Son concerned at treatment of elderly patients after his mum is readmitted to Northampton General four times in two months A son will lodge an official complaint to Northampton General Hospital after his mother was readmitted four times only a matter of days after being sent home.
Raymond Hughes, 64, who lives with his mother Sheila, 79, in Daventry will also write to his MP Chris Heaton-Harris, health minister Jeremy Hunt and the Care Quality Commission to raise his concerns.
Mr Hughes feels aggrieved that his mother, who has dementia, was discharged due to a shortage of beds despite her ill health.
“I want something done about this,” said Mr Hughes.
“The way they treat old people is despicable. Mum deserves to be treated like anyone else.
“I’m not saying it’s the hospital’s fault because they are under a lot of pressure and have to meet Government targets.” Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Thursday, 30 November 2017
Why have improvements in mortality slowed down?
Why have improvements in mortality slowed down? Until recently, mortality rates in England and Wales had been falling steadily. However, since 2011, the rate of improvement has slowed and trends in mortality have become more erratic (Figure 1). Strikingly, a sharp rise in mortality in 2015 meant that life expectancy at birth actually fell, before it recovered in 2016. What is causing these changes in the long-term trend? The King's Fund
Open consultation: Restraint and restrictive intervention: draft guidance
Open consultation: Restraint and restrictive intervention: draft guidance The Department of Health is consulting on draft guidance on reducing the need for restraint and restrictive intervention for children and young people with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder and mental health needs.
The consultation is seeking views on how well this draft guidance helps a range of settings and services to support children recognised as being at higher risk of restraint. The guidance applies to health and care settings and special educational settings.
The Department of Health and the Department for Education commissioned the Council for Disabled Children to draft this guidance.
The consultation is seeking views on how well this draft guidance helps a range of settings and services to support children recognised as being at higher risk of restraint. The guidance applies to health and care settings and special educational settings.
The Department of Health and the Department for Education commissioned the Council for Disabled Children to draft this guidance.
Destination GP: medical students’ experiences and perceptions of general practice
Destination GP: medical students’ experiences and perceptions of general practice The Destination GP project aimed to build the evidence base on medical students' perceptions of general practice, and how and where they are exposed to misconceptions and negative views. Based on these findings, this report sets out a series of recommendations where further work is needed to tackle the spread of misconceptions and negativity surrounding general practice. Royal College of General Practitioners
Significant improvment in NHS stroke care, new study finds
Significant improvment in NHS stroke care, new study finds Patients are receiving significantly improved NHS stroke care, an independent report published today has revealed.
The fourth annual report, commissioned by NHS England, states that patients are getting much quicker access to the vital tests and treatment they need when they have a stroke, greatly improving their chances of recovery.
On the key indicators for stroke care, significant quality improvements have been made including on waiting times and specialist care. NHS England
The fourth annual report, commissioned by NHS England, states that patients are getting much quicker access to the vital tests and treatment they need when they have a stroke, greatly improving their chances of recovery.
On the key indicators for stroke care, significant quality improvements have been made including on waiting times and specialist care. NHS England
Psychosocial pathways and health outcomes
Psychosocial pathways and health outcomes Unequal distribution of the social determinants of health, such as education, housing and employment, drives inequalities in physical and mental health. There is also extensive evidence that ‘psychosocial’ factors, such as work stress, influence health and wellbeing.
This report highlights the current evidence that exists about the relationships between social
determinants, psychosocial factors and health outcomes. It also provides a conceptual
framework that focuses on the psychosocial pathways between factors associated with social,
economic and environmental conditions, psychological and psychobiological processes, health
behaviours and mental and physical health outcomes. Institute for Health Equity
This report highlights the current evidence that exists about the relationships between social
determinants, psychosocial factors and health outcomes. It also provides a conceptual
framework that focuses on the psychosocial pathways between factors associated with social,
economic and environmental conditions, psychological and psychobiological processes, health
behaviours and mental and physical health outcomes. Institute for Health Equity
NHS pay rise: Are there strings attached?
NHS pay rise: Are there strings attached? The headlines following the Budget were clear on NHS pay - nurses were to receive a pay rise after six years of restraint.
The announcement was widely welcomed by not just nurses, but other staff groups on what is known as the Agenda for Change contract. They include everyone from midwives and radiographers to porters and administrative staff.
In total, 1.3 million workers are on that deal, which has been subject to a succession of pay freezes or 1% pay caps since 2010.
It has had a devastating effect, unions argue.
Average nurse pay has fallen by over 14% in real terms, the Royal College of Nursing says, prompting thousands to leave the profession or have to take on second jobs in supermarkets and bars.
But it now looks like the pay rise will come with strings attached. BBC News
The announcement was widely welcomed by not just nurses, but other staff groups on what is known as the Agenda for Change contract. They include everyone from midwives and radiographers to porters and administrative staff.
In total, 1.3 million workers are on that deal, which has been subject to a succession of pay freezes or 1% pay caps since 2010.
It has had a devastating effect, unions argue.
Average nurse pay has fallen by over 14% in real terms, the Royal College of Nursing says, prompting thousands to leave the profession or have to take on second jobs in supermarkets and bars.
But it now looks like the pay rise will come with strings attached. BBC News
NHS plans to ration care access in bid to force through extra funding
NHS plans to ration care access in bid to force through extra funding Board meeting will discuss plan to ration and delay patients’ access to care after receiving less than half the amount called for in this year’s budget
NHS bosses are to meet to discuss plans to ration and delay patients’ access to care, which could set them on a collision course with ministers over health funding.
NHS England’s board will publicly debate what the service will and will not be able to afford to do next year after Philip Hammond gave it less than half the extra money it said it needed. Continue reading... The Guardian
See also:
NHS bosses are to meet to discuss plans to ration and delay patients’ access to care, which could set them on a collision course with ministers over health funding.
NHS England’s board will publicly debate what the service will and will not be able to afford to do next year after Philip Hammond gave it less than half the extra money it said it needed. Continue reading... The Guardian
See also:
The NHS is standing up for itself about underfunding. About time too
The NHS is standing up for itself about underfunding. About time too | Rachel Clarke Perhaps tired of being the government’s whipping boy, the health service head, Simon Stevens, is speaking out. Jeremy Hunt should be worried
When the NHS excels, the government is only too keen to grab a slice of the glory. Manchester, Westminster, London Bridge, Grenfell. This year has been punctuated by acts of terror and disaster to which the NHS has stepped up magnificently – and ministers have flocked for their photo ops, like flies to nectar, full of gushing tributes and praise.
Only a fortnight ago, the prime minister described her “humbling gratitude” for the “incredible people” who staff the NHS when she visited the hospitals who cared for the victims of each of these atrocities. “In every instance,” she wrote in the Daily Mail, “what struck me was not only the medical expertise of the staff, but the compassion with which people were treated and the way the NHS, in an emergency, clicks into action.”
No more is Stevens colluding with Hunt in the fiction that the NHS is performing safely Continue reading... The Guardian
When the NHS excels, the government is only too keen to grab a slice of the glory. Manchester, Westminster, London Bridge, Grenfell. This year has been punctuated by acts of terror and disaster to which the NHS has stepped up magnificently – and ministers have flocked for their photo ops, like flies to nectar, full of gushing tributes and praise.
Only a fortnight ago, the prime minister described her “humbling gratitude” for the “incredible people” who staff the NHS when she visited the hospitals who cared for the victims of each of these atrocities. “In every instance,” she wrote in the Daily Mail, “what struck me was not only the medical expertise of the staff, but the compassion with which people were treated and the way the NHS, in an emergency, clicks into action.”
No more is Stevens colluding with Hunt in the fiction that the NHS is performing safely Continue reading... The Guardian
Health chief hits out at Coca-Cola truck tour of 'tooth decay and obesity hot spots'
Health chief hits out at Coca-Cola truck tour of 'tooth decay and obesity hot spots' Coca-Cola should reflect on whether it should stop its red truck tour as it hampers efforts to tackle childhood obesity, the chief executive of Public Health England has warned.
Duncan Selbie said local authorities which are allowing the signature red truck to stop in their towns and cities should "reflect on whether it's in the best interests of the health of local children and families".
The drinks giant's UK truck tour is now in its seventh year, visiting 42 locations.
It started on November 11 in Glasgow and will end in Lakeside, Essex, on December 17. The Daily Telegraph
See also:
Duncan Selbie said local authorities which are allowing the signature red truck to stop in their towns and cities should "reflect on whether it's in the best interests of the health of local children and families".
The drinks giant's UK truck tour is now in its seventh year, visiting 42 locations.
It started on November 11 in Glasgow and will end in Lakeside, Essex, on December 17. The Daily Telegraph
See also:
NHS trust is fined more than £300,000 for safety breaches
NHS trust is fined more than £300,000 for safety breaches An NHS trust has been fined more than £300,000 after five elderly patients died from falls.
The judge in the case told hospital bosses that had they been a private company the fine would have been at least £1 million.
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust admitted failing to ensure the safety of the five elderly people following a prosecution brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The Daily Mail
The judge in the case told hospital bosses that had they been a private company the fine would have been at least £1 million.
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust admitted failing to ensure the safety of the five elderly people following a prosecution brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The Daily Mail
Wednesday, 29 November 2017
Patients badly failed by 'staggering' mishandling of sensitive data
Patients badly failed by 'staggering' mishandling of sensitive data The failures in the handling of sensitive clinical data by NHS SBS are staggering. Even as the Committee was looking into problems dating back at least three years, NHS England was uncovering more mishandled correspondence.
We were deeply unimpressed by the lack of grip NHS England still has on the handling of clinical correspondence, and dismayed to be informed of a further backlog of 162,000 items which need to be assessed.
Our evidence session was frustrated by the late provision of additional information by the NHS England Chief Executive. It would have been more helpful if this information had been supplied in time to allow Members to consider it. The Committee will return to this subject once it has further information. Public Accounts Select Committee
See also:
We were deeply unimpressed by the lack of grip NHS England still has on the handling of clinical correspondence, and dismayed to be informed of a further backlog of 162,000 items which need to be assessed.
Our evidence session was frustrated by the late provision of additional information by the NHS England Chief Executive. It would have been more helpful if this information had been supplied in time to allow Members to consider it. The Committee will return to this subject once it has further information. Public Accounts Select Committee
See also:
- Outrage as 900,000 NHS patient letters lost The Daily Mail
Results of the national audit of intermediate care 2017
Results of the national audit of intermediate care 2017 The national audit of intermediate care (NAIC) provides the only comprehensive data on intermediate care services.
