Appeal to raise £20,000 for ‘must-have’ equipment for intensive care patients at Kettering Hospital

Appeal to raise £20,000 for ‘must-have’ equipment for intensive care patients at Kettering Hospital An appeal has been launched to raise £20,000 to buy new equipment which could be a lifeline for patients in intensive care. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Recruitment day is being held at Northampton General Hospital

Recruitment day is being held at Northampton General Hospital A recruitment day is being held next Tuesday at Northampton General Hospital. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Press release: Fewer adults dying from conditions directly caused by alcohol

Press release: Fewer adults dying from conditions directly caused by alcohol New figures show fewer adults are dying from alcohol-specific conditions, such as alcoholic liver disease and alcohol poisonings.

The latest update to the Local Alcohol Profiles for England (LAPE) data tool shows that nationally, alcohol-specific deaths fell by 3% to 17,755 deaths. Alcohol-related deaths have seen a slight increase, year on year, from an estimated 22,330 in 2012 to 22,976 in 2014. Alcohol-related deaths include conditions that are partially related to alcohol, such as heart disease and certain cancers. Public Health England

Zika virus: updated travel advice for pregnant women

Zika virus: updated travel advice for pregnant women Public Health England and the National Travel Health Network and Centre have been carefully monitoring the evolving Zika virus outbreak in South and Central America and the Caribbean and are now issuing updated travel advice for pregnant women and advice on preventing sexual transmission.

See also:

• 'Strong evidence' of Zika virus and Guillain-Barr syndrome link NHS Choices
• Pregnant women warned against Zika travel BBC News
• VIDEO: Zika concerns grow in Puerto Rico BBC News
• Zika virus: pregnant women warned against travel to affected areas The Guardian
• Zika: What is Guillain-Barre syndrome linked to the virus? The Independent

Delivering for patients with rare diseases: Implementing a Strategy

Delivering for patients with rare diseases: Implementing a Strategy The UK Rare Disease Forum (the group charged with monitoring the implementation of the UK Strategy for Rare Diseases) has published its first progress report. The report recognises that there has been significant progress across the UK but much remains to be done to meet the needs of the millions of people affected by rare diseases.

New initiative aims to improve maternity services through patient feedback

New initiative aims to improve maternity services through patient feedback Maternity services have been invited to bid for money from a new Challenge Fund aimed at finding innovative ways to use patient feedback to improve services.

Emails with full details have gone out to chief executives of all trusts inviting them to put in their bids to be among the two to four projects that will get funding for their initiative from the £195,000 available. NHS England

Triple Aim strategies to improve behavioural health care

Triple Aim strategies to improve behavioural health care This guide describes strategies, action steps and examples for hospitals, health systems and community stakeholders working together to develop a well-coordinated, accessible, affordable and accountable system for delivering behavioural health care. The case studies in the guide provide examples of how hospitals and health systems, working with community partners, can improve the quality of and access to behavioural health care, while bending the cost curve and improving community health. Hospitals in Pursuit of Excellence

Rise in hip replacements for under-60s

Rise in hip replacements for under-60s The number of hip replacement operations on people aged under 60 has risen 76% in the last decade, NHS figures for England reveal. BBC News

See also:

• Sporty baby-boomers spark surge in hip-replacements The Daily Telegraph

Ambulance chief in 111 row 'told to go'

Ambulance chief in 111 row 'told to go' The chairman of the scandal-hit South East Coast Ambulance Service, Tony Thorne, is told to leave his post, the BBC understands. BBC News

Exclusive: Patients consulted in less than half of PMS reviews that could cut services

Exclusive: Patients consulted in less than half of PMS reviews that could cut services Commissioners have consulted patients in less than half of completed PMS reviews that are expected to change GP services, GP Online has learned.

NHS failing to answer patients’ questions, warns Ombudsman

NHS failing to answer patients’ questions, warns Ombudsman The NHS too often fails to answer patients’ questions and forces them to contact the Ombudsman service for answers, according to a report* published today.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's latest snapshot of cases report included many cases where questions about mistakes or oversights by the health service were unanswered by the NHS itself. OnMedica

See also:

• Report on selected summaries of investigations April to June 2015 Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Patients who do not use GP for five years 'may be barred from practice'

Patients who do not use GP for five years 'may be barred from practice' The plan being developed in the east of England is intended to find out if people no longer require services, have moved house or have died.

Patients who do not visit their GP for five years could be barred from their doctor’s surgery under plans being developed in the east of England.

Under the move, patients who have not seen their GP for five years will be sent two letters asking them to respond. If they do not get in touch to say they still wish to be registered with their GP, they will be removed from the GP practice list. Continue reading... The Guardian

The five principles behind the world’s most efficient health systems

The five principles behind the world’s most efficient health systems Some nations pay half what others do for healthcare and yet get the same or better outcomes. Here’s why.

One of the greatest conundrums in global health is why so many countries don’t get what they pay for. A relationship between health expenditure and health exists, but is far looser than you might think. Many nations spend a quarter or even a half of what others do for the same or better outcomes.

Lifestyle and cultural factors undoubtedly play a role in this, but after working in more than 60 countries, I have seen how patterns in the way that healthcare is managed, delivered and funded is also crucial. Here are five factors that are often at play: Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Which country has the world's best healthcare system? The Guardian

Life-changing Sickle Cell Disease treatment approved by NHS watchdog

Life-changing Sickle Cell Disease treatment approved by NHS watchdog A new automatic blood transfusion treatment will half the number of visits to hospital for people with Sickle Cell Disease. The Daily Telegraph

Ban contact rugby in schools, say health experts

Ban contact rugby in schools, say health experts Dozens of doctors and health experts have written to the Government calling for a ban on tackling in school rugby games to avoid needless injuries. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Schools urged to ban tackling in rugby BBC News
• Full-contact rugby 'too dangerous' for schools, health experts warn The Independent