Get your nominations in for the Northamptonshire Carers Awards 2012

Get your nominations in for the Northamptonshire Carers Awards 2012: Do you know someone who devotes their time to looking after someone else? Do you think they deserve to be acknowledged for the hard work and support they provide? If you are a carer, has your GP or... NHFT

Investigation into child complaints

Investigation into child complaints: More than 300 complaints were lodged against adults who worked with children in Northamptonshire last year, according to new statistics. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Heart attack man dead for 80 mins but saved by docs - Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Heart attack man dead for 80 mins but saved by docs - Northampton Chronicle & Echo:

Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Heart attack man dead for 80 mins but saved by docs Northampton Chronicle & Echo A heart attack victim survived unharmed after Northampton General Hospital doctors performed life-saving surgery . . . while he was clinically dead. ... NGH doctors said much of the credit for saving his life lay with the paramedic team. Dr Dominic Cox ... Northampton heart attack man 'owes life' to paramedicsBBC NewsMechanic whose heart stopped beating for 80 MINUTES brought back to life 'like a spluttering old Fort Cortina' Daily Mail all 2 news articles »

Whooping cough epidemic

Whooping cough epidemic: More than 50 cases of whooping cough are being reported each day and 13 infants have died in the worst UK outbreak for more than 20 years.The Independent

See also:

• Whooping cough cases highest for 20 years The Daily Telegraph
• Whooping cough kills three more babies The Guardian
• Whooping cough claims lives of 13 babies in past year in worst outbreak in more than two decades The Daily Mail
• Three whooping cough baby deaths BBC News

'Sandwich carers' under pressure

'Sandwich carers' under pressure: The pressure of looking after children while caring for elderly relatives is taking its toll on all aspects of family life, a survey suggests. BBC News

Jeremy Hunt says competition remains an NHS priority

Jeremy Hunt says competition remains an NHS priority: Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has said that competition has a 'very important role' in the NHS, not only for the voluntary and independent sectors, but between different NHS organisations. GP Online

New Line Managers Bulletin launched

New Line Managers Bulletin launched: The NHS Employers organisation has today launched a new bulletin for line managers in the NHS.

New 'How to: reduce expenditure on medical locums' guide

New 'How to: reduce expenditure on medical locums' guide: Read our newly published guidance offering practical tips, suggestions and approaches to reduce expenditure on medical locums. NHS Employers

More investment needed to prevent new pandemics

More investment needed to prevent new pandemics:

‘Zoonotic diseases must be made a priority’ Related items from OnMedica GPs are central to pandemic flu plan National Pandemic Service to stand down as swine flu declines Flu pandemic strategy makes UK best prepared Pandemic flu death toll could be 15 times higher UK population took fewest steps to prevent spread of swine flu

A minimum price for alcohol?

A minimum price for alcohol?: This briefing outlines the background information and thinking behind the proposed minimum pricing legislation for alcohol which is currently under consultation.

• Briefing
• House of Commons Library - publications

Autism app being created

Autism app being created: A new smartphone app has been created to help people with autism communicate and interact positively in stressful situations.
Created by the Hampshire Autistic Society, app developer Crimson Tide has won the contract to develop the app, which is also to be part-funded by the company along with its partner Premier Telecom. It will include an electronic version of an ‘alert card’ to provide people with autism a... Healthcare Today

The NHS needs radical localism to improve public health

The NHS needs radical localism to improve public health: Public Health England will support local government and the NHS by providing expert knowledge, research and know-how
Further improvements to our nation's health can only become a reality through localism.

Raise tax to protect NHS, say half population

Raise tax to protect NHS, say half population: One in two people think taxes should rise to protect NHS services, according to a poll by Ipsos MORI, amid mounting concern that serious cuts to health services will soon have to be made. The Daily Telegraph

'Cash for care' rolled out to 56,000 people

'Cash for care' rolled out to 56,000 people: Tens of thousands of people will be able to get money from their doctors which can be used for activities including singing lessons and hotel stays. The Daily Telegraph

Hospital admissions for drug poisoning up nearly 60 per cent in eleven years

Hospital admissions for drug poisoning up nearly 60 per cent in eleven years: - But drug-related admissions for mental health and behavioural disorders fell by a quarter Hospitals in England recorded 12,300 admissions for drug p... NHS Information Centre

Future of Kettering General Hospital raised in the House

Future of Kettering General Hospital raised in the House: Keeping to his election promise to find out the truth about plans for Kettering General Hospital, the new MP for Corby and East Northants, Andy Sawford, asked a question about possible cuts to its services in the House of Commons on Tuesday (November 27). Evening Telegraph

Measuring patient involvement is hard, but we must do it

Measuring patient involvement is hard, but we must do it: The Department of Health’s Mandate is clear, the objective spelled out in plain language: the NHS must become dramatically better at involving people with long-term conditions in their own healthcare and empowering them to manage their care and treatment. Sondra Roberto looks at how we can measure whether this objective is met. The Health Foundation

Highest-ever HIV cases in gay men

Highest-ever HIV cases in gay men: The number of gay and bisexual men being diagnosed with HIV in the UK reached an "all-time high" in 2011, according to the Health Protection Agency. BBC News

