GP struck off

GP who 'stroked 16-year-old's nipples' struck off medical register. A GP who stroked a 16-year-old girl's nipples and squeezed her breasts during an unnecessary examination has been struck off the medical register.

Ex-England rugby player Jonathan Raphael, 65, pulled down the girl's bra without asking for her consent at his surgery in Northampton.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) rejected his claim he was attempting to diagnose pregnancy.  It found his actions were sexually motivated. BBC News Northamptonshire

Appointment-only plan for Corby’s Urgent Care Centre approved

Appointment-only plan for Corby’s Urgent Care Centre approved A plan to change access to Corby’s Urgent Care Centre to appointment-only was approved last night (Tuesday). Northamptonshire Telegraph

Cancer shame as UK survival rates lag behind rest of world

Cancer shame as UK survival rates lag behind rest of world Thousands of British cancer patients are dying early because NHS survival rates are trailing behind the rest of the world, a report has found.

The largest study of cancer survival ever conducted puts the UK towards the bottom of global league tables for several common cancers.

Health charities last night called for urgent action to close the 'appalling' and 'unacceptable' gulf with other nations, blaming slow diagnosis and poor treatment. The Mail Online

2017 survey of women's experiences of maternity care

2017 survey of women's experiences of maternity care This report finds that overall women reported positive experiences of maternity care over 2017 and there were small incremental improvements in results across almost every question. Whilst there have been general improvements overall, the results highlight the need for better communication and greater patient choice. King's Fund - Health Management and Policy Alert

• Maternity Services Survey 2017 - Care Quality Commission (CQC)
• NHS leaves one in four mothers alone during labour or childbirth - The Guardian
• A quarter of mothers are alone during labour: Women say they struggled to summon help and claim midwives do not take them seriously The Mail Online

'Overwhelming' evidence for adding folic acid to flour

'Overwhelming' evidence for adding folic acid to flour There are fresh calls for the government to fortify flour with folic acid in the UK to help protect babies from common birth defects.
A new study concludes higher doses of the B vitamin, which can prevent spina bifida in unborn babies, will not harm the general public.

Folic acid is added to flour in more than 80 countries worldwide, but the UK has previously held off. Pregnant women are advised to take folic acid tablets, but many don't.

Fortification would provide extra cover, say experts. The idea of mandatory fortification has already been backed by health ministers in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but not England. BBC News - Health

• Public health failure in the prevention of neural tube defects: time to abandon the tolerable upper intake level of folate Public Health Reviews
• Deaths or birth defects of thousands due to folic acid 'avoidable tragedy' - The Telegraph
• Put folic acid in bread to protect babies from devastating medical conditons, says study: Pressure grows on Jeremy Hunt to tackle 'avoidable tragedies' The Mail Online

Just promising NHS money 'not good enough'

Just promising NHS money 'not good enough' More reform - not just extra money - is needed to ensure the NHS stays relevant, says Lord Darzi. BBC News

NHS England sets out plans to be first in the world to eliminate hepatitis C

NHS England sets out plans to be first in the world to eliminate hepatitis C England could be the first country in the world to eliminate hepatitis C, under ambitious plans announced by the NHS. NHS Networks

Lack of physical activity among girls leading to poor mental health and low aspirations, warn experts - The Independent

Lack of physical activity among girls leading to poor mental health and low aspirations, warn experts There is a "direct correlation" between a lack of physical activity by young British girls and them having poorer mental health and lower aspirations than their male counterparts, experts have warned. Boys aged between eight and 15 spend almost twice as much time doing sport activities as girls of the same age, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

They also revealed that girls spend an average of 25 minutes a day on sports activities, compared with 40 minutes for boys. The Independent

Hunt urges NHS mental health units to prevent inpatient suicides - The Guardian

Hunt urges NHS mental health units to prevent inpatient suicides Jeremy Hunt is urging mental health units to prevent the scores of suicides by patients that occur on wards every year, which he says are due to failings of care by NHS providers.

