Behind the headlines: are older people and families really to blame when their hospital discharges are delayed?

Behind the headlines: are older people and families really to blame when their hospital discharges are delayed? Almost three million (2,998,273) hospital bed days have been lost between June 2010 and January 2016 due to a lack of social care provision at a cost of £910 million, according to a new report by Age UK

See also:

• Age UK claim hospitals are 'evicting' OAPs to free up beds The Daily Mail

Health and care bodies reveal the map that will transform healthcare in England

Health and care bodies reveal the map that will transform healthcare in England National health and care bodies in England have published details of the 44 ‘footprint’ areas that will bring local health and care leaders, organisations and communities together to develop local blueprints for improved health, care and finances over the next five years, delivering the NHS Five Year Forward View. NHS England

Research for all: building a research-active medical workforce

Research for all: building a research-active medical workforce This report argues that that the greatest barrier doctors face in engaging in research is a lack of time, even though they are eager to do so. Drawn from the findings of a survey of almost 2,000 doctors, the report shows that respondents cited the lack of time as having a ‘significant impact’ on their ability to engage in research. Royal College of Physicians

Eye risk from 'overstretched NHS'

Eye risk from 'overstretched NHS' Hundreds of patients are suffering irreversible sight loss every year in England because services are overstretched and under-resourced says the president of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, Prof Carrie MacEwen. BBC News

Apprenticeships open the door to fulfilling and rewarding healthcare careers

Apprenticeships open the door to fulfilling and rewarding healthcare careers Apprenticeships and other training programmes offer alternative routes into many roles in the healthcare sector – and are gaining popularity among both school leavers and employers

When James Lowell finished school at 16 in the early 90s, he walked away with just three GCSEs. The south Londoner was left disillusioned by formal education and wanted to pursue a more vocational form of training where he could also earn some money at the same time. So he got a job as porter at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital in London.

“I was working from 3.30pm to 11pm so it wasn't the most desirable hours, but it allowed me to get into a hospital environment and see what careers were available,” he says. And it wasn't long before opportunity knocked. Continue reading... The Guardian

Antibiotics becoming ineffective at treating some child infections

Antibiotics becoming ineffective at treating some child infections Study finds overuse is to blame for bacteria becoming resistant to drugs in urinary tract infections caused by E coli.

Children are becoming powerless to fight off common infections because antibiotics they take are unable to kill the bacteria involved, experts warn.

New research shows that overuse of antibiotics by children is to blame for bugs becoming drug-resistant for up to six months at a time in cases of urinary tract infections (UTI) caused by E coli. 'Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• How antibiotic resistance could wreak havoc on health, food and travel The Guardian
• Antibiotic resistance is not theoretical: the threat is real and immediate The Guardian

The care homes at the vanguard of better health

The care homes at the vanguard of better health Homes in Hertfordshire have successfully reduced hospital admissions and improved residents’ wellbeing through a specialist NHS training programme.

In England, one in six people aged over 85 live in a care home. The NHS’s 2014 five-year vision for the future of health and care wants care homes to offer older people better, joined-up healthcare and rehabilitation services.

For more than 3,000 people in east and north Hertfordshire, “home” is one of the 92 care homes clustered in and around the county’s towns. Most residents are elderly, many have complex health conditions. On average, each takes seven prescribed medicines a day and they’re more than three times as likely to be admitted to hospital as other over 65-year-olds in the county. For the residents, particularly those living with dementia, every hospital visit has the potential to be confusing and disorientating – particularly as around a quarter of hospital admissions are for less than 24 hours. Continue reading... The Guardian

New running blades for 500 amputee children after £1.5million NHS boost in 2016 Budget

New running blades for 500 amputee children after £1.5million NHS boost in 2016 Budget Revealed: The Chancellor will say today that he has found £500,000 to be spent on new "child sports prosthetics" to allow 500 amputee children to run or swim. The Daily Telegraph

'Doctors are too afraid to mention meningitis' parents warn

'Doctors are too afraid to mention meningitis' parents warn Families call for better awareness of meningitis B symptoms and call for quicker precautionary action to be taken by medics. The Daily Telegraph