Nursing Times
Shaun Lintern

Shaun Lintern is a news reporter on Nursing Times and Health Service Journal.

New route into nursing for healthcare support staff

18-Jun-2013
Healthcare assistants are to be offered a route into nursing through part-time degrees, under plans revealed by Health Education England.
NHS to face chronic nurse shortage by 2016

18-Jun-2013
The NHS will experience a chronic shortage of nurses within the next three years as demand for services continues to pile on pressure.
Hundreds of Mid Staffs deaths examined by police

10-Jun-2013
A review of deaths at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust by Staffordshire Police has identified 200-300 cases in which alleged neglect may have contributed to the death.
Exclusive: nursing's voice is stronger after NHS reforms, insists CNO

5-Jun-2013
The voice of nursing at a national level has been strengthened, not weakened, as a result of the government’s reforms, according to NHS England’s chief nursing officer.
Trusts desire fresh squeeze on Agenda for Change

3-Jun-2013
The growing demand for efficiency savings in the NHS is stoking desires among NHS organisations to seek further reductions to staff pay, terms and conditions, it has emerged.
Health minister backs Nursing Times' Speak Out Safely campaign

29-May-2013
Health Minister Dan Poulter has backed Nursing Times’ Speak out Safely campaign and called on NHS organisations to make a “positive commitment” to staff they would not be disciplined for raising concerns.
'Talking' pilot to improve NHS culture

25-May-2013
Nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals could be expected to hold monthly sessions to discuss the pressures they face as part of a government backed initiative to improve culture and compassion across the NHS, Nursing Times can reveal.
Safety not guaranteed at 18 A&Es amid 'toxic overcrowding', warn clinicians

22-May-2013
Patient safety at 18 accident and emergency departments in the West Midlands cannot be guaranteed according to a joint letter signed by leading clinicians from across the region.
Exclusive: nursing leaders pledge action in response to Francis

21-May-2013
Nursing leaders have pledged action in the wake of criticism by Robert Francis QC that they have not done enough to respond to his seminal report.
Exclusive: Francis criticises nurse leadership

14-May-2013
The nursing profession and its leaders have failed to adequately respond to the problems highlighted by the care failings at Mid Staffordshire, according to Robert Francis QC.
Exclusive: duty of candour must also apply to staff

14-May-2013
Plans to introduce a statutory “duty of candour” on NHS providers will not work on its own and will leave patients at risk, according to Robert Francis QC.
Nurses struggling to provide care on stretched wards

22-Apr-2013
Nurses are struggling to deliver safe patient care due to chronic understaffing and a heavy burden of bureaucracy, according to two major union surveys.
Nurses free to speak out on concerns, despite 'gag' clauses, says DH

22-Apr-2013
The government has asked the Nursing and Midwifery Council to alert all registered nurses that they are free to speak out over concerns.
Hundreds of jobs to go at Midlands acute trust

19-Apr-2013
Hundreds of posts will be lost at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust in the next four years as part of plans to cut costs.
Foundation trusts expected to start new bid to cut pay costs

15-Apr-2013
Foundation trusts could begin fresh attempts to find more savings within the Agenda for Change contract, Nursing Times understands.
Leicester Hospitals signs up to Speak Out Safely campaign

12-Apr-2013
One of the largest acute hospital trusts in the country has become the latest to back the Nursing Times Speak out Safely campaign.
HSE launches criminal probe into Mid Staffs patient death

11-Apr-2013
A criminal investigation has been launched by the Health and Safety Executive into the death of a woman at Stafford Hospital in 2007.
Health secretary does stint in hospital A&E

11-Apr-2013
The health secretary worked in Watford General Hospital’s accident and emergency department last Thursday as part of plans to give Department of Health ministers and officials frontline experience.
Staff must be free to raise safety concerns, says Heart of England chief exec

9-Apr-2013
One of the largest hospital trusts in England has backed Nursing Times’ campaign to make it easier for staff to raise concerns.
Exclusive: fears raised over HCA apprenticeship schemes

8-Apr-2013
Concerns have been raised that teenage apprentices are increasingly carrying out tasks normally done by healthcare assistants, sometimes with insufficient training and supervision.
Evidence supporting intentional rounding only 'flimsy', claims academic

3-Apr-2013
There is only “flimsy” evidence to support the benefit of introducing hourly ward wards, despite their backing by the prime minister, a nurse academic has claimed.
Study links higher death rates with increased number of HCAs

