Hundreds Of NHS Direct Staff Face Job Losses

Hundreds of people working for NHS Direct, a failed provider to the NHS helpline, have been told they face losing their jobs.

NHS Direct announced in July that it was planning to pull out of its contracts due to severe financial problems.

In October it said it would close after projecting a £26m deficit for this financial year.

Some 200 of its 700 staff have already been told their jobs are safe, as they move to other providers.

Of the remaining 500, many may also escape redundancy, with back office staff most likely to lose their jobs.

A spokeswoman said: "NHS Direct has today written to around 500 employees, including around 140 nurses, giving them formal notice that they are at risk of redundancy at the end of March.

"The final number of redundancies is likely to be less than this, since we are seeking to mitigate as many redundancies as possible by supporting these staff to find alternative employment within the wider NHS.

"At this stage we do not know what the final number of redundancies will be as it is dependent on several factors including the number of 'at risk' staff who obtain suitable alternative employment elsewhere."

The 111 line, which replaced NHS Direct as the number to call for urgent, but non-emergency care, has been riddled with controversy since its inception on April 1 last year.

Patients complained of calls going unanswered, poor advice being given and calls being diverted to the wrong part of the country.

A month after its launch, leading medics warned the "problematic" roll-out of the system had left many patients not knowing where to turn.

An investigation was launched by NHS England after a number of incidents, including three deaths, were linked to the service.

NHS Direct originally won 11 of the 46 contracts across England to provide the 111 service.

Dr Peter Carter, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, claimed 158 nursing staff at NHS Direct would lose their jobs.

He said: "This is sad news indeed for the individuals affected, and could to lead to patients seeing their NHS 111 service stretched even further.

"After the dismantling of NHS Direct, we've been left with a fragmented, localised NHS 111 service that offers uncertainty and inconsistency across many parts of the country."

:: All this week Sky News will have live coverage examining the crisis in the NHS. Watch 'A Matter Of Life And Death' on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Obese Pregnant Women 'Putting Strain On NHS'

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

NHS chiefs have ordered the first official survey of older and fatter women giving birth following new evidence that maternity units are under increasing pressure from complex pregnancies.

Figures obtained by Sky News show there has been a boom in pregnant women who are obese or over the age of 40.

Some units reported that the number of obese mums had more than doubled in just two years.

And NHS England revealed it will for the first time monitor the data to ensure women are receiving appropriate care.

Dr Catherine Calderwood, NHS clinical director for maternity, said: "Knowing this data is one of the most important things to improve the outcomes for these women and their babies.

"So we are investing in that with a new audit for the first time."

Sky News sent a Freedom of Information request to all maternity units in England.

Dr Catherine Calderwood, NHS clinical director for maternity

Of the 104 that replied, 67 were able to supply data on obesity between 2010/11 and 2012/13.

On average there was a 12.5% rise in women with a body mass index (BMI) over 30.

But Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust reported a rise of 192% and Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said obesity had risen 177%.

Our survey also shows an upward trend in the number of older mums, with an average 7.5% rise in the number of women aged over 40 over the two years.

Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Trust has been at the forefront of one of the biggest baby booms in the country.

Our statistics show that the number of obese mums rose by 59% in two years. Women aged over 40 rose by 33%.

Nicky Griffin, maternity ward manager at the hospital, said obese women need additional care.

"It is a consideration you need to make for their safety when they are in labour," she said.

"There is a risk of deep vein thrombosis, clotting in the leg.

"We have to give medication to prevent that because bigger ladies can be less mobile."

Obese women are also more at risk of diabetes, dangerously high blood pressure and having a premature delivery. Older mums face similar risks.

:: All this week Sky News will have live coverage examining the crisis in the NHS. Watch 'A Matter Of Life And Death' on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Drivers Warned Of 60mph Motorway Speed Limit

Drivers are being warned 60mph limits could be imposed on all motorways after an announcement of plans to restrict speeds on a section of the M1.

The Highways Agency has disclosed a 34-mile section of the motorway will see reduced speed limits in a bid to tackle pollution and indicated it could be repeated in other areas where emissions are high.

Motoring organisations have cautioned the move is the "thin end of a very large wedge" which could pave the way for a blanket lowering of the motorway speed limit.

There are a number of other stretches of motorway across the country earmarked to see similar cuts in the limits from 2015.

The agency said the M1 between junction 28 of the M1 at Matlock in Derbyshire and Junction 35a for Sheffield, South Yorkshire, would see a 60mph limit between 7am and 7pm, seven days a week.

