Nursing Times
Richard Staines

Trauma tsar has nurses at the centre of his plans

1 September 2009
Professor Keith Willett has been set the task of redesigning and improving NHS trauma care. Richard Staines and Steve Ford report on his plans and how they will affect nursing
C diff deaths in Scotland increase

7-Aug-2009
The number of deaths from C difficile in Scotland has increased, according to annual data from the country’s devolved government.
Government figures suggest decrease in swine flu levels

7-Aug-2009
Swine flu levels in the general UK population appear to be decreasing, according to latest government figures.
Nurses evacuated following hospital fire

5-Aug-2009
Nurses were evacuated from their flats yesterday after a fire broke out at a disused building on the site of Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital.
Equality and diversity council created

5-Aug-2009
The government has created a new Equality and Diversity Council to improve quality in the health service.
Recruitment drive nets 13 new nurses in Boston

4-Aug-2009
Thirteen nurses are to start work at a Lincolnshire hospital this month after attending a recruitment event.
Infection warning over faulty mattress covers

4-Aug-2009
Nurses have been urged to check special thermo contour mattresses that are designed to prevent the occurrence of pressure ulcers because of a potential infection risk, according to an alert from the government’s medicines and healthcare products watchdog.
Scottish pupils try out nursing as career at summer school

4 August 2009
Secondary school pupils have been enjoying a week-long summer school designed to interest them in nursing as a career.
The Knowledge and Skills Framework: creating careers – or creating a monster?

4 August 2009
The Knowledge and Skills Framework was set up to ensure strong staff skills in the NHS. In the third in our series on Agenda for Change five years on, Richard Staines reveals exclusive research on how trusts are acting on the the KSF
Trusts still falling short on KSF commitment

4 August 2009
Nurses could be missing out on vital training and development opportunities because NHS organisations are failing to use the Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) scheme, according to exclusive Nursing Times research.
Spread of swine flu slowing down, but autumn surge expected

31-Jul-2009
The incidence of swine flu is slowing, according to latest government figures.
Private organ donor transplants to be banned

31-Jul-2009
The government is to ban organs donated in the NHS being transferred to private patients in the UK, following a new report.
Agenda for Change: Have hopes for fair pay faded?

28-Jul-2009
Agenda for Change has failed to deliver fair pay, according to the majority of over 1,000 respondents to a Nursing Times survey. In the second in our series on AfC five years on, Richard Staines reports on its effects on pay and careers.
£7bn pay reform branded a failure by nurses

28-Jul-2009
The NHS’s flagship pay reform, which increased its annual salary bill by £7.4bn, has been branded a failure by those it was meant to benefit according to an exclusive Nursing Times survey.
Call for overhaul of NHS funding system

27-Jul-2009
Payment by results, the system the NHS uses to fund treatments, is costly and in need of a radical overhaul, according to a body representing primary care trusts.
New guidance to strengthen pharmacy stop smoking services

23-Jul-2009
New guidance has been launched by NHS Employers to help strengthen pharmacy-based stop smoking services.
Fair pay to the NHS? - Agenda for Change five years on

21 July 2009
It is almost five years since the Agenda for Change pay system was introduced to unify pay across the third largest workforce in the world. Richard Staines asks the system’s architects about its successes, failures and future challenges.
No separate register for advanced nursing practitioners, says watchdog

20-Jul-2009
Advanced nursing practitioners should not receive more regulation or be listed on a separate register to other nurses, according to a recent health watchdog report.
NHS staff urged to get vaccinated against swine flu

13-Jul-2009
Nurses and other healthcare staff have been urged to ensure they are immunised against swine flu when vaccines become available later this month.
Parkinson's disease care must improve, says charity

10-Jul-2009
A charity has launched a campaign to improve care for patients with Parkinson’s disease following a highly critical report published last week.
Hospital staff warning as NHS Confederation issues swine flu guidance

9-Jul-2009
Hospital staff have been urged to ensure they get vaccinated against swine flu when drugs become available this month.
Confidence in NMC 'appears to be improving'

7 July 2009
The NMC has improved its performance since a highly critical report sparked a structural reorganisation of the organisation last year, according to the healthcare super-regulator.
Review will consider simplifying the KSF

7 July 2009
A forthcoming review of the Knowledge and Skills Framework career development scheme will investigate whether it can be simplified in a bid to increase uptake.
Guidelines produced to identify forced marriage

5-Jul-2009
The government has issued new guidelines to help health professionals identify and protect children at risk of forced marriage.
Union fury over Burnham's decision on pharmacists' pay

5-Jul-2009
Unions have expressed anger following health secretary Andy Burnham’s decision to ignore a pay review body recommendation on pharmacists’ pay.
NMC clears £7m debt

4-Jul-2009
The NMC nurse regulator has paid off its historic debt, which at one point was as much as £7m.
Former NMC chief exec received £122,000 pay-off

3-Jul-2009
Former NMC chief executive Sarah Thewlis received a pay-off of nearly £122,000 after resigning last year, according to the regulator’s accounts.
Swine flu cannot be contained, Burnham admits

2-Jul-2009
Swine flu can no longer be contained in England, health secretary Andy Burnham has revealed.
A quarter of teens binge drink