The health and social care secretary wants to cut the number of inpatients taking their own life on NHS premises from more than 80 to none. The Guardian

The Government response to the Naylor review

The Government response to the Naylor review Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - This document sets out the government’s response to Sir Robert Naylor’s review of NHS property and estates, published in March 2017. The actions outlined will drive transformation of the NHS estate and help the NHS to deliver the Five Year Forward View. King's Fund - Health Management and Policy Alert

A design diagnosis: reinvigorating the primary care estate

A design diagnosis: reinvigorating the primary care estate A report from Reform finds that private sector finance can be used to upgrade the primary care estate and deliver value for money for the taxpayer. NHS Networks

NHS continuing healthcare: effective commissioning approaches

NHS continuing healthcare: effective commissioning approaches A report from NHS Clinical Commissioners suggests ways in which the provision of NHS continuing healthcare (CHC) in local areas can be improved for the benefit of patients and commissioners. NHS Networks

Transition from child and adolescent mental health services to adult mental health services

Transition from child and adolescent mental health services to adult mental health services This report outlines the findings of an investigation into the transition between mental health services for young people and those for adults. NHS Networks

5 years on: responses to Francis: changes in board leadership and governance in acute hospitals in England since 2013

5 years on: responses to Francis: changes in board leadership and governance in acute hospitals in England since 2013 Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham - This report, written in partnership with the University of Manchester and the Nuffield Trust, reveals that hospital boards report that they are placing a high priority on care quality and safety, and many invested significantly in nurse and medical staffing in the wake of the Francis Report. King's Fund

Oral health improvement plan

Oral health improvement plan This policy sets the direction of travel for oral health improvement and NHS dentistry for the next generation. It has a strong focus on preventing oral health disease, meeting the needs of the ageing population and reducing oral health inequalities. King's Fund.

The nursing workforce

The Nursing workforce House of Commons Health Select Committee - This report argues that too little attention has been given to retaining nurses in the NHS, which has resulted in more nurses now leaving than joining the professional register. King's Fund

NHS helps doctors enjoy high life at Alps conference - The Times

NHS helps doctors enjoy high life at Alps conference - The Times Hundreds of NHS doctors attended a conference at an Alpine ski resort last week, with many said to have been helped by their hospitals to pay fees of up to £440. The Times.

Could Calais be a lifeline for the NHS? - ITV News

Could Calais be a lifeline for the NHS? - ITV News NHS patients in the South East who have had their operations cancelled because of the winter crisis can now apply to be treated within weeks at a hospital in France. ITV News

New Cancer Drugs Fund benefiting thousands of patients and releasing £140million for the NHS

New Cancer Drugs Fund benefiting thousands of patients and releasing £140million for the NHS Thousands of cancer patients have benefited from speedy access to the new and innovative treatments due to new Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF), which is also expected to release at least £140million into the NHS over the next five years. NHS England.

GPs boycott reflective entries for appraisal after Bawa-Garba case

GPs boycott reflective entries for appraisal after Bawa-Garba case A GP pressure group has urged the BMA to support doctors who 'refuse to engage in reflective log entries in their appraisals' following an 'unforgivable' High Court ruling last week. GP Online.

See also:

• More than 5,000 GPs sign Bawa-Garba protest letter GP Online
• Hadiza Bawa-Garba: Medics rally behind struck off doctor BBC News

Transgender people face two-year wait for NHS appointment - BBC News

Transgender people face two-year wait for NHS appointment - BBC News Transgender people are waiting up to two and a half years for initial consultations at NHS gender identity clinics. This is despite an NHS England pledge in 2016 to bring waiting times to below 18 weeks by 2018. BBC News.

Government to review 1.6 million claims after disability benefit ruling - Sky News

Government to review 1.6 million claims after disability benefit ruling - Sky News The Government accepts it was wrong to prevent higher levels of claims being made for mental health conditions. Sky News.

See also:

• Tories to review 1.6million people's disability benefits in mental health backtrack - Scottish Daily Record Scottish Daily Record
• 1.6m PIP disability claims to be reviewed BBC News

Five Mental Health At Work Predictions For 2018 - HuffPost UK

Five Mental Health At Work Predictions For 2018 - HuffPost UK From ongoing productivity issues to the impact of eating disorders and domestic violence on employees, there are lots of reasons keeping mental health high on employers’ agendas. HuffPost UK.