The plan is aimed at helping to meet European Union clean air targets and is part of the "smart" motorway scheme, which will see vehicles using the hard shoulder as an extra lane to ease congestion.

The Government had previously considered raising motorway speed limits to 80mph, bringing it more in line with other European countries, but these plans were dropped.

There is no speed limit on the German autobahn

RAC technical director David Bizley said: "This is a landmark proposal as to the best of our knowledge motorway speed limits have not previously been lowered in order to comply with environmental legislation.

"If this becomes reality for the 34-mile stretch of the M1, which seems highly likely, it would certainly negate some of the current benefits of operating this section as a 'smart' motorway where motorists are allowed to use the hard shoulder to reduce congestion.

"More worryingly, it could pave the way for similar restrictions on other sections of motorway. While preserving air quality is obviously a paramount concern there will inevitably be a negative impact on business efficiency and individual mobility."

Chairman of campaign group the Alliance of British Drivers Brian MacDowall said: "The Government should be raising motorway speed limits, not reducing them. Air quality is important, but it has improved massively in recent years and will continue to do so, as newer, cleaner vehicles replace older ones.

"The EU's air quality targets must not be used as an excuse to reduce speed limits or abandon vital road improvement schemes. If this proposal goes ahead, it will be the thin end of a very large wedge. It should be scrapped immediately."

A consultation on the proposed speed reduction will run until March 3.

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NHS 'Unsustainable' Without Extra £1bn Funding

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

More than 20,000 extra GPs, nurses and other NHS staff are needed if the Prime Minister wants his plan for longer surgery opening hours to work, the head of the Royal College of GPs has warned.

In her first major TV interview since taking up the post, Dr Maureen Baker told Sky News that GPs needed an extra £1bn of taxpayers' money to recruit sufficient staff to keep practices open seven days a week.

Without the extra money, the NHS risks becoming unsustainable as GPs and hospitals struggle to cope with the extra demand from patients over the winter months, she said.

"If we were to move to seven days a week we would need 10,000 more GPs.

"We probably need the same number of practice nurses and a proportionate number of support staff.

"We don't think seven days a week is realistic."

Dr Baker took over as head of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) in November, a month after the Prime Minister declared his intention to get GPs to work more hours.

According to the British Medical Association (BMA), there are just over 40,000 GPs currently working in the UK.

The RCGP wants that figure to rise by a quarter.

In a dire assessment of the current state of GP practices, Dr Baker said family doctors feel "besieged" as they struggle to deal with the influx of patients, particularly in the winter months.

"It is constant demand with very little let-up," she said.

"We know our colleagues are working 11 to 12-hour days, and that is really difficult to do day after day when it is a job you need to be on top form for.

"They are feeling pressurised and besieged and looking for a bit of respite."

She said GPs need more resources, adding: "The consequence (of not having extra resources) will be the winter pressure effect that comes up every year gets longer and longer.

"My fear is the whole of the NHS becomes unsustainable due to the failure to properly invest in general practice."

She also criticised the Government's £500m handout to hospitals to help them cope this winter.

David Cameron wants longer opening hours for GP surgeries

"It wasn't the best use of money. It was a short-term fix, finger-in-the-dyke stuff," she said.

"There is nothing about the use of that money that will stop the same pressures emerging again and again."

In October, the Prime Minister said he would like GP surgeries to open from 8am until 8pm and at weekends to fit in with the lifestyles of working people.

He told Sky News: "Sometimes people using accident and emergency really just need to see a GP.

"But for hard-working people it is often too difficult because you are at work, you can't get an appointment at the time that fits."

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "GPs do a vital job which is why we increased their overall budget last year as part of our protection of NHS funding.

"We have made £50m available to help innovative GPs to extend their services and stay open longer - either on their own or by working with other local practices.

"We have also asked Health Education England to see how we can get 50% of medical students to become GPs."

Some GP surgeries are testing out new ways of working to improve waiting times for appointments.

Under a system devised by the organisation Patient Access, GPs call back patients within an hour of them ringing the surgery.

Within a week of introducing the system GPs at the Phoenix Surgery in Swindon were dealing with 60% of patients over the phone.

The rest were given same-day appointments for a face-to-face consultation.

Dr Peter Swinyard said: "I can deal with two or three patients in the time it used to take me to deal with one.

"I was terrified. You have been working in a certain pattern for 29 years and now you're doing something different.

