Saturday, 18 May 2013 06:49:13 am
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Nurses commuting for longer, says research
17-05-2013
Nursing commutes have increased by a fifth in the past five years, new research shows.
According to data from specialist recruiter Randstad Care, nurses have seen their commutes lengthen by three ...More
'Shocking' number of child carers revealed
17-05-2013
Almost 10,000 children aged between five and seven are acting as unpaid carers for family members and guardians, official figures show.
Data from the 2011 census highlights around 250,000 children and ...More
Cameron will compromise over childcare ratios plans
17-05-2013
David Cameron has said he is prepared to compromise over proposed changes to childcare ratios.
His words come following Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg’s concerns over the policy move to increase ...More
Coalition failing to put child health on political agenda
16-05-2013
The coalition government has failed to deliver on its promise to be ‘family friendly’, a new damning report by the British Medical Association (BMA) has claimed.
The report Growing up in ...More
Obesity higher in more deprived groups
16-05-2013
Children from deprived areas are almost twice as likely to be obese than those in affluent areas.
A trend analysis from Public Health England (PHE) Changes in children’s body mass index ...More
New PII insurance arrangements 'smacks of inequality'
16-05-2013
Health visitors and school nurses may end up having to pay up to £1,200-a-year for their own public indemnity insurance under new EU regulations.
Unite said the proposals ‘smack of inequality’ ...More
Integration will become a reality by 2018, says Lamb
14-05-2013
Healthcare will be fully joined up with social care in England by 2018, Care Minister Norman Lamb has announced.
Integration ‘projects’ are expected to be in every part of the country ...More
Child sexual abuse protection cases rising
14-05-2013
A record number of children have been safeguarded from sexual abusers in the past year, figures from a UK child protection agency have revealed.
During 2012/2013, the Child Exploitation and Online ...More
Underweight children in danger of being 'missed'
13-05-2013
Underweight school children are being ignored thanks to an ‘obsession’ with obesity, a study has claimed.
Researchers from Essex University showcased their study, which involved 10,000 children aged nine to 16 ...More
Cash boost to improve care of homeless
13-05-2013
Voluntary services are to receive a £10m cash boost to better care for homeless people once they leave hospital.
Homeless people are six times more likely to attend A&E than those ...More
New EU 'sharps' law comes into force
13-05-2013
New European legislation has come into effect to protect healthcare workers from sharps injuries.
Figures show sharps injuries account for 17% of NHS staff injuries and between 1996 and 2009, the ...More
Scheme launched to stop children arriving to school in nappies
13-05-2013
Rising numbers of children are starting school in nappies in Kent, it has been claimed.
Kent Community Health NHS Trust investigated 18 schools, of which 24 children did not know how ...More
Student nursing pilot details unveiled
10-05-2013
Around 200 nursing students will be placed on paid placements to work as healthcare assistants before starting their degree this autumn to pilot government proposals to overhaul nursing training.
England’s ...More
Barrister comments on child abuse cases 'beggers belief'
10-05-2013
The NSPCC has criticised the ‘outdated’ and ‘ill informed’ comments made by a leading barrister who has called for the age of consent to be lowered to 13 in the ...More
Clegg's fears over childcare ratio reforms
09-05-2013
Calls are growing for the government to drop its controversial plan to ‘relax’ childcare ratios after the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has admitted he has doubts over the policy.
Education ...More
CPHVA warns Cameron not to back down on standardised tobacco packaging
08-05-2013
Thousands of children’s lives will be put at risk if the government backs down on plans to introduce standardised cigarette packaging, CPHVA has warned.
All eyes will be on the Queen’s ...More
Key NHS targets missed in Wales
07-05-2013
The Welsh government has been accused of two years of NHS ‘failure’ after key A&E, ambulance and cancer targets were missed.
During weekly questions with First Minister Carwyn Jones, the BBC ...More
Child obesity levels in Scotland has 'stabilised'
07-05-2013
More than one in seven five year olds in Scotland is clinically overweight or obese, latest figures show.
Official figures reveal 14.9% of primary one children were classified a overweight, obese ...More
NI health trusts miss absenteeism targets
07-05-2013
Figures from the Audit Office shows the level of absenteeism has dropped among public sector workers yet government targets were still not met.
The majority of employees taking sick leave are ...More
PSHE education 'not yet good enough' in England
03-05-2013
Four in ten schools are offering ‘inadequate’ PHSE education in England, schools regulator OFSTED has found.
The report Not yet good enough investigated PSHE (personal, social, health and economic) lessons in ...More
CCGs open the door to the private sector
02-05-2013
Close to 80 private sector companies are believed to have turned up to a so-called ‘marketing day’ aimed at re-thinking how community services are provided in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Unite has ...More
Miscarriage trauma higher in subfertile women
01-05-2013
Women who conceive through IVF are more likely suffer a greater trauma following a miscarriage than those who conceive naturally, a Hong Kong study has claimed.
Miscarriage occurs in 20% of ...More
Nurses to 'self-regulate' over new insurance requirements
30-04-2013
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) will follow a self-regulation approach to the new personal indemnity insurance requirements.
By 25 October 2013 all UK nurses will be legally required to demonstrate ...More
NMC referrals start to fall in the wake of Francis
30-04-2013
Referrals to the NMC were down last month as the expected ‘Francis effect’ has so far failed to materialise.