New professional body for health visitors is launched

New professional body for health visitors is launched: The Institute of Health Visiting has launched today. It has been established as a UK centre of excellence to support the development of consistently high-quality health visiting practice. NHS Employers

Mental health service failing thousands in crisis every year

Mental health service failing thousands in crisis every year:

Services are understaffed, under resourced, and overstretched, says MIND Related items from OnMedica New commissioning guidance on mental health services GPs to get better mental health discharges Recession hits men’s mental health worst Labour throws down gauntlet on mental health Mental and physical healthcare should be integrated

Alcohol strategy consultation

Alcohol strategy consultation: This consultation seeks views on a number of measures set out in the government's alcohol strategy. It seeks views on five key areas: a ban on multi-buy promotions; a review of mandatory licencing conditions; health as a new licencing objective; cutting red tape for responsible businesses; and minimum unit pricing. The consultation will run for 10 weeks from 28 November 2012 until 6 February 2013.

• Consultation document and supporting documents 
• Online form

'Ofsted' planned for hospitals

'Ofsted' planned for hospitals: An Ofsted-style system of ratings for hospitals and care homes is set to be considered.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has ordered a review of the way that information on NHS and social care services is given to patients and the public which will look at the way in which a new ratings system could help improve standards of care across the health and social care system. However, Mr Hunt said he was not advocating a ... Healthcare Today

'NICE nanny state' parking cost claims are untrue

'NICE nanny state' parking cost claims are untrue: “Raise cost of parking to force motorists to walk! Nanny watchdog’s plan to get Britain fit”, is the strident yet inaccurate headline in the Daily Mail.

This was prompted by the publication of guidelines produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), designed to encourage more people to walk and cycle for the benefit of their health.

NHS survey highlights safety concerns

NHS survey highlights safety concerns: Survey of NHS professionals indicates 'efficiency savings' are not working, staff morale is low and services are being cut
Patient care is being damaged by the NHS's efforts to meet the government's savings drive, according to two-thirds of respondents to the Guardian healthcare network's latest survey of NHS professionals.

NHS trust criticised for 'catalogue of mismanagement' over £411m PFI deal

NHS trust criticised for 'catalogue of mismanagement' over £411m PFI deal: Peterborough and Stamford NHS trust used 'hopelessly inaccurate' projections to sign unaffordable contract, auditors report
Mistakes and reckless misjudgment by a major hospital led to it signing an unaffordable PFI contract that has left it with the largest deficit in the NHS, a scathing National Audit Office report has revealed.

NHS patients experience 'contempt and cruelty', says Jeremy Hunt

NHS patients experience 'contempt and cruelty', says Jeremy Hunt: Patients experience "coldness, resentment, indifference" and "even contempt" in some hospitals, the Health Secretary has claimed in a hard-hitting speech about NHS care. The Daily Telegraph

Baby boomers 'facing unseen health crisis'

Baby boomers 'facing unseen health crisis': THE Baby-boomer generation is facing an unexpected health crisis because the Government has failed to grasp that they will be far poorer than expected in old age, experts claim. The Daily Telegraph

Schizophrenia: The shame of silence, the relief of disclosure

Schizophrenia: The shame of silence, the relief of disclosure:
I do not fear schizophrenia as I once did, or maybe it would be truer to say that I have a changed attitude to madness. It is not the death sentence it once appeared. It is possible to survive and be happy. The Independent

New staff health improvement report

New staff health improvement report: A new report has called for a board level lead to take proactive responsibility for staff health improvement and wellbeing in every NHS trust in England. RCN/RCP

Is the NHS entering treacherous waters?

Is the NHS entering treacherous waters?: The performance of the NHS in England is holding up well in most areas despite unprecedented financial pressures and the disruption caused by major and continuing organisational change. This is one of the conclusions of the Fund’s new report on how the NHS is performing under the coalition government half-way through the current Parliament.

MMR jab uptake at 14-year high

MMR jab uptake at 14-year high: MMR vaccine coverage has reached its highest level in 14 years for children under the age of two, says NHS body BBC News

VIDEO: Alcohol minimum price plan due

VIDEO: Alcohol minimum price plan due: Ministers are due to unveil plans on Wednesday for a minimum price for alcohol in England and Wales, as part of a drive to tackle problem drinking. BBC News

''Pay for the consquences of your lifestyle''

''Pay for the consquences of your lifestyle'': By 2025 it is estimated that 25 per cent of the NHS budget will be for treating diabetes alone Public Service

NHS 'in a precarious position', warns thinktank

NHS 'in a precarious position', warns thinktank:

King's Fund says patients attending A&E are waiting longer and that the new system will be more complex than the old one
Cracks are beginning to appear in the NHS as "unprecedented financial pressures" begin to take their toll on the health service, according to a leading health thinktank in a mid-term assessment of the coalition's policy. The King's Fund warns that patients attending accident and emergency wards are waiting longer and that more hospitals are in financial difficulty. It says that if the NHS makes £20bn of savings in four years to March 2015, "year-on-year improvements in efficiency are required at a higher rate than any previously recorded".

