In the news w/e 19 July

Your media headlines roundup, week ending 19 July…

Plant-based milks on the rise: A quarter of Britons are drinking them
BBC News – 19 July 2019
Whether it’s almond, soy or coconut it seems more people are ditching cow’s milk for the plant-based stuff. Read the full story.

Music ‘calms nerves before surgery’ as well as sedative
BBC News – 19 July 2019
Listening to the “world’s most relaxing song” before an operation could be just as good at calming patients’ nerves as medication, US researchers say. Read the full story.

Only a quarter of NHS land sale proceeds used on new estates’ projects
HSJ – 19 July 2019
Less than a quarter of the money raised from NHS property sales last year went back into the capital budget for reinvestment in the estate, according to provider accounts. Email for the full story.

East and North Herts NHS group awarded ‘Outstanding’ rating for 2018/19
The Comet – 18 July 2019
The organisation that plans, designs and pays for our NHS service has been awarded an ‘outstanding’ rating. Read the full story.

Parents of sick and premature babies should get more leave – PM
BBC News – 18 July 2019
It is “not fair and not right” that some parents have to return to work before their newborn leaves hospital, Theresa May has said as she launched a consultation on parental leave. Read the full story.

Skin cancer risk ‘not just from holiday sun’
BBC Health – 18 July 2019
Skin cancer rates have “soared” in the UK over the last decade, particularly in men and younger adults, Cancer Research UK (CRUK) has warned. Read the full story.

Child mental health unit referrals ‘up nearly 50%’
BBC Health – 18 July 2019
Referrals to child mental health units from UK primary schools for pupils aged 11 and under have risen by nearly 50% in three years, the BBC has learned. Read the full story.

Menstrual cups ‘as reliable as tampons’
BBC Health – 17 July 2019
Women can be assured that menstrual cups are as leakproof as tampons and pads, say researchers who have carried out the first, large scientific review of sanitary products. Read the full story.

NHS could save billions by offering cash reward to quit smoking
The Guardian – 17 July 2019
Offering financial rewards to people trying to quit smoking could save the NHS billions of pounds a year and boost the economy, according to research. Read the full story.

Three organisations in STP leave special measures
HSJ – 17 July 2019
Three organisations, which are part of a sustainability and transformation partnership once seen as one of the country’s most challenged, have left financial special measures. Email for the full story.

NHS trialling smartphone cystitis test that lets you get treatment without seeing a GP
The Mirror – 17 July 2019
NHS England is trialling a smartphone app that allows women suffering with urinary tract infections to get treatment without seeing a GP. Read the full story.

DR Congo Ebola outbreak declared global health emergency
BBC Health – 17 July 2019
The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo a “public health emergency of international concern”.Read the full story.

Conjoined twins separated in incredible mission 
BBC Health – 16 July 2019
The BBC has been granted exclusive access to a ground-breaking series of operations in a British hospital to separate two sisters. Read the full story.

GPs in England receive over 250,000 inappropriate NHS 111 referrals per month
Pulse – 16 July 2019
GPs in England receive over a quarter of a million inappropriate referrals from NHS 111 every month, a Pulse survey has shown. Read the full story.

Alzheimer’s risk ‘different in women and men’
BBC Health – 16 July 2019
Scientists say they may have discovered why more women than men have Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Read the full story.

NHSE and I set to scrap one in seven posts
HSJ – 16 July 2019
NHS England and Improvement are beginning the third and largest phase of the restructure bringing the two organisations together, which is expected in total to remove about 15 per cent of posts. Email for the full story.

Young children among 11 deaths sparking concerns over 111/999 software
HSJ – 15 July 2019
An HSJ investigation has uncovered 11 prevention of future death reports since 2015 where coroners raised safety concerns about NHS Pathways software used by NHS 111 and 999 call handlers. Email for the full story.

Exclusive: Patients die after multiple warnings about national 999 IT system dismissed
HSJ – 15 July 2019
Patients have died after the government overruled multiple safety concerns raised about an IT system used to triage 16 million NHS patients a year. Email for the full story.

NHS hospitals increasingly charging disabled patients to park, investigation finds as minister pledges investigation
The Telegraph – 15 July 2019
NHS hospitals are increasingly forcing disabled patients to pay for parking, an investigation reveals. Read the full story.

Anorexia stems from body as well as mind – study
BBC Health – 15 July 2019
The origins of the eating disorder anorexia nervosa are in both the mind and the body, according to an international study. Read the full story.

Quango spends £11m shedding hundreds of staff
HSJ – 15 July 2019
The government agency charged with delivering NHS digital transformation spent £11m last year shedding more than 400 staff. Email for the full story.

Dementia: Lifestyle changes that could lower your risk
BBC Health – 14 July 2019
Nearly everyone can lower their risk of dementia, even if it runs in the family, by living a healthy lifestyle, research suggests. Read the full story.

5-star rating for visitor restaurant at Princess Alexandra Hospital
Bishop’s Stortford Independent – 12 July 2019
Watchdogs have given Princess Alexandra Hospital’s restaurant a clean bill of health. Read the full story.

Epping Town Council oppose three housing proposals by Theydon Trust
Epping Forest Guardian – 12 July 2019
Plans to build three new properties have been opposed by Epping Town Council. Read the full story.

Rise in NHS compensation bill
Epping Forest Guardian – 12 July 2019
The cost of NHS compensation payouts is on the rise, with maternity blunders accounting for a huge sum, figures show. Read the full story.

Emerade adrenaline pens: Warning over faulty allergy injectors
BBC Health – 12 July 2019
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said some have blocked needles, so cannot deliver adrenaline. Read the full story.

5G health risks: What’s the evidence?
BBC Health – 12 July 2019
The 5G mobile network has been switched on in some UK cities and has led to questions about whether the new technology poses health risks. Read the full story.

Harlow Biomedical scientist Cherie Beckett scoops Amazing Individual Award from the Princess Alexandra Hospital
Your Harlow – 12 July 2019
Biomedical Scientist Cherie Beckett has won the Amazing Individual Award from the Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust. Read the full story.

DHSC avoids budget breach with Treasury help
HSJ – 12 July 2019
The Department of Health and Social Care avoided breaching its key spending limits in 2018-19, after receiving £600m of additional in-year support from the Treasury. Email for the full story.