"But we are providing a better service, a service that patients have a right to expect."

:: All this week Sky News will have live coverage examining the crisis in the NHS. Watch 'A Matter Of Life And Death' on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Hull 'Explosives' Find: Boy Among Three Held

A 15-year-old boy and two adults have been arrested after suspected explosive substances were found at a house in Hull.

Army bomb disposal experts were called to the terraced council property in Kilnsea Grove, in the east of the city, on Sunday along with scores of police, firefighters and paramedics following a tip-off.

A number of families were evacuated from their homes as a precaution.

The teenager was arrested along with a 49-year-old woman and a 56-year-old man. All three are in police custody.

A Humberside Police spokesman said last night: "Agencies recovered substances from an address on Kilnsea Grove this afternoon, which were taken to a site in Hull to be disposed of safely.

"The substances have been made safe and seized as evidence. No one was injured."

Several police and fire service vehicles were still parked outside the house last night and officers had erected a blue forensics tent on the road in front of the property.

Police said most people in Kilnsea Grove had returned to their homes.

'Substances' were found at the house in Kilnsea Grove in Hull

Earlier, dozens of people living in the area gathered behind the police cordon to watch the Army bomb disposal experts go into the property.

One man said: "I can't believe what descended on us. There's Army, police, ambulances, four-wheel drive ambulances, fire engines. Everything's here.

"They came in the middle of the night after a tip-off about stuff in the house. Then all hell broke loose. I've not seen anything like it."

Detective Inspector Jason Gourley said: "We have arrested three people who are currently assisting us with our enquiries in connection with substances believed to be at a property on Kilnsea Grove.

"We appreciate that many people of Kilnsea Grove would have been inconvenienced when they were asked to evacuate their homes, so we would like to thank them for their patience, whilst we conducted enquiries and made the area safe for them to return.

"The evacuation was necessary in order to ensure every local resident was safe during the investigation, which was our top priority.

"I would like to reassure members of the public that we believe this is an isolated incident and we don't believe this incident is connected to any terrorist organisations."

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Storms: Britain Braced For More Floods And Chaos

A violent storm brewing in the Atlantic is set to bring more flooding and travel chaos today as Britain returns to work after the Christmas holidays.

The weather conditions that brought misery over the festive period continued to prove treacherous at the weekend - with a 47-year-old man becoming the third person to die in the storms.

A rock fall in Porthcothan Bay, Cornwall

The unnamed victim died when his mobility scooter fell into the swollen River Thames at Osney Lock, Oxford, at 6.30pm on Saturday.

A search is continuing for missing 18-year-old student Harry Martin, who was last seen on Thursday afternoon leaving his home in Newton Ferrers, near Plymouth, to take photos of the storms.

A severe flood warning is in place near Bournemouth

A 27-year-old man from Surrey was found on Porthleven Sands beach in Cornwall after he was swept out to sea on New Year's Eve night and a woman died after being rescued from the sea in Croyde Bay, north Devon.

Forecasters have warned gusts of up to 70mph will hit western coasts, while officials around the country have urged people to remain vigilant and to stay away from high-risk areas with high waves crashing on to land.

:: Send us your weather photos or video to news@sky.com or text your pictures to 84501

Harry Martin went missing in the storms

As winds whip up rough seas in the Atlantic, it could lead to even further coastal flooding with 10-metre-high waves possible for southwest England, Wales and western Scotland.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning - meaning "be aware" - for heavy rain, along with hail and thunder, in southern and western parts of Scotland, across Northern Ireland, north Wales, northwest and northeast England and the South.

Up to 40mm of rain could fall in higher ground.

With the ground saturated already following recent storms, the Environment Agency (EA) has issued one severe flood warning - near Bournemouth, Dorset - and more than 300 flood warnings and alerts covering every region in England and Wales.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has 25 flood warnings and alerts in place.

The EA urged communities in Dorset and Oxfordshire to prepare for "significant flooding" in the lower reaches of the Thames, Dorset Stour and Frome rivers.

This is the latest storm front to hit Britain

More flooding is expected on the Somerset Levels and rivers in the South East, including the Severn, remain "very high" after recent rainfall.

The EA said some 220 properties had been flooded so far, miles of coastline had been battered and roads and fields across the country left under water.

The severe weather has already taken its toll on the transport network and more disruption expected for commuters with roads closed and trains delayed or cancelled in areas.