Referrals rose to 357 in February 2013, up from 352 in January ...More
CPHVA concerned over NHS capacity to deliver new vaccination programmes
30-04-2013
Updates to the UK’s vaccination programme will protect millions more from the effects of flu, shingles, diarrohea and meningitis C, it has been claimed.
However, Unite/CPHVA has warned a lack of ...More
ASA failing to protect children from junk food advertisers
29-04-2013
Junk food companies continue to exploit loopholes online in advertising to children.
The Children’s Food Campaign – which the CPHVA is a part of - has criticised the Advertising Standards Authority ...More
Hundreds of schools are 'illegally' excluding children every year
26-04-2013
Several hundred schools in England may be excluding children illegally, ‘substantially’ affecting the life chances of thousands of children every year.
The Children’s Commissioner for England said the fact ought to ...More
MMR catch-up programme to prevent further measles outbreaks
26-04-2013
A national ‘catch-up’ programme to up MMR vaccination rates among children and teenagers has been announced.
Health professionals are being asked to seek out all those 10 – 16 year olds ...More
CQC 'embracing' new responsibilities, says Hunt
25-04-2013
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has insisted the regulator Care Quality Commission is ‘embracing’ its new status as a whistleblowing champion in the face of concern from MPs.
In response to the ...More
Hunt has acceped Francis recommendation on minimum staffing levels
25-04-2013
NICE is working on developing a tool to calculate minimum staffing levels guidance, the Health Secretary has confirmed.
Despite the government’s response to the Francis report on the Mid Staffs scandal ...More
NHS is 'denying' Francis report, says patient organisation
25-04-2013
There is a denial within the NHS to take on board Francis’ recommendations in the same way the Police denied the MacPherson report into institutional racism following Stephen Lawerence’s murder, ...More
New rules for cosmetic surgery industry
24-04-2013
The cosmetic surgery industry will be forced to comply with a new advertising code of conduct under new rules set out by the NHS Medical Director.
Following on from the PIP ...More
NSPCC's urgent call to protect child runaways
24-04-2013
Almost 3,000 children ‘repeatedly’ went missing from care last year, the NSPCC has revealed.
Police forces in England and Wales reported more than 28,000 runaway incidents with one child vanished on ...More
Health Minister publishes human trafficking guidance
23-04-2013
New training and advice for health professionals to help and support victims of human trafficking has been endorsed by the Department for Health in England.
NHS staff are said to be ...More
HPV vaccine causes drop in genital warts rates
23-04-2013
The HPV vaccine has been linked with a decline in STIs in women, suggests an Australian study.
Researchers have noted a 'significant' drop in the number of women with genital warts ...More
NICE releases draft guidance for weight loss children's services
22-04-2013
NICE has produced guidance on the provision of targeted lifestyle weight management services for children and young people for the first time.
Data shows around three in ten children aged two ...More
GPs should lead on MMR vaccine take up
22-04-2013
GPs should lead a public awareness programme to inform parents of the importance of the MMR vaccine, first targeting those whose children have not yet received the jab.
Following Wales’ measles ...More
Labour champions integration
22-04-2013
Labour will establish an independent commission to bring about integration between health and social care.
Without integrated services, it is argued there will be a £29bn gap in the health budget ...More
Truss criticises England's 'chaotic' nurseries
22-04-2013
Daycare body has criticised Children’s Minister Elizabeth Truss for ‘ill-judged’ comments made about ‘chaotic’ nurseries.
Neil Leitch, Chief Executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance, said he was ‘astonished’ by reports in ...More
Francis: 'there are pockets of bad care everywhere'
19-04-2013
Regulatory ‘holes’ make it too difficult to tell whether there is another Mid Staffs out there, Robert Francis QC has warned.
Speaking at the British Medical Journal's Quality and Safety in ...More
Safeguarding roles need to be updated for social media age
19-04-2013
Safeguarding roles should be ‘tweaked’ in order to be fit for purpose for the 21st century, it has been claimed.
Speaking at the NSPCC conference in London yesterday (18 April 2013), ...More
Safeguarding 'principles' may be drafted by government
19-04-2013
The government will consider developing a set of principles for safeguarding organisations to work together around the needs of families.
Local authority workers, social workers and education and health professionals attending ...More
NSPCC report reveals 'national scandal' of child protection
18-04-2013
Child homicides have fallen in England and Wales by 30 per cent since 1981, yet more than one tot a week continues to be killed.
Despite the NSPCC’s ‘first solid evidence’ ...More
Benefit cap will affect around 140k children
18-04-2013
Children are seven times more likely than adults to lose out as a result of the introduction of the household benefit cap.
The move, which limits benefit payments to £500 per ...More
School nurses to have 'leading role' in supporting young carers
17-04-2013
Child carers will train school nurses in how best to provide support to young carers in a bid to strengthen the service.
There are around 700,000 young carers in the UK ...More
'Light' drinking in pregnancy does baby 'no harm'
17-04-2013
Mums-to-be who drink up to two units of alcohol a week will not harm their baby, a study suggests.
While research has linked ‘heavy’ alcohol consumption during pregnancy with health and ...More
Ex-NHS boss criticises Francis inquiry
17-04-2013
The Francis report into the Mid Staffs scandal has ‘let the government off the hook’, said former NHS boss.