Funded by a subscription model between 2012-2015, this year NHS England funded the NAIC so all commissioners and providers of intermediate care services had the opportunity to take part free of charge. The NAIC provides benchmarked information on service models, spend, activity, workforce and outcomes with data sharing arrangements in place so that commissioners’ positions will be shared between areas and with providers. NHS Benchmarking Network
Funded by a subscription model between 2012-2015, this year NHS England funded the NAIC so all commissioners and providers of intermediate care services had the opportunity to take part free of charge. The NAIC provides benchmarked information on service models, spend, activity, workforce and outcomes with data sharing arrangements in place so that commissioners’ positions will be shared between areas and with providers. NHS Benchmarking Network
New rules on blood donation come into force
New rules on blood donation come into force Changes to the rules on blood donation in England come into force on 28 November. The new rules will allow more people to donate blood, without affecting the safety of the blood supply.
The changes were announced in July, on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO). Department of Health
The changes were announced in July, on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO). Department of Health
Cuts, Closures and Contraception
Cuts, Closures and Contraception The Advisory Group on Contraception (AGC) conducted an FOI audit of all 152 upper and unitary tier local authorities over the summer of 2017. The findings of the report show local authority contraception budgets are being cut and that contraceptive care services have closed or are under threat in more than one third of English local councils since 2015, with the pace of closures accelerating.
Viagra can be sold over the counter
Viagra can be sold over the counter Men will no longer require a prescription to obtain the impotence drug Viagra and will instead be able to buy it over the counter at pharmacies.
The decision by the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency follows a public consultation.
It will be up to pharmacists to judge whether men over the age of 18 can safely be sold the little blue pills.
Manufacturer Pfizer hopes to get stocks of Viagra Connect (sildenafil 50mg) into UK pharmacies by spring 2018.
Experts say making the medication more widely available will help men who might not feel able to visit their GP about impotence.
The MHRA hopes it will stop some men buying unregulated medicines from websites operating illegally. BBC News
The decision by the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency follows a public consultation.
It will be up to pharmacists to judge whether men over the age of 18 can safely be sold the little blue pills.
Manufacturer Pfizer hopes to get stocks of Viagra Connect (sildenafil 50mg) into UK pharmacies by spring 2018.
Experts say making the medication more widely available will help men who might not feel able to visit their GP about impotence.
The MHRA hopes it will stop some men buying unregulated medicines from websites operating illegally. BBC News
Organ donation: If black lives matter, then this is an opportunity to prove it
Organ donation: If black lives matter, then this is an opportunity to prove it A charity wants more black people to donate their organs after only 17 people from the African Caribbean community donated a kidney last year.
Black patients who need a kidney wait, on average, more than a year longer than white patients, says the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT).
At least 250 African Caribbean patients died last year waiting for a donor. BBC Newsbeat
Black patients who need a kidney wait, on average, more than a year longer than white patients, says the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT).
At least 250 African Caribbean patients died last year waiting for a donor. BBC Newsbeat
The true cost: How the UK outsources death to Dignitas
The true cost: How the UK outsources death to Dignitas In the UK it is currently illegal to assist someone to die. As a result, many people travel to Switzerland to arrange an assisted death. One British person travels to Dignitas to die every 8 days. Using the voices of those most affected, we uncover the real stories behind the statistics. The Independent
‘Bullying and being bullied is everywhere now, at every level in the NHS’
‘Bullying and being bullied is everywhere now, at every level in the NHS’ | Matthew Barbour Domineering behaviour and sexism have dogged the medical profession, especially among surgeons. Now victims are being taught to fight back
“What can be perceived as harmless banter or acceptable behaviour by some people for decades can actually be deeply offensive, or even abusive,” says Judy Evans, consultant plastic surgeon at the private Nuffield hospital in Plymouth. “We’re now at a point where huge numbers of surgical positions aren’t being filled because millennials don’t want a job in which they think they will be bullied.”
Evans lost her job as an NHS consultant in 2000 after standing up for a junior doctor who had been bullied. “The bullying culture in medicine goes back decades,” she says. “Over 30 years ago, I remember turning up for a surgeon’s exam when I was seven months pregnant and being asked bluntly: ‘What are you doing here looking like that?’ Sadly, that kind of behaviour was seen as something women just had to put up with. Continue reading... The Guardian
“What can be perceived as harmless banter or acceptable behaviour by some people for decades can actually be deeply offensive, or even abusive,” says Judy Evans, consultant plastic surgeon at the private Nuffield hospital in Plymouth. “We’re now at a point where huge numbers of surgical positions aren’t being filled because millennials don’t want a job in which they think they will be bullied.”
Evans lost her job as an NHS consultant in 2000 after standing up for a junior doctor who had been bullied. “The bullying culture in medicine goes back decades,” she says. “Over 30 years ago, I remember turning up for a surgeon’s exam when I was seven months pregnant and being asked bluntly: ‘What are you doing here looking like that?’ Sadly, that kind of behaviour was seen as something women just had to put up with. Continue reading... The Guardian
Hunt 'risking repeat of junior doctors' row' with plan to change NHS pay
Hunt 'risking repeat of junior doctors' row' with plan to change NHS pay Unions voice concerns after health secretary says he wants to overhaul money staff receive for working antisocial shifts.
The government has triggered a row with NHS staff by unveiling plans to overhaul their pay, including how much they receive for working antisocial shifts.
Health unions have warned Jeremy Hunt that he is risking a repeat of the acrimonious junior doctors’ dispute by seeking to reduce the extra amounts staff get for weekend and overnight working. Continue reading... The Guardian
The government has triggered a row with NHS staff by unveiling plans to overhaul their pay, including how much they receive for working antisocial shifts.
Health unions have warned Jeremy Hunt that he is risking a repeat of the acrimonious junior doctors’ dispute by seeking to reduce the extra amounts staff get for weekend and overnight working. Continue reading... The Guardian
The NHS is not immune to sexual harassment. It happened to #metoo | Rachel Clarke
The NHS is not immune to sexual harassment. It happened to #metoo | Rachel Clarke It’s the high-profile celebrity cases that get all the attention, but in an organisation as big as the NHS, many women will have experiences like mine
A few weeks before I sat my medical finals, a male surgeon of the old-school variety flashed up the next slide in his revision lecture on breast cancer.
Suddenly – incongruously – there on his powerpoint presentation, amid the bleak statistics about the second biggest cancer killer of women in Britain, was a young blonde woman, sitting coquettishly in front of a mammography machine, her naked breasts prominently displayed. Continue reading... The Guardian
A few weeks before I sat my medical finals, a male surgeon of the old-school variety flashed up the next slide in his revision lecture on breast cancer.
Suddenly – incongruously – there on his powerpoint presentation, amid the bleak statistics about the second biggest cancer killer of women in Britain, was a young blonde woman, sitting coquettishly in front of a mammography machine, her naked breasts prominently displayed. Continue reading... The Guardian
NHS pays out after Virgin threatens to sue after losing out on contract
NHS pays out after Virgin threatens to sue after losing out on contract Virgin Care, part of Sir Richard Branson’s business empire, appears to have been paid a settlement by the NHS after the healthcare group lost its bid to provide children’s services in Surrey.
The three-year, £82m deal covering health visitors, school nurses and speech and occupational therapy for children was awarded to a consortium formed by in-house NHS providers and a social enterprise.
Virgin Care Services started High Court proceedings against NHS England, Surrey County Council and the CCGs in November last year, after its bid failed. The Daily Telegraph
The three-year, £82m deal covering health visitors, school nurses and speech and occupational therapy for children was awarded to a consortium formed by in-house NHS providers and a social enterprise.
Virgin Care Services started High Court proceedings against NHS England, Surrey County Council and the CCGs in November last year, after its bid failed. The Daily Telegraph
NHS hires 5,500 'rolling' nurses from abroad
NHS hires 5,500 'rolling' nurses from abroad The NHS is hiring up to 5,500 'rolling' nurses from India and the Philippines in an attempt to fill understaffed wards.
They will work here for two to three years gaining specialist experience and skills before returning back home.
The 'earn, learn and return' scheme aims to ease the NHS's staffing crisis whilst also training up developed countries' workforce.
Professor Ian Cumming, chief executive of Health Education England, told MPs it was an 'ethically based' project. The Daily Mail
They will work here for two to three years gaining specialist experience and skills before returning back home.
The 'earn, learn and return' scheme aims to ease the NHS's staffing crisis whilst also training up developed countries' workforce.
Professor Ian Cumming, chief executive of Health Education England, told MPs it was an 'ethically based' project. The Daily Mail
Outbreak of potentially deadly measles has spread
Outbreak of potentially deadly measles has spread Two mothers have shared photos online of their measles-stricken babies who were both repeatedly misdiagnosed as a warning to other parents.
One woman revealed doctors missed her nine-month-old son had the highly infectious viral illness even when the tell-tale rash had 'spread like wild fire over his body'.
Both mothers urge families to be vigilant explaining their children's symptoms started off similar to those of a common cold.
This comes just days after officials confirmed to MailOnline that an outbreak of deadly measles has spread from the north west to the Midlands.
Last Friday, Public Health England (PHE) revealed there has been 17 confirmed cases in Leeds and eight in Liverpool, which also has three probable cases.
Manchester has been placed on high alert to be hit next and there are growing concerns it will spread across the UK following an epidemic in Europe. The Daily Mail
One woman revealed doctors missed her nine-month-old son had the highly infectious viral illness even when the tell-tale rash had 'spread like wild fire over his body'.
Both mothers urge families to be vigilant explaining their children's symptoms started off similar to those of a common cold.
This comes just days after officials confirmed to MailOnline that an outbreak of deadly measles has spread from the north west to the Midlands.
Last Friday, Public Health England (PHE) revealed there has been 17 confirmed cases in Leeds and eight in Liverpool, which also has three probable cases.
Manchester has been placed on high alert to be hit next and there are growing concerns it will spread across the UK following an epidemic in Europe. The Daily Mail
Tuesday, 28 November 2017
Some assembly required: implementing new models of care
Some assembly required: implementing new models of care Understanding the lessons learnt from the new care models programme will be vital in helping NHS leaders develop more effective ways of delivering care in the future. This report examines how vanguard sites have made changes and offers crucial insight into the challenges and enablers in developing new care models.
It sets out 10 lessons for those seeking to systematically make changes across services in their area. These are based on first-hand accounts of clinicians and managers from the new care models programme’s vanguard sites. These sites have worked through the complexities of bringing together professions and organisations to develop place-based models of better coordinated care for people with complex health and social care needs. The Health Foundation
It sets out 10 lessons for those seeking to systematically make changes across services in their area. These are based on first-hand accounts of clinicians and managers from the new care models programme’s vanguard sites. These sites have worked through the complexities of bringing together professions and organisations to develop place-based models of better coordinated care for people with complex health and social care needs. The Health Foundation
Online Mental Health Support for Young People
Online Mental Health Support for Young People The report offers insight into the efficacy of online counselling for children and young people. The report focuses exclusively on Kooth online counselling, our user data (April 2016 - April 2017) along with feedback from Kooth users and commissioners.
