Brits have their say on whether 10-year health reforms will improve NHS
The poll found that 35 per cent of respondents believe the plan will have no impact on GP access, with 14 per cent anticipating it will make appointments more difficult.
Despite this widespread scepticism, key proposals within the plan, including the establishment of neighbourhood health centres and the expansion of the NHS app, garnered significant public support.
Over three-quarters of those surveyed backed the creation of neighbourhood health centres and a ban on the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks.
The Department of Health and Social Care affirmed the plan's popularity, stating it resulted from extensive consultation and aims to deliver improved care for all patients.
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Daily Mirror
18 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
'Our little girl died four years ago and we're still waiting to find out why'
The grieving family of Bonnie Marsh, who died after collapsing in hospital, have been left with more bad news after being told an inquest into her death has been delayed again The devastated parents of a little girl who died after collapsing in hospital say they feel 'let down again and again" as a long-awaited inquest into her death is delayed yet again, nearly four years on. Bonnie Marsh, just four years old, tragically died in December 2021 after falling seriously ill with vomiting and exhaustion. Despite three visits to hospital, where her mum says she was 'dying in her arms', the bubbly schoolgirl was not admitted until it was too late Now, her grieving parents Lauren and Liam Marsh are still fighting for answers, but the inquest they had hoped would finally give them closure has been pushed back once more. And the heartbroken couple have revealed a string of horrifying discoveries in the wake of their daughter's death — including learning her body had been frozen without their consent. Mum Lauren, 33, said: "She's my daughter, but it feels like she's been the NHS 's property since she died. We were finally at the point of getting answers, and it's been taken away from us. We've just been let down again.' Bonnie, who had just started school and adored Disney's The Lion King, seemed full of a cold on December 14 four years ago when she came home from school. Two days later, she passed out in the bathroom after being sick. Paramedics told her family her observations were 'fine' and said the hospital wasn't necessary. But her concerned mum insisted on taking her in anyway, explaining: "She was still being sick, floppy and lethargic." Bonnie was seen again at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital the following day but sent home. On December 18, Lauren knew something was seriously wrong. She added: "She was freezing cold, floppy and dying in my arms. I was wandering around the hospital begging someone to help.' A cleaner, not a nurse or doctor, eventually guided her to the Children's Assessment Unit and said the tot was "very poorly," Lauren explained. As Bonnie's condition worsened, doctors handed Lauren a syringe and told her to feed her daughter tiny drops of water, despite her being close to death. Lauren said: 'They gave me the syringe to put water in my dying daughter's mouth. They said they'd restarted her heart and were transferring her by helicopter. But before we could leave, doctors ran back into the room. They said it was time to say goodbye — but when I walked in, she was already gone.' Ever since the tragic death, Lauren says her family haven't received any support or guidance and that police weren't contacted about the sudden death. Initially, the cause of death was said to be dehydration due to norovirus. A post-mortem later showed Bonnie had also tested positive for Covid and flu. But then doctors at N&N said she may have died due to a genetic condition, and an interim death certificate listed an 'inborn error of metabolism'. However, specialists at Addenbrooke's, Great Ormond Street, and even a clinic in Germany all found no evidence of any such condition. To make matters worse, the family were told after her death that Bonnie's body had been frozen to preserve samples. Lauren added: 'I hadn't signed anything. I had no idea. I was heartbroken. When I finally saw her, she didn't look like my Bonnie anymore.' Bonnie's inquest was finally scheduled to begin this July, but just three days before it was due to start, the family were told it was being postponed again because a witness was unavailable. At a brief hearing, area coroner Johanna Thompson said: "Bonnie's inquest was due to take place this week, but there were difficulties with the attending witness… It has now been relisted for October 29 and 30.' However, the family aren't hopeful anything will get done this time and are refusing to put it in their calendar. Lauren explained: "Every delay sets us back three months. Every time, someone needs more time to review evidence. I don't think we're going to get an apology. I just want a concrete answer about what my daughter died from.' In a statement, Tracey Bleakley, Executive Managing Director at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, said: "Our deepest condolences are with Bonnie's family following their loss and we are sorry to hear there have been delays in the inquest process. It is entirely right that the circumstances are fully reviewed by the coroner following our own internal review. A full inquest… will provide the opportunity to answer all the family's questions.'
