Tuesday 30 June 2015

Midwife ‘slept on duty’ at Northampton General Hospital, tribunal alleges

Midwife ‘slept on duty’ at Northampton General Hospital, tribunal alleges An agency midwife is to face a tribunal following allegations that she slept on duty while working at Northampton General Hospital. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Brain injuries nurse suspended for sleeping while in charge of vulnerable Northamptonshire patient

Brain injuries nurse suspended for sleeping while in charge of vulnerable Northamptonshire patient A nurse working at a brain injuries unit in Northamptonshire has been suspended from all practice after she was seen sleeping while she should have been monitoring a vulnerable patient. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

New standard to improve the care of people with personality disorders

New standard to improve the care of people with personality disorders Borderline and antisocial personality disorders are two distinctive conditions that affect people differently and have different care pathways. Both conditions affect a person's thoughts, emotions and behaviour, and are associated with poor health and increased risk of death. More... NICE

New safeguards for patients from rogue healthcare professionals

New safeguards for patients from rogue healthcare professionals EU to operate a warning system to alert each other when a healthcare professional is banned from working in its country. NHS Employers

GP receptionists 'could help prevent stroke deaths'

GP receptionists 'could help prevent stroke deaths' "Teaching doctors' receptionists to spot the warning signs of strokes could save thousands of lives a year," the Daily Mail reports.

Educating staff about the warning signs of a stroke, such as a droopy face and speaking difficulties, could lead to improved outcomes, a new pilot study concluded.

The study looked at a large sample of GP practices in one region of the UK. Researchers asked receptionists to take a series of unannounced calls where actors with various stroke symptoms asked for advice.

In about two-thirds of calls the receptionist acted appropriately, either passing them on to a GP or telling them to contact the emergency services.

Generally, the receptionists were more likely to refer on if more common symptoms were described – a drooping face or mouth, a weak arm or slurred speech – and with the greater number of these symptoms given.

These results are likely to give a good indication of how receptionists would respond if a patient called with stroke symptoms and asked for advice. As the researchers suggest, extra receptionist training about stroke, as well as other life-threatening conditions, could help.

Bowel surgery death rate 'too high'

Bowel surgery death rate 'too high' Too many patients are dying following emergency bowel surgery, experts who have done a comprehensive audit warn. BBC News

See also:

DH requests NPfIT exit plans

DH requests NPfIT exit plans The Department of Health has written to trusts in the North, Midlands and East of England requesting planned exit dates for the end of their national IT contracts in July 2016. E-Health Insider

High profile IT projects 'unachievable'

High profile IT projects 'unachievable' The successful delivery of care.data, NHS.uk and N4 "appears to be unachievable", according to a report published by the government's Major Projects Authority. E-Health Insider

Paperless NHS: How to transform hospital IT

Paperless NHS: How to transform hospital IT Progress towards the goal for a paperless NHS by 2020 has been too slow in the acute sector. Shaun O’Hanlon looks at the challenges and solutions for transforming hospital IT. HSJ

Employers urged to create conditions which encourage doctors, nurses and midwives to admit mistakes

Employers urged to create conditions which encourage doctors, nurses and midwives to admit mistakes When things go wrong patients should expect a face to face explanation and apology from doctors, nurses and midwives according to new guidance from the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

But the regulators have also made clear that professionals need to have the support of an open and honest working environment where they are able to learn from mistakes and feel comfortable reporting incidents that have led to harm. Nursing and Midwifery Council 

Deprivation of liberty ruling contributing to ‘unprecedented pressure’ on Approved Mental Health Professionals

Deprivation of liberty ruling contributing to ‘unprecedented pressure’ on Approved Mental Health Professionals The fallout from a landmark Supreme Court ruling on deprivation of liberty is putting Approved Mental Health Professional services under ‘unprecedented pressure’, according to new research.

A report published by The College of Social Work’s AMHP network reveals that the March 2014 Supreme Court ruling, known as the ‘Cheshire West’ ruling, has triggered a surge in requests for Mental Health Act assessments at some local authorities. The ruling has also provoked anxieties among some practitioners over the interface between the Mental Capacity Act and Mental Health Act and when each framework should be applied for deprivation of liberty cases on psychiatric wards, the report found. Community Care

We're overlooked and often abused but emergency call takers save lives

We're overlooked and often abused but emergency call takers save lives I’ve stopped a man from ending his life and helped a mother deliver CPR to her child. It’s upsetting when people say, ‘Shut up, you’re just a call taker’

“My life’s not worth living … No one will care if I’m no longer here. I’m going to end it all,” cries the man on the other end of the phone.

It is 3.44am on a Thursday morning and I am more than just an emergency call taker – I am a reassuring voice, a friend. I am silently willing the paramedics to race around the corner, even though I know that they are still four minutes away. I am the only person in the world who can stop this stranger from ending his life. It’s a daunting task to have someone’s life in your hands and only your voice to save them. Somehow, I manage to calm him down until the paramedics arrive. Continue reading... The Guardian

Should not the NHS stop 'thinking' and start 'doing'?

Should not the NHS stop 'thinking' and start 'doing'? Strategy reviews take up precious time and cost a fortune - are they really necessary? Why not focus on more practical ways to help people, such as the newly launched Help and Information Service. The Daily Telegraph

Sugary drinks are killing 184,000 adults around the world every year, says study

Sugary drinks are killing 184,000 adults around the world every year, says study Sugary drinks are killing 184,000 adults around the world every year, and should be eliminated from people’s diets, medical experts have warned. The global death toll from sugar-laden drinks – ranging from soft drinks to fruit smoothies – has been revealed in a new paper published in the American Heart Association’s Circulation journal. The Independent