Council debate on making East Northants a healthier and more active place to live

Council debate on making East Northants a healthier and more active place to live Healthy and active lifestyles were the key subjects at a recent issues debate held by East Northamptonshire Council. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Watchdog wants public’s view on East Midlands Ambulance Service

Watchdog wants public’s view on East Midlands Ambulance Service A health watchdog in Northamptonshire wants to know what people think of the East Midlands Ambulance Service. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Open consultation: Setting the mandate to NHS England for 2016 to 2017

Open consultation: Setting the mandate to NHS England for 2016 to 2017 The mandate to NHS England sets the government’s objectives for NHS England, as well as its budget. In doing so, the mandate sets direction for the NHS, and helps ensure the NHS is accountable to Parliament and the public.

In accordance with the Health and Social Care Act 2012, the Secretary of State must publish a mandate each year, to ensure that NHS England’s objectives remain up to date.

A new mandate to NHS England is due to be published following the completion of the Spending Review, to take effect from April 2016. This consultation document sets out how the government proposes to set the mandate to NHS England for this Parliament. The final mandate will be subject to the outcome of the government’s Spending Review. Department of Health

New tool helps NHS staff to identify trafficking victims

New tool helps NHS staff to identify trafficking victims Recent research has highlighted that many victims of human trafficking come into contact with NHS services during the time they are trafficked, or after their escape. In response to this, the Department of Health has launched an updated tool to help NHS staff identify and care for trafficked people and refer them for further support.

The Provider Responses, Treatment and Care for Trafficked People (PROTECT) independent research recently published findings in the BMJ Open showing that up to one in eight NHS professionals reported having contact with a patient they suspected may have been trafficked. The research highlights how important it is that the health system has an understanding of modern slavery and the need for training tools to support health professionals in identifying and providing support for victims. Findings published in the Lancet Psychiatry show that secondary mental health services are caring for trafficked people with a range of diagnoses including: depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia.

The Department of Health’s e-learning tool for health service staff on identifying and responding to Modern Slavery sets out situations in which health staff may encounter victims of trafficking, explains the legal situation regarding potential victims’ rights to medical care, and explores ways in which health staff can provide support. NHS England

New framework to support high quality dementia care

New framework to support high quality dementia careA comprehensive new resource to support health and social care staff and educators who work with people living with dementia and their carers has been launched by Health Education England

The Dementia Core Skills Education and Training Framework sets out the essential skills and knowledge necessary for all staff involved in dementia care and will enable organisations to:

• standardise the interpretation of dementia education and training
• guide the focus and aims of dementia education and training delivery through key learning outcomes
• ensure the educational relevance of dementia training
• improve the quality and consistency of education and training provision.

Follow-up to PHSO report: dying without dignity

Follow-up to PHSO report: dying without dignityThis report aimed to find out why the care failings detailed in Dying without dignity were allowed to happen and has recommended three areas where immediate improvements are needed: culture, behaviour and training; provision of integrated 24/7 palliative and end of life care; and leadership and commissioning. Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee

• Report
• Dying without dignity
• 
  

Ovarian cancer drug 'can help with some types of prostate cancer'

Ovarian cancer drug 'can help with some types of prostate cancer'"Ovarian cancer pill 'effective' at treating men with prostate cancer," The Independent reports after a small trial found the drug olaparib slowed tumour growth in men with a certain type ofprostate cancer.

The trial involved 50 men with advanced prostate cancer who had not responded to other treatments. All of them were given olaparib. By the end of the study follow-up, 35 (70%) had died. Men who had a type of genetic mutation affecting DNA repair lived longer than those who did not.

It is hoped the drug could serve as a targeted treatment for this sub-type of prostate cancer in the same way Herceptin is used for breast cancer associated with the HER2 protein.

But one practical drawback of using olaparib in this way is the cost. It's reported a course of the drug costs £4,740 a month. NHS Choices

Learning disability care beds cut

Learning disability care beds cut Hospital beds for people with learning disabilities and autism will be halved in England, the NHS has announced. BBC News

See also:

• Britain's only NHS hospital that specialises in learning disabilities is to close following the Winterbourne View care home abuse scandal The Daily Mail
• Last NHS hospital for people with learning disabilities to close The Daily Telegraph
• Last NHS hospital in England for people with learning disabilities to close The Guardian
• Calderstones Hospital: UK's only learning disability hospital to close after care review ITV News

Thousands face long wait for NHS gender reassignment

Thousands face long wait for NHS gender reassignment Thousands of adults wanting gender reassignment are having to wait at least eight months for an initial appointment.

Many have to wait much longer, something which can force them to seek treatment outside the NHS. ITV News

Demand for routine GP appointments on Sunday 'very low', access pilot review shows

Demand for routine GP appointments on Sunday 'very low', access pilot review shows Demand for routine GP appointments on Sundays is 'very low' in most areas, according to an official review of GP access pilots set up under the £150m prime minister's Challenge Fund. GP Online

NHS orthopaedic hospitals warn of funding crisis due to payment changes

NHS orthopaedic hospitals warn of funding crisis due to payment changes Royal National Orthopaedic hospital says it could face 25% drop in income, with other hospitals fearing impact on patient care

Specialist NHS orthopaedic hospitals in England fear huge drops in funding because of changes to the payments they receive for treating patients.

The Royal National Orthopaedic hospital (RNOH) in Stanmore, north London, has warned that it will lose £15.2m in income during 2016-17 under draft proposals, more than a quarter of what it received last year for inpatients on the tariffs then in force. Continue reading... The Guardian

Call the midwife – again and again until they feel overwhelmed and dizzy

Call the midwife – again and again until they feel overwhelmed and dizzy A community midwife tells of the impossible workload of a typical shift in today’s overstretched, understaffed NHS

The autumn months are the busiest of the year for a midwife in the NHS. Christmas and new year excesses result in a predictable spike in the birth rate around September and the numbers only begin to settle as December approaches.

