NHS

Plans to merge Ipswich and Colchester hospitals have been approved. .

Last week we reported that the move had come about after a review by staff, patients, clinical experts, and health and local authority partners.

This morning the boards of both hospitals unanimously agreed to the plans.

The hospitals have shared a chief executive since May last year.

A detailed business plan will be published by Christmas showing how the two hospitals can become one foundation trust by June next year.

There'll be no changes to maternity or accident and emergency services, but other departments may be based at just one of the sites.

People in Cranbrook, Devon, will be offered discounts on their supermarket shop, cut-price sports gear and free cinema tickets for hitting step count targets under a new NHS scheme.

Cranbrook, a new town in East Devon, is one of 10 housing developments which make up the NHS Healthy New Towns programme.

The proposal, aimed at cutting the pressure on the health service, will see users of an app rewarded for walking, NHS England said.

Developers will also be asked to provide free bikes with new houses and flats to cut car use and encourage cycling.

STILL IMAGING

Earlier we told you about the success Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue had in recruiting more firefighters, well they're not the only ones adding people to the books.

Now 13 new GPs from overseas will start working in Lincolnshire by the end of this year.

The NHS has been trying to get more doctors to work in areas where there are a number of vacancies.