No further action over FGM arrest

No further action over FGM arrest A police inquiry into a woman arrested at Heathrow on suspicion of conspiracy to commit female genital mutilation is closed. BBC Northamptonshire

Tackling variation in care of patients with COPD

Tackling variation in care of patients with COPD Improving access to specialist care and smoking cessation support are among actions that can help reduce variation in the care of patients with COPD, according to a new report. NICE

See also:

• National Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Audit Programme Royal College of Physicians 

Guidance: Raising awareness of needlestick injuries in healthcare settings

Guidance: Raising awareness of needlestick injuries in healthcare settings At the 5th POINTERS conference following a series of presentations relating to occupational exposures to bloodborne viruses, a discussion group session was held to explore the topic of ‘raising awareness of needlestick injuries in healthcare settings’. This visual report highlights the points raised during the session. Public Health England

NHS indicators: February 2015

NHS indicators: February 2015 This paper provides a range of summary statistical indicators for NHS England in the following areas: accident and emergency attendance and performance; ambulance call volume and response times; waiting times for routine treatment; waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment; cancelled operations; delayed transfers of care; diagnostic waiting times and activity; waiting times for mental health treatment; workforce numbers for doctors, nurses and other staff; hospital activity, referrals and admissions; and bed availability and occupancy. In each case, trends are given over several years. House of Commons Library

Call to snoop on antibiotic scripts

Call to snoop on antibiotic scripts Doctors should snoop on their colleagues to ensure they are not prescribing too many antibiotics, the NHS in England suggests. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: Doctors told to reduce antibiotics BBC News
• GPs should check on colleagues who dole out too many antibiotics, NHS watchdogs say The Daily Telegraph
• GPs advised to spy on colleagues and intervene if antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily The Independent

VIDEO: Frustrations of an NHS brain surgeon

VIDEO: Frustrations of an NHS brain surgeon Newsnight follows a veteran neurosurgeon for a day, witnessing his frustrations about the conditions in which he and his colleagues now work. BBC News

Power to the people on: whistleblowing in the 21st century

Power to the people on: whistleblowing in the 21st century Sir Robert Francis’ report on whistleblowing is focused on corporate action; and in the age of social media, that may not be the best way forward. E-Health Insider

Exclusive: Dementia diagnoses on rise after controversial DES introduced

Exclusive: Dementia diagnoses on rise after controversial DES introduced Tens of thousands more patients have been diagnosed with dementia following the introduction of a controversial GP incentive scheme to increase diagnosis rates, official data show. GP Online

Good communication is essential to successful integration of health and social care

Good communication is essential to successful integration of health and social care Integration will only become a reality if staff, service users and the public are fully informed and engaged with the proposed reforms.

Most people involved in delivering health and social care are committed to making integration happen. They know it’s a good thing and can see the benefits for care and for the people who use services. But like any complex reform involving multiple agencies, they often struggle to see what it actually means for them and what they need to do differently to make it happen. This has to change if integration is to become a reality and not just a pipe dream.

Better training, including joint training for social care and health staff, can help us to move forward. Pooled budgets, plus clear joint delivery and governance structures, involving those who lead both health and social care will also help. However, these changes alone will not be enough: communication and engagement with staff, people who use services and the public will play an essential role in the ultimate success of integration. Continue reading... The Guardian

Dementia research: Drug firms despair of finding cure and withdraw funding after catalogue of failures

Dementia research: Drug firms despair of finding cure and withdraw funding after catalogue of failures Drug companies are retreating from the search for a dementia cure after “repeated and costly failures” to develop a breakthrough drug, a major report has warned. The Independent

Tories accused of hiding 'totally shocking' report into NHS management

Tories accused of hiding 'totally shocking' report into NHS management A “totally shocking” report by one of the country’s most respected businessmen into how the NHS is being run must be published before the general election, MPs have said. The Independent

See also:

• NHS managers 'slammed in report by ex-M&S boss': Ministers 'refuse to publish because of its damning content' The Daily Mail
• NHS report by Lord Rose 'put on backburner' The Daily Telegraph