In the news w/e 29 March

Your media headlines roundup, week ending 29 March…

Stansted prepares for summer with major investment
Travel Weekly – 21 March 2019
Stansted has invested in its facilities and staff as it prepares for a record-breaking summer season. The airport experienced its busiest summer last year with 8.4 million passengers passing through between June and August, with 10,000 in one day at its peak. Read the full story.

M11 closure: No action over Stansted coach ‘bomb hoax’
BBC News – 21 March 2019
A man arrested on suspicion of making hoax bomb threats which caused a motorway to be closed will face no action. A coach driver called police after people on board raised concerns about a fellow passenger on the service from Stansted to London. Read the full story.

Stansted expansion: Hundreds of new jobs
Braintree and Witham Times – 22 March 2019
HUNDREDS of new jobs are set to be created at an airport which is undergoing a major transformation. Bosses at Stansted Airport say they are seeking to employ at least 250 new members of staff to help contend with a planned expansion. Read the full story.

More than 2,000 in Saffron Walden constituency sign ‘stop Brexit’ petition
Saffron Walden Reporter – 22 March 2019
The petition, which calls for Brexit to be cancelled, has gained well over 2.5million signatures with the host website crashing at one point, due to the volume of visitors adding their names. Read the full story.

Fresh food voucher scheme launched for foodbank users
Saffron Walden Reporter – 21 March 2019
A new food voucher scheme has been set up for people using Uttlesford Foodbank to access fresh fruit, vegetables and meat. Read the full story.

Cafe launched in Dunmow for those who have suffered bereavement
Saffron Walden Reporter – 22 March 2019
The cafes have been opened by St Clare Hospice. Opening monthly at each location, the Bereavement Cafés will offer people a place to meet others who have had similar experiences over with tea and cake in a relaxed environment. Read the full story.

Epping Forest Voluntary Action launches Digital Learning Community Project for elderly residents
Epping Forest Guardian – 22 March 2019
The Digital Learners Community Project will help the elderly and members of Voluntary Action Epping Forest (VAEF) through one-to-one ‘digital buddies’ training sessions. Read the full story.

Stansted gets set for record-breaking summer with programme of recruitment and investment
Cambridge Network – 26 March 2019
London Stansted is recruiting hundreds of new staff and investing significantly in new facilities and service improvements as the airport gets set for another record-breaking summer season. Read the full story.

National Express doubles services between Stratford and Stansted Aiport
East Anglian Daily Times – 25 March 2019
National Express have made it twice as easy for travellers to reach Stansted Airport by doubling the services it offers. Read the full story.

Breast ironing awareness ‘needed in school’
BBC Health – 26 March 2019
Breast ironing awareness should be made part of the mandatory school curriculum to protect young girls from abuse, the National Education Union has said. Read the full story.

Coroners could investigate stillbirths, say ministers
BBC Health – 26 March 2019
Coroners in England and Wales may be given new powers to investigate stillbirths, so that each baby death is independently assessed. Read the full story.

Together we can beat bowel cancer says Harlow’s Princess Alexandra Hospital
Your Harlow – 26 March 2019
WITH the nationwide spotlight next month (April) on bowel cancer, as the fourth most common cancer in the UK today, people in Harlow are being urged to join The Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust (PAHT) in beating bowel cancer together. Read the full story.

Coroner report sparks concern over lack of ADHD services
HSJ – 26 March 2019
Experts have warned commissioners are being “short-sighted” in their lack of support for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, with many areas failing to provide a diagnosis service. Email for the full story.

CCGs under strain again from generic drug prices
HSJ – 26 March 2019
The number of generic drugs being sold above national tariff rose to its highest rate in over two years at the start of 2019, despite national efforts to cut this number. Email for the full story.

Sitting down for too long may be causing 70,000 UK deaths a year
The Guardian – 26 March 2019
Extended sitting or lying down in daytime increases risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer – and costs NHS £700m – says study. Read the full story.

Exclusive: Trusts failing to meet national efficiency targets
HSJ – 27 March 2019
NHS trusts continue to miss targets aimed at helping hospitals spend millions of pounds more effectively, HSJ can reveal. Email for the full story.

Councils seek NHS funding to cover drug trial pressures
HSJ – 27 March 2019
Councils in London are seeking additional funding from NHS England to help deal with cost pressures arising from trials for an HIV drug. Email for the full story.

Beech Ward and Supportist Discharge Team at Epping Hospital receives honour at NHS Quality Awards
Epping Forest Guardian – 27 March 2019
A volunteer group who helps patients recover from brain injuries in hospital was presented the highest award at a ceremony last weekend. Read the full story

The A&E map of shame: Graphic reveals the 10 NHS trusts where the most patients are waiting more than four hours to be treated
Daily Mail – 27 March 2019
The Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust in Harlow, Essex, cared for just 64 per cent of its A&E patients within the NHS time target last month. Read the full story.

New report stresses link between nurses and safety
HSJ – 26 March 2019
A new review of safe staffing evidence has warned increasing the proportion of healthcare assistants on wards can raise the risk of poor care. Email for the full story.