Thousands more facing four-hour A&E waits every month

Thousands more facing four-hour A&E waits every month: Thousands more people are having to spend at least four hours in A&E every month than when the Coalition came to power, figures indicate. The Daily Telegraph

Extra 1,000 health visitors in post next year, pledges minister

Extra 1,000 health visitors in post next year, pledges minister: An extra 1,000 health visitors, who help new mothers and fathers adapt to life as parents, will be employed by NHS trusts next year, a minister has pledged. The Daily Telegraph

Winter vomiting virus sweeps Britain forcing hospital wards to close as cases hit five-year high

Winter vomiting virus sweeps Britain forcing hospital wards to close as cases hit five-year high:
A winter vomiting virus is sweeping Britain, forcing hospital wards to shut as cases hit a five-year high. The  Independent

Health service 'is only going to get worse'

Health service 'is only going to get worse': If you are going to be sick, be sick today – the NHS may never be so good again.The Indepent

Review into 'end-of-life' care

Review into 'end-of-life' care: The government has ordered an independent review into a controversial regime that allows doctors to withdraw treatment in the last days of life. BBC News

See also

• Liverpool Care Pathway: far-reaching independent review announced The Daily Telegraph
• Liverpool Care Pathway: minister orders independent review The Guardian

AUDIO: Support needed for cancer carers

AUDIO: Support needed for cancer carers: Macmillan Cancer Support told 5 live that people who work as well as care for their loved ones should get more support. BBC News

Screening 'cuts' aneurysm deaths

Screening 'cuts' aneurysm deaths: Far fewer patients who have surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm now die on the operating table, figures show. BBC News

''The NHS is still failing elderly people''

''The NHS is still failing elderly people'': Treatment they receive in nursing homes is often no better than being in prison, says Prof Oliver Public Service

GPSoC to mandate open APIs

GPSoC to mandate open APIs: The new GP Systems of Choice contract could force all GP system suppliers to open their Application Programme Interfaces to third party suppliers. E-Health Insider

SAS job planning guide

SAS job planning guide: NHS Employers, the British Medical Association (BMA) and the devolved administrations have published a UK guide to job planning for specialty and associate specialist (SAS) doctors. NHS Employers

New guidance launched for hip replacement

New guidance launched for hip replacement:

NICE guidance aimed at service commissioners Related items from OnMedica Falls prevention services are not evidence-based Unfair bias in access to joint replacement Hip fracture care among elderly has improved, national audit shows Heart attack risk rises after hip replacement A good prevention strategy could reduce falls by 30%

The minimal evidence for minimum pricing: the fatal flaws in the Sheffield alcohol policy model

The minimal evidence for minimum pricing: the fatal flaws in the Sheffield alcohol policy model: This report assesses the Sheffield alcohol policy model which forms the basis for the minimum alcohol pricing policy. It highlights a number of limitations and concerns around the model.

• Report
• Adam Smith Institute - news

Sexual violence services - international overview

Sexual violence services - international overview: This report provides an overview of the models of sexual assault service provision around the world and aims to provide insight into the various models of service provision and funding in a number of developed and developing countries with a particular focus on the roles of government and the voluntary and community services sector.

• Report
• Department of Health - news

Mental health care delay concerns - BBC News

Mental health care delay concerns - BBC News:

BBC News

Mental health care delay concerns BBC News A study of 1,000 people who received help with mental health suggests there are issues with waiting times and the effectiveness of treatments. Nearly half said their treatment only partly addressed their problems or did not help at all. The Welsh ...

Half of patients are 'too scared' to challenge medical advice given by doctors, even when they think it's wrong

Half of patients are 'too scared' to challenge medical advice given by doctors, even when they think it's wrong: The survey by Bupa has led to the Patients Association creating a leaflet explaining how patients can challenge their doctor and demand more information. The Daily Mail

Will the friends and family test transform the NHS?

Will the friends and family test transform the NHS?: The test is not another complaints system – it puts the voice and opinion of patients at the heart of the NHS
The friends and family test is not just another NHS data collection exercise. For the first time, the fundamental purpose of the information collected is to share it with the public in a totally open, transparent way.

Tory MP: free medicines may have to be cut back as patients take more responsibility

Tory MP: free medicines may have to be cut back as patients take more responsibility: Conservative backbencher Dr Phillip Lee says people's access to free medicine on the NHS will need to be limited because 21st century Britons are unwilling to put up with aches and pains in the way that the generation of wartime survivors did. The Daily Telegraph

£120,000 windfall for NHS day centre

£120,000 windfall for NHS day centre: An NHS day centre in Northampton for people with nervous system disorders is set to be extended after £120,000 was donated to the project. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Mental health care delay concerns

Mental health care delay concerns: A mental health charity calls for improvement in treatment and attitudes to patients after a survey showed many were not getting the right treatment quickly enough. BBC News

Secret NHS death reports released

Secret NHS death reports released: The BBC publishes hundreds of previously secret NHS reports into serious incidents, which included 105 deaths. BBC News

Employment checking requirements for the NHS - Savile allegations relating to abuse

Employment checking requirements for the NHS - Savile allegations relating to abuse: On 12 November 2012, Sir David Nicholson wrote to all chairs and chief executives of trusts across England in light of the investigations into the Jimmy Savile allegations of abuse. NHS Employers

Bridging the gap: why some people are not offered the medicines that NICE recommends

Bridging the gap: why some people are not offered the medicines that NICE recommends:
This study investigated the reasons for variation in the uptake of  medicines recommended by NICE. It found that barriers to access were influenced by several factors including: under- or misdiagnosis; varying access to specialist medical expertise; insufficient capacity to deliver services required; variation in policies; and eficiencies in commissioning.
Please note: this report requires free registration in order to access it.

