Friday, 30 December 2016
Northampton General Hospital awarded funding for project to save babies' lives
Northampton General Hospital awarded funding for project to save babies' lives Northampton General Hospital has been awarded a share of £250,000 in government funding to invest in a project that will benefit mothers and their newborn babies. The announcement follows Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt inviting NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts to submit bids for a share of the Maternity Safety Innovation Fund back in October, as part of a major drive to improve safety on maternity wards across the country. Northampton General Hospital News
Barcode technology helping to improve patient safety
Barcode technology helping to improve patient safety Barcodes are being used to trace NHS patients and their treatments, manage medical supplies and monitor the effectiveness of equipment. NHS Networks
NHS England publishes updated guidance to country’s paediatric intensive care units
NHS England publishes updated guidance to country’s paediatric intensive care units NHS England has today published updated guidance for managing seasonal pressures in paediatric intensive care. The Paediatric Intensive Care Surge Standard Operating Procedure sets out instructions for managing unplanned peaks in demand for critical care beds, across the country’s 29 paediatric intensive care units (PICUs). Every year at around this time, the numbers of very sick children requiring treatment in PICUs increases, as levels of respiratory infection rise. The demand for critical care beds is exacerbated by wider pressures across the NHS system and social care, as winter starts to bite. NHS England
NHS hospitals break parking fees record
NHS hospitals break parking fees record - BBC News NHS hospitals appear to be making more money than ever from parking fees. A report from the Press Association says hospitals in England collected more than £120m last year - up by 5%. Many trusts defended the charges, saying the money was put back into patient care or maintaining car parks. BBC News
Chief nurse: 'Cut hospital beds to increase care at home'
Chief nurse: 'Cut hospital beds to increase care at home' NHS England's chief nursing officer supports scrapping hospital beds and using the money on home-based care. BBC Health News
NHS part of £250m China health trade mission
NHS part of £250m China health trade mission British organisations including an NHS hospital trust have signed deals worth more than £250 million during the largest ever healthcare trade mission to China, the Department of Health has announced.
In Shanghai, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt witnessed the signing of 11 agreements on healthcare between UK and Chinese companies which will see benefits for health services in both nations. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital and a Shanghai company have signed a contract to bring the world’s first 100,000 crystal PET-CT scanner to the UK. The machine will be housed within the hospital's new Northern Imaging Foundation Centre to provide both research and clinical benefit to the NHS. OnMedica
In Shanghai, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt witnessed the signing of 11 agreements on healthcare between UK and Chinese companies which will see benefits for health services in both nations. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital and a Shanghai company have signed a contract to bring the world’s first 100,000 crystal PET-CT scanner to the UK. The machine will be housed within the hospital's new Northern Imaging Foundation Centre to provide both research and clinical benefit to the NHS. OnMedica
NHS mental health services failing young people, say psychiatrists
NHS mental health services failing young people, say psychiatrists Seven in 10 psychiatrists deem Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to be inadequate at best, Guardian survey finds. NHS services for the soaring numbers of children who have self-harmed, tried to end their life or are having a breakdown are woefully substandard and risk prolonging their suffering, according to their psychiatrists.
More than seven out of 10 (72%) consultant psychiatrists who specialise in treating children and adolescents say that NHS care for under-18s experiencing a crisis in their mental health is either inadequate (58%) or very inadequate (14%), according to a survey undertaken for the Guardian. Only 19% said NHS services were adequate and just 9% said they were good. Continue reading... Guardian
More than seven out of 10 (72%) consultant psychiatrists who specialise in treating children and adolescents say that NHS care for under-18s experiencing a crisis in their mental health is either inadequate (58%) or very inadequate (14%), according to a survey undertaken for the Guardian. Only 19% said NHS services were adequate and just 9% said they were good. Continue reading... Guardian
Ambulance services face paramedic shortage this winter, NHS data shows
Ambulance services face paramedic shortage this winter, NHS data shows Services in England are short of 873 paramedics, with some plugging gaps with recruits from Poland, Finland and Australia.
Ambulance services are facing serious shortages of paramedics just as 999 calls hit new peaks and hospitals gear up for a potential winter crisis, new official NHS figures reveal.
The 10 regional ambulance services in England are short of 873 paramedics, data shows, and some are recruiting paramedics from Poland, Finland and Australia to plug gaps in winter services. Continue reading... Guardian
Ambulance services are facing serious shortages of paramedics just as 999 calls hit new peaks and hospitals gear up for a potential winter crisis, new official NHS figures reveal.
The 10 regional ambulance services in England are short of 873 paramedics, data shows, and some are recruiting paramedics from Poland, Finland and Australia to plug gaps in winter services. Continue reading... Guardian
Labour calls for OBR-style watchdog to assess NHS finances
Labour calls for OBR-style watchdog to assess NHS finances Independent body would help ensure NHS receives proper funding and avoid political rows, says Jonathan Ashworth. A Labour government could boost the NHS by committing a specified proportion of national wealth to fund it and setting up a new independent body to ensure ministers give it the money it needs, the shadow health secretary has said.
Jonathan Ashworth said a watchdog modelled on the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) would help ensure the NHS received proper funding and avoid rows like the one over Theresa May’s claim that her administration is giving the NHS more money than it asked for. Continue reading... Guardian
Jonathan Ashworth said a watchdog modelled on the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) would help ensure the NHS received proper funding and avoid rows like the one over Theresa May’s claim that her administration is giving the NHS more money than it asked for. Continue reading... Guardian
Record level of cancelled urgent operations for NHS England
Record level of cancelled urgent operations for NHS England Overstretched hospitals were forced to cancel more life-saving operations last month than at any time since official records began, new data reveals. Almost double the number of urgent procedures such as heart surgery were delayed in November than during the same month the year before. Telegraph
Friday, 23 December 2016
Health news over the Christmas week
We will be producing a single bumper edition of our bulletin next week, but will return to daily updates on Tuesday the 3rd of January.
We will still be posting news stories via our Twitter account throughout.
Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
The Library Team
Frustrated Northampton General Hospital worker not paid for 100 hours of extra shifts
Frustrated Northampton General Hospital worker not paid for 100 hours of extra shifts One staff member at Northampton General Hospital has taken a considerable cut back to her pay packet following what could have been a management error. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Professional appraisal and revalidation: ensuring a high-quality professional public health workforce
Professional appraisal and revalidation: ensuring a high-quality professional public health workforce This concordat describes the legal requirements for organisations who employ doctors, how PHE through the Office of the Responsible Officer delivers annual professional appraisal and medical revalidation and supports local authorities. It also outlines the expectations of support from local authorities in contributing to this process so that PHE can deliver its statutory Responsible Officer obligations. Public Health England
Record breaking NHS staff flu vaccinations, official figures show
Record breaking NHS staff flu vaccinations, official figures show The highest proportion of NHS staff ever vaccinated against flu has been achieved, according to official figures published today. The statistics, from Public Health England, show that 55.6 per cent (533,389) of frontline NHS staff across England were vaccinated against flu between 1 September and 30 November this year. NHS Employers
Record numbers leaving A&E without treatment
Record numbers leaving A&E without treatment Doctors says that new statistics,* which reveal that record numbers of patients are leaving A&E units before receiving any treatment, are a sign that hospitals are dangerously overstretched.
Figures for September this year, released by NHS Digital, reveal that 53,000 patients left A&E departments without treatment, a rise of 24% compared with September last year.
The figures also show that, in September 2016, 137,164 patients (8.1% of 1.6 million attendances) returned to A&E units in "an unplanned way" compared with 119,856 in the same month last year. OnMedica
Figures for September this year, released by NHS Digital, reveal that 53,000 patients left A&E departments without treatment, a rise of 24% compared with September last year.
The figures also show that, in September 2016, 137,164 patients (8.1% of 1.6 million attendances) returned to A&E units in "an unplanned way" compared with 119,856 in the same month last year. OnMedica
Newly discovered disease could hold key to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's – and even ageing
Newly discovered disease could hold key to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's – and even ageing A new genetic disease has been discovered that could play a key role in devastating brain conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, opening up the possibility of new forms of treatment.
A 47-year-old Canadian woman, who had been having difficulty walking and balancing since she was 28, was found to have a new genetic disease after 10 known conditions were ruled out, according to a paper in the journal Nature by an international team of researchers. The Independent
A 47-year-old Canadian woman, who had been having difficulty walking and balancing since she was 28, was found to have a new genetic disease after 10 known conditions were ruled out, according to a paper in the journal Nature by an international team of researchers. The Independent
Mental health at Christmas: Millennials are 'more lonely' than older generations
Mental health at Christmas: Millennials are 'more lonely' than older generations Loneliness during the holidays is often associated with older people, but new research has revealed that millennials also struggle not only with isolation but stress and anxiety during what is supposed to one of the happiest times of the year.
