Northampton General Hospital nurse struck off for sleeping on duty and ‘removing’ hundreds of painkilling tablets

Northampton General Hospital nurse struck off for sleeping on duty and ‘removing’ hundreds of painkilling tablets:

A NURSE has been struck off for removing hundreds of painkilling tablets from Northampton General Hospital and sleeping on duty after a tribunal saw documentary evidence from pharmacists. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Making a reality of telehealth: Lessons from the Whole System Demonstrator programme

Making a reality of telehealth: Lessons from the Whole System Demonstrator programme: As we await the results of the WSDAN project, Nick Goodwin considers what else is needed to support new technologies in telehealth and telecare. (Blog, 3 Nov 2011) The Kings Fund

Innovations in the health care workforce needed to deliver productivity improvements

Innovations in the health care workforce needed to deliver productivity improvements: Anna Dixon explains why it will only be possible to deliver productivity improvements in the NHS by using human as well as financial resources differently. (Blog, 7 Nov 2011) The Kings Fund

Health regulator may fail unless health bill is amended, says new report from The King's Fund

Health regulator may fail unless health bill is amended, says new report from The King's Fund

Under proposals set out in the Health and Social Care Bill, Monitor will be responsible for setting prices for NHS-funded services, tackling anti-competitive behaviour, and maintaining essential services if providers become financially unsustainable. This report from the King's Fund suggests that Monitor may fail to fulfil its new responsibilities as the economic regulator for health care unless the government provides greater clarity about its role. The Kings Fund

Proposed establishment of the NHS Trust Development Authority and Health Education England

Proposed establishment of the NHS Trust Development Authority and Health Education England:

Richard Douglas, Director-General Policy, Strategy & Finance, Department of Health and Head of the Government Finance Profession, HM Treasury, has written to John Beanland, DTUS Chair, Karen Didovich, Senior Employment Relations Adviser, Royal College of Nursing, and Christina McAnea, Unison National Secretary for Health.

The letter:

• formally seeks views in accordance with section 28(7) of the NHS Act 2006, on the proposed establishment of two Special Health Authorities (SpHAs) – the NHS Trust Development Authority (NTDA) and Health Education England (HEE)


• annexes further details on the proposals for the establishment and functions of the SpHAs


• welcomes responses by 31 January 2012

Read the letter

Department of Health

GP receptionists 'play key role'

GP receptionists 'play key role': Receptionists in GP surgeries play a "hidden" role in ensuring patients get the correct treatments when they need them, says a study in the British Medical Journal. BBC News

Former government advisor urges CCGs to ally with health and wellbeing boards

Former government advisor urges CCGs to ally with health and wellbeing boards: Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) should form alliances with the health and wellbeing boards to give them a strong voice against the demands of the National Commissioning Board, a former government advisor has said. GP Online

''Firm up councils' health equality duty''

''Firm up councils' health equality duty'': The lack of statutory duty on local authorities to reduce health inequalities is worrying, says Lord Victor Adebowale Public Service

Early publication of the latest edition of the Mental Health Bulletin

Early publication of the latest edition of the Mental Health Bulletin: Early publication of the Mental Health Bulletin No. 323. Packed with the usual news, research, publications and conferences on every aspect of mental health and social care. NHS East Midlands Improvement Network

1,500 lung cancer deaths 'unnecessary'

1,500 lung cancer deaths 'unnecessary': Report finds sufferers are not being offered operations to remove tumours and too few surgeons are skilled at performing themAbout 1,500 lung cancer patients die unnecessarily every year because they are not offered an operation and too few NHS surgeons are skilled in removing tumours, a report warns today.Most hospitals offer surgery to far fewer patients than the 30% of people with the disease who doctors believe would benefit from treatment, according to an audit of 400,000 lung cancer operations. The Guardian

Inpatient diabetes - £600 million excess outlay could be reduced with specialist care

Inpatient diabetes - £600 million excess outlay could be reduced with specialist care: Source: NHS Diabetes

Area: News

Research published by NHS Diabetes has found that the NHS in England spends more than £2.3 billion a year on inpatient care for people with diabetes - equating to 11% of NHS inpatient care expenditure. It estimates that approximately £600 million of this outlay is estimated to be excess expenditure on diabetes, over and above the sum spent on a population of the same age and gender without the condition. People with diabetes are more likely to be admitted to hospital, have longer stays than people of the same age without the condition and are more often admitted overnight for planned procedures that could be performed as day cases. Despite the high levels of spend, diabetes inpatient care remains poor in many areas and people with diabetes experience avoidable complications while in hospital.

