NHS North East Media coverage

1. NHS North EastMedia coverage April 2012

2. What was the profile of the NHS in the North East? • The volume of coverage mentioning the NHS in the North East decreased by 189 items against March to reach 367 articles. • The share of favourable coverage for April increased by 7.8 percentage points on March. Conversely, the share of negative comment was reduced by 7.9 percentage points. Very negative press increased slightly by 0.1 percentage point, however. Among the high-impact stories for the NHS in the North East was the news that 222 new centres specialising in treating major traumas are to open across England (cambridgenetwork.co.uk).

3. How did PCTs compare for quality of coverage?

4. What were the main drivers of coverage?

5. How did the various Trusts perform in the media? Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals Foundation Trust was again the North East’s leading acute trust in April, and once again achieved over twice as much media impact as the next most prominent acute trust. The trust’s favourability worsened very slightly, with positive coverage accounting for 97% of total impact compared with 98.1% in March. Top stories for Newcastle-upon-Tyne FT included news of Royal Victoria Infirmary staff returning home after serving at a British military hospital in Afghanistan (Evening Chronicle – Newcastle) and the progress of a baby born “without blood” at Queen Elizabeth hospital (thenorthernecho.co.uk). North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust obtained the largest share of negative coverage by media impact. The acute trust came under fire in the Hartlepool Mail after it emerged that it had discharged hundreds of patients overnight in 2011, including an elderly woman who had no money to get home. More positively, hartlepoolmail.co.uk reported that the trust is more hopeful that a decision on funding for a £300m hospital at Wynyard will be made in June. Coverage of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was entirely positive this month, driven by news that it had won two awards for improving the quality and safety of patient care (berwickadvertiser.co.uk).

6. Mental Health and Ambulance Trusts

7. And which were the most favourable? Providers and GPs were the only internal commentators to increase their article volumes compared to February. The Advertiser (Darlington) reported on how Shadow Clinical Commissioning Groups were preparing to take over PCT responsibilities, quoting SCCG chief officer Dr Stewart Finlay: “The major changes people should see will be the benefits of having more of their health needs met in their own community”. Meanwhile, Dr Mike Prentice, medical director for NHS South of Tyne and Wear PCT spoke to shieldsgazette.com about the benefits to patients of having electronic Summary Care Records. Comment from providers included news that staff at the maternity unit of South Tyneside District Hospital have been nominated for an Achieving Excellence Award after delivering a baby and saving the mother’s life. Derek Curry, clinical business manager of women and children’s services for South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust, said: “[The award] is a great tribute to the staff in our maternity unit (The Shields Gazette). Within external commentators, regulator spokespeople reappeared this month, and majority of their comments were negative in tone. For example, a letter by the GMC was quoted in a report on the case of a doctor who discharged a boy who later died of meningitis (thenorthernecho.co.uk). The letter cited a string of failings on the part of Dr MalikMahmoodAlam, consultant paediatrician at Darlington Memorial Hospital.