Press release: Hunt sets out tough new approach to turn around NHS hospitals

Press release: Hunt sets out tough new approach to turn around NHS hospitals  Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt today set out the Government’s plans to help prevent future failures of care and safety at NHS hospitals.

In the wake of the scandal over standards at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and subsequent Keogh Review which looked at 14 NHS Trusts with high mortality rates, 11 of those Trusts have already been placed in ‘special measures’.

Now, the Health Secretary has set out a new approach to ensure progress at those NHS Trusts, which could be applied to any NHS Trust that is placed in special measures under a new, tougher inspection regime:

• Jeremy Hunt announces plans to turn around failing hospitals  Daily Telegraph
• The Department of Health sets tough approach to turn around 'special measures' hospitals  NHS Employers

Average NHS pay up one per cent last year and nearly nine per cent in four years

Average NHS pay up one per cent last year and nearly nine per cent in four years  September 19, 2013: NHS staff in England take home an estimated average annual pay packet of just over £29,543 - a rise of one per cent on last year and of almost nine per cent on four years ago, new figures show.  IC QOF

• Nearly 50 NHS England executives earn more than PM, figures show  Guardian
• NHS managers' pay rises three times the rate of nurses, figures show Daily Telegraph

World Alzheimer Report: Global number of dependent older people will nearly treble to 277m by 2050 - with almost half suffering from...

World Alzheimer Report: Global number of dependent older people will nearly treble to 277m by 2050 - with almost half suffering from...  The number of dependent older people in the world will nearly treble to 277m by 2050, according to a new report, with almost half of those suffering from dementia.  Independent

• Elderly care needs 'set to treble'  BBC News

Face veils in hospital under review

Face veils in hospital under review  Whether NHS staff in England should be allowed to wear full face veils is to be reviewed, according to the Department of Health.  BBC News

Swine flu vaccine can trigger narcolepsy, UK government concedes

Swine flu vaccine can trigger narcolepsy, UK government concedes  Review of fresh evidence finds jab given to 6 million people in Britain can occasionally cause sleep disorder

The government is to reverse its stance on the safety of a swine flu vaccine given to 6 million people in Britain and accept that on rare occasions the jab can trigger the devastating sleep disorder narcolepsy.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has contacted people turned down for compensation last year to explain that, after a review of fresh evidence, it now accepts the vaccine can cause the condition. The move leaves the government open to compensation claims from around 100 people in Britain, and substantial legal fees if a group action drawn up by solicitors is successful.

Peter Todd, who is preparing the case at the London firm Hodge, Jones and Allen, said that damages could reach £1m for each person.

Proposed changes to whistleblowing legislation - Your view counts

Proposed changes to whistleblowing legislation - Your view counts  The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) have published a consultation seeking evidence to look at existing whistleblowing legislation. We are seeking your views through a short survey so we can present a response to BIS.  NHS Employers

RCP revalidation portfolio now available

RCP revalidation portfolio now available  The RCP’s new revalidation portfolio is now available free to fellows and members. A major membership benefit, the portfolio is easy to use and accessible online over the internet.  It is confidential, accessible only to the individual doctor and those to whom he or she gives permission, for example an appraiser.

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Implementing a Health 2020 vision: governance for health in the 21st century. Making it happen

Implementing a Health 2020 vision: governance for health in the 21st century. Making it happen 
WHO Europe 

This report was commissioned to support the implementation of the Health 2020 policy framework. It aims to provide policy-makers with examples from around the world of how whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches have been implemented, along with a set of tools to manage the policy process.

• Report
• WHO Europe - publications

Another year of PCD for commissioners

Another year of PCD for commissioners  NHS England has submitted three Section 251 exemption requests to allow some patient confidential data to continue to flow to commissioners for another year.  EHI News