One in 10 people aged between 25 and 34 who took part in a recent survey by mental health charity Mind said that they have no one to spend Christmas with, compared with one in 20 older people. The Independent
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One in 10 people aged between 25 and 34 who took part in a recent survey by mental health charity Mind said that they have no one to spend Christmas with, compared with one in 20 older people. The Independent
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High-quality abortion services come at a price, so let’s pay it
High-quality abortion services come at a price, so let’s pay it Abortion care charities now have to compete for contracts – and NHS cost-cutting means the cheapest service is almost always commissioned
Abortion today is an extremely safe, straightforward procedure, provided in a highly regulated environment. One in three women in the UK will have an abortion in her lifetime, funded by the NHS (except if she lives in Northern Ireland). This will usually take place within an NHS hospital or in a centre run by one of the independent charitable providers – the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) or Marie Stopes International (MSI). But just because it is safe doesn’t mean corners can be cut, or providers can pick and mix from rules and regulations, as was unearthed in the course of the care quality commission’s investigation of MSI.
Some of the failings found at MSI have no implications for safety. The batch signing of abortion forms, for example, has no clinical significance – it is simply a legal requirement that all women have their abortion request legally authorised by two doctors. But the other problems uncovered – from clear deficits in clinical governance at the top level through to problems with safeguarding and consent, to the report of the appalling handling of a vulnerable patient – can leave us in no doubt that the CQC was not over-reacting when it requested MSI suspend its services over safety concerns earlier this year.
With NHS funds shaved, the price commissioners will pay is driven down Continue reading... The Guardian
See also:
Abortion today is an extremely safe, straightforward procedure, provided in a highly regulated environment. One in three women in the UK will have an abortion in her lifetime, funded by the NHS (except if she lives in Northern Ireland). This will usually take place within an NHS hospital or in a centre run by one of the independent charitable providers – the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) or Marie Stopes International (MSI). But just because it is safe doesn’t mean corners can be cut, or providers can pick and mix from rules and regulations, as was unearthed in the course of the care quality commission’s investigation of MSI.
Some of the failings found at MSI have no implications for safety. The batch signing of abortion forms, for example, has no clinical significance – it is simply a legal requirement that all women have their abortion request legally authorised by two doctors. But the other problems uncovered – from clear deficits in clinical governance at the top level through to problems with safeguarding and consent, to the report of the appalling handling of a vulnerable patient – can leave us in no doubt that the CQC was not over-reacting when it requested MSI suspend its services over safety concerns earlier this year.
With NHS funds shaved, the price commissioners will pay is driven down Continue reading... The Guardian
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Guinea trial shows "historic" success for Ebola vaccine
Guinea trial shows "historic" success for Ebola vaccine A vaccine developed by Merck is the first shown to be highly effective in preventing human infection with Ebola, according to final results from a clinical trial. The Daily Mail
See also:
See also:
Soaring numbers of pensioners will spend Christmas Day in A&E
Soaring numbers of pensioners will spend Christmas Day in A&E More than 5,000 pensioners over the age of 80 will spend Christmas Day in accident and emergency departments amid a spiralling crisis in social care, new figures suggest.
The official data show that in the last six years, the number of elderly patients spending December in A&E has risen by one quarter, far oustripping the increase in the ageing population.
On current trends, 5,126 men and women aged 80 and over can expect to spent the festive season in hospital, often for lack of care from home helps or their own families. The Daily Telegraph
The official data show that in the last six years, the number of elderly patients spending December in A&E has risen by one quarter, far oustripping the increase in the ageing population.
On current trends, 5,126 men and women aged 80 and over can expect to spent the festive season in hospital, often for lack of care from home helps or their own families. The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, 22 December 2016
"Children in Northamptonshire suffer preventable harm" because early intervention budget slashed by £11m, charity says
"Children in Northamptonshire suffer preventable harm" because early intervention budget slashed by £11m, charity says Reductions in Government expenditure means Northamptonshire could be storing up "entrenched, serious and expensive" for its children, a report has found.
The study by The Children’s Society, who provide support for vulnerable children across the country, has revealed how Northamptonshire County Council have been awarded £11,430,875 less in early intervention funding compared with 2010.
The early intervention grant can aid babies and toddlers with disabilities or developmental delays. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
The study by The Children’s Society, who provide support for vulnerable children across the country, has revealed how Northamptonshire County Council have been awarded £11,430,875 less in early intervention funding compared with 2010.
The early intervention grant can aid babies and toddlers with disabilities or developmental delays. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Demand and activity in the NHS: still rising
Demand and activity in the NHS: still rising Our briefing looks at the increase in activity in English hospitals over the past 13 years. It shows that recent increases in demand for treatment are nothing new – on the contrary they are broadly in line with the longstanding trend. What is remarkable is how widespread and sustained these increases are across emergency admissions, elective admissions, outpatients and A&E attendances. Perhaps the only oddity is diagnostics, where the growth is even higher, with activity having doubled since 2006/7. The King's Fund
Ombudsmen issue report showing benefits of integrating health and social care complaints investigations
Ombudsmen issue report showing benefits of integrating health and social care complaints investigations Adopting an integrated approach to investigating complaints about health and social care has led to significant benefits, according to a new report by the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) and Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO).
Published today (22/12/16), the report explains the work of the ombudsmen’s Joint Working Team (JWT), which was set up in 2015 to investigate the most complex joint health and social care complaints. During its first year the team carried out 180 investigations. It discovered that many of the problems experienced have been caused by the complex way in which health and social care is provided at a local level.
See also:
Published today (22/12/16), the report explains the work of the ombudsmen’s Joint Working Team (JWT), which was set up in 2015 to investigate the most complex joint health and social care complaints. During its first year the team carried out 180 investigations. It discovered that many of the problems experienced have been caused by the complex way in which health and social care is provided at a local level.
See also:
- Working together to investigate health and social care complaints: Focus report: learning lessons from complaints (download) Local Government Ombudsman and Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
- Social care crisis means woman dying from cancer is refused pain relief The Daily Mail
Sustainability and public health: a guide to good practice
Sustainability and public health: a guide to good practice These resources can help health professionals and other practitioners make informed decisions about the public health benefits of sustainable development. Public Health England
Independent Review of Community Pharmacy Clinical Services
Independent Review of Community Pharmacy Clinical Services The Independent Review of Community Pharmacy Clinical Services commissioned by the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer of NHS England in April 2016 to help inform him about the future provision of clinical pharmacy services.
NHS England intends to use the recommendations of the independent review to inform its approach to the commissioning of NHS community pharmacy services once the review recommendations have been properly considered.
NHS England intends to use the recommendations of the independent review to inform its approach to the commissioning of NHS community pharmacy services once the review recommendations have been properly considered.
Shared commitment to quality from the National Quality Board
Shared commitment to quality from the National Quality Board This framework provides a nationally agreed definition of quality and guide for clinical and managerial leaders wanting to improve quality. The approach has been agreed across NHS and social care organisations to provide more consistency and to enable the system to work together more effectively. NHS England
NHS transformation plans: Cuts or change for better?
NHS transformation plans: Cuts or change for better? The process has been bubbling along beneath the radar for months.
The Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) across the NHS in England have been overshadowed by controversy, with critics arguing they are part of a secret cuts agenda.
Each of 44 areas of England was asked to come up with a plan to make the best use of resources at a time of rising patient demand, with one of the main aims being to maximise the provision of care outside hospitals and closer to a patient's home.
Now an NHS leader has come out for the first time to defend the exercise.
Sir Bruce Keogh, Medical Director of NHS England, has given an exclusive interview to BBC News
The Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) across the NHS in England have been overshadowed by controversy, with critics arguing they are part of a secret cuts agenda.
Each of 44 areas of England was asked to come up with a plan to make the best use of resources at a time of rising patient demand, with one of the main aims being to maximise the provision of care outside hospitals and closer to a patient's home.
Now an NHS leader has come out for the first time to defend the exercise.
Sir Bruce Keogh, Medical Director of NHS England, has given an exclusive interview to BBC News
Life changing: The city that wants to stamp out suicide
Life changing: The city that wants to stamp out suicide The number of people taking their own lives is "unacceptably high", MPs say. Does one city which plans to eliminate suicide altogether have the answer?
Is it possible to reach even a day when no one kills themselves?
A mental health trust in Liverpool - which pledged in September 2015 to bring its suicide rate down to zero among its patients - thinks so.
The commitment, the first of its kind in the country, was inspired by a health centre in Detroit, Michigan, which has reported not losing a single patient to suicide in two-and-a-half years. In 2015, the centre saw 74,000 patients. BBC News
Is it possible to reach even a day when no one kills themselves?
A mental health trust in Liverpool - which pledged in September 2015 to bring its suicide rate down to zero among its patients - thinks so.
The commitment, the first of its kind in the country, was inspired by a health centre in Detroit, Michigan, which has reported not losing a single patient to suicide in two-and-a-half years. In 2015, the centre saw 74,000 patients. BBC News
Multiple sclerosis drug is 'landmark'
Multiple sclerosis drug is 'landmark' A drug that alters the immune system has been described as "big news" and a "landmark" in treating multiple sclerosis, doctors and charities say.
Trials, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggest the drug can slow damage to the brain in two forms of MS.
Ocrelizumab is the first drug shown to work in the primary progressive form of the disease.
The drug is being reviewed for use in the US and Europe. BBC News
Trials, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggest the drug can slow damage to the brain in two forms of MS.
Ocrelizumab is the first drug shown to work in the primary progressive form of the disease.
