Monday 30 October 2017

Kettering General Hospital celebrates its 120th birthday

Kettering General Hospital celebrates its 120th birthday Kettering General Hospital is celebrating its 120th birthday today (Monday, October 30). Over that time the hospital has supported the healthcare needs of millions of local people from the cradle to the grave. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Rising pressure: the NHS workforce challenge

Rising pressure: the NHS workforce challenge This report analyses the profile and trends of the NHS workforce. It also focuses on two pressure points: the impact of the removal of the NHS bursary on student nurse numbers, and staff retention.

It has found increasing cause for concern. The report highlights that national policy and planning for the NHS workforce in England is not fit for purpose. It shows high staff turnover and workforce instability, and a drop in the number of trainee nurses.

The report outlines the growing gap between the national rhetoric of short-term announcements and policies addressing the NHS workforce, and the reality of no overall strategy and falling staff numbers. The Health Foundation

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NHS pressures – future trends

NHS pressures – future trends We are aware that the NHS is under growing pressure, with A&E attendances, waiting times and admissions all on the rise in recent years. We are undertaking regular analysis on our new pressure points in the NHS webpage, where we have highlighted several worrying trends as spiralling demand outstrips the ability of services to cope.

Based on current trends, our assessment is that unless urgent action is taken, millions more patients will be waiting for longer than four hours for treatment in A&E, and there will be dramatic rises in the number of people waiting on trolleys for treatment, or at home for non-emergency elective procedures. The British Medical Association

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Sharing experiences improves well being of healthcare staff

Sharing experiences improves well being of healthcare staff Healthcare staff who regularly share the emotional, social or ethical challenges they face in the workplace experience less psychological distress, improved teamwork and increased empathy and compassion for patients and colleagues, a new study commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research reports.

In the first in-depth study in the UK, researchers from the University of Surrey, Kings College London, the University of Sheffield and The King’s Fund examined the impact of Schwartz Center Rounds®(Rounds), on both clinical and non-clinical staff. Rounds are monthly forums that offer a safe space for staff to share experiences with colleagues and to discuss the challenges they face in their work and its impact on them. University of Surrey

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The new disability confident standard

The new disability confident standard Important information and useful resources to support organisations to achieve the new disability confident standard. NHS Employers

Police handling a third more mental health cases, figures suggest

Police handling a third more mental health cases, figures suggest The number of mental health cases dealt with by police in England and Wales has risen by more than a third in three years, figures obtained by Labour show.

There were 215,000 such cases in 2016-17 - up from 155,000 incidents in 2013-14, freedom of information figures from 23 of 43 forces suggested.

Shadow police minister Louise Haigh said forces were "at breaking point".

The government said £30m of funding to improve community-based places of safety was "having an impact". BBC News

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IVF: Patients face postcode lottery for treatment

IVF: Patients face postcode lottery for treatment Nearly 90% of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) fail to offer would-be-mothers the recommended three cycles of IVF treatment, new figures show.

Of the 208 CCGs in England, only 24 meet national guidelines and seven offer no treatment at all.

Couples trying to conceive through IVF have described the disparity as "crazy and unfair".

Campaign group Fertility Fairness has urged the government to intervene.

Its figures are based on Freedom of Information requests sent to CCGs across England, of which all 208 replied. BBC News

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Some NHS regions fail to fund any IVF treatment, report finds - The Times The Times

The nurse hired to combat cancer myths online

The nurse hired to combat cancer myths online A cancer charity has appointed a digital nurse to combat "fake news" online, which they say leaves patients "scared and at risk of bogus cures".

Macmillan Cancer Support found two-fifths of people with cancer looked up information about their diagnosis on the internet.

One in eight of those went online because they didn't fully understand what their doctor had told them.

Glaswegian nurse Ellen McPake, who landed the job, says she wants to correct the misinformation that exists. BBC News

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NHS Airbnb-style scheme 'not ruled out' by minister

NHS Airbnb-style scheme 'not ruled out' by minister The idea of NHS hospital patients recuperating in Airbnb-style accommodation has not been ruled out, health minister Philip Dunne has said.

Southend Hospital had been linked to a trial where hospital patients could be discharged to people's spare rooms.

The hospital distanced itself from the idea following criticism by politicians and health groups.

But Mr Dunne told BBC Radio 5 live he "wouldn't immediately reject it" as "one's got to trial different things".

The pilot scheme, proposed in Essex, would have seen some 30 hospital patients staying in local residents' spare rooms instead of in hospital while they waited to be discharged. BBC News

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Grenfell Tower mental health response 'largest of its kind in Europe'

Grenfell Tower mental health response 'largest of its kind in Europe' Psychologist leading response says at least 11,000 people may have been affected, and that 1,300 have already been seen

The mental health response following the Grenfell Tower fire is the biggest operation of its kind in Europe, a doctor has said, with the number of people affected likely to exceed 11,000.

The unprecedented need following the blaze has transformed the Central and North West London NHS Trust (CNWL) into “the largest trauma service in the UK”, according to Dr John Green, the psychologist leading the mental health response to the tragedy. Continue reading... The Guardian

UK at risk as more than 500,000 missing out on flu jab, says Labour

UK at risk as more than 500,000 missing out on flu jab, says Labour Government is accused of failing to take threat seriously after vaccination targets missed and publicity spending cut

More than half a million adults over 65 and almost 350,000 toddlers could miss out on their flu vaccinations after a failure to meet government targets, Labour has said.

The warning comes amid fears that Britain could be hit by its biggest flu outbreak in years this winter following major outbreaks in Australia and New Zealand. Continue reading... The Guardian

Philip Hammond tells Jeremy Hunt he will not fund pay rise for nurses unless NHS made more efficient, Health Secretary suggests

Philip Hammond tells Jeremy Hunt he will not fund pay rise for nurses unless NHS made more efficient, Health Secretary suggests Philip Hammond has told Jeremy Hunt he will not provide extra money for a pay rise for doctors and nurses unless the NHS becomes more efficient, the Health Secretary has suggested.

Mr Hunt said the Chancellor had made clear that “if we can have a negotiation and look at some of the ways that we could improve productivity” then he will be “willing to have a discussion” about the possibility of handing over more money.

The Health Secretary announced earlier this month that the public sector pay cap, which has limited increases to one per cent, will be abolished for the NHS. The Daily Telegraph

NHS Trust apologises after transgender woman's medical records are sent to another patient 

NHS Trust apologises after transgender woman's medical records are sent to another patient An NHS Trust has apologised to a transgender woman whose medical records were sent to another patient by mistake.

Imperial College Trust admitted it had breached patient confidentiality after records belonging to Sarah Preece, a patient undergoing gender reassignment surgery, were placed in the wrong file.

Ms Preece only learned of the mistake when another patient wrote to inform her that she had received files containing highly sensitive information, including details of her surgery. The Daily Telegraph