Accelerated access review: final report
This report sets out recommendations on how patients could get quicker access to innovative new diagnostic tools, treatments, and medical technologies. It argues that streamlined processes could bring forward patient access to drugs by up to four years and patients will benefit from quicker access to medical technologies too. The report will help the NHS to provide the best care to patients, use funds more effectively, and create the conditions to help the life sciences industry continue to thrive.
Tuesday, 25 October 2016
Guidance: Suicide prevention: developing a local action plan
Guidance: Suicide prevention: developing a local action plan
Updated: Updated local suicide prevention planning resource.
The development of a local suicide action plan is recommended by government and supports the 2012 strategy ‘Preventing Suicide in England. A Cross Government Outcomes Strategy to save Lives’.
This document advises local authorities how to:
develop a suicide prevention action plan
monitor data, trends and hot spots
engage with local media
work with transport to map hot spots
work on local priorities to improve mental health
Public Health England
Updated: Updated local suicide prevention planning resource.
The development of a local suicide action plan is recommended by government and supports the 2012 strategy ‘Preventing Suicide in England. A Cross Government Outcomes Strategy to save Lives’.
This document advises local authorities how to:
develop a suicide prevention action plan
monitor data, trends and hot spots
engage with local media
work with transport to map hot spots
work on local priorities to improve mental health
Public Health England
Interactive Agenda for Change handbook launched online
Interactive Agenda for Change handbook launched online
Take a look at the interactive NHS terms and conditions of service handbook for Agenda for Change staff.
Take a look at the interactive NHS terms and conditions of service handbook for Agenda for Change staff.
NHS Employers
Health professions calling for greater leadership and action to tackle early deaths of people living with severe mental illness
Health professions calling for greater leadership and action to tackle early deaths of people living with severe mental illness
Although the health of the general population in the UK has improved significantly over the past 50 years, the life expectancy of adults with severe mental illness (SMI) in 2016 is lagging behind. Nearly half (46%) of people with SMI have a long-term physical health condition and are at risk of losing on average 10-20 years of their lifespan due to physical ill-health.
The report, ‘Improving the physical health of adults with severe mental illness: essential actions’ was written in partnership with the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and the Royal Colleges of General Practitioners, Nursing, Pathologists, Physicians, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and Public Health England. The report makes practical recommendations for changes that will help adults with SMI to receive the same standards of physical healthcare as the general population and reduce the risk of premature death.
The report makes eight recommendations to key bodies and inspectorates, including:
The creation of a new national steering group to lead and link key stakeholders with experts from the professions so that important aspects of physical healthcare are addressed and monitored at a national level.
Each mental health service, acute hospital, general medical practice or GP federation should develop a physical health strategy for patients with SMI which is approved by the board and reviewed annually; they should also appoint a lead clinician at board level to be responsible for its implementation.
Training for healthcare staff should be reviewed to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped to fulfil the physical health needs of people with SMI, such as being able to recognise physical illness and take appropriate action.
Infrastructure should be improved; e.g. systems for recognising acute illness; improved Information Technology to help with meeting current health-needs; better access to investigation results to help to improve standards of both physical and mental healthcare.
Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, Professor Dame Sue Bailey commented: "Health professionals should have the same ambitions for the physical health of people with severe mental illness as for the general population. The ambition of this report is to provide a focused programme of actions that can be taken across the system, from training to leadership and best practice in care provision, to reduce preventable premature mortality in this vulnerable group."
Professor Maureen Baker, Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "Patients are living longer and reaping the health benefits of advances in medicine over the last 50 years, and those with serious mental illness must not left behind. A key part of this is ensuring that patients with serious mental illness maintain good physical health and wellbeing.
"This report drives home the need for more mental health services in the community, and for GPs and our teams to have better, easier and quicker access to these.
"One of the pledges made in NHS England’s GP Forward View is for every GP practice to have access to a dedicated Mental Health therapist – and this will be essential in making sure our patients with serious mental illness receive optimal physical and mental health care.
"Mental health is an enduring priority for the RCGP and we have developed a number of practical resources to support GPs and other healthcare professionals to deliver the best possible care to our patients with mental health conditions. Promoting physical activity and lifestyle is also a priority, and we are working to support GPs to do this, in the best interests of all our patients."
Although the health of the general population in the UK has improved significantly over the past 50 years, the life expectancy of adults with severe mental illness (SMI) in 2016 is lagging behind. Nearly half (46%) of people with SMI have a long-term physical health condition and are at risk of losing on average 10-20 years of their lifespan due to physical ill-health.
The report, ‘Improving the physical health of adults with severe mental illness: essential actions’ was written in partnership with the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and the Royal Colleges of General Practitioners, Nursing, Pathologists, Physicians, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and Public Health England. The report makes practical recommendations for changes that will help adults with SMI to receive the same standards of physical healthcare as the general population and reduce the risk of premature death.
The report makes eight recommendations to key bodies and inspectorates, including:
The creation of a new national steering group to lead and link key stakeholders with experts from the professions so that important aspects of physical healthcare are addressed and monitored at a national level.