Today I begin my late autumn shift as a community midwife earlier than usual to sort out the day’s clinics and visits. I start at the hospital, looking through the paperwork of those women who have been discharged in the last 24 hours. Two midwives from my team have phoned in sick and another is on leave. We have six half-day clinics and 29 home visits to newly postnatal mums to cover between the two remaining midwives. Continue reading... The Guardian

Patients with life-threatening conditions can wait twice as long for ambulance because they called 111

Patients with life-threatening conditions can wait twice as long for ambulance because they called 111 Exclusive: The NHS is investigating the decision by an ambulance trust to delay help for patients who suffered potentially lethal conditions. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Press release: Action taken at ambulance trust in south of England Monitor
• Ambulance 'failure' over NHS 111 calls BBC News

Junior doctors who work the longest hours will actually have their pay cut, Jeremy Hunt admits

Junior doctors who work the longest hours will actually have their pay cut, Jeremy Hunt admits The Health Secretary had accused the British Medical Association of scaremongering. The Independent

See also:

• Hunt 'glossing over facts' about pay cuts say junior doctor leaders GP Online
• Jeremy Hunt angers junior doctors by saying some are paid 'danger money' The Guardian

Models of Care for High-Need, High-Cost Patients: An Evidence Synthesis

Models of Care for High-Need, High-Cost Patients: An Evidence Synthesis This brief analysis experts’ reviews of evidence about care models designed to improve outcomes and reduce costs for patients with complex needs. It finds that successful models have several common attributes, but overall, the evidence of impact is modest and few of these models have been widely adopted. The Commonwealth Fund

Raunds woman to keep fighting for Hepatitis C drug after being given contaminated blood

Raunds woman to keep fighting for Hepatitis C drug after being given contaminated blood A woman has vowed to keep fighting after being told she can’t have the drug she wants after contracting Hepatitis C from contaminated blood given to her by the NHS before 1991. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Focus on Survivors: Identifying barriers to accessing support for those who have experienced childhood sexual abuse

Focus on Survivors: Identifying barriers to accessing support for those who have experienced childhood sexual abuse University Campus Suffolk and Suffolk charity Survivors in Transition present findings from important new research, Focus on Survivors. The study is based on a large scale, national questionnaire with adults who were sexually abused as children about their experiences of services.

See also:

• NHS and social services fail child sexual abuse survivors, study reveals  The Guardian

People-centred health systems in the WHO European Region

People-centred health systems in the WHO European Region This publication is a collection of personal stories describing experiences in health systems associated with improved health and well-being. While these examples are not intended to replace technical guidance on how to organize, finance or deliver health and social services, they emphasize people-centred approaches from the perspective of patients and carers. World Health Organization

Health Secretary outlines measures for greater patient power

Health Secretary outlines measures for greater patient power From next year, for the first time, new ‘Ofsted style’ ratings will show patients how their local area’s health service is performing in crucial areas, including:

• cancer
• dementia
• diabetes
• mental health
• learning disabilities
• maternity care

The new ratings, broken down by Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), will not only be based on local data but will also be verified by experts in each field, including:

• the Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, Harpal Kumar, who will verify cancer ratings
• the government’s Mental Health Taskforce Chairman Paul Farmer, who will lead on mental health ratings

Initial ratings, based on the current CCG assessments, will be published in June 2016. As part of the government’s transparency agenda, this will both spread best practice and help bring about improvement where services are underperforming. This will create a complete picture of care quality in the NHS. Department of Health

See also:

• RCGP response to Health Secretary’s announcement on a more patient-focussed NHS Royal College of General Practitioners 
• Ofsted-style ratings for cancer and dementia services  The Daily Telegraph
• NHS patient healthcare to be given ‘Ofsted-style’ ratings The Guardian

Evaluation highlights areas for improvement in long term conditions care

Evaluation highlights areas for improvement in long term conditions care Older people living with multiple long term conditions are generally happy with the NHS but often find the health and care system is not set up for their needs.

That is the main finding of an ethnographic evaluation carried out by the Ipsos Ethnography Centre of Excellence (ECE) – part of Ipsos MORI – who were invited to undertake the work by NHS Improving Quality.

The ethnographic evaluation is an in depth approach to understanding people and their behaviours over a period of time.

The key findings include:

• People greatly value the care and support they receive from the NHS and the wider health and care sector, and in the main feel the care they receive is good.
• People are trying hard to manage their long term conditions to the best of their abilities, but often feel the system is not set up to cope with their multiple and complex needs.
• People with more than one long term condition struggle to coordinate them all. They can feel there is no support linking all of their conditions and focusing on them personally and holistically.
• People with long term conditions want to have everyday achievable goals and support that fit realistically within their everyday lives.
• People can feel that they are a burden within their home as well as within the health and care system, which can prevent them seeking the help and support they need.
• Too often, there is an absence of discussion about care and care needs, within the home and within the health care system.

The work has been delivered through NHS Improving Quality’s Long Term Conditions Improvement Programme, which is commissioned by NHS England

See also:

• Navigating Health and Care: Living independently with long term conditions Ipsos MORI

Exercise and therapy 'useful for chronic fatigue syndrome'

Exercise and therapy 'useful for chronic fatigue syndrome' "ME can be beaten by positive thinking and taking more exercise," is the rather simplistic message from the Daily Mail following the results of a long-term study involving 481 people.

The study compared four types of treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a condition where people feel so persistently exhausted they cannot function, also called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). Researchers found positive results for two types of treatment lasted for at least two years.

A 2011 study comparing four commonly used treatments seemed to show two types of treatment worked better: cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a type of talking therapy that aims to help people challenge unhelpful thinking patterns, and graded exercise therapy (GET), where people are helped to gradually increase the amount of exercise they do each day. NHS Choices

Hunt acts on 'time-wasting' referrals

Hunt acts on 'time-wasting' referrals Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announces plans to stop GPs having to rearrange hospital appointments for patients, in a bid to save them time. BBC News

See also:

• Hunt to announce plan to cut GP bureaucracy and free up appointments GP Online

Junior doctors 'will not lose money'

Junior doctors 'will not lose money' No junior doctors working up to the legal limit on working hours will lose money under a proposed new contract, Jeremy Hunt tells MPs. BBC News

EU doctor suspended for 'poor English'

EU doctor suspended for 'poor English' An Italian doctor has been suspended from practising in the UK after failing an English language test, in one of the first cases of its kind. BBC News

Legal ruling forces NHS England U-turn over GP rent appeals

Legal ruling forces NHS England U-turn over GP rent appeals NHS England has been forced to back down over practices' right to appeal changes to notional rent after 'landmark' rulings by the NHS Litigation Authority. GP Online

Doctor will see you – and you too – now

Doctor will see you – and you too – now Can shared doctor appointments improve patient satisfaction while cutting costs? Some hospitals are finding out

Across Britain talented doctors and management teams are doing their best to deliver world class healthcare to more people than ever before. But is it sustainable?

