NHS drive for action to tackle trans inequalities

NHS drive for action to tackle trans inequalities Health leaders urged to work together to tackle issues faced by transgender and non-binary people across NHS services.

NHS England is spearheading a collective drive to improve the experience of transgender and non-binary people when accessing health and care services.

The body has called an urgent symposium for 30 June, bringing partners from across the health and social care system together with patients to establish a commitment to tackle a series of serious issues faced by these patients.

Press release: Regulator sets up team to tackle billion pound agency black hole

Press release: Regulator sets up team to tackle billion pound agency black hole Monitor figures show spending on temporary staff in the NHS rose by 29% to £2.4 billion in 2013-14. A recent report to Monitor’s board suggested that foundation trusts spent over double (£1.8 billion versus £766 million) what they had originally planned on contract and agency staff.

The team has been set up to run an initial three-month trial at 3 foundation trusts. Support will include action planning that will help foundation trusts deliver savings, and a diagnostic tool that will identify weaknesses in how trusts are managing their staffing. There are also a series of workshops designed to spread best practice within the NHS.

If the trial is successful (by the end of August 2015) the regulator will consider the appointment of a team of experts on a permanent basis.

This announcement follows the establishment of Monitor’s Provider Sustainability Directorate which aims to develop a pool of expertise to support foundation trusts. This includes bringing in-house much of the work currently done for the regulator by external suppliers in the fields of provider sustainability and solutions development (also known as contingency planning).

Antidepressant use in menopause linked to broken bones

Antidepressant use in menopause linked to broken bones "Taking antidepressants like Prozac to counter mood changes in menopause 'raises risk of broken bones'," the Daily Mail reports. A new study suggests that using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during the menopause may increase the risk of bone fracture by around 76%.

While this may sound alarming, the baseline risk of bone fracture is relatively small so the 76% figure represents a small, if statistically significant, increase in risk.

The study in the spotlight looked at the risk of bone fractures in women taking SSRIs compared with women taking common stomach ulcer drugs.

SSRIs are primarily used to treat symptoms such as depression and anxiety, but they are also used when treating the hot flushes that can come with the menopause. While not licensed for this use in the UK, consultants can prescribe them at their own discretion for women unable or unwilling to use hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Researchers found that risk difference was statistically significant only after the second year. This suggests SSRIs may need several months to produce clinically meaningful effects on bone mineral density.

Importantly, the study results may not be directly applicable to women taking SSRIs for mental health reasons. So while it is possible that use may be associated with a small increase in fracture risk for menopausal women, this small risk must be balanced against the benefit of taking them for the prescribed reason.

VIDEO: Fears as Independent Living fund closes

VIDEO: Fears as Independent Living fund closes Thousands of disabled people in England face an uncertain future as the Independent Living Fund closes, with responsibility for funding moved to local authorities. BBC News

NHS wants negligence legal costs capped

NHS wants negligence legal costs capped Strict caps should be put in place to limit the "excessive fees" lawyers claim against the NHS in medical negligence cases, the Department of Health in England says. BBC News

See also:

• Clampdown on lawyers overcharging NHS in clinical negligence cases The Guardian

New E-Referral Service still has issues

New E-Referral Service still has issues Users of the new NHS e-Referral Service are still experiencing significant slowdown and other issues nearly two weeks after the system went live. E-Health Insider

Doctors say public health cuts will hurt NHS

Doctors say public health cuts will hurt NHS Vote to campaign against £200m cuts. OnMedica

NHS staff told to say 'I am sorry' to patients for medical blunders

NHS staff told to say 'I am sorry' to patients for medical blunders New guidance says doctors, nurses and midwives must now offer prompt apology and explanation to those injured by mistakes during treatment

Doctors, nurses and midwives will have to offer patients face-to-face apologies and say they are personally sorry about medical blunders under tough new rules designed to make the NHS more honest.

The 920,000 members of those three professions must now offer a prompt and heartfelt apology and explanation to the patient when things go wrong under new guidance being published on Monday. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• VIDEO: NHS staff told 'to be open and honest' BBC News

NHS patient data plans unachievable, review finds

NHS patient data plans unachievable, review finds Major Projects Authority says care.data and NHS Choices schemes have ‘major issues’ with schedule, budget and project definition

The government’s ambitious plans to provide online access to medical records and to suck up and store all patient data are unachievable, an official review has concluded.

In a damning assessment, the Major Projects Authority said both care.data – a plan to link and store all patient data in a single database – and NHS Choices – the website supposed to allow users to log in and access medical services – had “major issues with project definition, schedule, budget, quality and/or benefits delivery, which at this stage do not appear to be manageable or resolvable”. Continue reading... The Guardian

Let elderly die 'surrounded by love' at home - not in hospitals, says minister

Let elderly die 'surrounded by love' at home - not in hospitals, says minister Lord Prior of Brampton said it was "preferable" for dying patients to pass away "in their own home with their loved ones" rather than alone in hospital. The Daily Telegraph

Chief of NHS mental health trust that controls Broadmoor quits amid string of controversies

Chief of NHS mental health trust that controls Broadmoor quits amid string of controversies The chief executive of the country’s largest mental health trust is leaving his post amid a series of controversies. The Independent