The Guardian
18 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Wes Streeting ‘thought he had struck deal to halt strike by doctors'
Wes Streeting thought he had struck a deal with resident doctors to stop a five-day strike in England, only for the British Medical Association to then reject it, sources have claimed. The health secretary believed he had secured a verbal agreement with the co-chairs of the BMA's resident doctors committee for a deal that involved progress on tackling five non-pay issues. Whitehall sources say Ross Nieuwoudt and Melissa Ryan decided the agreement made during face-to-face talks last Tuesday was enough for the suspension of the strike, which started on Friday. The deal would have involved resident doctors – formerly junior doctors – getting access to hot meals when working overnight, having some exam fees paid, receiving funding for equipment such as stethoscopes and getting mess rooms and changes to the way their postgraduate training was organised. But when Nieuwoudt and Ryan relayed the potential deal to the full committee, they were told they could not approve it because it did not address the BMA's demand that resident doctors receive a 29% pay rise over the next few years. 'They were told by the committee that they could only talk about pay and none of this soft stuff matters. Wes was furious. They had come incredibly close to a deal,' a source said. Resident doctors in England receive basic pay of between £38,831 and £73,992, with extra payments worth up to 15% of their salaries for working at weekends. The failure to reach a deal underlines the gulf between the BMA and Streeting. He has refused to reopen negotiations over the 5.4% salary increase he has given resident doctors this year. But the union is adamant it will call off industrial action only if he agrees to talk money. The BMA denied that it was responsible for the failure to strike a deal and blamed Streeting. A spokesperson said: 'We cannot be clearer: it was the government that ended the talks. 'Resident doctors do not want to strike. However, we have been compelled to take action because Mr Streeting's ultimatum, which demanded we call off strikes in exchange for nothing more than further talks was simply not acceptable. 'We want to continue our negotiations with Mr Streeting and strongly urge him to get back around the table with a serious proposal, rather than a handful of platitudes.' NHS bosses warn the strikes could 'snowball' and even continue into next year. They fear that nurses, consultant doctors and other NHS staff might stage strikes too. Sir Jim Mackey, the chief executive of NHS England, told the Sunday Times: 'We know that continued disruption over the coming months could see a snowball effect for patients and for staff. 'We've seen that before and it has take a huge effort over the last year to build momentum back up on reducing waiting lists and times.' His deputy, David Probert, who is also chief executive of University College London hospitals trust, told the same paper: 'This could be a marathon. We could be doing this until Christmas or maybe beyond.' The BMA's 55,000 resident doctor members have a legal mandate to take strike action for six months, until 6 January. Kemi Badenoch has pledged to outlaw strikes by doctors, bringing them into line with the police and army, if she becomes prime minister. 'Doctors hold lives in their hands. No one should lose critical healthcare because of strikes but that's what's happening now', the opposition leader posted on X on Sunday. 'That's why a Conservative government led by me would ban doctors' strikes, just like we do the army and police.'
BBC News
18 minutes ago
- BBC News
Bridgwater £17.8m diagnostic centre to improve access to 'vital scans'
A hospital trust has moved a step forward in its plans to construct a £17.8m diagnostic centre to improve access to vital NHS Foundation Trust has been given approval by NHS England to construct the facility next to Bridgwater Community Hospital. It said it has now applied for planning permission, which if approved could see the facility open next centre will run a range of services including two CT scanners, two MRI scanners, four outpatient rooms and two echocardiography and ultrasound director David Craig said the centre is "expected to provide almost 25,000 additional scans every year". This will enable the centre to provide the Bridgwater population with routine and specialist cardiac and cancer scanning, alongside clinics. It follows the opening of a community diagnostic centre in Taunton in 2020, as well as the development of a diagnostic centre next to Yeovil Hospital, which is expected to open later this year."This development is fantastic news for people in Bridgwater and will improve access to vital healthcare scans, as well as help us to reduce our waiting times," Mr Craig said."The new centre supports one of the three shifts of the NHS 10 Year Plan, which involves transferring care from hospitals into local communities."Running across seven days a week, it will improve access for people in Bridgwater and the surrounding areas to specialist care, with the centre expected to provide almost 25,000 additional scans every year."