The NHS in England recently announced a £930m deficit in just three months (April-June) – the worst in a generation – and non-urgent care is being hit hard. The pressure is on to cut costs. But the challenge is how to cut without compromising patient care or over-burdening already hardworking medical staff and making healthcare roles unattractive. Continue reading... The Guardian

Selfish anti-abortion protesters must be stopped from hurting British women

Selfish anti-abortion protesters must be stopped from hurting British women A new report has collated the distressing experiences of women who've visited abortion clinics with pro-life protesters outside. Abigail Fitzgibbon asks what needs to happen for politicians to take the threat seriously. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Aston study finds presence of anti-abortion activists ‘a significant source of distress' Aston University
• 'I was physically shaking': How it feels to be harassed by anti-abortion activists The Daily Telegraph

Hospital to give free food (discreetly) to starving patients due to malnourishment fears

Hospital to give free food (discreetly) to starving patients due to malnourishment fears Staff at Tameside Hospital in Greater Manchester noticed that more and more patients were showing signs of the condition. The Independent

See also:

• NHS hospital to offer food parcels to patients at risk of malnutrition The Guardian

National award for Northamptonshire health initiative to save money and waste with prescription drugs

National award for Northamptonshire health initiative to save money and waste with prescription drugs An innovative pilot training initiative which has helped patients in Northamptonshire to make the most of their medicines has picked up a national award. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Where cancer patients live could influence late diagnosis

Where cancer patients live could influence late diagnosis If all the regions of England were as good as the South West at diagnosing cancer early nearly 20,000 more patients over two years could be diagnosed at stage 1 or 2, giving them a better chance of survival. Cancer Research UK

See also:

• RCGP response to CRUK figures on regional variation in cancer diagnosis Royal College of General Practitioners
• Cancer variation 'unacceptable' BBC News
• VIDEO: Thousands of cancer cases 'missed' BBC News
• 10,000 cancer cases are spotted late every year because of postcode lottery The Daily Mail
• Postcode lottery in cancer diagnosis is costing up to 10,000 lives a year The Daily Telegraph
• The worst places in England to have cancer The Independent

Midwifery faces ‘time bomb’, says report

Midwifery faces ‘time bomb’, says report Record numbers of births to older mothers are putting maternity units under intense pressure, says a new Royal College of Midwifery report.

See also:

• State of Maternity Services Report 2015 Royal College of Midwifery
• Britain's older midwives are a ticking timebomb that needs diffusing - fast The Daily Telegraph
• 'Time bomb' as new mothers get older and midwives approach retirement The Guardian

NHS Homeopathy Spending

NHS Homeopathy Spending In their campaigning against the funding of homeopathy on the NHS, Good Thinking have highlighted that the total annual spend is ‘between £3m and £5m per year’. By way of summary:

• In the 2013/14 fiscal year, 14 NHS England CCGs reported that they fund homeopathy, spending around £300,000 in total
• A further 17 CCGs commission via the RLHIM in London, and are unsure as to the level of their funding
• Homeopathic hospitals in Bristol and Glasgow received around £1.6m-£2m in total.

See also:

• The maps that show where the NHS is spending millions on homeopathy The Independent

New nursing framework supports delivery of care closer to home

New nursing framework supports delivery of care closer to home A new education and career framework launched by Health Education England sets out for the first time the specialist knowledge and skills needed to deliver and advance in district nursing and general practice nursing.

Latest analysis shows current picture of diseases which were widespread in the Victorian era

Latest analysis shows current picture of diseases which were widespread in the Victorian era Latest analysis of hospital admissions for a number of diseases that were widespread during the 19th and early 20th centuries is released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre

See also:

• Malnutrition and other Victorian diseases soaring in Englanddue to food poverty and cuts The Independent

Cheap Alzheimer's drug 'may help keep people out of care homes'

Cheap Alzheimer's drug 'may help keep people out of care homes' Donepezil is usually withdrawn as a treatment for people with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease as it had been thought to provide little benefit.

In this study, researchers wanted to see if this was a hasty decision and people should actually continue to take the drug – they carried out a randomised controlled study to look at the issue.

People with moderate to severe Alzheimer's, who were living in the community, were randomly allocated to discontinue or continue taking donepezil, either alone or in combination with another Alzheimer's drug called memantine, or switching to memantine alone.

The main outcome the researchers looked at was whether these people ended up being placed in a nursing home. The results showed discontinuing donepezil roughly doubled the chance of nursing home placements during the first year. There was no significant difference between these groups in the following three years. NHS Choices

Flawed GP data extraction system 'misspent public money'

Flawed GP data extraction system 'misspent public money' A government IT system that collects data from GP practices across England was signed off despite being demonstrably flawed from day one and 'not fit for purpose', MPs heard on Monday. GP Online

New NHS screening for Down's expected soon

New NHS screening for Down's expected soon DNA test will improve performance in screening and reduce miscarriages. OnMedica

Anthrax: First case of disease since 2006 found in Wiltshire cow

Anthrax: First case of disease since 2006 found in Wiltshire cow Public Health England said it is the first case of the deadly disease to have been found in an animal since 2006. The Independent

Safe staffing in the NHS comes at a cost

Safe staffing in the NHS comes at a cost When the Care Quality Commission suggested in its recent State of Care report that ‘safer, better care does not necessarily cost more’, the inclusion of the word ‘necessarily’ was important. The King's Fund

Mental health annual report 2014/15

Mental health annual report 2014/15 The Health and Social Care Information Centre has published its annual report on secondary mental health and learning disability services.