2-Jul-2009
A quarter of teenagers have admitted to binge drinking on a weekly basis in a survey.
Lack of progress against violence towards NHS staff

1-Jul-2009
A report has criticised a lack of progress tackling violence and aggression against NHS staff in Wales.
Brown promises minimum standards for patients

30-Jun-2009
Gordon Brown has pledged a set of minimum standards for patients using the NHS in a policy announcement yesterday.
Call for NHS pay to be linked to productivity

30 June 2009
Unions have suggested that nurse pay rises could be linked to increases in efficiency in the NHS.
Frank Bruno thanks nurses who helped him recover from mental illness

30 June 2009
Former boxer Frank Bruno has thanked the nursing staff who helped him recover after he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act in 2003.
Scotland to scrap generic community nurse plans

30 June 2009
The Scottish government is to scrap controversial plans to create a generic community nurse role following consultations with nursing unions.
Review investigates whether KSF can be simplified

29-Jun-2009
A review of the Knowledge and Skills Framework NHS staff training scheme will investigate whether or not it can be simplified.
Indicators produced to help transform community services

29-Jun-2009
A total of 76 proposed clinical indicators to measure the standard of care provided in the community are to be introduced as part of the Transforming Community Services programme, the latest stage of the Darzi Next Stage Review of the NHS.
Flu-related absence up 66% as employers are warned about swine flu effect

29-Jun-2009
Staff absenteeism due to coughs, colds and flu-like symptoms is 66% higher than for the same period last year.
Special suit to help train staff to handle obese patients

29-Jun-2009
Staff at a hospital in South Yorkshire have designed a special simulation suit to help training in moving and handling obese patients.
A&E department in Kent to close at night

26-Jun-2009
The A&E department at Queen Mary’s hospital in Sidcup, Kent, will be shut overnight from August.
Union welcomes PFI rethink

25-Jun-2009
The union Unite has welcomed a possible rethink into Private Finance Initiative (PFI) schemes proposed following Lord Darzi’s Next Stage Review of the NHS.
UK will need 3,000 overseas care workers per year, says report

25-Jun-2009
An extra 3,000 foreign-born care workers will have to be recruited to work in the UK every year until 2030, unless pay and conditions in the sector improve, a new report has found.
West Midlands considers swine flu contingency plans

24-Jun-2009
NHS West Midlands has revealed that it is considering using contingency plans in the event of a large number of staff being absent from work with swine flu.
Catholic phlebotomist resigns over crucifix row

23-Jun-2009
A phlebotomist at an NHS hospital has resigned after refusing to take off her crucifix, which the hospital had banned on infection control grounds.
Experts call for minimum alcohol prices in Scotland

23-Jun-2009
Minimum prices for alcohol could be introduced in Scotland in a bid to improve public health, a conference heard.
Swine flu school closures abandoned in highly affected areas

23-Jun-2009
Swine flu is so widespread in some areas of Birmingham and London that school closures have ceased, the Health Protection Agency has said.
Poor KSF update to be focus of independent review

23 June 2009
An independent review is to look at the reasons behind the poor uptake of the Knowledge and Skills Framework career development scheme in England, Nursing Times has learnt.
Nurses design ground-breaking resuscitation trolley

22-Jun-2009
A new cutting-edge resuscitation trolley, which was designed by a multidisciplinary team including nurses, was on display at an exhibition last week
Scottish health secretary calls for government-funded swine flu vaccinations

22-Jun-2009
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.
Frank Bruno to discuss BME mental health services

20-Jun-2009
Frank Bruno is to talk at a conference next week, where he will discuss his experiences as a black man using mental health services.
UNISON training plea as nurses miss out on appraisals

18-Jun-2009
UNISON has called for a nurse training scheme on the Knowledge and Skills Framework, following a highly critical report from the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee.
Independent pharmacy regulator to be created next year

16-Jun-2009
A new pharmacy regulator for with a single register is to be set up next year, the government has announced.
Nurse director receives OBE in Queen's Birthday honours

16-Jun-2009
The director of nursing at one of Britain’s most famous hospitals has received an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Lord Darzi on why clinicians must be in charge of reform

16 June 2009
With the first anniversary of the publication of NHS Next stage Review coming up this month, Richard Staines talks to the architect of the plan, health minister Lord Darzi, on progress so far and priorities for the future
Nurses win car parking reprieve in disputes with local councils

16 June 2009
Two groups of nurses have successfully won concessions over car parking with local councils this month.
One fifth of nurses receive no infection control feedback

16 June 2009
Nearly a fifth of nurses are still not receiving formal feedback on their infection control practice, according to figures gathered by the National Audit Office.
Blindness and eye disease costs economy £6.5bn

15-Jun-2009
Blindness and eye disease costs the UK economy nearly £6.5bn a year, according to research.
Nurses design suction and oxygen equipment storage device

15-Jun-2009
Nurses at a hospital in South Yorkshire have helped find a solution to tangled suction and oxygen equipment, which could soon be used across the NHS.
Men more likely to die from cancer than women

15-Jun-2009
Men are 40% more likely than women to die from cancer and 16% more likely to develop the disease in the first place, according to research.
Many people unable to identify location of their organs