The report finds Kooth online counselling is popular and effective in increasing access to care and
providing choice. The anonymous nature of the service was found to be a big benefit for children
and young people. Education Policy Institute
See also:
The report finds Kooth online counselling is popular and effective in increasing access to care and
providing choice. The anonymous nature of the service was found to be a big benefit for children
and young people. Education Policy Institute
See also:
We must do better on baby deaths and injuries - Hunt
We must do better on baby deaths and injuries - Hunt The NHS in England must do better at learning from mistakes to cut the number of baby deaths and injuries in childbirth, the health secretary says.
There are an estimated 1,000 cases a year where babies unexpectedly die or are left with severe brain injury.
That is out of nearly 700,000 births, which, Mr Hunt said, showed the NHS provided safe care for most.
But, he added, all unexplained cases of serious harm or death would now be independently investigated.
The Healthcare Safety Investigations Branch, set up earlier this year, will be tasked with reviewing cases. BBC News
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There are an estimated 1,000 cases a year where babies unexpectedly die or are left with severe brain injury.
That is out of nearly 700,000 births, which, Mr Hunt said, showed the NHS provided safe care for most.
But, he added, all unexplained cases of serious harm or death would now be independently investigated.
The Healthcare Safety Investigations Branch, set up earlier this year, will be tasked with reviewing cases. BBC News
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'Third of mothers' experience mental health issues
'Third of mothers' experience mental health issues More than a third of mothers have experienced mental health issues related to parenthood, according to an online survey of 1,800 British parents by the BBC Radio 5 live and YouGov.
The study revealed that, in comparison, 17% of fathers had experienced similar issues.
More than two-thirds of the affected mothers sought professional help - suffering from conditions such as acute stress, severe anxiety and postpartum depression. BBC News
The study revealed that, in comparison, 17% of fathers had experienced similar issues.
More than two-thirds of the affected mothers sought professional help - suffering from conditions such as acute stress, severe anxiety and postpartum depression. BBC News
Scarlet fever cases hit 50-year high in England
Scarlet fever cases hit 50-year high in England Scarlet fever hit its highest level in England for 50 years, with more than 17,000 cases reported in 2016 - research in the Lancet shows.
The disease has been on the rise since 2014, but experts have so far failed to find a reason for the recent increase.
Doctors are urging the public to be aware of symptoms, which include a rosy rash, and seek help from their GP.
Data for 2017 suggests the rate may be falling, but experts remain cautious, saying it is "too early to tell".
The bacterial disease, though highly contagious, is not usually serious and can be treated with antibiotics.
It is most common among children under 10. BBC News
The disease has been on the rise since 2014, but experts have so far failed to find a reason for the recent increase.
Doctors are urging the public to be aware of symptoms, which include a rosy rash, and seek help from their GP.
Data for 2017 suggests the rate may be falling, but experts remain cautious, saying it is "too early to tell".
The bacterial disease, though highly contagious, is not usually serious and can be treated with antibiotics.
It is most common among children under 10. BBC News
Ethical hackers to boost NHS cyber-defences
Ethical hackers to boost NHS cyber-defences The NHS is spending £20m to set up a security operations centre that will oversee the health service's digital defences.
It will employ "ethical hackers" to look for weaknesses in health computer networks, not just react to breaches.
Such hackers use the same tactics seen in cyber-attacks to help organisations spot weak points.
In May, one-third of UK health trusts were hit by the WannaCry worm, which demanded cash to unlock infected PCs. BBC News
It will employ "ethical hackers" to look for weaknesses in health computer networks, not just react to breaches.
Such hackers use the same tactics seen in cyber-attacks to help organisations spot weak points.
In May, one-third of UK health trusts were hit by the WannaCry worm, which demanded cash to unlock infected PCs. BBC News
People with disabilities have the right to good health too | Fiona Ritchie
People with disabilities have the right to good health too | Fiona Ritchie Year-long campaign will focus on disability and health inequalities, challenging providers to improve services
Should being in good health look different for someone who is deaf? How do you know if a person with autism is unwell if they cannot tell you? These are among the questions all social care professionals – from care managers to nurses – should be asking to tackle the significant health inequalities experienced by people with disabilities.
For the 13.3 million people in the UK who live with a disability, being as healthy as possible should be a given, but too often their medical needs are neglected or ignored. Barriers to accessing services, a lack of knowledge and skills among staff, and a failure to prevent problems are among the causes highlighted by the World Health Organisation. Continue reading... The Guardian
Should being in good health look different for someone who is deaf? How do you know if a person with autism is unwell if they cannot tell you? These are among the questions all social care professionals – from care managers to nurses – should be asking to tackle the significant health inequalities experienced by people with disabilities.
For the 13.3 million people in the UK who live with a disability, being as healthy as possible should be a given, but too often their medical needs are neglected or ignored. Barriers to accessing services, a lack of knowledge and skills among staff, and a failure to prevent problems are among the causes highlighted by the World Health Organisation. Continue reading... The Guardian
Britain has highest numbers of overweight people in the EU
Britain has highest numbers of overweight people in the EU Britain has been shamed as the obesity capital of the EU.
This country has the highest rates in the bloc with nearly 30 per cent of women and just under 27 per cent of men overweight.
Other health figures are also worrying, showing we are second worst at exercising and have one of the highest rates of heavy drinkers.
Britons are also near the top of an international table for having dangerously high cholesterol levels.
The statistics follow a warning that it has become normal to be vastly overweight, with this country following the lead of the US, the world’s most obese nation. The Daily Mail
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This country has the highest rates in the bloc with nearly 30 per cent of women and just under 27 per cent of men overweight.
Other health figures are also worrying, showing we are second worst at exercising and have one of the highest rates of heavy drinkers.
Britons are also near the top of an international table for having dangerously high cholesterol levels.
The statistics follow a warning that it has become normal to be vastly overweight, with this country following the lead of the US, the world’s most obese nation. The Daily Mail
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Monday, 27 November 2017
Autumn Budget 2017: a step back from the precipice for the NHS?
Autumn Budget 2017: a step back from the precipice for the NHS? Wednesday’s Budget felt like one of the most eagerly awaited in years. With a government still reeling from a disappointing election result and embroiled in painstaking Brexit negotiations the stakes were high. A good budget might restore some hope and optimism, an unpopular one would heap further pressure on a government in need of a lift.
Judging by the Chancellor’s joke-filled start you could be forgiven for thinking that the outlook was going to be rosy. Sadly, predictions of flatlining productivity and slowing GDP growth started to pervade his speech. The mood changed faster than you could say ‘fit for the future’.
But with such doomsdayish forecasts, what would this all mean for health and social care? The Health Foundation
See also:
Judging by the Chancellor’s joke-filled start you could be forgiven for thinking that the outlook was going to be rosy. Sadly, predictions of flatlining productivity and slowing GDP growth started to pervade his speech. The mood changed faster than you could say ‘fit for the future’.
But with such doomsdayish forecasts, what would this all mean for health and social care? The Health Foundation
See also:
Vaginal mesh operations should be banned, says NICE
Vaginal mesh operations should be banned, says NICE The health watchdog NICE is to recommend that vaginal mesh operations should be banned from treating organ prolapse in England, the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire show has learned.
Draft guidelines from NICE say the implants should only be used for research - and not routine operations.
Some implants can cut into the vagina and women have been left in permanent pain, unable to walk, work or have sex.
One expert said it is highly likely the NHS will take up the recommendation. BBC News
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Draft guidelines from NICE say the implants should only be used for research - and not routine operations.
Some implants can cut into the vagina and women have been left in permanent pain, unable to walk, work or have sex.
One expert said it is highly likely the NHS will take up the recommendation. BBC News
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Home Office review over harassment at abortion clinics
Home Office review over harassment at abortion clinics New laws could be introduced to protect women from harassment outside abortion clinics, the Home Office has said.
An assessment of protests held outside clinics has been ordered by the home secretary, following concerns about the tactics used by some protesters.
Amber Rudd said it was "unacceptable" that anyone should feel intimidated for accessing healthcare.
But anti-abortion campaigners said it was "ludicrous" to suggest new powers, because women were not being harassed.
The Home Office review will hear from police forces, healthcare providers and local authorities to understand the scale and nature of anti-abortion protests. BBC News
An assessment of protests held outside clinics has been ordered by the home secretary, following concerns about the tactics used by some protesters.
Amber Rudd said it was "unacceptable" that anyone should feel intimidated for accessing healthcare.
But anti-abortion campaigners said it was "ludicrous" to suggest new powers, because women were not being harassed.
The Home Office review will hear from police forces, healthcare providers and local authorities to understand the scale and nature of anti-abortion protests. BBC News
Patient safety ‘at risk’ as junior doctors left to run A&E and other departments, GMC warns
Patient safety ‘at risk’ as junior doctors left to run A&E and other departments, GMC warns Junior doctors are being left in charge of hospital A&E departments and other units, putting patient safety at risk, Britain’s medical regulator has warned.
Trainee medics are being “left to fend themselves” by being asked to look after patients they are not qualified to treat, the General Medical Council (GMC) said.
Its chief executive, Charlie Massey, said inexperienced young doctors left without supervision feel worried they might “inadvertently cause harm to patients” and risk losing their licence if they act beyond their competence. The Independent
See also:
Trainee medics are being “left to fend themselves” by being asked to look after patients they are not qualified to treat, the General Medical Council (GMC) said.
Its chief executive, Charlie Massey, said inexperienced young doctors left without supervision feel worried they might “inadvertently cause harm to patients” and risk losing their licence if they act beyond their competence. The Independent
See also:
- Training environments 2017: key findings from the national training surveys General Medical Council
- Medical training too reliant on doctors' goodwill, says GMC General Medical Council
- Patients put at risk by inexperienced doctors left in charge of A&E The Daily Telegraph
- Inexperienced doctors are being left in charge of A&Es, regulator warns The Guardian
NHS could introduce four week waiting target for young mental health patients, shows leaked report
NHS could introduce four week waiting target for young mental health patients, shows leaked report Young people struggling to access mental health support might get a Government-backed promise of treatment within four weeks of referral, but funding pressures mean it won’t be UK-wide until 2021.
Leaked details from the upcoming green paper on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) suggest a four week standard waiting standard could be introduced for the first time.
However this is likely to be piloted in a few regions first, with a full roll-out reportedly unlikely before 2021. The Independent
Leaked details from the upcoming green paper on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) suggest a four week standard waiting standard could be introduced for the first time.