Writing in the British Medical Journal, ex-NHS Chief Executive Professor David Hands ...More
Domestic violence routine screening in primary care has no effect on victim's wellbeing
16-04-2013
Routine screening and counselling for victims of domestic violence in primary care settings does not improve their quality of life, a study suggests.
The findings clash with a WHO endorsement of ...More
Unite urges Hunt to 'come clean' on NHS charges prediction
16-04-2013
Unite has called on Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to deny reports the NHS will soon be forced to charge patients for care.
Yesterday (Monday 15 April 2013) ...More
Smoking ban linked to fall in asthma admissions
16-04-2013
England’s smoking ban has been linked to a yearly 5% drop in emergency admissions for asthma.
The country’s prevalence of asthma is one of the highest in the world, affecting almost ...More
PHE to establish revalidation process
16-04-2013
The UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) is developing a system of professional revalidation – similar to that of doctors – for all non-medical public health consultants and specialists.
The system is ...More
Mid Staffordshire Trust goes into administration
16-04-2013
Scandal hit Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust has been put into administration.
The decision was taken after experts concluded the Trust was neither clinically nor financial sustainable ‘in its current form’.
Economic ...More
Severe pregnancy complications affect dad's mental health
15-04-2013
Life-threatening pregnancy complications can cause post-traumatic stress disorder in dads.
Severe complications, including heavy uncontrolled bleeding, pre-eclampsia and placenta praevia, occur in around 1 in 100 births.
Researchers from Oxford University said ...More
Charity backs global action plan to tackle 'leading killers of children'
15-04-2013
Save the Children has become the latest organisation to express support for the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF’s first-ever global action plan to simultaneously tackle pneumonia and diarrhoea.
Around two ...More
UK organ donations 'increase by 50%'
15-04-2013
Organ donations have risen by 50% in the UK.
Figures published by NHS Blood and Transplant shows the number of deceased organ donors across the UK in 2012/13 hit 1212, representing ...More
Health visitor recruitment drive 'below target'
12-04-2013
The government has admitted it is off track in its ambition to grow the health visiting workforce by 4,200 in 2015.
Data published in the Health Visitor Implementation Plan Quarterly Progress ...More
Employment concerns for student school nurses in Cornwall
12-04-2013
School nursing students are being pressured to switch courses to health visiting by Cornwall Hospitals Trust, it has been claimed.
In an email, seen by Community Practitioner, it is claimed the ...More
Overwhelming number of HCAs back statutory regulation
11-04-2013
The overwhelming majority of healthcare assistants support statutory regulation of the profession, according to a survey published by the British Journal of Healthcare Assistants (BJHCA).
Unite said the survey findings show ...More
Half of new mums do not follow sleep safety advice
10-04-2013
More than half of mums fear their baby will never wake up yet do not always follow sleep safety advice, a survey shows.
A poll by The Lullaby Trust – previously ...More
UK moves up UNICEF child well-being league table
10-04-2013
The coalition is continuing to fail children by introducing cuts that have ‘profound negative effects’ on young people, UNICEF’s child well-being index shows.
Publication of the research sees the UK move ...More
End of life care offered cash boost
10-04-2013
Hospices across England providing end of life care for children and adults have been offered a £60m government cash injection.
A total of 176 hospices will benefit from the fund – ...More
Wales measles epidemic gathers pace
09-04-2013
The measles epidemic in Swansea shows no signs of slowing with around 15 to 20 new cases being confirmed every day.
Numbers of confirmed cases reached 620 and around 60 people ...More
Pharma industry pays out £40m to NHS staff last year
08-04-2013
The pharmaceutical industry has agreed to publish payments made to individual healthcare professionals across Europe by 2016.
The commitment comes as the result of a transparency drive by the Association of ...More
Ofsted challenged on new inspection regime
08-04-2013
One in 12 child daycare settings in England has been deemed ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted.
‘Worrying’ Ofsted statistics show that 8% of daycare settings in England inspected under its new framework between ...More
NICE opens smoking cessation consultation
08-04-2013
Patients receiving treatment from acute, maternity and mental health services should be given more help to stop smoking, the NHS drugs watchdog has suggested.
Under a new consultation, the National Institute ...More
Experts urge higher potassium intake and cuts in salt to avoid strokes
05-04-2013
Increasing potassium levels and cutting down on salt will save millions of people dying from heart disease and strokes every year, studies published in the British Medical Journal suggest.
The World ...More
Unite/CPHVA welcomes FNP expansion in England
04-04-2013
The Family Nurse Partnership programme will be extended across England, it has been announced.
Health Minister Dan Poulter said the move will allow up to 16,000 of the most disadvantaged new ...More
Public satisfaction in NHS on the up
03-04-2013
Public satisfaction in the NHS has risen to a ‘stable’ level following a record drop in confidence last year.
Data from the British Social Attitudes survey shows satisfaction with the health ...More
MPs urged to 'rethink' sex education changes
03-04-2013
Proposed changes to sex education in schools will deprive children of ‘basic’ information about reproduction and sexual health, it has been claimed.
The Sex Education Forum has called on the government ...More
'Coordinated' approach to beat food poverty in London needed
02-04-2013
The London Assembly has called for more free breakfast clubs for children in the city to tackle food poverty.
A report by the committee A Zero Hunger City – Tackling Food ...More
Whistleblowing line launched in Scotland
02-04-2013
A whistleblowing hotline for staff in NHS Scotland has been launched.
