Wednesday 7 May 2014

2015 Challenge Declaration

2015 Challenge Declaration The NHS is rightly heralded as one of our national treasures. It now faces the most challenging set of circumstances since it began. NHS Confederation

Court warns CCG over disagreeing with NICE guidance

Court warns CCG over disagreeing with NICE guidance Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) cannot choose not to follow NICE guidance because they merely disagree with it, even where there is no statutory duty to do so, a court has ruled. NICE

Carer recruits 'must speak English'

Carer recruits 'must speak English' Agencies must ensure people they recruit as carers can speak English before placing them in vulnerable people's homes, a government adviser says. BBC News

Cuts 'hit mental health patients'

Cuts 'hit mental health patients' A lack of mental health beds in England is forcing patients to travel hundreds of miles to receive treatment in other areas, figures show. BBC News

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No deadline for care.data roll-out

No deadline for care.data roll-out There is no new date set for the national deployment of the care.data programme, after the government announced a six month delay to the go-live earlier this year. E-Health Insider

Why asthma still kills: the national review of asthma deaths

Why asthma still kills: the national review of asthma deaths This report looked into the circumstances surrounding deaths from asthma from 1st February 2012 to 30th January 2013. The primary aim was to understand the circumstances surrounding asthma deaths in the UK in order to identify avoidable factors and to make recommendations to improve care and reduce the number of deaths. Royal College of Physicians
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Keys to diversion: best practice for offenders with multiple needs

Keys to diversion: best practice for offenders with multiple needs This report argues that CCGs across England should ensure they offer coherent and effective support for people with mental health problems who are diverted from police stations and courts. It identifies the key elements of successful liaison and diversion services in six services and finds that the most successful teams offer support for a wide range of a person’s needs, they build packages of support from a range of local agencies, and they stay in touch with people after they have been referred to other services. Centre for Mental Health

£3.8bn NHS Better Care Fund policy delayed after damning Whitehall review

£3.8bn NHS Better Care Fund policy delayed after damning Whitehall review Review concluded that claims for policy to bring together health and social care services 'don't stack up'

A government policy intended to stop the NHS from becoming overwhelmed has been delayed after a confidential Whitehall review concluded it would not work as hoped. Neither would it help to balance the NHS budget or bring about an intended revolution in patient care.

The £3.8bn-a-year Better Care Fund was supposed to have been launched last week, but its introduction has become mired in doubt after the Cabinet Office voiced deep disquiet about its viability and argued that there was little or no detail about how the expected savings would be delivered. Continue reading... The Guardian

Female genital mutilation parties being held in UK, MPs told

Female genital mutilation parties being held in UK, MPs told Health professionals tell committee that 'cutters' are flown into Britain for events at which up to a dozen girls may be mutilated.

The cutting of girls at female genital mutilation "parties" is still going on in Britain and not just taking place abroad, healthcare experts have told MPs.

The Commons home affairs select committee has heard that "cutters" often older women are flown into Britain for the events, at which as many as a dozen girls may be operated on. Continue reading... The Guardian

50,000 will have to leave work this year to care for someone with dementia

50,000 will have to leave work this year to care for someone with dementia
The damage done by dementia to families, communities and businesses represents a threat to “the fabric of our society” the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said, as a new report reveals that, this year alone, 50,000 people will leave work to care for someone close to them. The Independent

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