Market structure, patient choice and hospital quality for elective patients

Market structure, patient choice and hospital quality for elective patients This paper examines the change in the effect of market structure on hospital quality for elective procedures following changes in 2006 to encourage greater patient choice of hospital in England. The study finds that post-2006, hospital quality was reduced as the probability of emergency readmission was increased for hip and knee replacement patients. Centre for Health Economics

Ambulance crews 'struggle to reach 999 calls'

Ambulance crews 'struggle to reach 999 calls' Ambulance services are struggling to reach seriously ill and injured patients quickly enough after rising demand has left the system at breaking point, a BBC investigation has found.

Patients with life-threatening conditions - like cardiac arrests - are meant to be reached in eight minutes.

But only one of the UK's 13 ambulance services is currently meeting its target.

Ambulance bosses are blaming rising demand and pressure in the system. BBC News

See also:

• Specialist paramedic: 'It could be anything, anywhere' BBC News
• Only 1 of the UK's 13 ambulance services is meeting the eight minute target The Daily Mail
• Ambulances failing to reach dying patients quickly enough as only one trust meets eight-minute target The Daily Telegraph
• Ambulances too slow to reach seriously ill patients, says report The Guardian

New nursing apprentice role announced

New nursing apprentice role announced Aspiring nurses can soon enrol on a new on-the-job apprenticeship role, the government says.

From September 2017, up to 1,000 NHS staff will be able to take up the training without having to go down the conventional university route to get a nursing degree.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says it complements the nursing associate role announced a year ago.

Both initiatives aim to offer flexible routes into nursing in England.

They might also give students an affordable way to train, since ministers plan to scrap student bursaries for nurses in September 2017. BBC News

See also:

• New nursing degree apprenticeship Department of Health
• 'Earn as you learn' plan for nurses with new part-time degrees The Daily Telegraph
• Apprentice nurses could treat hospital patients in bid to tackle shortages The Guardian

Give pharmacists more prescribing rights to ease GP burden

Give pharmacists more prescribing rights to ease GP burden Community pharmacists should routinely be allowed to prescribe for long-term conditions (LTCs) as well as to refer people with LTCs directly to other health care professionals, to “ease the overwhelming burden on the NHS”, pharmacy leaders said this morning. They said they have spare capacity in their workforce, and they pointed to new evidence that non-medical prescribers are just as effective as doctors – yet very few pharmacists currently prescribe.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society will launch Frontline pharmacists: Making a difference for people with long term conditions at the House of Commons, in which it argues that “pharmacists have a crucial role to play in the support of people with LTCs”. OnMedica

Women with PMS 'should be offered psychological therapy', say Royal College experts

Women with PMS 'should be offered psychological therapy', say Royal College experts Women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) should be offered therapy, experts have said.

New guidelines for healthcare workers suggest that women who have a diagnosed case of PMS should be offered cognitive behavioural therapy.

Experts from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) have devised the guidance to help those caring for women with the condition. The Independent

Life expectancy in UK rises but years spent in good health fall

Life expectancy in UK rises but years spent in good health fall ONS says people living longer but increase in proportion of time they experience bad health will put pressure on services

Life expectancy in the UK continues to rise, but the number of years spent in bad health is increasing, official statistics show.

Life expectancy for a newborn boy increased to 79.2 in 2013-15, compared with 78.5 in 2009-11, while for newborn girls it rose from 82.5 to 82.9. Continue reading... The Guardian

The squeezed NHS is responding to difficult times by innovating

The squeezed NHS is responding to difficult times by innovating Our report on the state of the health service paints a gloomy picture — but also highlights providers’ resilience and ingenuity

Times are hard for the health service: performance is on the decline, the money doesn’t add up, morale is low, there are finite resources and increasing demand. Is it a perfect storm? Or a very long winter of discontent?

NHS Providers has published its new report, The State of the Provider Sector, which gives a clear appraisal — and the picture is, in places, quite gloomy. But we also show how hospitals, mental health, community and ambulance services are responding with ingenuity in such challenging times. Continue reading... The Guardian

Why too many people are still scared of seeking help for their mental health

Why too many people are still scared of seeking help for their mental health We are living through an era of profound change in our attitudes and behaviours towards mental health. For too long, mental health problems have been associated with weakness, with failure, and as a result too many sufferers have kept their conditions hidden, bottling up problems that can eventually be catastrophic for them, their families, their colleagues and the public.

Now this is changing. But there is still a long way to go. And the further we are able to normalise the diagnosis, and treatment, of mental health issues, the better off we will all be. The Daily Telegraph

NHS workers 'are quitting to stack shelves because it pays more'

NHS workers 'are quitting to stack shelves because it pays more' Low-paid NHS workers are quitting to stack shelves in supermarkets because they can earn more money for less stress, the leader of NHS hospitals has said.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospitals, said workers were leaving because pay in the health service had not kept up with rises in some parts of the private sector.

Mr Hopson said the health service was struggling to hire and retain staff because pay restraint in the NHS meant pay was “starting to become uncompetitive in certain areas”. The Daily Telegraph

Northampton General Hospital aims to defuse A&E timebomb and reduce the number of beds it needs by more than 100

Northampton General Hospital aims to defuse A&E timebomb and reduce the number of beds it needs by more than 100 Significant reductions in NGH admissions will be seen by March, its chief has said, in what would be the first slackening of pressure on Northampton's ailing A&E services in five years.

Dr Sonia Swart has warned for some time that staff are in danger of being unable to cope with relentlessly increasing numbers of urgent cases and patients who are more acutely ill.

But she has now offered a light at the end of the tunnel for staff, saying that a new NHS programme will see a reduction in the time people spend in hospital - freeing up 113 beds -, reducing admissions by 10 people per day and slashing delayed discharges by 60 per cent. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS trust leaders warn staff shortages now outweigh fears over funding

NHS trust leaders warn staff shortages now outweigh fears over funding The largest ever survey of NHS trust chairs and chief executives has revealed rising concern over the growing NHS “workforce gap”.