The drug is being reviewed for use in the US and Europe. BBC News
MRSA linked to outsourced cleaning in NHS hospitals
MRSA linked to outsourced cleaning in NHS hospitals An analysis of English NHS hospitals suggests that employing private as opposed to in-house cleaners is a false economy. While it may reduce costs, it could also raise risk of infection by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a superbug responsible for life-threatening infections that are hard to treat. Medical News Today
See also:
See also:
- Outsourcing cleaning services increases MRSA incidence: Evidence from 126 English acute trusts (open access) Social Science and Medicine
NHS Health Checks have prevented up to 8,400 heart attacks and strokes
NHS Health Checks have prevented up to 8,400 heart attacks and strokes The NHS Health Check programme prevented an estimated 4,600 to 8,400 heart attacks, strokes, or death from these causes during its first five years, according to an independent review* of the programme funded by the Department of Health, published in the British Journal of General Practice.
The NHS Health Check started in 2009 and is the first programme in the world to tackle prevention of heart attacks and strokes by offering a free check to every adult aged 40-74 years. OnMedica
The NHS Health Check started in 2009 and is the first programme in the world to tackle prevention of heart attacks and strokes by offering a free check to every adult aged 40-74 years. OnMedica
Theresa May recognises social care crisis – but solution seems far off
Theresa May recognises social care crisis – but solution seems far off The prime minister’s confirmation of a review must be considered progress, but the sector is still in for a rough ride
So now we have confirmation that the government is working on a long-term solution to the social care crisis. Or at least “starting internally to look” at the issue, which must be considered progress of some kind.
Those were the words of Theresa May under questioning by senior MPs at the Commons liaison committee, where her answers on social care were extracted as painfully as those on Brexit – the main business of the session – and on which the atmosphere felt almost as strained. Continue reading... The Guardian
So now we have confirmation that the government is working on a long-term solution to the social care crisis. Or at least “starting internally to look” at the issue, which must be considered progress of some kind.
Those were the words of Theresa May under questioning by senior MPs at the Commons liaison committee, where her answers on social care were extracted as painfully as those on Brexit – the main business of the session – and on which the atmosphere felt almost as strained. Continue reading... The Guardian
Christmas is an isolating time for people with mental health problems
Christmas is an isolating time for people with mental health problems At a time of year when most people are enjoying themselves there are many who cannot join in, but despite the challenges services face, help is available
Christmas is a time for joy, celebration and bringing together family and friends to share this merriment. While taking nothing away from this much needed festivity, spare a thought for those who are less advantaged – particularly those with mental health problems. Continue reading... The Guardian
Christmas is a time for joy, celebration and bringing together family and friends to share this merriment. While taking nothing away from this much needed festivity, spare a thought for those who are less advantaged – particularly those with mental health problems. Continue reading... The Guardian
Bionic eye that restores sight to the blind is made available on the NHS: £150,000 device uses tiny video camera to transmit images to a chip on the back of the eyeball
Bionic eye that restores sight to the blind is made available on the NHS: £150,000 device uses tiny video camera to transmit images to a chip on the back of the eyeball NHS England will fund it for ten patients in a 12-month pilot starting next month. They will then be assessed for a year before officials decide whether to roll the system out more widely in early 2019. The Daily Mail
See also:
See also:
- 'Amazing difference that little bit of light can make' BBC News
- Ten people to get NHS bionic eyes BBC News
- NHS is to fund "bionic eyes" The Daily Telegraph
- Blind NHS patients to be fitted with pioneering bionic eye The Guardian
Scheme to relieve pressure on A&E suspended after father dies just two days after being turned away
Scheme to relieve pressure on A&E suspended after father dies just two days after being turned away A scheme to reduce pressure on an Accident and Emergency unit has been suspended following the death of a "devoted" father denied casualty treatment just six days after it launched.
The trial was one of dozens being set up on health officials’ orders amid a growing crisis over hospital overcrowding.
An official investigation is now under way into why Dave Birtwistle, 44, a father-of-one, was turned away from the A&E department at Bristol Royal Infirmary. The Daily Telegraph
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The trial was one of dozens being set up on health officials’ orders amid a growing crisis over hospital overcrowding.
An official investigation is now under way into why Dave Birtwistle, 44, a father-of-one, was turned away from the A&E department at Bristol Royal Infirmary. The Daily Telegraph
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Wednesday, 21 December 2016
Understanding analytical capability in health care: Do we have more data than insight?
Understanding analytical capability in health care: Do we have more data than insight? Analysis has a crucial role to play in shaping care for individual patients as well as across organisations and health systems. It also has a role in helping to improve quality and safety by identifying areas for improvement and monitoring service delivery.
There is a widely acknowledged problem that health services often cannot access the right level of skilled analysts. This can lead to decisions being made on based on limited or inappropriate evidence.
There is a widely acknowledged problem that health services often cannot access the right level of skilled analysts. This can lead to decisions being made on based on limited or inappropriate evidence.
In this paper, Martin Bardsley explores issues around both supply and demand that need to be addressed to ensure good quality analysis is able to improve care. The Health Foundation
CQC publishes inspection reports on Marie Stopes International
CQC publishes inspection reports on Marie Stopes International The CQC has published the reports of its inspections of Marie Stopes International from earlier this year.
The concerns identified by the quality regulator from these inspections led to Marie Stopes International suspending specific types of termination between 19 August and 7 October 2016, while it worked with CQC to address these concerns.
These restrictions were:
See also:
The concerns identified by the quality regulator from these inspections led to Marie Stopes International suspending specific types of termination between 19 August and 7 October 2016, while it worked with CQC to address these concerns.
These restrictions were:
- Suspensions of all termination of pregnancies for under-18s and vulnerable groups of women
- Suspensions of all surgical terminations under general anaesthetic or conscious sedation
- Suspensions of all surgical terminations at its Norwich centre.
See also:
- Marie Stopes abortion clinics found to have 2,600 safety flaws The Daily Mail
- Watchdogs release damning reports on Marie Stopes abortion clinics The Daily Telegraph
What is truth? An inquiry about truth and lying in dementia care
What is truth? An inquiry about truth and lying in dementia care This is the report of the major Inquiry about Truth and Lying in Dementia Care, commissioned and funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
There are around 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK and the ageing population suggests this figure will rise significantly. Around half of these people may be living with different realities.
Carers often have challenging decisions to make when a person is living with different realities and beliefs - something that increases as the dementia accelerates. Should they agree or contradict? What should they say? This report looks to provide guidance in these situations. The Mental Health Foundation
There are around 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK and the ageing population suggests this figure will rise significantly. Around half of these people may be living with different realities.
Carers often have challenging decisions to make when a person is living with different realities and beliefs - something that increases as the dementia accelerates. Should they agree or contradict? What should they say? This report looks to provide guidance in these situations. The Mental Health Foundation
NHS England transformation fund - call to bid
NHS England transformation fund - call to bid To support the implementation of the Five Year Forward View vision of better health, better patient care and improved NHS efficiency, NHS England has created a transformation fund. This funding will enable local areas to deliver on key ambitions identified by the independent cancer and mental health taskforces. Additionally we will continue to build on the Transforming Care priority for those with learning disabilities and kick start, at scale, revolutions for diabetes treatment and prevention.
New care centres to improve services for millions with complex needs
New care centres to improve services for millions with complex needs An NHS England scheme to transform care for millions of disabled people and people those with long term conditions is being rolled out to six new areas across England.
Minimal consciousness
Minimal consciousness Advances in medicine have meant that many more people survive traumatic incidents than in the past.
Many people will have "prolonged disorders of consciousness" - either in a coma or vegetative state, where they show no awareness of their environment, or a minimally conscious state, like Paul Briggs, where they show very limited awareness.
However, the NHS does not publish data on these patients, so this autumn the BBC requested the information from all individual CCGs and NHS bodies across the UK.
The responses showed that more than 100 people with prolonged disorders of consciousness are currently being cared for by the NHS. BBC News
Many people will have "prolonged disorders of consciousness" - either in a coma or vegetative state, where they show no awareness of their environment, or a minimally conscious state, like Paul Briggs, where they show very limited awareness.
However, the NHS does not publish data on these patients, so this autumn the BBC requested the information from all individual CCGs and NHS bodies across the UK.
The responses showed that more than 100 people with prolonged disorders of consciousness are currently being cared for by the NHS. BBC News
Nurse leaders blame government for drop in nursing degree applicants
Nurse leaders blame government for drop in nursing degree applicants Nurse leaders have blamed the government for the sharp fall in applications to nursing, midwifery, and allied health degrees, revealed by The Times.
On Saturday, the newspaper reported that applications for these degrees had fallen by a fifth compared with this time last year. And the drop in the number of these applicants was twice that of other courses, it said.
The figures, which draw on survey data from higher education body Universities UK, show that the shortfalls in applications are worst in London and the south east, and among mature candidates. OnMedica
On Saturday, the newspaper reported that applications for these degrees had fallen by a fifth compared with this time last year. And the drop in the number of these applicants was twice that of other courses, it said.
