Wellingborough woman hands in ‘largest petition ever’ against planned pharmacy cuts

Wellingborough woman hands in ‘largest petition ever’ against planned pharmacy cuts A Wellingborough woman has helped to hand in what organisers say is “the biggest ever petition to Downing Street” against proposed pharmaceutical cuts. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Guidance: Changes to the death certification process

Guidance: Changes to the death certification process This is an overview of the proposed introduction of medical examiners and reforms to the process of Death Certification in England and Wales.

The reforms are expected to be introduced from April 2018 and responses to the death certification reforms consultation will help to inform how these changes are put in place. You can also give your views by responding to the consultation. Department of Health

The future of public services: digital patients

The future of public services: digital patients This report highlights the important role app and wearable technology will play in healthcare. It finds that the emergence of wearable and app technology in healthcare presents policymakers with an unprecedented opportunity to engage patients in their own healthcare. It concludes that, if care teams had access to user-generated data, it could enrich their understanding of the patient and how best to manage their condition. Reform

The role of the nurse on the CCG governing body

The role of the nurse on the CCG governing body This report highlights how the role of nurses on a CCG’s governing body has changed over time, empowering them to make more of a difference for their local patients and populations. It reveals how many CCGs are now employing full time chief or executive nurses with responsibility for the day-to-day running of an element of the organisation, going beyond the legal requirement for a registered nurse to sit on their governing body. The report illustrates the impact that commissioning nurses are making locally, such as reducing rates of smoking in pregnancy, providing a voice for practice nurses and leading local service development. It also makes recommendations for national organisations and CCGs themselves on how they can support the commissioning nurse to be as effective as possible. NHS Clinical Commissioners

Is Primary Care the Best and Worst Job in Medicine?

Is Primary Care the Best and Worst Job in Medicine? About one-third of U.S. and U.K. primary care physicians are dissatisfied with their jobs, recent Commonwealth Fund survey findings show. Primary care physicians in both nations say they’re having a hard time managing their sickest and most complex patients, using health information technology, and coordinating care outside office settings. The Commonwealth Fund

Teen cancer death rate causes alarm

Teen cancer death rate causes alarm Too many teenagers and young adults are dying of some types of cancer, a Europe-wide report warns. BBC News

See also:

• Survival of European adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer in 2000–07: population-based data from EUROCARE-5 (abstract) The Lancet

Anti-cancer jab piloted in gay men

Anti-cancer jab piloted in gay men A vaccine to reduce the risk of cancer is to be offered to homosexual men in England in a pilot scheme starting in June. BBC News

See also:

• Gay and bisexual men to be offered HPV vaccine under pilot scheme The Guardian

CQC develops regime to assess healthcare across entire local areas

CQC develops regime to assess healthcare across entire local areas The CQC has published two prototype reports assessing the breadth of health and social care - including general practice - across Salford and Tameside as part of its plan to begin evaluating quality of care over whole local areas. GP Online

Student suicides at their highest level since 2007, according to Office for National Statistics

Student suicides at their highest level since 2007, according to Office for National Statistics Number has risen to 130 in 2014 – from 75 in 2007 – as Samaritans charity urges students to seek help. The Independent

See also:

• Exam stress linked to teen suicide NHS Choices
• Total number of deaths by suicide or undetermined intent for Students aged 18 and above in England and Wales, 2014 Office for National Statistics

BMA considered dragging out doctors' dispute, emails show

BMA considered dragging out doctors' dispute, emails show Leak reveals discussions about prolonging members’ strike action in attempt to force Jeremy Hunt to impose disputed contract

The British Medical Association considered dragging out the junior doctors’ dispute for up to 18 months in order to tie Jeremy Hunt’s department “in knots” and force him to impose the contract that medics loathed, leaked emails show.

A cache of messages exchanged between leaders of the union’s junior doctors committee (JDC) also show that it discussed BMA members going on strike repeatedly over a “prolonged period”. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Leaked documents reveal how 'the only real red line' for junior doctors was PAY The Daily Mail
• Leak reveals junior doctors' plot to "draw out" bitter contract dispute The Daily Telegraph
• Yes, the junior doctors' strike was about money. But blame the BMA for that, not the doctors The Daily Telegraph
• 'There is still deep anger': junior doctors on the new contract deal The Guardian

UK doctors told to halve inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions by 2020

UK doctors told to halve inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions by 2020 David Cameron reveals tough new targets to curb overuse of the drugs and cut resurgence of killer diseases

Tough new targets to curb the overuse of antibiotics and cut the risk of the resurgence of killer diseases have been announced by the government, which will require doctors to halve the number of inappropriate prescriptions written for the drugs by 2020.

David Cameron told world leaders at the G7 summit in Japan that the issue was a priority for him, as he revealed plans to crack down on prescribing within the UK. Experts warn that unless action is taken drug-resistant infections will kill more people than cancer, taking 10 million lives a year by 2050. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• England’s chief medical officer warns of ‘antibiotic apocalypse’ The Guardian
• No antibiotics without a test, says report on rising antimicrobial resistance The Guardian

'Nightmare' infection found in US for first time

'Nightmare' infection found in US for first time A superbug resistant to all known medications has been found in the United States for the first time, raising new concern about the dwindling effectiveness of antibiotics, the top US public health official said on Thursday.

The case involved a 49-year-old woman in Pennsylvania whose urinary tract infection tested positive for a strain of E. coli that is resistant to the antibiotic of last resort for such infections, known as colistin. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Superbug resistant to ALL drugs reaches the US, experts warn The Daily Mail

Lung disease sufferers experiencing 'systematic neglect', warns charity

Lung disease sufferers experiencing 'systematic neglect', warns charity Tens of thousands of lung disease sufferers are experiencing “systematic neglect” by the health system because of “misconceptions” around smoking, a leading charity has warned.

The British Lung Foundation (BLF) yesterday said the badly needed improvement in diagnoses and treatment of lung conditions was not yet happening because it was assumed the problem would improve with the decline of smoking.

However, of the roughly 115,000 deaths that occur each year due to lung diseases, only around half are directly attributed to smoking. The Daily Telegraph