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

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

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

• 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

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