In the news w/e 28 December

Your media headlines roundup, week ending 28 December…

Hertfordshire hospitals have had ‘no message’ to suspend operations to cope with A&E pressures this winter
Watford Observer – 21 Dec 2018
East and North Herts CCG chief executive Beverley Flowers is co-ordinating winter planning for the Hertfordshire and West Essex Strategic Transformation Partnership. Email for the full story.

The reality of Christmas in Essex’s A&Es as units forced to shut FIVE times last week
Essex Live – 21 Dec 2018
Hospitals across Essex had to temporarily close their accident and emergency (A&E) departments five times last week as the NHS continues to come under pressure. Email for the full story.

Essex and Herts Air Ambulance applies to Epping Forest District Council for new airbase in North Weald
East London & West Essex Guardian – 24 Dec 2018
Essex and Herts Air Ambulance has applied for planning from Epping Forest District for premises in North Weald in a bid to secure the future of the North Weald operation of the charity. Email for the full story.

Praise for staff as care home is rated outstanding by team of inspectors
Saffron Walden Reporter – 21 Dec 2018
A Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) report awarded Care UK’s Mountfitchet House in Coltsfield ‘outstanding’ in its level of care, having a well-led service, and its responsiveness, resulting in an overall ‘outstanding’ rating. Email for the full story.

Details of NHS services in Harlow over Christmas and New Year period
Your Harlow – 23 Dec 2018
If you or a family member rely on essential medication to stay well, don’t put your health at risk, think ahead and get your request for important repeat medication into your GP or pharmacy in good time. Read the full story.

Spinal surgery for unborn babies to be available on NHS
BBC Health – 22 Dec 2018
Spinal surgery for unborn babies with the birth defect spina bifida is to be made routinely available on the NHS in England, officials have announced. Read the full story.

Bus services in Epping Forest could be reduced
East London & West Essex – 24 Dec 2018
Currently Essex County Council spends £1.3m a year subsidising the journeys of 500,000 passengers travelling in the evening on weekday and Saturday buses. Read the full story.

Stansted care home transformed into Lapland with the help of alpacas
Dunmow Broadcast – 25 Dec 2018
Staff and residents at Mountfitchet House enjoyed a week long roller coaster of festive occasions, starting with the home being turned into a winter wonderland and ending with a party where musician Brian Shaw performed and family attended. Read the full story.

Councillors give green light to 250 new houses in Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden Reporter – 25 Dec 2018
Previous development of one of the sites, on farmland in Thaxted Road, was opposed by residents and the town council, rejected by Uttlesford District Council’s (UDC) planning committee, found ‘unsound’ by the local plan inspector in 2014 and then refused by a planning inspector at appeal in 2015. Read the full story.

Walden Bikers deliver Christmas presents to children at Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Saffron Walden Reporter – 25 Dec 2018
Thirty-two members of the Walden Bikers dressed as Santa gathered in the car park at Saffron Walden common for an early morning start with the Cambridge Bikers. Read the full story.

Why are more boys than girls born every single year?
BBC Health – 25 Dec 2018
Since records began in 1838, the cries of babies born every year have been predominately male. Read the full story.

Parking fees rise at many hospitals in 2017-18, analysis finds
BBC Health – 25 Dec 2018
Four in 10 NHS hospitals in England have increased car parking prices in the last year, new data suggests. Read the full story.

How to resist ‘drink pushers’ during the festive season
BBC Health – 25 Dec 2018
When actor Stephen McGann recently tweeted about his frustration with people who pressurised others to drink alcohol, he received an outpouring of support on social media. Read the full story.

New legislation plays into an increase in the level of homelessness in Uttlesford
Dunmow Broadcast 27 Dec 2018

New figures show the number of homelessness applications to the council in Uttlesford has increased in the last year. Read the full story.

New mental health strategy for Stortford children with mental health problems
Bishops Stortford Independent 27 Dec 2018

The Government has named Hertfordshire as one of only 25 areas to benefit from the launch of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in 2019. MHSTs are a key initiative set out in the Government’s recent Children and Young People Mental Health Green Paper. Read the full story.

Best of 2018: HSJ’s top acute care stories
HSJ 27 Dec 2018
As the dust settles on 2018, we look at the most read articles relating to the acute sector. They include Sir David Nicholson joining a troubled trust, a leadership exodus in Lancashire and news that an interim manager was paid £311,000 for six months’ work. Email for the full story.

The simple tips to improve your health
BBC News 27 Dec 2018
If you are contemplating a new year’s health kick, you could be forgiven for feeling a little overwhelmed. But what if you were to make only one change? Read the full story.