However this is likely to be piloted in a few regions first, with a full roll-out reportedly unlikely before 2021. The Independent
Two-thirds of children referred for mental healthcare in England not treated - The Guardian
Two-thirds of children referred for mental healthcare in England not treated Sixty per cent of children and young people referred for specialist care by their GP are not receiving treatment, figures reveal.
Data from 32 NHS Trusts in England showed about 60% of under-18s who are referred to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) by their GP are not receiving treatment, according to figures obtained by Spurgeons children’s charity.
The number of under-18s admitted to A&E for self-harm has increased by 50% in five years but outpatient treatment rates are falling, according to the charity. Self-harm admissions to A&E departments for young people have increased for the seventh year running according to figures from 59 A&E departments in England. Continue reading... The Guardian
Data from 32 NHS Trusts in England showed about 60% of under-18s who are referred to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) by their GP are not receiving treatment, according to figures obtained by Spurgeons children’s charity.
The number of under-18s admitted to A&E for self-harm has increased by 50% in five years but outpatient treatment rates are falling, according to the charity. Self-harm admissions to A&E departments for young people have increased for the seventh year running according to figures from 59 A&E departments in England. Continue reading... The Guardian
NHS urges parents to vaccinate flu 'super-spreader' children
NHS urges parents to vaccinate flu 'super-spreader' children Health service encourages take-up of nasal spray for those aged two to nine to stop them passing on illness to older relatives
NHS England is urging parents to vaccinate “super-spreader” children against flu so grandparents and other vulnerable relatives will be less at risk over the Christmas period.
Flu vaccines administered through a nasal spray rather than an injection have been rolled out this autumn for two and three-year-olds, and children in reception class and years one to four in primary school. Continue reading... The Guardian
NHS England is urging parents to vaccinate “super-spreader” children against flu so grandparents and other vulnerable relatives will be less at risk over the Christmas period.
Flu vaccines administered through a nasal spray rather than an injection have been rolled out this autumn for two and three-year-olds, and children in reception class and years one to four in primary school. Continue reading... The Guardian
My prescription for dejected doctors? Stop harking back to a golden age that never was | Clare Gerada
My prescription for dejected doctors? Stop harking back to a golden age that never was | Clare Gerada
Medicine’s a tough career and professionals are demoralised. But the good old days had their dark side too. • Clare Gerada is a former chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners
In the 17th century there was a disease so virulent it was able to wipe out whole armies. Sufferers experienced intense melancholia, anxiety and longing triggered by smell, touch, sight or thought of an object. This disease was nostalgia, described by a medical student and named after nosta for home, and algia for pain. It was prevalent in the Swiss mercenary army, and military physicians postulated it was caused by the unremitting clanging of cowbells in the Alps.
Dormant for centuries, the disease is returning, but this time the afflicted are drawn from a section of the ageing medical establishment. These doctors have developed a delusional system of beliefs that the past was always rosy, that doctors “all knew each other … the firm was a happy band of brothers”, as recalled by Harold Ellis, a surgeon who qualified in 1948. This was a time, they reminisce, where doctors were able to give their patients what they needed: a golden age of medicine, defined by American sociologist Eliot Freidson as the period between 1945 and 1965.
The downside of professional freedom was that only the most incompetent or negligent behaviour led to disciplinary action Continue reading...
Medicine’s a tough career and professionals are demoralised. But the good old days had their dark side too. • Clare Gerada is a former chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners
In the 17th century there was a disease so virulent it was able to wipe out whole armies. Sufferers experienced intense melancholia, anxiety and longing triggered by smell, touch, sight or thought of an object. This disease was nostalgia, described by a medical student and named after nosta for home, and algia for pain. It was prevalent in the Swiss mercenary army, and military physicians postulated it was caused by the unremitting clanging of cowbells in the Alps.
Dormant for centuries, the disease is returning, but this time the afflicted are drawn from a section of the ageing medical establishment. These doctors have developed a delusional system of beliefs that the past was always rosy, that doctors “all knew each other … the firm was a happy band of brothers”, as recalled by Harold Ellis, a surgeon who qualified in 1948. This was a time, they reminisce, where doctors were able to give their patients what they needed: a golden age of medicine, defined by American sociologist Eliot Freidson as the period between 1945 and 1965.
The downside of professional freedom was that only the most incompetent or negligent behaviour led to disciplinary action Continue reading...
NHS pays out record compensation to cancer patients
NHS pays out record compensation to cancer patients The number of cancer patients successfully suing the NHS for missed diagnoses has doubled in the past five years, new figures show.
The health service also paid out a record amount in negligence compensation for cancer misdiagnoses last year, according to the data.
The NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) paid damages of £12.6 million to 152 people last year. The figure has risen year-on-year since 2013, when 46 pay-outs were made. In 2012, 59 pay-outs were made.
There was a total of 1,392 successful claims for all misdiagnoses in 2016, worth £152.5 million. The Daily Telegraph
The health service also paid out a record amount in negligence compensation for cancer misdiagnoses last year, according to the data.
The NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) paid damages of £12.6 million to 152 people last year. The figure has risen year-on-year since 2013, when 46 pay-outs were made. In 2012, 59 pay-outs were made.
There was a total of 1,392 successful claims for all misdiagnoses in 2016, worth £152.5 million. The Daily Telegraph
'Robot surgery' could save men from prostate cancer
'Robot surgery' could save men from prostate cancer Surgeons have praised the pioneering use of robots in saving a record number of men from one of the UK’s deadliest cancers.
The £1 million machines, known as Da Vinci robots, have performed life-saving surgery at University College London Hospitals on more than 500 men with advanced prostate cancer.
Surgeons credit them with being quicker, safer and the procedures have fewer side effects than existing treatments in a move that has been described as a 'game changer'.
The robot, controlled by a surgeon at a computer console, has six arms with tiny scissors and pliers, which make incisions in the patient's abdomen. The Daily Mail
The £1 million machines, known as Da Vinci robots, have performed life-saving surgery at University College London Hospitals on more than 500 men with advanced prostate cancer.
Surgeons credit them with being quicker, safer and the procedures have fewer side effects than existing treatments in a move that has been described as a 'game changer'.
The robot, controlled by a surgeon at a computer console, has six arms with tiny scissors and pliers, which make incisions in the patient's abdomen. The Daily Mail
Friday, 24 November 2017
October flu figures show increase in number of staff getting their flu jab
October flu figures show increase in number of staff getting their flu jab Public Health England have today released the first figures for the 2017/18 flu season showing a 5.6 per cent increase in the number of frontline NHS healthcare workers receiving their flu vaccine compared to the same period last season.
A total of 437,720 frontline staff received their flu vaccination from 1 September 2017 to 31 October 2017, which accounts for 46 per cent of all eligible healthcare workers in England. NHS Employers
A total of 437,720 frontline staff received their flu vaccination from 1 September 2017 to 31 October 2017, which accounts for 46 per cent of all eligible healthcare workers in England. NHS Employers
Policy paper: Progress report on the UK 5 year AMR strategy: 2016
Policy paper: Progress report on the UK 5 year AMR strategy: 2016 The third annual progress report describes the activities and achievements in the third year of implementation of the UK 5 year antimicrobial resistance (AMR) strategy 2013 to 2018, including significant international achievements.
The UK AMR strategy represents an ambitious programme to slow the development and spread of AMR, taking a ‘One Health’ approach spanning people, animals, agriculture and the wider environment.
The report sets out progress made in 2016, and notes that for the remaining 2 years of the strategy, the programme will focus on delivery of the government’s ambitions set out in response to the review on AMR led by Lord O’Neill. These include ambitions to halve certain types of infection and the inappropriate use of antibiotics.
The report is published on behalf of the interdepartmental high-level steering group responsible for overseeing delivery of the UK AMR strategy. Department of Health
The UK AMR strategy represents an ambitious programme to slow the development and spread of AMR, taking a ‘One Health’ approach spanning people, animals, agriculture and the wider environment.
The report sets out progress made in 2016, and notes that for the remaining 2 years of the strategy, the programme will focus on delivery of the government’s ambitions set out in response to the review on AMR led by Lord O’Neill. These include ambitions to halve certain types of infection and the inappropriate use of antibiotics.
The report is published on behalf of the interdepartmental high-level steering group responsible for overseeing delivery of the UK AMR strategy. Department of Health
Avatar therapy 'reduces power of schizophrenia voices'
Avatar therapy 'reduces power of schizophrenia voices' Confronting an avatar on a computer screen helped patients hearing voices to cope better with hallucinations, a UK trial has found.
Patients who received this therapy became less distressed and heard voices less often compared with those who had counselling instead.
Experts said the therapy could add an important new approach to treating schizophrenia hallucinations.
The trial, on 150 people, is published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal. BBC News - Health
Patients who received this therapy became less distressed and heard voices less often compared with those who had counselling instead.
Experts said the therapy could add an important new approach to treating schizophrenia hallucinations.
The trial, on 150 people, is published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal. BBC News - Health
- AVATAR therapy for auditory verbal hallucinations in people with psychosis: a single-blind, randomised controlled trial The Lancet Psychiatry
Common mental health problems and psychotic experiences in IAPT
Common mental health problems and psychotic experiences in IAPT Mark Smith reviews a recent service evaluation looking at common mental health conditions and psychotic experiences occurring at the same time in IAPT services. The Mental Elf
Autumn budget 2017: NHS spending
Autumn budget 2017: NHS spending The autumn budget 2017 announced £6.3 billion of new funding for the NHS in England, including £2.8 billion over the next three years for day to day services and £3.5 billion of capital investment by 2022-23. This document sets out the background to NHS spending and details of the government’s policy. Kings Fund - Health Management and Policy Alert
Online consultations do not necessarily reduce workload for GPs, says College
Online consultations do not necessarily reduce workload for GPs, says College Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, has responded to a study funded by The National Institute for Health Research, which found online consultations might not be the answer to reducing GP workload and cutting patient waiting times.
She said: "GPs and our teams have always made the most of new technology in our ongoing quest to provide the best care possible for our patients. Royal College of General Practitioners
She said: "GPs and our teams have always made the most of new technology in our ongoing quest to provide the best care possible for our patients. Royal College of General Practitioners
Former leukaemia sufferer shortlisted for award after supporting poorly patients on online forum
Former leukaemia sufferer shortlisted for award after supporting poorly patients on online forum
A Northampton construction project manager, has been shortlisted for a national award for his work as an online community champion supporting blood cancer patients.
Steve Hartley, 51, is nominated for the Patient Champion of the Year Award at this year’s Anthony Nolan Supporter Awards (ANSAs), and will be recognised for his work supporting others in need.