27-Mar-2013
There is a link between higher death rates and the number of healthcare assistants employed in NHS hospitals, suggests latest nursing research.
Student nurses working as HCA poses safety risk, warn Deans

26-Mar-2013
The Council of Deans of Health has said plans to allow student nurses to spend up to a year working as healthcare assistants could put patient safety at risk.
RCN has 'urgent questions' on plan for students to spend year as HCAs

26-Mar-2013
The Royal College of Nursing has described the government’s response to the Francis report as a series of “missed opportunities”.
Francis response: Hunt announces measures targeting HCAs and students

26-Mar-2013
Healthcare assistants will not face statutory regulation but they will be subject to national minimum training and a code of conduct, under government proposals responding to the Francis report.
Trust backs down on threat to sack staff, as 'cartel' loses another member

25-Mar-2013
A foundation trust has backed down from a mass redundancy threat over new local contracts, while another trust has left the controversial South West “pay cartel”.
NHS loses more nurses but HCA numbers up

25-Mar-2013
The number of nurses working in the NHS has fallen again, with employers turning to cheaper healthcare assistants to plug the gaps, latest figures suggest.
Mid Staffs nurse retires after 50 years' service

22-Mar-2013
A nurse specialist at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust is to retire after working at the trust for almost 50 years.
Employers reject HCA regulation and creation of 'older person's nurse'

22-Mar-2013
NHS Employers has written to the Department of Health calling on it to reject some of the key recommendations in the Francis report relating to nursing.
District nursing would be 'decimated' by proposed London cuts

20-Mar-2013
District nursing in parts of London could be “decimated” if a community trust’s plans to save millions of pounds go ahead, it has been claimed.
Gary Walker says he was ‘threatened and removed from job’

19-Mar-2013
Former hospital chief executive Gary Walker has told MPs he was threatened and removed from his job in a row with then health authority boss Dame Barbara Hakin.
Live rolling news: Gary Walker appears before the Commons' health select committee

19-Mar-2013
This morning Gary Walker, former chief executive of United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust, is presenting evidence to MPs on the Commons health select committee.
NHS pay rise could force further cuts to terms and conditions

19-Mar-2013
The cost to the NHS of a 1% pay rise could force trusts to seek further reductions in terms and conditions as they struggle with financial pressure, Nursing Times has been told.
Mid Staffs families back Speak Out Safely campaign

19-Mar-2013
Families who fought to expose the scandal of poor care at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust have given their backing to Nursing Times’ Speak out Safely campaign.
CNO reveals plans to make 6Cs a reality

18-Mar-2013
A detailed programme of actions designed to make the “6Cs” a reality across the NHS has been unveiled by England’s chief nurse.
Minister hints at mandatory HCA training

18-Mar-2013
Health minister Norman Lamb has hinted the government could impose national minimum training standards for healthcare assistants as part of its response to the Francis report.
Study suggests link between fewer nurses and higher death rates

12-Mar-2013
A group of hospital trusts that are under investigation for higher than expected death rates have fewer nurses on average than hospitals with lower mortality, it has emerged.
Minister: whistleblowers should be 'protected'

11-Mar-2013
NHS staff who have “the courage and integrity” to raise patient safety concerns should be “protected and listened to”, health minister Dan Poulter has said in response to a new campaign by Nursing Times.
Nursing Times campaign: protect nurses who speak out

3-Mar-2013
Nurses who speak out about concerns in the NHS are likely to face negative consequences and are often ignored, according to a survey by Nursing Times to mark the launch of a major new campaign.
'Cartel' calls for further cuts in nurses pay

1-Mar-2013
Nurses could face a further attack on their pay, terms and conditions after the South West “cartel” set out fresh plans to save millions of pounds.
Unions agree to reduce staff terms and conditions

26-Feb-2013
A landmark deal to reduce the pay, terms and conditions of almost one million NHS staff has been agreed by health unions and NHS Employers.
Fresh threat to national pay framework emerges

26-Feb-2013
The long-term future of a national pay deal for nurses has been thrown into fresh doubt, as a landmark agreement on changes to terms and conditions is set to go ahead.
Trust introduces 'live' patient feedback system

22-Feb-2013
A hospital trust in the Midlands has become the first in the NHS to launch a real-time feedback system for patients, with comments posted directly to its website.
Minister reveals plans for Morecambe Bay inquiry

20-Feb-2013
An independent inquiry is to be set up to investigate poor care at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Foundation Trust.
NHS facing potential nurse workforce crisis, study warns

