in the Lancet Psychiatry, which explores the characteristics of trafficked people with severe mental illness. The Mental Elf

It took my patient six years to see me – a dermatologist

It took my patient six years to see me – a dermatologist Dermatology is a microcosm of the challenges facing the health service. It has reached crisis point.

Why am I writing about dermatology? Surely the well-publicised crises in emergency medicine and general practice deserve these column inches. Dermatology is a small specialty where a slightly strange group of doctors choose to dedicate their careers to the treatment of rashes. Yet, dermatology is a microcosm of the challenges facing the NHS; like mental health and sexual health it is a specialty that has suffered progressively through NHS reforms and has now reached crisis point.

Imagine you have a rash or a growth on your skin and your GP does not know what it is or how to treat it. It may be scary – is it a skin cancer? It may be itchy, sore, bleeding, painful or looks awful. You are not alone, you are one of the 13 million people who consulted their GP last year about a skin problem and now you are one of the 750,000 referred on to see a dermatologist. These are big numbers, skin disease is common and the impact of skin disease is similar to epilepsy and chronic kidney disease. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS neonatal crisis: Sick babies aren't being given the care they deserve

NHS neonatal crisis: Sick babies aren't being given the care they deserve Intensive care units are caring for increasing numbers of sick and premature babies. Caroline Davey, CEO of Bliss baby charity, explains how Britain's new borns are being put at risk. The Daily Telegraph

Photo series looks to challenge stigma around mental illness among people of colour

Photo series looks to challenge stigma around mental illness among people of colour Dior Vargas’ People of Colour and Mental Illness Photo Project hopes to combat the stigma of mental illness among BME communities. The Independent

World’s biggest secure mental health building for youngsters being constructed in Northampton

World’s biggest secure mental health building for youngsters being constructed in Northampton A building that will be home to the world’s biggest secure service for mentally ill young people has reached a key milestone in its construction. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS 111 opens new front door to improved urgent care

NHS 111 opens new front door to improved urgent care Delivery of NHS 111 and general practice out of hours services are to be brought closer together to provide patients with a “new front door” to urgent health care services. NHS England

Bringing healthcare to homes

Bringing healthcare to homes Can community health services help the NHS cope in winter? BBC News

Leader of NHS junior doctors urges Jeremy Hunt to reopen negotiations

Leader of NHS junior doctors urges Jeremy Hunt to reopen negotiations At London protest Dr Johann Malawana tells health secretary to stop lambasting junior medics, in bid to stop BMA strike

The leader of NHS junior doctors in England has urged Jeremy Hunt to stop treating them like “the enemy” and instead reopen negotiations in a bid to stop their threatened strike.

Dr Johann Malawana told the health secretary he must stop lambasting junior doctors if he wants to settle a long-running dispute over his threat to introduce new NHS contracts. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• BMA 'misleading' doctors over contract BBC News
• Jeremy Hunt hails 'good deal for doctors' BBC News
• Junior doctors stage contracts protest BBC News
• Junior doctors' protest gets MP's backing BBC News
• Junior doctors protest in London over evenings and weekend work plans The Daily Mail
Junior doctors protest through central London The Daily Telegraph
• Jeremy Hunt: the BMA responsible for anger amongst junior doctors – video The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt: I would protest if I were a 'misled' junior doctor The Guardian
• Junior doctors protest: “We’re here to send a message to Jeremy Hunt” – video The Guardian
• Junior doctors ask PM to step into row with 'polarising' Jeremy Hunt The Guardian
• Doctors on why they're protesting changes to working conditions The Guardian

Half of Britons believe weekend hospital admissions 'more dangerous'

Half of Britons believe weekend hospital admissions 'more dangerous' Amid junior doctor contract row, Observer/Opinium poll shows 35% of adults have delayed seeking medical help at weekend.

Half of British adults believe they would be in greater danger if they were admitted to hospital at the weekend rather than on a weekday, research suggests.

The Observer/Opinium poll, which found significant numbers of patients had delayed trips to the doctors on a Saturday and Sunday, was published on Saturday as thousands of junior doctors protested against government proposals to reform weekend working. Continue reading... The Guardian

Overstretched neonatal services put babies lives at risk, research says

Overstretched neonatal services put babies lives at risk, research says 'Grim' report reveals that almost two-thirds of units in England do not have enough nurses. The Independent

See also:

• Services for England’s sickest babies are hanging in the balance Bliss (Neonatal charity)
• Premature babies' care 'understaffed' BBC News
• NHS neonatal intensive care units 'stretched to breaking point' The Guardian

Disabled drivers charged for hospital parking as NHS moves to plug deficit

Disabled drivers charged for hospital parking as NHS moves to plug deficit Parking charges are worth around £200m a year, vital money with the NHS expecting a £2bn deficit. The Independent

The Role of Governance in Implementing Task-Shifting from Physicians to Nurses in Advanced Roles in Europe, U.S., Canada, New Zealand, and Australia

The Role of Governance in Implementing Task-Shifting from Physicians to Nurses in Advanced Roles in Europe, U.S., Canada, New Zealand, and Australia An examination of how “task-shifting” from physicians to nurses with advanced training is managed in different countries and assessed the implications of various governance models on patient safety and clarity of clinician roles. The Commonwealth Fund

Pensioner fell out of wheelchair in Northampton and waited seven hours for ambulance crew

Pensioner fell out of wheelchair in Northampton and waited seven hours for ambulance crew A disabled man who fell from his wheelchair at his Northamptonshire home waited seven hours for an ambulance crew to pick him up. Northampton Chronicle and Echo