Hammond gets budget boost as borrowing falls to lowest level since 2007
Government borrowing in September fell to its lowest level since 2007, giving Chancellor Philip Hammond a dose of good news ahead of his budget later this month.
NHS
NHS stress-related absence up by 17% in three years
Stress-led absences in the NHS have risen by just under a fifth, new analysis shows.
Union hopes legislation can ‘break logjam on NHS pay’ in Northern Ireland
A new Bill intended to assist senior civil servants who have been left to take decisions in Northern Ireland must ease UK disparity in healthcare workers’ pay, a trade union has said.
Scottish Government has underestimated healthcare funding by £400m – economist
An economist has said the Scottish Government may have underestimated healthcare funding needs by more than £400 million.
Top civil servant refuses to give assurances about no-deal Brexit
A top government official has warned he “can’t tell you it will all be fine” at Britain’s borders if the country crashes out of the European Union.
Concerns about medical supplies after Brexit keep Whitehall mandarin awake
A top health official has admitted concerns over medicine supplies after Brexit are keeping him awake at night.
Winter deaths in Scotland hit ‘staggering’ 18-year high
A charity has described the number of winter deaths in Scotland as “staggering”, with statistics showing an increase to the highest level in 18 years.
Scots urged to get flu jabs as winter deaths hit 18-year high
The number of winter deaths is at its highest level in almost 20 years.
Outbreak fears as thousands of health staff turn down flu jabs
Thousands of people could at risk after new figures revealed that less than half of health workers get the flu jab.
NHS crutch amnesty declared
A crutch amnesty has been declared as part of plans to reduce the carbon footprint of the NHS.
Almost 10% of health board’s buildings in ‘unsatisfactory’ condition
One of Scotland’s health boards has just a quarter of its buildings in a good physical condition, while in another area almost one in 10 properties have been ranked as “unsatisfactory”.
Boss of waste disposal firm denies stockpiling human body parts
A disposal company facing a criminal probe over a pile-up of waste from the NHS has denied claims that human body parts were among items caught up in a backlog at its sites.
NHS manager admits £700,000 health board scam using U2 band names
An NHS manager has pleaded guilty to defrauding a health board out of more than £700,000 after using the names of U2 members to award contracts to his own construction firm.
A&E under pressure as winter approaches
There were two million attendances at A&E departments in England in September, with 88.9% of patients being seen within the target of four hours, the latest figures show.
Minister vows to cut ‘demoralising’ use of agency staff in NHS
The Health and Social Care Secretary has vowed to clamp down on agency spending in the NHS, saying the use of such staff can be “demoralising” for workers.
Aberdeen nursery praised for improving ‘old, tired’ environment
An Aberdeen nursery, which was previously criticised for offering an “old and tired” setting for children, has been praised for transforming its surroundings.
Chaos during flu jab sessions at north-east GP surgery
A north-east GP surgery was plunged into chaos after staff struggled to cope with the demand for the winter flu jab.
Clinical waste firm stripped of NHS contracts
The UK’s medical waste backlog will be aggravated by the decision to strip a clinical waste disposal firm of NHS contracts, the company has said.
‘Turnbull and Fry effect’ hailed amid surge in visits to NHS cancer advice pages
Stephen Fry and Bill Turnbull have been praised for raising awareness of prostate cancer through their own experiences with the disease.
Event held as Western Isles health professionals aim to prolong independent living
Over 100 people attended a learning together event aimed at exploring ways in which to better help patients in the Western Isles to live healthy, active and independent lives for as long as possible.
Independent team of experts to review improvements being made at Moray hospital
An independent team of health experts is due to visit Moray this week to help drive forward attempts to restore services at Dr Gray’s Hospital.
NHS ‘locked in permanent cycle of failure’ against targets
The forthcoming NHS long-term plan is an opportunity to “reset” the performance and financial framework, a health service leader will say.
Robot medical secretaries introduced at NHS trust
A hospital trust has brought in robot medical secretaries to work alongside its human staff in what it claims is a first for the NHS.
NHS whistleblowers given direct line to Health Secretary
Scotland’s health secretary has told NHS whistleblowing champions to come straight to her if they are not being listened to by their health boards.
Leukaemia drug is one of four accepted for use by NHS in Scotland
A medicine which helps to improve the quality of life for patients with an aggressive form of leukaemia is one of four drugs approved for use by the NHS in Scotland.
‘Positive feedback’ for group appointments at GP surgeries
GP surgeries that offer shared appointments for groups of patients with similar conditions have had “very positive” feedback, family doctors say.
Social workers could be drafted in to keep casualty departments moving during winter in Aberdeen
Social workers could be drafted in to keep casualty departments moving during winter, while weekly bed-checks could be carried out at care homes.
Pioneering partnership between NHS Shetland and RSPB Scotland allows GPs to ‘prescribe’ nature to patients
A prescription of fresh air is on offer in Shetland thanks to an innovative collaboration between the health board and the RSPB.
Body parts among tonnes of NHS waste allowed to pile up by disposal company
Human body parts are among hundreds of tonnes of waste from NHS hospitals which have been allowed to pile up by a disposal company.
Health board debts written off by ministers
The Scottish Government is to write off around £150 million of debt owed by NHS boards.
Flu vaccination campaign launched with plea to get immunised
Scots eligible to receive the flu vaccine are being urged to make immunisation a priority as the national protection programme gets under way.
NHS to recruit doctors from Australia to replace aging GPs
The NHS is to recruit doctors from Australia in the latest initiative to boost GP numbers.