19-Feb-2013
A government-commissioned report has revealed the NHS could be crippled by a shortage of nearly 200,000 nurses in just three years’ time, Nursing Times has learnt.
Whistleblower's former trust has too few nurses to 'meet patient needs'

19-Feb-2013
A Care Quality Commission inspection has found “not enough staff to meet patients’ needs” at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust.
NMC hit with £150k fine for data security breach

15-Feb-2013
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has been fined £150,000 after it lost three DVDs linked to a misconduct hearing.
Nurses must be 'empowered' to raise staffing concerns, Francis tells MPs

13-Feb-2013
Frontline nurses should be “empowered” to raise concerns over short staffing and be protected when they do, the chair of the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust public inquiry has told MPs.
Every potential student nurse to face aptitude test in wake of Francis

12-Feb-2013
Exclusive: Every potential student nurse will in future be interviewed and tested to make sure they have the right values and skills to provide good quality care, Nursing Times can reveal.
NMC apology over Mid Staffs FTP cases

12-Feb-2013
The NMC has apologised over the delay in dealing with fitness to practise cases involving nurses from the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust.
Francis calls for new protection for whistleblowers

11-Feb-2013
Nurse whistleblowers could be protected in future from pressure to keep quiet if key recommendations in the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust public inquiry report are adopted.
'Excellent' nurses should be paid more, says Francis

8-Feb-2013
The Agenda for Change pay framework should be adapted so nurses who “demonstrate a commitment to patient care” are paid more than others, under recommendations made by Robert Francis QC.
Regulating HCAs would not cost 'too much', says Robert Francis

7-Feb-2013
Regulating healthcare assistants would be simple and would not “cost too much money”, Robert Francis QC has told Nursing Times.
Francis report: RCN labelled 'ineffective'

6-Feb-2013
Robert Francis QC has described the Royal College of Nursing as “ineffective” both as a professional organisation and as a trade union, and it should consider separating its two roles.
Francis report: NHS staff face new laws on honesty

6-Feb-2013
The Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust public inquiry report has recommended there should be a series of new laws requiring all NHS staff and directors to be open and honest when mistakes happen.
Francis report: HCAs should face regulation

6-Feb-2013
Healthcare support workers should be subject to regulation by the Nursing and Midwifery Council in one of 290 recommendations from the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust public inquiry.
What nurses told the Mid Staffs public inquiry

5-Feb-2013
The Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust public inquiry heard evidence from a number of frontlines nurses and nursing leaders. Shaun Lintern recalls what some of them said:
NMC clears Mid Staffs former nursing director

5-Feb-2013
A former director of nursing at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust has been cleared of any wrong-doing by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Unions urge government not to 'beat' frontline with Mid Staffs report

5-Feb-2013
Union leaders have warned the Government not to use the Francis Report into events at Mid Staffordshire as a “stick to further beat” the NHS.
'My horror and sadness turned to disbelief and shock'

5-Feb-2013
Shaun Lintern attended every evidence session of the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust public inquiry in his former role as a local newspaper journalist. He describes the personal impact the experience had on him.
Francis Report: Timeline of Mid Staffs disaster

31-Jan-2013
Shaun Lintern charts the sequence of events that led to the public inquiry into the well-publicised care failings at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust
Your five second guide to what happened at the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust

31-Jan-2013
Find out why everyone’s talking about the Francis Report and what happened at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust
Final decision looms on AfC changes after RCN backs plans

29 January 2013
Major reductions to NHS workers terms and conditions have moved a step closer to being adopted after one of the largest health unions gave its backing to the plans.
Mid Staffs suspends worker over taped dummy incident

25-Jan-2013
Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust has suspended a member of staff after a dummy was found taped onto a baby’s face.
EU votes for stronger regulation of nurses

25-Jan-2013
The European Parliament has voted to strengthen the regulation of nurses working across the EU, with plans to introduce language checks and more rigorous competency requirements.
RCN accepts Agenda for Change proposals

23-Jan-2013
The Royal College of Nursing council decided this afternoon to accept plans put forward by NHS Employers to reduce terms and conditions for NHS staff across the country.
Redundancy threat for 750 staff at Yorkshire trust

20-Dec-2012
Up to 750 jobs could be axed at Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust as it looks to save £50m by 2015.
Nurses pay increases, but less than NHS managers

