Thursday 2 July 2015

Missed GP appointments in Northamptonshire cost NHS £250,000 per month

Missed GP appointments in Northamptonshire cost NHS £250,000 per month Missed GP appointments cost the NHS in Northamptonshire £250,000 in just one month, new statistics have revealed. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS financial temperature check

NHS financial temperature check This is the third in a series of HFMA briefings setting out finance directors’ views on financial issues facing the NHS. Directors completed the survey during the last two weeks of May 2015. Healthcare Financial Management Association

NHS111 refutes ambulance dispatch claims

NHS111 refutes ambulance dispatch claims NHS111 today refuted suggestions that it refuses to send ambulances to patients who are seriously ill.

In a rebuttal of claims made in a national newspaper, the helpline service said it had an exemplary safety record while dealing with around 38,000 calls a day across the country.

And NHS England defended the service saying it “continues to provide an incredibly robust service in the face of huge demand”.

Both organisations spoke out after claims in the Daily Telegraph after an undercover reporter spent seven weeks working as a call handler at the South Central Ambulance Service’s (SCAS) NHS111 call centre at Bicester in Oxfordshire.

Among its claims, the paper said the service’s Pathways system – which prompts call handlers to ask patients questions about their symptoms before it reaches a decision on the best course of action – had posed more than 30 questions but denied a person an ambulance.

The paper further claimed call centre staff refused to dispatch emergency crews unless approved by a clinician.

Dr Ossie Rawstorne, NHS111 National Medical Advisor, denied the claims saying: “Call handlers are not expected to use their own judgement to determine if an ambulance is required. That would be inappropriate.

“They are guided by the system, called Pathways, in making this assessment.

“Pathways is a decision-making support tool for call handlers that has been safely developed by doctors representing all the Royal Colleges and experienced nurses and paramedics.

Children and young people give their views in unique health survey

Children and young people give their views in unique health survey The first ever survey seeking the views of children and young people on the health services they receive has been published today.

Children and young people aged eight to 15 years have been asked to give their views as part of the survey conducted by the Care Quality Commission.

Children aged nought to seven years are also included in the first National Children’s Inpatient and Day Case Survey 20124 – although their parents only were asked for their views.

The experiences of almost 19,000 children and young people, who stayed in hospital or were seen as day patients, were included in the survey.

They show that 87% of children and young people and 88% of parents or carers rated their overall experience as seven or above out of ten.

General Practice Extraction Service – Investigation

General Practice Extraction Service – Investigation The National Audit Office has today published the findings from its investigation into the General Practice Extraction Service (GPES), an IT system designed to allow NHS organizations to extract data from all GP practice computer systems in England. This data would be used to monitor quality, plan and pay for health services and help medical research.

Public perceptions of the NHS and social care: winter 2014

Public perceptions of the NHS and social care: winter 2014 This report provides the results from an IPSOS Mori survey of public perceptions of the NHS and social care services. The survey is the latest in a series of surveys that have tracked public perceptions and attitudes since spring 2000. Department of Health

CCGs say NHS lacks funding to implement Five-Year Forward View

CCGs say NHS lacks funding to implement Five-Year Forward View Four out of five CCGs say organisations in their area do not have enough funding to implement the Five-Year Forward View, a survey of finance managers has found. GP Online

Experts criticise new mental health staffing framework

Experts criticise new mental health staffing framework Workforce experts have suggested that NHS England’s new safe staffing framework for mental health inpatient care “lacks rigour.” Nursing Times

Positive view of NHS marred by fears over dementia and mental health care

Positive view of NHS marred by fears over dementia and mental health care Survey finds more than two-thirds of people are happy with NHS at national level but 39% think those with mental health problems are not well cared for.

Public perceptions of local NHS care for people with mental health problems and dementia are stubbornly low despite overall pride in England’s healthcare system rising to its highest level in recent years, a government-commissioned survey reveals.

Just over two-thirds of more than 1,000 adults questioned in their own homes last winter were satisfied with the running of the NHS at a national level – a figure that has seen little change – but satisfaction with local services dropped from 78% in 2013 to 74%. Continue reading... The Guardian

Patients to be told price of prescribed drugs in bid to save NHS £300m

Patients to be told price of prescribed drugs in bid to save NHS £300m Patients will be told the price of every drug they are prescribed that costs the NHS more than £20 in a scheme to help reduce waste and encourage patients to complete courses of medicine. The Independent 

See also:

The NHS five year forward view: lessons from the United States in developing new care models.

The NHS five year forward view: lessons from the United States in developing new care models. All political parties have endorsed NHS plans for greater integration of care in the next parliament. Stephen Shortell and colleagues use US experience to suggest what is needed to make it happen. BMJ (Athens password required)