14-Jun-2009
Many people struggle to locate their major bodily organs, according to a study.
Union welcomes Burnham pledge on public health

13-Jun-2009
The union Unite has welcomed health secretary Andy Burnham’s pledge to focus on public health.
Public more sympathetic towards people with mental health problems

12-Jun-2009
The public are generally more ‘sympathetic’ towards people with mental health problems a Department of Health survey has found although some attitudes have worsened.
Regulator launches charter for patients using health and social care services

12-Jun-2009
The independent healthcare regulator has launched a new charter for patients using health and social care services.
Health secretary calls for community foundation trusts to have greater freedoms

12-Jun-2009
Health secretary Andy Burnham has signalled that he will allow all primary care trusts to become community foundation trusts giving high performing organisations the same freedoms as NHS foundation trusts.
Care homes urged to provide residents with breath of fresh air

12-Jun-2009
An organisation dedicated to providing activities for pensioners is urging care homes to provide residents with a breath of fresh air.
Smoking costs employers £2.1bn

11-Jun-2009
Smoking costs British employers up to £2.1bn a year, according to a new study.
WHO set to officially declare swine flu pandemic

11-Jun-2009
The World Health Organization is expected to officially declare later today that the outbreak of swine flu has become a global pandemic.
Social enterprises invited to bid for £70m fund

11-Jun-2009
Social enterprises can now apply for loans and grants from a special £70m fund, the government has announced.
BME patients less likely to report positive experiences

11-Jun-2009
Patients from a BME background are less likely to report a positive experiences of the NHS than those from a white British background, according to a study.
Premature baby charity launches going-home pack for parents

11-Jun-2009
Premature baby charity Bliss has launched a new going-home pack for parents of sick and premature babies.
NHS must increase productivity to achieve budget cuts

11-Jun-2009
The NHS must increase productivity and efficiency in order to achieve the 10% budget cuts mooted earlier this week.
Sitagliptin combined with diabetes drugs improves glycaemic control

9-Jun-2009
A series of studies have backed the use of sitagliptin in combination with other drugs to help improve glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Managers must back new guidance for nurse whistleblowers

9 June 2009
New guidance for nurse whistleblowers must have the backing of NHS managers if it is to have any impact, say unions.
Mid Staffs had too few nurses to do ward rounds

9 June 2009
A doctor at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust has admitted that medical staff there should have done more to address serious nursing shortages.
Privatisation in the NHS is damaging patient care, warns report

8-Jun-2009
The union Unite has called for an end to the ‘giant privatisation experiment’ in the NHS in a report, claiming it is damaging patient care.
NHS under pressure to provide life-prolonging drugs

8-Jun-2009
The NHS is under pressure from patients, clinicians and the media to provide expensive life-prolonging drugs to terminally ill cancer patients, according to the latest issue of Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin.
Number of confirmed UK swine flu cases tops 500

6-Jun-2009
There are now more than 500 cases of swine flu in the UK, according to official figures.
Andy Burnham named as new health secretary in reshuffle

5-Jun-2009
Andy Burnham has been confirmed as health secretary in Gordon Brown’s cabinet reshuffle.
Alan Johnson becomes home secretary in cabinet reshuffle

5-Jun-2009
Alan Johnson has been moved from his job as health secretary to the home office as part of Gordon Brown’s cabinet reshuffle.
GPs 'don't spot signs of autism'

5-Jun-2009
Most doctors are having problems spotting some of the signs of autism, according to a National Audit Office survey
University open day encourages degree level careers in nursing

5-Jun-2009
A university in Scotland is to hold an open day this month to promote nursing degrees and careers.
Too few nurses for Mid-Staffs ward rounds

4-Jun-2009
Consultants at Mid-Staffordshire hospital warned managers that there were not enough nurses to accompany them on ward rounds, an influential committee of MPs has heard.
Recession fails to dent nursing jobs market

4-Jun-2009
Nursing and healthcare is the only sector of the economy to be experiencing a rise in demand for jobs, according to a report.
RCN launches guidance for prison nurses

3-Jun-2009
The RCN has launched guidance for nurses and healthcare assistants working in the criminal justice service.
Scottish man critically ill with swine flu

3-Jun-2009
A man in Scotland has become the first person to be made critically ill by swine flu alone.
New stop smoking initiative to be launched in England

2-Jun-2009
A new smoking cessation initiative, which has increased referrals by 49%, is to be rolled out across England following successful pilot projects.
Patricia Hewitt to step down as MP

2-Jun-2009
Former health secretary Patricia Hewitt is to step down as an MP at the next general election.
RCN Scotland director experiences effects of binge drinking and violence on staff

1-Jun-2009
The head of RCN Scotland last Friday night visited an A&E unit to experience how binge drinking and violence affects staff.
Swine flu outbreak at Eton College spreads

1-Jun-2009
An outbreak of swine flu at Eton College may have spread to as many as 32 pupils, according to government health officials.
Hospitals routinely close A&E departments to ambulances, says report

1-Jun-2009
A row has broken out over reports that hospitals in the West Midlands have routinely closed A&E departments to ambulances.
Theatre nurses back new efficiency programme