19-Dec-2012
Nurses have seen their average basic pay increase by just 0.7% while NHS managers have seen their pay rocket by 2%.
Five NHS staff arrested in connection with A&E death

18-Dec-2012
Four ambulance staff and a hospital worker have been arrested by police in connection with the death of a man outside an accident and emergency department earlier this year.
Routine NHS services should be available seven days a week

18-Dec-2012
Routine NHS services should be available seven days a week, the NHS Commissioning Board has announced.
Risk new openness rule will lead to greater silence

12-Dec-2012
New rules ordering NHS organisations to tell patients when their safety or care has been put at risk could conversely lead to fewer incidents being reported by nurses and frontline staff, it has emerged.
Trust removes ward manager after CQC spot check

12-Dec-2012
Heart of England Foundation Trust has replaced a ward manager following a negative Care Quality Commission inspection.
Trust to take on extra nurses after staffing review

12-Dec-2012
Nearly 80 nurses are due to start work next year at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust as part of ongoing efforts to improve staffing levels to cope with increased patient acuity.
South West pay consortium to continue its work

10-Dec-2012
The consortium of trusts looking to break away from Agenda for Change has again signalled its refusal to bow to pressure to halt its work.
Nurse at centre of Duchess hoax call found dead

7-Dec-2012
A nurse working on reception at the private hospital which treated the Duchess of Cambridge when a hoax call was made by an Australian radio station has been found dead.
Chancellor abandons plans for NHS regional pay

5-Dec-2012
Chancellor George Osborne has abandoned plans to introduce regional pay in the NHS. However, he accepted the NHS Pay Review Body’s call for the Agenda for Change pay framework to be altered in order “to meet the challenges and cost pressures in the NHS”.
Hospitals to be forced to own up to mistakes

5-Dec-2012
NHS organisations will be required to tell patients when mistakes have been made and their safety compromised under a contractual duty of candour announced by the Government.
Second wave of NHS pension contribution increases unveiled

3-Dec-2012
The government has published details of the pension contribution increases that nurses and other NHS staff face next year.
Minister calls regional pay cartel 'heavy handed'

29-Nov-2012
Health minister Dan Poulter has signaled a shift in the government’s stance on the controversial South West Consortium during a debate in the Commons.
Frontline to get a say on Agenda for Change deal

27-Nov-2012
Frontline nurses will, for the first time, be given the chance to have their say on plans to dilute terms and conditions.
Concerns raised about ageing practice nurse workforce

21-Nov-2012
A “frightening” crisis in practice nursing could be on the horizon in the East of England, the Royal College of Nursing has warned.
Serco plans to cut 137 community posts in Suffolk

21-Nov-2012
Private healthcare giant Serco has announced proposals to cut 137 posts at Suffolk Community Healthcare just a month after taking over its management.
Leicester trust employs more midwives

21-Nov-2012
University Hospitals of Leicester Trust has appointed 16 qualified midwives following a recruitment drive.
Bursary bungle sparks apology to students

20-Nov-2012
The organisation that distributes bursaries to student nurses has apologised after Nursing Times revealed last week that thousands of students had been left in financial difficulties due to delays in the assessment and payment process.
Local threats to Agenda for Change continue

19-Nov-2012
A draft deal on Agenda for Change has seen some trusts abandon plans to leave the national pay agreement – but others remain committed to breaking away, Nursing Times has learnt.
Winterbourne nurse whistleblower given job by CQC

15-Nov-2012
The whistleblowing nurse who exposed poor care at the Winterbourne View Hospital has been given a job by the Care Quality Commission.
Black midwives disproportionately disciplined, claims RCM

14-Nov-2012
Black midwives in London make up a disproportionate number of those facing disciplinary proceedings.
Nurses 'happy to come and work' at Mid Staffs

14-Nov-2012
Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust has issued an appeal for registered nurses to join its staff.
Quality of care linked to staff support, says Hunt

13-Nov-2012
Improving the quality of care given by nurses and other healthcare professionals will be a major priority for the NHS over the next two years, after health secretary Jeremy Hunt made it central to his first NHS mandate.
Trust withdraws from South West Pay 'cartel'

13-Nov-2012
The South West “pay cartel” has lost a member after unions agreed a draft proposal on changes to terms and conditions as part of national talks.
Bursary crisis for thousands of student nurses

13-Nov-2012
Student nurses have been pushed into debt and left unable to afford food or transport after tens of thousands were not been paid their correct bursary this autumn, Nursing Times has learnt.
Union leaders agree draft deal to dilute Agenda for Change

