England’s most senior nurse has called on NHS organisations to boost the number of nursing apprenticeships they offer to local people, to help deliver the health service’s Long Term Plan to improve patient care. Almost 1,800 new nursing apprentices have already started their training over the last couple of years – but NHS chiefs want […]

NHS chief Simon Stevens is today urging people of all ages to consider embarking on a career in the health service next year, as he thanks those current staff who will be working over Christmas. People who apply for nursing, midwifery and some Allied Health Professional degrees by January 15 will be eligible for financial […]

NHS England and Health Education England have today launched ActNow, an e-learning tool developed for health service and care staff to help them reduce hospital delays for patients. Nearly 350,000 patients currently spend over three weeks in acute hospitals each year. Many of those are older people who are often frail, and while a short […]

Midwives, nurses and doctors in maternity and birthing units are ‘always standing ready’, as the country sees the annual peak in births today. Thanks to a spike in conceptions over the Christmas holidays, around 2,000 babies are born on 26 September in England and Wales – more than any other day of the year – […]

The search is on for nurses and other health professionals across England to become the face of the NHS App on social media and in their communities, helping people to take back control of their own health. England’s Chief Nursing Officer, Ruth May, today launched the drive to find 10 passionate NHS ambassadors including nurses, […]

Women who smoke during pregnancy are putting themselves and their baby at risk of serious harm unless they kick the habit, the NHS has warned. The NHS’ chief midwife has spoken out as new stats released today (Tuesday) show that although fewer adults overall are smoking, and maternity smoking specifically has fallen from 92,123 women […]

NHS England has recruited 300 more family doctors and thousands more nurses, pharmacists and other staff to work alongside GPs delivering better care in the community. There are now 7,302 more full time equivalent (FTE) health professionals working in primary care than three years ago, NHS Digital figures released today show. That exceeds NHS England’s […]

Almost 14,000 families have opted for a home birth in a single year, which might include the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as mothers-to-be are offered greater choice over the care they receive thanks to the NHS Long Term Plan. If Baby Sussex is born in the familiar surroundings of home, they will be among […]

New and expectant mothers across the country can now access specialist mental health care in the area where they live, NHS England announced today. The landmark rollout of specialist perinatal community services across the whole of England, means that mums and mums-to-be who are experiencing anxiety, depression or other forms of mental ill health should […]

The NHS has appointed England’s first Chief Midwife to improve care for new and expectant mothers and their children and promote safer births as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, announced today that Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent will be the first to take on the new role, to […]