Wednesday 23 March 2016

Equal pay claim for women working at six Northamptonshire care homes

Equal pay claim for women working at six Northamptonshire care homes A number of female care staff in Northamptonshire could be granted thousands of pounds in back pay if a High Court battle against their company succeeds. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Medical spending and hospital inpatient care in England: an analysis over time

Medical spending and hospital inpatient care in England: an analysis over time This paper presents a summary of the trends in medical expenditure in England and then using detailed administrative data presents analysis of the growth over 15 years of expenditure and activity in hospital inpatient health care, which represents around 20-25 per cent of all NHS expenditure. Centre for Health Economics

Report highlights variation in maternity care across England

Report highlights variation in maternity care across England Differences in the care received by women giving birth in hospitals across England are highlighted in a state of the nation report published by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

The report, carried out in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, gives a national perspective on patterns of care during labour and delivery, enabling NHS trusts to examine their own practice in context and ensure their services meet the needs of women and their families.

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NHS England announces new action to cut stillbirths

NHS England announces new action to cut stillbirths There are currently around 665,000 babies born in England each year, but there are over 3,000 stillbirths. Despite falling to its lowest rate in 20 years, one in every 200 babies is stillborn in the UK, more than double the rate of nations with the lowest rates.

The new guidance – called Saving Babies’ Lives Care Bundle – is part of a drive to halve the rate of stillbirths from 4.7 per thousand to 2.3 per thousand by 2030, potentially avoiding the tragedy of stillbirth for more than 1500 families every year. While the majority of women receive high quality care, there is around a 25 per cent variation in stillbirth rates across England. NHS England

Healthy weight, healthy futures: local government action to tackle childhood obesity

Healthy weight, healthy futures: local government action to tackle childhood obesity This report uses a series of case studies to outline how the transfer of responsibility for public health in 2013 to councils has sparked a surge in innovative programmes for tackling childhood obesity. From working with children who are obese and overweight to encouraging children to cut their consumption of sugary drinks, local authorities are showing how child obesity can be tackled. Local Government Association

Putting Doctors and Patients on the Same Page

Putting Doctors and Patients on the Same Page More than 6 million Americans have unrestricted online access to their medical records, thanks to "OpenNotes," an initiative launched in 2010. Early research suggests that letting patients read their doctors' clinical notes holds promise for engaging patients in their care, strengthening patient-provider relationships, and even improving adherence to care regimens. The Commonwealth Fund

Junior doctors will realise contract imposition was right, says Jeremy Hunt

Junior doctors will realise contract imposition was right, says Jeremy Hunt Junior doctors will realise the government 'was right' to impose a new contract after the collapse of negotiations with the BMA, health secretary Jeremy Hunt has told MPs. GP Online

Multi-million pound GP compensation claims rising

Multi-million pound GP compensation claims rising 12 compensation claims worth more than £1m paid last year. OnMedica

Liverpool Community Heath NHS trust 'had oppressive culture'

Liverpool Community Heath NHS trust 'had oppressive culture' An "oppressive" culture at an NHS trust led to poor services, bullying of staff and may even have contributed to some deaths, a report has found.

The review highlighted "failures at multiple levels" at Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust since 2011. BBC News

Tens of thousands of care workers still paid below minimum wage despite new regulations

Tens of thousands of care workers still paid below minimum wage despite new regulations; Tens of thousands of care workers are still being paid below the national minimum wage despite new regulation designed to ensure they are paid fairly, a new study says.

Despite a change in the law and a major HMRC investigation, care firms are still failing to pay staff for travel between clients according to the research from Unison, based on Freedom of Information responses from more than 150 councils in England and Wales. The Independent

Dementia sufferers test-drive revolutionary rehabilitation system which puts patients at the helm of interactive games and activities

Dementia sufferers test-drive revolutionary rehabilitation system which puts patients at the helm of interactive games and activities First developed to rehabilitate wounded Israeli soldiers, the virtual reality CAREN machine has also helped hundreds of injured Chinese earthquake victims to take their first steps to recovery.

Now those with dementia in northern England have begun test-driving the same revolutionary rehabilitation system to help with their condition – throwing them into a futuristic world where they can fight sharks, drive high-speed cars and try downhill skiing. The Independent

Meningitis B vaccine cost analysis 'underestimates' impact on families

Meningitis B vaccine cost analysis 'underestimates' impact on families Campaigners and experts calling for older children to receive MenB vaccine say current cost-benefit analysis does not take into account the true impacts of the illness. The Daily Telegraph

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