• Report 
• The IMS Institute

David Cameron's former NHS privatisation adviser becomes lobbyist

David Cameron's former NHS privatisation adviser becomes lobbyist:  Sean Worth's appointment raises concern over Conservative party links to healthcare companies
David Cameron's former adviser on NHS privatisation is working for a lobbying firm with clients in the private health sector, a development which will provoke further concern about the revolving door from Whitehall to the lobbying industry.

There are two worlds in the NHS: policy and practicality

There are two worlds in the NHS: policy and practicality:  Half of the NHS is shiny and full of well-meaning planners. The other bumbles on with changes dreamt up 10 years ago
I find I lead a double life. On one side, I am lucky enough to attend upbeat seminars and conferences about the future of the NHS. I learn about how the regulatory bodies like the Care Quality Commission and Monitor are getting their act together, to stop anything like Mid Staffs or Winterbourne View ever happening again. I hear how the close integration of the NHS and local government's social care is going to provide a seamless care pathway for me when I become senile and incontinent.

Health watchdog forced to take action against Cambridgeshire hospital which performed operation on WRONG patient

Health watchdog forced to take action against Cambridgeshire hospital which performed operation on WRONG patient:
The health watchdog has been forced to take action against a hospital trust which performed a surgery on the wrong patient. The Independent

CQC State of Care report 2011-12

CQC State of Care report 2011-12: Pressures on health and care services are increasing the risks of poor care according to the latest report from the CQC which brings together the findings from over 13,000 inspections to give a comprehensive report on the shape of health and social care in England.
The report highlights that issues around staffing and ensuring they have the right skills to care for people with complex conditions are beginning to affect the quality of care that services deliver. This is especially having an impact on respecting people who use services and nutrition.The report notes many examples of organisations that meet these challenges and deliver an excellent quality of care, but our inspectors have seen examples of services that have not been able to cope with these changes. Many displayed common factors including an attitude to care that is based on getting tasks done and where unacceptable care has become the norm.

Key findings show:

• 1 in 10 NHS hospitals failed to treat people with the respect they deserve and failed to involve them in decisions about their care.
• 15 per cent of social care services were not providing care that respected people.
• 23 per cent did not have adequate staffing levels.

Stories from the present, lessons for the future

Stories from the present, lessons for the future: This report catalogues 13 accounts from patients or relatives who
have experienced poor care in hospitals and care homes around the country. It highlights shortcomings in quality in NHS care and the need for change in Westminster and the NHS.

• Report
• The Patients Association - news

Thousands of hospitals, care homes and clinics fail quality test says Care Quality Commission

Thousands of hospitals, care homes and clinics fail quality test says Care Quality Commission:
Thousands of hospitals, care homes and clinics across England are failing to meet at least one essential safety or quality standard amid serious concerns about future risks to patients as services struggle to cope with less money and rising demands, a comprehensive report reveals today. The Independent

See also:

• Charity report shows examples of bad NHS care NHS Choices
• NHS cost-cutting being put ahead of patients' welfare, claims watchdog The Guardian
• NHS cuts 'put patients at risk' ITV News
• Why can't the NHS get basic care right? BBC News 

CCGs should only make evidence-based cuts, says NHS official

CCGs should only make evidence-based cuts, says NHS official: Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) that cut local services will be backed by NHS leaders if their decisions are based on evidence, according to an NHS Commissioning Board (NHSCB) official. GP Online

GPs are 'overstretched', health secretary admits

GPs are 'overstretched', health secretary admits: Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has admitted that GPs are overstretched, but said clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) can ease the strain by restructuring services and putting pressure on underperforming practices. GP Online

NHS Outcomes Framework 2013/14 mind map

NHS Outcomes Framework 2013/14 mind map: This mind map brings together on one page all the indicators for each of the five domains in the NHS Outcomes Framework 2013/14. It has been developed to help members gain an overview and understanding of the framework as a whole. NHS Confederation

Measuring National Well-being: first annual report from the Office for National Statistics

Measuring National Well-being: first annual report from the Office for National Statistics: The Measuring National Well-being programme was set up in 2010 with a focused aim, to ‘develop and publish an accepted and trusted set of National Statistics which help people understand and monitor well-being’. The idea here is that we need to add meaningful economic, social and environmental measures to sit alongside the traditional Gross Domestic [read the full story...] The Mental Elf

Improving health and care: the role of the outcomes frameworks

Improving health and care: the role of the outcomes frameworks: This document sets out how the three outcomes frameworks (adult social care, the NHS and public health) work together to achieve the desired outcomes for the health and care system.

