Wednesday 17 October 2012

Cancer treatment unit officially opened

Cancer treatment unit officially opened: A state of the art cancer treatment facility officially opened at Northampton General Hospital last night. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Nurse council's two-year backlog

Nurse council's two-year backlog: The backlog in disciplinary cases for nurses and midwives will take more than two years to clear, the profession's regulator says. BBC News

Health MoTs 'offer no benefit'

Health MoTs 'offer no benefit': Visiting a doctor for a check-up is unlikely to lead to a condition needing treatment being identified, but may cause undue stress, say researchers. BBC News

GP-led self care pilot halves waits for physiotherapy

GP-led self care pilot halves waits for physiotherapy: Educating patients about how to manage musculoskeletal pain at home can slash waiting times for physiotherapy, a GP-led initiative has shown. GP Online

PCTs abandon funding for homeopathy

PCTs abandon funding for homeopathy: Only one in seven PCTs are now providing NHS funding for homeopathy as managers scrap support for it to focus on more cost-effective treatment, GP has found. GP Online

Sick doctors’ return to work hampered by colleagues’ disapproval

Understanding patterns of health and social care at the end of life

Understanding patterns of health and social care at the end of life:
This report presents the findings of a study tracking the ways that
more than 73,000 people used publicly funded health and social care
services during the last months of their lives. It reveals variation
between local areas in the care people receive at the end of life and
suggests that social care may prevent the need for hospital admission.

Dementia guide: commitment to the care of people with dementia in hospital settings

Dementia guide: commitment to the care of people with dementia in hospital settings: This guide aims to help nursing staff care for people with dementia
in hospital. It supports further implementation of the RCN’s five
principles for improving the quality of care for people with dementia.
It also aims to enable the best possible support for carers.

New standards for hospital food



New standards for hospital food:
The Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has announced new standards for patients to expect from NHS hospital food.A list of standards which apply to food quality, nutrition and choice will be supported by a patient-led assessment system.They include patients' ability to choose from a "varied menu" which supports religious requirements, the availability of food and drink "at all times" rather than... Healthcare Today

Cancer network team cuts nonsensical, say campaigners

Cancer network team cuts nonsensical, say campaigners: Nine staff being made redundant and remaining three merged with another clinical network in Midlands
A team of specialist staff who help doctors improve cancer care is being scrapped as a result of the coalition's NHS overhaul, in a move condemned by cancer campaigners as "devastating" and "nonsensical".
The Greater Midlands cancer network team will stop operating as a back-up unit to doctors specialising in the disease after Wednesday because nine of its 12 staff are being made redundant as a result of NHS primary care trusts (PCTs) preparing for their own abolition next March.

Healthy eating? Hospital spends just £2.19 a day on patients' meals

Healthy eating? Hospital spends just £2.19 a day on patients' meals:
Dozens of hospitals trusts across the country are spending less than £5 a day on providing three meals for their patients, according to official statistics. The Independent

Recession caused depression spike – and NHS 'was not prepared'

Recession caused depression spike – and NHS 'was not prepared': Recession is being followed by depression, according to researchers who say the number of patients seeking treatment for the illness has leapt by up to half in the past three years. The Independent

Renewed focus on infection prevention needed

Renewed focus on infection prevention needed: A new report has called for a renewed focus on infection prevention and control services (IPS) across the NHS. RCN

Find the report on the Patient Association's web site.