The figures, which draw on survey data from higher education body Universities UK, show that the shortfalls in applications are worst in London and the south east, and among mature candidates. OnMedica
A council tax rise alone will not solve the social care funding crisis
A council tax rise alone will not solve the social care funding crisis Collaboration between the public, private and voluntary sectors is essential to address funding and workforce challenges
The planned council tax rise and government pledge to fund social care have done little to abate the growing frustration at the crisis breaking in the sector. If the prime minister is serious about making social care fit for purpose, her government needs to take a broader, more comprehensive look at the care industry. A rise in council tax alone is unlikely to be the silver bullet that solves the social care funding conundrum.
Social care is at a tipping point, according to the Care Quality Commission. Recent figures show that 77 of the 152 local authorities responsible for providing care for older people have seen at least one residential and nursing care provider close due to insufficient funds, and far more face severe financial pressures. Every time a local authority cannot deliver the social care its residents need, it puts further strain on the NHS. Continue reading... The Guardian
The planned council tax rise and government pledge to fund social care have done little to abate the growing frustration at the crisis breaking in the sector. If the prime minister is serious about making social care fit for purpose, her government needs to take a broader, more comprehensive look at the care industry. A rise in council tax alone is unlikely to be the silver bullet that solves the social care funding conundrum.
Social care is at a tipping point, according to the Care Quality Commission. Recent figures show that 77 of the 152 local authorities responsible for providing care for older people have seen at least one residential and nursing care provider close due to insufficient funds, and far more face severe financial pressures. Every time a local authority cannot deliver the social care its residents need, it puts further strain on the NHS. Continue reading... The Guardian
Cash to boost children's mental health not getting through, says charity
Cash to boost children's mental health not getting through, says charity YoungMinds data shows half of England’s clinical commissioning groups used their share of new £1.4bn allocation for other purposes
Money to improve struggling children’s mental health services is often not reaching the NHS frontline despite soaring rates of self-harm among young people, new figures reveal.
Half of England’s clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are using their share of the £1.4bn ministers allocated to improve NHS care of troubled young people for other purposes, it has emerged. Continue reading... The Guardian
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Money to improve struggling children’s mental health services is often not reaching the NHS frontline despite soaring rates of self-harm among young people, new figures reveal.
Half of England’s clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are using their share of the £1.4bn ministers allocated to improve NHS care of troubled young people for other purposes, it has emerged. Continue reading... The Guardian
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GP and senior manager spared jail after stealing £153,000 from the NHS winter budget to train doctors
GP and senior manager spared jail after stealing £153,000 from the NHS winter budget to train doctors A leading mental health GP and senior clinical commissioning manager have been spared jail after fraudulently taking £153,000 from the NHS winter budget to train doctors.
Dr Ian Walton and Lisa Hill admitted raising a false invoice for GP training from a charity, on whose board they both sat, before diverting the cash into the bank account of a private company they controlled.
Walton, a highly-regarded GP of more than 30 years, and Hill abused what a judge called their "considerable positions of trust" by having money to which they were never entitled. The Daily Telegraph
Dr Ian Walton and Lisa Hill admitted raising a false invoice for GP training from a charity, on whose board they both sat, before diverting the cash into the bank account of a private company they controlled.
Walton, a highly-regarded GP of more than 30 years, and Hill abused what a judge called their "considerable positions of trust" by having money to which they were never entitled. The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, 20 December 2016
Demand for hospital services outstripping NHS funding
Demand for hospital services outstripping NHS funding The number of admissions to hospital are rising steeply and are outstripping increases in the NHS budget, according to new analysis published today by The King’s Fund.
The analysis finds that admissions to hospital have increased by 3.6 per cent a year since 2003/4. In contrast, real terms increases in NHS funding have shrunk to an average of just 1.2 per cent a year since 2010/11, compared to average increases of 4.8 per cent a year between 2003/4 and 2010/11. The King's Fund
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The analysis finds that admissions to hospital have increased by 3.6 per cent a year since 2003/4. In contrast, real terms increases in NHS funding have shrunk to an average of just 1.2 per cent a year since 2010/11, compared to average increases of 4.8 per cent a year between 2003/4 and 2010/11. The King's Fund
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Prostate cancer laser treatment 'truly transformative'
Prostate cancer laser treatment 'truly transformative' Surgeons have described a new treatment for early stage prostate cancer as "truly transformative".
The approach, tested across Europe, uses lasers and a drug made from deep sea bacteria to eliminate tumours, but without causing severe side effects.
Trials on 413 men - published in The Lancet Oncology - showed nearly half of them had no remaining trace of cancer.
Lifelong impotence and incontinence are often the price of treating prostate cancer with surgery or radiotherapy. BBC News
The approach, tested across Europe, uses lasers and a drug made from deep sea bacteria to eliminate tumours, but without causing severe side effects.
Trials on 413 men - published in The Lancet Oncology - showed nearly half of them had no remaining trace of cancer.
Lifelong impotence and incontinence are often the price of treating prostate cancer with surgery or radiotherapy. BBC News
Send heavy drinkers for liver scan, GPs told
Send heavy drinkers for liver scan, GPs told Women who drink more than three-and-a-half bottles of wine a week should get their livers checked, say guidelines. BBC News
Brexit could make NHS shortage of nurses worse, says report
Brexit could make NHS shortage of nurses worse, says report Institute for Employment Studies says however UK leaves, uncertainty around status of workers could deter hospital staff
Brexit is set to cause a severe shortage of nurses in the NHS, which is already facing a chronic lack of them in many hospitals, research suggests.
Britain’s decision to leave the EU could deprive the health service of nurses from countries such as Spain, Portugal and Ireland, from which it has recruited heavily in recent years, analysis by the Institute for Employment Studies found. Continue reading... The Guardian
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Brexit is set to cause a severe shortage of nurses in the NHS, which is already facing a chronic lack of them in many hospitals, research suggests.
Britain’s decision to leave the EU could deprive the health service of nurses from countries such as Spain, Portugal and Ireland, from which it has recruited heavily in recent years, analysis by the Institute for Employment Studies found. Continue reading... The Guardian
See also:
- Brexit and population growth to leave the NHS short of nurses Institute for Employment Studies
- Beyond Brexit: Assessing key risks to the nursing workforce in England Institute for Employment Studies
- Could Brexit prove terminal for the NHS? The Guardian
- NHS nurses are being cast into a perfect Brexit storm | Polly Toynbee The Guardian
Distressed patients left on doorsteps in the early hours to free-up hospital beds
Distressed patients left on doorsteps in the early hours to free-up hospital beds Ambulances are increasingly being used at the dead of night to decant sick and distressed people, not into the care of doctors and nurses but out of hospital and back to their homes. The Daily Mail
NHS left with unpaid bill of £30m from overseas patients in just one year, figures reveal
NHS left with unpaid bill of £30m from overseas patients in just one year, figures reveal Overseas patients have left the NHS with unpaid bill of almost £30 million in just one year, an investigation has found.
Patients who were not entitled to free treatment on the health service owed £29,530,378 in 2015/16, according to data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
More than 120 NHS trusts were asked to provide details on overseas patients who were billed for NHS care and who were exempt from reciprocal arrangements with the UK. The Daily Telegraph
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Patients who were not entitled to free treatment on the health service owed £29,530,378 in 2015/16, according to data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
More than 120 NHS trusts were asked to provide details on overseas patients who were billed for NHS care and who were exempt from reciprocal arrangements with the UK. The Daily Telegraph
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- Overseas patients are continuing to rack up debts for the NHS The Daily Mail
- Overseas patients leave NHS bill of almost £30 million in one year The Independent
Three quarters to survive cancer within 20 years - Cancer Research UK
Three quarters to survive cancer within 20 years - Cancer Research UK Within 20 years three quarters of people will survive a diagnosis of cancer if clinical improvements continue at their current rate, Cancer Research UK has said.
The next two decades will see a 15% drop in the overall death rate from the disease, equating to 400,000 fewer deaths, the charity predicts.
For every 100,000 people in the UK, 331 died from cancer in 2014. The Daily Telegraph
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The next two decades will see a 15% drop in the overall death rate from the disease, equating to 400,000 fewer deaths, the charity predicts.
For every 100,000 people in the UK, 331 died from cancer in 2014. The Daily Telegraph
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Monday, 19 December 2016
Scale of avoidable loss of life by suicide is unacceptable
Scale of avoidable loss of life by suicide is unacceptable The Government must prioritise a clear implementation strategy and increase support for public mental health and early intervention services if it is to bring down the unacceptable suicide rate, says the Health Select Committee in its interim report into suicide prevention.
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Doing justice to mental health in STPs
Doing justice to mental health in STPs Claire Murdoch, the national director for mental health in England, recently argued that some sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) are failing to do ‘justice’ to mental health. Following on from this, we might ask what justice would look like if we had it. For me, the answer would have to include making mental health central to work on new models of care and also part of the approach taken in STPs towards improving population health.