Patient safety alert – Support to minimise the risk of distress and death from inappropriate doses of naloxone

Patient safety alert – Support to minimise the risk of distress and death from inappropriate doses of naloxone A patient safety alert has been issued by NHS England to support providers of NHS funded care to minimise the risk of distress and death caused by inappropriate doses of naloxone. NHS England

Rise in 'anti-abortion protests'

Rise in 'anti-abortion protests' The rise in US-style anti-abortion protests in England. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: Anti-abortion protests rise in UK BBC News

Breaking even 'would have shut A&E'

Breaking even 'would have shut A&E' A major hospital would have to close its A&E department nine days in every 10 to break even because of the funding formula, a former chief executive says. BBC News

UK/China fund on antimicrobial resistance to launch

UK/China fund on antimicrobial resistance to launch Plan to attract £1 billion investment in research. OnMedica

Having borderline personality disorder helps me in my NHS job

Having borderline personality disorder helps me in my NHS job Some people have said it’s a career death sentence but my lived experience of mental health problems makes me a more compassionate clinician. The Guardian

Should the NHS scrap the four-hour A&E wait time target?

Should the NHS scrap the four-hour A&E wait time target? Some of the incentives in the system have to change in order to secure a sustainable health service

One month before the comprehensive spending review, data from the King’s Fund have revealed the shocking impact of social care cuts on NHS hospitals. The financial distress in trusts can no longer be allowed to crush every other funding demand across the care system.

The King’s Fund’s latest quarterly monitoring report shows nearly 90% of acute trust finance directors surveyed say social care cuts are affecting the performance of local health services. Continue reading... The Guardian

Processed meat and cancer link: Just two rashers of bacon per day increases risk of bowel cancer, says WHO

Processed meat and cancer link: Just two rashers of bacon per day increases risk of bowel cancer, says WHO World Health Organisation places bacon and ham in the same category as cigarette smoke and formaldehyde. The Independent

See also:

• IARC Monographs evaluate consumption of red meat and processed meat (press release) World Health Organization
• Q&A on the carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat World Health Organization
• Bacon, burgers and sausages 'are as big a cancer threat as cigarettes,' global health chiefs declare The Daily Mail
• Processed meat ranks alongside smoking as major cause of cancer, World Health Organisation says The Daily Telegraph
• Does bacon cause cancer? Key questions about the WHO red meat report The Daily Telegraph
• Bacon and sausages are carcinogenic – but there are 480 things the WHO says may cause cancer The Independent
• Red meat could raise cancer risk, conclude experts OnMedica

TTIP: Jeremy Corbyn, Nigel Farage, Nicola Sturgeon and Natalie Bennett sign appeal to exempt NHS from trade deal

TTIP: Jeremy Corbyn, Nigel Farage, Nicola Sturgeon and Natalie Bennett sign appeal to exempt NHS from trade deal The organisers, from Unite, say that they approached the Conservatives asking for support but were refused. The Independent

Health campaigners to lobby south Northamptonshire MP over trade deal which they claim threatens NHS

Health campaigners to lobby south Northamptonshire MP over trade deal which they claim threatens NHS Campaigners in south Northamptonshire are calling for action from their MP over a trade deal that they say threatens the NHS. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Two CCGs set to rank GP practices based on A&E attendances

Two CCGs set to rank GP practices based on A&E attendances GP practices across one area of England will be ranked internally based on the number of patients on their list who attend A&E.

NHS Nene CCG and NHS Corby CCG plan to list the top 20 GP practices across Northampton that have the highest number of ‘frequent’ A&E users.

Once identified, the practices will be ‘supported in managing those patients proactively’, board papers revealed. Pulse

Mental Health Act: detentions rise by almost ten per cent on previous year

Mental Health Act: detentions rise by almost ten per cent on previous year Detentions under the Mental Health Act rose by 9.8 per cent (5,220) to 58,4003 in 2014/15 compared to the previous year, according to official statistics published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre

See also:

• Inpatients Formally Detained in Hospitals Under the Mental Health Act 1983 and Patients Subject to Supervised Community Treatment, England - 2014-2015, Annual figures Health and Social Care Information Centre
• Mental health detentions up by 10% BBC News
• England's mental health crisis: Patients sectioned rises by 10% The Daily Mail
• Mental Health Act detentions rise 10% The Guardian
• Rise in mental health detentions shows 'services are struggling' The Guardian
• Mental Health Act Detentions Rise By Nearly 10 Percent, HSCIC Figures Show The Huffington Post UK
• Sharp rise in Mental Health Act detainments shows need for urgent investment National Health Executive
• More people are being detained under the Mental Health Act OnMedica

Community mental health patient experience scores

Community mental health patient experience scores The latest statistical information on patients’ experience of mental health services in the NHS.

This is an update to include results from the 2015 Community Mental Health Survey. NHS England

Hospital trusts productivity in the English NHS: uncovering possible drivers of productivity variations

Hospital trusts productivity in the English NHS: uncovering possible drivers of productivity variations This study looks at how NHS trusts perform in terms of how much they produce given the resources (doctors, nurses, medicines and premises) they use. It finds that on these criteria there is a lot of variation between trusts and that the best and worst performers stay the same over time. It is not possible to explain away the variation in terms of the kinds of patients that are treated. These results suggest that there may be scope for making substantial savings by ensuring that all trusts perform as well as the best ones. Centre for Health Economics

Majority of emergency service staff suffer alcohol fuelled abuse

Majority of emergency service staff suffer alcohol fuelled abuse A new report, Alcohol’s Impact on Emergency Services, reveals the full extent of the toll alcohol takes on emergency services in England.

