It was a record week with regards to the number of positive articles appearing in the press.

Sepsis awareness events and the good work being undertaken by the NHS Lanarkshire Reducing Harm Collaborative featured in the vast majority of the local newspapers.

Likewise, the’ wee c’ campaign and stressing the importance of the #GetChecked initiative, as part encouraging people to take part in bowel, breast and cervical screening, featured heavily. This was even more important as last month the local press carried stories highlighting the fact Lanarkshire has the worst take-up rate for a bowel screening programme credited with saving lives across the country. Nearly half of those invited to take part in the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme chose not to. The message is simple – the earlier cancer is found, the more treatable it is.

The fact that Wishaw General is the first hospital in Scotland to join John’s Campaign, a ground breaking initiative to help patients with dementia, was also picked up by a number of titles.

Two very good patient stories highlighted the great care and service provided by our staff. An angina sufferer thanked a dedicated team at Wishaw General Hospital for help getting him back on his feet. Also, a jet-setting businessman, diagnosed with heart failure a year ago, has been able to continue his world travels thanks to a text messaging system linking him to specialist support from NHS Lanarkshire.

Unfortunately there was a negative story about a patient experience which featured in a national newspaper and one of the local titles when a great gran fell out of bed. Falls in hospital can make an already distressing time even more difficult for patients and their relatives. There is a great deal of work being carried out across NHS Lanarkshire to prevent patient falls.

A&E waiting times were highlighted yet again as four health boards failed to meet the interim target of 95% of people being dealt with in four hours including NHS Lanarkshire at 94.4%.