Only one in four trust leaders (27%) are confident they have the right staff numbers, quality and skill mix to deliver high quality healthcare for patients and service users. Fewer still (22%) are confident about having the right staffing levels in six months’ time. These findings show that, for many trust leaders, worries over staffing are becoming even greater and more urgent than those over funding. NHS Providers

See also:

• The state of the NHS provider sector NHS Providers
• State of the NHS provider sector briefing NHS Providers
• NHS risks following the prison service into crisis, health chief warns The Daily Telegraph
• Stop asking us to deliver the impossible, NHS trusts urge ministers The Guardian

Levelling Up: tackling variation in diabetes care

Levelling Up: tackling variation in diabetes care This report is the result of a year-long inquiry into the causes and solutions to the variation in diabetes care. The report sums up the evidence collected from healthcare professionals, academics, commissioners and people with diabetes, making recommendations for how we can secure a better diabetes care for everyone. All Party Parliamentary Group on Diabetes Care

See also:

• MPs call for 'radical expansion' of structured diabetes education GP Online

Carers

Carers This briefing paper provides information about the number of carers in the UK and the issues they face. It also explains the rights, benefits and support available to carers and government policy on caring. House of Commons Library

Thousands 'miss out on stroke treatment'

Thousands 'miss out on stroke treatment' About 9,000 stroke patients a year are missing out on a treatment that can prevent disability following a stroke, say UK experts.

Clot retrieval can restore blood flow to the brain, preventing some lasting damage, but currently only 600 patients a year get this therapy, they estimate.

A national stroke audit reveals part of the problem is a lack of skilled staff to do the procedure.

NHS England says stroke patients are receiving high quality care. BBC News

See also:

• Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) Royal College of Physicians
• Stroke patients 'at risk in the NHS' as staffing levels need improvement The Daily Mail
• Stroke patients in UK 'missing out on treatment for brain clots' The Guardian

Will NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans work?

Will NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans work? Will the NHS's savings plan work? Mark Lobel reports. BBC News

Operating theatre fraudsters ordered to repay £650,000

Operating theatre fraudsters ordered to repay £650,000 Four operating theatre technicians who defrauded the NHS have been ordered to repay £650,000 or face extended jail sentences.

The four worked at Basildon Hospital’s Cardio Thoracic Centre as perfusionists – specialist operating theatre technicians. They worked the machinery to keep patients’ hearts and lungs functioning while they underwent major surgery such as heart bypasses.

They were also the directors of a private company, London Perfusion Science Ltd (LPS), a vehicle they used to work privately and profitably at numerous other NHS hospitals at times they were already being paid to work at Basildon Hospital. They only worked 55% of their contracted hours at Basildon and the court determined that they had failed to work 14,000 hours they had been paid for. OnMedica

End 'patronising and insulting' consultations for morning after pill, campaigners say

End 'patronising and insulting' consultations for morning after pill, campaigners say The morning after pill should be available to buy straight off the shelf without the need for an “unnecessary and embarrassing” consultation, a leading reproductive rights charity has said.

The current requirement for women to speak with their pharmacist before they can buy emergency contraception is “patronising and insulting,” according to the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (Bpas).

Bpas also demanded a drop in the price of the morning after pill, which usually costs around £25 to £30 at chemists, to bring the UK in line with other European countries where it is cheaper. The Independent

NHS patients told to lose weight and quit smoking or face operation delays

NHS patients told to lose weight and quit smoking or face operation delays NHS England approves plans from a Yorkshire health authority to restrict access to routine procedures

Obese people and smokers will be asked to lose weight and give up cigarettes or face delays to routine operations after a health authority’s proposals were approved by NHS England.

Patients with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 30 will be asked to lose weight or face a 12-month delay for elective surgery while smokers will be asked to quit for two months or face a six-month postponement, the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) announced. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also

• Obese patients and smokers face surgery delays in York BBC News
• Decision to deny surgery to obese patients is like 'racial discrimination' The Guardian

Hammond facing growing Tory rebellion over social care crisis

Hammond facing growing Tory rebellion over social care crisis MPs dismayed issue was not addressed in autumn statement amid warnings there could be a tax credit-style rebellion

Philip Hammond, the chancellor, is coming under mounting pressure from Tory MPs to bring forward help for the NHS and social care services, amid dire warnings that council budget cuts are causing unsustainable problems.

A string of Conservatives have begun to express dismay that Hammond did not address the issue in his autumn statement. Their voices add to the senior doctors, council leaders from all parties, two Tory former health secretaries and the Labour frontbench, who are warning that increasingly hospitals are unable to discharge elderly patients as struggling social care services are not able to make appropriate arrangements. Continue reading... The Guardian

Breast cancer drug that costs just 4p could save lives of women at high risk of the disease

Breast cancer drug that costs just 4p could save lives of women at high risk of the disease A pill that halves the risk of breast cancer among high risk women and costs just 4p per day should be offered on the NHS, the drugs watchdog will announce.

Guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) will mean around 600,000 healthy women should be given the chance to take anastrozole.

The drug has been shown to halve the chances of developing breast cancer for high-risk post-menopausal women. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• NHS watchdog urges doctors to offer breast cancer pill to high risk patients The Daily Mail

Unmet need for health and social care: a growing problem?

Unmet need for health and social care: a growing problem? There is a great deal of focus in the health and care system on measuring the quality of care being provided. But what about care that isn’t provided at all?

We have published several reports this year highlighting pressures in community-based services, including social care and district nursing. These pieces of research raised concerns about changes to the availability and quality of services as a result of rising demand and insufficient funding and staff numbers. The reports also raised concerns that these pressures might be leading to rising levels of unmet need. The King's Fund

Multimorbidity – the biggest clinical challenge facing the NHS? – Dawn Moody and David Bramley

Multimorbidity – the biggest clinical challenge facing the NHS? – Dawn Moody and David Bramley Around one in four of us have two or more long-term conditions (LTCs), often known as ‘multimorbidity’ and this rises to two thirds of people aged 65 years or over. In this joint blog, Dawn Moody and David Bramley argue multimorbidity is therefore becoming the norm. NHS England

NHS safety - Warnings from all sides

NHS safety - Warnings from all sides This report seeks to summarise the warnings about safety and declining performance in the NHS and explore the link with the financial crisis. It is crucial that the government listens and responds to the powerful evidence and testimony from the frontline of our healthcare system. TUC

See also:

• NHS cuts putting patient safety at risk, TUC warns The Guardian

2016 becomes worst year ever recorded for suicides in prisons

2016 becomes worst year ever recorded for suicides in prisons More than 100 people have lost their lives through suicide in prisons in England and Wales so far this year, an all-time record, it can be revealed today (Monday 28 November) as two charities publish new research on how to make jails safer.

The Howard League for Penal Reform has been notified of 102 people dying by suicide behind bars since the beginning of 2016 – one every three days.

See also:

• Preventing prision suicide Centre for Mental Health and The Howard League for Penal Reform 
• Prison suicides in England and Wales 'reach record levels' BBC News
• Prisoner dies by suicide every three days as toll hits 'epidemic' level The Daily Telegraph

'No solid evidence' for IVF add-on success

'No solid evidence' for IVF add-on success Nearly all costly add-on treatments offered by UK fertility clinics to increase the chance of a birth through IVF are not supported by high-quality evidence proving that they work, a study has revealed.

