Northamptonshire NHS governor says email system problems have caused patients to miss appointments

Northamptonshire NHS governor says email system problems have caused patients to miss appointments A governor of an NHS trust in Northamptonshire says failures with the national NHS email system has led to patients missing psychiatric appointments. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Listening and communication are key skills for chief executives

Listening and communication are key skills for chief executives Catherine Beardshaw, former Chief Executive Officer of Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and one of the interviewees in our recent report, The chief executive's tale, gives a personal account of life as an NHS leader. The King's Fund

Reshaping the workforce to deliver the care patients need

Reshaping the workforce to deliver the care patients need A report commissioned by NHS Employers to examine how best NHS staffing can be reorganised to support new ways of delivering care to patients. The authors conducted a survey of local Health Education England (HEE) leaders, examined a number of case studies around the country, convened an expert seminar, interviewed a wide range of stakeholders, and carried out a review of relevant literature.

The report finds that equipping the existing non-medical workforce – NHS nursing, community and support staff – with additional skills is the best way to develop the capacity of the health service workforce. Nuffield Trust

See also:

• 'Train NHS staff' to plug doctor gaps BBC News
• Nurses to stand in for junior doctors amid staff shortages The Daily Telegraph
• Plan to train NHS nurses to cover for doctors sparks alarm The Guardian

Support Mental Health Awareness Week 2016

Support Mental Health Awareness Week 2016 Find out how you can help to awareness of mental health and listen to the newly launched podcasts on the How Are You Feeling NHS toolkit. NHS Employers

Medical school end-of-life care training 'wanting'

Medical school end-of-life care training 'wanting' Nearly half of medical students say they received no end-of-life care training or advice before they first had contact with a dying patient, according to a GMC survey.

Speaking at the National Council for Palliative Care’s Dying Matters debate, the GMC’s Chief Executive, Niall Dickson, said more needed to be done to prepare medical students and newly qualified doctors to equip them to provide palliative care, and in particular to address the emotional aspects of looking after patients who are dying. OnMedica

See also:

• GMC calls for more support for doctors in care of the dying General Medical Council

Specialists concerned over hospital oxygen 'misuse'

Specialists concerned over hospital oxygen 'misuse' Around 6,000 NHS patients on an average day are receiving oxygen with no prescription or other written order to help ensure that staff deliver and monitor oxygen use safely and effectively, according to new audit by the British Thoracic Society (BTS). OnMedica

Man receives first penis transplant in US after suffering from penile cancer

Man receives first penis transplant in US after suffering from penile cancer The doctors involved hope to be able to make the process much easier and less risky, and to eventually use the same techniques with wounded soldiers. The Independent

Surge in teenagers self-poisoning renews mental health concerns

Surge in teenagers self-poisoning renews mental health concerns Almost two in three poisonings are intentional – up 50% in past 20 years – with young women most affected, data shows

Growing numbers of teenagers are deliberately poisoning themselves with alcohol, painkillers and antidepressants, renewing fears about young people’s mental health. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Social media is harming the mental health of teenagers. The state has to act | June Eric Udorie The Guardian
• Mental health services turn away 23% of under-18s referred to them The Guardian
• Teenage girls' mental health overlooked by parents, survey finds The Guardian
• Surge in girls' alcohol poisoning behind rise in teenage poisonings The Independent

All secondary schools 'should have on-site mental health support'

All secondary schools 'should have on-site mental health support' Study says schools are well placed for early intervention and recommends that a professional be on site at least once a week

All secondary schools should have access to a mental health professional on site at least one day a week to help combat the growing number of children with conditions such as anxiety and depression, according to a study.

The Institute for Public Policy Research report said secondary schools faced a major problem as demand from young people with mental health problems increased while funding for NHS and local authority early intervention faced cuts. Continue reading... The Guardian