Nurses warn of “storing up problems for the future” in NHS ahead of Budget

Nurses warn of “storing up problems for the future” in NHS ahead of Budget Ahead of next week’s Budget, the RCN is warning that stealth cuts to funding and short term decision making risk storing up serious problems across the NHS. Royal College of Nursing

Dementia support gaps 'fail patients'

Dementia support gaps 'fail patients' Patchy support for people with dementia is failing patients and their carers, doctors warn. BBC News

See also:

• Dementia care onus falls on families, say GPs Alzheimer's Society
• Dementia 2015: Aiming higher to transform lives Alzheimer's Society
• RCGP response to Alzheimers Society report Royal College of General Practitioners
• VIDEO: Medics voice dementia care concerns BBC News
• Dementia patients being failed by social services, say GPs The Daily Telegraph
• Charity warns of a 'deeply worrying' lack of support for people suffering from dementia The Independent

NHS apologies over data breach

NHS apologies over data breach More than 3,000 patients are sent a letter of apology by the NHS after sensitive personal information is found by a member of the public. BBC News

UK ‘can and should do better’ in many areas of healthcare

UK ‘can and should do better’ in many areas of healthcare Scores worse than similar countries in many areas – but better for flu jabs and antibiotic prescribing. OnMedica

It's a dirty little secret of the NHS, but patients who complain get better care

It's a dirty little secret of the NHS, but patients who complain get better care We deny it to each other, but as soon as a patient complains, a state of complete panic sets in among the ward staff which results in preferential treatment

There’s a fact that’s common knowledge among those of us who work in the NHS. We pretend it doesn’t exist, deny it to each other even, and would certainly never admit it to patients.

The dirty little secret is simple; if you are a patient who makes a complaint, or causes a fuss on the ward, you’ll probably receive better care from those employed to look after you. Continue reading... The Guardian

Private health lobby advised on NHS privatisation review

Private health lobby advised on NHS privatisation review Dalton review into management of hospitals featured Jim Easton of Care UK as one of its experts – and he was representing the main private sector lobby group, an FoI request shows

The authors of a major report on changes to NHS hospitals failed to declare that a lobbying network for the private healthcare industry was on its advisory panel, new documents suggest.

The Dalton review, a government-commissioned report which last year concluded that private companies could oversee management of NHS hospitals, was advised by a panel of experts that included Jim Easton, the managing director of private health firm Care UK. Continue reading... The Guardian

Aspirin, loo roll and surgery: true cost of the NHS revealed

Aspirin, loo roll and surgery: true cost of the NHS revealed The NHS is the world's fifth biggest employer and spends £1 billion every three days. The Telegraph examines where the money goes. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Taxpayers deserve a more efficient NHS The Daily Telegraph

Quarter of PM's flagship out of hours GPs forced to cutback

Quarter of PM's flagship out of hours GPs forced to cutback Five of twenty of the PM's flagship out of hours GP services have been forced to cut back some of their weeknight and weekend opening due to poor demand. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Most patients happy with GPs – and opening hours OnMedica

NHS patients' religious services should not be paid for by taxpayer, say critics

NHS patients' religious services should not be paid for by taxpayer, say critics NHS Trusts across the UK are spending millions of pounds each year on religious and spiritual services for patients despite objections from the National Secular Society (NSS) that chaplaincy services shouldn’t be billed to taxpayers. The Independent

NHS should help implement 'radical changes' in town planning to keep us fit, says health chief

NHS should help implement 'radical changes' in town planning to keep us fit, says health chief The NHS should help to redesign our towns and cities in order to safeguard the nation’s health, the chief executive of the health service in England has said. The Independent