9-Nov-2012
Unions have agreed draft proposals to reduce terms and conditions for NHS staff at a meeting with NHS Employers today, Nursing Times can reveal.
'It is completely within nurses’ power to ensure the LCP remains'

9-Nov-2012
Sometimes in the NHS you have to have difficult conversations with patients and families – tragically the health service can’t save every patient that comes to its door.
Labour loses vote on NHS regional pay

7-Nov-2012
A Labour Party motion calling on the government to stop the spread of regional pay in the NHS has been defeated in the House of Commons.
Minister backs South West Cartel in Parliament debate

7-Nov-2012
Health minister Anna Soubry has backed a consortium of 20 NHS trusts that are seeking to break away from Agenda for Change, saying they were taking a “mature and sensible” approach.
Labour claims 31 trusts trying to break with AfC ahead of Commons debate

7-Nov-2012
The Labour Party has named 31 hospitals it claims are looking to reduce NHS staff terms and conditions ahead of a debate in the House of Commons later today.
Rat droppings found in operating theatre

6-Nov-2012
Forty operations have been cancelled at Sherwood Forest Hospitals Foundation Trust after rat droppings were found in an operating theatre.
Willis Commission calls for regulation of HCAs and supports all-degree nursing

5-Nov-2012
Healthcare assistants in bands 3 and 4 should be independently regulated and trained to at least an NVQ level 3, according to the Willis Commission on nursing education.
Row over 'pay cartel' reaches parliament

3-Nov-2012
MPs are due to debate the threat of regional pay to the NHS and the actions of the South West “pay cartel” this week, in a move designed to spark action from the government.
Exclusive: unions close to deal on Agenda for Change

30-Oct-2012
National talks on changes to NHS workers’ pay and terms and conditions could be close to a deal, Nursing Times has learnt.
DH has 'sufficient funding' for small pay rise for NHS staff

29-Oct-2012
The Department of Health has said nurses and other healthcare staff could get a small increase in their basic pay next year, despite employers’ calls for an extension of the pay freeze.
Leading nurses unveil tool to probe NHS culture

23-Oct-2012
Leading nurses have developed a test to identify whether a workplace is suffering from a culture problem akin to that which contributed to the care failings at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust.
Industrial action warning on Agenda for Change threat

22-Oct-2012
Thousands of NHS workers could be balloted on taking industrial action in response to the attacks on Agenda for Change.
NHS faces a nursing shortage, review for RCN warns

22-Oct-2012
Patient care in the NHS could suffer because of a future shortage of nurses, according to workforce research carried out for the Royal College of Nursing.
Two nurses sacked over death outside A&E

18-Oct-2012
Two nurses, a receptionist and a hospital porter have been sacked by Walsall Healthcare Trust for failing to respond to a man who collapsed and died outside its accident and emergency department.
RCN members reject subscription increase

18-Oct-2012
Services provided to members of the Royal College of Nursing could face cuts after nurses rejected an increase in subscription prices.
Pay 'cartel' hires lawyers to help draw up breakaway plans

16-Oct-2012
The South West Pay Consortium has appointed a leading law firm to advise it on plans to amend staff pay, terms and conditions.
Whistleblowers viewed as 'troublemakers' in 70s, says leading nurse

16-Oct-2012
NHS staff that spoke out about care abuses in the 1970s were branded “troublemakers”, an influential nurse has said in the wake of allegations that Sir Jimmy Saville was able to molest young hospital patients over many years.
New generation of nurse leaders to 'help change culture'

12-Oct-2012
The government is to plough millions of pounds into leadership training for nurses with the central aim of improving compassion and care delivered to patients.
Nottingham trust launches hourly round initiative

12-Oct-2012
An East Midlands trust is rolling out a new version of hourly rounding on its in-patient wards to ensure basic care needs are met.
Derby acute trust launches second 'resignation' scheme

11-Oct-2012
Derby Hospitals Foundation Trust has launched a second mutually agreed resignation scheme to help it deliver savings of £24m in 2012-13.
Unions warn of staff exodus if pay freeze is extended

9-Oct-2012
A third of NHS staff have “seriously considered” leaving the NHS due to the threat of worsening pay and conditions, according to survey results shared with Nursing Times.
Regulators take joint action at Sherwood Forest

8-Oct-2012
Monitor has asked the Care Quality Commission to carry out a “deep dive” probe of patient care at the troubled Sherwood Forest Hospitals Foundation Trust following the resignation of chair Tracey Doucet.
Further cracks appear in Agenda for Change

