Outlook for NHS and social care pessimistic as financial squeeze bites

Outlook for NHS and social care pessimistic as financial squeeze bites: Pessimism is growing in the NHS and social care as local leaders respond to mounting financial pressures, according to the latest quarterly monitoring report on service performance published by The King's Fund.

The Francis report - reflections from abroad

The Francis report - reflections from abroad: Norway has no tradition of public inquiries into healthcare, says Morten Pytte, and so he's been following the coverage around the final report of the Francis Inquiry with interest.   The Health Foundation

Call to ban gluten-free food on NHS

Call to ban gluten-free food on NHS: A medical journal is calling for prescriptions of gluten-free food to be scrapped as they are costly and outdated. BBC News

'Safety concern gag' on NHS chief

'Safety concern gag' on NHS chief: Health service manager Gary Walker claims he was gagged by the NHS from speaking out about his dismissal and his concerns over patient safety. BBC News

See also:

• Head of NHS ignored warnings that patients were in danger, alleges whistleblower The Daily Telegraph
• NHS whistleblower claims he was forced to quit then gagged The Guardian

CSUs to spend £670m a year on IT

CSUs to spend £670m a year: The commissioning support units that will come into being on 1 April will spend around £700m a year on IT and other support services, according to a new report from EHI Intelligence.
E-Health Insider

Foreign patients ‘lucrative source of NHS income’

Foreign patients ‘lucrative source of NHS income’:

More UK residents seek treatment abroad than vice versa Related items from OnMedica Cosmetic tourism is burdening the NHS Tough new sanctions to combat ‘health tourism’ Action needed to curb global smoking NHS finances in dire straits warn health leaders

Carers to lose benefits

Carers to lose benefits: New regulations could see thousands of carers in England, Wales and Scotland losing out on benefits.
Changes to disability-claim rules will mean about 5,000 carers who now receive an allowance of £58.45 a week will no longer get the benefit when personal independence payments replace the disability living allowance from April. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says the changes are necessary and that 20,... Healthcare Today

Women's lung cancer death rates set to rise

Women's lung cancer death rates set to rise: The news that lung cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in British women is being widely reported by the media. The stories are based on well conducted research that predicts cancer deaths in 2013.

Prince's charity lobbied government to water down homeopathy criticism

Prince's charity lobbied government to water down homeopathy criticism: Foundation for Integrated Medicine persuaded officials to neuter advice about homeopathy on the NHS Choices patient website
Draft guidance for the website NHS Choices warning that there is no evidence that homeopathy works was suppressed by officials following lobbying by a charity set up by the Prince of Wales.

Sars-like coronavirus appears to have spread person-to-person within the UK

Sars-like coronavirus appears to have spread person-to-person within the UK:
Health experts have confirmed that a Sars-like virus appears to have spread from one person to another within the UK. The Independent

See also

• Further UK case of novel coronavirus The Health Protection Agency
• Sars-like virus 'spreads in people': BBC News

Third of NHS finance directors think quality of care is declining

Third of NHS finance directors think quality of care is declining: Findings of survey for King's Fund prompt fresh concern about how hospitals look after patients
Fears are growing in the NHS that quality of care experienced by patients is falling as the service struggles to cope with rising demand for treatment and tight budgets, a new survey reveals.

Elderly warned of growing isolation as face-to-face care cut

Elderly warned of growing isolation as face-to-face care cut: ELDERLY people dependent on help in their homes are facing growing isolation after social services chiefs admitted they are planning to cut face-to-face care. The Daily Telegraph

Half of Britons don't expect high quality care from NHS in old age, survey finds

Half of Britons don't expect high quality care from NHS in old age, survey finds: Half of people in Britain do not expect to receive high-quality care from the NHS in their dying days, according to a survey. The Daily Telegraph

One million patients waiting too long in A&E, report suggests

One million patients waiting too long in A&E, report suggests: The number of patients forced to wait more than four hours in Accident and Emergency wards is at its highest in ten years. The Daily Telegraph

See also

• A&E waits 'highest for a decade' BBC News

Hospital outpatients: Men in their 20s fail to attend one in six appointments

Hospital outpatients: Men in their 20s fail to attend one in six appointments: Men in their 20s miss considerably more outpatient appointments compared to women of the same age, Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) figures show. NHS Information Centre