29-May-2009
A programme that encourages operating theatre staff to work as a multi-disciplinary team can save time and improve the working lives of staff, according to health experts and nurses.
UK scientists hail swine flu vaccine breakthrough

28-May-2009
UK scientists have made a crucial step towards the large scale production of a swine flu vaccine.
RCN Scotland calls for improvement in dementia care

28-May-2009
RCN Scotland has called for an improvement in care home treament for people with dementia.
Avoid giving children rice drinks 'to avoid arsenic exposure'

28-May-2009
Not giving toddlers and young children rice drinks will minimise their exposure to inorganic arsenic, says Department of Health guidance.
Critical hospital patient tests positive for swine flu

28-May-2009
A critically ill man in a Glasgow hospital has tested positive for swine flu and his wife and three children are being treated as probable cases.
Suspected swine flu patient in critical condition

27-May-2009
A man admitted to intensive care in a Glasgow hospital with a probable case of swine flu is in a critical condition, according to Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon.
Swine flu infects more than 40 children in one school

26-May-2009
An outbreak of swine flu at a school in the West Midlands has infected more than 40 pupils, according to the Health Protection Agency.
NHS Direct launches swine flu symptom checker

26-May-2009
NHS Direct has created a special online symptom checker for patients who are worried they may have caught swine flu.
Information Commission to probe NHS data security breaches

26-May-2009
A total of 140 security breaches have been reported in the NHS in the first quarter of this year, with tens of thousands of patient records lost, according to the information commissioner.
Swine flu cases reported over bank holiday weekend

26-May-2009
There are now 137 cases of swine flu in the UK, according to latest figures from the Health Protection Agency.
Frauds cast doubt on student immigration checks

26 May 2009
Four nurses have been jailed this month for falsely claiming student bursaries and then illegally working in the UK.
Slash-proof vests attract NHS enquiries

26 May 2009
A revolutionary slash-resistant vest that can protect against knife attacks has attracted interest from community nurses, claim its manufacturers.
Theatre staff briefings welcomed by nurses but questioned by management

26 May 2009
An airline pilot who has been helping train NHS theatre staff to improve safety and efficiency has criticised hospital managers for failing to back a new initiative.
Probe into claims that junior doctors' training will be at risk

24-May-2009
The Department of Health is to act over concerns that the European Working Time Directive will have a detrimental effect on junior doctors’ training.
Survey asks NHS staff for views on innovation

24-May-2009
The first national survey asking NHS staff for their views on improvement and innovation has been launched.
Woman jailed for falsely claiming £36,000 NHS student bursary

24-May-2009
A woman has been jailed for pretending to be Dutch to get a university place and claim more than £36,000 in NHS student bursary payments.
Number of abortions in England and Wales decreases

22-May-2009
The number of abortions in England and Wales has fallen, according to government statistics.
Swine flu cases continue to increase, according to WHO

22-May-2009
Swine flu is continuing to spread across the world, according to latest World Health Organisation figures.
Nurses call for £1.7m surplus to reach the front line

21-May-2009
Nurses have called for the £1.7m NHS surplus generated in the last financial year to go to front line services.
Killer MRSA strain could combine with swine flu virus, warns report

20-May-2009
A virulent form of MRSA could combine with the swine flu virus with devastating effects, according to a paper in this week’s Lancet Infectious Diseases.
NHS Scotland finally hits cancer target

20-May-2009
The NHS in Scotland has hit the Scottish government’s target to treat 95 per cent of urgently referred cancer patients within two months for the first time - four years behind schedule.
Post-menopausal women reluctant to seek help for vaginal dryness

20-May-2009
Many post-menopausal women are reluctant to seek medical help about vaginal dryness and pain, according to a survey.
Heatwave advice for patients with respiratory problems

20-May-2009
New advice to help people with respiratory problems cope in a heatwave has been published by the Department of Health.
Children hospitalised in Wales measles outbreak

20-May-2009
Four children have been hospitalised as 127 cases of measles are confirmed in Wales.
MPs reject calls for Mid Staffordshire public inquiry

19-May-2009
Calls for a public inquiry into standards at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust have been blocked.
Swine flu cases rise sharply in Japan

19-May-2009
The number of swine flu cases in Japan is rising rapidly, according to data from the World Health Organisation.
NHS Choices website spells out vital information on hepatitis C

19-May-2009
A new NHS Choices website offers information to nurses and patients on the blood-borne infection hepatitis C and how it is spread.
Unison and Great Ormond Street hospital launch pilot to make the NHS 'green'

19-May-2009
Unison has launched a joint project with Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust aimed at improving at making the NHS more green and environmentally friendly.
Michael Parkinson speaks out on Haywood case

19 May 2009
Sir Michael Parkinson, the government’s dignity ambassador, has said that Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust was probably right to sack Margaret Haywood.
An end to violence?

