Tuesday 17 February 2015

Watchdog praise for staff at Northampton GP practice

Watchdog praise for staff at Northampton GP practice

An unannounced inspection of Virgin Care’s Lings Brook GP practice by Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors found the service was run well, saying it was well-equipped to treat its patients.
Northampton Chronicle

Guidance on new mental health standards

Guidance on new mental health standards

It explains the case for change in four areas and sets out what’s expected of commissioners working with providers and other partners.

The guidance covers implementation of the new early intervention in psychosis and liaison mental health standards, the new IAPT standard for people with depression and anxiety disorders, and funding for services for people with eating disorders.
NHS Networks

News story: New rules to improve overseas visitors’ contributions to NHS care

News story: New rules to improve overseas visitors’ contributions to NHS care

Overseas visitors who need healthcare while in England will soon be charged differently for using the NHS as part of efforts to recoup £500 million a year by 2017 to 2018.

From April, the way the NHS charges these visitors is being changed so that it does not lose out on income from migrants, visitors and former residents of the UK who have left, who should all pay for their care while in the country.

Within the UK, free NHS treatment is provided on the basis of someone being ‘ordinarily resident’. It is not dependent upon nationality, payment of UK taxes, national insurance contributions, being registered with a GP, having an NHS number or owning property in the UK.

The changes which come into effect from April will affect visitors and former UK residents differently, depending on where they now live.

Treatment in A&E departments and at GP surgeries will remain free for all.

BMA tells politicians not to 'play games' with NHS

BMA tells politicians not to 'play games' with NHS

Doctors’ association begins election campaign by taking aim at all parties and saying health is number one issue

The British Medical Association has urged politicians to stop playing games with the NHS.

The BMA launched its general election campaign on Monday, with the chair, Mark Porter, calling for an open and honest public debate about securing the future of the NHS and an end to political game-playing with the nation’s health.

Detailed guidance for external assurance on quality reports 2014/15

Detailed guidance for external assurance on quality reports 2014/15

Monitor requires all NHS foundation trusts to produce reports on their quality of care (as part of their annual reports). This document sets out guidance for NHS foundation trusts and their auditors on how to carry out external checks on these reports. 

Scientists urge action on obesity in women to cut risks to babies

Scientists urge action on obesity in women to cut risks to babies

Children of obese mothers may be more likely to develop heart disease, have a stroke or develop type 2 diabetes, according to major European study

Urgent strategies are needed to prevent girls and young women becoming obese because of the damaging long-term consequences for themselves and their babies should they become pregnant, say scientists involved in a major European research project.

The children of obese mothers may be more likely to develop heart disease, have a stroke or develop type 2 diabetes, say researchers presenting the first results from the Dorian consortium, which is funded by the European commission and has been running for three years so far. Other researchers found that children of obese mothers may suffer mood disorders in adulthood.

Super-strength 'skunk' cannabis linked to psychosis

Super-strength 'skunk' cannabis linked to psychosis

" 'Skunk-like cannabis' increases risk of psychosis, study suggests," BBC News reports after a new study found high-potency strains of "skunk" cannabis – infamous for both its strength and its pungent smell – could be linked to one in four cases of new-onset psychosis. Psychosis is a mental health condition characterised by symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions.

The study compared cannabis use patterns among 410 people from south London who attended hospital with a first episode of psychosis, and 370 people from the general population without the condition.

It found the daily use of cannabis was associated with an increased risk of psychosis, and use of high-potency cannabis was associated with a greater increase in risk.

Effects of librarian-provided services in healthcare settings

Effects of librarian-provided services in healthcare settings

"Two studies indicated patient length of stay was reduced when clinicians requested literature searches related to a patient's case."
Effects of librarian-provided services in healthcare settings: a systematic review
L Perrier, et al.Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 2014, 21(6):1118-1124Read more here.
QIPP alert

Supporting carers to stay in paid employment

Supporting carers to stay in paid employment

Carers could soon be using smart phones, email alerts and pop-up care centres to help them plan and co-ordinate formal and informal support. The ideas will be trialled as part a £1.6m programme of pilots.

The nine pilot areas will explore how technology can be combined with professional support from the local authority and the assistance of informal networks of friends, neighbours and volunteers to ease the pressure of caring.
NHS Networks

New language ability checks for EU trained healthcare workers

New language ability checks for EU trained healthcare workers

New proposals which will come into effect later this year seeking assurance about the language competency of EU trained healthcare professionals.  
NHS Employers

Aids in Cuba: New epidemic strain of HIV in Cuba is twice as aggressive as average virus

Aids in Cuba: New epidemic strain of HIV in Cuba is twice as aggressive as average virus

Researchers are worried after discovering a new strain of HIV in Cuba that progresses to Aids twice as fast as the average strain of the disease, leaving those infected with a preciously shorter window in which to seek treatment.
Independent

Pill that could stop both hearing loss and tinnitus is now being tested

Pill that could stop both hearing loss and tinnitus is now being tested

The first drug treatment for both conditions has been developed by scientists in the UK and acts on brain cells involved in the processing of sound.

Daily Mail