RCN Northern Region in the media:

January - February 2013:

Cumbria Hospital Trust among nine in death rates enquiry (12 February 2013)
The Journal reports that NHS Medical Director Sir Bruce Keogh has announced that the North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust will be investigated as one of a number of hospitals that have been persistent outliers on mortality indicators.

Crunch meeting held today to solve crisis of ambulance queuing (5 February 2013)
The Northern Echo reports that the North East Ambulance Service held a summit on 5 February, to tackle the growing problem of ambulances arriving to find they cannot transfer patients quickly.

Children’s mental health services overhaul falling short in Cumbria (15 January 2013)
The News & Star reports that the consultation into restructuring Cumbria’s child and adolescent mental health service may not go far enough to guarantee the safety of the region’s most vulnerable young people.

Changes to funding in NHS are scrapped (12 January 2013)
The Journal reports that plans to reallocate community health funding according to age rather than social deprivation, have been rejected.

Nursing union praises GPs for opening up surgeries at weekends (8 January 2012)
The Northern Echo reports that North Durham CCG has extended GP opening hours at weekends, to help the NHS cope with winter pressures. Operational Manager Estephanie Dunn said the move was a “great initiative” which should be extended across the region.

North East hospitals face huge increase in A&E demand (4 January 2013)
The Evening Chronicle reports that hospitals across the region are facing increased pressure this winter, and a number of trusts have either closed their elective surgery wards to cope with the pressure, or are cancelling some non-urgent operations. Greg Canning, RCN Officer, is quoted. Greg is also quoted by the Northern Echo; the Shields Gazette; BBC News; Star Radio News; the Morpeth Herald; Cumbria Crack; and the Middlesbrough Evening Gazette.  Estephanie Dunn, RCN Operational Manager, was also interviewed by BBC Look North, Sun FM, Tees FM, and BBC Radio Newcastle.

To read more news stories about the RCN Northern region, please visit our Regional news archive.