18-May-2009
It is now nearly 10 years since the government launched its Zero Tolerance campaign to put an end to violence against NHS staff. Richard Staines investigates whether the health service is now a safer place to work for nurses
Nurse warned about Mid-Staffs 18 months before damning report

18-May-2009
A nurse warned about poor clinical standards at Mid-Staffordshire hospital 18 months before a highly critical report by the Healthcare Commission sparked by soaring mortality rates at the organisation.
Three quarters of GP practices offer extended opening hours

18-May-2009
Nearly three-quarters of GP practices are offering extended opening hours, according to latest government figures.
Climate change 'could kill billions of people' warn researchers

16-May-2009
Possible side effects of climate change, such as more heat waves and the increased incidence of tropical diseases like malaria, could result in the premature death of billions of people, researchers have warned.
UK swine flu cases increase to 85

16-May-2009
The number of swine flu cases in the UK has increased to 85, according to the Health Protection Agency.
'Knife crackdown could deter victims seeking treatment', warn nurses

15-May-2009
Nurses have warned of the dangers of sharing information about knife crime with the police at the RCN Congress.
Taskforce will gauge cost of violence against females

15-May-2009
The government has created a taskforce of health professionals to examine whether early intervention could prevent violence against women and girls.
Swine flu total reaches 78 in UK

14-May-2009
A further seven cases of swine flu have been confirmed in the UK, bringing the total number who have been infected to 78.
'My focus on safety cost me a job' claim

14-May-2009
A nurse has told RCN Congress how he was refused a job at Mid-Staffordshire hospital trust because of the trust’s obsession with saving money.
RCN Congress: Nurses views on the week's hot topics

14-May-2009
Nursing Times talks to nurses at RCN Congress to find out their views on the stories making the news this week
RCN Congress: Reaction to Gordon Brown and David Cameron's speeches

14-May-2009
Nursing Times talks to nurses at RCN Congress to find out what they thought of the speeches made by Gordon Brown and David Cameron.
Nurses need guidance on discussing assisted suicide with patients

14-May-2009
Nurses at the RCN Congress have called for more support in the event they are asked by patients to assist them committing suicide
English swine flu tally hits 71

13-May-2009
There have now been 71 confirmed cases of swine flu in England after three more patients were confirmed as having the disease.
Parkinson hits out at youth obsession

13-May-2009
Older people are being neglected by society, Sir Michael Parkinson told delegates at the RCN Congress.
RCN votes to fight ward staffing shortages

13-May-2009
The RCN will lobby to ensure there is adequate staffing on wards following a motion passed at RCN Congress.
RCN motion calls for new legislation for sex workers

13-May-2009
Nurses have called for new legislation for sex workers in a motion passed at RCN Congress today.
Number of swine flu cases in UK rises to 65

12-May-2009
Swine flu is beginning to spread from travellers to residents of the UK, according to the Health Protection Agency.
Swine flu deaths increase outside Mexico

12-May-2009
The number of swine flu deaths outside Mexico has risen to four, according to the World Health Organisation.
Nurses will get training to protect them from antiviral thieves

12 May 2009
Nurses and other healthcare professionals will be issued with guidance on how to protect themselves from people attempting to steal antivirals in the event of a flu pandemic, Nursing Times has learnt.
Call for national uniform for nurses in England

11-May-2009
Nurses at the RCN Congress have voted in favour of a national uniform for nurses in England.
NHS 'like alphabetti spaghetti', says David Cameron

11-May-2009
Conservative Party leader David Cameron has called for an end to the endless reforms and target culture in the NHS and a crack down on violence against nurses and other health staff.
Brown apologises to nurses for expenses claims

11-May-2009
Prime minister Gordon Brown has apologised to nurses for the scandal over MPs’ expenses.
Prime minister receives standing ovation from RCN

11-May-2009
Prime minister Gordon Brown has received a standing ovation after making an historic address to the RCN’s annual congress.
A third of nurse whistleblowers are ignored, shows survey

11-May-2009
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.
NHS spent £350m on consultants in the last year, claims survey

10-May-2009
The NHS spent £350m on external management consultants in the last financial year, according to an RCN survey.
RCN Northern Ireland appoints new director

10-May-2009
Janice Smyth has been appointed as the new director for the Royal College of Nursing in Northern Ireland.
Bradshaw labels nurse whistleblower ruling 'unduly harsh'

9-May-2009
Health minister Ben Bradshaw has appeared to add his support to nurse whistleblower Margaret Haywood.
Lack of cleaning facilities hampers nurses in fight against MRSA and C diff

9-May-2009
Nurses are struggling in the battle against healthcare associated infections such as MRSA and C diff because of a lack of proper cleaning facilities, according to a survey.
Further swine flu case emerges at London school

8-May-2009
The number of swine flu cases in the UK has risen to 39 after it emerged that four more people in Scotland and an adult at Alleyn’s school in London has caught the disease.
Concerns over lack of guidance for mental health nurses on parenting

8-May-2009
Serious concerns about a lack of guidance for mental health nurses who assess the parenting capacity of mothers with mental health problems were raised by researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University.
HPA scientists identify swine flu virus genetic code

8-May-2009
Health Protection Agency scientists have made the first step towards a prototype for a swine flu vaccine, health secretary Alan Johnson has announced.
Two new NHS chiefs appointed at strategic health authorities

8-May-2009
New chief executives have been appointed at two strategic health authorities.
Four in ten teenagers having underage sex