May should push for referendum on NHS spending, says Tory MP

May should push for referendum on NHS spending, says Tory MP Robert Halfon says public could be asked every 10 years how much they want government to spend on health

The Conservatives should promise a referendum on raising NHS spending so the public can say how much more they are willing to pay for health services, the former deputy chair of the party, Robert Halfon, has said. The Guardian

Brexit could leave patients unable to access new drugs

Brexit could leave patients unable to access new drugs
NHS may only get newly developed medicines a year after other EU countries, report warns
Patients could face long delays obtaining new drugs or be denied access to them altogether as a result of Brexit, a coalition of doctors, NHS bosses and pharmaceutical firms warns. The Guardian.

See also:

• Brexit and the impact on patient access to medicines and medical technologies King's Fund

Now paramedics are hired to work in A & E

Now paramedics are hired to work in A & E NHS trusts in Herefordshire, Northamptonshire, Kent and Devon have advertised for ambulance staff to work in their emergency and urgent care departments. Mail Online.

Focusing on better-value care

Focusing on better-value care While the NHS waits for the government to respond to calls to put more funding into health services – the annual shortfall in funding is expected to reach £20 billion by 2022/23 – it is more important than ever that those working in the NHS ensure that existing budgets are being used responsibly. The King's Fund 

NHS winter crisis: when a plan is not a plan

NHS winter crisis: when a plan is not a plan The government and the National Emergency Pressures Panel – the new panel set up by national NHS bodies and the Department of Health to respond to pressure on the NHS this winter – insist that the NHS has a better plan and is better prepared and ready for the challenges it is now facing than in previous years. The ongoing media interest and the experience of patients and staff would suggest that, despite all this planning, the NHS is in full-blown crisis. The King's Fund

NHS England announces consultation on ACO contracts

NHS England announces consultation on ACO contracts NHS England has announced it will be launching a consultation on the contracting arrangements for Accountable Care Organisations (ACOs).

There is widespread support for ending the fragmented way that care has been provided to improve services for patients and the NHS has been working towards this in a number of ways.

ACOs are just one of these ways and are intended to allow health and care organisations to formally contract to provide services for a local population in a coordinated way.

Timetable for implementation of the workforce disability equality standard

Timetable for implementation of the workforce disability equality standard NHS England has published an indicative timetable for implementation of the workforce disability equality standard, find out more information. NHS Employers

Regulation of independent health care providers: consultation

Regulation of independent health care providers: consultation This consultation seeks views on proposed changes to the way in which independent health care providers are regulated. The proposed changes cover the quality ratings used and the methods used to monitor, inspect and rate services. The consultation will close on 23 March 2018. Care Quality Commission

NHS England lifts suspension on non-urgent operations

NHS England lifts suspension on non-urgent operations The suspension of non-urgent operations to ease winter NHS pressures in England is to be lifted from February.

Hospitals had been advised to defer non-urgent operations until mid-January, which was then extended in a bid to free up hospital staff and beds.

Announcing the end of the suspension, an NHS emergency panel said pressures on the service had eased in January.

Hospitals should be able to plan a "return to a full elective care programme" from next month, it said. BBC News

Doctors 'being pressurised into manipulating patient records to meet A&E targets'

Doctors 'being pressurised into manipulating patient records to meet A&E targets' NHS doctors are being pressured into manipulating patient records to ensure hospitals do not miss waiting-time targets, according to frontline medics.

Senior managers are allegedly encouraging doctors to participate in fraudulent activity and whistleblowers say patient safety is being put at risk as trusts look to avoid breaches.

Hospitals are expected to have treated, assessed or discharged patients within four hours of entering A&E, and no patient should wait longer than 12 hours before being admitted to a ward, according to government rules. The Independent

See also:

• How accurate is hospital A&E data? BBC News

Number of young carers in UK soars by 10,000 in four years, figures show

Number of young carers in UK soars by 10,000 in four years, figures show The number of recognised young carers in the UK has risen by more than 10,000 in four years, prompting concerns that they are taking up the slack from increasingly pressured adult social care services.

An analysis of the most recent government figures by The Independent shows that in May 2017 there were 41,870 16-to-24-year-olds who qualified to receive the carer’s allowance, compared with 31,080 in 2013 – an increase of 35 per cent.

Those aged 16 and 17 saw an even bigger rise during the same period – up by 54 per cent from 1,400 to 2,150.