The report presents an extensive survey of police officers, ambulance and paramedic staff, accident and emergency department consultants and fire officers. It outlines both the financial burden on the emergency services and the human cost to frontline staff. The report also recommends a set of evidence-based policy measures to address this issue. Institute of Alcohol Studies

See also:

• Alcohol's impact on emergency services (full report) Institute of Alcohol Studies
• Alcohol's impact on emergency services (summary) Institute of Alcohol Studies
• Alcohol's impact on emergency services (video) Institute of Alcohol Studies
• A&E paramedics and police spend a quarter of their time dealing with drunks The Daily Mail
• Police call for end to 24-hour licensing over alcohol-related violence The Guardian

Paramedics 'baffled' by legal highs

Paramedics 'baffled' by legal highs The complex chemical make-up of legal highs is leaving ambulance services dangerously uncertain about how to treat casualties, a senior paramedic claims. BBC News

Chancellor urged to scrap health cuts

Chancellor urged to scrap health cuts Medical groups are asking George Osborne to reverse planned cuts to vital health services in England. BBC News

See also:

• Letter to Treasury Public Health Funding Cuts Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
• Health organisations call on Chancellor to reverse public health cuts Royal College of Nursing
• George Osborne broke Government pledge to protect NHS budget, say doctors and council leaders The Independent
• Joint plea to protect public health services OnMedica

GPs demand end to 'scandalous' waste of 14m appointments from repeat hospital referrals

GPs demand end to 'scandalous' waste of 14m appointments from repeat hospital referrals GP leaders are calling on NHS commissioners to stop hospitals dumping unnecessary workload on practices by forcing them to re-refer patients who miss appointments. GP Online

NHS medical director coy on 'weekend effect' of hospital deaths

NHS medical director coy on 'weekend effect' of hospital deaths Prof Sir Bruce Keogh did not confirm Jeremy Hunt’s claim that 11,000 patients die annually due to understaffed hospitals

The NHS’s medical director has distanced himself from Jeremy Hunt’s controversial claim that understaffing of hospitals at weekends causes the death of 11,000 patients a year.

Prof Sir Bruce Keogh has reiterated his view that it is not possible to say for sure how many die avoidably as a result of “the weekend effect”, which he and other experts have found. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS and social care must share a budget, says former health secretary

NHS and social care must share a budget, says former health secretary New NHS Confederation chair Stephen Dorrell says it makes no sense to ringfence health budget while cutting social care.

Health and social care should become one joined-up system with a single budget, former health secretary Stephen Dorrell has said.

Dorrell, who was named this month as chair of the NHS Confederation, said it made “no sense” to ringfence the NHS budget while cutting social care funding. He added: “If we mean what we say about joined-up health and social care, that has to be around one budget and one budget-planning process.” Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Social care is on the cusp of a crisis The Guardian
• Health and social care still live in parallel universes | Stephen Dorrell The Guardian

Patients waiting more than 12 hours in A&E rises 10-fold in three years

Patients waiting more than 12 hours in A&E rises 10-fold in three years Exclusive: Senior doctors reveal the number of patients waiting on trolleys has surged to an "unacceptable" level. The Daily Telegraph

NHS spends millions on larger equipment for obese people

NHS spends millions on larger equipment for obese people At least £7 million has been spent on adapting equipment and services. The Independent

See also:

• NHS spending millions on larger equipment for obese patients The Guardian

NHS to rank top 20 GP practices in Northamptonshire for sending people to A&E

NHS to rank top 20 GP practices in Northamptonshire for sending people to A&E GP practices in Northamptonshire are to be ranked for numbers of frequent A&E patients. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Special ambulance for frail Northamptonshire falls victims to be withdrawn by NHS

Special ambulance for frail Northamptonshire falls victims to be withdrawn by NHS A non-emergency ambulance service for frail people who have fallen is to be axed in Northamptonshire. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Social care budget cuts damaging the NHS, latest quarterly monitoring report finds

Social care budget cuts damaging the NHS, latest quarterly monitoring report finds This report examines the views of finance directors on the productivity challenge they face, as well as some key NHS performance data to see how the NHS is performing. Cuts in local authority social care budgets are adversely affecting health services, according to nearly 9 out of 10 (88 per cent) of NHS trust finance directors and 8 out of 10 (80 per cent) of clinical commissioning group finance leads surveyed for the report. The King's Fund

See also:

• Are we supporting or sacrificing NHS staff? The King's Fund
• Cutting social care budgets ‘devastating for individuals and puts more pressure on health services’ – RCN responds to King’s Fund quarterly report Royal College of Nursing
• Local authority cuts damaging NHS services, say CCGs GP Online

Report on selected summaries of investigations by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: February and March 2015

Report on selected summaries of investigations by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: February and March 2015 A new report has revealed the devastating impact that public service failures can have on individuals and how its investigations have resulted in the organisations putting things right for people.

The report is a snapshot of 192 case summaries of the 1,075 investigations of unresolved complaints the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) completed investigating in February and March 2015.

It includes cases about delayed asylum claims, nursing home patients being wrongly charged thousands of pounds for their nursing home care, delays in diagnosis which meant that one woman was left with unrelenting facial pain for more than a decade, poor end of life care and poor treatment of sepsis, commonly referred to as blood poisoning.

See also:

• It's just lady pains': Are doctors not taking women's agony seriously enough? The Daily Telegraph
• How an NHS hospital missed my broken back The Daily Telegraph
• Woman left in 'unrelenting pain' for 15 years after NHS failed to carry out simple scan The Daily Telegraph

Rapid Diagnostics: stopping unnecessary use of antibiotics

Rapid Diagnostics: stopping unnecessary use of antibiotics provides an overview of how diagnostics can play an important role in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, by reducing unnecessary use. It then looks at the problems with low uptake of diagnostics and how increase innovation. Review on Antimicrobial Resistance

See also:

• Rapid tests 'would cut antibiotic use' BBC News
• GPs hand out two thirds of antibiotics in error, Jim O'Neill finds The Daily Mail

Zero hours employment contracts - new guidance for employers

Zero hours employment contracts - new guidance for employers Read the latest government guidance for employers on zero hours employment contracts. NHS Employers

Latest statistics show a drop in sickness absence across the NHS

Latest statistics show a drop in sickness absence across the NHS The latest figures released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) show that NHS staff sickness absence has fallen for the first time in a year, from June 2014 where it was 3.95 per cent, to 3.94 per cent in June 2015. NHS Employers

Care pathways: guidance on appraising sustainability

Care pathways: guidance on appraising sustainability New guidance to enable sustainability to be considered when designing new models of care. The suite of documents will allow users to consistently appraise environmental impacts of health care pathways and can also be used when redesigning existing models or investigating the benefits of prevention. Sustainable Development Unit

• Guidance
• Summary
• Healthcare activity modules

First trial to prevent Alzheimer's

First trial to prevent Alzheimer's Most research into dementia is about finding treatments for people who are already affected by symptoms.