The National Confidential Alert Line for NHS employees will be run by independent organisation Public Concern at Work and is ...More
NMC resumes overseas applications processes
02-04-2013
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) will resume processing applications for overseas registration today (Tuesday 2 April 2013).
The regulator announced a suspension of overseas registration on 1 February 2013 while ...More
GPs fears over safety of NHS 111
28-03-2013
GP leaders have called for a delay in the launch of the new non-emergency service NHS 111.
Dr Laurence Buckman, Chair of the British Medical Association’s GP Committee, said NHS boss ...More
Scotland plans to go smoke-free
28-03-2013
Scotland has committed to becoming smoke-free by 2034.
The country is only the third nation in the world to set the ambitious target – meaning it hopes to have less than ...More
Parents turn to second-hand baby products to cut costs
28-03-2013
More new parents are turning to second-hand goods to try and keep down the costs of raising a family.
A survey by the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) showed one in two ...More
Student behaviour 'getting worse', say teachers
28-03-2013
The number of children with behavioural and mental health problems has risen in the past five years, teachers claim.
A survey of almost 900 education staff found half reported worse behaviour ...More
Local government should adopt 'holistic approach' to public health
27-03-2013
Elements of the Health Child programme should be devolved to local government to address the determinants of poor health at a local level.
A report by the Communities and Local Government ...More
Maternal obesity 'significantly' impacts infant health
27-03-2013
Overweight and obese women are more likely to require specialist medical care during their pregnancy due to the increased risk of adverse neonatal and maternal outcomes, it is claimed.
A Belfast ...More
TV linked to antisocial behaviour in young children
26-03-2013
Young children who watch television for three or more hours a day are more likely to display antisocial behaviour in later years.
However, they found excessive time spent on computer games ...More
Impaired fertility may cause development problems in children
26-03-2013
Taking a long time to fall pregnant may be linked to ‘minor’ neurodevelopmental problems in children, a study suggests.
Research published in the Fetal & Neonatal Edition of Archives of Disease ...More
Hunt response to Francis report - HCA regulation 'too bureaucratic'
26-03-2013
Health Secretary rules out regulation of healthcare assistants claiming it would only serve as a ‘box-ticking bureaucratic exercise’.
Today (Tuesday 26 March 2013) sees the government publish its initial response to ...More
'Too early to say' if NMC referral rise is linked to Francis
25-03-2013
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has seen an increase in the number of referrals so far this year but claims it is ‘too early to tell’ if it is ...More
NMC fees to remain at £100 for another year
25-03-2013
NMC registration fees will remain at £100 in 2014.
However, post 2015 budget forecasts are based on a further fee rise to £120 during that period.
Council members at the Nursing and ...More
Nurses expected to 'drop off' NMC register thanks to new insurance requirement
25-03-2013
The Nursing and Midwifery Council expects up to 5% of nurses will lose their registration following the new requirement to hold their own professional indemnity insurance (PII).
By October 2013 all ...More
Infant mental health highlighted in new research
25-03-2013
Health visitors should be trained in video interaction to educate mothers on how to interact with their child.
A new report by charity WAVE Trust and the Department of Education (DfE) ...More
DfE publishes new safeguarding guidance
22-03-2013
A new national panel of independent experts will offer advice to local safeguarding children’s boards (LSCBs) under revised child safeguarding guidance.
Ministers say, the new 97-page Working together to safeguard children ...More
More than 200k children start smoking 'every year'
22-03-2013
Around 50,000 more children started smoking last year, figures show.
According to Cancer Research UK, an estimated 207,000 children aged 11-15 start smoking in the UK every year.
This figure is up ...More
Mixed response to Budget 2013
21-03-2013
There is ‘very little’ in the chancellor’s budget to protect children in poverty, a children’s charity has claimed.
In the wake of George Osborne’s fourth budget since ...More
Research reveals 'scandal' of avoidable deaths among people with learning disabilities
21-03-2013
Hundreds of people with a learning disability die ‘needlessly’ every year, it has been claimed.
Research from the Improving Health and Lives Learning Disabilities Observatory estimates around 1,268 children and adults ...More
Children mental health budgets cut
21-03-2013
Two-thirds of councils have had their budgets cut for children and young people’s mental health services (CAMHS) since the coalition government came to power in 2010.
A Freedom of Information request ...More
Specialists should have 'guiding' role in community care
20-03-2013
The NHS’ urgent care system is ‘on the verge of failure’, the head of a Birmingham Trust has warned.
It may even be tipping into ‘frank failure’ already.
Speaking at a ...More
Hospital head proposes large-scale community discharge pilot
20-03-2013
Community practitioners should go into hospitals and ‘pull’ people who are ready to be discharged out, the head of a Birmingham Trust has claimed.
Speaking at a King’s Fund event yesterday ...More
Primary care faces LTC care challenge
20-03-2013
Primary care must become better at managing risk in long-term conditions, it is claimed.
Speaking at a King’s Fund event yesterday (Tuesday 19 March 2013), James Reilly, Chief Executive of Central ...More
NHS continues to 'salami-slice' services in a bid to cut costs
19-03-2013
MPs have criticised NHS bosses for over relying on staff pay freezes and administrative ‘cop-outs’ in an effort to meet efficiency savings targets.
In its annual review of health and social ...More
Scottish GPs launch 'world first' patient safety scheme
19-03-2013
The world’s first patient safety programme for primary care has been launched in general practices in Scotland.