5-Oct-2012
There are increasing signs the national pay framework could fracture after a North East trust became the latest to announce plans to break with Agenda for Change.
Mid Staffs worker suspended over confidentiality breach

4-Oct-2012
A hospital worker has been suspended from Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust for allegedly breaching patient confidentiality, through the use of either photographic or video footage.
Employers to argue for third year of pay freeze

2-Oct-2012
The body representing all major health service employers is to call for the NHS pay freeze to be extended into a third year to “protect services and minimise job losses”.
Tensions rise as 'cartel' presses on with break from Agenda for Change

2-Oct-2012
The South West “pay cartel” is forging ahead with plans to break away from nationally agreed terms and conditions, despite growing threats and protests from unions, Nursing Times has learnt.
Chancellor to consider report on regional pay

2-Oct-2012
A report on the widespread introduction of regional pay setting in the NHS has been with civil servants for more than two months, Nursing Times has learnt.
Workforce stats suggest another drop in nurse numbers

26-Sep-2012
The number of nurses working in the NHS has fallen again in June, according to the latest workforce statistics.
Nurses raise alarm over patient assault at Mid Staffs

25-Sep-2012
A healthcare worker from Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust has been suspended amid allegations they assaulted a patient at Stafford Hospital.
Nottingham spends £100k on pressure cushions

25-Sep-2012
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has invested in a new drive to abolish avoidable pressure ulcers.
Trusts forced to hire more nursing staff to ensure safety

25-Sep-2012
A growing number of hospitals are seeking to recruit hundreds of extra nurses to ensure the safety of patients, against a national backdrop of cuts, it has emerged.
Lack of HCA regulation 'unacceptable', says Willis

24-Sep-2012
The Willis Commission on Nursing Education is likely to add its voice to calls for the mandatory regulation of healthcare assistants, after its chair described the current situation as “unacceptable”.
Unions abandon efforts to sink NHS Pension reforms

19-Sep-2012
Attempts to completely stop the government’s reform of public sector pensions have been abandoned by health service unions.
Flu jab campaign to start within weeks

19-Sep-2012
All nurses working in direct contact with patients will be urged to have the flu vaccine later this month, as the annual immunisation programme gets underway.
Exclusive: 'disaster' warning follows 12% drop in nurse training places

18-Sep-2012
Nurse training places have been slashed by more than 2,500 in three years, an investigation by Nursing Times has revealed – prompting fears of a “national disaster” in care.
Union negotiators issue ultimatum to stop 'pay cartel'

18-Sep-2012
Health unions are on the verge of walking away from national talks on Agenda for Change should employers fail to give a commitment on the South West “pay cartel”, Nursing Times understands.
'Dr Dan' handed government nursing brief

17-Sep-2012
Responsibility for nursing policy at the Department of Health has been given to a hospital doctor, following the government’s ministerial reshuffle.
Pension changes reach parliament

14-Sep-2012
The government has unveiled its public sector pension’s bill in Parliament, claiming it would save £65bn savings over the next 50 years.
Nurse-led alcohol and drug team set up in Derbyshire

13-Sep-2012
A nurse led team at Chesterfield Royal Hospital Foundation Trust has been set up to support hospital staff in giving patients with alcohol or drug related illnesses and injuries the highest quality of care.
Mental health trust seeks gang violence nurse

13-Sep-2012
A London mental health trust is seeking to appoint a nurse to specialise on work with gangs and cases involving serious violence.
Children's heart surgery decision faces judicial review

13-Sep-2012
A charity fighting the removal of children’s heart surgery from Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust intends to mount a judicial review of the decision, it has emerged.
Don't alienate nurses, new health secretary warned

12-Sep-2012
New health secretary Jeremy Hunt must listen to nurses and re-build trust in the government or risk igniting further industrial action, Nursing Times has been told.
Regulator announces review of Mid Staffs sustainability

12-Sep-2012
The foundation trust regulator Monitor has announced a review into the long-term sustainability of services at the troubled Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust, which could see the scandal-hit trust placed into special administration.
Unions agree joint strike action on pay freeze

11-Sep-2012
Unions have voted to back plans for co-ordinated strikes across the public sector, including the NHS, if the government refuses to relax its pay freeze.
Government rejects MPs' call for HCA regulation