But a trial is under way in London which aims to prevent Alzheimer's in people at high risk, before they show any physical signs of the disease. BBC News

See also:

• Virtual reality 'predicts Alzheimer's' BBC News

NHS England backs 50,000-patient 'primary care home' pilots

NHS England backs 50,000-patient 'primary care home' pilots NHS England has endorsed a pilot programme to deliver care for populations of 30,000 to 50,000 patients under the 'primary care home' model championed by the National Association of Primary Care (NAPC). GP Online

League table reveals increase in NHS clinical research

League table reveals increase in NHS clinical research The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network has published its annual league table, revealing an increase in clinical research activity across the NHS in England.

The league table, now in its fifth year, details the number of clinical research studies undertaken by each individual trust, and the number of participants recruited into those studies. Continue reading... The Guardian

Radical action on childhood obesity will require political courage

Radical action on childhood obesity will require political courage PHE’s bold blueprint is a potential game-changer but past experience suggests the government’s response will be inadequate

Public Health England’s blueprint on how to get us all to eat less sugar is an important, detailed and necessarily bold document that could – if ministers act on it – change and extend lives. Having sifted the available international evidence on what works, its authors conclude that only truly radical action will make any real difference to the unfolding health disaster of our time.

Governments claim to want policymaking to be evidence-based. On obesity, and specifically sugar’s contribution to our expanding waistlines, here is the proof. It has been collated by the government’s own experts on public health; not campaigners or academics. As such it should be the roadmap that David Cameron tells the team of ministers and civil servants currently drawing up the government’s promised strategy on childhood obesity to follow. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Sugar reduction: the evidence for action Public Health England
• Sugar tax and offers ban 'would work' BBC News
• It's time for a sugar tax of TWENTY per cent, says official study The Daily Mail
• The Guardian view on obesity: there’s no way to sugar this pill. The UK government must act | Editorial The Guardian
• Public Health England obesity report: the key points The Guardian

Welfare cuts: Cancer patients face losing up to £120 a month in Government support, warns charity

Welfare cuts: Cancer patients face losing up to £120 a month in Government support, warns charity Macmillan's concerns come as George Osborne tells MPs that he is 'comfortable' with controversial tax credit cuts. The Independent

See also:

• At least 120,000 UK cancer patients depend on charity to cope financially in a year Macmillan Cancer Support

Visitors to Northampton General Hospital urged to stay away if family members have ‘flu-like’ symptoms

Visitors to Northampton General Hospital urged to stay away if family members have ‘flu-like’ symptoms Northampton General Hospital is asking anyone planning to visit the hospital to stay away if they or their family members have had diarrhoea, vomiting or ‘flu-like’ symptoms in the last four days. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Building healthier accountable communities

Building healthier accountable communities Over the past few decades England, like other countries, has worked hard to improve the health of its population largely by focusing on health care services – an approach that has not achieved better health for all. At our annual integrated care summit last week we heard from international and national speakers about how they are adopting a more systemic and integrated approach to improving population health. Three important messages emerged from the day. The King's Fund

Prevent, reduce, delay: are councils meeting their new duties to support unpaid carers?

Prevent, reduce, delay: are councils meeting their new duties to support unpaid carers? This research reveals that few councils in England have outlined how they are fulfilling the duties required of them under the Care Act 2014, which came into force this April. Under the Care Act local authorities have a duty to provide services to carers that prevent, reduce or delay them developing a need for support. But just 17 (13 per cent) of the 132 local authorities contacted by Carers Trust stated that they are working to identify carers and, of the 23 councils that mentioned having a prevention strategy in place, few provided details on the support they are providing specifically to help carers. The Carers Trust

Deaths data 'misrepresented by Hunt'

Deaths data 'misrepresented by Hunt' The health secretary has misrepresented a key study used to back the case for more seven-day NHS care, the editor of the British Medical Journal says. BBC News

See also:

• BMJ editor writes to Hunt over misuse of weekend mortality data  The BMJ
• Increased mortality associated with weekend hospital admission: a case for expanded seven day services? The BMJ
• Jeremy Hunt accused of skewing weekend hospital death rates The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt criticised for misrepresenting NHS weekend mortality facts The Independent

Mental health stigma campaign starts

Mental health stigma campaign starts A social media campaign to reduce the stigma around mental health in children has been launched by government. BBC News

Junior doctors to start strike ballot over hated Jeremy Hunt contract

Junior doctors to start strike ballot over hated Jeremy Hunt contract Vote on industrial action in protest at health secretary’s plan will start on Thursday, with strikes likely in December if motion passes

Junior doctors have moved closer to their first strike in decades as they decided to vote on industrial action in protest at Jeremy Hunt’s plan to impose a new contract on them.

The strike ballot will start on Thursday 5 November to see if young medics are prepared to take industrial action to force the health secretary to rethink his plan, which is part of the push for a seven-day NHS service. Continue reading. The Guardian

See also:

• Junior doctors to vote on strike action BBC News
• Junior doctors will vote over proposed strike action early next month: Move follows anger over cuts to pay on Saturdays and evenings  The Daily Mail
• England on brink of mass walkout by doctors, warns GP trainee's letter to MP GP Online

Spending review: the good, the bad and the ugly for the NHS

Spending review: the good, the bad and the ugly for the NHS The health service is getting more money but costs are rising faster and social care services also need help

Within the walls of the Treasury, a mountain of evidence is currently being studied to complete a comprehensive spending review (CSR) by 25 November. This will determine the budgets for each government department between now and 2019/20. To make their job ever-so-slightly easier the Health Foundation, an independent charity, has submitted its evidence highlighting the most critical issues on health and social care. This was necessarily a technical document with extensive use of numbers and supporting evidence. Here is a summary of the most crucial of the critical aspects. Continue reading... The Guardian

Community mental health services 'getting worse' in some areas of England

Community mental health services 'getting worse' in some areas of England Survey of 13,000 people cared for outside hospitals finds that 28% rate their experience 5 or lower on scale of 0-10.

