Guidance for health professionals on domestic violence

Guidance for health professionals on domestic violence: This guidance helps health professionals to recognise factors that may indicate domestic violence and abuse and describes steps to ensure appropriate support and referral where necessary. It highlights best practice, information and learning resources.

This guidance acknowledges that because of the role of midwives, health visitors and school nurses, they are often one of the first to become aware of domestic violence and abuse issues within families. They therefore have a significant part to play. Department of Health

Tesco-style NHS plan 'ridiculous'

Tesco-style NHS plan 'ridiculous': Calls to create a 24/7 "Tesco NHS" are ridiculous, according to the leader of the British Medical Association. BBC News

See also:

• Does the NHS really need 24/7 opening? BBC News
• BMA calls round-the-clock 'Tesco NHS' plan ridiculous The Independent
• 'The NHS is not Tesco', say doctors The Daily Telegraph

GP pressures 'affect cancer cases'

GP pressures 'affect cancer cases': Increasing work pressures on doctors' surgeries are preventing effective delivery of cancer prevention information, a report claims. BBC News

Recommendations for safe trainee changeover

Recommendations for safe trainee changeover: Recommendations for the safe changeover of doctors in training have been published jointly by NHS Employers and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC).

National VTE Prevention Programme helping to save lives

National VTE Prevention Programme helping to save lives:

Implementation has led to 20% fewer blood clots and a 40% fall in events related to inadequate preventative treatment Related items from OnMedica Clot risk greater with newer Pill New antipsychotics increase blood clot risk DVT risk doubles after four hours on a plane NICE VTE guidance – ‘best policy’ Air travel and venous thromboembolism

Confidentiality clauses and special severance payments

Confidentiality clauses and special severance payments: This report suggests that there is a lack of transparency, consistency and accountability in the use of compromise agreements in the public sector, and that little is being done to change this situation. It cites the whistleblowing over emergency care in the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and other NHS bodies as examples.

• Report
• Executive summary
• NAO - publications

Major shift in breast cancer care on horizon as NICE recommends preventative drugs for 'at-risk' women

Major shift in breast cancer care on horizon as NICE recommends preventative drugs for 'at-risk' women: Updated guidelines from NICE could mean hundreds of thousands of women across England and Wales could be spared the distress and uncertainty of a breast cancer diagnosis by taking a daily pill to help prevent the disease.

See also:

• Women offered NHS breast cancer drug BBC News
• VIDEO: NHS to offer breast cancer drug BBC News
• Tamoxifen and raloxifene: Women to be offered daily pill to prevent breast cancer The Independent
• Women at high breast cancer risk to be given preventive drugs The Daily Telegraph
• Women at risk of breast cancer should be given daily pill, say NHS guidelines The Guardian

Why patient surveys intended to prevent future Stafford Hospital fiascos could make hospital care WORSE

Why patient surveys intended to prevent future Stafford Hospital fiascos could make hospital care WORSE: You can't go anywhere, buy anything, get something fixed these days without someone wanting your 'feedback'. The Daily Mail

Don't blame a 'rotten NHS culture' for the CQC cover-up

Don't blame a 'rotten NHS culture' for the CQC cover-up: Market-led health reforms are leading to poor quality healthcare – and are giving managers incentives to hide failure.
We now know that England's healthcare regulator, the Care Quality Commission, tried to cover up an investigation into a hospital trust where babies were dying. This appalling tale has been spun to be about the "rotten culture" at the heart of the NHS. The true story of the Morecambe Bay cover-up, however – just like Mid Staffs, where hundreds of patients died – is one of market failure.

Duty of candour: supporting nursing students in practice

Duty of candour: supporting nursing students in practice: A support service at the University of Southampton has found students have an important role in improving the quality of care.

NHS watchdog failed to supply six years of emails about baby deaths to investigators

NHS watchdog failed to supply six years of emails about baby deaths to investigators: NHS watchdog embroiled in cover-up scandal failed to provide investigators with six years' worth of potentially crucial emails about the deaths of babies and women at maternity unit. The Daily Telegraph

Red tape and competition in NHS is 'hindering care', warn doctors

Red tape and competition in NHS is 'hindering care', warn doctors:
Doctors have been crippled by wasteful bureaucracy and private-sector style competition within the NHS, and feel increasingly powerless to improve the health service, the British Medical Association (BMA) has warned. The Independent

BMA passes vote of no confidence in Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt

BMA passes vote of no confidence in Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt:
The British Medical Association, which represents 152,000 doctors, has passed a vote of no confidence in the health secretary Jeremy Hunt. The Independent


See also:

• Doctors back no confidence vote in Jeremy Hunt GP Online
• Jeremy Hunt dismisses BMA no confidence vote - video The Guardian
• Doctors pass motion of no confidence in health secretary Jeremy Hunt The Guardian