In the news w/e 22 March

Your media headlines roundup, week ending 22 March …

‘Bring your own food and drink’: New QEII Hospital in Welwyn Garden City to lose its café
Welwyn Hatfield – 16 March 2019
A spokesperson for East and North Hertfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: “The company that runs the café and refreshment vending machines has decided that it no longer wishes to continue running a service at the New QEII and will be moving out. Read the full story.

MPs call for tax on social media companies
BBC Health – 18 March 2019
A group of MPs is calling for a tax on social media companies’ profits, saying the firms are operating in “an online wild west”. Read the full story.

NHSE/I reveal regional director teams
HSJ – 18 March 2019
NHS England and Improvement have identified most of the directors who will work in their new joint regional teams. Email for the full story.

One in every four children in care in Essex is not up to date with their vaccinations
Your Harlow – 15 March 2019
New figures from Public Health England reveal that 730 children were being looked after by local authorities in the county in 2018. Read the full story.

NHS accepted money from milk formula industry
The Telegraph – 18 March 2019
NHS bodies are risking babies’ health by accepting money from milk formula companies in breach of World Health Organization rules, an investigation has found. Read the full story.

Is Harlow being used to ‘socially cleanse’ London?
The Guardian – 16 March 2019
Councils in the capital are dumping vulnerable people in small and unsuitable flats, it is claimed. Read the full story.

Epping Forest District Council awarded over £85,000 grant for community projects
Epping Forest Guardian – 19 March 2019
The district council was awarded a £83,450 grant to fund community projects and support organisations this month. Read the full story.

NHS East and North Hertfordshire CCG “working closely” with providers to ensure blood testing services are available at Cheshunt Community Hospital
Hertfordshire Mercury – 18 March 2019
The NHS East and North Hertfordshire CCG says it is “working closely” with providers to ensure blood testing services are available at Cheshunt Community Hospital. Read the full story.

Lakes patient was found dead near mental health unit
Maldon Standard – 18 March 2019
A PATIENT was found dead in the bushes at Colchester Hospital by a member of the public after being let out on leave from a mental health unit, an inquest has heard. Read the full story.

Cancer doctor shortage ‘puts care at risk’
BBC Health – 19 March 2019
A Royal College of Radiologists census of 62 major UK cancer centres found more than 7.5% of consultant posts were vacant, with services maintained only by large amounts of overtime. Read the full story.

NHS infection and safety inquiry begins at Holyrood
BBC Health – 19 March 2019
MSPs will start hearing evidence later about safety and infection rates in Scotland’s NHS. Read the full story.

GMC to examine how workplace facilities affect doctors’ training
HSJ – 19 March 2019
The General Medical Council will be asking junior doctors about the impact workplace facilities have on their training for the first time, it has announced. Email for the full story.

Patient accuses nurse of sexual assault at Basildon hospital
Halstead Gazette – 20 March 2019
AN investigation has been launched into claims a nurse sexually assaulted a patient at a mental health unit. Read the full story.

Essex County Council Sunday bus service consultation deadline this Friday
Epping Forest Guardian – 19 March 2019
A consultation launched by Essex County Council investigating the importance of Sunday bus services within the county is set to conclude this Friday. Read the full story.

Harlow hospital celebrates as pathology laboratory success puts it among top trusts
Your Harlow – 19 March 2019
THE pathology service staff at Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) are celebrating maintaining accreditation by a national assessment body which puts it among top NHS trusts. Read the full story.

Potent cannabis increases risk of serious mental illness, says study
BBC Health – 20 March 2019
Smoking potent ‘skunk-like’ cannabis increases your risk of serious mental illness, say researchers. Read the full story.

Revealed: CCGs restricting access to basic treatments
HSJ – 20 March 2019
Nearly one in five clinical commissioning groups are restricting access to at least three basic elective surgeries and treatments, according to researchers. Email for the full story.

Report: ‘Patients dying in hospital waiting for community care’
HSJ – 20 March 2019
Terminally-ill patients are “needlessly dying in hospital” because they are waiting too long for specialist care packages, according to a charity’s new report. Email for the full story.