The scene where the man on his mobility scooter fell into the river

Southern Railway services between Horsham and Dorking in Surrey will be out of action until early February after a landslip in Ockley.

First Great Western warned passengers there was a risk to services in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset.

And with hail providing an additional hazard, driving conditions are expected to be difficult too with the RAC expecting Monday to be one of the busiest days of the year for breakdowns, with 11,000 call-outs expected.

A yellow warning has been issued for the whole of west Britain

Residents in Wales are bracing themselves for more flooding and damage after the worst storms in 15 years battered the coastline on Friday.

Aberystwyth University is evacuating students who live in halls of residence facing the seafront as more strong winds approach.

Sky News weather producer Jo Robinson said: "As the UK returns to work after the Christmas and New Year holidays, some travel disruption is likely on Britain's roads and railways.

"Also, there's likely to be more flooding, with coastal areas at greatest risk as winds gust up to 70mph in the West.

Tewkesbury is underwater due to floods again

"The storm system out in the Atlantic has whipped up the sea creating a large swell which is heading towards us early on Monday morning, so that combined with strong winds could cause flooding at high tide.

"The spring tides are past their peak now, but the high-tide waters are still likely to cause concern."

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Weather: Risk Of Flooding As More Rain Arrives

The UK is bracing for more storms, high tides and gale-force winds on Sunday as communities already hit by a trail of devastation begin to assess the damage.

More than 200 homes have been flooded along the west of the UK from Cornwall to Scotland, with miles of coastline battered and roads left under water.

Prime Minister David Cameron has praised the "great work" of emergency services and the Environment Agency (EA) in responding to flooding.

The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for rain in the south of England and snow in the north of England and southern Scotland.

People brave high tides on a beach in Brighton

Up to 40mm of rain could fall on higher ground on Sunday and there are more warnings of flooding and travel disruption.

:: Send us your weather photos or video to news@sky.com or text your pictures to 84501. But don't take unnecessary risks.

The EA warned that the south and west coasts of England and the Severn estuary still remain at risk of coastal flooding into next week.

The damage on the sea front in Aberystwyth

Communities along the North East, including Whitby and South Shields, could also see flooding as well as parts of the south coast including Portsmouth.

It comes as searches resumed in south Devon for missing 18-year-old university student Harry Martin, who was last seen leaving his home in Newton Ferrers, near Plymouth, on Thursday to take photographs of the weather.

Two people have already died in the storms. A 27-year-old man from Surrey was found on Porthleven Sands beach in Cornwall after he was swept out to sea on New Year's Eve.

The Thames Flood Barrier has been closed again

And a woman died after being rescued from the sea in Croyde Bay, north Devon.

There are currently 99 flood warnings and 256 flood alerts in place in England and Wales.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said: "The worst of the bad weather is not yet over so I've chaired an emergency meeting of all departments involved to make sure the preparations to respond are in hand."

The bad weather has caused widespread damage in coastal areas, including the sea front in Aberystwyth, west Wales, and damaged rail lines in north Wales.

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Tory Peer's Poll Shows Voters Abandoning Party

More than a third of people who voted Conservative in the last general election say they would not vote for the party in the next election, according to a poll carried out by Lord Ashcroft.

The former Tory Party deputy chairman's findings revealed around half of the 'defectors' had switched allegiance to the UK Independence Party, with a fifth aligning themselves with Labour or the Lib Dems and a third undecided.

But in a more positive message for the Tories, 56% of those 'defectors' believe David Cameron is the best of the three main party leaders and say their preferred outcome in 2015 would be a Conservative majority.

The poll showed the 'defectors' significantly outweigh the number of new backers from other parties since 2010, making it more difficult for David Cameron to win an overall majority in 2015.

Commentary on the research, Lord Ashcroft said: "This research shows it is far from impossible for the Tories to win outright. But to do so they will need the votes of everyone who supported for them last time, plus practically everyone who is even prepared to think about doing so next time."

The poll found many voters in all camps gave at least a grudging recognition that the coalition had done well in dealing with the economy.

Lord Ashcroft says the Tory party needs a bigger coalition of voters

Mr Cameron and George Osborne were more trusted than Ed Miliband and Ed Balls to manage the economy in the country's best interests by a margin of 57% to 43%.

But it would be "hard" to persuade people that they were feeling the benefits of improved growth rates in their own lives given that the Government had no scope for large giveaways.

In fact a small majority 54% said they expected no improvement or a slight worsening in the economy over the next one or two years - with 46% anticipating a significant improvement.

