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Notting Hill Police and the NHS Trust busted the manager in a joint investigation
By Amita Joshi
A hospital manager escaped jail after being caught using the NHS budget to pay for his personal wish-list of tools.
Nicky Irwin, an Electrical and Biomedical Engineering (EBME) Manager, was caught after he spent £3,746 of NHS money on goods "for his own private use".
The fraudster was given 175 hours of unpaid work at Isleworth Crown Court on Monday (January 16) after being caught by Notting Hill Police and counter fraud specialists.
He was also sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.
Read more: EBME Manager used thousands of pounds of NHS budget to buy himself tools.
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One of the UK's largest NHS trusts is expected to come out of special measures thanks to the "dedication and skill" of staff, a report has said.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has changed the rating for Cambridge University Hospitals Trust from "inadequate" to "good".
It follows a visit by inspectors in September 2016.
The last major inspection in April 2015 exposed staffing problems and management failings.
The Trust, which runs Addenbrooke's and the Rosie Maternity Hospitals, admits about 55,000 patients a year and treats a further 65,000 in A&E.
It is the eastern region's main trauma centre and is renowned worldwide for its teaching, academic research and innovation.
Read more: Addenbrooke's due out of special measures due to staff 'dedication'
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NHS England has announced £101 million of new funding to support and spread the work of the new care model vanguards. The vanguards are partnerships of NHS, local government, voluntary, community and other organisations that are implementing plans to improve the healthcare people receive, prevent ill health and save funds. Considerable progress has been made since the vanguards were launched in 2015 and there is emerging evidence that they are making significant improvements at a local level. This includes reducing pressure on busy GP and A&E services. In addition to the funding, the vanguards will continue to receive support from NHS England and other national bodies to implement their plans, including how they harness new technology including apps and shared computer systems. They are also receiving help to develop their workforce so that it is organised around patients and their local populations.
Read more: NHS England announces £101 million of new funding for new care model vanguards
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A team of researchers found several potentially “fatal” security flaws in 10 different medical implants.
Researchers at the University of Birmingham in the U.K. and the University of Leuven in Belgium discovered vulnerabilities in the software and signals that communicate with implant devices. The software is used to update the devices or gather data readings on a patient.
By experimenting with the bugs, the researchers were able to change the settings on the devices and in some cases shut them down entirely as well as steal sensitive medical data about the patient.
The device manufacturer name has not been disclosed but researchers said the bugs have since been patched by the maker before the research paper was made public. The researchers only studied one manufacturer but added that its products are widely used by healthcare professionals.
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A five-year plan to increase the budget by £8bn a year by 2020 was only set out last year, but now hospital bosses have warned that is not enough. Chris Hopson, of NHS Providers, said the settlement needed to be redrawn. It comes as the half-year accounts for 2016-17 showed hospitals and other NHS trusts were failing to keep in budget. From April to September trusts overspent by £648m - this is despite hospitals being given an extra £1.8bn this year to bail them out following last year's record deficit of £2.45bn.
Mr Hopson's comments plus the emerging deficit puts the pressure on ministers ahead of the Autumn Statement next Wednesday. This will be the first time the government under Theresa May's leadership has outlined its spending priorities. All the indications to date are that ministers are not prepared to give the NHS more money, although there have been rumours that council-run care services could see investment to help reduce demands on the health service.
Read more: NHS £8bn budget plan 'not enough', say hospital bosses