• Guidance
• Department of Health - news

NHS chief executives 'lack support'

NHS chief executives 'lack support':
A survey of NHS chief executives has found that many are unhappy with the system they work in.
Research carried out by HSJ has shown they feel hampered by a lack of support in a system a majority believe is geared towards short-term solutions.
Many have also experienced bullying.
The journal surveyed 81 chief executives in acute, mental health and community trusts and found many felt unable to... Healthcare Today

MPs to examine sharing of clinical trial data

MPs to examine sharing of clinical trial data: MPs will consider whether private drug companies should be forced to share data from their clinical trials within the next year, the chairman of the health select committee has pledged. The Daily Telegraph

'Appalling' NHS care highlighted

'Appalling' NHS care highlighted: Campaigners highlight a series of "appalling" examples of poor care and the "tragic" consequences, in a report on the NHS. BBC News

See also:

• 'Shocking' treatment in NHS hospitals and care homes exposed in report The Guardian

No more claims for PIP patients

No more claims for PIP patients: Owners of Harley Medical Group financially restructures meaning patients can no longer claim compensation for faulty PIP breast implants. BBC News

Cold homes 'costing NHS £1.36bn'

Cold homes 'costing NHS £1.36bn': Illnesses related to living in a cold home cost the NHS £1.36bn every year, a report by Age UK suggests. BBC News

Securing equity and excellence in commissioning specialised services

Securing equity and excellence in commissioning specialised services:
This operating model sets out how a single, national system will ensure patients are offered consistent, high quality services across the country. Alongside the specialised intentions document, it signposts a  clear move away from regional commissioning to a single national  approach to both commissioning and contracting.

• Operating model
• Commissioning intentions
• NHS Commissioning Board - news

Needs of dying overlooked by health reforms, claims charity

Needs of dying overlooked by health reforms, claims charity: New organisations that are meant to be the link between the NHS and local councils are failing to consider the needs of dying people, a charity is warning. The Daily Telegraph

Five million elderly only have TV for company: Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt

Five million elderly only have TV for company: Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt: Five million elderly people only have television for company as they see friends and family less than once a month, the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said, as he announced new measures for councils to tackle the problem. The Daily Telegraph

NHS Mandate published

NHS Mandate published:
The first Mandate between the Government and the NHS Commissioning Board, setting out the ambitions for the health service for the next two years, is published today.
The Mandate reaffirms the Government’s commitment to an NHS that remains comprehensive and universal – available to all, based on clinical need and not ability to pay – and that is able to meet patients’ needs and expectations now and in the future.
The NHS Mandate is structured around five key areas where the Government expects the NHS Commissioning Board to make improvements:

• preventing people from dying prematurely
• enhancing quality of life for people with long-term conditions
• helping people to recover from episodes of ill health or following injury
• ensuring that people have a positive experience of care
• treating and caring for people in a safe environment and protecting them from avoidable harm.

Through the Mandate, the NHS will be measured, for the first time, by how well it achieves the things that really matter to people.The key objectives contained within the Mandate include:

• improving standards of care and not just treatment, especially for the elderly
• better diagnosis, treatment and care for people with dementia
• better care for women during pregnancy, including a named midwife responsible for ensuring personalised, one-to-one care throughout pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period
• every patient will be able to give feedback on the quality of their care through the Friends and Family Test starting from next April – so patients will be able to tell which wards, A&E departments, maternity units and hospitals are providing the best care
• by 2015 everyone will be able to book their GP appointments online, order a repeat prescription online and talk to their GP online
• putting mental health on an equal footing with physical health – this means everyone who needs mental health services having timely access to the best available treatment
• preventing premature deaths from the biggest killers
• by 2015, everyone should be able to find out how well their local NHS is providing the care they need, with the publication of the results it achieves for all major services.

See NHS Mandate site
The Mandate has been drawn up following consultation with the public, health professionals and key organisations across the health system between July and September 2012.
Read the following documents:

• The Mandate: A mandate from the Government to the NHS Commissioning Board: April 2013 to March 2015
• The Government’s response to the consultation on the draft mandate to the NHS Commissioning Board
• Equality Analysis
• Reference document for policy impact assessments
• Financial Directions to the NHS Commissioning Board

Department of Health

NHS staff need to be creative to hit Qipp targets

NHS staff need to be creative to hit Qipp targets:

The NHS has saved £5.8bn in the last year without compromising quality, but to continue to hit targets clinicians and finance managers must work together
A 75-year-old woman was admitted to a NHS hospital in the north-west with a fractured left ankle that was treated with surgery. But while reaching for her glasses on a side table a day before her discharge date, she fell from her bed causing a hip fracture, which meant a further stay of 14 days.
In the same week, at a London hospital, another elderly woman was ready to be discharged after her treatment for a chest infection, but had to stay an extra two days because of lack of co-ordination in the discharging process.
 In both cases, an effective engagement between the clinical and finance teams were triggered to establish common ground and deal with the problems together.There are many more examples like this available at Nice Qipp evidence case studies, which help to spread best practice around the NHS.
NHS chief executive Sir David Nicholson has outlined a challenge for the NHS to deliver annual efficiency savings of up to £20bn by 2014-15 without compromising quality and safety, while also creating fresh momentum to achieve a fit for purpose health system for the future.
If the NHS is to deliver on this challenge then clinicians and finance managers need to get engaged in the new commissioning and provider world.
There are a number of things happening in the NHS which would help to create better value-based healthcare.
The 2011-12 period was the first full year of the £20bn productivity challenge – Qipp – and national figures showed that the efforts of NHS organisations led to a saving of £5.8bn without any compromise in quality. This is an excellent start but to repeat it in the remaining three years, organisations have to be creative, proactive, show perseverance and harness their expertise to achieve value for patients.
It won't be easy, but late Body Shop founder Anita Roddick put it well: "To succeed you have to believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a reality."
Dr Mahmood Adil is national Qipp adviser for clinical and finance engagement at the Department of Health and visiting professor of value-based healthcare at Manchester Business School.
Guardian Professional.