11-Sep-2012
Ministers have again dismissed calls from the influential Commons’ health select committee to introduce compulsory regulation for healthcare assistants, though they accepted there was a need to raise standards.
Peer review finds 'serious concerns' at Mid Staffs

11-Sep-2012
A peer review of breast cancer surgery services at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust has uncovered a catalogue of concerns and safety fears - despite the trust assessing them as being largely compliant with national standards.
Focus on falls at Lincolnshire Trust

11-Sep-2012
United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust has launched a major push to prevent patients falling whilst in hospital.
RCN reveals South West nursing fall and steps up pay campaign

7-Sep-2012
The South West has seen more qualified nurses leave the NHS than any other part of England, according to the Royal College of Nursing.
Protests grow over South West Pay Consortium

6-Sep-2012
NHS staff have launched a series of protests across the South West to fight against the consortium of trusts looking to change pay, terms and conditions.
Pay 'cartel' chief warns more trusts could follow suit

4-Sep-2012
Hospital managers across the country are seeking to emulate attempts in the South West to break away from the national Agenda for Change agreement.
Nurses warned not to use own phones for work

31-Aug-2012
Nurses should avoid the temptation to use their own mobile phones for work purposes, the Royal College of Nursing has warned.
RCM petition attracts widespread support but fails to force debate

28-Aug-2012
An e-petition calling for 5,000 extra midwives to be recruited has failed to attract the 100,000 signatures needed to secure a debate in parliament.
Regional pay 'cartel' claims it can save 6,000 jobs

24-Aug-2012
More than 6,000 NHS “jobs” in the South West could be saved if major changes go ahead to staff pay, and terms and conditions, it has been claimed.
Private sector nurses to be given access to NHS Pension Scheme

24-Aug-2012
Nurses working in the private sector could be given access to the NHS Pension Scheme it has emerged.
First union rejects Agenda for Change proposals

23-Aug-2012
Unite has become the first health union to reject proposals on the table to change nurses’ national pay and conditions, Nursing Times can reveal.
Paramedic sacked after hospital A&E death

22-Aug-2012
A paramedic has been sacked and another has resigned following the death of a man who collapsed outside a Midlands hospital A&E department.
Trust chair sparks food review after criticising ham sandwich

14-Aug-2012
A Midlands hospital trust has launched a review of its chilled food after its chair told a public meeting the hospital’s ham sandwich “was the worst he had ever tasted”.
New review to look at nurse retirement plans

7-Aug-2012
Frontline NHS nurses could in future be allowed to retire earlier with trusts paying higher pension contributions to cover the cost, Nursing Times has learnt.
NMC considers screening public referrals in bid to reduce FtP cases

31 July 2012
Members of the public could find it harder to have a nurse investigated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council under possible changes to its fitness to practise process.
Slight fall in sickness rate among NHS staff

25-Jul-2012
Sickness among NHS workers has fallen by just 0.04% in 12 months, despite efforts by NHS trusts to reduce the number of days lost.
Nearly all nurses reject NMC fee increase

19-Jul-2012
Nurses have responded to a consultation on the proposal to increase their registration fee to £120 with almost total opposition.
'Absolute mess' as search for new NMC chair is abandoned

19-Jul-2012
Government ministers look set to be made responsible for selecting the next chair of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, following a breakdown in the appointments process.
Nurses need new skills for NHS of the future

19-Jul-2012
New skills and qualifications will be required by nurses working in the health service of the future, according to the head of the new national training and education quango.
Nurses need new skills for a new NHS, says leadership chief

9-Jul-2012
Nurses need to be empowered with new skills to help them move into new settings, according to the head of the NHS’ new Leadership Academy.
SW pay consortium to press ahead with Agenda for Change plans

6-Jul-2012
A consortium of 19 NHS trusts in the South West have met for the first time and agreed to press ahead with plans to break away from Agenda for Change.
New education and training bodies to face financial squeeze

4-Jul-2012
The new bodies due to oversee the local education and training of nurses will have a third less to spend on running costs than the organisations they are taking over from, Nursing Times has learnt.
Agenda for Change plans set out as cartel threatens talks

3 July 2012
Full details of the proposed changes to nurses’ national pay and conditions being sought by government negotiators have been revealed.
Exclusive: new nurses set to lose double increment rise under pay plans

27-Jun-2012
Newly qualified nurses would lose one of the two incremental pay rises they are currently supposed to receive in their first year, under proposals being put forward by government negotiators, Nursing Times has learnt.
New scheme to cut agency nurse costs