NHS admits doctors may be using tools made by children in Pakistan

NHS admits doctors may be using tools made by children in Pakistan Closer scrutiny demanded as NHS supplier concedes surgical instruments in routine use could be product of child labour

Children as young as 12 are making surgical instruments in hazardous conditions in Pakistan, prompting fears that the tools could be used in the NHS, the Guardian has discovered.

In Sialkot, Punjab, where 99% of Pakistan’s surgical instrument production is centred, illegal child labour was witnessed in at least a dozen small workshops. Continue reading... The Guardian

Nursing has been woefully managed. No wonder there's a crisis | Richard Vize

Nursing has been woefully managed. No wonder there's a crisis | Richard Vize From ditched bursaries to poor pay, the policies behind the NHS recruitment and retention crisis have been laid bare in a new report

The health select committee’s report on the nursing workforce is a excoriating critique of the multiple errors in policy and practice that have created a recruitment and retention crisis. Indeed, it is difficult to identify a single aspect of nursing workforce management that is not being mishandled.

The UK has relatively few nurses compared with many EU countries – yet there are still 36,000 NHS nursing vacancies in England. Around 33,000 of these are filled with bank and agency staff, which ramps up costs.

It is difficult to identify a single aspect of nursing workforce management that is not being mishandled Continue reading... The Guardian

Saving the NHS means forcing us to change the way we lead our lives | Nick Cohen

Saving the NHS means forcing us to change the way we lead our lives | Nick Cohen It’s not just Big Macs that would have to go: M&S, Waitrose, transport and sport must be rethought for the common good

If you imagine a healthy future for Britain, or any other country that has put the hunger of millennia behind it, you see a kind of dictatorship. Not a tyranny, but a society that ruthlessly restricts free choice. It is a future that views the mass of people as base creatures jerked around by desires they cannot control. Expert authority must engineer their lives from above for their own good and the common good.

That we need to change radically was shown by a mass study of the health of 300,000 people that was at once entirely shocking and wholly predictable. Newcastle University found obesity and the lack of exercise (the two go together, of course) in the middle aged mean two-thirds will have more than one chronic illness when they reach 65. These bleakly titled “multiple morbidities” will afflict them simultaneously. (For in the future, illnesses will not come as single spies but in battalions.) Most are the natural consequence of our high calorie/low exercise world: arthritis, cancer, diabetes, dementia and strokes. Continue reading... The Guardian

More than 7,000 doctors warn medics will be too scared to admit mistakes after pediatrician is struck off

More than 7,000 doctors warn medics will be too scared to admit mistakes after paediatrician is struck off Doctors have warned they may be less likely to admit mistakes after a pediatrician was controversially struck off for causing the death of a young boy.

More than 7,500 medics have signed a letter raising deep seated concerns about last week’s decision to strike Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba from the medical register.

It comes after Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, raised similar concerns, warning that the decision could have implications for patient safety if doctors felt they could not admit openly to their mistakes. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Jeremy Hunt says doctors must be allowed to discuss mistakes BBC News
• Hadiza Bawa-Garba: mounting anger at doctor’s striking off iNews

NHS blunders led to 137 men losing a testicle in six years

NHS blunders led to 137 men losing a testicle in six years A series of NHS blunders have caused 137 men to lose one of their testicles in the past six years, according to latest figures.

Some £2.8 million in compensation was dished out to those who were affected by the 'devastating' incidents - around £20,000 each.

The statistics, released by NHS Resolution - which is the litigation authority, revealed some of the most horrific cases that have occurred. The Daily Mail

Carer filmed slapping Kettering dementia patient

Carer filmed slapping Kettering dementia patient A carer has been caught on camera slapping and shouting at an elderly dementia patient.

It happened as Sabina Marsden, 78, was being looked after in her home in Kettering, Northamptonshire, on 13 June 2017.

The woman was sacked by her employer and given a police caution. BBC News

See also:

• Carer is caught on camera slapping Kettering OAP Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Expand the nursing workforce at scale and pace, say Committee

Expand the nursing workforce at scale and pace, say Committee The Health Committee say too little attention has been given to retaining nurses in the NHS, which has resulted in more nurses now leaving than joining the professional register, in its report into the Nursing workforce.