The findings are the result of research commissioned by BBC Panorama and conducted by Oxford University's Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, world experts in assessing medical studies. BBC News

See also:

• Lack of evidence for interventions offered in UK fertility centres The BMJ

'We've travelled 8,000 miles to see our anorexic daughter'

'We've travelled 8,000 miles to see our anorexic daughter' Bed shortages mean a young patient with anorexia has to be treated hundreds of miles from her family. BBC News

Pregnant women and new mums in mental health funding boost

Pregnant women and new mums in mental health funding boost Twenty areas across England are to receive funding to help pregnant women and new mums with severe mental health problems. BBC News

Patient safety at risk because of GPs' 'unmanageable' workloads, BMA survey finds

Patient safety at risk because of GPs' 'unmanageable' workloads, BMA survey finds GPs say patient safety is at risk due to “unmanageable” workloads.

A survey of 5,025 family doctors for the British Medical Association (BMA) found 57 per cent felt their workload was unmanageable, with a further 27 per cent saying it was excessive. This prevented GPs from delivering high-quality and safe care to patients at times, the survey found. The Independent

See also:

• Workload strain compromises patient safety, finds survey British Medical Association
• Survey of GPs in England British Medical Association
• Relentless GP workload is a threat to our patients' safety, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
• GPs say workload affects quality of care and one in ten say they offer 'safe' care The Daily Mail
• Nine out of ten GPs cannot offer safe care, new survey indicates The Daily Telegraph
• Eight out of 10 GPs in England say their workload is unmanageable GP Online

Care for elderly ‘close to collapse’ across UK as council funding runs out

Care for elderly ‘close to collapse’ across UK as council funding runs out Theresa May under pressure as doctors urge funding U-turn and cross-party alliance warns millions of people are at risk

Theresa May is under intense pressure from senior doctors and a powerful cross-party alliance of politicians to avert a collapse in care for the elderly, as shocking new figures show the system close to meltdown. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• The future of the NHS and social care – for better or worse | Letters The Guardian

Huge rise in hospital beds in England taken up by people with malnutrition

Huge rise in hospital beds in England taken up by people with malnutrition Critics blame three-fold rise on poverty, cutbacks to meals on wheels services for the elderly and inadequate social care

The number of hospital beds in England taken up by patients being treated for malnutrition has almost trebled over the last 10 years, in what charities say shows the “genuinely shocking” extent of hunger and poor diet.

Official figures reveal that people with malnutrition accounted for 184,528 hospital bed days last year, a huge rise on 65,048 in 2006-07. The sharp increase is adding to the pressures on hospitals, which are already struggling with record levels of overcrowding. Continue reading... The Guardian

Brexit means 'only major crisis will focus ministers on to NHS'

Brexit means 'only major crisis will focus ministers on to NHS' Former health boss Nigel Crisp says government will be distracted by leaving EU and there is no sign of mitigating action

The NHS and social care are at risk of being downgraded as a priority by a government distracted by Brexit unless there is a major public health crisis, the former chief executive of the NHS has warned.

Nigel Crisp, who ran the NHS and Department of Health for six years, said the government’s need to concentrate on the economics of leaving the EU would be one of the three biggest risks to health and social care posed by the referendum vote, along with loss of staff who are EU citizens and a brain drain from medical research. Continue reading... The Guardian

Doctors are assessing patients in phone calls before granting face-to-face appointments

Doctors are assessing patients in phone calls before granting face-to-face appointments The approach is being rolled out across 180 UK surgeries, covering 1.7 million people. Campaigners worry GPs will miss symptoms they would have spotted at close hand. The Daily  Mail

See also:

• GPs trained to give patients phone consultations instead of in-person appointments The Daily Telegraph
• Quarter of GPs happy to give mobile phone number to patients GP Online

NHS to use private firms to beat the winter crisis

NHS to use private firms to beat the winter crisis NHS hospitals have been ordered to hand over swathes of operations to the private sector to ease a looming winter crisis, according to leaked memos.

Health officials have also instructed hospitals to discharge thousands of patients in a bid to reduce record levels of crowding, while managers have been banned from declaring “black alerts”.

NHS trusts have been told to take a series of measures to dramatically reduce bed occupancy levels in an attempt to ensure that wards can cope as pressures mount.

Patients groups said the situation was “frightening”, while charities described the measures as an “extremely worrying” reflection of a system under “extraordinary pressure”. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Send patients to private sector to avert winter crisis, hospitals told The Guardian

GP urgent home visits to ease A&E crisis

GP urgent home visits to ease A&E crisis GPs are under pressure to provide emergency home visits to ease the crisis in overstretched A&E departments, NHS documents reveal.

Local doctors groups are being asked to establish “A&E Delivery Boards” and to draw up rotas of medics able to respond to 111 requests for urgent care at home.

The boards are ostensibly responsible for easing winter pressures, but the new NHS England best practice guidelines state the measures should remain in place all year round because of the unprecedented demand on hospitals. The Daily Telegraph

Involving patients and the public in developing STPs

Involving patients and the public in developing STPs In my work life I am a senior leadership consultant at The King’s Fund; however like all of us I am also a citizen in my community, and I am writing here from both perspectives.

In my local area over the past few weeks, I have heard quite a few people talking about the same thing – that is a recent article in the local paper stating that three major departments in our hospital are to be moved to the regional hospitals 50 to 60 miles away. As it turned out, the source of this story was proposals in our local sustainability and transformation plan (STP) which had been leaked to the press. This has caused a good deal of concern locally, with many people feeling fearful, confused and angry.

Joining up care for older people with frailty

Joining up care for older people with frailty Advancements in medicine are a great success story, and as a result our patients are living longer, but they are also increasingly living with multiple, long term conditions and that brings a number of challenges for general practice and the wider NHS.

Older patients make up the majority of those attending GP surgeries and acute hospitals so getting the right combinations of care in the right place and at the right time is crucial to avert avoidable admissions and delayed discharge from hospital.

Integrated care for older people with frailty: innovative approaches in practice is being launched today at the British Geriatrics Society’s national scientific meeting where over 700 geriatricians, and other healthcare professionals engaged in the specialist care of older people are gathering to share best practice and the latest scientific research. Royal College of General Practitioners and British Geriatrics Society

See also:

• GPs urged to collaborate more with geriatricians OnMedica

Meeting the need: what makes a 'good' JSNA for mental health or dementia?