Ignoring the psychological aspects of health and wellbeing leads to some of the grossest inefficiencies in the health and care system. For example, we have estimated that in England, poor mental health drives up the annual cost of long-term physical health conditions by between £8 billion and £13 billion. The fact is – and it should hardly surprise us – that when people are struggling to deal with the social and emotional pressures in their lives, their physical health often deteriorates – and the impact of that is felt strongly in general practice, A&E and elsewhere. And yet all too often we act as if these issues should be of concern only to mental health professionals. The King's Fund
Ignoring the psychological aspects of health and wellbeing leads to some of the grossest inefficiencies in the health and care system. For example, we have estimated that in England, poor mental health drives up the annual cost of long-term physical health conditions by between £8 billion and £13 billion. The fact is – and it should hardly surprise us – that when people are struggling to deal with the social and emotional pressures in their lives, their physical health often deteriorates – and the impact of that is felt strongly in general practice, A&E and elsewhere. And yet all too often we act as if these issues should be of concern only to mental health professionals. The King's Fund
Policy paper: Impact of the spending review on health and social care: government response
Policy paper: Impact of the spending review on health and social care: government response This document sets out the government’s response to the 29 conclusions and recommendations made in the House of Commons Health Select Committee report. Department of Health
Policy paper: Public health post-2013 report: government response
Policy paper: Public health post-2013 report: government response The government’s response to the House of Commons Health Committee Report on public health post-2013 responds to each of its recommendations on subjects such as funding, improving public health, politics and evidence, boundary issues and fragmentation and leadership.
This response was prepared by the Department of Health in consultation with Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England.
This response was prepared by the Department of Health in consultation with Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England.
Improving care for people with long-term conditions
Improving care for people with long-term conditions This report, published by the RPS in Scotland, argues that pharmacist led care of people with long term conditions could deliver better results and be more cost effective. It focuses on the role of the pharmacist as part of a multidisciplinary approach to tackling the challenges facing the NHS in providing the highest quality care and support for people with long term conditions. Royal Pharmaceutical Society
Is air pollution really a public health crisis?
Is air pollution really a public health crisis? It could lead to a ban on diesel cars, prevent the building of a third runway at Heathrow and will certainly make it more expensive to drive in towns and cities.
Air pollution has been called the "public health crisis of a generation" - but just how serious is the problem? BBC News
Air pollution has been called the "public health crisis of a generation" - but just how serious is the problem? BBC News
Locums claim up to £155 an hour to fill NHS gaps
Locums claim up to £155 an hour to fill NHS gaps Staff shortages leave cash-strapped hospitals reliant on costly cover
Locum doctors are holding the NHS to ransom by demanding “excessive” rates of pay from cash-strapped hospitals, the service’s financial regulator has warned.
Some stand-in doctors are earning as much as £155 an hour for covering shifts in hospitals that are facing serious staff shortages, or in medical specialties in which rota gaps are common, such as A&E and radiology. The soaring pay rates have emerged through an analysis undertaken by NHS Improvement (NHSI), the health service’s financial regulator. Continue reading... The Guardian
Locum doctors are holding the NHS to ransom by demanding “excessive” rates of pay from cash-strapped hospitals, the service’s financial regulator has warned.
Some stand-in doctors are earning as much as £155 an hour for covering shifts in hospitals that are facing serious staff shortages, or in medical specialties in which rota gaps are common, such as A&E and radiology. The soaring pay rates have emerged through an analysis undertaken by NHS Improvement (NHSI), the health service’s financial regulator. Continue reading... The Guardian
NHS cashes in on private payers as waiting lists soar
NHS cashes in on private payers as waiting lists soar Hospitals’ income from ‘queue jumpers’ rises while 360,000 non-payers face delays beyond 18 weeks
Income received by NHS hospital trusts from private patients has risen by 23% in the last four years, as waiting lists for non-paying patients have soared.
Under the government’s reforms, hospitals have been given the right to raise 49% of their funds through non-NHS work, often from patients seeking to avoid waiting for surgery. Prior to this, there had been a 2% cap on income that could be raised from private patients. Continue reading... The Guardian
Income received by NHS hospital trusts from private patients has risen by 23% in the last four years, as waiting lists for non-paying patients have soared.
Under the government’s reforms, hospitals have been given the right to raise 49% of their funds through non-NHS work, often from patients seeking to avoid waiting for surgery. Prior to this, there had been a 2% cap on income that could be raised from private patients. Continue reading... The Guardian
The social care crisis is pulling NHS trusts further underwater
The social care crisis is pulling NHS trusts further underwater Managers tell of the equivalent of several wards of patients stuck in hospitals for want of social services
The government’s refusal to find any new money for social care will inflict significant and lasting damage on the NHS and the lives of its patients.
The local government finance settlement announced by the communities secretary, Sajid Javid, this week did virtually nothing to alleviate the growing social care crisis. He simply allowed local authorities to bring forward council tax increases and shifted £240m from housing.
Safe occupancy levels are now breached routinely, increasing the risk of hospital-acquired infections Continue reading... The Guardian
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The government’s refusal to find any new money for social care will inflict significant and lasting damage on the NHS and the lives of its patients.
The local government finance settlement announced by the communities secretary, Sajid Javid, this week did virtually nothing to alleviate the growing social care crisis. He simply allowed local authorities to bring forward council tax increases and shifted £240m from housing.
Safe occupancy levels are now breached routinely, increasing the risk of hospital-acquired infections Continue reading... The Guardian
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Out of puff: UK becomes of the most successful nationals in Europe for cutting down on smoking
Out of puff: UK becomes of the most successful nationals in Europe for cutting down on smoking Men and women in the UK are both down overall in smoking with Sweden being the only country in Europe to have a lower proportion of smokers, according to a recent survey bu Eurostat. The Daily Mail
Social care needs force 50,000 pensioners to sell their homes
Social care needs force 50,000 pensioners to sell their homes Fifty thousand pensioners have been forced to sell their homes to pay for social care in the last year, despite a Government pledge that nobody would have to use their house to pay.
House of Commons library figures show that tens of thousands of older people have put their properties on the market to cover care costs, amid fears that the trend may continue because councils do not have enough money for social care. The Daily Telegraph
House of Commons library figures show that tens of thousands of older people have put their properties on the market to cover care costs, amid fears that the trend may continue because councils do not have enough money for social care. The Daily Telegraph
Hospitals ordered to stop vast majority of operations in crisis move
Hospitals ordered to stop vast majority of operations in crisis move Hospitals have been ordered to stop carrying out the vast majority of operations in a desperate bid to attempt to fend off a growing NHS crisis.
Health regulators have stepped in to order the extreme measures amid rising panic about how services will cope with mounting strain.
In an average month, the health service carries out about 600,000 planned operations, as well as urgent procedures.
Now hospitals have been told to stop carrying out most planned surgery, to focus on treating emergency cases. The Daily Telegraph
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Health regulators have stepped in to order the extreme measures amid rising panic about how services will cope with mounting strain.
In an average month, the health service carries out about 600,000 planned operations, as well as urgent procedures.
Now hospitals have been told to stop carrying out most planned surgery, to focus on treating emergency cases. The Daily Telegraph
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Friday, 16 December 2016
'We just don't know how we will cope' says relative of patient at Northampton day care centre after council axes its contract
'We just don't know how we will cope' says relative of patient at Northampton day care centre after council axes its contract Northamptonshire County Council is to press ahead with plans to end its contract with a popular day care centre in Northampton, despite "hundreds" signing a petition against it and heartfelt pleas from the relatives of patients. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
The Winter Insight: beds pressures
The Winter Insight: beds pressures Chief Economist Prof John Appleby presents the findings of a new analysis of bed occupancy levels from NHS England situation reports for last winter. The analysis suggests that the NHS could be on track for a very difficult winter this year.
The 25th of January this year – a Monday – was a particularly difficult day for the NHS in England. One in seven trusts reported that all their acute beds were full, and for nearly four out of 10, 98 per cent of their beds were occupied. And this was after opening nearly 4,200 more beds to accommodate extra patients.
On the following day, the number of extra beds trusts had to make available reached its highest level for the whole of last winter, when 4,390 extra beds were opened. That’s equivalent to opening up at least seven entire extra hospitals that day.
There was no respite during the rest of the week. University Hospitals Birmingham, Bolton, Northampton General, the North Middlesex, the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, the Great Western in Swindon, Basildon & Thurrock, Epsom & St Helier and Kettering were all full every day that week with 100 per cent of their acute beds – including extra beds brought in temporarily – occupied. Nuffield Trust
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The 25th of January this year – a Monday – was a particularly difficult day for the NHS in England. One in seven trusts reported that all their acute beds were full, and for nearly four out of 10, 98 per cent of their beds were occupied. And this was after opening nearly 4,200 more beds to accommodate extra patients.
On the following day, the number of extra beds trusts had to make available reached its highest level for the whole of last winter, when 4,390 extra beds were opened. That’s equivalent to opening up at least seven entire extra hospitals that day.
