Wednesday 2 November 2016

Care home nurse from Northampton suspended after getting junior to do training session for her

Care home nurse from Northampton suspended after getting junior to do training session for her A nurse who was a home manager at a care home in Northampton has been suspended by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

The role of clinical leadership in the evolving NHS

The role of clinical leadership in the evolving NHS As a doctor who was recently Group Director responsible for medicine and emergency care across three sites in an inner city trust, I was keen to take up the opportunity of joining The King’s Fund.

One reason for this was to learn about best practice outside my own organisation. For a national health service, it seems strange that the benefits of having a single health care system do not always seem to be evident; examples include variations in clinical practice, procurement of devices and the engagement of staff across different parts of the NHS. The King's Fund

Take me to your leader: hospital collaboration in the NHS

Take me to your leader: hospital collaboration in the NHS This report discusses the need for collaboration born out of the arrival of the Sustainability and Transformation Plans and a new two year planning guidance. It looks at what makes collaboration successful and what prevents it. KPMG

Treatments of low clinical value

Treatments of low clinical value As part of the “choosing wisely” campaign, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges listed 40 treatments and procedures that have limited clinical value or impact.

Efficiency through health and social care integration

Efficiency through health and social care integration This report finds that 45% of decisions about patients' care could be improved which could lead to efficiency savings for health and social care services. Local Government Association

See also:

Lincolnshire operations cancelled after network attack

Lincolnshire operations cancelled after network attack Hundreds of planned operations and outpatient appointments have been cancelled across Lincolnshire after an NHS computer network was attacked.

Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLAG) said systems were infected with a virus on Sunday, with it treated as a "major incident".

The trust, which runs hospitals in Goole, Grimsby and Scunthorpe, said the measures would remain into Tuesday.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) also had to cancel operations.

Dr Karen Dunderdale, NLAG deputy chief executive, said: "A virus infected our electronic systems yesterday, and we have taken the decision, following expert advice, to shut down the majority of our systems so we can isolate and destroy it.

"Our main priority is patient safety. All adult patients should presume their appointment/procedure has been cancelled unless they are contacted. Those who turn up will be turned away." BBC News

See also:

Care homes ban relatives who complain

Care homes ban relatives who complain Some care homes are banning relatives who make a complaint about the quality of care from visiting elderly residents. BBC News

UK team launched to tackle disease outbreaks

UK team launched to tackle disease outbreaksThe UK has set up a “public health rapid support team”, to respond to global requests for help to control disease outbreaks.

Consisting of clinicians, scientists and academics, the team can be deployed to tackle outbreaks of disease anywhere in the world within 48 hours.

The government has made £20 million available from the UK development assistance budget to fund the team over five years. It will be jointly run by Public Health England and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. OnMedica

See also:

GPs and practice nurses inadequately trained in mental health

GPs and practice nurses inadequately trained in mental health GPs and practice nurses are inadequately trained in mental health.

This is the finding from new statistics published today by the mental health charity Mind.

Data obtained by the charity shows that in England, on average, less than half (46%) of trainee GPs undertook a training placement in a mental health setting.

Furthermore, the only mental health-related option offered to trainee GPs was in psychiatry, which is hospital-based and secondary care-focussed.

Once qualified, none of the hours GPs spend on Continued Professional Development (CPD) need to have a mental-health component. This is despite an estimated one in three GP appointments being related to mental health. OnMedica

See also:

Almost half of hospital authorities to cut bed numbers and a third of A&Es facing closure to cope with funding crisis

Almost half of hospital authorities to cut bed numbers and a third of A&Es facing closure to cope with funding crisis Almost half of NHS authorities are drafting plans to cut hospital beds and a third are planning on closing Accident and Emergency facilities, it has been reported.

The figures suggest mounting pressure on healthcare resources as the NHS faces unprecedented funding pressure. They have come to light following a poll of clinical commissioning groups and relate to projected or planned cuts for the next 18 months. The Independent

See also:

Why are those in charge of the NHS blinded by delusional optimism?

Why are those in charge of the NHS blinded by delusional optimism? Shortfalls in money, staff and social care are being ignored, while A&E waits and trust deficits rise steadily

A year ago I predicted that the deficits, shortfalls, waits and safety concerns that were growing fast at the time would keep growing, putting the NHS under insurmountable strain.

Broadcasters and thinktanks were unwilling to make similar forecasts, despite the evidence, because they either believed the government’s reassurances or were afraid to be seen as negative speculators. Continue reading... The Guardian

Number of NHS mental health nurses drops by 15% under Tories

Number of NHS mental health nurses drops by 15% under Tories Since Conservatives came to power in 2010, number of specialist nurses has fallen from 45,384 to 38,774

The number of mental health nurses working in the NHS has dropped by almost a sixth since the Conservatives came to power in 2010, figures show.

The revelation has sparked fresh doubt that government pledges to improve mental health services are being matched by progress at the NHS frontline. Continue reading... The Guardian

One in four care home beds at risk without funding increase, providers say

One in four care home beds at risk without funding increase, providers say Care home companies pressing health department for bailout of sector in chancellor’s autumn statement

As many as 100,000 care home beds – one in four of the total – in England will be at risk of closure unless the government bails out the social care sector in the chancellor’s autumn statement this month, leading care sector companies have told the Department of Health.

Half of all care homes are losing money because fees paid by local councils for state-funded residents have fallen below break-even levels, the companies say. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

FSA slams over 400 hospitals that meet standard hygiene standards

FSA slams over 400 hospitals that meet standard hygiene standards Analysis reveals 401 hospitals, care homes, schools and hospices that the Foods Standards Agency rated as two or lower out of five, meaning they were failing to take basic hygiene measures. The Daily Mail

Of course the NHS is underfunded - taxation alone will never provide enough cash

Of course the NHS is underfunded - taxation alone will never provide enough cash Warning: the following may give readers a disconcerting sense of déjà vu. You may feel that you have previously read about this in years gone by. Indeed, if you are old enough, you may feel you have read about this repeatedly for decades. Do not be alarmed. It is not déjà vu. This story really has happened over and over again. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

Fears as apprentice nurses allowed to dispense drugs

Fears as apprentice nurses allowed to dispense drugs Apprentice nurses will be allowed to administer controlled drugs to NHS patients, under plans criticised by experts as a “recipe for confusion”.

Leaked documents reveal that a new tier of “nursing associates” with as little as two years’ experience will be entitled to measure out doses of medicine and carry out invasive procedures without direct supervision.

The first cohort of 1,000 is due to begin training in December, part of a series of Government measures to plug a widespread shortage of staff. The Daily Telegraph