2.3 million fewer overnight hospital stays needed if all areas perform as well as top 25%

2.3 million fewer overnight hospital stays needed if all areas perform as well as top 25%
A report published today by The King’s Fund shows that 7000 fewer emergency hospital beds would be needed by the NHS if all areas of England achieved the rate of admission and average length of stay for over 65s as those with the lowest use. This equates to a potential opportunity to reduce the number of overnight stays by 2.3 million per year and to reinvest £462 million a year in community and primary care services

See also:

Use of emergency hospital beds: why is there so much variation?: An emergency admission to hospital is a disruptive and unsettling experience, particularly for an older person, so surely we owe it to our patients to reduce the current variation between areas and the avoidable distress? (Blog, 9 Aug 2012) Kings Fund

You can find the full report here.

Degrees of difficulty: commissioning away a deficit

Degrees of difficulty: commissioning away a deficit: If GPs don't rise to the commissioning challenge then there really is no hope for the NHS at all, says Mark Hayes, Clinical Chief Officer for Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group. Health Foundation

When doctors and patients talk: making sense of the consultation

When doctors and patients talk: making sense of the consultation:
The report offers a powerful analysis of the current relationship, identifying the mutual fears that drive doctors and patients and the invisible structures that are natural to the doctor but hidden from the patient. It also describes the potential for a more nuanced model for the consultation. NHS Networks

Longer A&E waits for beds

Longer A&E waits for beds:

More patients are waiting longer than four hours in emergency departments for a bed to become available.
And that waiting period has soared in the last 12 months, according to analysis carried out by HSJ.
Figures from the Department of Health show that in the first half of this year, 66,845 patients waited between four and 12 hours for a bed once a decision had been taken to admit them – a 31% rise on... Healthcare Today

Review of national arrangements for providing information and advice to carers

Review of national arrangements for providing information and advice to carers:
The department has today published a review of the service arrangements for providing information and advice to carers.
Access to good information and advice is important in supporting carers to get the best from their own lives and assist them in getting the right help to maintain them in their caring role.

New online tool to search and compare local care providers

New online tool to search and compare local care providers:
A new tool allowing users to search and compare any Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered home care, residential or nursing home provider is now available online at NHS Choices.

NHS Clinical Commissioners - Steering CCGs in the right direction

NHS Clinical Commissioners - Steering CCGs in the right direction: NHS Clinical Commissioners (NHSCC) has today published a report to support Clinical Commissioning Groups in developing effective relationships with Commissioning Support Services. NHS Confederation

High impact innovations

High impact innovations:
This website gathers together case studies of innovative organisations within the NHS. The aim of the site is to create an online community to promote sharing of real life examples and stories to assist with the spread and adoption of the high impact innovations identified in the report 'Innovation health and wealth: accelerating adoption and diffusion in the NHS'.

• Website

FTs could have ratings downgrade

FTs could have ratings downgrade:

NHS regulator Monitor is considering a move which could see foundation trusts having their risk rating downgraded.
Under the idea being mooted by Monitor, FTs may in future be downgraded if their private finance initiative payments amount to more than 10% of income.
In addition, there may also be downgrades if there are care failures that could impact on a provider’s financial position.Healthcare Today

Making communities inclusive for everyone should be a mainstream priority

Making communities inclusive for everyone should be a mainstream priority: Christine Burke, Senior Development Manager at Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities talks about the launch of the ‘The Accomplished Community’ report.

Poor care at homes leads to thousand of elderly being admitted to hospital

Poor care at homes leads to thousand of elderly being admitted to hospital: The failure of GPs and community health services result in 2.5m unnecessary hospital stays a year. The Daily Telegraph

'Affordability crunch' near on private health costs, Bupa warns

'Affordability crunch' near on private health costs, Bupa warns:
Private health insurance is becoming so expensive in the UK that people can no longer afford it, the chief executive of Bupa warned yesterday. The Independent