Cardiac service set to leave hospital

Cardiac service set to leave hospital: A heart disease support group said it is “horrified and saddened” after a Daventry hospital lost a rehab service and has been told it will not treat urgent cardiac patients in future. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

CQC 'may reveal NHS cover-up names'

CQC 'may reveal NHS cover-up names': England's NHS regulator is to review a decision not to name those behind a possible "cover-up" after a series of baby deaths at a Cumbria hospital. BBC News

See also:

• The Care Quality Commission re: Project Ambrose Grant Thornton
• Statement to Parliament: Oral statement on Morecambe Bay Department of Health
• CQC ''actively covered up its own failings'' Public Service
• Name and shame! Truth must come out vows Jeremy Hunt after report reveals baby deaths CQC cover-up The Independent
• NHS watchdog covered-up scandal at hospital where eight babies died of neglect The Independent
• Anger over promotions for bosses in charge of shamed maternity unit The Daily Telegraph
• CQC: too big a remit, too little funding? The Daily Telegraph
• NHS 'cover up': Watchdog was 'dysfunctional and unacceptable' admits chairman The Daily Telegraph
• Met asked to investigate NHS regulator after Morecambe Bay trust report The Guardian
• NHS regulator apologises after report accuses CQC of cover-up – video The Guardian
• Exposed, the bosses in hospital deaths cover-up: Two women hid baby-deaths evidence The Daily Mail
• Cover-up over 16 baby deaths: Health bosses ignored damning warnings on hospital neglect The Daily Mail

Police 'hold too many mentally ill'

Police 'hold too many mentally ill': Too many mentally ill people are being held in police cells, say four watchdog bodies. BBC News

See also:

• A Criminal use of police cells? The use of police custody as a place of safety for people with mental health needs HMIC 
• Police cells holding more than 9,000 mentally ill people a year The Guardian

NHS could suffer 'staff shortages' due to early retirements, report warns

NHS could suffer 'staff shortages' due to early retirements, report warns: More should be done to halt early retirements in the NHS to prevent staff shortages, a report on pensions has found. GP Online

Ways and means - inequality in end of life care

Ways and means: This report highlights factors which contribute to inequalities in end of life care. It reveals that the likelihood of what can be described as a ‘good death’ - one where the wishes of the patient and their family are met - can be significantly affected by where people live, their ethnicity and previous contact with social care. But the most critical factor is early diagnosis and timely initiation of support. It argues that tackling these inequalities requires placing an emphasis on training, communication and integration across health and social care. It recommends free social care at end of life be adopted as soon as possible, while ensuring that health and care professionals, who have a central role in providing well coordinated end of life care, are equipped and properly supported to talk about death. It concludes that a misplaced sense of delicacy must not prevent us from responding to people’s needs.

• Report
• Demos - news

Is road traffic pollution really a cause of autism?

Is road traffic pollution really a cause of autism?: “Severe air pollution ‘can double risk of having autistic child’,” reports The Times.

If you’re a parent-to-be you shouldn’t be unduly worried by this story, as the science it’s based on cannot and does not show a definite link. And other than moving house or changing jobs, avoiding environmental pollutants is likely to prove difficult.

From hospital to home: freeing up beds in the NHS

From hospital to home: freeing up beds in the NHS: An initiative to support old and vulnerable patients during and after hospital discharge is also reducing readmission rates.
In most cases patients look forward to being discharged from hospital, but for some old and vulnerable people, who lack the support network provided by close family and friends, it can be a daunting prospect.

Use of physical restraint on mental health patients at 'disturbing levels'

Use of physical restraint on mental health patients at 'disturbing levels': Mind says 39,883 incidents of physical restraint were recorded during 2011-12, with 3,000 in dangerous face-down position.
Nearly 40,000 incidents of physical restraint on mental health patients in England were recorded in one year, with more than 3,000 in the "dangerous" face-down position, according to figures released by a charity.
Mind said data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act showed 39,883 recorded incidents of physical restraint in mental health trusts during 2011-12, resulting in at least 949 injuries to people with mental health problems. The charity said there was huge variation between trusts in the use of physical restraint.

US companies criticise UK healthcare firms' charitable status and tax breaks

US companies criticise UK healthcare firms' charitable status and tax breaks: Tax breaks worth £50m to private hospitals operating as charities 'give unfair advantage and reduce competitiveness'.

Ambulance services: Rise in number of patients treated entirely at the scene

Ambulance services: Rise in number of patients treated entirely at the scene: June 19, 2013: New figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) show in 2012-13(2) almost two million patients were treated at the scene(3) by ambulance services without needing onward transportation, a 10 per cent rise on last year's figure (1.81 million).

Measuring patient experience

Measuring patient experience: "This evidence scan describes approaches to measuring patient and carer experiences of healthcare." The Health Foundation