There was no respite during the rest of the week. University Hospitals Birmingham, Bolton, Northampton General, the North Middlesex, the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, the Great Western in Swindon, Basildon & Thurrock, Epsom & St Helier and Kettering were all full every day that week with 100 per cent of their acute beds – including extra beds brought in temporarily – occupied. Nuffield Trust
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Policy paper: NHS bursary reform
Policy paper: NHS bursary reform From 1 August 2017, new nursing, midwifery and allied health students will no longer receive NHS bursaries. Instead, they will have access to the same student loans system as other students. This guidance explains the reforms. The Department of Health
NHS England announces £101 million of new funding for new care model vanguards
NHS England announces £101 million of new funding for new care model vanguards NHS England has today (15 December) announced £101 million of new funding to support and spread the work of the new care model vanguards. The vanguards are partnerships of NHS, local government, voluntary, community and other organisations that are implementing plans to improve the healthcare people receive, prevent ill health and save funds.
Shaping healthy cities and economies: the role of clinical commissioning
Shaping healthy cities and economies: the role of clinical commissioning This report showcases how clinical leaders in England’s core cities - the eight largest cities outside of London - are looking at how the services they commission can improve not only the health but social and economic wellbeing of their populations. The report finds that in these areas, clinical commissioners are working with a wide range of partners to go beyond traditional boundaries to combat health inequalities and social exclusion, increase skills and employment and to attract inward investment to help realise the potential of their local economies. NHS Clinical Commissioners
GPs face backlog of over 100,000 patient letters after data warehouse error
GPs face backlog of over 100,000 patient letters after data warehouse error GP practices across England will be forced to process potentially hundreds of thousands of patient letters and documents kept by mistake in a warehouse by a former provider of primary care support services, the BMA has said. GP Online
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Sugar tax on soft drinks could prevent tens of thousands from becoming obese, says new study
Sugar tax on soft drinks could prevent tens of thousands from becoming obese, says new study A sugar tax on soft drinks could result in thousands fewer British adults and children becoming obese, research suggests.
Experts said the proposed levy, due to be introduced in April 2018, was likely to have a “significant” impact on health and obesity rates. The Independent
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Experts said the proposed levy, due to be introduced in April 2018, was likely to have a “significant” impact on health and obesity rates. The Independent
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- Sugary drinks tax 'will benefit children most' BBC News
- Sugar levy is set to slash child obesity rates by 10% The Daily Mail
- 'Health by stealth' sugar tax could slash rates of childhood obesity by 10 per cent The Daily Telegraph
Watchdog accuses Actavis of hiking price of lifesaving drug by 12,000%
Watchdog accuses Actavis of hiking price of lifesaving drug by 12,000% Pharmaceutical firm challenged over price rise for hydrocortisone tablets from 70p to £88 per tablet, costing NHS tens of millions of pounds extra each year
Pharmaceutical company Actavis is facing accusations from the competition watchdog that it hiked the price of life-saving hydrocortisone tablets by over 12,000%, sending the annual cost to the NHS spiralling from £522,000 before 2008 to £70m by 2015.
The Competition and Markets Authority said the price rises took place after the patent lapsed on the drug. About 943,000 packets of the tablets – prescribed to people whose adrenal glands do not produce enough steroid hormones, such as those suffering from Addison’s disease – were distributed over the last year. Continue reading... The Guardian
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Pharmaceutical company Actavis is facing accusations from the competition watchdog that it hiked the price of life-saving hydrocortisone tablets by over 12,000%, sending the annual cost to the NHS spiralling from £522,000 before 2008 to £70m by 2015.
The Competition and Markets Authority said the price rises took place after the patent lapsed on the drug. About 943,000 packets of the tablets – prescribed to people whose adrenal glands do not produce enough steroid hormones, such as those suffering from Addison’s disease – were distributed over the last year. Continue reading... The Guardian
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Sedentary lifestyles: the hidden factor in the social care crisis
Sedentary lifestyles: the hidden factor in the social care crisis Taking exercise is a ‘miracle pill’ that can save us from physical and mental ill health in old age. So why are politicians so reluctant to promote it?
The current debate about the ever-growing pressure on social care services is by no means the first, and certainly won’t be the last. But it is always predicated around the same central assumption: with increasing numbers of older people, the costs can only go up. This is to miss an important point, one well known to public health experts but strangely ignored by most politicians. The problem isn’t just about an ageing population, it’s also about an increasingly sedentary one.
That far too many Britons are not physically active is well documented, even if the sheer extent can sometimes be surprising. For example, a fifth of Scottish people say they have not walked for more than 20 minutes even once over the past year. Not once. Also well known, if less discussed, is the toll this takes on the public health. The usual estimate is that about 85,000 people die early each year in England and Wales due to illnesses caused by sedentary living, mainly heart disease, type 2 diabetes and various cancers. Continue reading... The Guardian
The current debate about the ever-growing pressure on social care services is by no means the first, and certainly won’t be the last. But it is always predicated around the same central assumption: with increasing numbers of older people, the costs can only go up. This is to miss an important point, one well known to public health experts but strangely ignored by most politicians. The problem isn’t just about an ageing population, it’s also about an increasingly sedentary one.
That far too many Britons are not physically active is well documented, even if the sheer extent can sometimes be surprising. For example, a fifth of Scottish people say they have not walked for more than 20 minutes even once over the past year. Not once. Also well known, if less discussed, is the toll this takes on the public health. The usual estimate is that about 85,000 people die early each year in England and Wales due to illnesses caused by sedentary living, mainly heart disease, type 2 diabetes and various cancers. Continue reading... The Guardian
You STILL can't see your GP out of hours: After all those promises to patients fewer than a fifth of surgeries offer appointments at the weekend
You STILL can't see your GP out of hours: After all those promises to patients fewer than a fifth of surgeries offer appointments at the weekend Tens of millions of patients still cannot see a GP out of hours despite a major drive for longer opening times, with fewer than a fifth of UK surgeries offering evening and weekend appointments. The Daily Mail
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- Only one in five GP surgeries offer out of hours service seven days a week The Daily Telegraph
Extra £900m will be made available for adult social care over next two years, says Sajid Javid
Extra £900m will be made available for adult social care over next two years, says Sajid Javid An extra £900m will be made available for social care over the next two years to help plug the social care gap, Sajid Javid has announced.
Critics have warned the Government's response to the crisis is comparable to putting a "sticking plaster" on "a patient that needs a triple by pass".
The Communities Secretary confirmed that local authorities will be allowed to bring forward a 6 per cent increase in council tax over the next two years. The Daily Telegraph
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Critics have warned the Government's response to the crisis is comparable to putting a "sticking plaster" on "a patient that needs a triple by pass".
The Communities Secretary confirmed that local authorities will be allowed to bring forward a 6 per cent increase in council tax over the next two years. The Daily Telegraph
See also:
- Our response to the local government finance settlement The King's Fund
- Our response to local government funding settlement 2017-18 Nuffield Trust
- New homes funding diverted to pay for social care The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, 15 December 2016
Trapped in Northampton General Hospital for up to a year: three wards of recovered patients are marooned in NGH
Trapped in Northampton General Hospital for up to a year: three wards of recovered patients are marooned in NGH Elderly patients are living at Northampton General Hospital for up to a year because the NHS cannot set up adequate home care, the Chronicle & Echo has learned.
The crisis is being caused by chronic delays in finding home care, with waits for a standard package - two carers four times a day - of “at least six weeks to eight weeks”. One man arrived with a minor physical condition and stayed on a geriatric ward for 12 months even though, aside from his dementia, he was well. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
The crisis is being caused by chronic delays in finding home care, with waits for a standard package - two carers four times a day - of “at least six weeks to eight weeks”. One man arrived with a minor physical condition and stayed on a geriatric ward for 12 months even though, aside from his dementia, he was well. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
The general management 'mistake'
The general management 'mistake' Reflecting on the small proportion (less than a third) of NHS chief executives from a clinical background, Jeremy Hunt questioned ‘whether the NHS made a historic mistake in the 1980s by deliberately creating a manager class who were not clinicians, rather than making more effort to nurture and develop the management skills of those who are’.
The development of general managers in the 1980s followed the Griffiths Report, which argued that business-like principles were required in the NHS to oversee ‘planning, implementation and the control of performance’. Griffiths’ vision was that significant and lasting change in the NHS was possible only with management techniques found in industry. Although Jeremy Hunt suggested that this policy distanced clinicians from management responsibility, the report was actually quite clear that doctors would need to take on these roles if they were to keep the freedom to choose how to investigate and treat patients. The King's Fund
The development of general managers in the 1980s followed the Griffiths Report, which argued that business-like principles were required in the NHS to oversee ‘planning, implementation and the control of performance’. Griffiths’ vision was that significant and lasting change in the NHS was possible only with management techniques found in industry. Although Jeremy Hunt suggested that this policy distanced clinicians from management responsibility, the report was actually quite clear that doctors would need to take on these roles if they were to keep the freedom to choose how to investigate and treat patients. The King's Fund
Universal healthcare without the NHS: towards a patient-centred health system
Universal healthcare without the NHS: towards a patient-centred health system This report recommends that the NHS emulates the best elements of various European health care systems, whilst retaining universal health care access, in order to improve the quality of care and performance. Proposals include opening the market to both non-profit and for-profit insurers, and the introduction of tax rebates for patients wishing to opt out of NHS care. Institute of Economic Affairs
Household survey shows decline in numbers of children and young people smoking and drinking
Household survey shows decline in numbers of children and young people smoking and drinking Household survey shows decline in numbers of children and young people smoking and drinking.
