RECENT NEWS
Spotlight on best practice and innovation
January 2012
Building on the success of the inaugural Florence Nightingale Foundation Conference, the second annual conference will be taking place on 8th & 9th March 2012 at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London.This Conference is aimed at senior professionals across all aspects of healthcare delivery and is relevant to everyone in healthcare.
Outcome data indicators published
February 12
Fewer people per 100,000 population aged below 75 are now dying from respiratory disease compared to nearly a decade ago.
Director of nursing for public health announced
February 12
Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley has announced that Professor Viv Bennett has been appointed as the first director of nursing in the Department of Health and the Government’s principal advisor on public health nursing.
NHS needs to build on current HCAI successes
February 12
Building on the progress made on healthcare associated infections in 2011, the Government has announced its latest ambition for the NHS.
NICE advice for end of life care
February 12
The latest in a series of good practice guides to support commissioners in designing high quality, evidence-based services to improve outcomes for patients and to help the NHS make better use of resources has been published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
PM reveals plans for nursing care
February 12
A drive to free up nurses’ time to spend on patient care has been announced by Prime Minister, David Cameron.
Low iron levels give clue to blood clot risk
February 12
People with low levels of iron in the blood have a higher risk of dangerous blood clots, according to research published in the journal Thorax.
Training boost for perioperative practitioners
February 12
The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) has received a boost to its training budget with an award of £40,000 from the Charles Wolfson Trust, which gives grants to registered charities in the fields of medicine, education and welfare.
Nursing leadership ‘crucial to quality of care’
February 12
Ward sisters/charge nurses need to be a given a more prominent leadership role in hospitals if standards of acute nursing care are to be improved, according to a new paper from the University of Birmingham’s leading health policy unit, the Health Services Management Centre.
Opportunities to tackle alcohol abuse are being missed
February 12
A report from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) has identified missed opportunities to tackle alcohol abuse through existing sexual health services.
Pocket guide to perioperative practice
February 12
The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) has launched a pocketbook guide entitled AfPP in your Pocket, which provides a concentrated snap shot of perioperative practice.
Third of cancers caused by lifestyle
February 12
More than 100,000 cancers – equivalent to one third of all those diagnosed in the UK each year – are being caused by smoking, unhealthy diets, alcohol and excess weight, according to figures from Cancer Research UK.
Abuse is a big problem for community nurses
February 12
The findings of a recent Royal College of Nursing (RCN) study show that verbal abuse, intimidation and attacks are still very real threats faced by community based nurses on a regular basis.
Warning of possible blood shortages
February 12
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has warned that a ‘perfect storm’ could be created by the bumper sporting calendar and extra bank holidays, severely affecting blood donation levels in 2012.
Funding boost for cancer trials network
February 12
The Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres (ECMC) network which runs UK clinical studies of the newest cancer treatments, has been awarded a second wave of £35 m funding for the next five years.
Alert to mimimise risks for incompatible connectors
January 2012
The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has issued a Rapid Response Report aimed at ensuring that effective controls are in place to minimise the risk of mismatching spinal, epidural or regional devices with incompatible connectors.
High-risk prostate cancer gene identified
February 12
Researchers in the US have found that faults in a gene called HOXB13 seem to be more common in men with an inherited form of prostate cancer, and among those who develop the disease at a younger age.
New GAS infection guidelines
February 12
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) together with the Group A streptococcal (GAS) Working Group has produced new guidelines for the investigation, control and prevention of GAS infection in acute healthcare settings, including maternity units.
NICE guidance on organ donation
February 12
Plans to improve the identification of potential organ donors and consent rates in order to address the shortage of organs for transplant have been set out in new guidance from NICE.
HAI watchdog awards
January 2012
A new scheme to reward individuals and teams who are championing infection prevention in hospitals has been launched by Kimberly-Clark Health Care in the UK.