There are many causes for this shortfall, including workload pressures, poor access to continuing professional development, pay and a general sense of not feeling valued. Health Select Committee 

See also:

• Nurses say they no longer able to talk to worried patients over a cup of tea  The Daily Telegraph
• Mental health care crisis looming because trainee nurses are being driven away by bursary cuts, MPs warn The Independent

Report links childhood experience with mental health risks

Report links childhood experience with mental health risks People who have experienced abuse, neglect and other adverse childhood experiences are at much greater risk of mental illness throughout life.

This study found that adults who had suffered four or more types of adverse experience were almost ten times more likely to have felt suicidal or self-harmed than those who had experienced none. It also found that some opportunities offered through communities help build resilience to protect individuals from developing the mental health problems. Public Health Wales

NHS continuing healthcare: effective commissioning approaches

NHS continuing healthcare: effective commissioning approaches This report suggests ways in which the provision of NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) in local areas can be improved for the benefit of patients and commissioners and shares some of the approaches that have been developed by local CCGs which have proved to be effective in delivering their CHC commitments. NHS Clinical Commissioners

Calls for mandatory health information on alcohol labels

Calls for mandatory health information on alcohol labels The Royal Society for Public Health is calling for change in alcoholic drinks labelling, citing a public "awareness vacuum" on how alcohol affects health.

The society wants it to be mandatory to include the government's guideline to drink no more than 14 units a week.

Drink manufacturers could also warn of the link with health conditions such as bowel and breast cancer.

But a drink industry body said the public is "strongly opposed to cramming more information on a pack".

In its report, the RSPH suggests a drink-drive warning and using traffic light colour coding, similar to that used on many food items in the UK, could be helpful for drinkers. BBC News

Winter flu outbreak is peaking, say health experts

Winter flu outbreak is peaking, say health experts The winter flu outbreak appears to be peaking, health officials say.

Officials are hopeful the worst of the season may soon be over after a fall in the numbers being admitted to hospital.

While the numbers still remain "very high" - around 4,000 in England last week - the rate of hospitalisation was lower then the week before.

The numbers coming to see their GP have fallen in Scotland and Northern Ireland, although small rises have been seen in England and Wales.

Public Health England's Richard Pebody said the fact flu rates had stabilised was a good sign and suggested "flu activity is starting to peak". BBC News

See also:

• Flu rates 'levelling off' for the moment show RCGP figures Royal College of General Practitioners 
• Flu death tolls hit 191 in the UK The Daily Mail
• 'Sharp increase' in cases of the winter vomiting bug The Daily Mail
• Flu cases remain at highest point this year as outbreak levels off GPonline
• NHS hospitals still in grip of winter crisis, figures show The Guardian
• Three times more people dying from flu in UK than last winter The Guardian
• One in three GP practices running out of flu vaccine Pulse
• More than 31,500 patients present to GPs with flu despite rise 'levelling off' Pulse

If I can come back from wanting to kill myself, so can others

If I can come back from wanting to kill myself, so can others Peer-to-peer support was the key to my recovery. Now I run a charity where I use my experience to help others with mental health problems

When I was a child, my mum said I had a depressive personality. I was prone to low periods that intensified as I reached adulthood and when I started my police career.

There was and still is a huge stigma around mental health, so I, like many others, tried to mask it in the hope it would go away. In secret, I visited my GP for what they thought was clinical depression, worried that my job as a detective would be compromised. I managed to convince other people that I was living a normal and successful life, but behind closed doors I was living a different story – just about managing to cope with my depressive episodes. When in a manic phase, I couldn’t sleep and would work 18-hour days. I wasn’t really looking at the evidence that I had a serious mental illness.

If peer-to-peer support was a huge part of my recovery, couldn’t it work for others? Continue reading... The Guardian

Public Health England 'increasing risk of eating disorders' in children with 100 calorie campaign

Public Health England 'increasing risk of eating disorders' in children with 100 calorie campaign Public Health England are increasing the risk of children developing eating disorders by telling parents to count calories, a leading charity has claimed.

The Change4Life campaign encourages parents to "Look for 100 calorie snacks, two a day max", to help them offer healthier snacks to tackle the obesity epidemic that is seeing a third of children leave primary school overweight or obese.