Steve was first diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in August 2012 and received a life-saving stem-cell transplant in January 2013 at Leicester Royal Infirmary after being told it would give him a second chance of life. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
A Northampton construction project manager, has been shortlisted for a national award for his work as an online community champion supporting blood cancer patients.
Steve Hartley, 51, is nominated for the Patient Champion of the Year Award at this year’s Anthony Nolan Supporter Awards (ANSAs), and will be recognised for his work supporting others in need.
Steve was first diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in August 2012 and received a life-saving stem-cell transplant in January 2013 at Leicester Royal Infirmary after being told it would give him a second chance of life. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Thursday, 23 November 2017
NHS Budget plan not enough, say bosses
NHS Budget plan not enough, say bosses The extra money announced by the chancellor in the Budget for the NHS in England is not enough, health service bosses say.
Philip Hammond announced an immediate £350m boost for this winter followed by £1.6bn more next year for the front line above the rise already planned.
The chancellor described it as an "exceptional" measure, which recognised the pressures the service was under.
But NHS leaders have already warned waiting times will continue to worsen. BBC News
See also:
Philip Hammond announced an immediate £350m boost for this winter followed by £1.6bn more next year for the front line above the rise already planned.
The chancellor described it as an "exceptional" measure, which recognised the pressures the service was under.
But NHS leaders have already warned waiting times will continue to worsen. BBC News
See also:
- Autumn Budget 2017 HM Treasury
- Budget 2017: what does it mean for the nation's health? BMA
- Health Foundation response to Budget 2017 The Health Foundation
- The King's Fund responds to the 2017 Autumn Budget The King's Fund
- Niall Dickson: Budget is another "missed opportunity" and falls well short NHS Confederation
- NHSCC respond to the Autumn Budget 2017 NHS Clinical Commissioners
- Danny Mortimer: Pay cap lift welcomed NHS Employers
- More than expected, less than needed NHS Providers
- GPs miss out on funding for winter pressures in disappointing Budget for general practice, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
- Fair pay for NHS nursing staff moves a step closer Royal College of Nursing
- Our response to the budget 2017 Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Budget 2017: Chancellor on funding for NHS in England BBC News
- £2.8bn cash boost for NHS is not enough complain hospital chiefs The Daily Telegraph
- The Chancellor was right to resist massive new NHS spending. It doesn't need a reward for failure The Daily Telegraph
- GPs ignored in 2017 budget as NHS England hints at cuts to services GPonline
- Budget's £1.6bn cash boost for NHS less than half of experts’ advice The Guardian
- Abandoning Mental Health Plan Would Represent 'Catastrophic Betrayal' Huffington Post UK
- Budget 2017: NHS trusts given extra £350m for entire winter, despite Brexit bus promising £350m a week The Independent
The robot that could revolutionise home care for elderly people
The robot that could revolutionise home care for elderly people Not all robots will take over human jobs. My colleagues and I have just unveiled a prototype care robot that we hope could take on some of the more mundane work of looking after elderly and disabled people and those with conditions such as dementia.
This would leave human carers free to focus on the more personal parts of the job. The robot could also do things humans don’t have time to do now, like keeping a constant check on whether someone is safe and well, while allowing them to keep their privacy. The Independent
This would leave human carers free to focus on the more personal parts of the job. The robot could also do things humans don’t have time to do now, like keeping a constant check on whether someone is safe and well, while allowing them to keep their privacy. The Independent
Brexit could cause fatal delays for cancer patients who need urgent treatment, experts warn
Brexit could cause fatal delays for cancer patients who need urgent treatment, experts warn Brexit could prevent cancer patients from being treated in time, if supplies of radioactive materials used in treatments and scans are disrupted by leaving the European civil nuclear regulator, Euratom, experts have warned.
Senior NHS oncologists and radiologists told the Lords EU Home Affairs Subcommittee today that close to a million patients receive radiotherapies or scans that largely depend on EU manufacturers.
Many of these treatments are time sensitive and delays or disruption "significantly diminish" the likelihood that a cancer can be cured, the committee heard. The Independent
Senior NHS oncologists and radiologists told the Lords EU Home Affairs Subcommittee today that close to a million patients receive radiotherapies or scans that largely depend on EU manufacturers.
Many of these treatments are time sensitive and delays or disruption "significantly diminish" the likelihood that a cancer can be cured, the committee heard. The Independent
The healthcare gender bias: do men get better medical treatment?
The healthcare gender bias: do men get better medical treatment? A study this month found that women are less likely than men to be given CPR – but it is not the only way in which they are given short shrift in an industry where female pain is serially misdiagnosed.
You are walking down the street, minding your own business, when suddenly you see someone collapse to the ground. They are unresponsive, not breathing. Do you perform CPR? No doubt you like to think that you would. But what if the unlucky person was a woman? The question may seem redundant, but unfortunately it is not: a study this month found that women are less likely than men to get CPR from a bystander, and are more likely to die.
The research, funded by the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health, found that only 39% of women who have a cardiac arrest in a public place were given CPR, versus 45% of men. Men were 23% more likely to survive and one of the study leaders, Benjamin Abella, speculated that rescuers may worry about moving a woman’s clothing, or touching her breasts. One idea mooted was more realistic-looking practice mannequins to account for the female torso. Continue reading... The Guardian
You are walking down the street, minding your own business, when suddenly you see someone collapse to the ground. They are unresponsive, not breathing. Do you perform CPR? No doubt you like to think that you would. But what if the unlucky person was a woman? The question may seem redundant, but unfortunately it is not: a study this month found that women are less likely than men to get CPR from a bystander, and are more likely to die.
The research, funded by the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health, found that only 39% of women who have a cardiac arrest in a public place were given CPR, versus 45% of men. Men were 23% more likely to survive and one of the study leaders, Benjamin Abella, speculated that rescuers may worry about moving a woman’s clothing, or touching her breasts. One idea mooted was more realistic-looking practice mannequins to account for the female torso. Continue reading... The Guardian
Jeremy Hunt gets into Twitter row over NHS with actor Ralf Little
Jeremy Hunt gets into Twitter row over NHS with actor Ralf Little Health secretary replies in series of 26 tweets to comedy actor challenging his statistics on NHS mental health figures
The health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has become embroiled in a bizarre Twitter row with the comedy actor Ralf Little over the state of NHS mental healthcare.
The standoff began two weeks ago after Hunt’s appearance on The Andrew Marr Show, when Hunt stated that the NHS had overseen “the biggest expansion of mental health provision in Europe”. Continue reading... The Guardian
The health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has become embroiled in a bizarre Twitter row with the comedy actor Ralf Little over the state of NHS mental healthcare.
The standoff began two weeks ago after Hunt’s appearance on The Andrew Marr Show, when Hunt stated that the NHS had overseen “the biggest expansion of mental health provision in Europe”. Continue reading... The Guardian
E-consultations with GPs end up with four in ten going to see the doctor
E-consultations with GPs end up with four in ten going to see the doctor E-consultations with GPs end up with four in ten patients going to the doctor anyway, new research suggests.
Health officials have launched a £45m national drive to encourage online GP consultations, in a bid to improve access to doctors amid lengthening waiting times.
But the study of 36 GP practices offering consultations by email found extremely low take up.
And two thirds of those who attempted to get advice via email ended up either seeing a GP, or having to speak to them on the phone anyway, the University of Bristol study found. The Daily Telegraph
See also:
Health officials have launched a £45m national drive to encourage online GP consultations, in a bid to improve access to doctors amid lengthening waiting times.
But the study of 36 GP practices offering consultations by email found extremely low take up.
And two thirds of those who attempted to get advice via email ended up either seeing a GP, or having to speak to them on the phone anyway, the University of Bristol study found. The Daily Telegraph
See also:
Life-saving prostate cancer treatment denied on NHS for a year despite approval by safety watchdogs
Life-saving prostate cancer treatment denied on NHS for a year despite approval by safety watchdogs More than 20,000 men will have to wait at least a year for access to a breakthrough prostate cancer treatment which cuts deaths by almost 40 per cent.
Abiraterone, which doubles the life expectancy of those with the most advanced cancer and “effectively cures” it in less critical patients, was declared safe yesterday by the European Medicines Agency.
However, health chiefs in England will not decide whether to fund it on the NHS until Autumn next year.
The treatment is currently provided to NHS patients where standard hormone therapy has failed.
But a major British trial presented in June found that when used as a first-line treatment alongside hormone therapy its efficacy was vastly improved. The Daily Telegraph
Abiraterone, which doubles the life expectancy of those with the most advanced cancer and “effectively cures” it in less critical patients, was declared safe yesterday by the European Medicines Agency.
However, health chiefs in England will not decide whether to fund it on the NHS until Autumn next year.
The treatment is currently provided to NHS patients where standard hormone therapy has failed.
But a major British trial presented in June found that when used as a first-line treatment alongside hormone therapy its efficacy was vastly improved. The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, 22 November 2017
Has the continuing success of the NHS contributed to the ongoing hard line on funding?
Has the continuing success of the NHS contributed to the ongoing hard line on funding? The NHS presents an economic dilemma. On the one hand we boast one of the best performing and most highly efficient health care systems in the world, yet on the other we see services and the staff that deliver them stretched to their absolute limits.
When it comes to productivity, the NHS is currently outperforming the wider UK economy, so investing in the health service makes financial sense. Historically, growing economies have increased their spend on health as a share of GDP yet, in the UK, current plans will see health spending fall as a proportion of GDP, which could risk us slipping below the standards and outcomes of the developed world. The Health Foundation
When it comes to productivity, the NHS is currently outperforming the wider UK economy, so investing in the health service makes financial sense. Historically, growing economies have increased their spend on health as a share of GDP yet, in the UK, current plans will see health spending fall as a proportion of GDP, which could risk us slipping below the standards and outcomes of the developed world. The Health Foundation
Bottom up, top down, middle out: transforming health and care in Greater Manchester
Bottom up, top down, middle out: transforming health and care in Greater Manchester In April 2016, control of Greater Manchester’s £6 billion combined health and social care budget was handed over to local leaders as part of the first devolution deal of its kind. Since then, local NHS and local government leaders, clinicians and wider partners have been working together to develop services suited to the needs of the 2.8 million people who live in Greater Manchester. The King's Fund
Why I injected myself with an untested gene therapy
Why I injected myself with an untested gene therapy The moment Tristan Roberts became the first human to inject an untested, experimental gene therapy into his stomach fat, he was sitting on a leather couch in his friend-slash-yoga instructor's living room, not on a doctor's examining table.
The glass coffee table in front of him was strewn with syringes. A Chihuahua mix wearing an inflatable recovery collar snored beside him.