Mental health services outside hospitals in England have shown “no notable improvement” and in some areas are getting worse, a survey of more than 13,000 people treated and cared for in the community has suggested.

Higher proportions than last year of those questioned think they have had a poor experience, that they are not listened to by staff and believe they have not been treated with dignity and respect. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Mental health patients do not always feel they are treated with dignity, CQC report finds The Independent

Doctors fail to co-operate with agency designed to protect public from dangerous criminals

Doctors fail to co-operate with agency designed to protect public from dangerous criminals Independent report shows doctors and other NHS staff failed to show up at meetings, and even refused to help. The Daily Telegraph

Agency nurse attacks Jeremy Hunt for portraying private NHS staff as "greedy scum"

Agency nurse attacks Jeremy Hunt for portraying private NHS staff as "greedy scum" Amy Cope said her salary would not cover the cost of childcare for her two children. The Independent

See also:

• Capping NHS agency fees means punishing nurses like me The Daily Telegraph

NHS spending: squeezed as never before

NHS spending: squeezed as never before Next month the government will set out its plans for public service spending through to 2020. The indications are that the plans will be a rerun of the 2010 Spending Review. The overall aim – as in 2010 – will be to eliminate the public spending deficit and reduce government debt as a proportion of GDP. Once again, large (25–40 per cent) real cuts are expected for most departments. And, as in 2010, NHS spending will be protected.

But the protection is relative and the decade since the 2010 Spending Review will be the toughest financially since the inception of the NHS. The King's Fund

See also:

• NHS cash 'to fall as share of GDP by 2020'  BBC News

Mindful Nation UK

Mindful Nation UK The Mindful UK Report, the first policy document of its kind, seeks to address mental health concerns in the areas of education, health, the workplace and the criminal justice system through the application of mindfulness interventions.

The recommendations in this report are evidence-based, sourced directly from experienced implementers, who report notable success in their respective fields and urge policymakers to invest resources in further pilot studies and increase public access to qualified teacher trainers.  Mindfulness All-Party Parliamentary Group (MAPPG)

See also:

• VIDEO: What is mindfulness and should you try it? BBC News
• Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Mindfulness (eBook, OpenAthens password required)

A destructive vicious circle': Damning Age UK report highlights crisis in health and social care for older people

A destructive vicious circle': Damning Age UK report highlights crisis in health and social care for older people A damning report finds that the health and care system for older people in England is under severe stress and is underperforming, leading to higher costs, poorer health outcomes and worse patient and service user experience. Age UK

See also:

• The health and care of older people in England 2015 Age UK
• One million elderly 'struggle alone' BBC News
• More old people in hospital as community care 'starved' Age UK The Guardian

Care in crisis: a survey highlighting the views of people with diabetes and how that relates to the reality of today's NHS

Care in crisis: a survey highlighting the views of people with diabetes and how that relates to the reality of today's NHS Almost 40 per cent of people with diabetes believe the NHS has “worsened” since the £1.1bn health service reforms, according to a new survey.

Around 2.5 million people with the condition have not received high-quality structured education despite the risk of serious complications. This has been shown in a wide-sweeping report laying bare the state of diabetes care in England. InDependent Diabetes Trust

See also:

• The management of adult diabetes services in the NHS: progress review National Audit Office

More than 11 moles on an arm may be 'sign of skin cancer risk'

More than 11 moles on an arm may be 'sign of skin cancer risk'"More than 11 moles on right arm 'could indicate greater skin cancer risk','' The Guardian reports.

A new study found that people with 11 or more moles on their arm were likely to have over 100 moles on their body – a known risk factor for the melanoma type of skin cancer.

Counting the entire number of moles can be time-consuming for clinicians and difficult for an individual to do by themselves. Researchers wanted to see if there was a handy proxy that would predict with a reasonable degree of accuracy a person’s total mole count. NHS Choices

'Postcode lottery for mental health' talking therapies'

'Postcode lottery for mental health' talking therapies' People with anxiety and depression should be offered talking therapies within six weeks, according to new guidelines in England. But while 100% of patients in some areas receive this level of treatment, it is only 5% in others - why does this happen? BBC News

See also:

• Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Report, July 2015 Final, August 2015 Primary and Quarter 1 2015/16 Health and Social Care Information Centre

Hospitals to get own savings targets

Hospitals to get own savings targets Hospitals in England are being given individual savings targets, after a report identified potential savings of £5bn a year in the NHS. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: NHS hospitals to get savings targets BBC News

Junior doctors: 7 in 10 to leave NHS if Hunt pushes through new contract

Junior doctors: 7 in 10 to leave NHS if Hunt pushes through new contract Survey of more than 4,000 young medics shows more than 70% would move abroad, become a locum or change career

Thousands of junior doctors in England will quit the NHS if Jeremy Hunt presses ahead with his threat to impose an unpopular contract on them, a survey shows.

The poll has prompted warnings that such an exodus would leave the NHS unable to function, given young medics’ key role in delivering care. Continue reading... The Guardian

FGM: reporting of cases among children becomes mandatory

FGM: reporting of cases among children becomes mandatory Health professionals, teachers and social workers obliged to report child FGM cases from next week but duty on GPs to record cases among adult women sparks row

A duty on all teachers, doctors, nurses and social workers to report child cases of female genital mutilation (FGM) to the police will come into force next week.

New legislation announced earlier this year make such disclosures mandatory and professionals who fail to report the illegal practice in under-18s could face the sack. Continue reading... The Guardian

Ex-health secretary Andrew Lansley to advise firms on healthcare reforms

Ex-health secretary Andrew Lansley to advise firms on healthcare reforms Tory peer blamed by many for increased privatisation of NHS takes part-time role with Bain & Company ‘leading a discussion on innovation in healthcare’.

Andrew Lansley, the architect of the coalition government’s efforts to privatise parts of the NHS, has taken a job advising corporate clients on healthcare reforms despite David Cameron’s pledge to close the “revolving door” between Whitehall and the private sector.

