Tuesday 8 October 2013

A&E pressures 'put patients at risk'

A&E pressures 'put patients at risk' Excessive pressure on A&E consultants has the potential to put patients at risk, doctors are warning. BBC News

See also:

E-cigarettes face EU restrictions

E-cigarettes face EU restrictions Electronic cigarettes would become a medicinal product under new proposals from the EU Commission being considered by MEPs. BBC News

New EU law on mobility of health professionals across Europe

New EU law on mobility of health professionals across Europe An EU agreement on the revised text was reached in summer 2013. NHS Confederation

For service reconfiguration read safety reconfiguration, says Dr Darren Kilroy

For service reconfiguration read safety reconfiguration, says Dr Darren Kilroy Healthcare has legion analogies. Aviation and supermarkets are two which come to mind. And, although there are parallels to be drawn and examples to be shared, you can only take the comparisons so far. Patients aren’t passengers; neither can we predict and control clinical demand in the way that one might approach the issue of … Continue reading » NHS Voices

Surgeon creates 'Dr Foster rival'

Surgeon creates 'Dr Foster rival' A surgeon has created an online tool which allows people to view the performance of hospitals measured against five quality domains. E-Health Insider

Walking ‘could save 37,000 lives a year’ report claims

Walking ‘could save 37,000 lives a year’ report claims The benefits of walking have been reported across the UK media. The BBC reports that “walking more 'would save thousands' of lives in the UK”.
These stories have been prompted by the "Walking Works” report (PDF, 3.4MB). It provides an overview of current evidence on physical inactivity, and makes the case for encouraging more people to take up walking as a form of physical activity.

Ending 15 minute care

Ending 15 minute care This research from Leonard Cheshire Disability reveals that the public overwhelming oppose 15-minute care visits, while some local authorities are delivering more than three-quarters of their care in 15 minutes. The research is based on a ComRes poll of of 2,025 British adults and also Freedom of Information requests to find out how local authorities are using 15-minute care visits.

Bridging the gap: the financial case for a reasonable rebalancing of health and care resources

Bridging the gap: the financial case for a reasonable rebalancing of health and care resources This report argues that the resourcing of mental health care must increase if the NHS is to improve the nation’s health while meeting its productivity challenge. It says that under-investment in mental health services and a lack of integration with physical health services have created a bottleneck in health care improvement, constrained physical health outcomes and has impaired broader economic performance. Aside from the significant human cost, the financial cost of untreated mental ill health among people treated for physical illness is some £13 billion - almost as much again as the NHS spends on mental health care.

Jeremy Hunt retracts cover-up claims against Labour's Andy Burnham

Jeremy Hunt retracts cover-up claims against Labour's Andy Burnham Labour threatened legal action against health secretary for remarks about Care Quality Commission report
Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, has retreated from accusations that his predecessor Andy Burnham was involved in an NHS cover-up, following a threat of legal action from Labour.

Fifteen-minute care 'appropriate in some circumstances', says care minister

Fifteen-minute care 'appropriate in some circumstances', says care minister Norman Lamb has defended 'flying' visits from carers that can last just 15 minutes, saying that short stays can be 'appropriate' in some circumstances.The Daily Telegraph

Older doctors are six times more likely to ‘pose a risk to patients’

Older doctors are six times more likely to ‘pose a risk to patients’

Doctors over the age of 55 are six times more likely to prompt major concerns about their performance than their younger colleagues, a study by a former chief medical officer has found. The Independent