New targets could lead to ‘bad practice’, warn clinicians
HSJ – 20 March 2019
A new one-hour target for sepsis, set out in NHS England’s standards review this month, could encourage “bad clinical practice to beat the clock”, a senior clinical leader has cautioned. Email for the full story.

Travellers turned away from GP surgeries despite NHS guidance
The Guardian – 20 March 2019
Travellers and other vulnerable groups without a fixed address or proof of ID are being turned away from GP surgeries despite NHS guidance that they should be treated, a charity has claimed. Read the full story.

NHS England restricts patients’ access to cataract removal
The Guardian – 20 March 2019
Patients who are losing their sight are being forced to wait for months before having eye cataracts removed because of NHS cost-cutting, research has revealed. Read the full story.

Essex & Herts Air Ambulance to carry blood supplies
Bishop’s Stortford Independent – 20 March 2019
From today (March 20) Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) will carry blood supplies on board its helicopters and rapid response vehicles (RRVs), meaning that medics will now be able to give patients pre-hospital transfusions. Read the full story.

Interest in reopening café at New QEII Hospital in Welwyn Garden City
Welwyn Hatfield Times – 20 March 2019
A spokesperson for East and North Hertfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: “CHP are working with other companies who are interested in taking over the running of the café, given the strong desire of the CCG, staff and patients to have a café on site. Read the full story.

Epping Fit Club set to open at Coopersale Social Institute Hall in April by Epping Town Mayor
Epping Forest Guardian – 20 March 2019
Two sisters who run kickboxing classes in between working full time are launching a new fitness club for all abilities next month. Read the full story.

NHS ‘no chance of training enough staff’
BBC News – 21 March 2019
The NHS in England has no chance of training enough GPs and nurses to solve the shortages it faces, experts say. Read the full story.

Exclusive: NHS trusts dismiss Brexit impact on staff retention
HSJ – 20 March 2019
NHS trusts are not expecting disruption to services caused by EU staff leaving because of Brexit, according to analysis by HSJ. Email for the full story.

HEE £900m budget boost needed to tackle workforce crisis – report
HSJ – 21 March 2019
The report, Closing the Gap, set out a series of policy actions that should be “at the heart of the NHS’ new workforce implementation plan”, an interim version of which is expected imminently. The report largely focuses on nursing staff and GPs. Email for the full story.

NHS could end up short of 70,000 nurses and 7,000 GPs, warns report
Sky News – 21 March 2019
The NHS could be short of 70,000 nurses and 7,000 GPs within five years unless urgent action is taken to address a growing staffing crisis, according to analysis by health think tanks. Read the full story.

Initiative launched in Hertsmere to reduce risk of elderly people stockpiling medicines
Watford Observer – 21 March 2019
A new initiative has been launched aimed at helping people who are housebound to use medicines and more effectively and reduce stockpiles of drugs in their homes. Read the full story.

Cervical screening: DIY smear test could be ‘game-changer’
BBC Health – 21 March 2019
Women are to be offered the chance to carry out smear tests at home in a bid to cut the rates of cervical cancer. Read the full story.

‘Baby Grady’ gives fertility hope to boys with cancer
BBC Health – 22 March 2019
Scientists say they have made a significant leap towards helping boys with cancer stay fertile, thanks to a baby monkey called Grady. Read the full story.

Expect a rise in patients suing NHS over long waits, watchdog warns
The Guardian – 22 March 2019
The NHS should expect a surge of medical negligence claims because of longer waiting lists in areas including cancer care and planned operations, Whitehall’s spending watchdog has said. Read the full story.

‘Insufficient progress’ made on cutting waiting list, says NAO
HSJ – 22 March 2019
The NHS has made “insufficient progress” on cutting its elective waiting list, according to the government’s spending watchdog. Email for the full story.

Waiting list plans could see 250k patients referred to private care
HSJ – 22 March 2019
An estimated extra quarter of a million patients a year could be referred to the private sector under proposed waiting list rules, HSJ analysis has revealed. Email for the full story.