Put GPs at the centre of the NHS commissioning roadmap

Put GPs at the centre of the NHS commissioning roadmap Work is well under way in implementing Simon Stevens’s blueprint for a more integrated NHS, in which providers work together across sectors to deliver co-ordinated care for patients. However, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are still waiting for publication of a roadmap for the future of commissioning, which is now expected from NHS England in the autumn.

Those writing that strategy face a challenging task. The role that CCGs play in the NHS is changing, and commissioning-like work is now undertaken by what can be a confusing range of organisations and planning structures that often overlap. The King's Fund

Sepsis: recognition, diagnosis and early management

Sepsis: recognition, diagnosis and early management This guideline covers the recognition, diagnosis and early management of sepsis for all populations. The guideline committee identified that the key issues to be included were: recognition and early assessment, diagnostic and prognostic value of blood markers for sepsis, initial treatment, escalating care, identifying the source of infection, early monitoring, information and support for patients and carers, and training and education. NICE

See also:

• Diagnosis of sepsis a worry for GPs so support to help early identification is welcome, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
• Treat sepsis 'the same as heart attacks' BBC News
• NHS gets tough on silent killer sepsis after Mail exposed scandal of baby William's death The Daily Mail
• Treat signs of sepsis as urgently as heart attack symptoms, doctors told The Daily Telegraph
• Listen to parents of sick children rather than tests, NHS tells doctors The Guardian
• Sepsis should be treated with same urgency as heart attacks, says Nice The Independent

Clinicians rise to the social media challenge

Clinicians rise to the social media challenge The challenges of supporting patients to become more resilient and knowledgeable about their condition are difficult to crack – and social media can be part of the problem. Primary Care Commissioning

Case study shows benefit of paid work placements

Case study shows benefit of paid work placements Find out how one health and social care provider in southern England is using paid work placements to get people back to work. NHS Employers

'Life-saving' course on managing diabetes benefiting few patients

'Life-saving' course on managing diabetes benefiting few patients Diabetes UK report finds a mere 8,274 of the 144,352 newly diagnosed patients attended course, leaving many at risk of blindness and even death.

Many patients with diabetes are at risk of blindness, amputation and even death because so few of them attend courses about how to manage their condition, a leading charity has warned.

Diabetes UK said a mere 8,274 of the 144,352 people newly diagnosed with the disease in England and Wales in 2014-15 went to a diabetes education course, which advises patients on how to stay as healthy as possible. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Up to 24,000 diabetics dying each year because of lack of education The Daily Telegraph

GPs can’t solve this mental health crisis

GPs can’t solve this mental health crisis | Zara Aziz Cuts have put pressure on GPs, who have little or no training or access to specialist help to support patients with mental health problems

I work as a GP in a diverse urban practice of over 17,000 patients. We are situated in a relatively deprived part of Bristol with pockets of affluence. We have patients from many different ethnicities including those from EU and non-EU countries as well as a large cohort of university students. A significant bulk of our work involves dealing with mental health problems.

Mental health services across the country are very patchy: in some areas there is no easy access to psychiatrists, and long waiting times for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or counselling. Continue reading... The Guardian

Prosecutions for hate crimes against disabled people surge by more than 40 per cent in a year

Prosecutions for hate crimes against disabled people surge by more than 40 per cent in a year The number of prosecutions for hate crimes against disabled people has surged by 41.3 per cent in the last year.

In 2015-16 ,there were 941 prosecutions for disability hate crimes, official figures show.

The rise is part of an increase in the number of all hate crimes pursued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which rose by 4.8 per cent.

Alison Saunders, Director of Public Prosecutions, said the increases showed that hate crimes "will not be ignored". The Daily Telegraph

Elderly denied support as councils struggle to cope with national living wage bills

Elderly denied support as councils struggle to cope with national living wage bills Elderly people are quietly being denied support by councils struggling to cope with funding cuts and rising carer bills fuelled by the National Living Wage, new analysis shows.

The flagship Government policy, which came into effect in April and guarantees £7.20 an hour for those aged 25 and over, has left English councils searching for an extra £600 million, according to the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS).

Overall, local authorities need an extra £1.1bn just to maintain the level of care they provided last year, the ADASS report reveals. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Budget survey 2016  Association of Directors of Adult Social Services in England
• Taking control of our social care system The King's Fund
• Council tax rises 'fail to stop care cuts' BBC News
• Vulnerable adults at risk as councils face £1bn social care shortfall The Guardian