7-May-2009
A large percentage of teenagers are having underage sex, and one in 20 before they were 12, according to a survey.
US nurses to demonstrate in Washington over patient ratios

7-May-2009
Hundreds of nurses from across America are to march and rally in Washington DC next week as part of a national day of action calling for a law guaranteeing a safe ratio of nurses to patients in hospitals.
Warning over wrong Braille information on Sinepin capsules

6-May-2009
The government’s medicines watchdog has warned that a batch of drugs capsules has been incorrectly labelled in Braille.
Number of confirmed swine flu cases in UK increases to 32

6-May-2009
There are four new cases of swine flu in the UK, bringing the total number in the country to 32.
WHO chief outlines conditions for swine flu pandemic

6-May-2009
A swine flu pandemic will be officially declared when the disease begins to spread rapidly outside of North America, the chief of the World Health Organisation has said.
Children deliver health support plea to No 10

6-May-2009
Children with health conditions have delivered boxes of letters to Downing Street asking for more support at schools.
Swine flu shuts five schools in England

5-May-2009
Lessons and exams have now been suspended for pupils at five schools in England because of the swine flu outbreak.
NHS hires flu tsar to prepare NHS for pandemic

5-May-2009
The NHS has hired a new ‘flu tsar’ tasked with ensuring the health service can cope with a swine flu pandemic.
Scottish health secretary praises NHS staff for efforts against swine flu

5-May-2009
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.
NHS hospital trust apologises to nearly 6,000 patients after losing confidential data

5-May-2009
An NHS hospital trust has apologised to its patients after it lost nearly 6,000 files containing confidential data about operations and waiting lists.
Police warning over emails and websites selling fake swine flu drugs

5-May-2009
The international police organisation Interpol has warned the public against criminals selling fake swine flu drugs through spam emails and websites selling illegal, unlicensed or fake medicines.
Swine flu cases continue to rise in UK

5-May-2009
The number of swine flu cases in the UK continues to rise, with 27 cases confirmed by the Health Protection Agency.
Pandemic will mean nurses take on new roles

5 May 2009
NHS nurses must be prepared to work outside their traditional competencies should the swine flu pandemic take hold in the UK, according to latest guidelines.
Trusts face renewed pressure to give new nurses AfC pay rises

5 May 2009
There is mounting evidence that trusts across England are failing to observe mandatory pay increases for nurses in their first year of employment.
NHS worker becomes infected with swine flu

1-May-2009
An NHS worker in Scotland has become the first person to become infected swine flu while in the UK, the Scottish Government has confirmed.
Midwives and student nurses can be called on in swine flu crisis, says NMC

1-May-2009
Midwives and student nurses can be legally called upon in the advent of a swine flu epidemic, according to the nursing regulator, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Government publishes swine flu information leaflet

30-Apr-2009
The government has published details of its swine flu information leaflet campaign.
Swine flu has spread to 11 countries, says WHO

30-Apr-2009
Swine flu has now spread to 11 countries, according to official World Health Organization figures.
Number of confirmed UK swine flu cases rises to eight

30-Apr-2009
There are now eight cases of swine flu in the UK and hundreds more patients are being tested, according to the Health Protection Agency.
Nursing Times backs free parking campaign

30-Apr-2009
Nursing Times has backed campaigners who are opposing proposals to introduce car parking charges at a hospital trust in Surrey.
Mid Staffs hospital must hire more nurses

30-Apr-2009
There are still too few nurses at Mid Staffordshire hospital and a need to change its culture to improve care, according to a review by the government’s top emergency care advisor.
Mental health nurse teams receive cash boost to treat dementia

30-Apr-2009
Nurse-led teams in 10 NHS trusts in England providing mental health and learning disabilities services are to receive £30,000 in government funding to improve living conditions for people with dementia.
Row over car parking charges at NHS hospital

29-Apr-2009
A row has broken out after a hospital in the south of England revealed plans to charge up to £120 a year for staff parking.
Swine flu confirmed in three more people in the UK

29-Apr-2009
The Prime Minister has confirmed three further cases of swine flu in the UK
First swine flu death reported in United States

29-Apr-2009
The first swine flu death outside Mexico has been confirmed by the US government, according to reports.
Hospitals must improve systems following Mid Staffs failures

29-Apr-2009
NHS Hospitals must tighten their internal systems to prevent care failures like those witnessed at Mid Staffordshire hospital, according to a report.
Swine flu face masks not necessary for general public, says government

29-Apr-2009
The Department of Health is advising that there is no evidence to support the use of face masks to protect the general public from swine flu.
Warning over further swine flu deaths in poor countries

28-Apr-2009
There will be further deaths from the swine flu outbreak, according to an editorial in the Lancet.
Government may abandon NHS IT plans in November

28-Apr-2009
The government has announced it may abandon its current plans for the introduction of a national NHS computer system if significant progress has been made by November.
Whistleblower petition gets 25,000 signatures

28-Apr-2009
A petition supporting undercover nurse Margaret Haywood, who was struck off for covertly filming patients for a BBC Panorama documentary, has attracted more than 25,000 signatures.
Swine flu pandemic warning issued

28-Apr-2009
Fears of a global swine flu pandemic are growing after the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that the H1N1 is spreading rapidly.
NHS to sign contract for lone worker security alarms

