Thursday 14 April 2016

Northampton A&E unit under "intense pressure" with nearly 320 patients attending every day, says report

Northampton A&E unit under "intense pressure" with nearly 320 patients attending every day, says report About 320 patients are being seen every day at the accident and emergency department of Northampton General Hospital, it has been revealed. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Nursing agencies refuse to lower prices for Northamptonshire NHS, claims report

Nursing agencies refuse to lower prices for Northamptonshire NHS, claims report A spending cap that was designed to bring NHS wage bills under control is being constantly breached in Northamptonshire as agencies refuse to bring down their prices, according to a new report. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

The Stolen Years – The Mental Health and Smoking Action report

The Stolen Years – The Mental Health and Smoking Action report Smoking is the biggest contributing factor to why people with mental health have an average lifespan between 10 and 20 years shorter than the general population, according to a new report.

The report, from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), found that around a third of adult smokers are people with a current mental health condition. Among this group, smoking levels are double that of the general population.

The report, endorsed by 27 health and mental health organisations, sets out recommendations for how smoking rates for people with a mental health condition could be dramatically reduced. These include improved training of healthcare staff, better access to stop smoking medication and a move towards smokefree mental health settings. Action on Smoking and Health

Who cares? The future of general practice

Who cares? The future of general practice This report examines the current model of general practice in relation to advances in culture, society and technology and argues that the model needs to change to adapt to future needs. It highlights the need for providers to operate at a larger scale in order to deliver primary care services more effectively. It also considers different approaches to providing primary care services such as utilising a more diverse workforce to deliver these services, such as using nurses or pharmacists to administer some general practice appointments. Reform

A&E delays reach new record level

A&E delays reach new record level A&E performance in England sank to a new low in February for the second month in a row, official figures show. BBC News

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'Unacceptable gaps' in NHS baby care

'Unacceptable gaps' in NHS baby care Gaps in NHS services designed to help sick and premature babies are completely unacceptable, a child health expert says. BBC News

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Junior doctors begin permanent protest outside Department of Health

Junior doctors begin permanent protest outside Department of Health Doctors plan to wait outside Richmond House until Jeremy Hunt agrees to re-open talks on their contract. OnMedica

Antibiotic resistance 'could become bigger threat to mankind than cancer'

Antibiotic resistance 'could become bigger threat to mankind than cancer' Resistance to antibiotics will become "an even greater threat to mankind than cancer" without global action, Chancellor George Osborne will warn today.

The latest evidence suggests 10 million people a year could die globally by 2050, as a result of antibiotics becoming powerless against common infections - more than currently die from cancer, he will say. The Independent

Cutting edge theatre: world’s first virtual reality operation goes live

Cutting edge theatre: world’s first virtual reality operation goes live Dr Shafi Ahmed will carry out surgery live-streamed in virtual reality, a move experts hope will make healthcare ‘more equitable’ and help medical training.

This Thursday afternoon, Shafi Ahmed will lean over a patient and begin a delicate operation to remove cancerous tissue from a male patient’s bowel. He has performed such procedures many times before. But this time it won’t be just his surgical team who are in the room with him – the world will be there too.

Showing from 1pm the approximately two-hour long procedure at the Royal London Hospital is the world’s first operation to be streamed live in 360-degree video, allowing medical students, trainee surgeons and curious members of the public to immerse themselves in the medical event in real time. Continue reading... The Guardian

Innovative community health services help ease the pressure on GPs

Innovative community health services help ease the pressure on GPs New models of care for the growing number of people with long-term health issues are being offered around the country

Relying on family doctors to provide exclusive care to people with long-term conditions is becoming unsustainable. Around 15 million people in England live with a single long-term condition; the number of those with three or more is expected to reach 2.9 million in the next two years and most of them will be aged over 60. At the same time, a third of GP practices report long-term recruitment problems. Creating new ways of looking after this growing patient group has become imperative.

Innovative models of care managed in the community by other health professionals, and private and voluntary-sector providers, are starting to emerge and find a place in the integrated health and care landscape.

There is a growing realisation that health and social care professionals can’t do it all on their own. Continue reading... The Guardian

The true cost of mental health: Depression and anxiety 'loses global economy £651 BILLION each year'

The true cost of mental health: Depression and anxiety 'loses global economy £651 BILLION each year' A study conducted by the World Health Organisation reveals that the equivalent of 12 billion working days - or 50 million years - are lost annually to poor mental health. The Daily Mail

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Boots accused of telling staff to abuse patient medication scheme

Boots accused of telling staff to abuse patient medication scheme Boots has been accused of ordering its staff to review the medicines of patients who do not need it - including its own staff. The NHS pays pharmacies £28 per review. The Daily Mail

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