Meeting the need: what makes a 'good' JSNA for mental health or dementia? This research outlines how mental health needs assessments can prompt concerted action to improve wellbeing and life chances in local communities. It explores how five local councils across England went about understanding the mental health needs of their communities and taking action to meet them more effectively. It finds that joint strategic needs assessments (JSNAs) for mental health and dementia can help to direct investment, to improve services and to help local agencies work together more effectively. Centre for Mental Health

NHS efficiency map

NHS efficiency map This map aims to promote best practice in identifying, delivering and monitoring cost improvement programmes in the NHS. It contains links to a range of tools and guidance to help NHS bodies improve their efficiency. The map is split into three sections: enablers for efficiency, provider efficiency and system efficiency. It highlights the successes some NHS providers have had in delivering specific efficiency schemes and provides sign-posts to existing tools and reference materials. It also includes updated definitions for different types of efficiency. Healthcare Financial Management Association

Lansley: 'Incredibly difficult' for NHS

Lansley: 'Incredibly difficult' for NHS A former health secretary says an "incredibly difficult" two years await the NHS and social care in England.

Lord Lansley, health secretary from 2010-12, said he was "disappointed" that more funding was not announced in the Autumn Statement.

Tory council leader Izzi Seccombe said funding was needed now and councils had been "cut to the bone".

But Prime Minister Theresa May said ministers were already working to ease the situation.

Funding cuts to council-run social care in England have been blamed for a big increase in patients stuck in hospital beds because care cannot be arranged elsewhere. BBC News

See also:

• Andrew Lansley chides chancellor over lack of NHS and social care funding The Guardian

Born addicts

Born addicts Three babies are born addicted to drugs every day because of their mother's dependency, but some experts believe it is better to allow mother and baby to detox together. BBC News

See also:

• The rehab centre for mums and babies BBC News

Thatcher pushed for breakup of welfare state despite NHS pledge

Thatcher pushed for breakup of welfare state despite NHS pledge PM declared the health service was ‘safe with us’ but secretly pressed on with radical proposals, archives reveal

Margaret Thatcher secretly tried to press ahead with a politically toxic plan to dismantle the welfare state even after a “cabinet riot” and her famous declaration that the “NHS is safe with us”, newly released Treasury documents show.

The plan commissioned by Thatcher and her chancellor Sir Geoffrey Howe included proposals to charge for state schooling, introduce compulsory private health insurance and a system of private medical facilities that “would, of course, mean the end of the National Health Service”. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• How Maggie kept alive secret plot to dismantle the welfare state even after she abandoned the proposals following a Cabinet rebellion The Daily Mail
• Margaret Thatcher defied Cabinet to pursue dismantling of welfare state, documents reveal i News

NHS hospitals suffer from chronic bed shortage, surgeons say

NHS hospitals suffer from chronic bed shortage, surgeons say Royal College of Surgeons calls for rethink after figures show 89% of beds are full overnight for fourth quarter in a row

The Royal College of Surgeons said there was a chronic shortage of NHS hospital beds in England, after occupancy rates for overnight stays topped 89% for a fourth successive quarter.

The maximum occupancy rate for ensuring patients are well looked after and not exposed to health risks, is considered to be 85%, a figure that has not been achieved since NHS England began publishing statistics in 2010. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• New statistics show chronic shortage of beds, as increasing numbers of older patients stay in hospital Royal College of Surgeons

Lancet study on statins was 'fundamentally flawed' critics say

Lancet study on statins was 'fundamentally flawed' critics say A major Lancet study which backed the safety of statins was “fundamentally flawed” and underestimated the side-effects of the heart drugs, a group of medics have said.

The research published in September concluded that the drugs help prevent around 80,000 major cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks or strokes, every year.

Scientists said the drugs did far more harm than good, with too many patients had been put off taking them because of needless fears about side-effects. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• More clarity needed on the true benefits and risks of statins Prescriber
• Now MORE experts claim statins are a waste of time: They say studies show cutting bad cholesterol fails to slash heart risk  The Daily Mail

Three GP practices in Northampton trial scheme to create more same-day appointments

Three GP practices in Northampton trial scheme to create more same-day appointments Three GP Practices in Northampton are teaming up to provide their 33,000 patients with a new way to access emergency, same-day appointments. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Health at a Glance: Europe 2016

Health at a Glance: Europe 2016 This fourth edition of Health at a Glance: Europe presents key indicators of health and health systems in the 28 EU countries, 5 candidate countries to the EU and 3 EFTA countries. This 2016 edition contains two main new features: two thematic chapters analyse the links between population health and labour market outcomes, and the important challenge of strengthening primary care systems in European countries; and a new chapter on the resilience, efficiency and sustainability of health systems in Europe, in order to align the content of this publication more closely with the 2014 European Commission Communication on effective, accessible and resilient health systems. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

See also:

• Britain has the shortest maternity stays and the fewest hospital beds in the EU The Daily Mail
• Warnings that NHS 'teetering on precipice' amid bed shortages The Daily Telegraph
• The UK is a hotspot for gonorrhoea and cocaine, researchers say The Daily Telegraph

Changing risk behaviours and promoting cognitive health in older adults

Changing risk behaviours and promoting cognitive health in older adults This resource is intended for local authority and clinical commissioning groups to identify what types of interventions they should focus on to help the uptake and maintenance of healthy behaviours and promote cognitive health among older adults living in the community.

It is also intended for providers of lifestyle behaviour change programmes to support the development of evidence-informed prevention packages for older adults.

It is produced in a way that makes it accessible to public health managers and practitioners working in the public, private and third sector. Public Health England

Testing times to come? an evaluation of pathology capacity across the UK

Testing times to come? an evaluation of pathology capacity across the UK This report finds that pathology services in the UK are struggling to cope with the increasing number of patient samples that need to be tested. A growing and ageing UK population means that more people than ever before are being referred for cancer tests including biopsies and blood tests. However, pathology staff numbers are not growing to meet the rising demand for tests, resulting in a lack of capacity for pathology services. Cancer Research UK

'Concern' as study highlights aneurysm death rate

'Concern' as study highlights aneurysm death rate The death rate from abdominal aortic aneurysms is more than three times higher in England than in the US, analysis of official data shows.

The weakening and swelling of the main blood vessel from the heart is normally fatal if it bursts.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, raised "concern" that English surgeons may be performing preventative operations less often.

