Monday 23 October 2017

KGH appoints new chief executive

KGH appoints new chief executive Kettering General Hospital has appointed a new chief executive.

Simon Weldon, who is currently director of operations and delivery with NHS England, will take up the post in April of next year.

His current responsibilities include the oversight of key national delivery programmes including non-elective, primary care, mental health, cancer and transforming care.

One of his key recent achievements has been the development of the urgent and emergency care transformation programme at a national level. Northamptonshire Telegraph

"Am I meant to be okay now?": stories of life after treatment

"Am I meant to be okay now?": stories of life after treatment This report argues that the health and care system is failing to support recovering cancer patients with the physical and emotional trauma following treatment. It argues that the lack of appropriate aftercare is also placing pressure on the NHS with as cancer patients have 60 per cent more A&E attendances and 50 per cent more contact with GPs, 15 months after diagnosis. Macmillan

Health tourism charges come into force in England

Health tourism charges come into force in England Providers of NHS treatment are required from Monday to make sure patients in England are eligible for free care - and to charge them up front if not.

The measures apply to planned, non-urgent care - A&E, maternity, general practice and infectious disease treatment remain free to all.

The government hopes it will contribute to £22bn of savings needed in the NHS.

But the British Medical Association said the changes may prevent vulnerable people getting treatment they need.

Under the new measures, patients will be asked where they have lived in the last six months.

If they have lived abroad, they will be asked to show documentation that they are entitled to free NHS care, such as a non-UK European Health Insurance Card. BBC News

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Patients need rest, not antibiotics, say health officials

Patients need rest, not antibiotics, say health officials More patients should be told to go home and rest rather than be given antibiotics, according to health officials.

Public Health England (PHE) says up to a fifth of antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary as many illnesses get better on their own.

Overusing the drugs is making infections harder to treat by creating drug-resistant superbugs.

PHE says patients have "a part to play" in stopping the rise of infections. BBC News

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Children waiting up to 18 months for mental health treatment – CQC

Children waiting up to 18 months for mental health treatment – CQC NHS watchdog’s report sounds alarm that accessing care for under-18s in England takes so long, amid self-harm concerns

Children with mental health problems are waiting up to 18 months to be treated, a government ordered report will reveal next week in an indictment of the poor care many receive.

A Care Quality Commission report into child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) will warn that long delays for treatment are damaging the health of young people with anxiety, depression and other conditions. Continue reading... The Guardian

Was the children's tsar right to rip chunks out of the NHS boss?

Was the children's tsar right to rip chunks out of the NHS boss? Anne Longfield provoked a reaction but the confrontation is in danger of obscuring the issues around mental health services she wanted to highlight

The mauling of NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens by children’s commissioner Anne Longfield over mental health services is a rare example of brutal disputes between officials breaking out in public.

The children’s commissioner for England, a post created in 2004, exists to stand up for the rights of children, particularly on issues affecting the most vulnerable.

Longfield’s argument that the system is driven by crisis rather than early intervention applies to the entire NHS Continue reading... The Guardian

Technology and innovation are key to saving the NHS | Alan Milburn

Technology and innovation are key to saving the NHS | Alan Milburn Throwing money at healthcare is not enough – we need to take advantage of advances in knowledge to better target care

The NHS is the core of our care system. It has remarkable strengths and, by international standards, is as competitive, efficient and – in outcomes per pound spent – as good as anything in the world. But, as is becoming increasingly clear, it faces formidable challenges. The population is ageing. Chronic diseases such as diabetes are becoming more prevalent and already absorb most of the NHS budget. Costs are rising but budgets and funding are not. Since it was created, the NHS budget has risen by 3.7% in real terms each year. In the last few years it has grown by less than half that rate. The impact on performance and waiting times is obvious. Continue reading... The Guardian

Rising numbers of NHS hospitals charging disabled patients to park

Rising numbers of NHS hospitals charging disabled patients to park Rising numbers of NHS hospitals are charging disabled patients and visitors for parking, official figures show.

The statistics reveal that 139 hospital sites insist on such payments, even though the Health Secretary has described them as a “stealth tax on the vulnerable”.

Labour said the situation was “a disgrace” with patients being forced to pay the price for a financial crisis in the health service.

The figures from NHS Digital for 2016/17 show average parking costs at some trusts are as high as £3.20 an hour. The Daily Telegraph

Public forced to 'pay twice over' for high cost drugs, campaigners say

Public forced to 'pay twice over' for high cost drugs, campaigners say Pharmaceutical companies are “ripping off” the public by charging taxpayers twice over and pricing too many drugs out of reach of the NHS, a campaign group claims.

A report by Global Justice Now says the NHS is spending £1bn a year on medicines made by companies which were awarded significant sums of public money.

In other cases, companies which benefitted from major research funds have priced drugs so high that the NHS cannot afford them, the report claims. The Daily Telegraph

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