NHS workforce decisions on hold until autumn
HSJ – 26 March 2019
The interim workforce implementation plan will not answer key questions until after the spending review, its national executive lead has told HSJ. Email for the full story.

Male pill – why are we still waiting?
BBC News – 26 March 2019
A birth control pill for men has passed initial human safety tests, experts at a leading medical conference have heard. Read the full story.

New integrated care service for patients in West Essex
Saffron Walden Reporter – 26 March 2019
The West Essex NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), made up of 32 GP practices across Uttlesford, Harlow and Epping Forest, has awarded a contract for a new integrated care service, which launches next month. Read the full story.

Cleaners at Essex hospital to vote on industrial action over ‘privatisation’ plan
ITV News – 26 March 2019
Cleaners at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow are to be balloted on industrial action over plans to outside domestic services. Read the full story.

Minister targets anti-vaccination websites
BBC News – 26 March 2019
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock wants new legislation to force social media companies to remove content promoting false information about vaccines. Read the full story.

New brain cells made throughout life
BBC News – 25 March 2019
People keep making new brain cells throughout their lives (well at least until the age of 97), according to a study on human brains. Read the full story.

‘Revolving doors’ for failed managers must be stopped
HSJ – 28 March 2019
Ministers should take action to prevent managers guilty of serious misconduct from “rattling around the system”, the leading barrister who oversaw a recent review of the NHS’s fit and proper person test has told HSJ. Email for the full story.

‘Concerning’ rise in longer out of area placements
HSJ – 27 March 2019
Concerns have been raised over the rising numbers of longer out of area placements for mental health patients. Email for the full story.

Hancock tech adviser slates ‘insane’ outsourcing of NHS data
HSJ – 27 March 2019
One of the health secretary’s main technology advisers has called the secrecy and outsourcing of hospital performance data “insane”. Email for the full story.

Labour to green-light all NHS visas
HSJ – 27 March 2019
The Labour party would ensure work visas for anyone who has a job offer in the NHS “at whatever level”, shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth announced today. Email for the full story.

Is it time to raise the smoking age to 21?
BBC News – 28 March 2019
There is a growing clamour to raise the age at which tobacco products can be bought, from 18 to 21 following an idea put forward by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health. Read the full story.

Mobility and care company Elias Care officially opens along Epping High Street
Epping Forest Guardian – 27 March 2019
The new store, which sells mobility products also has a special area to hold group meetings for residents to discuss their experience of caring or suffering with dementia, Parkinson’s and strokes. Read the full story.

New 22 bed rehabilitation centre opens in Rochford Hospital
Echo, 27 March 2019
The 22-bed Cumberlege Intermediate Care Centre (CICC) will be dedicated to patients who are preparing for discharge. EPUT provide community health, mental health and learning disability services for a population of approximately 1.3 million people throughout Essex and Suffolk. Read the full story.

Campaign launched as M11 remains litter hotspot in East of England
Saffron Walden – 28 March 2019
More than 3,800 bags of litter were collected from the M11 roadside last year, making it the top litter hotspot in the East of England. Read the full story.

Spelling errors hold up funding agreement for Hertfordshire respite centre Nascot Lawn
Hemel Today – 28 March 2019
The agreement – which includes a financial commitment by the county’s two clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) – had initially been expected to be finalised in the autumn, before the Nascot Lawn respite centre closed. Read the full story.

Newborn hip checks ‘have failed to prevent late diagnosis’
BBC Health – 29 March 2019
The current system of checking newborns for hip problems is failing, resulting in too many late diagnoses and corrective surgery, a study suggests. Read the full story.

Brexit: NHS no-deal fears prompt call for drugs export ban
BBC Health – 29 March 2019
Pharmaceutical industry leaders want a temporary ban on drugs exports to prevent the NHS being hit by shortages in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Read the full story.

New NHS price comparison tool in the pipeline
HSJ – 29 March 2019
A new price comparison tool is being designed by NHS technology officials which could be rolled out to trusts later this year, HSJ has learned. Email for the full story.

NHS calls on private sector as waiting list spirals
HSJ – 29 March 2019
NHS leaders in Manchester will send more patients to privately-run hospitals to tackle a spiralling waiting list for elective procedures. Email for the full story.

NHS gender pay gap: Male doctors earn 17% more than female peers, review reveals
The Independent – 29 March 2019
Male doctors in the NHS earn 17 per cent more than their female colleagues, according to official gender pay figures which show men continue to dominate the best-paid specialities. Read the full story.

Essex Cares rolls out innovative StoriiCare software
Your Harlow – 27 March 2019
ESSEX Cares Ltd (ECL), one of the leading care companies in South East England, has implemented an innovative new software platform, StoriiCare, across all of their older people day services. Read the full story.

Princess Alexandra Hospital celebrates ‘Baby Friendly’ endorsement from Unicef
Your Harlow – 28 March 2019
THE Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) has again been hailed as ‘Baby Friendly’ by global children’s champion, Unicef. Read the full story.