NHS progress on waiting list despite busiest winter on record
The number of people waiting longest for elective treatment has dropped for the third month in a row as services dealt with the busiest winter on record, new figures show. The NHS has continued to progress against its elective recovery plan, with the number of people waiting more than 18 months for elective care dropping by a third between January and February to 30,000 (29,778), while the number of patients waiting more than one year dropped by 17,000 to 362,498.
Health Education England and NHS England complete merger
NHS England and Health Education England have legally merged to create a new, single organisation to lead the NHS in England. This follows the merger of NHS Digital and NHS England on the 1 February 2023, and brings the NHS’ people, skills, digital, data and technology expertise together into one national organisation to deliver high-quality services for all in England.
Leaked NHS workforce plan predicts worsening staffing crisis
Without significant investment in training and recruitment there could be as many as 44,000 fewer community nurses working in the NHS in England by 2036, according to details of a workforce plan leaked to the media over the weekend.
NHS rolls out specialist medical care centres for women during pregnancy
Pregnant women with serious medical problems will now have access to specialist treatment centres across the country. The 17 new centres of excellence will help women with pre-existing medical conditions, or conditions that arise during pregnancy to quickly get the extra care they might need.
NHS health teams to refer lonely and isolated patients for check in and chat service
Over a thousand volunteers have signed up to provide friendly phone calls for patients in England who are vulnerable, isolated or lonely, as the NHS Volunteer Responders programme reintroduces its Check in and Chat service.
New NHS campaign urges people to use their bowel cancer home testing kit
Millions of people in England who have been sent a lifesaving home testing kit that can detect early signs of bowel cancer are being encouraged to use it and return it, as part of a new, first-of-a-kind NHS campaign.