Experts say the issue should be investigated further. BBC News

Air pollution 'causes 467,000 premature deaths a year in Europe'

Air pollution 'causes 467,000 premature deaths a year in Europe' Toxic air is causing almost half a million premature deaths in Europe every year, a new report says. BBC News

See also:

• Stronger measures needed to tackle harm from air pollution European Environment Agency
• Air quality in Europe — 2016 report European Environment Agency

Winter deaths 'halve to 24,000'

Winter deaths 'halve to 24,000' There were 24,300 extra deaths in England and Wales last winter - about half the number of 2014-15. BBC News

Autumn statement 'missed opportunity' for health and social care

Autumn statement 'missed opportunity' for health and social care Health and care leaders have criticised the government's autumn statement as a missed opportunity after it failed to announce any new funding for health or social care. GP Online

See also:

• The King's Fund responds to the Autumn Statement The King's Fund
• Autumn Statement 2016 - the impact on employers NHS Employers
• Autumn Statement: Row as care funding omitted from measures BBC News
• Autumn Statement: Missed opportunity for NHS? BBC News
• Labour pours scorn over autumn statement for ignoring sick and old The Guardian
• NHS completely absent from 72-page Autumn Statement document The Independent

Official guidance may be delaying mouth cancer diagnosis

Official guidance may be delaying mouth cancer diagnosis Oral facial surgeons have raised concerns that new NICE guidance may be introducing delays for GP referrals of patients with suspected oral cancer for treatment.

A study has been published today in the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (BJOMS), which suggests that updated guidance for oral cancer is causing delays in diagnosis and treatment.

Since the introduction of the two-week wait referral pathway for suspected cancer in 2000, diagnosis of lesions in the head and neck has been below 10%. OnMedica

With Men Less Likely To Seek Help With Their Mental Health, Access Must Be Made Easier

With Men Less Likely To Seek Help With Their Mental Health, Access Must Be Made Easier It is a stark and tragic fact that the biggest cause of death among young men in the UK is now suicide. And in the majority of cases, people who lose their life through suicide have not been in contact with mental health services prior to their death.

The mental health of men and boys is the subject of growing concern as a result of the realisation that poor mental health is now a leading cause of ill health and dramatically poorer prospects throughout life. And with evidence that men are less likely to seek help for their mental health, and that only a third of people with a mental health problem get any treatment, the need to improve access to support has become clear. Huffington Post UK

'Poor decisions and lack of compassion' reported at NHS trust

'Poor decisions and lack of compassion' reported at NHS trust Incidents found in secret review of Pennine Acute trust include a premature baby left to die alone in a sluice room

A secret medical review showed mothers and babies died at an NHS trust plagued by clinical errors, bad staff attitudes and chronic shortages.

The review, carried out by new maternity director Deborah Carter at Pennine Acute Hospital NHS Trust which operates North Manchester General and the Royal Oldham hospitals, outlines a string of avoidable deaths and long-term injuries caused by failures over many years. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Premature baby left to die alone in sluice room, report reveals BBC News
• Mothers and babies died at nhs trust plagued by errors - review The Daily Mail 
• Premature baby ‘left to die alone in sluice room’ at failing NHS hospital The Independent

Promising drug expected to become the first to slow down dementia found to not work

Promising drug expected to become the first to slow down dementia found to not work US pharma giant Eli Lilly announced a trial of 2,000 people had shown solanezumab showed no benefit for people with mild Alzheimer's, causing their share prices to take a tumble. The Daily Mail

Just 1 in 5 of adults really mean it when they tell other people that they are 'fine'

Just 1 in 5 of adults really mean it when they tell other people that they are 'fine' Almost a third of 2,000 Britons polled said they often lie about how they are feeling to other people. While one in ten said they always lie about how they are feeling emotionally, a survey found. The Daily Mail

See also:

• I'm fine The Mental Health Foundation

Premature baby dies after an outbreak of superbug MRSA at a neonatal intensive care unit

Premature baby dies after an outbreak of superbug MRSA at a neonatal intensive care unit Nine newborns were found to be carrying the deadly superbug at the Rosie Hospital, Cambridge, during an outbreak of MRSA in August. The Daily Mail

Northampton knitters called on to help keep dementia patients' hands warm with 'twiddlemuffs'

Northampton knitters called on to help keep dementia patients' hands warm with 'twiddlemuffs' Northampton General Hospital is calling on local knitters and knitting groups to support its latest dementia initiative. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Self care nation: self care attitudes and behaviours in the UK

Self care nation: self care attitudes and behaviours in the UK This research explores how people use GP and A&E services and finds that if they understood their own NHS ‘footprint’, 80 per cent would be more likely to seek advice from pharmacists and use over-the-counter remedies for coughs, colds and other self-treatable conditions. It reveals that the majority of people in the UK (92 per cent) acknowledge the importance of taking responsibility for their own health in order to ease the financial burden on the NHS. However, every year there are an estimated 57 million GP consultations and 3.7 million visits to A&E for self-treatable conditions, costing the NHS an estimated £2.3 billion. Proprietary Association of Great Britain

Sorting the plans

Sorting the plans Despite sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) emerging as a good means of addressing the need for financial stability, some strategies drawn up do not include enough substance to prove they are tackling the problems realistically, according to this report. In the report, CIPFA has analysed nine published STPs out of the 44 that are being developed in England to improve services while reducing costs. It found that although the plans set out proposals to close the widening financial gap, which the NHS estimates to be £30bn by 2020, some fail to set out a credible case for the deliverability of their savings plans. Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy

The financial sustainability of the NHS in England

The financial sustainability of the NHS in England This briefing provides background on the current funding settlement for the NHS in England, the financial and operational performance of the health service, and measures being taken to ensure its future sustainability, including Sustainability of Transformation Plans. The briefing also provides background on the Department of Health’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2015/16 and ongoing Select Committee scrutiny of NHS funding. House of Commons Library

STP checklist for governance and engagement

STP checklist for governance and engagement This resource aims to support those delivering change within their Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) footprints to work through key governance and accountability challenges. The document sets out a series of questions that can be asked locally and within boards to support effective discussion and decision-making across a place. The questions cover: governance, scrutiny and accountability; system-wide control totals; public engagement; and partnerships and collaborative working. NHS Clinical Comissioners

NHS cancer testing service 'at breaking point'

NHS cancer testing service 'at breaking point' NHS pathology departments are struggling to meet requests for cancer tests, Cancer Research UK warns. BBC News

See also:

• UK’s pathology services at tipping point Cancer Research UK
• Early cancer diagnosis tests are at risk as the NHS are at 'tipping point' due to a lack of staff and an ageing population The Daily Mail
• Cancer diagnosis drive has pushed NHS testing services to the brink The Daily Telegraph
• NHS 'struggling to cope' with increase in people undergoing cancer tests The Guardian

NHS using Google technology to treat patients

NHS using Google technology to treat patients A London NHS hospital trust has teamed up with tech giant Google to share patient data in the hope of saving lives. BBC News

See also:

• Google wins data deal with the NHS and is handed 1.6m medical records The Daily Mail

Hospital drug costs up 18 times faster than primary care since 2010/11

Hospital drug costs up 18 times faster than primary care since 2010/11 Hospital spending on medicines has almost doubled since 2010/11 while primary care prescribing costs have remained flat, official data show. GP Online

See also:

• Prescribing costs in hospitals and the community NHS Digital

Government scolded by watchdog over NHS funding claims

Government scolded by watchdog over NHS funding claims Watchdog investigating Theresa May’s claim of £10bn for NHS tells government to be clearer when presenting statistics

The watchdog overseeing how ministers use official statistics has told the government to be clearer and more exact in its claims about NHS funding after it investigated Theresa May’s contentious claim that she was giving the health service a £10bn boost.