The findings are from Project Blueprint: Phase 4, the latest round of Lord Ashcroft's research into the Tories' prospects of winning the next election outright.

The Tory peer said the Conservatives need to offer a clear direction to win the next election, not simply highlighting Labour's weaknesses and relying on progress achieved since 2010.

"Drawing a contrast with Labour and highlighting progress on welfare, immigration and the macro economy, important though they are, will only take the Tories so far," he said.

"It needs to be clearer what would be on offer under a new Conservative government. It is one thing to say don't turn back, but we also need to know where we're going."

The poll interviewed 8,053 adults online between November 4 and 10.

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Cameron's Pledge To Guarantee State Pensions

Voters 'Won't Back Tories' In 2015

Updated: 1:13am UK, Sunday 05 January 2014

More than a third of people who voted Conservative in the last general election say they would not vote for the party in the next election, according to a poll carried out by Lord Ashcroft.

The former Tory Party deputy chairman's findings revealed around half of the 'defectors' had switched allegiance to the UK Independence Party, with a fifth aligning themselves with Labour or the Lib Dems and a third undecided.

But in a more positive message for the Tories, 56% of those 'defectors' believe David Cameron is the best of the three main party leaders and say their preferred outcome in 2015 would be a Conservative majority.

The poll showed the 'defectors' significantly outweigh the number of new backers from other parties since 2010, making it more difficult for David Cameron to win an overall majority in 2015.

Commentary on the research, Lord Ashcroft said: "This research shows it is far from impossible for the Tories to win outright. But to do so they will need the votes of everyone who supported for them last time, plus practically everyone who is even prepared to think about doing so next time."

The poll found many voters in all camps gave at least a grudging recognition that the coalition had done well in dealing with the economy.

Mr Cameron and George Osborne were more trusted than Ed Miliband and Ed Balls to manage the economy in the country's best interests by a margin of 57% to 43%.

But it would be "hard" to persuade people that they were feeling the benefits of improved growth rates in their own lives given that the Government had no scope for large giveaways.

In fact a small majority 54% said they expected no improvement or a slight worsening in the economy over the next one or two years - with 46% anticipating a significant improvement.

The findings are from Project Blueprint: Phase 4, the latest round of Lord Ashcroft's research into the Tories' prospects of winning the next election outright.

The Tory peer said the Conservatives need to offer a clear direction to win the next election, not simply highlighting Labour's weaknesses and relying on progress achieved since 2010.

"Drawing a contrast with Labour and highlighting progress on welfare, immigration and the macro economy, important though they are, will only take the Tories so far," he said.

"It needs to be clearer what would be on offer under a new Conservative government. It is one thing to say don't turn back, but we also need to know where we're going."

The poll interviewed 8,053 adults online between November 4 and 10.

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Madeleine McCann Parents In Court Setback

A request by Madeleine McCann's parents to give evidence at a Portuguese libel trial over a book by a former local police chief has been rejected, according to a family source.

Kate and Gerry McCann are suing Goncalo Amaral over claims he made in The Truth of the Lie, which they say damaged the hunt for their missing daughter and greatly added to their anguish.

The McCanns are also taking legal action against his publisher and the makers of a documentary based on the book.

They had wanted to testify in the court case, which is taking place in Lisbon.

Goncalo Amaral at the launch of his book in 2008

But a family source said permission had been refused ahead of the next hearing date, which is on Tuesday.

The couple are said to be disappointed by the decision, and their lawyer Isabel Duarte is likely to appeal against the judge's decision.

An application by Mr Amaral to give evidence is also understood to have been turned down.

Mr McCann's sister Trish Cameron told the court last October that the family's pain over Madeleine's disappearance was "multiplied 100 times" by the book, while the trial previously heard how Mrs McCann had considered suicide in the aftermath of its publication in 2008.

Madeleine McCann disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in 2007

Madeleine's mother travelled to Lisbon at the start of the trial, and her husband has attended several times in the hope of being able to give evidence.

Madeleine, who was then nearly four, disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on May 3, 2007, as her parents dined at a nearby restaurant with friends.

British detectives launched a fresh investigation into the youngster's disappearance in July this year - two years into a review of the case - and made renewed appeals on television in the UK, the Netherlands and in Germany.

After shelving their inquiry into Madeleine's disappearance in 2008, Portuguese authorities said in October that a review had uncovered enough new information to justify reopening it.

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