GPs and their staff will undertake safety surveys and case note reviews in a ...More
Skimmed milk does not curb toddler weight gain, study claims
19-03-2013
Switching to skimmed or semi-skimmed milk has been linked to obesity in toddlers, a study suggests.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association recommend all children drink low ...More
Health visitors report greater confidence in DH vision
18-03-2013
Health visitors are more confident that the Department of Health’s vision for the profession ‘will be acted upon’ than a year ago, a Unite/CPHVA survey shows.
A poll of 530 health ...More
Job satisfaction among school nurses falls
18-03-2013
School nurses in the UK have reported less job satisfaction than a year ago, a Unite/CPHVA survey has shown.
Findings of the poll showed 38.4% of school nurses in 2011 rated ...More
'Greater effort' needed around sexual health services
18-03-2013
Local authorities need to make more of an effort to slash STI rates and reduce the amount of unwanted pregnancies, Public Health Minister Anna Soubry has said.
Figures show there are ...More
Public sector workers offered 1% pay rise
15-03-2013
The pay rise of 1% in public sector worker pay is ‘woefully inadequate’, trade union Unite has said.
The government accepted the Pay Review Bodies’ recommendations on base pay yesterday (Thursday ...More
Diet survey reveals UK breastfeeding habits
14-03-2013
Two in ten infants under the age of 18 months have never been breastfed, a UK-wide survey shows.
In Scotland alone, this number rises to 68% of children who are never ...More
GP commissioners 'conflicted' by links to private sector
14-03-2013
More than one in three GPs tasked with commissioning patient services from next month have financial links to private providers, it is claimed.
Freedom of Information requests by the British Medical ...More
Government urged to 'stand firm' on alcohol pricing
14-03-2013
The Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA) has urged the government to ‘stand firm’ on its commitment to introduce alcohol minimum pricing amid speculation the move will be abandoned.
The group of leading ...More
New SEN duty for GP-led commissioning groups
14-03-2013
New GP-led clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will have a legal duty to secure health services for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) under the Children and Families ...More
2013 CPHVA Awards winners revealed
14-03-2013
Winners at the 2013 CPHVA Awards expressed their delight and shock at being recipients of the prestigious awards in London yesterday (Wednesday 13 March 2013).
Taking place at the grand Savoy ...More
Single-parent families on the rise
13-03-2013
The number of single parents has tripled over four decades, official figures show.
According to the General Lifestyle Survey, household size declined from 2.91 persons to 2.35 with the proportion of ...More
Government revises NHS competition rules
12-03-2013
New clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will not be required to put all contracts out to competitive tender as the government backtracks on controversial NHS competition clause.
Under the revised regulations laid ...More
Neglect 'just as serious' as physical abuse
12-03-2013
Child neglect is not being taken seriously enough, children’s charity the NSPCC has warned.
It is claimed the issue should be treated ‘with the same urgency’ as physical or sexual abuse.
Researchers ...More
CMO warns of antibiotics 'discovery void'
11-03-2013
Resistance to antibiotics could see an increase in the number of people dying from minor surgery in the next 20 years, the chief medical officer (CMO) has warned.
In her second ...More
Archbishop warns poor families to be 'hit' by welfare changes
11-03-2013
The Archbishop of Canterbury has warned MPs that proposed changes to the ‘damaging’ welfare benefit up-rating bill will hit the poorest children hardest.
A number of leading individuals from all faiths ...More
'High-quality' early education improves family relationships
08-03-2013
Toddlers who received free early education in high-quality settings as part of a two-year government pilot ‘perform better’ when starting school at age five, it has been claimed.
The early Education ...More
Unite/CPHVA VP 'concerned' over lack of BME senior nurses
08-03-2013
There is a ‘scandalous’ inverse relationship to the proportion of BME nursing staff holding senior positions within the NHS, the Unite/CPHVA Vice President has claimed.
In an interview with Community Practitioner ...More
Many children in poverty 'missing out' on free school meals
07-03-2013
‘Huge numbers’ of children in poverty are missing out on free school meals in England, a charity analysis has shown.
Figures from the Children’s Society shows more than six in 10 ...More
Processed meat linked to premature death
07-03-2013
Processed meat increases the risk of early death, a study suggests.
The study, published in BMC Medicine, said those who eat a high number of processed meats such as ham, sausages ...More
Social networking to be 'unblocked' in Welsh schools
07-03-2013
Wales’ Education Minister has called for the ‘unblocking’ of social networking websites in schools.
In 2006 schools were told to block all social networking sites in schools.
Leighton Andrews now plans ...More
Childcare costs continue to rise
06-03-2013
Average childcare costs in England have risen by more than 6% in the last year, a survey shows.
The Daycare Trust and the Family and Parenting Institute’s Childcare Costs Survey 2013 ...More
NMC 'not doing enough'
06-03-2013
Ministers have blasted the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for not doing enough to protect patients.
The Health Select Committee has tasked the regulator with taking urgent action to improve public ...More
NHS should sack staff based on attitude
05-03-2013
The NHS should hire and fire based on attitude, the Chair of the Health Visitor’s Taskforce has claimed.
Speaking at the Department of Health conference on the Health Visitor programme Sharing ...More
Health Minister to extend FNPs
05-03-2013
Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter has revealed plans to extend family nurse partnerships in England.