Eating disorder charity Beat said it was important that messages aimed at reducing obesity considered the impact they may have on those at risk of developing an eating disorder. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Beat’s response to Change4Life’s 100 calorie snacks campaign Beat Eating Disorders
• Call for ban on chocolate price cuts to fight obesity crisis The Guardian

Doctor whose mistakes cost life of six-year-old struck off after High Court challenge

Doctor whose mistakes cost life of six-year-old struck off after High Court challenge A doctor whose mistakes cost the life of a six-year-old has been struck off after a High Court challenge.

Jack Adcock, from Glen Parva, Leicestershire, who had Down's Syndrome and a known heart condition, died at Leicester Royal Infirmary in 2011 after he developed sepsis.

Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba was found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter in 2015 and sentenced to two years in prison suspended for two years.

Mr Justice Nicol said that neither Dr Bawa-Garba or a nurse who was on duty at the time "gave Jack the priority which this very sick boy deserved".

However, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal imposed only a sanction of 12 months' suspension. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Jack Adcock: Doctor struck off over six-year-old's death BBC News
• Patient safety fears after GMC wins bid to strike off junior doctor GPonline
• Health secretary 'deeply concerned' about implications of GMC court ruling Pulse
• GMC successful in High Court bid to strike off junior doctor Pulse

Corby’s Urgent Care Centre set to be made appointment-only

Corby’s Urgent Care Centre set to be made appointment-only Corby’s Urgent Care Centre will remain open - but patients may soon have to book an appointment beforehand.

The future of the centre will be decided at an extraordinary meeting of Corby CCG on Tuesday (January 30).

If approved by the governing body’s board, patients would no longer be able to walk in to the complex and have an appointment. Instead, they will have to book on the phone or online. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Against the odds: Successfully scaling innovation in the NHS

Against the odds: Successfully scaling innovation in the NHS This report from the Innovation Unit and the Health Foundation calls for new approaches to scaling tried and tested health care innovations. It highlights the need to create the right conditions to spread these successfully across the NHS.

Through a public crowdsourcing campaign and an expert working group, the report's authors identified a shortlist of 10 innovations that have successfully spread across the NHS in recent years. From these, they have drawn out insights into how scale might be more effectively pursued and supported in the future..

NHS agency staffing and the impact of recent interventions

NHS agency staffing and the impact of recent interventions Agency staff can attract high prices and be administratively expensive. Where agencies have significant market power, they may attract permanent NHS staff and put more pressure on local services. In the first six months of the 2015/16 fiscal year, year-on-year growth in agency spending reached 30 per cent and the total bill was on track to reach £4 billion. This briefing explores some of the reasons for this increase in the use of agency staff. Office of Health Economics

Provision of mental health care to adults in the emergency department

Provision of mental health care to adults in the emergency department This bulletin relates to an investigation of a woman experiencing a mental health crisis who, having presented to her general practitioner, ambulance service and the emergency department of her local hospital, subsequently took her own life. A preliminary investigation reviewed the care pathway of the woman spanning the two years preceding her death. Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch

Transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to Adult Mental Health Services

Transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to Adult Mental Health Services This bulletin relates to an investigation into the transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to Adult Mental Health Services. It looks at the impact the issue of safety has had, or is having, on people and services across the healthcare system. It also describes the way mental health services are commissioned and delivered. Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch

What it's like to hear voices

What it's like to hear voices Sammee has been hearing voices for most of her life and she and her brother Shabs have, together, found ways to try and cope.

Have you ever heard voices? One in ten of us will apparently hear a voice when there's nobody there at some point in our lives. India Rakusen and the Like Minds team have been finding out what it’s like, how people cope and how to help someone else. BBC News

One cigarette a day 'increases heart disease and stroke risk'

One cigarette a day 'increases heart disease and stroke risk' Smokers need to quit cigarettes rather than cut back on them to significantly lower their risk of heart disease and stroke, a large BMJ study suggests.

People who smoked even one cigarette a day were still about 50% more likely to develop heart disease and 30% more likely to have a stroke than people who had never smoked, researchers said.

They said it showed there was no safe level of smoking for such diseases.

But an expert said people who cut down were more likely to stop. BBC News

Number of homeless people sleeping on streets in England hits highest level on record

Number of homeless people sleeping on streets in England hits highest level on record More than 4,500 people were recorded as sleeping rough on any given night in autumn last year – a figure that has more than doubled since 2010

The number of people sleeping rough in England has hit a record-high – after a 73 per cent increase over the last three years.

