In the news w/e 18 January

Your media headlines roundup, week ending 18 January…

Lens replacement led to ‘blind patches’, says artist
BBC Health – 14 Jan 2019
An artist whose vision deteriorated after lens replacement surgery is one of dozens of people considering legal action against manufacturer, Oculentis. Read the full story.

St Louis University visitors impressed by Princess Alexandra Hospital
Your Harlow – 12 Jan 2019
VISITORS from St Louis University medical department visited Princess Alexandra Hospital. They had picked quite a day for it as it was the busiest day since Christmas. Read the full story.

Exclusive: Tens of thousands of junior doctors working beyond contract
HSJ – 14 Jan 2019
Junior doctors have worked beyond their contracted terms and conditions more than 63,000 times since 2015, resulting in fines worth more than £250,000, HSJ can reveal today. Email for the full story.

Has the NHS ever had a worse idea than Skyping your GP?
The Telegraph – 14 Jan 2019
I woke up one day last November with the feeling of wetness on my ankle, even though it was dry. As someone with pretty bad health anxiety, I was immediately disconcerted. Email for the full story.

Friday is fourth annual Essex Dementia Day
Your Harlow – 14 Jan 2019
FRIDAY January 18 is the fourth annual Essex Dementia Day, a day where organisations showcase work they are doing to support those living with dementia and offer information, advice and support to individuals, their family and friends and anyone interested in learning more about how they can help. Read the full story.

NHS surveys exempted from 1.6m patients’ data sharing opt-outs
HSJ – 14 Jan 2019
The preferences of 1.6m people who do not want to share their health data will not apply to patient experience surveys after concerns were raised it would undermine improvements in care. Email for the full story.

The long-term plan supports full digitisation of the NHS
HSJ – 15 Jan 2019
The long-term plan for the NHS, published on Monday, reveals a high level of technology and digital ambition for the service. Email for the full story.

Single chief exec appointed to neighbouring CCGs
HSJ – 15 Jan 2019
A single accountable officer has been appointed to two clinical commissioning groups in neighbouring counties. Email for the full story.

Primary care should ‘direct’ community health teams – official review
HSJ – 15 Jan 2019
Community health teams have not integrated with GP services and should in future be “based in” and “under the clinical and service direction” of primary care networks, the author of a government review of general practice has said. Email for the full story.

NHS England reveals funding allocations for CCGs with focus on deprived areas
National Health Executive – 14 Jan 2019
NHS England has submitted its funding allocations for CCGs in 2019-20 and aims to help improve some of the most deprived areas, with some CCGs seeing a cash increase of up to 15% next year. Read the full story.

Regulator considers acquiring efficiency company from government
HSJ – 16 Jan 2019
NHS Improvement is considering whether to take ownership of the new company set up to deliver billions of pounds of savings to the NHS, it has emerged. Email for the full story.

Technology and the future of the NHS: An HSJ and Siemens Healthineers roundtable
HSJ – 16 Jan 2019
At the event, held in association with Siemens Healthineers, members of a small expert group were asked to consider how technology might shape the future of the NHS. Email for the full story.

Princess Alexandra Hospital opens new specialist ward
Your Harlow – 16 Jan 2019
Princess Alexandra Hospital has officially opened a newly built ward, which has created more bed space to meet the growing needs of patients in Harlow. Read the full story.

Breast cancer risk test ‘game changer’
BBC Health – 15 Jan 2019
Experts have developed a potentially “game-changing” test to predict a woman’s risk of breast cancer. Read the full story.

Contact lens recycling scheme launched across UK
BBC Health – 15 Jan 2019
Contact lens wearers will be able to recycle their lenses for free in a new UK-wide scheme launching this week. Read the full story.

Liver transplant ‘game changing’ treatment approved
BBC Health – 16 Jan 2019
A new procedure for storing livers donated for transplant has been hailed a “game changer” and approved for use on the NHS. Read the full story.

Junior doctors repeatedly working past shift end, NHS data shows
The Guardian – 15 Jan 2019
Tens of thousands of junior doctors are working past the end of their shifts because hospitals are so understaffed, NHS figures show. Read the full story.

Fears raised that Cheshunt Community Hospital will no longer offer blood testing service
Hertfordshire Mercury – 16 Jan 2019
It has been announced by the NHS East and North Hertfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group that the service is out for procurement – meaning it will no longer be provided by The Royal Free as its contract comes to an end. Read the full story.

Princess Alexandra Hospital opens new 27-bed ward to meet growing demands in Hertfordshire and Essex
Hertfordshire Mercury – 16 Jan 2019
A new 27-bed ward has opened at Princess Alexandra Hospital to meet growing demands and ease pressure on the emergency department. Read the full story.

Stansted Airport to pay Brexit bill for EU workers
Bishop’s Stortford Independent – 16 Jan 2019
Stansted Airport staff from countries in the European Union are to get financial help to stay in the UK. Read the full story.

Man found hanging two days after being discharged from hospital, inquest heard
EssexLive – 15 Jan 2019
He had a medical history of panic attacks and depression and was admitted to The Priory Hospital in Chelmsford, before being transferred to The Lakes Mental Health Hospital based in Colchester. Read the full story.

Teenage cancer survival ‘on the up’ in England, report finds
BBC Health – 17 Jan 2019
Survival rates for teenagers and young adults with cancer in England are improving, particularly for those with leukaemia and bone cancer, says a report by Teenage Cancer Trust and Public Health England. Read the full story.

The diet to save lives, the planet and feed us all?
BBC Health – 17 Jan 2019
A diet has been developed that promises to save lives, feed 10 billion people and all without causing catastrophic damage to the planet. Read the full story.

Health secretary asked to halt £1bn community services tender
HSJ – 17 Jan 2019
An MP has asked health secretary Matt Hancock to halt the “potentially disastrous” procurement of community services worth more than £1bn, after claiming the process does not align with the NHS long-term plan. Email for the full story.

Council’s handling of Stansted Airport planning application to be investigated
Saffron Walden Reporter – 14 Jan 2019
One of the cases to be studied will be Stansted Airport’s application to increase their passenger capacity as well as other large planning applications that will “enhance the value of the study”. Read the full story.

Pharmacists warn of a ‘surge’ in shortage of common medicines
BBC Health – 18 Jan 2019
Pharmacists say they are struggling to obtain many common medicines and paying “vastly increased” prices for them. Read the full story.

NHSE no-deal Brexit head picked
HSJ – 17 Jan 2019
NHS England director of acute care Keith Willett has been seconded to jointly lead a 200 strong team preparing the NHS for a no-deal Brexit, HSJ has learned. Email for the full story.

CCGs reveal large backlogs of death reviews
HSJ – 18 Jan 2019
NHS England has been urged to dramatically increase its funding for reviews of learning disability deaths, as clinical commissioning groups have revealed large backlogs with their investigations. Email for the full story.