The event was livestreamed on Facebook, and hundreds tuned in (later, Roberts' mother watched, though she was "not thrilled" with his decision). On Roberts' right was Aaron Traywick, head of Ascendance Biomedical, the nascent company behind the treatment. A network of unnamed researchers around the US assembled the vials in front of them. BBC News
The glass coffee table in front of him was strewn with syringes. A Chihuahua mix wearing an inflatable recovery collar snored beside him.
The event was livestreamed on Facebook, and hundreds tuned in (later, Roberts' mother watched, though she was "not thrilled" with his decision). On Roberts' right was Aaron Traywick, head of Ascendance Biomedical, the nascent company behind the treatment. A network of unnamed researchers around the US assembled the vials in front of them. BBC News
Jeremy Hunt accused of 'astonishing failure' after GP numbers fall by 1,190
Jeremy Hunt accused of 'astonishing failure' after GP numbers fall by 1,190 NHS figures show drop of 1,193 family doctors in past year, despite pledge to increase numbers by 5,000 by 2020
The number of GPs in England has fallen sharply in the past year, despite a government pledge to increase the supply of family doctors by 5,000.
The total number of full-time equivalent GPs working in England dropped by 1,193 in the year to September, figures from NHS Digital show. Continue reading... The Guardian
See also:
The number of GPs in England has fallen sharply in the past year, despite a government pledge to increase the supply of family doctors by 5,000.
The total number of full-time equivalent GPs working in England dropped by 1,193 in the year to September, figures from NHS Digital show. Continue reading... The Guardian
See also:
- Workforce figures gravely concerning says College Royal College of General Practitioners
- NHS has lost 1,300 full-time GPs since 2015, official data reveal GPonline
- Jeremy Hunt's GP recruitment pledge in tatters as 1,000 full-time NHS doctors quit last year The Independent
This isn’t the start of an NHS crisis – it’s far worse | Jan Filochowski
This isn’t the start of an NHS crisis – it’s far worse | Jan Filochowski The shortfalls are chronic, widespread and growing. I’ve turned failing health trusts around – I can see the service needs a modern-day Marshall plan• Jan Filochowski is a former NHS chief executive
Saying the NHS was already in crisis, as I – and a few other Jeremiahs – did two years ago, meant going out on a limb. Today, hardly anyone says anything else, not least because virtually all our dire predictions have become realities. Even public officials responsible for running and inspecting the NHS, who couldn’t be seen for dust then (the heads of NHS England, NHS Improvement and the Care Quality Commission), are going public on the gravity of the situation and begging the chancellor to do something in this week’s budget.
Indeed, how could anyone say things are OK when, in response to an increase in the past seven years of at most 15% in A&E attendances and admissions, waits in A&E have gone up by 350% and waits for admission by 550%? Increasing waiting times are the canary in the mine. Continue reading... The Guardian
See also:
Saying the NHS was already in crisis, as I – and a few other Jeremiahs – did two years ago, meant going out on a limb. Today, hardly anyone says anything else, not least because virtually all our dire predictions have become realities. Even public officials responsible for running and inspecting the NHS, who couldn’t be seen for dust then (the heads of NHS England, NHS Improvement and the Care Quality Commission), are going public on the gravity of the situation and begging the chancellor to do something in this week’s budget.
Indeed, how could anyone say things are OK when, in response to an increase in the past seven years of at most 15% in A&E attendances and admissions, waits in A&E have gone up by 350% and waits for admission by 550%? Increasing waiting times are the canary in the mine. Continue reading... The Guardian
See also:
Ray James: ‘I want those still in care to tell their truths to people like me’
Ray James: ‘I want those still in care to tell their truths to people like me’ Six years after the Winterbourne View abuse scandal, Ray James’ new job is to ensure people with learning disabilities can move on from long-stay units
Ray James wants to feel uncomfortable. It’s the best way, he thinks, to make health and care leaders take action to break the logjam that keeps almost 2,500 people with learning disabilities and autism in specialist hospitals in England six years after the Winterbourne View scandal. The Panorama exposé of systematic abuse of patients so shocked the nation that ministers promised to close such places down.
James, 52, has been appointed the first national learning disability director at NHS England, with a brief to do whatever necessary to make progress on that pledge. Continue reading... The Guardian
Ray James wants to feel uncomfortable. It’s the best way, he thinks, to make health and care leaders take action to break the logjam that keeps almost 2,500 people with learning disabilities and autism in specialist hospitals in England six years after the Winterbourne View scandal. The Panorama exposé of systematic abuse of patients so shocked the nation that ministers promised to close such places down.
James, 52, has been appointed the first national learning disability director at NHS England, with a brief to do whatever necessary to make progress on that pledge. Continue reading... The Guardian
NHS doctors fell 'dirty' working with private industry, health chief says
NHS doctors fell 'dirty' working with private industry, health chief says Live-saving NHS innovations are being held up because doctors think it is “dirty” to work with the private sector, the Government’s most senior health advisor has said.
Dame Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Officer, told Parliament that staff were reluctant to associate with profit-making bodies even if it denied them the chance to improve their skills.
She said that if the NHS was to improve its research capacity there needed to be a “revolving door” between the health service, academia and industry bodies such as pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers.
Her call came as the Government’s Chief Scientific Advisor acknowledged that the training of NHS doctors capable of researching new cures and procedures had taken a “backward step”. The Daily Telegraph
Dame Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Officer, told Parliament that staff were reluctant to associate with profit-making bodies even if it denied them the chance to improve their skills.
She said that if the NHS was to improve its research capacity there needed to be a “revolving door” between the health service, academia and industry bodies such as pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers.
Her call came as the Government’s Chief Scientific Advisor acknowledged that the training of NHS doctors capable of researching new cures and procedures had taken a “backward step”. The Daily Telegraph
Suicidal children abandoned by NHS, Commissioner tells Parliament
Suicidal children abandoned by NHS, Commissioner tells Parliament Suicidal children are being abandoned, the Children’s Commissioner has warned as she called for ‘seismic change’ to mental health services for the young.
Anne Longfield said understaffed and fragmented services meant minors are being turned away even if they say they no longer wanted to live.
Her warning to MPs followed a report which showed children’s psychiatric services are receiving an average of just 6 per cent of the mental health budget, despite children making up around 20 per cent of the population.
Meanwhile the Care Quality Commission, responsible for regulating services, said there was no clear structure of accountability at a local level.
Currently only one in four children with a psychiatric condition is being treated. The Daily Telegraph
See also:
Anne Longfield said understaffed and fragmented services meant minors are being turned away even if they say they no longer wanted to live.
Her warning to MPs followed a report which showed children’s psychiatric services are receiving an average of just 6 per cent of the mental health budget, despite children making up around 20 per cent of the population.
Meanwhile the Care Quality Commission, responsible for regulating services, said there was no clear structure of accountability at a local level.
Currently only one in four children with a psychiatric condition is being treated. The Daily Telegraph
See also:
At least 675 patients fall over daily on NHS wards
At least 675 patients fall over daily on NHS wards Some 675 patients have falls on NHS wards every day, a major national audit has found.
Many are preventable and caused by patients not having walking frames or being unsteady from medication.
Hospitals are also failing to give patients call bells to ensure they can summon staff without trying to get on their feet.
The audit, by the Royal College of Physicians, established that there were 246,425 falls on NHS wards in 2015/16 – and many hospitals and trusts were failing to take basic measures to prevent them. The Daily Mail
See also:
Many are preventable and caused by patients not having walking frames or being unsteady from medication.
Hospitals are also failing to give patients call bells to ensure they can summon staff without trying to get on their feet.
The audit, by the Royal College of Physicians, established that there were 246,425 falls on NHS wards in 2015/16 – and many hospitals and trusts were failing to take basic measures to prevent them. The Daily Mail
See also:
- National Audit of Inpatient Falls Audit report 2017 Royal College of Physicians
Tuesday, 21 November 2017
Black and ethnic minority cancer patients patients encouraged to give feedback on their NHS care
Black and ethnic minority cancer patients patients encouraged to give feedback on their NHS care Simon Stevens today issued an appeal for more black and ethnic minority (BME) patients to help improve cancer care by sharing their experiences.
Speaking at the Economist’s War on Cancer event, Simon Stevens will point out that BME patients are less likely to give feedback about treatment, with only 50% of those from ethnic groups taking part in the most recent cancer survey, making it difficult for the NHS to identify areas where care can be improved.
Cancer patients are reporting that they feel increasingly positive about their NHS care with 87.5 per cent of patients saying that they got their cancer tests at the right time and 90% of respondents said they were given the name of a Clinical Nurse Specialist who would support them through their treatment.
However, the significant improvements may not be the full picture with BME communities less likely to participate in the feedback. NHS England
Speaking at the Economist’s War on Cancer event, Simon Stevens will point out that BME patients are less likely to give feedback about treatment, with only 50% of those from ethnic groups taking part in the most recent cancer survey, making it difficult for the NHS to identify areas where care can be improved.
Cancer patients are reporting that they feel increasingly positive about their NHS care with 87.5 per cent of patients saying that they got their cancer tests at the right time and 90% of respondents said they were given the name of a Clinical Nurse Specialist who would support them through their treatment.
However, the significant improvements may not be the full picture with BME communities less likely to participate in the feedback. NHS England
Nutritional care tool report 2017
Nutritional care tool report 2017 The BAPEN nutritional care tool report provides organisational-level data on how nutritional care is organised and patient-level data on the quality of nutrition in hospitals, care homes and community organisations.
Concordia overcharged NHS for thyroid drug, says watchdog
Concordia overcharged NHS for thyroid drug, says watchdog Drug company Concordia overcharged the NHS by millions for a key thyroid treatment, the Competition and Markets Authority has provisionally found.
The CMA said that last year the NHS spent £34m on its drug, liothyronine, up from about £600,000 in 2006.
The amount the NHS paid per pack rose from around £4.46 in 2007 to £258.19 by July 2017, an increase of almost 6,000%.
Concordia said it did "not believe that competition law has been infringed".
The CMA said the price rise took place despite "broadly stable" production costs. BBC News
The CMA said that last year the NHS spent £34m on its drug, liothyronine, up from about £600,000 in 2006.
The amount the NHS paid per pack rose from around £4.46 in 2007 to £258.19 by July 2017, an increase of almost 6,000%.
Concordia said it did "not believe that competition law has been infringed".
The CMA said the price rise took place despite "broadly stable" production costs. BBC News
District nurse numbers under pressure
District nurse numbers under pressure District nurses play a vital role in keeping patients out of hospital by providing care in their own homes, but official figures show their numbers have nearly halved since 2010. BBC News
The growing toll of our ever-expanding waistlines
The growing toll of our ever-expanding waistlines I hope you’re not chomping on a bagel, or worse, a doughnut while you read about what is probably the most serious public health irony of the last half-century in this country. As one major killer – smoking – declined, another rose precipitously to take its place: obesity.