Two-thirds of people in at-risk groups not getting flu jab, figures show

Two-thirds of people in at-risk groups not getting flu jab, figures show:

Government urges more people to come forward for vaccination

Only one in three people in at-risk groups and 14% of pregnant women have come forward for a flu jab, figures show.

New data from the Department of Health shows more than half (55%) of people over 65 have had the jab, which protects against several strains of flu including swine flu.

But only 32% of those under 65 in at-risk groups – such as with diabetes, liver disease, asthma or chest problems and neurological conditions – have come forward.

And just 14% of pregnant women have had the vaccine this year.

The figures are all slightly up on this time last year but the government is urging more people to come forward.

Some GP practices ran drop-in flu jab clinics in October which have now finished, but patients can still book individual appointments with GPs or practice nurses.

Data from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) published today shows three people have been admitted to intensive care for flu since the flu season began.

Flu activity in the community is regarded as being at a low level at the moment.

The news comes as a poll for the Department of Health found 58% of 1,754 people surveyed incorrectly believe the jab can cause flu.

Chief medical officer Professor Dame Sally Davies said an estimated 7 million people in England had had a flu jab so far this year but she wanted to see 75% of over-65s and 60% of under-65s in at-risk groups get vaccinated.

She said: "I can categorically state that the flu jab does not give you flu. The vaccine does not include the live virus. It can save your life though. Flu can kill – and it can be particularly dangerous for people in at-risk groups. They are on average 11 times more likely to die from flu than a healthy person is.

"If you haven't been called for a flu jab and are in an at-risk group, it's time to contact your GP to make an appointment. If you're in an at-risk group, it's free on the NHS."

Data suggests diabetics are six times more likely to die if they get flu than a healthy person, while those with chronic heart disease are 11 times more likely to die. People with chronic liver disease are 48 times more likely to die and those undergoing medical treatment who may have a compromised immune system are 47 times more likely. The Guardian

Abuse of vulnerable adults: provisional report shows extent of allegations in care and domestic homes

Abuse of vulnerable adults: provisional report shows extent of allegations in care and domestic homes: Of the 96,000 reported cases in England referred to councils' Adult Safeguarding teams, 94,500 had key information recorded. NHS Information Centre

'Super-flu' claims unfounded

'Super-flu' claims unfounded:

A new strain of killer flu “could spread to Britain within 24 hours”, the Daily Express has today claimed. The Daily Mail also covered the story, reporting that research had found that people were infected with both seasonal flu and swine flu, sparking fears that the viruses could combine to form a “super-flu”.

The alarming reports in the Daily Mail and the Daily Express are rather misleading, for several reasons. The research the news was based on was actually a small, but important study that had examined a Cambodian patient who became unwell during the swine flu pandemic of 2009. Examining the man and four of his contacts, scientists determined that two of the five subjects were infected with both swine flu and a seasonal flu virus that was circulating in the environment at that time. None of the five infected individuals required hospitalisation and all made a full recovery.

This is valuable research in the light of the very real public health threat faced by flu pandemics; particularly as co-infection also offers the possibility for different viruses to combine their genetic material and produce new strains. However, such a ‘super-flu’ or ‘killer-flu’ has not been found, and is merely a possibility.

In the UK we are now entering the flu season. People who are most vulnerable to the effects of flu will be offered a jab against seasonal forms of flu. The composition of this jab is based on predictions of which predominant strains will circulate, and it will be designed to protect against multiple strains - even swine flu if it is likely to circulate. NHS Choices