Monday 6 August 2012

How healthy are our towns?

How healthy are our towns?:
Corby has been revealed to have the highest amount of smokers in the entire country, with more than a third of the town regularly lighting up. Evening Telegraph

Huge £7m investment to modernise hospital

Huge £7m investment to modernise hospital:
St Mary’s Hospital in Kettering could be in line for a £7m refurbishment to bring its elderly care ward into the 21st century. Evening Telegraph

Counselling service expands after huge rise in demand

Counselling service expands after huge rise in demand:
Teenage depression, bullying, and self-harm are just some of the reasons why a counselling service is seeing a rapid increase in demand this year. Evening Telegraph

Nurse suspended following neglect of residents with dementia

Nurse suspended following neglect of residents with dementia:
A NURSE who allegedly neglected dementia residents at a nursing home in Northampton where five elderly people died has been suspended from the profession. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Engaging people in sustainable healthcare: guide to resources

Engaging people in sustainable healthcare: guide to resources:
The tool provides practical advice, suggestions for action, examples of good practice and evidence of what works. It brings together the latest learning and evidence from a variety of healthcare organisations, including emerging clinical commissioning groups across the country. NHS Networks

Smartphone application for antibiotic prescribing

Smartphone application for antibiotic prescribing:
As part of the Department of Health’s Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAI) Technology Innovation Programme, Showcase Hospitals undertook local technology reviews of infection related products or technologies in which they have a specific interest. The objective is to help Directors of Infection Prevention and Control and other stakeholders to decide whether they should consider any of these products or technologies as part of their Trust’s strategy to reduce Healthcare Associated Infections.
The National Centre for Infection Prevention and Management (CIPM) and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust developed and implemented a clinical decision support smartphone application based on the trust’s antibiotic prescribing policy. This report summarises the steps in the development and implementation process and key learning points for other organisations considering adopting similar technologies.
Showcase hospitals local technology review report number 6
Relevant RRP1 reports and evaluation reports have been previously produced for a range of healthcare associated infections related products. Department of Health

Kidney care 'needs to improve'

Kidney care 'needs to improve': An NHS report calls for better detection and earlier treatment to help tackle chronic kidney disease, potentially saving lives and money. BBC News

The full report is available at NHS Kidney Care.

LMCs face overload as NHS reforms take shape

LMCs face overload as NHS reforms take shape: LMCs face a struggle to cope with the pace of NHS reform and increasing demands on their resources, senior GPs have warned. GP Online

NHS Confederation statement on NICE and issue of taking legal action against the NHS regarding availability of treatment

NHS Confederation statement on NICE and issue of taking legal action against the NHS regarding availability of treatment: David Stout said "NHS organisations should be providing patients with the treatments they are legally entitled to under NICE's technology appraisals."

NHS trusts 'breaking the law' by denying access to treatment

NHS trusts 'breaking the law' by denying access to treatment:
Chair of drugs rationing body says NHS trusts are circumventing legal obligations to save money
The head of the government's drugs rationing body has claimed that a number of NHS trusts are "breaking the law" by denying patients access to approved treatments and drugs to save money.
Sir Michael Rawlins, the chair of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice), said there were many examples of primary care and NHS hospital trusts using "delaying tactics in order to circumvent the legal obligations they have to provide treatment and drugs recommended by Nice within three months".

Mumps expected to make resurgence government advisers warn

Mumps expected to make resurgence government advisers warn: England is facing a surge in cases of mumps in coming years as children who didn't have vaccinations in the wake of the MMR scare go to University, government advisers have warned. The Daily Telegraph

Nurses look after 15 patients at a time

Nurses look after 15 patients at a time: Dramatic rise in workload as unqualified assistants outnumber nurses in one in six trusts The Daily Telegraph

New doctors on the wards: A matter of life and death

New doctors on the wards: A matter of life and death:
A male first-year doctor, aged 24, working in Liverpool
Most junior doctors would admit they have mixed feelings about their first day – a combination of excitement, nervousness, and a sense that loss of liberty is fast approaching. The Independent