28 April 2009
A contract to provide community nurses who work alone in England with personal alarms is due to be signed in early May, according to the health service’s security chief.
RCN says claims that NHS pensions are 'gold-plated' is a 'myth'

28 April 2009
The RCN may launch a campaign to dispel the ‘urban myth’ that NHS pension schemes are excessively generous.
Work absence figures increase in UK following swine flu outbreak

27-Apr-2009
Absence rates have increased slightly in the UK since the widely-reported outbreak of swine flu, according to an absence management firm.
Call for NHS overseas nurse exchange programme

27-Apr-2009
The NHS should begin a national exchange programme that will allow nurses to work in developing countries to improve their skills, UNISON has said.
Equality bill will protect patients as well as NHS staff, says personnel expert

27-Apr-2009
A bill designed to protect the rights of all NHS staff should help improve services for patients, according to the health service’s top personnel expert.
Warning over defective batch of disposable polypectomy snares

27-Apr-2009
The government’s medicines and healthcare products watchdog has urged health staff to return a defective batch of disposable polypectomy snares to the manufacturer.
NHS must innovate to beat swine flu, says Lord Darzi

27-Apr-2009
Health minister Lord Darzi has urged the NHS to innovate in order to overcome emergencies such as a swine flu outbreak.
Swine flu outbreaks prompt pandemic preparations

27-Apr-2009
Countries across the world are preparing themselves for a swine flu pandemic following outbreaks in Mexico, the United States and Canada.
HPA issues swine flu guidance

27-Apr-2009
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has issued interim guidance about the swine flu virus in Mexico, identified as the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus.
NHS should honour all preceptorship payments for new nurses, says UNISON

22-Apr-2009
A motion passed at UNISON’s Health Care Service Group conference has called on all NHS organisations to honour preceptorship payments for newly qualified nurses outlined in the Agenda for Change contract
Conference warns against decommissioning of NHS services

22-Apr-2009
Delegates passed a motion condemning a recent suggestion by the Department of Health that commissioners should regard decommissioning NHS services as a success.
Motion moves to protect nursing diploma

22-Apr-2009
UNISON will fight to protect nurse training following a motion carried unanimously at its health conference in Harrogate.
UNISON conference ignites NHS privatisation row

21-Apr-2009
UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis promised to fight against the privatisation of the NHS in a hard-hitting speech at UNISON’s Health Care Service Group Conference yesterday.
GP inquiry to include role of practice nurses

21 April 2009
A major piece of work by the King’s Fund is set to assess the practice nurses’ contribution to care in GP surgeries.
Nursing course standards to be made public

21 April 2009
Aspiring nursing students across England will for the first time be able to identify potentially failing courses, under plans expected to be come into force next year, Nursing Times can reveal.
NMC defends decision to strike off undercover nurse Margaret Haywood.

17-Apr-2009
A war of words has broken out over the NMC’s decision to strike off undercover nurse Margaret Haywood for breaching patient confidentiality.
New book introduces nurses and midwives to research

17-Apr-2009
A new book has been aimed at introducing nurses and midwives to research.
Undercover nurse may appeal against NMC decision

17-Apr-2009
The nurse struck off the NMC register for breaching patient confidentiality while filming a BBC documentary is considering a High Court appeal against the decision.
Wine drinkers consume 'the equivalent of 38 roast beef dinners a year in calories'

17-Apr-2009
The average wine drinker in England consumes the equivalent of 38 extra roast beef dinners in calories each year, according to government figures.
NHS hospitals charged £81m interest by government

15-Apr-2009
NHS Hospitals have been charged £81m in interest by the government at a rate far in excess of inflation, according to official figures.
Man fined £800,000 for treating customers with illegal Flabjab injection

14-Apr-2009
A man has been ordered by the Old Bailey to pay more than £800,000 for illegally advertising, selling and supplying an unlicensed ‘flabjab’ medicine.
Whistleblowing nurse faces further NMC charges over covert filming for BBC documentary

9-Apr-2009
The career of whistleblowing nurse Margaret Haywood will be decided next week as she faces NMC charges of breaching patient confidentiality while filming covertly for the BBC Panorama documentary, Undercover Nurse.
C diff and MRSA rates in Scotland decrease

9-Apr-2009
C diff and MRSA rates in Scotland have fallen compared with last year, according to latest government figures.
Self-care information packs launched for patients with long-term conditions

8-Apr-2009
People with long-term conditions can get information about self-care thanks to a new information booklet and resource pack from the government.
Union court victory paves way for thousands of NHS nurse equal pay claims

7-Apr-2009
Around 7,000 women will be free to pursue claims for equal pay against the NHS following a court ruling today.
Continence campaign success for nurses

7 April 2009
The government has abandoned plans to significantly restrict payments to companies providing specialist stoma and continence appliances to patients, particularly children.
Nurses to play key role in future healthcare regulation

7 April 2009
Nurses will play a key role in preventing another clinical catastrophe like the one that occurred at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, according to the head of the new health and social care regulator.
Chronic disease in ageing workforce threatens business productivity