The UK Statistics Authority looked into the prime minister’s repeated use of the £10bn claim after Labour and the British Medical Association complained that the figure was misleading and wrong. It has asked the Treasury to overhaul how government spending on both the NHS and health more widely is presented in order to minimise the risk of further “confusion” about the size of budget rises Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NHS Funding UK Statistics Authority

The social care system needs a rescue package – to help the NHS survive

The social care system needs a rescue package – to help the NHS survive The chancellor has given no hint that his autumn statement will provide urgent funding to save tottering social care

It speaks volumes about government priorities that the Treasury briefed journalists ahead of Wednesday’s autumn statement that an extra £1.3bn would be spent on roads. Yet we have been kept in the dark over any rescue package for the tottering social care system, on which the chances of the NHS getting through the winter so critically depend.

As it happens, £1.3bn is also the price of a basic rescue for social care. It is the calculation by the Local Government Association (LGA) of the gap between what care providers in England say they need now to sustain threadbare state-funded services for older and disabled people and what councils say they can afford. To meet rising demand, inflation and the costs of the “national living wage” next year would require the same sum again.

Even the Care Quality Commission has stood up and bravely warned of a system almost at tipping point Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Social care cuts take English service to tipping point, regulator warns The Guardian
• The Guardian view on the NHS cash crisis: social care comes first | Editorial The Guardian

Hospitals will be docked NHS funding if they do not try to tackle sepsis

Hospitals will be docked NHS funding if they do not try to tackle sepsis Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, national medical director of NHS England, said 0.25 per cent of each hospital trust’s turnover would be withheld each year unless they made progress. The Daily Mail

Target Ovarian Cancer finds that GPs miss nearly half of ovarian cancer cases

Target Ovarian Cancer finds that GPs miss nearly half of ovarian cancer cases Almost half of women with ovarian cancer were initially misdiagnosed, a charity has found.

And four in ten patients with the cancer said their symptoms were not taken seriously by dismissive GPs.

Research found that women were ‘dying needlessly’ because they were fobbed off by doctors who attributed symptoms to other issues such as digestion problems, the menopause or stress. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Calls for the government to launch a national campaign for ovarian cancer awareness Target Ovarian Cancer
• Pathfinder 2016 Target Ovarian Cancer

Teenage girls with cancer routinely 'not offered' chance to freeze eggs on NHS

Teenage girls with cancer routinely 'not offered' chance to freeze eggs on NHS Teenage girls suffering from cancer are not being offered the same chance to preserve their ability to have children as male patients, a leading fertility expert has said.

While NHS hospitals regularly offer young men facing chemotherapy the chance to freeze their sperm, many routinely fail to remind female patients that they can cryopreserve their eggs. The Daily Telegraph

NHS passport checks have tripled income recouped in first scheme

NHS passport checks have tripled income recouped in first  scheme Passport checks on patients before treatment can almost triple the amount of money the NHS can recoup from health tourists, new figures suggest.

The Health Secretary last night said the findings, from the first such scheme, were “very encouraging” amid furious debate about proposals to extend such measures.

Yesterday Theresa May threw her support behind the plans, saying it was fair that overseas patients should provide “credible evidence” of their eligibility for free healthcare.

But doctors’ unions attacked the idea, saying that the money lost to health tourism was a “pinprick” of a problem for the NHS, while Labour said medics must not be treated as “border guards.” The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Should NHS patients have to show their passport? BBC News
• Passports for NHS access plan: what are the implications? The Guardian
• NHS staff and managers condemn 'passport before treatment' plan The Guardian
• Doctors threaten to boycott plan for patients to show ID at hospitals The Guardian
• I’m a doctor, not a gatekeeper turning ‘health tourists’ away | Rachel Clarke The Guardian
• NHS passport-checking might save a few pence – at the cost of our humanity | Diane Taylor The Guardian
• Proposals to help NHS charge overseas patients ‘go much too far’ OnMedica

Amazon vans are swamping spaces meant for Northampton GP patients

Amazon vans are swamping spaces meant for Northampton GP patients Delivery vans belonging to Amazon are blocking public spaces en masse near its Northampton warehouse, neighbours have complained. The multinational company said it will investigate after people living in Grange Park became weary of vans parking from as early as 5am in spaces intended for supermarket, GP and dental surgeries, shops and a nursery. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Financial sustainability of the NHS

Financial sustainability of the NHS The financial performance of NHS bodies worsened considerably in 2015-16 and this trend is not sustainable, according to the National Audit Office.

In 2015-16, NHS commissioners, NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts reported a combined deficit of £1.85 billion, a greater than three-fold in crease in the deficit position of £574 million reported in 2014-15. Provider trusts’ overall deficit grew by 185% to £2.45 billion, up from £859 million in 2014-15, against total income of £75.97 billion. In addition, two-thirds of NHS trusts (65%) and NHS foundation trusts (66%) reported deficits in 2015-16, up from 44% of NHS trusts and 51% of NHS foundation trusts in the previous financial year. The number of clinical commissioning groups reporting cumulative deficits was 32 in 2015-16, up from 19 in both 2014-15 and 2013-14.

See also:

• NHS accused of making 'pie in the sky' assumptions about finance savings The Daily Telegraph
• NHS financial problems endemic and no longer sustainable, say auditors The Guardian

Older People's Care Survey 2016

Older People's Care Survey 2016 The survey finds that more than 6.4 million people aged 65 and over are living in areas that do not have enough older people’s care to meet demand. Shortages in care are widespread as four in five local authorites in the UK report not having enough care for older people in their area. Most concerning, the biggest shortages are experienced by the most vulnerable older people: just 32% of local authorities report having enough care for older people who need support for dementia as well as physical support needs. Family and Childcare Trust

See also:

• Councils cannot cope with the elderly: Four out of five local authorities claim they do not have the capacity to care for the older generation The Daily Mail

Proof of ID may be needed for NHS care, says health chief

Proof of ID may be needed for NHS care, says health chief Patients could have to show two forms of identification to get some NHS care, the senior civil servant at the Department of Health has said.

