NHS sustainability: there aren’t always more fish in the sea

NHS sustainability: there aren’t always more fish in the sea With the Spending Review fast approaching, most things currently written about the NHS begin by saying that the system is running out of money (which it is). They go on to say that social care and other public services are in an even worse state (which they are), and call for a combination of more money and greater efficiency.

But more money and using existing resources better – while both needed – won’t be enough to meet the challenges facing the NHS: we also need to think differently about who governs NHS resources, and how. The King's Fund

New whistleblowing policy for the NHS - have your say

New whistleblowing policy for the NHS - have your say Monitor, the TDA and NHS England are out to consultation on their draft whistleblowing policy for the NHS. Help ensure it meets your local needs by having your say. NHS Employers

More than 400 pharmacists to be recruited to GP surgeries by next year

More than 400 pharmacists to be recruited to GP surgeries by next year NHS England has more than doubled funding from £15m to £31m for its clinical pharmacists in general practice pilot, due to an overwhelmingly positive response from GP surgeries. NHS England, Health Education England, the Royal College of General Practitioners and the BMA are today announcing the 73 applications that will receive a share of the funding, which will cover 698 GP practices and include 403 clinical pharmacists.

Recruitment of pharmacists for the three year initiative, which was announced in July, will begin immediately, giving patients the additional support of an expert pharmacist in their GP surgery from Spring 2016.

Examples of the benefits patients can expect include extra help to manage long-term conditions, specific advice for those with multiple medications and more access to clinical advice on treatments. Royal College of General Practitioners

See also:

• More than 400 pharmacists to be recruited to GP surgeries by next year NHS England

Breast cancer drug 'too costly' for NHS

Breast cancer drug 'too costly' for NHS A life-extending breast cancer drug will not be routinely offered on the NHS in England and Wales because it is still too expensive, says the watchdog NICE. BBC News

See also:

• Kadcyla price still too high NICE
• Breast cancer drug Kadcyla is axed by NHS because of its cost The Daily Mail
• Postcode lottery for cancer drug as Nice rules Kadcyla too expensive The Guardian
• Breast cancer drug too expensive to be routinely available on NHS, watchdog rules The Independent
• Roche breast cancer drug at centre of UK pricing row Reuters

Drugmakers urge new antibiotics funds

Drugmakers urge new antibiotics funds AstraZeneca and pharmaceutical bodies warn of a "terrible human cost" unless new ways of funding antibiotics are found. BBC News

Iain Duncan Smith's tougher fit-to-work tests coincide with 590 additional suicides

Iain Duncan Smith's tougher fit-to-work tests coincide with 590 additional suicides Academic researchers also find 279,000 cases of mental ill health and 725,000 more prescriptions for antidepressants. The Independent

See also:

• ‘First, do no harm’: are disability assessments associated with adverse trends in mental health? A longitudinal ecological study (open access) Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 

More babies born to women over 35 than under 25 for the first time

More babies born to women over 35 than under 25 for the first time Latest figures show not only are women having children later in life, but fewer women are having children at all. The Independent

Health watchdog blew £8.7 million on luxury hotels, dinners and travel expenses for hospital and care home inspectors in a year

Health watchdog blew £8.7 million on luxury hotels, dinners and travel expenses for hospital and care home inspectors in a year The Care Quality Commission spent it during routine checks of hospitals and care homes. It includes an £80,000 hotel bill racked up by 118 officials inspecting a single NHS trust in Dorset. The Daily Mail

GMC calls for tougher powers to check European doctors' skills

GMC calls for tougher powers to check European doctors' skills Regulator’s chief executive says EU rules still have major weaknesses and moves to introduce digital ‘passports to practise’ could make matters worse

EU rules governing the checks that UK authorities can make on doctors still have major weaknesses seven years after a patient safety scandal revealed catastrophic flaws in the system, according to Britain’s medical regulator.

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the General Medical Council (GMC), said it must have the same powers to check the competence and medical skills of doctors from Europe as it already does for medics from the rest of the world.

We are worried that something will go wrong if we are not able to do what we need to do. Continue reading... The Guardian

Andrew Lansley takes post advising drugs firm involved in dispute with NHS

Andrew Lansley takes post advising drugs firm involved in dispute with NHS Former health secretary declares three more private sector jobs roles on House of Lords register of interests.

Andrew Lansley, the former health secretary, has taken on three more private sector jobs, including advising a pharmaceuticals firm at the centre of a row over the price it charges the NHS for cancer drugs.

Despite David Cameron’s promise in 2010 to end the “revolving door” between Whitehall and the private sector, the recently ennobled Tory peer has declared work as an adviser to Roche, the Swiss drugs company, and as an adviser to private equity firm Blackstone on investments in the health sector. Continue reading... The Guardian

Telling people they are at risk of disease makes the healthy sick, warns professor

Telling people they are at risk of disease makes the healthy sick, warns professor Doctors are treating people at risk of disease as if they have already developed the condition, an expert warns. The Daily Telegraph