Unemployment sparked by credit crunch will increase pressure on NHS, warns RCN

The RCN has called on the government to work to prevent NHS services being ‘swamped’ because of rising unemployment as a result of the credit crunch.

Male cancer awareness scheme launched

A new scheme to educate men about the risks of ‘male’ cancers is being launched today by health secretary Andy Burnham.

Obese women less likely to become pregnant

Obese women could be 28% less likely to become pregnant than their healthy counterparts, US scientists have found.

NMC will take pandemic 'into account' in complaints against nurses - Nursing Times

NMC will take pandemic 'into account' in complaints against nurses Nursing Times A letter sent last week from the Department of Health to trusts said that the first supplies of swine flu vaccine would reach NHS acute hospitals from 21 ...

CQC urges action on basic nursing skills and cleanliness lapses at Essex trust

A damning report on the state of care at Basildon and Thurrock hospital has prompted the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to seek urgent remedial action.

Protein linked to Huntington's disease brain cell death

Scientists have linked a small protein to the deterioration of brain cells in patients suffering from Huntington’s disease.

Action urged over patient safety in NHS hospitals

The Healthcare Commission has highlighted a 'significant gap' between the number of patients actually harmed in NHS hospitals and the figure reported by trusts.

Bradshaw labels nurse whistleblower ruling 'unduly harsh'

Health minister Ben Bradshaw has appeared to add his support to nurse whistleblower Margaret Haywood.

Swine flu may herald move to increased remote diagnosis

Patients in the UK could be set for a marked increase in remote diagnosis as the government continues to increase its use of internet and call-centre-based consultation to deal with the swine flu pandemic.

A third of nurse whistleblowers are ignored, shows survey

Nearly two-thirds of nurses have raised concerns about patient safety with their employers but more than one in three whistleblowers said no action was taken, a survey has shown.

Foundation trusts told to be more 'pessimistic' about spending

Foundation trusts have been told to reassess their future spending plans to better reflect the financial challenges of the recession.

BMA calls to abolish prescription charges

The British Medical Association has said that if prescriptions charges on the NHS are not abolished it will lead to an arbitrary system of 'winners and losers'.

'Sister Spitfire' recalls her experiences of nursing in WWII

A former nurse dubbed Sister Spitfire when she served in World War II has been speaking about her experiences for the first time.

Good luck Georgia but give the NHS a break - WalesOnline

Good luck Georgia but give the NHS a break WalesOnline My brother is a nurse in the NHS, and is constantly stressed out about underfunding. Recently, he's had patients sleeping on sofas as there are not enough ... and more �

Knife crime details exempt from patient confidentiality rules

NHS staff can break patient confidentiality by reporting knife injuries to the police, according to new General Medical Council (GMC) guidelines.

Jury service ‘trauma’ can lead to PTSD

People who are exposed to gruesome and harrowing evidence as part of jury service are at risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), say University of Leicester researchers.

New book tells extraordinary tale of sex change nurse

A 76-year-old ex-soldier who underwent a sex operation before becoming a nurse has had her life story published.

Meningitis C vaccines recalled after bacteria scare

Several batches of meningitis C vaccines have been recalled by the UK drugs regulator after a bacteria scare.

English men facing cancer lottery

Men in England face a ‘postcode lottery’ in their chances of surviving prostate cancer, campaigners have said.

Scottish health secretary calls for government-funded swine flu vaccinations

Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon has called on the Westminster government to pay the £100m cost of providing everyone in Scotland with swine flu vaccinations.

Government to launch national flu service

A National Pandemic Flu Service will be launched in England later this week, according to health secretary Andy Burnham.

Shortage of specialist nurses endangers the lives of children with diabetes

Children with diabetes are at increased risk of severe hypoglycaemic attacks, according to a report released today by health charity Diabetes UK.

Free cinema tickets to see 'Julie & J... - Nursing Times

Free cinema tickets to see 'Julie & Julia' Nursing Times Nursing Times magazine and nursingtimes.net are your portals to all things nursing. With the a finger on the pulse of the NHS and the wider nursing ... and more �

Call to lower obesity threshold for British Asians

The threshold for being overweight and obese should be lowered for British Asian people as they are more likely than white people to develop heart disease and diabetes, an expert has said.