Each mental health service, acute hospital, general medical practice or GP federation should develop a physical health strategy for patients with SMI which is approved by the board and reviewed annually; they should also appoint a lead clinician at board level to be responsible for its implementation.
Training for healthcare staff should be reviewed to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped to fulfil the physical health needs of people with SMI, such as being able to recognise physical illness and take appropriate action.
Infrastructure should be improved; e.g. systems for recognising acute illness; improved Information Technology to help with meeting current health-needs; better access to investigation results to help to improve standards of both physical and mental healthcare.
Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, Professor Dame Sue Bailey commented: "Health professionals should have the same ambitions for the physical health of people with severe mental illness as for the general population. The ambition of this report is to provide a focused programme of actions that can be taken across the system, from training to leadership and best practice in care provision, to reduce preventable premature mortality in this vulnerable group."
Professor Maureen Baker, Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "Patients are living longer and reaping the health benefits of advances in medicine over the last 50 years, and those with serious mental illness must not left behind. A key part of this is ensuring that patients with serious mental illness maintain good physical health and wellbeing.
"This report drives home the need for more mental health services in the community, and for GPs and our teams to have better, easier and quicker access to these.
"One of the pledges made in NHS England’s GP Forward View is for every GP practice to have access to a dedicated Mental Health therapist – and this will be essential in making sure our patients with serious mental illness receive optimal physical and mental health care.
"Mental health is an enduring priority for the RCGP and we have developed a number of practical resources to support GPs and other healthcare professionals to deliver the best possible care to our patients with mental health conditions. Promoting physical activity and lifestyle is also a priority, and we are working to support GPs to do this, in the best interests of all our patients."
RCGP
Freeing up health analysis: using government data to improve health services
Freeing up health analysis: using government data to improve health services
This report argues that relevant government departments should adopt a data labs model to enable charities to better understand the impact of their services on people’s health. This would allow the whole health sector learn what works, and would help to build more effective and efficient services.
This report argues that relevant government departments should adopt a data labs model to enable charities to better understand the impact of their services on people’s health. This would allow the whole health sector learn what works, and would help to build more effective and efficient services.
Diabetes: Tenth of adults at risk of disease by 2035
Diabetes: Tenth of adults at risk of disease by 2035
Health experts are warning that one in 10 adults in the UK will be at risk of developing diabetes by 2035.
Health experts are warning that one in 10 adults in the UK will be at risk of developing diabetes by 2035.
BBC News
NHS to spend £130m upgrading or replacing radiotherapy machines
NHS to spend £130m upgrading or replacing radiotherapy machines
Upgrade of at least 100 linear accelerator machines should boost survival chances of hundreds of thousands of cancer patients
Cancer treatment is to get its biggest boost in 15 years, according to NHS England, which has said it will spend £130m upgrading or replacing radiotherapy machines to improve the survival chances of hundreds of thousands of patients.
The upgrade of at least 100 linear accelerator (Linac) machines across the country will ensure more patients get state-of-the-art treatment called intensity-modulated radiotherapy, which can target the tumour very precisely without damaging surrounding healthy tissue. New machines are more accurate and can deliver a higher dose to the cancer cells, which will reduce the amount of time a patient has to spend in radiotherapy and hopefully increase cure rates.
Upgrade of at least 100 linear accelerator machines should boost survival chances of hundreds of thousands of cancer patients
Cancer treatment is to get its biggest boost in 15 years, according to NHS England, which has said it will spend £130m upgrading or replacing radiotherapy machines to improve the survival chances of hundreds of thousands of patients.
The upgrade of at least 100 linear accelerator (Linac) machines across the country will ensure more patients get state-of-the-art treatment called intensity-modulated radiotherapy, which can target the tumour very precisely without damaging surrounding healthy tissue. New machines are more accurate and can deliver a higher dose to the cancer cells, which will reduce the amount of time a patient has to spend in radiotherapy and hopefully increase cure rates.
Guardian
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
The Health Service Medical Supplies (Costs) Bill (Bill 72 of 2016-17)
The Health Service Medical Supplies (Costs) Bill (Bill 72 of 2016-17)
This briefing summarises the contents of the Health Service Medical Supplies (Costs) Bill 2016-17, background on the issues and relevant comment. The bill intends to make a number of amendments to the National Health Service Act 2006 on matters related to the control of medicine prices.
House of Commons Library
Briefing
Commons Library
This briefing summarises the contents of the Health Service Medical Supplies (Costs) Bill 2016-17, background on the issues and relevant comment. The bill intends to make a number of amendments to the National Health Service Act 2006 on matters related to the control of medicine prices.
House of Commons Library
Briefing
Commons Library
Reminiscence groups for people with dementia and their family carers: REMCARE trial
Reminiscence groups for people with dementia and their family carers: REMCARE trial
Elizabeth Collier writes her debut blog on the REMCARE randomised controlled trial of reminiscence groups for people with dementia and their family carers.
Elizabeth Collier writes her debut blog on the REMCARE randomised controlled trial of reminiscence groups for people with dementia and their family carers.
The Mental Elf
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)