Many cancer deaths were averted after millions quit lighting up, but they are now rising because even greater numbers are unable to keep their waistlines in check.
Today, obesity and smoking remain the two leading causes of preventable deaths in this country. The Independent
Many cancer deaths were averted after millions quit lighting up, but they are now rising because even greater numbers are unable to keep their waistlines in check.
Today, obesity and smoking remain the two leading causes of preventable deaths in this country. The Independent
Budget boost for NHS to fall well short of management demands
Budget boost for NHS to fall well short of management demands Philip Hammond is set to provide emergency funding but health service bosses say it does not go far enough
Philip Hammond is to give the NHS an emergency cash injection in the budget, though the chancellor will disappoint health service bosses by increasing funding by far less than they believe is needed.
Hammond is understood to be preparing to unveil a plan to give the NHS up to £6bn by 2022 for three different purposes. Continue reading... The Guardian
Philip Hammond is to give the NHS an emergency cash injection in the budget, though the chancellor will disappoint health service bosses by increasing funding by far less than they believe is needed.
Hammond is understood to be preparing to unveil a plan to give the NHS up to £6bn by 2022 for three different purposes. Continue reading... The Guardian
‘Take these children seriously’: NHS clinic in the eye of trans rights storm
‘Take these children seriously’: NHS clinic in the eye of trans rights storm A specialist NHS centre in London is helping thousands of young people who are having difficulties with gender identity
At a time when transgender issues occupy the centreground of today’s culture wars, a clinic in an unpreposessing 1920s office block in north-west London has found itself on the frontline.
The Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), based at the Tavistock and Portman NHS foundation trust, is the only NHS-run clinic that specialises in helping young people experiencing difficulties with their gender identity.
It is a gender identity service, not a gender transition service. Many children will benefit from talking therapies Continue reading... The Guardian
At a time when transgender issues occupy the centreground of today’s culture wars, a clinic in an unpreposessing 1920s office block in north-west London has found itself on the frontline.
The Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), based at the Tavistock and Portman NHS foundation trust, is the only NHS-run clinic that specialises in helping young people experiencing difficulties with their gender identity.
It is a gender identity service, not a gender transition service. Many children will benefit from talking therapies Continue reading... The Guardian
Common NHS shoulder surgery no better than placebo at relieving pain
Common NHS shoulder surgery no better than placebo at relieving pain An increasingly popular form of shoulder surgery carried out on more than 21,000 people a year is almost entirely pointless, a major new study has found.
Decompression surgery, a keyhole procedure designed to remove small areas of bone and tissue around the joint, proved no better at relieving pain than a placebo in a trial across 32 hospitals.
Experts at Oxford University, who conducted the research, last night questioned why the operation had been allowed to become so commonplace despite no robust evidence supporting its use.
Meanwhile the Royal College of Surgeons, which partly funded the study, suggested the procedure should no longer be offered routinely on the NHS. The Daily Telegraph
See also:
Decompression surgery, a keyhole procedure designed to remove small areas of bone and tissue around the joint, proved no better at relieving pain than a placebo in a trial across 32 hospitals.
Experts at Oxford University, who conducted the research, last night questioned why the operation had been allowed to become so commonplace despite no robust evidence supporting its use.
Meanwhile the Royal College of Surgeons, which partly funded the study, suggested the procedure should no longer be offered routinely on the NHS. The Daily Telegraph
See also:
NHS rolls out cancer screening trucks in supermarkets
NHS rolls out cancer screening trucks in supermarkets Patients are being offered cancer scans in supermarket car parks to try to improve disease detection rates.
The scheme is going nationwide after a trial led to a four-fold rise in the number of lung cancers diagnosed early.
NHS chiefs judged it so successful they will pay for more trucks with scanners to be sited at branches of Tesco and Asda. The Daily Mail
The scheme is going nationwide after a trial led to a four-fold rise in the number of lung cancers diagnosed early.
NHS chiefs judged it so successful they will pay for more trucks with scanners to be sited at branches of Tesco and Asda. The Daily Mail
Monday, 20 November 2017
NGH Paddington ward gets £27,000 worth of new beds for parents to stay with poorly children
NGH Paddington ward gets £27,000 worth of new beds for parents to stay with poorly children The mayor of Northampton councillor Gareth Eales and the mayoress, councillor Terrie Eales open the newly refurbished Paddington children's ward.
Half of Paddington children’s ward at Northampton General Hospital has been given a makeover to produce a safer, more modern and efficient environment for patients, parents, carers and staff. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Half of Paddington children’s ward at Northampton General Hospital has been given a makeover to produce a safer, more modern and efficient environment for patients, parents, carers and staff. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
‘Stay away if you’ve been sick’, says KGH
‘Stay away if you’ve been sick’, says KGH KGH and Nene CCG are urging people not to attend A&E – or visit relatives in hospitals – if they have or have recently had vomiting or diarrhoea.
The common stomach bug norovirus is currently prevalent in the county and so far this month KGH has had 11 confirmed cases in the hospital.
The bug affects individuals in workplaces, care homes and schools and nurseries and there is no specific cure, with the best treatment to stay at home. Northamptonshire Telegraph
The common stomach bug norovirus is currently prevalent in the county and so far this month KGH has had 11 confirmed cases in the hospital.
The bug affects individuals in workplaces, care homes and schools and nurseries and there is no specific cure, with the best treatment to stay at home. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Performance of the NHS provider sector for the month ended 30 September 2017
Performance of the NHS provider sector for the month ended 30 September 2017 This report finds that despite the NHS treating more patients than even before, more people were seen within four hours in A&E and within 18 weeks for planned care. However, the combined end of year deficit for hospitals in England will be an estimated £127 million worse than planned. NHS Improvement
Faye’s story: good practice when prescribing opioids for chronic pain
Faye’s story: good practice when prescribing opioids for chronic pain The British Medical Association’s (BMA) recent study into prescribing analgesics has shown long term opioid prescribing for chronic non-cancer pain is becoming an increasing issue in England.
These resources highlight the difficulties in prescribing opioids to manage chronic pain and offer advice and guidance to all healthcare professionals who are responsible for administering them. NHS Improvement
These resources highlight the difficulties in prescribing opioids to manage chronic pain and offer advice and guidance to all healthcare professionals who are responsible for administering them. NHS Improvement
Child abuse survivor reveals horrific treatment at mental health unit being investigated by police
Child abuse survivor reveals horrific treatment at mental health unit being investigated by police Exclusive: Man describes beatings and forced sedation at Hill End Hospital Adolescent Unit.
“We were beaten, we were punched, we were put in headlocks, we had our heads rammed into doors…I was one of the lucky ones because I wasn’t raped, but I know of other people who were.”
Alan was 11 years old when he was taken into Hill End Hospital Adolescent Unit in St Albans – a place where he was meant to be cared for alongside other vulnerable children.
It was 1993 and he had been “naughty”, running away from the children’s homes and care centres social services shifted him between.
Hill End was supposed to treat teenagers with psychiatric illnesses, but by the time Alan arrived it had become what he called “dumping ground” for children for whom the NHS and local authorities had run out of other ideas. The Independent
“We were beaten, we were punched, we were put in headlocks, we had our heads rammed into doors…I was one of the lucky ones because I wasn’t raped, but I know of other people who were.”
Alan was 11 years old when he was taken into Hill End Hospital Adolescent Unit in St Albans – a place where he was meant to be cared for alongside other vulnerable children.
It was 1993 and he had been “naughty”, running away from the children’s homes and care centres social services shifted him between.
Hill End was supposed to treat teenagers with psychiatric illnesses, but by the time Alan arrived it had become what he called “dumping ground” for children for whom the NHS and local authorities had run out of other ideas. The Independent
Philip Hammond dismisses NHS chief's call for £4bn emergency cash injection
Philip Hammond dismisses NHS chief's call for £4bn emergency cash injection The chancellor told the BBC that heads of public services always predict ‘Armageddon’ in the run-up to a budget
Philip Hammond has dismissed calls from the head of the NHS for an emergency cash injection of £4bn, as he said people running public services always predict ”Armageddon” before a budget.
The chancellor hinted the NHS could get more money to cover the cost of ending the public sector pay freeze for nurses and other workers. Continue reading... The Guardian
See also:
Philip Hammond has dismissed calls from the head of the NHS for an emergency cash injection of £4bn, as he said people running public services always predict ”Armageddon” before a budget.
The chancellor hinted the NHS could get more money to cover the cost of ending the public sector pay freeze for nurses and other workers. Continue reading... The Guardian
See also:
Hospitals attack ‘barking mad’ NHS target to manage winter crisis
Hospitals attack ‘barking mad’ NHS target to manage winter crisis Official edicts to banish long trolley waits and treatment in corridors are deluded, say trusts.
Health service chiefs have been declared “barking mad” for ordering hospitals to ensure no patient is treated in a corridor or languishes on a trolley for hours when this year’s winter crisis hits.
NHS England’s instructions, intended to avoid a repeat of hospitals’ descent into the sort of meltdown seen last year, also say that patients should not have to wait more than 15 minutes in the back of an ambulance outside an A&E unit as they wait to be handed over to hospital staff. Continue reading... The Guardian
Health service chiefs have been declared “barking mad” for ordering hospitals to ensure no patient is treated in a corridor or languishes on a trolley for hours when this year’s winter crisis hits.
NHS England’s instructions, intended to avoid a repeat of hospitals’ descent into the sort of meltdown seen last year, also say that patients should not have to wait more than 15 minutes in the back of an ambulance outside an A&E unit as they wait to be handed over to hospital staff. Continue reading... The Guardian
Cross-party MPs request urgent non-partisan debate on future of NHS
Cross-party MPs request urgent non-partisan debate on future of NHS Group tells Theresa May health system has been failing patients and calls for public sector pay cap for NHS workers to be lifted
Ninety MPs including several senior Tories have urged Theresa May to launch a cross-party convention on the future of the NHS and social care in England.
Sarah Wollaston, chair of the Commons health committee, organised a letter in conjunction with the Liberal Democrat former care minister Norman Lamb and Labour’s former shadow care minister Liz Kendall, that has been sent to the prime minister and the chancellor, Philip Hammond.
Govt also needs to focus on the long term, stop planning for health & social care in separate silos as this approach is setting us up for failure. Finance & workforce need urgent attention for the here & now but also for the long term & MPs from all Parties ready to engage
Current plans to kick social care into the long grass (again) & to separate planning for young and older adults creates even further fragmentation . Essential to think about whole system of NHS & Care Continue reading... The Guardian
See also:
Ninety MPs including several senior Tories have urged Theresa May to launch a cross-party convention on the future of the NHS and social care in England.