New agency set to deliver government mental health policy

A new agency is set to begin work with a mandate to translate government mental health policy into better services.

Lord Darzi heralds progress on quality pledges

Health minister Lord Darzi has pledged that ‘quality is well on its way to becoming the organising principle of the NHS’.

Model baby to help train nurses in CPR and other skills

Paediatric nurses in Southampton are to hone their skills by training on a new high-tech mannequin.  

New guide to ‘talking therapy’ issued by the Mental Health Foundation

A new guide that explains the different types of ‘talking therapy’ to people looking for psychological therapy has been published by the Mental Health Foundation.

Diabetes assessment tool cuts hospital stays

A tool to help nurses manage the care of inpatients with diabetes, particularly those admitted for non-diabetes related problems, has significantly improved patient care at an acute trust in the East Midlands.

University open day encourages degree level careers in nursing

A university in Scotland is to hold an open day this month to promote nursing degrees and careers.l

Swine flu cases confirmed in UK

Scottish Health Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed the first swine flu cases in the UK

New cosmetic surgery show for Channel 4

Channel 4 are looking for nurses who have experience with cosmetic surgery

'One in 10 children overcomes autism', claims professor

One in 10 children with autism overcome the disorder by the time they are nine - often following years of intensive behavioural therapy, according to a study.

Student nurse jailed for NHS bursary fraud

A nurse has been jailed for nine months in the latest of a string of NHS bursary fraud stings.

MPs reject calls for Mid Staffordshire public inquiry

Calls for a public inquiry into standards at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust have been blocked.

Steroid tablets do not help children with virus-induced wheeze

UK researchers have found that steroid tablets do not reduce the symptoms of virus-induced wheezing in pre-school children.

Routine prostate cancer screening should be reconsidered, says charity

Routine prostate cancer screening in the UK should be reconsidered in light of new evidence showing it saves lives, a charity has claimed.

Unions and NHS Employers pledge to improve KSF

NHS Employers and unions have pledged to improve the (KSF) Knowledge and Skills Framework after a National Audit Office report criticised the NHS for failing to realise its benefits.

NHS must increase productivity to achieve budget cuts

The NHS must increase productivity and efficiency in order to achieve the 10% budget cuts mooted earlier this week.

Government acts to fix nurse education failures

The best nursing courses will be commissioned and poor ones could see their funding withdrawn, under latest government plans to tackle the failures in nurse education.

Government acts to fix nurse education failures

The best nursing courses will be commissioned and poor ones could see their funding withdrawn, under latest government plans to tackle the failures in nurse education.

Nurses could provide psychological support to diabetes patients

Training nurses to deliver psychological support to patients with type 2 diabetes could reduce waiting lists for specialist treatment, according to UK researchers.

Premature baby charity launches going-home pack for parents

Premature baby charity Bliss has launched a new going-home pack for parents of sick and premature babies.

Half of parents take children with minor illness to A&E for advice

Half of parents who take children with minor illnesses to A&E do it for better ‘self-care’ advice, according to latest nurse research.

Heatwave advice for patients with respiratory problems

New advice to help people with respiratory problems cope in a heatwave has been published by the Department of Health.

Scottish health secretary praises NHS staff for efforts against swine flu

NHS staff in Scotland have been praised for the efforts fighting the swine flu virus that has now infected at least four people in the country.

Facebook mental health jokes criticised by campaigners

Campaigners have criticised Facebook applications that make jokes about mental health problems and those that suffer from them.

MP slams lack of support for nurse whistleblowers

Doctors and nurses should not have to risk their careers to voice concerns over patient care, an MP has argued.

Employees on long-term sick leave entitled to full paid holiday

After years of confusion European judges have ruled employees on long-term sick leave are entitled to take all their full paid holiday.

Health secretary pledges to increase single rooms in NHS hospitals

The health secretary Alan Johnson has pledged to increase the number of NHS hospitals offering patients single rooms during a visit to a London hospital.

Unions call for better NHS staffing levels following staff survey

Unions have called for better staffing levels in the NHS following revelations in this year's staff survey.

