With winter weather in full force and snowfalls across the country causing treacherous conditions PCTs are urging people to think carefully before venturing out or attending Accident and Emergency Departments.

NHS Hull has teamed with Assura East Riding LLP to open a new city-centre-based GP Practice. The Story Street Medical Practice completes NHS Hull's programme to provide six new practices. The other new builds are in Kingswood, Bransholme, Holderness Road, Priory Road and Orchard Park.

By Norma Beavers

PCTs have massive stocks of Tamiflu but is it worth dispensing? A just published review suggests the drug may not be the best remedy against flu.

By Norma Beavers

Doctors' leaders say it's time to protect the NHS whatever government is in power after this year's General Election.

The Care Quality Commission has appointed Jo Williams as acting chairwoman following the sudden departure of its first chair Lady Barbara Young. Jo Williams was previously Young's deputy and a former Chief Executive of the Royal Mencap Society. She is also a former president of the Association of Directors of Social Services and a champion for social care services throughout a career in local government.

By Norma Beavers
Children in the Great Yarmouth and Waveney area are being offered the chance to get active and lose excess weight

By Norma Beavers

Birmingham East and North PCT is launching a telephone management service for cancer survivors that could reduce the use of outpatient services and cut healthcare costs dramatically. Instead of going to a hospital for frequent check-ups cancer survivors will telephone a specialist nurse advisor instead. Andrew Donald, chief operating officer of Birmingham East and North PCT, says this form of "doing remote care" has already proved successful in Birmingham for people living with long-term conditions and has the potential to make massive savings.

Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust is one of just 20 PCTs invited to be "an evaluated Pilot scheme" for Personal Health Budgets, which are to be launched early next year. The PCT is working with Oxfordshire Social and Community Services, voluntary organisations and the South Central Strategic Health Authority to develop the use of Personal Healthcare Budgets in Continuing Healthcare. Norma Beavers reports...

Arthritis Care has developed a training programme to empower people to become involved as experts in the design and delivery of high quality health services. The training programme teaches health service users to communicate with PCT staff, Practice based Commissioners and Strategic Health Authority managers. Norma Beavers reports..

More women than men are being recruited into the medical profession - but fewer women are appointed to senior leadership roles. If the trend continues the medical profession will hit crisis point and PCTs could experience a dramatic shortage of working doctors, finds a new report titled Women Doctors - Making a Difference.