Treat as one: bridging the gap between mental and physical healthcare in general hospitals

Treat as one: bridging the gap between mental and physical healthcare in general hospitals This report from the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death highlights concerns around the lack of progress on integration of physical and mental health care in general hospitals. NHS Networks

Staying put: developing dementia-friendly care and support for people with a learning disability

Staying put: developing dementia-friendly care and support for people with a learning disability A report from several voluntary sector organisations calls for an improvement in the way that the needs of people with learning disabilities and dementia are addressed. NHS Networks

Evidence review on drug misuse treatment

Evidence review on drug misuse treatment  Public Health England (PHE) has published a comprehensive review of the evidence on the drug misuse treatment system in England. NHS Networks

Take care of your elderly mothers and fathers, says Tory minister

Take care of your elderly mothers and fathers, says Tory minister David Mowat speaks out during House of Commons committee session on tackling the care crisis. People have just as much of a duty to look after their elderly parents as they do to care for their own children, a health minister has said.
David Mowat made the comments alongside an admission that the government had no “final answer” on how it was going to cope with the rising costs of social care. Continue reading...  The Guardian

Burning injustice: reducing tobacco-driven harm and inequality

Burning injustice: reducing tobacco-driven harm and inequality The All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health (APPGSH) launched this inquiry to review current action on tobacco control in response to concerns that funding is being reduced or not used effectively for work on tobacco control. The report provides evidence-based recommendations to the government, local authorities and the NHS for effective action to further reduce smoking prevalence at a time of austerity. The King's Fund

More patients placed in mixed-sex wards in England

More patients placed in mixed-sex wards in England The number of patients placed in mixed-sex wards in England has risen by almost 70% in the last year.
Statistics from NHS England show 7,163 patients were put in the wards in 2016, up from 4,248 in 2015.
In April 2011, fines were introduced to try to eradicate the problem, leading to a fall from thousands per month to hundreds. The Patients Association said the rise was "concerning" and that the wards should be scrapped. BBC News

NHS health service for GPs opens across England

NHS health service for GPs opens across England GPs seeking help with depression, addiction, stress and other mental health issues can now access support from the GP Health Service, following its launch on Monday 30 January. GP Online

Prison crisis affecting health services for inmates, says GP

Prison crisis affecting health services for inmates, says GP Rising tension and staff shortages in prisons are affecting decisions about how to manage urgent medical care for inmates, a senior prison GP has warned. GP Online

MPs to debate call to remove 1% nurse pay cap

MPs to debate call to remove 1% nurse pay cap MPs will today debate a call for the lifting of the 1% pay cap on public sector workers.
Catherine McKinnell, MP for Newcastle North, will lead the debate, which resulted from a petition started by Royal College of Nursing member Danielle Tiplady and signed by over 100,000 people.
At 4.30pm today members will debate the motion: “That this House has considered e-petition 168127 relating to pay restraint for Agenda for Change NHS staff.” OnMedica

Councils may cut social care provision due to underfunding, LGA says

Councils may cut social care provision due to underfunding, LGA says  Association says some of its 370 councils are struggling to meet legal requirement so badly they could face high court challenge.
Older and vulnerable people could stop receiving vital help to get out of bed, washed and dressed, because the underfunding of social care has become so severe, councils have warned.
Leaders of 370 local authorities in England and Wales fear that some councils are finding it so hard to provide the right level of support they could face a high court legal challenge for breaking the law.Continue reading...  The Guardian

No improvement in heart failure death rates since 1990s

No improvement in heart failure death rates since 1990s Heart failure still kills the same number of middle-aged Britons as it did nearly two decades ago, a new study warned.
While medical advances has slashed the number of Britons dying from cancer, the same has not happened for those suffering from heart failure.
The University of Oxford led study found between 1998 and 2012, survival rates for people aged over 45 with heart failure showed no improvement. The Telegraph