6-Apr-2009
Higher rates of chronic disease in an ageing workforce could pose a serious threat to the productivity of British businesses, according to the private health company Bupa.
2009 Mary Seacole awards launched to celebrate leadership and innovation in nursing

3-Apr-2009
This year’s Mary Seacole awards, which celebrate leadership and innovation in nursing, have been launched by the Department of Health.
Debate begins over personalised care

3-Apr-2009
Pilot schemes providing personalised care for patients in the community were launched this week – amid concerns that they may lead to ‘top-up’ fees for particularly expensive services or procedures.
Agenda for Change pay system is not sexist, rules tribunal

3-Apr-2009
A legal case claiming that the Agenda for Change pay system is sexist has failed.
Former nurse welcomes Michelle Obama to London cancer centre

2-Apr-2009
Michelle Obama yesterday met with former nurse Laura Lee, chief executive of the charity Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres.
Government publishes guidance on improving services for people with autism

2-Apr-2009
A new blueprint for services for people with autism has been launched by the government to coincide with World Autism Day.
Think-tank warns over personalised care risks

2-Apr-2009
A health think-tank has warned that the personalised care pilot schemes launched yesterday in the NHS must be properly evaluated before the policy becomes a national priority.
Pregnant women should not undergo high radiation dose examinations, says guidance

1-Apr-2009
Pregnant women should not undergo some medical examinations that involve high doses of radiation to the foetus because of an increased risk of childhood cancer, according to new guidance.
Roadshows promote benefits of personalised care in the NHS

1-Apr-2009
A series of roadshows highlighting the benefits of personalised care in the NHS are taking place across the south east of England this week.
Unnecessary acronyms in NHS wasting public money, says pressure group

1-Apr-2009
A pressure group has called for the abolition of the ‘NHS’ name in a bid to crack down on unnecessary acronyms in health care, Nursing Times has learned.
New anti-static crocs shoe produced for use in hospitals

31-Mar-2009
A new form of anti-static crocs shoe has been introduced for use in hospitals.
Think-tank branded 'dinosaur' over NHS sicknote comments

31-Mar-2009
An influential think-tank has been criticised by Unison for comparing sickness absence in the NHS to those in private companies.
Hepatitis C and HIV inquiry begins

31-Mar-2009
An inquiry is due to get under way into why hundreds of people were given contaminated blood which led to them becoming infected with HIV and hepatitis C.
CNO says senior nurses do 'fight the profession's corner'

31 March 2009
Chief nursing officer for England Dame Christine Beasley has reassured nurses that their views are being taken seriously at board level, following the publication of results from the latest NHS staff survey.
NHS still losing health visitors, says union Unite

30-Mar-2009
The NHS is still losing health visitors at an alarming rate, according to the union Unite.
MHRA seizes suspected counterfeit weight loss and erectile dysfunction drugs

30-Mar-2009
The government’s medicines and health products watchdog has seized around half a million pounds worth of counterfeit erectile dysfunction, anxiety and weight loss drugs in simultaneous raids on four locations in Middlesbrough.
Diabetic patient unlawfully killed after lethal insulin injection from community nurse

27-Mar-2009
A diabetic patient who was given a lethal dose of insulin by a community nurse was unlawfully killed, a coroner has ruled.
Call for BNP nurses to be banned from conference

27-Mar-2009
Nurses and health staff from the union Unison are to debate whether registered nurses should be banned from joining the far-right British National Party (BNP) at a conference next month.
Lancet calls for Pope to retract comments about condoms and HIV/AIDS

27-Mar-2009
A medical journal has accused the Pope of ‘distorting science’ in his remarks that condoms have exacerbated the problem of HIV and AIDS.
RCN announces joint winners of research award at conference

27-Mar-2009
The RCN has announced three joint winners for its Marjorie Simpson New Researchers’ Award at a conference in Cardiff.
Paediatric and intensive care staff warned to check settings on ventilators

27-Mar-2009
Paediatric and intensive care staff have been warned to check the settings on servo ventilators manufactured by Maquet Critical Care AB, according to the government’s medicines and health technology watchdog.
Midwives hail increase in London workforce

26-Mar-2009
Midwives have hailed new NHS workforce figures showing that the number of full-time midwives in London has increased by 7%.
British holidaymakers delay medical treatment because of cost fears

26-Mar-2009
More than a third of British holidaymakers who become ill while abroad have delayed medical treatment until they return home, according to a survey.
Bupa announces 800 new nursing and auxiliary jobs

24 March 2009
Independent health provider Bupa has announced it is to recruit an extra 800 new nursing and auxiliary staff to work in its care homes.
Midwives praise prime minister for awarding them a seat on nursing commission panel

17 March 2009
Midwives have welcomed the chance to influence the prime minister’s new nursing commission after being awarded a seat on its advisory panel.
RCN welcomes creation of commission on future of nurses and midwives

17 March 2009
The RCN’s general secretary has joined the new commission to advise the government on the future of nurses and midwives in England.
Unison ready for 'challenging opportunity' of prime minister's nursing commission

17 March 2009
The trade union Unison has said it is ready for the ‘challenging opportunity’ of contributing to the prime minister’s nursing commission.

Nursing TimesRichard Staines

Nursing Times
Richard Staines