 

NHS continuing healthcare

NHS continuing healthcare: This Briefing outlines for commissioners and providers the challenges and opportunities they will need to consider as the responsibilities change for assessing eligibility for and commissioning NHS continuing healthcare. NHS Confederation

Chief Medical Officer publishes her first annual report

Chief Medical Officer publishes her first annual report:
This first of 2 volumes of the Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies’s annual report provides a comprehensive picture of England’s health.
It brings together a number of data sources in one place for the first time and is designed to be used by local authorities and local health professionals as they work together to improve the health of local populations.
Watch Sally Davies talking with report editor Dr Tom Fowler about how her report can be used and particularly how it shows health information at a local level.



Professor Dame Sally Davies said:

“I have undertaken a comprehensive analysis of the state of the public’s health, and found some areas where we are doing really well and others where there is still a lot of improvement needed.
“I strongly believe that data and scientific evidence should be at the heart of policy making and advice to Government and have reflected this in the Annual Report. Data should be used to inform our action on public health and to evaluate the effectiveness of that action.
“I hope the data that I have provided will become a major tool for the Department of Health, Public Health England, health professionals and local authorities as they draw up their strategies for improving public health.”

Read this first volume

Recommendations

The report looks at important areas of health including heart disease, obesity and cancer, and makes a number of recommendations around access to care and how data can be better used. Recommendations include:

• Giving better access to diabetes care – only half the people registered as diabetic receive the annual checks recommended by NICE.
• Non-fatal diseases can impose a great burden on both the individual and the NHS. Public Health England should ensure our capacity to capture data on long term conditions such as loss of hearing, back pain, incontinency and dementia is as strong as current surveillance on the causes of early death.
• Participants in the new health system must work closely together to increase survival and reduce mortality from cancers such as lung and pancreatic cancer.
• Nearly 70% of us have 2 or more habits or medical risk factors that are linked with life limiting diseases, for example, smoking, harmful alcohol use or not eating enough fruit and vegetables. Health professionals must focus on tackling these together rather than individually.

About the CMO’s annual report

Each year the Chief Medical Officer plans to produce 2 volumes of her report.
The first, Volume One 2011, is designed to be a surveillance report, bringing together a large amount of data and information about the public’s health. The  second volume, Volume 2, is designed to concentrate on one specific health issue or area in detail.
The  Chief Medical Officer’s annual report Volume Two, 2011, due to be published early next year, will look at infections and infectious diseases.

•  Read the CMO’s report

Microsoft launches Identity Agent

Microsoft launches Identity Agent: Microsoft has launched software to enable NHS staff using modern versions of its Windows operating system to connect to the NHS Spine using NHS smartcards. EHI NEWS

Warning over liver disease rates

Warning over liver disease rates: Drinking and obesity levels mean England is one of Europe's few countries still seeing a rise in liver disease deaths, the chief medical officer warns. BBC News

Developing integrated care at scale and pace: time to make it happen

Developing integrated care at scale and pace: time to make it happen:

Chris Ham

At the request of Norman Lamb, the Care and Support Minister, The King’s Fund hosted a roundtable discussion with key stakeholders early in November to consider what needs to be done to make a reality of integrated care.

Participants at the discussion were clear that an immediate priority is to promote the widespread adoption of best practice. Examples include the use of care planning and case managers to help people with complex needs navigate their way around health and social care services, and provide a single point of access to these services. Increased take up of personal health budgets in appropriate cases will also help people to take more control over their lives, for example by accessing the support they need to live independently.
Another priority, already recognised by the government, is to develop ways of measuring the experience of patients and service users in order to assess whether care is co-ordinated around their needs. A person-centred measure of integrated care is urgently needed to understand how well services perform and identify priorities for action. Agreement is now needed on the survey questions that should be used to derive such a measure and how the results will be used to support improvements in performance.
It is essential that organisations at a national level work together to support integrated care. There are encouraging signs in this regard in the work being done by the NHS Commissioning Board, Monitor and the Care Quality Commission to work towards a common approach and to engage with the Local Government Association and Public Health England in the process. The national policy framework on integrated care expected in the spring will provide a clear indication of how these organisations will work with each other and the Department of Health to turn the commitments on integrated care included in the Mandate into benefits for patients and users on the ground.
Participants at the discussion were clear that there is no one best way of developing integrated care and the emphasis should be placed on discovery and not design in taking forward policy in this area. There was strong support for the suggestion that integrated care should be developed at scale and pace by enabling a number of areas of the country to test out different approaches. These areas would be encouraged to innovate in the use of payment systems and contracting mechanisms, and they would be allowed to suspend rules that get in the way of progress.

