Passing the people test: improving integration of care

Passing the people test: improving integration of care With lots of talk about integration of care on the political agenda, whether care actually becomes more integrated – like whether any aspect of quality improves – rests on those people delivering it, says Richard Taunt. The Health Foundation

Working longer further reading library launched

Working longer further reading library launched The Working Longer Group has launched a library of research, publications and websites to help employers and employees further understand the implications of working to a raised retirement age. NHS Employers

New Health Education England strategies for development of the NHS support workforce

New Health Education England strategies for development of the NHS support workforce HEE has launched its new strategies, Talent for Care and Widening Participation, which recognise Employers as being key to their delivery. Find out more about the frameworks, and how you can support them by further investing in your bands one to four support workforce. Health Education England

Is another NHS scandal brewing?

Is another NHS scandal brewing? Lethal. Shocking. Unacceptable. Dysfunctional. Failures at every level. So said the report into maternity care at Cumbria's Furness General Hospital.

But as was pointed out repeatedly as the inquiry published its findingson Tuesday, the parallels with Stafford Hospital are chillingly similar. In fact, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt went as far as calling it a "second" Stafford Hospital - albeit it on a smaller scale. BBC News

The number of old people in the UK killing themselves has fallen. Why?

The number of old people in the UK killing themselves has fallen. Why? Once elderly people in the UK were the most likely group to take their own lives, but now they are at lower risk than the middle-aged. Why? BBC News

Tech fund 2 money may return - Hunt

Tech fund 2 money may return - Hunt Nearly £200 million slashed from NHS England's technology fund may be reinstated in future as part of a "staged roll-out", health secretary Jeremy Hunt says. E-Health Insider

QOF does not save lives, researchers claim

QOF does not save lives, researchers claim QOF targets should be 'reconsidered and better aligned with evidence', according to UK research that found there was no link between practice scores and patient mortality. GP Online

See also:

• Pay for performance in primary care has not saved lives OnMedica

Poor diabetes education leading to health complications

Poor diabetes education leading to health complications Diabetes education a ‘postcode lottery’ claim MPs. OnMedica

Getting lost in hospitals costs the NHS and patients

Getting lost in hospitals costs the NHS and patients Doctors attribute a significant fraction of the 6.9m missed hospital appointments to navigation problems in hospitals.

Hospitals are difficult to find your way around, with kilometres of near-identical corridors leading to door after door of similarly-named wards and treatment rooms. Strict hygiene requirements mean decor must be kept to a minimum, and evolving needs mean rooms often change purpose at short notice. All of this leads to a navigation nightmare, making hospitals intimidating places for many patients. As hospitals grow and change, it will only get worse.

This is a major problem for both visitors and the patients – data from 2013 suggests that around 6.9m outpatient hospital appointments, each costing an average of £108, are missed each year in the UK. Doctors we've spoken to attribute a significant fraction of these to navigation problems, especially at large hospitals. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS England spent £100m since 2003 resolving legal claims related to cancer

NHS England spent £100m since 2003 resolving legal claims related to cancer Figures obtained by Macmillan Cancer Support highlight claims due to delays, errors or inadequate care.

The NHS in England has spent at least £100m resolving legal claims due to delays, errors or inadequate care related to cancer over the past 11 years, according to figures obtained byMacmillan Cancer Support.

Two-thirds of successful claims were from people who faced issues in getting diagnosed or starting treatment and as a result suffered physical and/or psychological consequences, leading the charity to urge improved early diagnosis. Continue reading... The Guardian

Ministers pledge an end to 15-minute elderly care visits

Ministers pledge an end to 15-minute elderly care visits Ministers promise to eradicate 'flying care visits' within a year as new guidance says short visits should only be used to fulfil basic checks, and not to carry out personal care, such as washing or dressing. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Care workers 'being short changed' BBC News
• Plumbers 'should report cold homes' BBC News
• Plumbers should warn the council if homes are too cold The Daily Telegraph
• Plumbers and heating engineers 'should sound alarm on freezing homes' The Guardian