Weldricks move site to improve customer service

A pharmacy is moving locations to further enhance its high levels of customer service, the Doncaster Free Press reports.

The Weldricks outlet currently based in The Broadway, Dunscroft, will move to the Abbey Shopping Centre in Station Road on January 25.

Richard Wells, superintendent pharmacist at Weldricks, said customers will benefit from the new and improved site.

Local doctors given more control over primary care services

Local doctors are set to take greater role in commissioning health services for patients in Bromsgrove and Redditch, the Bromsgrove Standard has reported.

It comes after NHS England announced that the local clinical commissioning group of doctors will be able to take further control of the planning, strategic direction, priority setting and decision making around primary care services on behalf of local patients from April 2016.

NHS Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG is already responsible for commissioning (buying) the majority of hospital, community and mental health services in the local area.

NHS 'paid out more than £90 million in redundancy to staff it then rehired'

The NHS handed out more than £90 million in redundancy payments to staff it then rehired, the Telegraph has reported.

Government responses to parliamentary questions show that 2,641 staff were laid off and rehired in the three years from April 2012, with average payoffs topping £36,000 in some years, according to The Times.

The employees received a total of £92 million in redundancy during that period.

But tens of thousands more is thought to have been spent on almost 3,000 additional staff laid off and rehired before former health secretary Andrew Lansley's controversial shake up of the NHS in early 2012.

Patients advised to avoid A&E at Staffordshire hospital for non-emergencies

People are being advised to use alternatives to A&E at the Royal Stoke University Hospital today if their condition is not an emergency, the Staffordshire Newsletter has reported.

The hospital has experienced an extremely busy weekend so far, with waits of more than five hours, but waiting times elsewhere have been much shorter.

Marcus Warnes, accountable officer for North Staffordshire Clinical

Commissioning Group, said: "We predicted this weekend would be very busy at A&E and this has proved to be the case.

"However, waiting times at the minor injuries units at Haywood Community Hospital and Leek Moorlands Hospital have been much shorter, at under an hour this weekend.”

Hunt seeks curbs on TV junk food adverts

The UK health secretary is pushing for restrictions on the advertising of junk food to children, to the alarm of broadcasters who fear this could cost them hundreds of millions of pounds a year, the Financial Times has reported.

Jeremy Hunt has pressed Downing Street to introduce the measures as part of a childhood obesity strategy, which will be unveiled within weeks. But John Whittingale, culture secretary, has voiced concerns on behalf on the broadcasting industry.

There is rising concern over the impact of obesity on NHS finances, with Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, describing it as “the new smoking”.

David Cameron pledges extra mental health support

David Cameron will call for a "more mature" conversation about mental health as he sets out how services in England will benefit from extra cash, the BBC has reported.

Specialist care for new mothers with mental health problems and support for anorexic teenagers will gain money allocated in the Autumn Statement. The PM will also pledge more support in hospital A&E departments. He will also announce new parenting support and plans to demolish some of England's worst council estates.

Seriously ill Scots’ surgery put off so health board could meet targets

A health board ­cancelled seriously ill patients’ appointments to avoid missing strict ­Scottish Government waiting time targets, the Express has reported.

NHS Lothian has been accused of “playing games” with the health of patients after a senior executive apologised to people who were affected.

Officials at the authority said sorry after admitting they changed appointments of some patients in favour of others who were closer to breaking waiting time targets.