Wednesday 9 September 2015

NHS charged twice for private treatment of Northampton patients

NHS charged twice for private treatment of Northampton patients A private hospital has been challenged on the accuracy of its billing after the NHS was charged twice for the treatment of several Northampton patients. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Healthcare worker from Northampton backs national campaign on cancer awareness

Healthcare worker from Northampton backs national campaign on cancer awareness A Northampton woman found to have two tumours in her breast after noticing that something was wrong with its shape while lifting her arm up to brush her hair has backed a new awareness campaign. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Accessing and sharing health records and patient confidentiality

Accessing and sharing health records and patient confidentiality This briefing sets out current arrangements for accessing patient records and sharing confidential patient information. It also describes statutory and public interest disclosures of patient information; information sharing rules for people who lack mental capacity; and access to information on hereditary conditions for relatives. House of Commons Library

Ambitions for palliative and end of life care: a national framework for local action 2015-2020

Ambitions for palliative and end of life care: a national framework for local action 2015-2020 This national framework urges local NHS organisations and local authorities to act to improve end of life care for people of all ages. It sets out six principles for how people near the end of their lives should be cared for: each person is seen as an individual; each person gets fair access to care; maximising comfort and wellbeing; care is coordinated; all staff are prepared to care; and each community is prepared to help. Together for Short Lives

Antimicrobial resistance: changing risk-related behaviours in the general population

Antimicrobial resistance: changing risk-related behaviours in the general population This draft guideline aims to help change people’s behaviour to reduce antimicrobial resistance and stop the spread of resistant microbes. It includes steps that can be taken to help make people aware of the importance of using antibiotics correctly and the dangers associated with their overuse and misuse. It also includes measures to prevent and control infection that can stop people needing antibiotics or spreading infection to others. NICE

Hospital work experience sold for £500

Hospital work experience sold for £500 Schools are being offered work experience packages to help pupils' university applications, prompting warnings about barriers to social mobility. BBC News

One in five hospitals are failing to screen elderly patients for dementia

One in five hospitals are failing to screen elderly patients for dementia In the worst trusts, staff are screening fewer than half of over 75s who are admitted through A&E for dementia, NHS England figures show. Guidelines say 90 per cent should be screened. The Daily Mail

Can involving pharmacists in A&E shorten waiting times and help doctors?

Can involving pharmacists in A&E shorten waiting times and help doctors? Pilot project looking at 782 patients found 40% could be treated by a pharmacist with advanced clinical practice training skills

Accident and emergency departments are nearing crisis point, but evidence suggests that some of the pressure comes from patients who want to avoid having to wait for a GP appointment. Could pharmacists reduce the burden by helping to treat A&E patients suffering relatively minor conditions?

This is the question that Health Education England (HEE) hopes to answer through a national project. The aim, says Matt Aiello, special projects manager, transformation, at Health Education West Midlands, is to find out whether pharmacists can be a “relevant and viable part” of the A&E team and, if so, what kind of training they would need. Continue reading... The Guardian

How design can make healthcare better | Ara Darzi

How design can make healthcare better | Ara Darzi Designers are working closely with doctors to find low-cost ideas that help patients and innovate in the NHS. The Guardian

Cancer drug license restrictions are costing lives

Cancer drug license restrictions are costing lives The profile of one tumour may throw up similarities to those found in a differently located tumour - and those similarities could be treated the same way, if drugs were licensed differently. The Daily Telegraph

Care home surveillance technology 'could let relatives check residents on their smartphones'

Care home surveillance technology 'could let relatives check residents on their smartphones' New care home surveillance technology launched this week could enable relatives to check up on residents via their smartphones, while feeding footage to expert monitors on the lookout for cases of abuse or malpractice. The Independent