Chris Wormald told a Commons committee it was a controversial move but already happened in some NHS trusts.

The NHS has "a lot further to go" in reclaiming money for treating foreign visitors, he said. BBC News

See also:

• DoH's Chris Wormald could enforce passport checks at hospitals to curb health tourism The Daily Mail
• Show your passport if you want to use the NHS, patients could be told The Daily Telegraph
• Hospitals may require patients to show passports for NHS treatment The Guardian 
• NHS patients may be forced to show passports in crackdown on foreign users The Independent

Dementia rates show 'signs of falling'

Dementia rates show 'signs of falling' There is growing evidence that the dementia crisis may not be as bad as first feared, say researchers. BBC News

See also:

• Up or down? BBC News
• Dementia patient: 'Assessors say I'm improving' BBC News

Autumn statement must deliver GP investment, hospital leaders warn

Autumn statement must deliver GP investment, hospital leaders warn Next week's autumn statement must deliver a rise in GP and social care funding to save the NHS from financial meltdown, according to an organisation representing hospitals and other NHS trusts. GP Online

Development of nursing associate role too rushed, say nurse leaders

Development of nursing associate role too rushed, say nurse leaders Nurse leaders fear that the development of the new nursing associate role is being rushed through far too quickly.

Health Education England has only just announced the curriculumfor the role, but test sites are set to get under way in January next year.

“It is entirely right that support staff be offered a route into becoming a registered nurse, and as a bridging role, this position could be positive for the whole clinical team,” said Janet Davies, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).

The curriculum had addressed a key concern of the College by making it clear that role development and allocation of work must always be under the appropriate level of provision.

“However, the RCN remains concerned that with the NHS under so much financial pressure, registered, graduate nurses may be substituted with support staff who do not have the same level of education and experience,” said Janet Davies. OnMedica

Emergency care already facing greater ‘winter pressures’ than last year

Emergency care already facing greater ‘winter pressures’ than last year Emergency care departments are already facing greater winter pressures than last year, despite the fact that winter has barely begun, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine has warned.

The warning comes as it publishes its Winter Flow Report, which analyses performance data collected from over 50 NHS Trusts across the UK, from October 2015 to March 2016, revealing the extent of the problems experienced by emergency departments in the winter season. OnMedica

See also:

• Hospital bed occupancy rates worryingly high across NHS ITV News

I had to quit NHS admin – I felt like a workhorse flogged too hard

I had to quit NHS admin – I felt like a workhorse flogged too hard Time-saving technological advancements have bypassed the health service. I was so overworked and stressed that I left

I had recently resigned from a well-paid job when I started working for the NHS in an administrative role. I was happy to be performing a useful service in the interests of a larger social goal, while no longer being required to write strategy documents or meet financial targets. However, in my seven months as a hospital specialty coordinator (a posh term for medical secretary, invented in order to create a sense of potential job progression), I experienced more stress – of several different kinds – than I have ever experienced.

The NHS is 25 years behind the rest of the country in terms of technology and management techniques Continue reading... The Guardian

Private firms should have bigger role in care says NHS leader

Private firms should have bigger role in care says NHS leader Private sector already treats 10 million patients and could cut waiting lists further says Stephen Dalton of NHS confederation

A senior NHS leader has sparked controversy by urging ministers and health service bosses to let private firms treat more patients in a bid to cut hospital waiting lists.

Stephen Dalton, the chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn should stop denying that private sector health companies are “a force for good” in the NHS. They are not “bogeymen”, look after patients well and should start treating more than the 10 million patients a year they are already paid for out of the NHS’s budget, he said. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Private money is the NHS’s saviour, not its bogeyman | Stephen Dalton The Guardian

Heart attack and stroke victims could wait 40mins for ambulance as NHS trials slower response times to downgrade calls

Heart attack and stroke victims could wait 40mins for ambulance as NHS trials slower response times to downgrade calls Under the trial, paramedics will no longer be sent immediately if patients are already with a GP or nurse. The pilot is being carried out by Yorkshire Ambulance Service. The Daily Mail

See also:

• GPs are driving the sick to A&E because ambulances arrive too late: Patients are waiting four hours for paramedic to attend life-threatening emergencies The Daily Mail

All hospitals must ban smoking on their entire premises to cut rates of cancer, public health chief warns

All hospitals must ban smoking on their entire premises to cut rates of cancer, public health chief warns As part of a drive to make hospitals lead by example, Duncan Selbie, chief executive of Public Health England, said he wanted 'a tobacco-free NHS' to improve public health. The Daily Mail

Teenagers drink a 'bath full' of sugary drinks a year, research finds

Teenagers drink a 'bath full' of sugary drinks a year, research finds Teenagers are drinking the equivalent of almost a bath full of sugary drinks every year, a charity has warned.

New figures from Cancer Research UK suggest those aged 11 to 18 each drink just over 234 cans of soft drink a year - or one bathtub full.

Those aged between four and 10 are having almost half as much. And even children under the age of three are consuming high levels of sugary drinks - equivalent to almost one third of a bath, the report shows.

In March, the Government announced it will introduce a tax on soft drinks with added sugar. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Teens 'drink enough sugar for cola bath' BBC News
• Cancer Research UK finds 11 to 18-year-old teens consume 234 cans of fizzy drink a year The Daily Mail
• Bathtub of sugary drinks a year: cancer warning over teenage intake The Guardian

Northampton General Hospital asks staff to park considerately after complaints from neighbours

Northampton General Hospital asks staff to park considerately after complaints from neighbours  Neighbours living near to NGH claim they are struggling to park outside their own houses some days as staff use their streets as "a free car park".  Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Family raises concern over new smoking ban for patients at Northampton mental health hospital

Family raises concern over new smoking ban for patients at Northampton mental health hospital A concerned woman, who tends to her brother in a Northampton mental health hospital, is appealing for the institution to revise their policy on a smoking ban for patients.  Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Exploring the case for seven-day services

Exploring the case for seven-day services  A new report from the NHS Confederation looks beyond the headlines to explore the evidence for and against the extension to seven-day services. NHS Employers

Maintaining and improving staff engagment in demanding times

Maintaining and improving staff engagment in demanding times Over the last four years the NHS has secured sustained improvement in staff engagement, our briefing provides different approaches and methods that will help to maintain this improvement in the current context. NHS Employers

Could weaker pound cost the NHS?