Official government data shows that on any given night in autumn last year, 4,751 people were recorded sleeping on the streets, a figure that has more than doubled since 2010.

Campaigners have described the rise as a “catastrophe” following continual rises since 2010, urging that evidence shows how the problem can be fixed and calling on the Government to take" swift action" to tackle the problem. The Independent

NHS hospitals facing serious shortages of vital equipment

NHS hospitals facing serious shortages of vital equipment Staff are struggling to cope with surge in patient numbers amid squeeze on finances

Hospitals are suffering serious shortages of vital medical equipment such as ventilators, pumps to administer drugs, and oxygen cylinders during the NHS’s ongoing winter crisis, the Guardian can reveal.

The surge in numbers of people needing care has also led to some hospitals running out Continue reading... The Guardian

'We can start to move forward': Family of brain-injured baby recieves payment from Northampton General Hospital

'We can start to move forward': Family of brain-injured baby recieves payment from Northampton General Hospital NGH has agreed to pay a Northampton mum for an injury her child sustained in the 72 hours leading up to her birth.

Now eight-years-old, her daughter Chloe is severely disabled as a result and needs round-the-clock care.

Although Northampton General Hospital continues to dispute whether it was at fault for the incident, it has agreed to pay 75 per cent of the amount sought. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Northamptonshire's 999 call handlers reveal most inappropriate 'emergencies'

Northamptonshire's 999 call handlers reveal most inappropriate 'emergencies' Broken eggs, a dead fox and someone who wanted breakfast made for them are some of the inappropriate 999 calls Northamptonshire's emergency call handlers have taken in the last six months. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Most ridiculous 999 call ever? Woman calls emergency services over broken eggs in her fridge The Daily Telegraph

Making the most of our assets: the time has come to realise the full potential of community services

Making the most of our assets: the time has come to realise the full potential of community services A growing and ageing population, and the increasing number of people living with multiple and complex health and social care needs, require services that are better integrated around people’s needs and place greater emphasis on population health. You only need to glance at the NHS five year forward view or any one of the 44 sustainability and transformation plans published in 2016 to see that strengthening community services is central to plans to achieve this. But the reality of services in the community often fails to live up to this rhetoric. The King's Fund

See also:

• Reimagining community services:making the most of our assets The King's Fund

Wellbeing in mental health

Wellbeing in mental health Evidence and guidance to enable healthcare professionals make improvements against wider factors that affect health and wellbeing in mental health. Public Health England

NHS winter pressures in England 2017/18

NHS winter pressures in England 2017/18 This briefing summarises the current data and trends on winter pressures in the NHS, including ambulance handover delays, bed occupancy, norovirus bed closures, and accident and emergency diverts. House of Commons Library

Collaborative care: an exploration into core tenets, fidelity, and policy

Collaborative care: an exploration into core tenets, fidelity, and policy This report reviews the evidence around collaborative care and whole-person models of care for integrated treatment for mental and physical health needs. It evaluates the performance of collaborative care models in relation to the triple aim of health care of improving health and care and lowering costs. Centre for Mental Health

Hidden hunger and malnutrition in the elderly

Hidden hunger and malnutrition in the elderly This report calls on the government to look more closely at malnutrition in older people which is estimated to cost the NHS and social care £15.7 billion a year by 2030. It argues that targeted investment in services which protect older people from malnutrition would deliver significant annual savings to the NHS, not least by reducing the number of hospital admissions and limiting the number of days older people spend in hospital. All Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger

Mental Health Act: the rise in the use of the MHA to detail people in England

Mental Health Act: the rise in the use of the MHA to detail people in England There is no single reason why more detentions are being made under the Mental Health Act than ever before, a review by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has concluded.

Instead, the rise in detentions is down to a range of different factors, which can vary across the country. Some of these are also indicators of a healthcare system that is under considerable strain.

Healthcare professionals can apply to detain people under the Mental Health Act to ensure they receive the treatment, care and support they need in hospitals. Although this is in in the person’s best interests, it is against their wishes. For this reason, the law is supposed to be used only when other options have been considered already, such as whether support can be provide in the community or if the patient can be cared for in hospital on a voluntary basis.

In the ten year period between 2005/06 and 2015/16, the number of detentions increased by 40% – from 45,484 to 63,622.

