Northampton hospital recognised for tiny pacemaker work - BBC

A hospital that has implanted tiny pacemakers for 10 years has been recognised as a "centre of excellence". Northampton General Hospital said the honour, bestowed by the manufacturer, was for the way "it has pioneered" the fitting of the leadless pacemaker and for training other teams around the UK. The device is 93% smaller than traditional pacemakers, weighs about two grams and can be inserted in about 20 minutes. It is so small that it cannot be felt under the surface of the skin, the trust explained. The device, made by global US healthcare company Medtronic, has been used in Northampton since 2016 and in 2024 it became the first hospital trust in the UK to use the latest form. The trust has fitted it in about 300 patients so far. Staff Northampton General Hospital were treated with a cake to mark the achievement [NGH]Dr David Sharman, a consultant cardiologist who implanted the hospital's first device, said his team had been training specialist nurses, cardiac physiologists and radiographers from across England. "This kind of pacemaker is the future for pacemakers," he said. Do you have a story suggestion for Northamptonshire? Contact us below.

Mozambique becomes the first recipient of Gavi’s Leap Champion recognition for its leadership in country ownership and sustained health investment. As the first country to implement unified vaccine budgets under the Gavi Leap, Mozambique is a standard bearer in the movement towards greater country sovereignty in global health. Dr Ussene Hilário Isse, Minister of Health of Mozambique: “We are proud to be a pioneer of the Gavi Leap initiative, which places national priorities and the health of our population at the centre of decision-making.”New York/Geneva, 25 September 2026 – Mozambique today became the first country to receive the Gavi Leap Champion recognition. The inaugural recognition was presented in acknowledgment and appreciation of Mozambique’s leadership in country ownership, health system strengthening and sustainable health investments. Mozambique was the first country to implement Gavi’s 2026–2030 strategic shift towards holistic immunisation budgets in alignment with its own National Immunisation Strategy, setting a new benchmark for how countries align national priorities, partner investments and health system goals around a single vision.

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