Could weaker pound cost the NHS? - BBC News Paul Briddock, policy director of the Health Care Financial Management Association, the professional association for NHS financial staff, tells me he expects there to be a cost to the NHS caused by the increasing costs of imports and imported raw materials.  BBC News

The NHS cannot afford to get another workforce initiative wrong

The NHS cannot afford to get another workforce initiative wrong Rushing through the new nursing associate role during a financial panic risks serious mistakes.
Ultimately, saving money in the NHS means cutting staff costs. The NHS in England spends roughly 40% of its £121bn budget on staff, and as local health economies try to stabilise their finances, options such as slashing agency spending and creating cheaper full-time roles are inevitably part of the mix.
Although clinical staff shortages are a global problem, the NHS exacerbates the difficulties of workforce planning by constant changes in policy. Nursing posts – currently numbering around 300,000 – have borne the brunt of this.  Continue reading...   The Guardian

‘Cyber-bullies, obesity and stress … this is a scary world’ says the new top GP

‘Cyber-bullies, obesity and stress … this is a scary world’ says the new top GP In her first interview as chair of the Royal College of GPs, Helen Stokes-Lampard tells of the challenges facing GPs

‘ This is a scary world,” says Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard, the new leader of the UK’s 49,439 GPs. She is not referring to soaring obesity, or the fact that dementia has replaced heart disease as the nation’s biggest killer, or the truth that everyone’s risk of getting cancer has recently gone from one in three to one in two. She’s talking about social media, its downsides and its contribution to ill-health – mental ill-health specifically – and how more and more of its victims are ending up in GPs’ consulting rooms.

“I wouldn’t want to be a teenager nowadays. The social media pressures are phenomenal. People have become more judgmental about appearance. If I was a chubby teenager, the only people who knew were those around me. But now strangers on the other side of the world have a view on how teenagers look. Can you imagine how awful that must be? Unless you’ve got incredible resilience then that puts you at real risk. It grinds people down. It’s the inexorable pressure to be perfect,” adds Stokes-Lampard, who became the new chair of the Royal College of GPs this weekend.

General practice is closer to the precipice than it’s ever been in living memory  Continue reading...  The Guardian

NHS transformation plans may be used as cover for cuts, says BMA

NHS transformation plans may be used as cover for cuts, says BMA Doctors’ union says 44 regional initiatives amount to £22bn in cuts by 2020-21, with potential to severely affect patient care.
Controversial plans put forward as a way of improving the health service in England and ensuring its sustainability risk being used as a cover for cuts and running down the NHS, the head of the British Medical Association (BMA) has said.
The doctors’ union says the 44 regional sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) amount to £22bn in cuts by 2020-21 to balance the books, which will have a severe impact on patient care.

Continue reading...  The Guardian

NHS trusts overshoot maximum annual deficit in just six months

NHS trusts overshoot maximum annual deficit in just six months Regulator says English trusts set for £648m first-half deficit after £580m was forecast as most that could be overspent this year


NHS trusts in England have overshot their maximum deficit permissible for the financial year after just six months despite a £900m emergency cash injection from the government.

NHS Improvement (NHSI) said financial performance information from providers show they are on track to record a year-to-date deficit of £648m in the first half of the year.

Continue reading...  The Guardian

Two thirds of doctors not consulted on NHS plans to cut A&Es and beds

Two thirds of doctors not consulted on NHS plans to cut A Two in three doctors have not been consulted over NHS plans which could see bed cuts and closures of Accident & Emergency departments, a survey by the British Medical Association has found.
It comes as research shows the proposals, being drawn up across the NHS, will mean at least £22bn in cuts.
The union's head, Dr Mark Porter, said there is a danger the plans are being "used as a cover for delivering cuts, starving services of resource and patients of vital care". The Telegraph

Northampton care home closure is not a done deal claims county council

Northampton care home closure is not a done deal claims county council Relatives of elderly people who attend a Northampton day centre under threat of closure fear the decision has already been made to shut its doors - though the county council claims it’s not a done deal yet. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

A record-breaking start for NHS staff flu vaccinations in 2016

A record-breaking start for NHS staff flu vaccinations in 2016 Official statistics published today (17 November 2016) reveal record levels of NHS staff have been coming forward to get vaccinated at the start of the flu season. NHS Employers

2016 international health policy survey of adults

2016 international health policy survey of adults This survey of eleven countries compares patients' experiences with their country's health care system - comparing access to care, quality and affordability - as well as their self-reported health and wellbeing. The study compared patients from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Commonwealth Fund

The digital patient: transforming primary care?

The digital patient: transforming primary care? This report argues that digital technology for patients and staff in primary care holds great potential for the NHS but that the impact of this new digital capability is far from certain. It reviews the evidence on digital technology and its impact on patients and finds that patient-facing technology is already showing promise, particularly for people with long-term conditions. The report warns that policy-makers and politicians should avoid assuming that self-care enabling technology will produce significant savings, at least in the short term. Nuffield Trust

Choice in the presence of experts: the role of general practitioners in patients' hospital care

Choice in the presence of experts: the role of general practitioners in patients' hospital care This paper presents an analysis of patients' hospital choice for elective medical procedures when their choice set is pre-selected by a GP. The study found that patients defer to GPs when assessing hospital quality and tangible attributes such as hospital amenities and that GPs, in turn, as patients' agents present choice options based on quality, but as agents of health authorities also consider their financial implications. Institute for Fiscal Studies

Best practice for perinatal mental health care: the economic case

Best practice for perinatal mental health care: the economic case This report examines the economic case for investing in early interventions that reflect best practice in England. Funded by the Nursing Division under the Nursing Directorate at NHS England, the study included a comparison of the potential costs and consequences associated with such interventions compared with one or more alternative course of action (operationally defined as current practice, and sometimes referred to in studies as the ‘do nothing’ option). Personal Social Services Research Unit

Patients 'will suffer unless NHS budget rises'

Patients 'will suffer unless NHS budget rises' Patients in England will see rising waiting times, rationing and cuts in the number of staff unless the NHS gets more money, health bosses say.

A five-year plan to increase the budget by £8bn a year by 2020 was only set out last year, but now hospital bosses have warned that is not enough.

Chris Hopson, of NHS Providers, said the settlement needed to be redrawn.

However, the Department of Health said "tough economic decisions" had allowed it "to invest in our NHS".

It comes ahead of the Autumn Statement next Wednesday when ministers will set out their spending plans. BBC News

See also:

• NHS is fighting a losing battle without extra funding for neglected areas NHS Providers
• Autumn Statement submission NHS Providers
• Promised £8bn extra for NHS is not enough, says hospitals boss The Guardian