What are the parties promising on health and social care? An animated guide to the manifestos

What are the parties promising on health and social care? An animated guide to the manifestos The NHS is one of the key issues in the 2015 general election. This website looks at some of the big questions in health and social care and sets out the policies and pledges made by the main parties in England. The King's Fund

Staff health, wellbeing and engagement

Staff health, wellbeing and engagement This infographic highlights key facts and figures about why staff experience matters. It sets out, in an easy-to-digest format, the importance of staff health and wellbeing and engagement. NHS Employers

When one door closes...: research into the closure and commissioning of care homes throughout England

When one door closes...: research into the closure and commissioning of care homes throughout England As care home operators seek to maintain quality of care in the face of inadequate local authority fee levels and rising costs, this research highlights the impact on registered bed levels throughout England. The research finds that the number of beds in newly registered homes mirrors the number of beds simultaneously falling out of the market and finds that several regions are showing a net bed reduction. Healthcare Property Consultants

Facts, figures and views on health and social care

Facts, figures and views on health and social care This pack sets out statistics, figures and facts surrounding health and social care in the lead up to the general election. It covers NHS finances, the NHS workforce, A&E performance, quality of care and social care. The Nuffield trust

I could not survive another day: Improving treatment and tackling stigma: lessons from women’s experience of abortion for severe pregnancy sickness

I could not survive another day: Improving treatment and tackling stigma: lessons from women’s experience of abortion for severe pregnancy sickness  Difficulty obtaining swift treatment and support for severe and debilitating pregnancy sickness means some women feel they are left with no option but to end otherwise wanted pregnancies, the charities British Pregnancy Advisory Service and Pregnancy Sickness Support

See also:

• Morning sickness: The 10 myths that need busting The Daily Telegraph
• Morning sickness report: 1,000 abortions a year in Britain due to extreme form of illness during pregnancy The Independent
• More help needed for women with severe morning sickness OnMedica

Why you should drink (water) before you drive

Why you should drink (water) before you drive "Not drinking enough water has same effect as drink driving," The Daily Telegraph reports. A small study found participants made more mistakes on a driving simulator task when they were mildly dehydrated than when they had plenty of fluids.

This was a small trial of 12 men, studying the effect of mild dehydration on performance during a driving task. The men had a day of being hydrated or fluid-restricted prior to spending two hours in a driving simulator showing a view of a monotonous dual carriageway.

This was a crossover trial, meaning that all men acted as their own control, undertaking both hydrated and dehydrated conditions one week apart.

The researchers found men in the dehydrated state made around double the number of driving errors during the two-hour drive compared with the hydrated group.

Overall, the detrimental effects of dehydration on wellbeing and physical and mental performance are well-publicised, so the results are entirely plausible. But the study has many limitations, so it cannot provide solid proof.

Treating sepsis early could save 12,500 lives a year

Treating sepsis early could save 12,500 lives a year A group of leading doctors, led by Professor Jonathan Cohen of Brighton and Sussex Medical School, has warned that a radical new approach is needed to the way hospitals detect and treat sepsis. The Daily Mail

How to save the NHS – by the people who work for it

How to save the NHS – by the people who work for it The NHS is a top election issue – both Labour and the Conservatives promise they would pump in billions to save it. But what do the people on its frontline – the workers who know it best and care for it most – think it needs?

I have been a paramedic for the NHS for 13 years. We are under a lot of pressure; an ambulance crew in my service is often sent out on 10-14 calls a day. Some calls can take an hour, to an hour and a half – and we work 12-hour shifts. The majority of the time we have to work overtime, anything from 20 minutes to several hours.

Make advertising for fast-food outlets less prominent, make healthy foods more visible

Cuts in auxiliary services are really hitting our patients – they need stimulation and their carers need a break

You can’t find the extra people you need because the NHS cut back on the number of student nurses it was training Continue reading... The Guardian

Every political party is talking nonsense about the NHS

Every political party is talking nonsense about the NHS Until we see honest collaboration at the very top of the NHS, you probably shouldn't take the main parties' promises too seriously, says Dr Phil Hammond. The Daily Telegraph

Pregnant women employ ‘doulas’ for support during labour as NHS cuts hit

Pregnant women employ ‘doulas’ for support during labour as NHS cuts hit Pregnant women are hiring companions to hold their hands through labour for fear of being left without help and support by midwives. The Independent