The 2015 Health Survey for England (HSE) found that 16 per cent of children aged 8 to 15 reported ever having an alcoholic drink. This is the lowest level ever reported since the HSE began, down from the highest point of 45 per cent in 2003.
The figures, published today by NHS Digital, also show that the proportion of 8 to 15 year olds who reported that they had ever smoked a cigarette has decreased from 19 per cent in 2003 to 4 per cent in 2015.
The Health Survey for England (HSE) gathers information from adults and children to monitor trends in the nation's health. The 2015 survey includes information on adult health and social care and, for this survey, the number of 2 to 15 year olds included in the survey was increased to enable a specific focus on child health issues.
The 2015 Health Survey for England (HSE) found that 16 per cent of children aged 8 to 15 reported ever having an alcoholic drink. This is the lowest level ever reported since the HSE began, down from the highest point of 45 per cent in 2003.
The figures, published today by NHS Digital, also show that the proportion of 8 to 15 year olds who reported that they had ever smoked a cigarette has decreased from 19 per cent in 2003 to 4 per cent in 2015.
The Health Survey for England (HSE) gathers information from adults and children to monitor trends in the nation's health. The 2015 survey includes information on adult health and social care and, for this survey, the number of 2 to 15 year olds included in the survey was increased to enable a specific focus on child health issues.
See also:
- Encouraging to see children making better decisions around smoking and alcohol, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
- 90% of women with overweight children don't think they are too fat The Daily Mail
- Nine in ten mothers of overweight children do not see the problem The Daily Telegraph
- 'Clean cut' generation is least likely to have ever had an alcoholic drink The Daily Telegraph
- Parents do not recognise that their children are overweight, survey finds The Guardian
Fall in hospital beds contributing to patient deaths
Fall in hospital beds contributing to patient deaths A decline in the number of hospital beds is putting the NHS in England under increasing pressure and has become an important contributory factor in the number of patient deaths, according to one of the country's leading health statisticians.
An investigation by Professor Sir Brian Jarman shows that average occupancy levels for hospitals in England have climbed to more than 89 per cent and have not gone below the government's recommended average of 85 per cent since 2002.
Meanwhile, the number of beds has more than halved over the last three decades. BBC News
An investigation by Professor Sir Brian Jarman shows that average occupancy levels for hospitals in England have climbed to more than 89 per cent and have not gone below the government's recommended average of 85 per cent since 2002.
Meanwhile, the number of beds has more than halved over the last three decades. BBC News
Top GP and Sandwell CCG boss admit £153k fraud
Top GP and Sandwell CCG boss admit £153k fraud A leading GP and senior NHS manager funnelled £153,600 meant for patients over winter into the bank account of a company they controlled.
Dr Ian Walton and Lisa Hill admitted defrauding the NHS by raising a false invoice from a charity, on whose board they both sat.
The judge at Birmingham Crown Court heard that although they dishonestly sourced the cash, they spent £57,000 of it training 69 GPs.
They will be sentenced next week. BBC News
Dr Ian Walton and Lisa Hill admitted defrauding the NHS by raising a false invoice from a charity, on whose board they both sat.
The judge at Birmingham Crown Court heard that although they dishonestly sourced the cash, they spent £57,000 of it training 69 GPs.
They will be sentenced next week. BBC News
Bridging the divide: how can the NHS get collaboration right?
Bridging the divide: how can the NHS get collaboration right? The funding crisis facing the NHS and social care is unprecedented. Now, more than ever, services need to join forces
In a time of austerity and strained budgets, it has never been more essential for the NHS to get partnerships and collaboration right. Every day, clinical teams save lives – and if the NHS is to survive and thrive, it must draw on this collective strength. Yet collaboration can be patchy among the higher echelons of the NHS, with many potential partners complaining of the health service’s seeming inability to work effectively and courteously with others.
Would the NHS be in a different place if health leaders had, over the past 20 years, facilitated collaboration in the same way they had done for competition? That was one of the questions from the floor at a seminar hosted by the Guardian and supported by business solutions and technology company Brother. Continue reading... The Guardian
In a time of austerity and strained budgets, it has never been more essential for the NHS to get partnerships and collaboration right. Every day, clinical teams save lives – and if the NHS is to survive and thrive, it must draw on this collective strength. Yet collaboration can be patchy among the higher echelons of the NHS, with many potential partners complaining of the health service’s seeming inability to work effectively and courteously with others.
Would the NHS be in a different place if health leaders had, over the past 20 years, facilitated collaboration in the same way they had done for competition? That was one of the questions from the floor at a seminar hosted by the Guardian and supported by business solutions and technology company Brother. Continue reading... The Guardian
NHS winter crisis: hospitals across England report they are full
NHS winter crisis: hospitals across England report they are full Fifteen hospitals across England were left without any spare beds on at least one day this month as the National Health Service braces itself for a winter crisis. The strain facing hospitals – which could escalate if temperatures fall in coming weeks – were highlighted in figures from NHS England on daily winter pressures. The lack of beds could lead to ambulances being diverted to other hospitals, patients forced to wait longer on trolleys and mothballed wards being brought back into service. iNews
Jeremy Hunt launches nationwide sepsis campaign to help parents spot the signs in children
Jeremy Hunt launches nationwide sepsis campaign to help parents spot the signs in children Jeremy Hunt has launched a nationwide campaign to help parents spot the signs of sepsis.
The Health Secretary is hoping to raise awareness of the “devastating” condition which causes around 37,000 deaths each year in England.
Mr Hunt said “we need to get far better at spotting it across the NHS”, adding: “By raising awareness and improving clinical practice we will save lives in the fight against this horrible illness.”
The campaign, delivered by Public Health England and the UK Sepsis Trust, is part of a series of measures by the NHS to tackle the condition which arises as a complication of an infection. The Independent
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The Health Secretary is hoping to raise awareness of the “devastating” condition which causes around 37,000 deaths each year in England.
Mr Hunt said “we need to get far better at spotting it across the NHS”, adding: “By raising awareness and improving clinical practice we will save lives in the fight against this horrible illness.”
The campaign, delivered by Public Health England and the UK Sepsis Trust, is part of a series of measures by the NHS to tackle the condition which arises as a complication of an infection. The Independent
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Maternity ward chaos left mothers at risk of going home with wrong baby, report finds
Maternity ward chaos left mothers at risk of going home with wrong baby, report finds New mothers risk going home with the wrong baby due to chaotic maternity practices at the UK's biggest hospital, inspectors have warned, after a report found some newborns were not given name tags.
Some babies born at The Royal London Hospital had no name tags - which could lead to them going home with the wrong families or even being given medication meant for another baby, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said.
Inspectors said there was "lax" practice of checking babies' name bands, saying that this could create a "risk that a baby might receive medication intended for another baby, and mother might leave the unit with the wrong baby". The Daily Telegraph
Some babies born at The Royal London Hospital had no name tags - which could lead to them going home with the wrong families or even being given medication meant for another baby, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said.
Inspectors said there was "lax" practice of checking babies' name bands, saying that this could create a "risk that a baby might receive medication intended for another baby, and mother might leave the unit with the wrong baby". The Daily Telegraph
NHS chief: bus passes and pensions must be up for discussion to tackle social care crisis
NHS chief: bus passes and pensions must be up for discussion to tackle social care crisis Free bus passes and pension protections for older people should be reconsidered if Britain has any hope of solving the crisis facing social care, the head of the NHS has suggested.
Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, told MPs that there is “no point” giving people free bus transport if there is no one to provide the basic care they need to enable them to leave their home in the first place.
He signalled that far more radical action may be needed to help older people than plans, expected to be unveiled by Theresa May, to channel extra council tax money into funding care. The Daily Telegraph
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Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, told MPs that there is “no point” giving people free bus transport if there is no one to provide the basic care they need to enable them to leave their home in the first place.
He signalled that far more radical action may be needed to help older people than plans, expected to be unveiled by Theresa May, to channel extra council tax money into funding care. The Daily Telegraph
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Wednesday, 14 December 2016
Older people in Northamptonshire urged to get eye test to help prevent falls
Older people in Northamptonshire urged to get eye test to help prevent falls Eye health professionals in Northamptonshire are calling for older people to have regular sight tests to help prevent falls. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Getting the midwifery workforce right
Getting the midwifery workforce right This report outlines how maternity services should be organised, funded and staffed. It discusses the role of the midwife and approaches for services to enable them to make safe and effective staffing decisions. Royal College of Midwifery
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See also:
- RCM guidance on implementing the NICE safe staffing guideline on midwifery staffing in maternity settings Royal College of Midwifery
Private lives, public health: the changing shape of contraceptive services in England post-2013
Private lives, public health: the changing shape of contraceptive services in England post-2013 This report is the result of an audit of the impact of funding cuts and commissioning reforms on contraceptive services in England by analysing the results of an FOI request sent to all 152 upper tier and unitary councils. The findings show a mixed picture with some areas managing to sustain current service provision but there are signs that full, open access contraceptive care and services are under increasing strain in many places. Advisory Group on Contraception
'Gender-biased infections' may exist
'Gender-biased infections' may exist Viruses can evolve to become more aggressive in men than in women - at least in theory, a study suggests.
