County service that helps people after a fall is in line for national award

County service that helps people after a fall is in line for national award: A Northamptonshire service which treats people who have suffered a fall and helps them to avoid another accident has been shortlisted for a national award. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Northampton General Hospital offers pioneering Botox treatment for severe ... - Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Northampton General Hospital offers pioneering Botox treatment for severe ... Northampton Chronicle & Echo A new treatment offer Botox injections to treat migraines is being offered by Northampton General Hospital. The treatment was approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence last year and NGH is one of only a few headache centres ... and more »

Hospital-wide mortality rates and measuring quality: smoke alarm not smoke screen

Hospital-wide mortality rates and measuring quality: smoke alarm not smoke screen: Following the Francis inquiry, we need to look at the roles of Hospital Standardised Mortality Rates (HSMR) and Summary Hospital-level Mortality Indicators (SHMI), says Simon Mackenzie. The Health Foundation

Government response: Department of Health’s response to the Avazz campaign about NHS reform

Government response: Department of Health’s response to the Avazz campaign about NHS reform: The government is committed to the founding principle of the NHS, that treatment is free at the point of delivery and available according to clinical need rather than ability to pay.

Money 'needed to make care cap work'

Money 'needed to make care cap work': The government's commitment to reform old age care must be twinned with greater investment in the system, ministers have been told. BBC News

See also:

• Adult social care budget cut by £2.68bn over three years OnMedica News

GMC says new rules will speed up hearings

GMC says new rules will speed up hearings: The GMC has introduced a new set of rules that it claims will speed up fitness to practise hearings. GP Online

GPs cannot be NHS 'border agency', warns RCGP

GPs cannot be NHS 'border agency', warns RCGP: The RCGP has warned the government against making GPs a new 'border agency' after a clampdown on immigration was announced in the Queen's Speech. GP Online

New Choose and Book by end of year

New Choose and Book by end of year: NHS England plans to have a redeveloped Choose and Book service operating by the end of this year. E-Health Insider

Self-directed support: a voyage of discovery: evidence explorers project report

Self-directed support: a voyage of discovery: evidence explorers project report: This report summarises the learning from a project which aimed to strengthen the evidence base for self-directed support and how gaps might be addressed through co-production. The gaps identified centred around choice; systems and infrastructure; barriers; equality; roles; drivers and principles.

• Report
• Summary report
• IRISS - projects

CCG assurance framework 2013/14 (outline proposal and interim arrangements)

CCG assurance framework 2013/14 (outline proposal and interim arrangements): This framework aims to help patients and the public to identify how well CCGs are performing in their role as commissioners of local services. It will also support CCGs to deliver comprehensive and high-quality care and help them transform local services and improve outcomes for all patients.

• Framework
• NHS England - news

Minimum pricing for alcohol: the red-faced ranters have won | Katherine Brown

Minimum pricing for alcohol: the red-faced ranters have won | Katherine Brown: Intense lobbying from alcohol producers would appear to have killed-off this ground-breaking policy.
The absence of minimum pricing for alcohol in today's Queen's Speech is a chilling reminder of the influence big business still has on public health in the UK.

Demand on A&E departments is 'out of control', warns health regulator

Demand on A&E departments is 'out of control', warns health regulator:
Demand on NHS accident and emergency departments is “out of control” and “totally unsustainable”, the head of the health and social care regulator has warned. The Independent

See also:

• Emergency care in crisis admits NHS regulator The Daily Telegraph
• A&E demand unsustainable - watchdog BBC News

First year's findings about harm-free patient care published

First year's findings about harm-free patient care published: May 8, 2013: The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) today releases its first publication based on the NHS Safety Thermometer tool, which reports an increase in the percentage of assessed patients who received harm-free care.