Sarah Wollaston, chair of the Commons health committee, organised a letter in conjunction with the Liberal Democrat former care minister Norman Lamb and Labour’s former shadow care minister Liz Kendall, that has been sent to the prime minister and the chancellor, Philip Hammond.
Govt also needs to focus on the long term, stop planning for health & social care in separate silos as this approach is setting us up for failure. Finance & workforce need urgent attention for the here & now but also for the long term & MPs from all Parties ready to engage
Current plans to kick social care into the long grass (again) & to separate planning for young and older adults creates even further fragmentation . Essential to think about whole system of NHS & Care Continue reading... The Guardian
See also:
Surgeons to guard hospital doors this winter in bid to stop overcrowding
Surgeons to guard hospital doors this winter in bid to stop overcrowding Surgeons should be posted at hospital front doors this winter to turn away non-urgent patients from A&E, the professions leadership has said.
In an unprecedented appeal, the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) said even its most senior members should volunteer for new “rapid assessment” units in a bid to prevent overcrowding.
Supported by the NHS leadership, the RCS said the only way to prevent the cancellation of routine operations, which happens increasingly as hospitals become busier, was to channel manpower into making sure A&E is only attended by those in the most need. The Daily Telegraph
See also:
In an unprecedented appeal, the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) said even its most senior members should volunteer for new “rapid assessment” units in a bid to prevent overcrowding.
Supported by the NHS leadership, the RCS said the only way to prevent the cancellation of routine operations, which happens increasingly as hospitals become busier, was to channel manpower into making sure A&E is only attended by those in the most need. The Daily Telegraph
See also:
- Surgeons asked to staff hospital front doors to head off emergency pressures this winter Royal College of Surgeons
NHS considers deliberate three-month waits for routine ops
NHS considers deliberate three-month waits for routine ops Patients needing hip, knee and cataract surgery face being deliberately kept ‘on hold’ on hospital waiting lists for a minimum of three months.
Under a controversial scheme to save money, patients will be made to wait a minimum of 12 weeks before they can even be considered for routine operations.
Managers claim some patients will get better while they are waiting and decide they no longer need the potentially life-changing surgery.
But critics said bosses were hoping patients would go private – or die – before their operation so the NHS would never have to pay. The Daily Mail
Under a controversial scheme to save money, patients will be made to wait a minimum of 12 weeks before they can even be considered for routine operations.
Managers claim some patients will get better while they are waiting and decide they no longer need the potentially life-changing surgery.
But critics said bosses were hoping patients would go private – or die – before their operation so the NHS would never have to pay. The Daily Mail
Number of patients on mixed sex wards hits six-year high
Number of patients on mixed sex wards hits six-year high The number of patients who have to endure the indignity of being on a mixed sex ward has hit a six-year high, figures revealed yesterday.
Some 1,140 patients had to sleep on the wards last month, the highest figure since October 2011.
Last year alone, 10,110 were put on the wards – an average of 200 patients every week.
This figure has doubled in two years and is four times higher than the same period in 2015. Critics say the wards are dehumanising and frightening, with one MP calling the practice ‘an affront to basic human dignity’. The Daily Mail
Some 1,140 patients had to sleep on the wards last month, the highest figure since October 2011.
Last year alone, 10,110 were put on the wards – an average of 200 patients every week.
This figure has doubled in two years and is four times higher than the same period in 2015. Critics say the wards are dehumanising and frightening, with one MP calling the practice ‘an affront to basic human dignity’. The Daily Mail
Friday, 17 November 2017
Health service provision in Corby ‘has to change’
Health service provision in Corby ‘has to change’ The way health services are delivered in Corby must change in the future, according to local health bosses.
The group has released information about its challenges ahead of a full three-month public consultation, which is due to take place in early 2018.
The town’s urgent care centre (UCC), funded by the Corby Care Commissioning Group (CCG), has been at the centre of a long-standing dispute with the threat of closure earlier this year. Health bosses say new figures on the centre’s usage and and its effect, or lack of, on A&E attendances at KGH show the current model isn’t working. Northamptonshire Telegraph
The group has released information about its challenges ahead of a full three-month public consultation, which is due to take place in early 2018.
The town’s urgent care centre (UCC), funded by the Corby Care Commissioning Group (CCG), has been at the centre of a long-standing dispute with the threat of closure earlier this year. Health bosses say new figures on the centre’s usage and and its effect, or lack of, on A&E attendances at KGH show the current model isn’t working. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Daventry man says mother's death was avoidable had hospital staff listened to him - Daventry Express
Daventry man says mother's death was avoidable had hospital staff listened to him A Daventry man believes the death of his mother from a urinary tract infection (UTI) could have been prevented if Northampton General Hospital staff had listened to his warnings about her condition. Daventry Express
New care models point to a better future for patients and staff
New care models point to a better future for patients and staff Last week I had the privilege of visiting new care models in Dorset, Hampshire, Surrey and Buckinghamshire in the company of Don Berwick, international visiting fellow at the Fund. We met clinical and managerial leaders working to improve patient care by providing same-day access to GP appointments, integrating community services in localities, aligning these services with general practices, redesigning mental health services in association with service users, and strengthening specialist care by concentrating services on fewer sites where this will deliver better outcomes – to name but a few of the examples we saw. The King's Fund
Have your say on the biggest reform of professional regulation
Have your say on the biggest reform of professional regulation The Department of Health launched a 12 week public consultation on the reform of the UK regulatory system in October. Complete our survey to be part of our response on behalf of employers. NHS Employers
Does hospital competition improve efficiency? The effect of the patient choice reform in England
Does hospital competition improve efficiency? The effect of the patient choice reform in England This paper investigates the effect of hospital competition on dimensions of efficiency including indicators of resource management and costs. Findings suggest that increased competition had mixed effects on efficiency. Centre for Health Economics
Keeping us well: how non-health charities address the social determinants of health
Keeping us well: how non-health charities address the social determinants of health This report aims to support non-health charities to better understand and use the evidence about the social factors that impact on people’s health and well-being. New Philanthropy Capital
NHS deficit set to hit worse levels than predicted
NHS deficit set to hit worse levels than predicted NHS trusts in England are now predicting a worse deficit than originally predicted by the end of the current financial year, according to the latest performance data.
The quarterly performance of the NHS provider sector for the second quarter (July to September) of the 2017-18 financial year reveals that NHS trusts and foundation trusts are collectively predicting a full-year deficit of around £623 million – £127 million worse than planned.
The data from NHS Improvement also showed that despite the NHS treating more patients than even before, more people were seen within four hours in A&E and within 18 weeks for planned care. OnMedica
The quarterly performance of the NHS provider sector for the second quarter (July to September) of the 2017-18 financial year reveals that NHS trusts and foundation trusts are collectively predicting a full-year deficit of around £623 million – £127 million worse than planned.
The data from NHS Improvement also showed that despite the NHS treating more patients than even before, more people were seen within four hours in A&E and within 18 weeks for planned care. OnMedica
BME communities face 'cultural taboo' over mental health
BME communities face 'cultural taboo' over mental health Charities said expectations on how to behave and family honour stopped some women speaking out.
Figures show white British people are accessing more help while BME women are most likely to have a mental condition.
Campaigner Asha Iqbal said fears of shaming the family and not being the "perfect wife" made her anxiety worse.
Latest NHS figures show a white person with mental health issues is twice as likely to be receiving treatment than someone from an Asian or black background.
The statistics also show women from such backgrounds were most likely to experience a mental health disorder. BBC News
Figures show white British people are accessing more help while BME women are most likely to have a mental condition.
Campaigner Asha Iqbal said fears of shaming the family and not being the "perfect wife" made her anxiety worse.
Latest NHS figures show a white person with mental health issues is twice as likely to be receiving treatment than someone from an Asian or black background.
The statistics also show women from such backgrounds were most likely to experience a mental health disorder. BBC News
First gene-editing in human body attempt
First gene-editing in human body attempt Gene-editing has been attempted on cells inside a patient, in a world first by doctors in California.
Brian Madeux, 44 from Arizona, was given the experimental treatment to try to correct a defect in his DNA that causes Hunter's syndrome.
Mr Madeux says he was prepared to take part in the trial as he is "in pain every second of the day".
It is too soon to know whether or not the gene-editing has worked in Mr Madeux's case. BBC News
Brian Madeux, 44 from Arizona, was given the experimental treatment to try to correct a defect in his DNA that causes Hunter's syndrome.
Mr Madeux says he was prepared to take part in the trial as he is "in pain every second of the day".
It is too soon to know whether or not the gene-editing has worked in Mr Madeux's case. BBC News
Seeing a GP on a smartphone sounds wonderful – but it's not
Seeing a GP on a smartphone sounds wonderful – but it's not The new GP in Hand app fails to provide equality of access and undermines practice revenues
Last week, with very little warning – even to those of us working in general practice – along came GP at Hand. Private doctor provider Babylon caused shockwaves with its offer to sign up patients from across London to its online GP service as a replacement for their regular NHS practices, with plans to expand to the rest of England. GP at Hand promises that patients will be able to “book an appointment within seconds” via its smartphone app and have a video consultation with a GP typically within under two hours of booking “anytime, anywhere”. Those who need it can then see a GP face to face within 48 hours at one of six sites across London.
On the surface, GP at Hand sounds wonderful – the NHS finally embracing technological advances in IT, offering almost immediate access when some are waiting three weeks for a non-urgent GP appointment. But while anyone can join its service, the website says it may not be suitable for “complex mental health problems or complex physical, psychological or social needs”. Or if you’re pregnant or older and frail, and as long as you don’t have dementia or learning difficulties or safeguarding issues. This new service is cherry-picking its target population. Continue reading... The Guardian
Last week, with very little warning – even to those of us working in general practice – along came GP at Hand. Private doctor provider Babylon caused shockwaves with its offer to sign up patients from across London to its online GP service as a replacement for their regular NHS practices, with plans to expand to the rest of England. GP at Hand promises that patients will be able to “book an appointment within seconds” via its smartphone app and have a video consultation with a GP typically within under two hours of booking “anytime, anywhere”. Those who need it can then see a GP face to face within 48 hours at one of six sites across London.
On the surface, GP at Hand sounds wonderful – the NHS finally embracing technological advances in IT, offering almost immediate access when some are waiting three weeks for a non-urgent GP appointment. But while anyone can join its service, the website says it may not be suitable for “complex mental health problems or complex physical, psychological or social needs”. Or if you’re pregnant or older and frail, and as long as you don’t have dementia or learning difficulties or safeguarding issues. This new service is cherry-picking its target population. Continue reading... The Guardian
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