The management consultants Bain & Company took on Lord Lansley in August. The newly ennobled Conservative peer also plans to become an active associate of a “strategic communications consultancy” set up by his wife and will advise on health and social care. Continue reading... The Guardian

Is this the end of traditional doctors? A third of over 65s use technology to manage their health

Is this the end of traditional doctors? A third of over 65s use technology to manage their health As Brits continue to avoid a visit to their GP, new research reveals a third of over 65s are using technology to keep tabs on their health and wellbeing. The Daily Telegraph

Jeremy Hunt told sugar tax would cut childhood obesity as review Government tried to suppress is published

Jeremy Hunt told sugar tax would cut childhood obesity as review Government tried to suppress is published Jeremy Hunt has been told a sugar tax will help cut childhood obesity, it has emerged, after a senior public health official went public with the contents of a report the Government has refused to publish. The Independent

See also:

• GPs back levy on sugary drinks in battle to curb obesity Royal College of General Practitioners
• Official report backs sugar tax to beat obesity, so why was it buried? The Daily Mail

NHS warns private ambulance firm over loss of local Northampton knowledge in control room

NHS warns private ambulance firm over loss of local Northampton knowledge in control room A company that takes non-emergency patients to hospital has been warned for being late to appointments and closing its Northampton control room. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Supporting doctors with health concerns

Supporting doctors with health concerns The General Medical Council (GMC) has published a report following a roundtable event with healthcare experts and leaders from across the UK.

NHS Reserve Forces footprint map launches

NHS Reserve Forces footprint map launches The NHS Reserve Forces footprint map has launched to help employers see their public commitment to the Reserve Forces, and provide available support contact details. NHS Employers

Could anti-inflammatory drugs prevent schizophrenia?

Could anti-inflammatory drugs prevent schizophrenia?"It may be possible to prevent schizophrenia by calming the brain's immune system," BBC News reports after researchers found raised levels of immune activity in people thought to be at high risk of developing schizophrenia.

The research looked at the activity of a type of cell known as microglial cells. These serve as the primary immune cells for the brain and central nervous system, protecting these vital regions of the body against infection. NHS Choices

NHS starts diabetes 'stem cell factory'

NHS starts diabetes 'stem cell factory' The NHS is setting up a stem cell factory to help treat people with diabetes. BBC News

Ebola nurse's condition 'improves'

Ebola nurse's condition 'improves' UK nurse Pauline Cafferkey, who contracted Ebola in West Africa, now in "serious but stable" condition - hospital. BBC News

GMC seeks to overturn decision not to strike off paedophile doctor

GMC seeks to overturn decision not to strike off paedophile doctor It wants the Professional Standards Authority to refer the case to the High Court. OnMedica

The scars of modern slavery: trafficked people with severe mental illness

The scars of modern slavery: trafficked people with severe mental illness Yesterday was #AntiSlaveryDay, so today we are publishing a blog by Mina Fazel who considers the findings of an historical cohort study in the Lancet Psychiatry, which explores the characteristics of trafficked people with severe mental illness. The Mental Elf

It took my patient six years to see me – a dermatologist

It took my patient six years to see me – a dermatologist Dermatology is a microcosm of the challenges facing the health service. It has reached crisis point.

Why am I writing about dermatology? Surely the well-publicised crises in emergency medicine and general practice deserve these column inches. Dermatology is a small specialty where a slightly strange group of doctors choose to dedicate their careers to the treatment of rashes. Yet, dermatology is a microcosm of the challenges facing the NHS; like mental health and sexual health it is a specialty that has suffered progressively through NHS reforms and has now reached crisis point.

Imagine you have a rash or a growth on your skin and your GP does not know what it is or how to treat it. It may be scary – is it a skin cancer? It may be itchy, sore, bleeding, painful or looks awful. You are not alone, you are one of the 13 million people who consulted their GP last year about a skin problem and now you are one of the 750,000 referred on to see a dermatologist. These are big numbers, skin disease is common and the impact of skin disease is similar to epilepsy and chronic kidney disease. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS neonatal crisis: Sick babies aren't being given the care they deserve

NHS neonatal crisis: Sick babies aren't being given the care they deserve Intensive care units are caring for increasing numbers of sick and premature babies. Caroline Davey, CEO of Bliss baby charity, explains how Britain's new borns are being put at risk. The Daily Telegraph

Photo series looks to challenge stigma around mental illness among people of colour

Photo series looks to challenge stigma around mental illness among people of colour Dior Vargas’ People of Colour and Mental Illness Photo Project hopes to combat the stigma of mental illness among BME communities. The Independent

World’s biggest secure mental health building for youngsters being constructed in Northampton

World’s biggest secure mental health building for youngsters being constructed in Northampton A building that will be home to the world’s biggest secure service for mentally ill young people has reached a key milestone in its construction. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS 111 opens new front door to improved urgent care

NHS 111 opens new front door to improved urgent care Delivery of NHS 111 and general practice out of hours services are to be brought closer together to provide patients with a “new front door” to urgent health care services. NHS England

Bringing healthcare to homes

Bringing healthcare to homes Can community health services help the NHS cope in winter? BBC News

Leader of NHS junior doctors urges Jeremy Hunt to reopen negotiations

Leader of NHS junior doctors urges Jeremy Hunt to reopen negotiations At London protest Dr Johann Malawana tells health secretary to stop lambasting junior medics, in bid to stop BMA strike

The leader of NHS junior doctors in England has urged Jeremy Hunt to stop treating them like “the enemy” and instead reopen negotiations in a bid to stop their threatened strike.

Dr Johann Malawana told the health secretary he must stop lambasting junior doctors if he wants to settle a long-running dispute over his threat to introduce new NHS contracts. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• BMA 'misleading' doctors over contract BBC News
• Jeremy Hunt hails 'good deal for doctors' BBC News
• Junior doctors stage contracts protest BBC News
• Junior doctors' protest gets MP's backing BBC News
• Junior doctors protest in London over evenings and weekend work plans The Daily Mail
Junior doctors protest through central London The Daily Telegraph
• Jeremy Hunt: the BMA responsible for anger amongst junior doctors – video The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt: I would protest if I were a 'misled' junior doctor The Guardian
• Junior doctors protest: “We’re here to send a message to Jeremy Hunt” – video The Guardian
• Junior doctors ask PM to step into row with 'polarising' Jeremy Hunt The Guardian
• Doctors on why they're protesting changes to working conditions The Guardian