A DIABETIC was accidentally given 10 times their normal dose of insulin by a nurse working for Northamptonshire’s mental health trust. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Diabetic given 10 times usual insulin dose level by Northamptonshire nurse
Diabetic given 10 times usual insulin dose level by Northamptonshire nurse:
Telehealth trial shows early success
Telehealth trial shows early success:
The telehealth part of the study focused on three diseases, COPD, diabetes and heart disease. Data was collected over a minimum of 12 months for every participant and is undergoing evaluation by an independent team of researchers from six of the leading academic institutions in the country. NHS Networks
Call for better NHS staff checks
Call for better NHS staff checks: Nurses are stepping up their campaign to get ministers to toughen up the regulation of healthcare support staff in England. BBC News
EU directive ''may cost NHS £70m a year''
EU directive ''may cost NHS £70m a year'': A directive designed to encourage countries to reduce their energy consumption is ''too rigid and top-heavy'' Public Service
Involving children and young people in health services
Involving children and young people in health services: This report highlights the key findings and recommendations from an event held in September 2011 to discuss the key priorities for child health. NHS Confederation
Union signs NHS pension reform pact - The Guardian
Union signs NHS pension reform pact - The Guardian:
 The Guardian | The Guardian Responding to the progress in talks on the NHS pension scheme, Dean Royles, director of the NHS Employers organisation, said: "This significant step forward will help lift the cloud of uncertainty hanging over the NHS around pensions and industrial ... MPs updated on pension reform talksThe Press Association Public sector workers close to pension dealThe Independent Danny Alexander updating MPs on pensions row progressBBC News ifaonline.co.uk -Citywire.co.uk -Nursing Times all 652 news articles » |
Patients at risk despite changes to EU rules on doctors, say regulators
Patients at risk despite changes to EU rules on doctors, say regulators:
Fury at European commission's plans that would allow EU doctors to register in UK without tests on English or skills
The UK's medical regulators have warned that patient safety is at risk because, despite changes to rules on the movement of labour proposed by the European commission on Monday, EU doctors will still be able to register in the UK without being tested on their English or medical competence.
Although the health secretary, Andrew Lansley, has already made clear he will strengthen NHS employers' powers to check on medics' language skills under measures not bound by EU laws, the General Medical Council (GMC) is furious that it will first have to recognise doctors' qualifications without giving them the same checks that are applied in the case of doctors from other parts of the world who are seeking work in Britain.
The GMC recently revealed that a foreign doctor's husband contacted them on her behalf to register her for work because she could not speak English.
The government and healthcare bodies have been pressing for changes for more than two years after the Guardian revealed how Daniel Ubani, a German doctor, accidentally killed a patient on his first UK locum shift by administering a massive overdose of painkillers. He was subsequently ruled incompetent by a coroner and struck off the UK register, although he is still able to practise in Germany.
The proposals for changes to the directive that governs the mutual recognition of professional qualifications will take years to make their way through the EU decision-making process. Member states will have to ratify them by 2014, and peers recently pointed out they might not take affect until 2017. The proposals say doctors and other healthcare professionals can face competence checks by authorities after registration although it is not clear who would carry these out on self-employed people.
The GMC's chief executive, Niall Dickson, said serious concerns remained. "It remains our view that the final directive should provide greater safeguards for patients. Over the coming months we will continue work with the UK government, MEPs, other regulators, and EU institutions to ensure that the final version of the directive focuses on protecting patients."
Lansley said: "For too long patients have been let down by lax EU rules which have allowed doctors to operate in the UK without the necessary safeguards. That's why I am bringing in new rules on checking doctors' language skills and new powers to take action against doctors who can't speak English properly."
Commission plans for better sharing of information about the doctors that come to work in the UK were "steps in the right direction", said Lansley, "but we need to understand more of the detail behind them. For example, we would need to be convinced that a common European professional card would bring tangible benefits and proper checking systems.
"Our overriding concern must be to protect patients from healthcare professionals who may not be properly skilled to do the job and we will do everything we can to work with the EU to achieve this." Guardian
New factsheet available on statement writing
New factsheet available on statement writing: New guidance on statement writing is now available for RCN members.
Message to members on NHS pensions
Message to members on NHS pensions: RCN General Secretary & Chief Executive Dr Peter Carter and Chair of RCN Council Professor Kathleen McCourt have sent the following email to RCN members about the Government’s latest position on NHS pensions:
Levels of norovirus within seasonal norms
Levels of norovirus within seasonal norms: Norovirus is highly contagious and can be transmitted by contact with an infected person; by consuming contaminated food or water or by contact with contaminated surfaces or objects. The virus spreads rapidly in closed environments such as hospitals, schools, nursing and residential homes. Health Protection Agency
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