27-Jun-2012
A programme has been launched to help trusts get better value for money from agency nurses.
Chief executive announced for new NHS training agency

20-Jun-2012
National director of quality Ian Cumming has been named as the first chief executive of Health Education England.
Exclusive: Europe faces a 'quality timebomb'

20-Jun-2012
Nursing across Europe faces a “quality timebomb” caused by widespread cuts to staff and services, the head of the European Federation of Nurses Associations has warned.
Exclusive: official report shows nurse fears over future care

19 June 2012
The majority of nurses working across acute, community and primary care settings expect the quality of care given to patients by the NHS to get worse in the near future, according to research for the government.
Nurses to be asked for views on altering Agenda for Change

19 June 2012
Unions are to launch a nationwide survey of nurses next month on potential changes to national terms and conditions, Nursing Times has been told.
OBE for Wolves chief nurse

18-Jun-2012
The chief nurse at a Midlands hospital has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Exclusive: agency nurse use rockets in wake of staffing cuts

12 June 2012
Use of agency nurses by the NHS has jumped by 50% in a year and is quickly rising, Nursing Times has learnt, calling into question widespread cuts being made to posts in order to save money.
Exclusive: online training scheme boosts basic care skills

12 June 2012
One of the largest foundation trusts in England has begun to see significant improvements in basic standards of nursing care after introducing a unique training initiative for its nurses.
Mid Staffs nurses disciplined for string of cannula incidents

2-Jun-2012
Nurses at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust have been disciplined with one suspended after the trust revealed a patient had been discharged with a cannula left in their arm.
Doctors vote for industrial action over pensions

30-May-2012
UK doctors have voted strongly in favour of taking industrial action for the first time since 1975, over the government’s planned changes to the NHS pension.
Coroner finds 'failings' in Mid Staffs twin deaths

24-May-2012
A coroner has ruled there were failings in the care of twin babies who died after nurses at Stafford Hospital gave them a massive overdose of morphine.
MPs call for mandatory HCA regulation

23-May-2012
Healthcare assistants should be subject to compulsory regulation similar to nurses, an influential group of MPs has said.
GMB members overwhelmingly reject pension deal

22-May-2012
NHS workers in the GMB union have voted to reject the government’s “final” pension deal by a majority of 96.5%.
Unhappy members force RCN to halt structural review

21-May-2012
The Royal College of Nursing has been forced to put a major review of its structure on hold after an outcry on the final day of congress.
RCN prepared to battle government over regional pay plans

17-May-2012
The Royal College of Nursing is “prepared to take the government on” in its plans to impose regional pay in the NHS, according to the college’s chief executive and general secretary Peter Carter.
More midwives could work in community

17-May-2012
New changes to the way maternity care is funded could see increased numbers of NHS midwives working in the community.
Pearson: Poor care 'can't be dismissed as one-off events'

17-May-2012
Examples of poor nursing care are happening too often, Sir Keith Pearson told the Royal College of Nursing Congress yesterday.
Health workers strike over NHS pension proposals

10-May-2012
Up to 100,000 workers across the NHS were expected to take part in strike action today in protest at the government’s controversial pension refoms.
Nurse led TIA clinic nominated for NICE award

7-May-2012
A pioneering nurse-led clinic to care for patients who have had a transient ischaemic attack has been nominated for a national award.
Midlands trust introduces jobseekers to caring role

7-May-2012
A Midlands hospital is helping to get people back into work after teaming up with the Jobcentre Plus.
Mid Staffs inquest told of nursing mistake in twins death

4-May-2012
Two nurses delivered a massive overdose of morphine to twin baby boys who later died after being born at Stafford Hospital, an inquest has heard.
Unison members split on NHS pensions

30-Apr-2012
A ballot of Unison members on the government’s NHS pension reform plan has failed to deliver a clear verdict, the union has announced.
Survey: low staff levels threaten care

24 April 2012
Seven out of 10 nurses believe that staffing levels in their ward or care setting are inadequate to deliver “safe, dignified, compassionate care”, a snaphot survey has revealed.
Employers bid to chip away at incremental pay rises

23-Apr-2012
NHS employers are gearing up for a nationwide attempt to reduce the incremental pay rises that nurses and other staff currently receive, it has been revealed.
Nurses face lower pay to fund government's regional plans

12-Apr-2012
Nurses could face lower pay awards in years to come to help the government afford its plans for regionally aligned pay, it has emerged.

Nursing TimesShaun Lintern

Nursing Times
Shaun Lintern