Thursday 23 June 2016

Technical problems lead to X-ray delays at KGH

Technical problems lead to X-ray delays at KGH Technical problems because of a new system have caused delays in receiving radiology results at KGH, it has been revealed. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Doctors’ leaders call for opt-out system for organ donation

Doctors’ leaders call for opt-out system for organ donation Doctors’ leaders have today called for an opt-out system to be put in place for organ donation.

Voting today at the British Medical Association’s Annual Representative Meeting, a motion was passed which urged doctors to lobby the Governments in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland to implement an opt-out system similar to the one put in place in Wales in 2015.

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Supporting the Development of Community Pharmacy Practice within Primary Care

Supporting the Development of Community Pharmacy Practice within Primary Care A new report that argues community pharmacy in England, with approaching 11,700 pharmacies, represents health on the high street and within our communities.

The NHS needs clinical pharmacists within general practice, urgent care and out of hours, nursing homes and many other multidisciplinary teams. But the NHS also needs clinical pharmacists within a community pharmacy setting and a strategy for community pharmacy to deliver its potential. New NHS Alliance

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Has NHS failure become the new norm?

Has NHS failure become the new norm? With both the doctors' and nurses' annual conferences taking place in Belfast and Glasgow respectively, this would normally be a week when the state of the NHS takes top billing.

But not this year. The coverage is pretty muted. Of course, the EU referendum has something to do with that.

However, there is also a sense that something else is at play. After months of deadlock in the junior doctor dispute and a constant barrage of negative headlines about missed targets, there seems to be a certain weariness that has crept in when it comes to the debate around the state of the health service. BBC News

Abortion demand 'soars' amid Zika fear

Abortion demand 'soars' amid Zika fear Fears over the Zika virus have contributed to a "huge" increase in number of abortions in Latin America, researchers suggest. BBC News

Unmanageable GP workload threatens safety of patient care, warns GP leader

Unmanageable GP workload threatens safety of patient care, warns GP leader Unmanageable workload, too few doctors, and too little resource are threatening the delivery of safe, quality care to patients, the leader of the UK’s GPs has warned. OnMedica

What makes a good leader in today's NHS?

What makes a good leader in today's NHS? In a climate where many NHS staff are demoralised and the service is facing unprecedented demand, how do leaders meet challenges?

Good leadership is often credited with being able to save the NHS. For individuals willing to take on leadership roles, the rewards can be great. However, with a general feeling of demoralisation in the workforce and services facing unprecedented demand, the challenges are even greater.

Marcus Powell, director of leadership and organisational development at The King’s Fund, recognises that leaders get “buffeted in all sorts of situations” and that they must have the ability to absorb problems and make sure their team feels safe. Continue reading... The Guardian

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Britain to open refuges to support child victims of sexual abuse

Britain to open refuges to support child victims of sexual abuse Child houses inspired by Icelandic scheme will tackle ‘public health emergency’ of abuse and offer young people expert care

Child refuges for victims of sexual abuse are to be set up in the UK to cope with the public health crisis from the scale of offences against young people.

Inspired by the Barnahus in Iceland, the child houses will provide young people with a supportive, child-friendly environment in which to talk about their experiences. Continue reading... The Guardian

I take opioids to treat chronic pain. Stigmatizing them will harm me

I take opioids to treat chronic pain. Stigmatizing them will harm me | Sonya Huber The push to blame the nation’s epidemic on too many prescriptions could have negative ramifications for patients who rely on them for pain management

A recent visit to one of my doctors started out in the usual way, with a review of my current medications. I have rheumatoid arthritis, an incurable autoimmune disease, so my list of medications is fairly long. The doctor paused when she reached Tramadol, a mild opioid I use sometimes before bed when pain threatens to steal sleep.

“You need this every night?” she asked. This caring doctor I’d trusted for years stiffened as if on alert. I could practically read on her face the March 2016 recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention accused doctors of creating the opioid crisis and recommending that the “vast majority of patients” with chronic pain not be treated with opioids. Continue reading... The Guardian

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'Pointless' to diagnose dementia if no help is on offer

'Pointless' to diagnose dementia if no help is on offer It is "pointless" to diagnose patients with dementia when there is no help available for them, leading doctors have said.

Medics accused ministers of caring more about “hitting targets” to drive up diagnosis rates than about ensuring that support was available for the most vulnerable.

The Government drive has seen a near doubling in diagnoses in the last six years. The Daily Telegraph

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