At a Department of Health conference on the Health Visitor programme Sharing Success, Shaping the Future: ...More
Nursing boss plans review of health visiting quality markers
05-03-2013
A nursing leader has pledged to look at introducing OFSTED markers to measure health visiting services.
Speaking at the Department of Health conference on the Health Visitor programme Sharing Success, Shaping ...More
Welsh stillbirth rate 'remains high' for 25 years
04-03-2013
Committee left in ‘no doubt’ that stillbirth rate in Wales can be reduced.
Around four babies are stillborn every week in Wales – a statistic that has ‘barely changed’ since the ...More
Personal health budgets consultation launched
04-03-2013
The government will consider who should be entitled to apply for personal health budgets under an eight-week long consultation launched last week (Friday 1 March 2013).
Ministers claim personal health budgets ...More
Self harm among young teens on the rise
04-03-2013
The age whereby young children appear to start self-harming is falling, figures show.
It is estimated around one in twelve young people in the UK have self-harmed at some point in ...More
Whopping cough cases continue to decline
04-03-2013
Cases of whooping cough have continued to decrease in England and Wales.
Figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show there were 668 confirmed cases of whooping cough reported in January ...More
NMC audit highlights lack of clinical insight during FtP screening
01-03-2013
Unite/CPHVA remains ‘concerned’ over the lack of clinical advice on offer during the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s FtP screening process.
A recent audit into the regulator by the Professional Standards Agency ...More
More GPs opening later in Wales
28-02-2013
The number of GP surgeries offering evening appointments has risen during the past year, official figures show.
Data from the Welsh government shows 94% of GP practices now offer appointments between ...More
Flu vaccine linked to narcolepsy in children
28-02-2013
A pandemic flu vaccination has been linked to narcolepsy in children in England, scientists have warned.
According to a study led by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) published in the British ...More
Under 18 pregnancies 'at lowest for 40 years'
28-02-2013
Pregnancy rates among under 18 girls are now at their lowest for more than 40 years.
However, the number of pregnancies in the over 30s are on the climb.
Figures from the ...More
New indemnity insurance requirement
27-02-2013
By October 2013 all UK nurses will be legally required to demonstrate they have adequate indemnity cover in order to retain their license to practise in the European Union. The ...More
Community nursing staffing 'tool' to be rolled out in Scotland
26-02-2013
A new tool aimed at determining ‘appropriate’ nursing staffing levels in the community will be rolled out in Scotland.
Health Secretary Alex Neil confirmed the workload and workforce planning tool for ...More
Parental neglect considered 'low priority' by Welsh social services
26-02-2013
A £75,000 government-funded project to help children at risk of neglect has been launched in Wales.
Neglect accounts for almost half of children with a child protection plan in the country.
The ...More
Mid-Staffs nurses still awaiting NMC public hearings
26-02-2013
Ten nurses still face being struck off the nursing register following the Mid-Staffordshire scandal, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has confirmed.
In a letter to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Chair ...More
Health visitor and school nurse numbers up in England
26-02-2013
The number of health visitors and school nurses working in England has risen steadily throughout 2012.
However, the overall number of hospital and community health service nurses are down slightly on ...More
Student nursing places on the up in Scotland
25-02-2013
The number of student nurses and midwives entering degree programmes funded by the Scottish government is set to increase for the first time in four years.
Health Secretary Alex Neil announced ...More
UK urged to be more 'creative' in reducing child poverty
25-02-2013
UK governments should offer cash incentives for families to promote children’s health and well-being, a report by a children’s charity has claimed.
The report 'Tackling child poverty and promoting children's well-being: ...More
Child 'food poverty' on the up
25-02-2013
The number of families struggling to feed their children is on the rise, a survey by the Children’s Food Trust suggests.
An online poll of 253 professionals working with children – ...More
Early years champion launches
22-02-2013
An Early Years Intervention Foundation (EIF) has been created to champion and support the move to a ‘greater use’ of early intervention approaches.
Earlier this month (5 February 2013), the Department ...More
CPHVA Awards countdown is on
21-02-2013
The winners of the CPHVA Awards 2013 have been selected but in true Oscars style are being kept a closely guarded secret until they are unveiled on Wednesday 13 March ...More
Home visits key for health visitors
21-02-2013
Health visitors can have a positive impact on health as long as relationships between the profession and parents are strong, it has been claimed.
A review carried out by the National ...More
Majority of Scottish health visitors 'good' at listening and giving advice
20-02-2013
More than eight out of ten Scottish parents have reported their health visitor was ‘good’ at giving helpful advice, a major study shows.
Health visitors’ listening skills scored higher among parents ...More
DH orders review into healthcare assistant training
20-02-2013
An independent review into how the training and support of healthcare assistants can be ‘strengthened’ has been ordered by the Department of Health in England.
The review will be led by ...More
Breastfeeding within first hour of life could save 830,000 lives a year
19-02-2013
Babies who are breastfed from within an hour of birth up until six months are up to 15 times less likely to die from killer diseases such as pneumonia and ...More
NHS pledges to reduce avoidable child deaths
19-02-2013
NHS organisations and local authorities are being asked to sign up to a new national pledge to reduce avoidable child deaths.
The move forms part of the English government’s response to ...More
Unprotected sex ups HIV rates in gay men
19-02-2013
Unprotected sex has driven up the number of new HIV infections among gay men.
Figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) shows there was a 26% increase in the proportion of ...More
Smoking ban reduces preterm birth rate
15-02-2013
Smoking ban legislation reduces the risk of premature birth, a study suggests.
Researchers from Hasselt University found reductions in the risk of preterm birth following the introduction of each of the ...More
Poots 'concerned' over rising STI and HIV rates
15-02-2013
Prevention messages must ‘reinforced’ to those engaging in ‘risky’ sexual behaviours, Northern Ireland’s Health Minister has warned.
Attending the launch of HIV information and advice centre Positive Lives’ new strategic plan ...More
Unite responds to latest NHS 'gagging clause' scandal
15-02-2013
Unite has renewed its call for urgent stronger whistleblowing procedures in the NHS following reports of the ‘gagging’ of an NHS boss over patient safety concerns.
Unite Head of Health Rachael ...More
Unite/CPHVA officer joins government taskforce
14-02-2013
Unite/CPHVA’s Lead Professional Officer Obi Amadi has been appointed to the government’s health visitor implementation taskforce.
The appointment marks the first time the trade union has had a full-time officer on ...More
'Clock is ticking' on plain tobacco packaging, says anti-smoking coalition
14-02-2013
Over 78,500 children are estimated to have started smoking since the government’s consultation on standardised tobacco packaging ended.
According to predictions by the Smokefree Action Coalition, 430 children take up the ...More
Obesity causes vitamin D deficiency
13-02-2013
Obesity leads to a lack of vitamin D in the body, a study suggests.
Researchers from University College London’s Institute of Child Health used genetic markers derived from around 42,000 participants ...More
Hunt's task to cut NHS bureaucracy by a third
13-02-2013
A group of NHS national bodies have been asked to see if it is possible to reduce bureaucratic burdens in the health service by a third in the wake of ...More
Horsemeat 'poses no health risk'
12-02-2013
UK government officials have reassured consumers there is no public heath risk facing those who have eaten food products contaminated with horsemeat.
Horsemeat has been found in several branded and supermarket-owned ...More
Cancer charity continues to push for plain tobacco packaging
12-02-2013
Cancer Research UK is sending examples of colourfully designed cigarette packets to MPs to highlight the tobacco industry’s “sophisticated” marketing techniques aimed at children and young women.
The government is currently ...More
Measles cases 'at almost 20-year high'
11-02-2013
Confirmed cases of measles are at an 18-year high in England and Wales, figures show.
Thanks to “prolonged outbreaks” of the disease in Merseyside and Sussex, as well as “several smaller ...More
Scottish health boards ordered to find 3% savings in 2013-14
11-02-2013
Territorial health boards across Scotland will be tasked with making efficiency savings “in excess” of 3%, the government has announced.
The £12bn 2013-14 health budget shows health boards are set to ...More
Doctor training gap in spotting underweight children
11-02-2013
Doctors could be failing to identify underweight children, a study suggests.
Pediatricians working in more than 170 hospitals in England and Wales were found to have “poor knowledge” in spotting underweight ...More
Investment hopes to ‘enhance’ health visiting in Wales
08-02-2013
The Welsh government has invested more than £82m to train new healthcare professionals in a bid to boost its health visiting service.
It is promised around 2,000 new students and 6,100 ...More
NMC improves ftp process
08-02-2013
The length of Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) investigations now take on average 12 months less than they did two years ago.
Last month (31 January 2013), the NMC Council heard ...More
Many 'underestimate' alcohol intake
07-02-2013
Many people underestimate their alcohol intake by up to 40%, according to new figures published by the Department for Health in England.
A recent Health Survey for England has highlighted ‘underestimations’ ...More
Government proposes 'shared parental leave' for new-borns
07-02-2013
New parents should be allowed to share up to a year’s leave from work to look after their new-born children in England, the government has proposed.
Under the Children and Families ...More
New diabetes foot checks for Scotland
06-02-2013
People with diabetes across Scotland are to receive new ‘foot checks’ as the latest figures show more than 1,350 Scots have lost a leg due to the illness.
The new checks ...More
Child safety concerns revealed by charity
06-02-2013
Less than a quarter of parents keep medicines and cleaning products safely locked away from children, a survey shows.
The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) claims almost three-quarters (73%) of parents ...More
Online health checks to be introduced in Wales
06-02-2013
New online health assessments will be introduced in Wales to support people aged over 50 to have greater control over their health and wellbeing.
Health Minister Lesley Griffiths said the Programme ...More
Mid-Staffs report calls for NHS culture 'overhaul'
06-02-2013
Unite has called for the NHS chief to resign in the wake of the long-awaited damning report into the Mid-Staffordshire scandal.
The 31-month long public inquiry, chaired by Robert Francis QC, ...More
Young people face online safety 'timebomb'
05-02-2013
Child safety charity the NSPCC has warned of an e-safety ‘timebomb’ as ‘sexting’ and online pornography are now being used regularly by many teens.
The charity claims new research puts ...More
HPV testing set to be included in NI cervical screening
05-02-2013
Testing for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) has been incorporated within the Northern Ireland Cervical Cancer Screening Programme, it has been announced.
The HPV immunisation programme was first introduced in 2008 and ...More
Tory MP 'not opposed' to smacking
05-02-2013
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has defended parents’ right to smack their children, it has been reported.
The Tory MP told The Mail on Sunday he “was not opposed” to smacking young ...More
Whooping cough cases fall in England and Wales
04-02-2013
Whooping cough cases in England and Wales are on the decline for the second month in a row, figures show.