Practice nurses need more training in treating chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)

Practice nurses need more education and training on how to care for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), suggest UK researchers.

Nurses criticise NHS directors' 6.4% pay rise

Nurses have hit out after it was revealed that directors of NHS trusts in England received average pay rises last year of 6.4% - well above the 2% target for the public sector set by the Government.

David Beckham and Andy Murray back anti-malaria campaign

David Beckham and Andy Murray are among the sports stars backing a new anti-malaria campaign.

Nurses urged to join academic health science research centres

Nurses could become much more involved in research and education, as well as service delivery, if they are working in new academic health science centres.

Lancet calls for Pope to comments about condoms and HIV/AIDS

A medical journal has accused the Pope of ‘distorting science’ in his remarks that condoms have exacerbated the problem of HIV and AIDS.

Documentary focuses on 'reality' of being NHS nurse

The nursing profession has come under further public scrutiny this week with the broadcast of a Channel 4documentary. 

Three deaths at hospital blamed on Clostridium difficile

The potentially deadly bacterium Clostridium difficile was responsible for three deaths at one NHS hospital in East Sussex since January, it has been announced.

Agenda for Change NHS pay scheme has not produced training and productivity benefits, says NAO

Unions have defended the Agenda for Change pay system for NHS staff after a critical report from the National Audit Office (NAO) showed it had failed to deliver training and productivity benefits.

CNO calls on care homes to 'adapt' to quality agenda

Chief nursing officer for England Dame Christine Beasley has called on nurses to ‘adapt to the challenge’ presented by the government’s drive to improve dignity and quality.

Government pledges to provide health care and employment for people with learning difficulties

The government has launched an initiative that it claims will support people with learning disabilities in every aspect of their lives including health care, housing to employment.

Increase in nurse pre-registration training funding announced

The Welsh Assembly has announced an increase in the number of nurse pre-registration places to be funded in the next academic year.

RCN asks nurses for views on move to opt-out model for organ donation

The RCN has begun consulting its members on whether the UK’s system for organ donation should change to a presumed consent, or opt-out, model to keep up with demand.

UK's ICU nurses lead way on sedation holding practice

UK critical care nurses are leading the way in good practice on regularly interrupting the daily use of sedatives – known as sedation holding – in ICU patients, latest international research suggests.

New nurse job created at NHS hospital to improve patient care

A new nurse job has been created at an NHS hospital to improve patient care and address their concerns.

Self-management courses improve quality of life for people with long-term conditions

People with long-term conditions who attend self-management courses have a significantly improved quality of life, latest research suggests. 

Many patients unaware of the effect of flying on underlying medical conditions

Health care professionals may increasingly be called on to perform Samaritan Acts because of the popularity of flying, suggest researchers.

Man in burns unit after being found on fire in a hospital car park

A man is being treated in a special burns unit yesterday after he was found on fire in a hospital car park.

Antibiotics can seriously damage children's hearing

The hearing of certain children can be seriously damaged by antibiotics administered in intensive care units, a study has claimed.

Special report: CCTV cameras used in school toilets

CCTV cameras have been installed in school toilets in a school in Wales. Nickie Brander, Campaigns Organiser for ERIC (Education and Resources for Improving Childhood Continence) responds to public concerns

Nitric oxide monitoring of no added value for children with asthma

Nitric Oxide monitoring does not help most children with asthma, despite being an indicator of worsening symptoms, according to Dutch researchers.

Trade union Unite suspends industrial action over NHS pay deal

The trade union Unite has decided to suspend industrial action over the three-year 7.99% pay deal for NHS workers.

Groundbreaking project to improve health of homeless on London

A pilot project for providing intermediate care to homeless people, thought to be the first of its kind in the UK, has been launched in south London.

District nursing to celebrate 150th birthday

The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) has launched a new website to celebrate the 150th anniversary of district nursing in the UK this year.

Glasgow NHS staff at risk of fines if they break four-hour parking rule

Unions have accused NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde of ‘twisting the knife’ after it announced that car parking on NHS sites would be limited to four hours, with fines of up to £40 for drivers who stay for longer than this period.