Wednesday 19 April 2017

Jobcentre Plus NHS week of action

Jobcentre Plus NHS week of action Find out about the Jobcentre Plus NHS week of action and how your trust can benefit from a partnership with your local centre. NHS Employers

How cultural alignment and the use of incentives can promote a culture of health

How cultural alignment and the use of incentives can promote a culture of health This report discusses how concepts of cultural identity (e.g. ethnicity, religion or sexuality) and organisational culture can be harnessed to create a culture of health and how incentives can be used to promote wellbeing. Rand Corporation

Housing problems causing mental illness, says charity

Housing problems causing mental illness, says charity Housing problems in England are causing people to suffer anxiety, depression and panic attacks, says Shelter.

Of people who had experienced housing worries within the past five years, 69% said their mental health was affected, suggests research for the charity.

The researchers interviewed 1,050 people from across England who reported poor housing, rent problems or being threatened with eviction. BBC News

More NHS mental health patients treated privately

More NHS mental health patients treated privately Mental health trusts across the UK are becoming increasingly reliant on private hospitals to deliver care, a BBC Breakfast investigation suggests.

NHS spending on private mental health inpatient beds went up 42% over five years across 40 mental health authorities that responded to freedom of information requests.

Experts say there is a chronic shortage of NHS beds.

It means some patients are placed in private units far from home. BBC News

NHS crisis must not be marginalised in general election, warns BMA

NHS crisis must not be marginalised in general election, warns BMA The NHS crisis must not be marginalised by Brexit in the June general election called by prime minister Theresa May, BMA leaders have warned. GPonline

Thousands of asylum seekers and migrants wrongly denied NHS healthcare

Thousands of asylum seekers and migrants wrongly denied NHS healthcare Thousands of asylum seekers and migrants have been wrongly denied NHS healthcare, in some cases being refused treatment despite suffering from life-threatening conditions such as cancer and heart disease, doctors have warned.

Undocumented migrants with urgent care needs have been refused treatment by hospitals, despite NHS guidelines that state no one should be refused urgent or immediately necessary treatment because they cannot pay, The Independent has learned.

NHS cancer referrals: More than 100,000 wait at least two weeks to be seen by specialist

NHS cancer referrals: More than 100,000 wait at least two weeks to be seen by specialist More than 100,000 patients waited longer than two weeks to see a cancer specialist after being urgently referred by their GP last year, new figures show.

Two weeks is the maximum waiting time allowed by the NHS in England for cancer referrals, with hospitals and surgeries required to investigate and offer a list of alternative clinics if the target is exceeded.

Waiting longer than 14 days for tests leaves patients in an “appalling state of limbo”, Macmillan Cancer Support has said, while experts have warned failing to act quickly could risk lives if tumours are not spotted soon enough. The Independent

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Pharmaceutical giant 'plotted to destroy cancer drugs to drive prices up 4,000%'

Pharmaceutical giant 'plotted to destroy cancer drugs to drive prices up 4,000%' Leaked internal emails appear to show employees at one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies calling for “celebration” over price hikes of cancer drugs, an investigation has revealed.

Staff at Aspen Pharmacare reportedly plotted to destroy stocks of life-saving medicines during a price dispute with the Spanish health service in 2014. The Independent

Could shared medical appointments help the NHS and patients?

Could shared medical appointments help the NHS and patients? They have been used for years in the US, where patients appreciate them, and there are also gains for GPs and hospitals

In medicine, the private one-to-one consultation is sacrosanct.

Yet shared medical appointments have been used successfully for years at the Cleveland Clinic in the US. Patients appreciate them. They compare experiences with other patients, learn from their questions, gain more advice than they might otherwise, and improve their understanding of their symptoms. Continue reading... The Guardian

Poppy Jaman: ‘I think there’s a wave of change coming in mental health’

Poppy Jaman: ‘I think there’s a wave of change coming in mental health’ The chief executive of Mental Health First Aid England says going into every secondary school is just the beginning of a new approach to mental illness

Poppy Jaman, chief executive of the not-for-profit Mental Health First Aid England (MHFAE), believes Theresa May meant business when she pledged in January to make mental health a priority. Despite ministers being accused of breaking their promises after £800m in cash earmarked for mental health was last month redirected to offsetting wider NHS budget problems, Jaman argues that the government will come good.

The jobcentre service needs staff who understand mental health so people get the right support Continue reading... The Guardian

Dying children should receive 24-hour care at home

Dying children should receive 24-hour care at home Terminally ill children should be allowed to receive round-the-clock care at home, the health watchdog states.

It is hoped the draft decision by NICE will allow devastated families get to spend the most of their precious time together.

Ensuring youngsters are given support in the comfort of their own homes during their final few weeks will maximise their quality of life.

Experts argue that, despite the care, a hospital ward isn't always the best place for a child to spend their final few weeks. The Daily Mail

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