• See our work on integrated care
• Find out more about our forthcoming event on person-centred integrated care

Public Health Outcomes Framework gets technical refresh

Public Health Outcomes Framework gets technical refresh:
The technical refresh of the ‘Public Health Outcomes Framework’, which is published today, is the fulfillment of the promise to continue improving the range and quality of information in the framework.
Working with Public Health Observatories, local authorities and the NHS, the Department has now produced an update to: ‘Improving outcomes and supporting transparency’.
The commitment to produce policy updates setting out more detail on what we want to achieve in a new and reformed public health system was made in ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Update and way forward’.
Originally published in January, the ‘Public Health Outcomes Framework’ covers a period of 3 years and sets out the desired outcomes for public health and how these will be measured. It concentrates on increased healthy life expectancy, and reduced differences in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy between communities.
Also being published is the first set of baselines on an interactive Public Health Outcomes Framework Data Tool,  which will allow local authorities to assess their own outcomes against the various indicators.
The intention is to expand the number of indicators and range of equalities breakdowns that are presented as and when the data becomes available.
Details of what has been updated
Updated versions of the following are being published: the summary technical specifications in Part 2 and the following 3 Appendixes in Part 1:

• Appendix A: ‘Overview of outcomes and indicators’
• Appendix C: ‘Breakdown of indicators: local disaggregation, inequalities and equalities characteristics’
• Appendix D: ‘Readiness of indicators’

Read the documents:

• Improving outcomes and supporting transparency part 1A
• Improving outcomes and supporting transparency part 1B
• Improving outcomes and supporting transparency part 2
• Improving outcomes and supporting transparency factsheet

Useful links:

• Public health outcomes framework baseline data
• Read about publication of the Public Health Outcomes Framework
• Read about publication of the NHS Outcomes Framework 2013 to 2014
• Read the NICE briefing about the Public Health Outcomes Framework

If you have any questions about these publications, you can contact the policy team: phof@dh.gsi.gov.uk
 Department of Health

New Cochrane review says that vitamin E should not be used to treat dementia

New Cochrane review says that vitamin E should not be used to treat dementia: It was relatively recently that every Tom, Dick and Harry in the scientific community was popping vitamin E supplements in the hope that this antioxidant would help protect them from the damaging effects of free radicals. Us elves get our vitamin E from the vegetables, fruits and whole grains that make up our naturally healthy diet. Many single [read the full story...] Mental Elf

Scientists urge ministers: tell truth on 'over-hyped' flu vaccine

Scientists urge ministers: tell truth on 'over-hyped' flu vaccine:
The flu vaccine given to millions of people each year in Britain is “over-promoted” and “over-hyped” and the protection it offers against the seasonal illness has been exaggerated, scientists claim. Independent

1,300 defibrillators at risk as fault drains batteries

1,300 defibrillators at risk as fault drains batteries:
More than 1,300 life-saving defibrillators may not work when needed because of a battery fault, the health regulator said today. Independent

MHRA issues guidance on self-test kits

MHRA issues guidance on self-test kits: Source: MHRA

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a fact sheet with guidance on the use of self-test kits.
 
Self-test kits are available for a variety of conditions including fertility, sexually transmitted infections and cancer and can have an important role to play in healthcare. The new guidance provides advice on what to consider before using a self-test kit with a reminder to read the instructions carefully, know how the kit can be stored and know how to read the results. Consumers are also reminded that no test kit is 100% reliable and should never replace a doctor's diagnosis or a result from a national screening programme. NeLM News

Appeal for man who went missing from hospital

Appeal for man who went missing from hospital: Police in Kettering are appealing for a man who has gone missing from hospital to contact them. Evening Telegraph

Two arrests over care home neglect

Two arrests over care home neglect: Two women have been charged in connection with neglect at a residential home in Olney, just over the Northamptonshire border. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Target antibiotics toolkit

Target antibiotics toolkit: It has been developed by the RCGP and the Antimicrobial Stewardship in Primary Care (ASPIC) collaboration of professional societies including GPs, pharmacists, microbiologists, clinicians, guidance developers and other stakeholders. It includes: the HPA antibiotic guidance template which can be modified locally; patient information leaflets; self assessment check list for GPs and commissioners; audit tools with indicators of responsible antimicrobial use; and links to online clinical modules and other useful resources. More …NHS Networks

Ovarian cancer death rate falls

Ovarian cancer death rate falls: Death rates from ovarian cancer in England have fallen by a fifth in a decade, figures reveal. BBC News

'Poor' lung cancer care warning

'Poor' lung cancer care warning: Poor care for lung cancer patients in the UK is "hindering" the survival of patients, an expert group says. BBC News

Medical services should no longer be at centre of NHS, says Dorrell

Medical services should no longer be at centre of NHS, says Dorrell: The UK health service needs to be 're-imagined' to focus on social care rather than medical interventions, according to the chairman of the health select committee. GP Online

Patient choice has not cut NHS treatments

Patient choice has not cut NHS treatments: But in some cases almost 20 per cent of NHS-funded operations are now carried out by the private sector Public Service

Choosing the place of care: the effect of patient choice on treatment location in England, 2003-2011

Choosing the place of care: the effect of patient choice on treatment location in England, 2003-2011: This report examines the effect of patient choice and the independent sector on treatment location in England, specifically the extent to which patients (or their referring doctors) have been choosing a different location of care since 2006. It is the first output from a three-year joint programme of work between the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and the Nuffield Trust: 'understanding competition and choice in the NHS', which will establish a long-term expertise in the use of competition and market mechanisms in health care both in England and internationally.