The report, published in Nature Communications, argues there is a benefit to a virus "going easy" in women as it helps it spread.
Some infections are known to be less deadly in women, but this is largely put down to differences in the immune system.
Experts said the findings were intriguing. BBC News
The report, published in Nature Communications, argues there is a benefit to a virus "going easy" in women as it helps it spread.
Some infections are known to be less deadly in women, but this is largely put down to differences in the immune system.
Experts said the findings were intriguing. BBC News
GPs are not 'crying wolf' about pressures, says NHS chief executive
GPs are not 'crying wolf' about pressures, says NHS chief executive GPs are willing to consider 'radical' changes to their model of practise because they have been 'systematically under-invested in', NHS England's chief executive has said.
Simon Stevens said that general practice in England will change, away from the 'cottage industry', with new models including hospital takeovers and GP super-practices.
And he said these changes were made possible because GPs were 'willing to contemplate some quite radical changes', but he admitted that this was a direct response to under-investment and NHS leaders placing 'rising workload and demands' on GPs. Pulse
Simon Stevens said that general practice in England will change, away from the 'cottage industry', with new models including hospital takeovers and GP super-practices.
And he said these changes were made possible because GPs were 'willing to contemplate some quite radical changes', but he admitted that this was a direct response to under-investment and NHS leaders placing 'rising workload and demands' on GPs. Pulse
£300,000 NHS dialysis unit fraudsters jailed
£300,000 NHS dialysis unit fraudsters jailed An NHS manager, his partner and three contractors, who all helped defraud Epsom and St Helier Hospital NHS Trust of hundreds of thousands of pounds for work that was unnecessary or was never carried out, have been sentenced following a fraud investigation led by NHS Protect.
NHS Protect says the thefts, from Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, were "too extensive and complex to ever be precisely added up", but the total is estimated at around £300,000. The exact figure will be determined at a future confiscation hearing to get the money back. OnMedica
NHS Protect says the thefts, from Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, were "too extensive and complex to ever be precisely added up", but the total is estimated at around £300,000. The exact figure will be determined at a future confiscation hearing to get the money back. OnMedica
Working with the NHS: 'doors are opening for innovative small firms'
Working with the NHS: 'doors are opening for innovative small firms' The health service is increasingly relying on small businesses to meet its needs. But how can entrepreneurs find a way in?
As the fifth largest organisation in the world, the NHS can provide lucrative opportunities for small business. But from the outside, it’s often seen as an unwieldy, unnecessarily bureaucratic body that’s difficult to break into.
For Jason Williams, business development director at seeDATA, a partnership came about through an agreement with the local academic health science network (AHSN), which the company had worked with previously to build a bespoke customer relationship management platform. Continue reading... The Guardian
As the fifth largest organisation in the world, the NHS can provide lucrative opportunities for small business. But from the outside, it’s often seen as an unwieldy, unnecessarily bureaucratic body that’s difficult to break into.
For Jason Williams, business development director at seeDATA, a partnership came about through an agreement with the local academic health science network (AHSN), which the company had worked with previously to build a bespoke customer relationship management platform. Continue reading... The Guardian
Dementia will soon be controlled just like HIV, says research institute
Dementia will soon be controlled just like HIV, says research institute Alzheimer's may in some cases be as manageable as HIV/Aids by 2025, the head of Britain's new Dementia Research Institute (DRI) predicts.
Professor Bart De Strooper said he hoped to see a time in the near future when the condition could be stabilised even if it proved impossible to cure.
There is even a chance that the brain could re-wire itself and restore lost mental ability once progress of the disease has been halted, he believes. The Independent
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Professor Bart De Strooper said he hoped to see a time in the near future when the condition could be stabilised even if it proved impossible to cure.
There is even a chance that the brain could re-wire itself and restore lost mental ability once progress of the disease has been halted, he believes. The Independent
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'Unarguable' case that care for elderly needs more money says NHS chief
'Unarguable' case that care for elderly needs more money says NHS chief There is an "unarguable" case for an urgent cash injection into social care to fend off an immediate crisis in care of the elderly, the head of the NHS has said.
Simon Stevens made the plea as he mooted long-term moves towards a system of compulsory insurance to cover the cost of care home fees, or care in the home.
The chief executive said social care should be “first in the queue” for any extra funding available, agreeing with peers that the situation had reached crisis point. The Daily Telegraph
Simon Stevens made the plea as he mooted long-term moves towards a system of compulsory insurance to cover the cost of care home fees, or care in the home.
The chief executive said social care should be “first in the queue” for any extra funding available, agreeing with peers that the situation had reached crisis point. The Daily Telegraph
Doctors warned: don't tell girls with anorexia to come back when thinner
Doctors warned: don't tell girls with anorexia to come back when thinner Doctors have been warned not to tell patients with anorexia to come back for help when they are thinner, following new advice from watchdogs.
The NHS guidance also tells GPs to look out for the condition in patients working in “high risk” professions like fashion, dance, modelling, where eating disorders are rife.
The draft advice from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) warns GPs not to delay referring patients with eating disorders for treatment, amid fears that too many doctors wait to see if symptoms worsen before treatment is given. The Daily Telegraph
The NHS guidance also tells GPs to look out for the condition in patients working in “high risk” professions like fashion, dance, modelling, where eating disorders are rife.
The draft advice from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) warns GPs not to delay referring patients with eating disorders for treatment, amid fears that too many doctors wait to see if symptoms worsen before treatment is given. The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, 13 December 2016
Safe Sleeping campaign for babies relaunched by Northamptonshire health experts
Safe Sleeping campaign for babies relaunched by Northamptonshire health experts Share a room, not a bed – that’s the advice to parents of newborn babies from the organisation responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in Northamptonshire. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Learning, candour and accountability: A review of the way NHS trusts review and investigate the deaths of patients in England
Learning, candour and accountability: A review of the way NHS trusts review and investigate the deaths of patients in England The Secretary of State for Health asked us to look at how acute, community and mental health NHS trusts across the country investigate and learn from deaths to find out whether opportunities for prevention of death have been missed, and identify any improvements that are needed.
We looked at the processes and systems trusts use to identify, investigate and learn from the death of a person using their services. We looked particularly closely at how trusts investigate the deaths of people with a mental health problem or learning disability. Care Quality Commission
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We looked at the processes and systems trusts use to identify, investigate and learn from the death of a person using their services. We looked particularly closely at how trusts investigate the deaths of people with a mental health problem or learning disability. Care Quality Commission
See also:
- Bereaved families 'let down by NHS' BBC News
- NHS accused of spending 'more time on cover ups than saving lives' The Daily Telegraph
- Hospitals fail too often to investigate deaths, NHS watchdog finds The Guardian
Medical professionalism matters report
Medical professionalism matters report The report is the culmination of 18 months of events and conversations with the medical profession, from GPs, consultants and trainees who work on the ground, to royal colleges, training providers and employers.
As is widely acknowledged many doctors feel the current environment is the most challenging of their careers, as the pressures of day-to-day practice rise with the often conflicting demands of doctors’ employers and the patients they care for. General Medical Council
As is widely acknowledged many doctors feel the current environment is the most challenging of their careers, as the pressures of day-to-day practice rise with the often conflicting demands of doctors’ employers and the patients they care for. General Medical Council
A Cry for Health: Why we must invest in domestic abuse services in hospitals
A Cry for Health: Why we must invest in domestic abuse services in hospitals SafeLives calls on every hospital in England and Wales to have specialist domestic abuse support onsite. Health providers must be part of the long-term solution to tackle domestic abuse.
The findings of SafeLives' research, which provides evidence from over 4,000 victims supported in hospital and community settings, show that we are missing opportunities to identify victims of domestic abuse – particularly the most vulnerable – and that locating a team of Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (Idvas) within a hospital is a key way to address this.
The findings of SafeLives' research, which provides evidence from over 4,000 victims supported in hospital and community settings, show that we are missing opportunities to identify victims of domestic abuse – particularly the most vulnerable – and that locating a team of Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (Idvas) within a hospital is a key way to address this.
Charity warns of FGM 'parties' taking place in England
Charity warns of FGM 'parties' taking place in England Girls are being taken to female genital mutilation (FGM) "parties" in cities across England, a charity has warned.
The Black Health Initiative in Leeds says midwives from Africa are being flown into the country to carry out the illegal practice.
West Yorkshire Police said they were aware girls were being subjected to FGM locally.
Latest NHS figures show more than 8,000 women across England have recently been identified as being victims of FGM. BBC News
The Black Health Initiative in Leeds says midwives from Africa are being flown into the country to carry out the illegal practice.
West Yorkshire Police said they were aware girls were being subjected to FGM locally.
Latest NHS figures show more than 8,000 women across England have recently been identified as being victims of FGM. BBC News
Social care funding shortfall 'urgent' says Lib Dem Norman Lamb
Social care funding shortfall 'urgent' says Lib Dem Norman Lamb Liberal Democrat Health spokesman, Norman Lamb, urges government action on the crisis in social care funding. BBC News
See also:
See also:
- Reality Check: Is the care budget growing? BBC News
- Social care: why are we 'beyond the crisis point'? The Guardian
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