According to the Health Protection Agency (HPA), there was 832 confirmed ...More
Antiepileptic drug ups 'risk of autism'
04-02-2013
Mothers-to-be taking a certain type of antiepileptic drug place their unborn children at a “significantly increased” risk of autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, it has been claimed.
A study, published in ...More
Prof Haslam: New NHS faces 'perfect storm'
01-02-2013
The NHS is heading towards a “perfect storm of confusion” when the health reforms go live on April 1, the incoming chair of the National Institute for Health and Clinical ...More
Lewisham A&E to be 'downgraded'
31-01-2013
South London Healthcare NHS Trust is to be dissolved, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced.
As it stands, the troubled trust is said to be losing more than £1m every week ...More
Health visiting in Scotland risks becoming 'unsustainable'
31-01-2013
Scotland’s health visiting capacity needs to be reviewed to ensure the “ongoing sustainability” of the workforce, it has been claimed.
In a joint briefing by Unite/CPHVA, the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland, ...More
Future healthcare to 'account for half of government spend'
31-01-2013
A public debate over whether to limit the scope of publicly-funded NHS services is needed as it is estimated health and social care spending could account for half of all ...More
Alcohol charities blast 'sinister' tactics to block MUP
30-01-2013
Alcohol health campaigners have slammed the drinks industry’s “sinister” attempts to block minimum alcohol unit pricing in England.
In response to the government’s consultation on its Alcohol Strategy, the Wine, Spirit ...More
NHS spending squeeze will lead to rises in abortion and STI rates
30-01-2013
“Short-sighted” NHS efficiency savings may lead to a “significant” rise in abortions and sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates in the UK, a report claims.
It is claimed restrictions to contraception and ...More
Record number of NHS staff receive flu jab
29-01-2013
More NHS frontline staff than ever have been vaccinated against flu during this year’s winter season in England, official figures show.
According to the Department of Health, a record 44% of ...More
Early years childcare ratios 'relax' in England
29-01-2013
Individual childminders and nursery staff in England will be allowed to oversee a greater number of children, thanks to the early years education minister “relaxing” child ...More
Drinks companies cut sugar content
28-01-2013
Soft drink brands have pledged to cut their sugar and calorie content by up to 10% under the government’s Responsibility Deal.
Speaking at the Food and Drink Federation’s ‘Delivering Healthy Growth’ ...More
Children 'worst affected' by swine flu
28-01-2013
Children were the hardest hit by the swine flu pandemic in 2009, a study has revealed.
Almost half (47%) of children aged five to 19 years old showed signs of having ...More
Care Quality Commission needs to raise profile with public, says Unite
14-12-2012
The Care Quality Commission (CQC), which regulates hospitals, care homes and GP practices, needs to make it easier for the public to raise concerns about poor service in the NHS, ...More
New Chair of CQC announced
13-12-2012
David Prior is to be the new chair of the Care Quality Commission. David is currently Chairman of the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
David Prior said: “I ...More
Boost school nursing to tackle childhood obesity, says Unite
13-12-2012
Money should be redirected into frontline school nursing posts to combat the obesity problems affecting school children, Unite has said
Unite, which embraces the Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association, was ...More
Proposals to break away from the NHS national pay system, Agenda for Change, are being considered by trusts across the country
12-11-2012
Proposals to break away from the NHS national pay system, Agenda for Change, are being considered by trusts across the country.
NHS Employers backed by the government are looking at ways ...More
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
12-11-2012
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents http://www.rospa.com/ (RoSPA) is giving away thousands of posters and leaflets as part of a campaign to alert parents and carers to ...More
Minister snubs health visitors with brief conference speech, say delegates
07-11-2012
Junior health minister, Dr Dan Poulter was today (Wednesday, 7 November) accused of snubbing health visitors and community nurses by making a speech of about five minutes at their annual ...More
South London trust faces being dismantled for privatisation, Unite warns
31-10-2012
The proposed breaking-up of the debt-ridden South London Healthcare (SLH) NHS Trust will herald job losses amongst staff and the onward march of privatisation in the NHS, Unite, the largest ...More
Breastfeeding could save the NHS millions, says new report
19-10-2012
Research commissioned by UNICEF UK reveals that low breastfeeding rates in the UK are costing the NHS millions of pounds. The report, Preventing Disease and Saving Resources, takes an ...More
Shock new figures reveal true extent of UK vitamin D deficiency 'epidemic'
12-10-2012
Nine out of ten people could be vitamin D deficient, with nearly two thirds severely lacking, according to new figures. The findings, announced ahead of a major national awareness campaign, ...More
Student school nurses in Cornwall employment worries
13-04-2012
School nursing students are being asked to switch courses to health visiting by Cornwall Hospitals Trust, it has been claimed.
In an email, seen by Community Practitioner, it is claimed the ...More
Drinks companies cut sugar content
01-01-1970
Soft drink brands have pledged to cut their sugar and calorie content by up to 10% under the government’s Responsibility Deal.
Speaking at the Food and Drink Federation’s ‘Delivering Healthy Growth’ ...More
Drinks companies cut sugar content
01-01-1970
Soft drink brands have pledged to cut their sugar and calorie content by up to 10% under the government’s Responsibility Deal.
Speaking at the Food and Drink Federation’s ‘Delivering Healthy Growth’ ...More
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