• Report
• Related blog
• The Nuffield Trust - publications

Meningitis vaccine to get UK licence

Meningitis vaccine to get UK licence:
A vaccine developed by Novartis against meningitis B has been recommended for approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).The charity Meningitis UK called the 4CMenB vaccine jab the "biggest leap forward in the field" in 30 years.One in 10 people who develop meningitis B dies and around 1,870 people contract the disease every year in the UK.Children under five have the highest danger of con... Healthcare Today

Hospitals pay £500m a year too much for basic supplies with some charging twice as much as others for the same items

Hospitals pay £500m a year too much for basic supplies with some charging twice as much as others for the same items: The study by Ernst and Young looked at ten NHS trusts and found some hospitals were paying £120 for a box of electric blankets while other paid only £47, while there were discrepancies in forceps and other supplies. The Daily Mail

See also

• NHS must improve purchasing power OnMedica

International Profiles of Health Care Systems: Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Japan, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States

International Profiles of Health Care Systems: Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Japan, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States: This publication presents overviews of the health care systems of 15 countries—Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Japan, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. The Commonwealth Fund

Department of Health launches Winterwatch 2012

Department of Health launches Winterwatch 2012: From today, Winterwatch will provide regular updates about how the NHS is coping with the increased demands on its services in the cold winter months and weekly information on levels of flu-like illness and the uptake of flu vaccination.
 
Winterwatch, originally launched in 2010, is part of a wider suite of work by the Department, such as the Cold Weather Plan, Keep Warm Keep Well, and the Warm Homes Healthy People Fund, that will help protect people and keep them informed about the effects of severe winter weather.

NHS procurement 'getting worse'

NHS procurement 'getting worse': Many NHS hospitals in England are paying over the odds for supplies, a snapshot investigation suggests. BBC News

Nottingham reduces clinical incidents

Nottingham reduces clinical incidents: Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has reduced night-time clinical incidents by 70% since implementing a new IT system to support its Hospital@Night working, a speaker told EHI Live 2012. E-Health Insider

New sickness absence savings calculator launched

New sickness absence savings calculator launched: Read about our new sickness absence savings calculator produced as part of NHS Employers new web section on implementing health and well-being. NHS Employers

A simple guide to Payment by Results (PbR)

A simple guide to Payment by Results (PbR): This simple guide provides an introduction for newcomers to PbR, from NHS health professionals, managers and administrators, to people engaged in academic study and interested members of the public both in the UK and abroad. It replaces the version released in August 2011.

• Guide
• Department of Health - news

'Alarming' rise in antibiotic resistance

'Alarming' rise in antibiotic resistance: Not for the first time the issue of antibiotic resistance is in the news. The Independent reports that “Antibiotics crisis will mean routine infections are fatal,” while The Guardian headlines that “Antibiotics resistance growing at alarming rate.”

More NHS patients being treated by private firms, survey finds

More NHS patients being treated by private firms, survey finds: Labour policy allowing private health firms to be paid from state funds has resulted in their share of NHS patients grow rapidly
Private firms now treat almost one in five NHS patients with certain conditions due to the last Labour government's embrace of competition, an authoritative study reveals.

Chances of surviving cardiac arrest in England 'dire'

Chances of surviving cardiac arrest in England 'dire': NHS data show just 18.5% who suffer cardiac arrest while not in hospital survive, but immediate CPR by bystanders could improve outcome.

NHS manager in line for £1 million pay out

NHS manager in line for £1 million pay out: A senior NHS executive in the Midlands and East SHA is in line to receive a £1 million lump sum when his job disappears as part of reforms to the health service. The Daily Telegraph

Britain is the fattest nation in Europe

Britain is the fattest nation in Europe:
Britain is the fattest nation in Western Europe, with more than a quarter of the population ranked as obese. The Independent

Mentally ill children locked up by police

Mentally ill children locked up by police: Police officers called to deal with children as young as 11 who appear to be mentally ill often have "no realistic option" other than locking them up, it has emerged. The Independent

Antibiotics crisis 'will mean routine infections are fatal'

Antibiotics crisis 'will mean routine infections are fatal': The world faces a future without cures for infection, in which even a minor injury or a routine operation could prove fatal, the Chief Medical Officer has warned. The Independent

See also:

• Patients should not be given antibiotics for coughs and colds due to rise in superbugs: experts The Daily Telegraph
• Antibiotics resistance growing at 'alarming' rate The Guardian
• VIDEO: Patients warned over antibiotics use BBC News
• Antibiotic resistance poses alarming threat Department of Health