Underfunded, underdoctored, overstretched: The NHS in 2016

Underfunded, underdoctored, overstretched: The NHS in 2016 The NHS in 2016 is under-funded, under-doctored and overstretched. Patients and communities deserve to know the true choice that we face: increase funding or cut care. The RCP believes they deserve more than that: an NHS funded and staffed to meet their needs, now and in the future. The NHS in 2016 needs a new plan – a plan designed to meet the UK’s health and care needs in the long term, and to value, support and motivate NHS staff.

This report is the first of a series in our Mission: Health campaign which will be focused on three major themes – working for health, delivering health, and creating health. Royal College of Physicians

See also:

• 'Tired. hungry and dehydrated': Hospitals do not have enough doctors to keep patients safe, claims a report The Daily Mail

Who knows best? Older people’s contribution to understanding and preventing avoidable hospital admissions

Who knows best? Older people’s contribution to understanding and preventing avoidable hospital admissions The authors of this report interviewed 104 older people, exploring their experiences of emergency admissions. The research focused on whether the older people felt it was appropriate to be admitted to hospital and whether they thought anything could have prevented their admission. The findings of this study confirm the belief that older people have an important role to play in helping understand the nature of emergency admissions and to devise appropriate responses to their rising numbers. The report concludes that ignoring this expertise could be detrimental to ensuring older people get the appropriate care they need. University of Birmingham

Face-down restraint continuing in NHS

Face-down restraint continuing in NHS Face-down physical restraint is still being used in mental health wards in England, despite the government and the NHS saying it should stop.

Its use, which can restrict a patient's breathing, dropped only slightly over the two years following new guidelines.

In 2013-14, 22.4% of recorded incidents of restraints were face-down, falling to 18.5% by 2015-16.

Some healthcare trainers say face-down restraint can be the only appropriate way of keeping staff and patients safe.

The total number of recorded restraints rose by 16.6% from 2013-14 to 2015-16, although NHS managers said better reporting might be part of the reason for the increase. BBC News

Global pledge to stamp out drug-resistant infections

Global pledge to stamp out drug-resistant infections The 193 countries of the United Nations sign a landmark declaration to rid the world of drug-resistant infections or superbugs. BBC News

First head transplant by 2017, claims surgeon

First head transplant by 2017, claims surgeon Professor Canavero says he's a year away from transplanting a head onto a totally different body and has lots of volunteers from the UK who want it done. BBC News

NHS budget pressures will leave mental health services underfunded, spending watchdog warns

NHS budget pressures will leave mental health services underfunded, spending watchdog warns The Government will struggle to properly improve mental health services with the NHS budget at current levels, an influential committee of MPs has found.

The Public Accounts Committee looked at how much funding the Government had provided to reach its goal of putting mental health on “parity of esteem” with physical health and found funding shortfalls would make the “laudable ambition” very difficult.

“We are sceptical about whether this is affordable, or achievable without compromising other services,” the report says. The Independent

See also:

• Role for whole of Government in improving mental health support Public Accounts Select Committee 
• Improving access to mental health services (report) Public Accounts Select Committee 

Debt, homelessness, domestic violence: the GP practice acting as a one-stop shop

Debt, homelessness, domestic violence: the GP practice acting as a one-stop shop In Oldham, specialist nurses work with GPs to help tackle poor health, social isolation and deprivation

Lisa Baxter*, a mother of three from Oldham, was trapped with a violent partner, difficulties controlling her children, threats of homelessness and frightening debt. Her only ways of coping with her desperation were by abusing drugs and alcohol, and frequent appointments with her GP for antidepressants – until she was referred to community nurse, Ruth Chorley.

I don’t know what I would have done without Ruth. Without her, I think I would have had my children taken off me Continue reading... The Guardian

Jeremy Hunt 'acted within his powers' over junior doctors' contracts, court told

Jeremy Hunt 'acted within his powers' over junior doctors' contracts, court told Lawyer for junior doctors’ campaign group says health secretary could only recommend a deal, not impose one

Jeremy Hunt did not go beyond the “scope of his powers” as health secretary when approving a new NHS contract opposed by junior doctors, a barrister has told the high court.

Clive Sheldon QC said Hunt had been “clear” about what his powers were. Continue reading... The Guardian

Jeremy Hunt pledges fair deal for elderly cataract patients

Jeremy Hunt pledges fair deal for elderly cataract patients EXCLUSIVE - A postcode lottery in England that deprives cataract sufferers of vital surgery is to end. The shake-up was not due before 2018 but Jeremy Hunt has brought it forward 12 months. The Daily Mail

See also:

• RNIB report: Patients in England face 15-month wait for cataract surgery The Guardian

NHS ban on staff receiving gifts worth more than £50 in crackdown

NHS ban on staff receiving gifts worth more than £50 in crackdown NHS staff will be banned from accepting gifts over £50 and told to declare hospitality under the first national code on conflicts of interests.

Health officials said the new rules aimed to sweep away a “cloud” hanging over the health service in previous dealings with lobbyists.

Under the terms, all doctors and managers will be obliged to record any wining and dining worth more than £25, while gifts worth more than £50 will be banned.

Every NHS organisation will be ordered to run a register which lists potential conflicts of interest held by staff - such as hospitality received, involvement in sponsored events and private business interests. The Daily Telegraph

"Chemical cosh" of powerful drugs still routinely used to knock out dementia patients in care homes

"Chemical cosh" of powerful drugs still routinely used to knock out dementia patients in care homes Hundreds of care homes are still regularly using a “chemical cosh” of powerful drugs to quieten difficult dementia patients, despite a national review into the practice, a new report suggests.

A study from five universities found no overall reduction in the prescribing of antipsychotics in UK care homes between 2009 and 2012, three years after the Government launched the National Dementia Strategy.

In 2012, 77 per cent of treatments using the drugs were described as “excessive” and lasting for longer than the recommended six weeks, the report found. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Antipsychotic prescribing in care homes before and after launch of a national dementia strategy: an observation (open access) BMJ Open
• One in five elderly care home residents is given 'chemical cosh' drugs to keep them sedated The Daily Mail