Monday 24 October 2016

Northamptonshire gets share of 1,000 new 'nursing associates' being recruited across the UK

Northamptonshire gets share of 1,000 new 'nursing associates' being recruited across the UK

New teams of 'nursing associates' will be trained and recreated across Northamptonshire to work in hospitals, GP practices and care homes. 
Evening Telegraph

Family doctors need to be able to dedicate their time to patients who really need their expert skills, says RCGP in response to Choosing Wisely report

Family doctors need to be able to dedicate their time to patients who really need their expert skills, says RCGP in response to Choosing Wisely report

Professor Maureen Baker, Chair of the RCGP, said: “At a time when patients in some areas of the country are having to wait for nearly a month to see their GP - due to rocketing demand and not enough GPs to keep pace – this report is a dose of common sense.

“The guidance shows there are many minor ailments and conditions that can be treated quickly and effectively without needing to see a GP, meaning that family doctors can dedicate their valuable time to those patients who really need our expert skills.

“As well as demonstrating to patients why going to the GP isn’t always the best course of action, it should also reduce the pressure on GPs to prescribe medications such as antibiotics which might not be needed.

“Overdiagnosis and overtreatment is harmful to patients. In 2013, the RCGP set up an Overdiagnosis group of GPs and patient group representatives to challenge problems facing general practice - such as random screening of the population for very specific diseases - and it now has over 150 active members.

“Today’s report reinforces the importance of this work and we hope it will be a major step forward in easing the pressures on GP time so that NHS resources are always directed where they can deliver the most benefit for our patients.” 
RCGP

Recruiting for values and behaviours in social care toolkit

Recruiting for values and behaviours in social care toolkit  

Values based recruitment and retention is about finding and keeping people who have the right values, behaviours and attitudes to work in social care and know what it means to provide high quality care.This toolkit has guidance, suggestions and practical resources to help with recruiting people with the right values, behaviours and attitudes.

Skills for Care

Toolkit

Unheeded warnings: health care in crisis: the UK nursing labour market review 2016

Unheeded warnings: health care in crisis: the UK nursing labour market review 2016

This research highlights risks to the future nursing supply in England as it finds that half of nurses are aged 45 or over and are within ten years of being eligible for early retirement. In comparison, a decade ago just a third of the nursing workforce was aged 45 or over. The report calls on the government to scrap the pay cap for NHS staff to help to alleviate the retention crisis.

Royal College of Nursing (RCN)

Report

Press release

Community pharmacy in 2016/17 and beyond: final package

Community pharmacy in 2016/17 and beyond: final package

This paper outlines plans to modernise community pharmacies, which will ensure a better quality service for patients and relieve pressure in other parts of the NHS. The changes include a reward system for high quality service and a pharmacy access scheme for isolated areas with higher health needs. The accompanying documentation explains the package of reforms, including changes to the community pharmacy contractual framework.

Department of Health (DH)

Guidance

Associated documentation

Press release

Blighted lives

Blighted lives

The true cost of the diabetes epidemic facing the UK is lives blighted by years of disability. 
BBC News

Doctors name treatments that bring little or no benefit

Doctors name treatments that bring little or no benefit

Senior doctors have drawn up a list of 40 treatments which bring little or no benefit to patients to try to reduce unnecessary medical procedures.

BMA calls for helpline for people addicted to prescription drugs

BMA calls for helpline for people addicted to prescription drugs

Organisation says specific services needed for those addicted to strong tranquillisers used for issues such as anxiety

The British Medical Association (BMA) has called for a 24-hour helpline to be introduced for patients who are addicted to prescription drugs.

The group believes it could help tackle problems created when strong tranquillisers prescribed for short-term use, to treat issues such as anxiety and insomnia, are issued for longer periods.

NHS figures show 'shocking' rise in self-harm among young

NHS figures show 'shocking' rise in self-harm among young

Upward trend is more pronounced among girls and is evidence of increased social pressures on children, say experts

The number of children and young people self-harming has risen dramatically in the past 10 years, new NHS figures obtained by the Guardian show.

The sharp upward trend in under-18s being admitted to hospital after poisoning, cutting or hanging themselves is more pronounced among girls, though there have been major rises among boys too.  

Sustainability and transformation plans are 'least bad option' for NHS

Sustainability and transformation plans are 'least bad option' for NHS

Chief executive of the King’s Fund believes STP process is helping deliver the Five Year Forward View

Two years after NHS England unveiled the Five Year Forward View (pdf) – its blueprint for community-based, integrated healthcare able to cope with the pressures of a growing and ageing population – the central bodies are still not doing enough to make it happen.

The King’s Fund is about to publish analysis of progress in reforming the way the NHS works to allow the new care models outlined in the Forward View to flourish. Speaking to the Guardian’s Healthcare Professionals Network, chief executive Chris Ham identified four ways in which the system is hampering local reforms – a shortage of cash to kickstart change, too little progress on a payment system which encourages collaboration, the need to sort out the debacle of the contracting rules which emerged from the Lansley reforms, and rushing change.