As part of its role in monitoring the use of the Mental Health Act in England, CQC made a commitment to explore what could be causing this trend. Care Quality Commission

'Growing problem' of addiction to prescription drugs probed

'Growing problem' of addiction to prescription drugs probed Public Health England is launching a review into the "growing problem" of prescription drug addiction.

NHS data suggest one in every 11 patients in England is being prescribed medication that could be addictive, or difficult to come off.

This includes sedatives, painkillers and antidepressants.

PHE wants to avoid a situation like the one in the US, where there's been a massive increase in addiction to opioids. BBC News

See also:

• Urgent review launched into prescription pills The Daily Mail
• Prescription drug addiction: government launches investigation The Guardian

Doctors blocked by Home Office from taking up vital NHS jobs

Doctors blocked by Home Office from taking up vital NHS jobs Recruits from overseas not being paid enough to satisfy immigration rules.

Seniors doctors from overseas who have been appointed to fill key roles in hospitals around the UK are being blocked from taking up their jobs by the Home Office because their NHS salaries are too low under immigration rules.

The Guardian has learned of at least 20 doctors prevented from taking up posts in departments including intensive care in the past two months, causing anger and bewilderment among already stretched doctors. Continue reading... The Guardian

'Patients are put in danger by poor NHS tech. I created an app to help'

'Patients are put in danger by poor NHS tech. I created an app to help' From an app to treat transgender voice to one that helps patients with pelvic floor exercises, healthcare professionals describe their innovations

“When you experience IT in the NHS, you feel like you’re walking back into a disorganised version of the 1980s,” says Lydia Yarlott. “People say things like, ‘Oh well, there’s no way of referring this person unless you send us a fax’. Then you end up spending an hour trying to work a fax machine. The amount of wasted time would really shock people.”

It’s just technology that is used ubiquitously across other sectors and applying it to the NHS

Apps make my time with patients much more effective because things can be done quicker

Had it been up to me, I would have failed. So much of it was a really challenging and expensive process Continue reading... The Guardian

May slaps down Boris Johnson over NHS funding demands

May slaps down Boris Johnson over NHS funding demands PM and ‘large number of ministers’ make point that cabinet discussions should take place in private, spokesman says

Theresa May and a string of ministers rebuked Boris Johnson during Tuesday’s cabinet after his plan to demand more funding for the NHS was widely briefed to the media before the meeting. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Could Boris Johnson’s self-interest end up helping the NHS? | Gaby Hinsliff The Guardian
• Hammond dismisses Johnson's talk of post-Brexit NHS dividend The Guardian
• Liam Fox backs call to use 'Brexit dividend' to fund NHS The Guardian
• The Guardian view on NHS funding: no platform for Boris Johnson | Editorial The Guardian
• Theresa May slaps down Boris Johnson in front of cabinet members over NHS funding demands The Independent

Just one nurse is hired for every 400 jobs advertised

Just one nurse is hired for every 400 jobs advertised The NHS recruitment crisis has become so bad that some parts of the country are only hiring one nurse for every 400 jobs advertised.

Official figures have laid bare the true extent of nursing shortages across the country with just one in seven advertised jobs getting filled.

There were 34,260 vacant nursing and midwifery roles advertised across England at the end of September - a record high.

Nursing leaders have claimed the Government 'can no longer deny the staffing crisis' on the back of the NHS Digital data.

It comes after a scathing analysis last week revealed a greater number of nurses and midwives are now leaving the health service than joining.

More than 33,000 walked away from nursing last year in England - about 10 per cent of the entire workforce. Around half were under the age of 40.  The Daily Mail

See also:

• NHS Vacancy Statistics England, February 2015 - September 2017 NHS Digital
• Parts of NHS England only able to fill one in 400 nursing vacancies The Guardian

Milestone as hundreds of patients helped by Hospice At Home scheme in Corby

Milestone as hundreds of patients helped by Hospice At Home scheme in Corby A service which helps patients in the final weeks of their life has reached a major milestone.

The Hospice At Home service run by Lakelands Hospice has just supported its 500th end-of-life patient and their families.

The service started in 2010 and the milestone is something that everyone at the hospice in Butland Road, Corby, is very proud of. And while it means that 500 patients have passed away, the hospice is thankful that it was able to support and care for the patients, their carers and families. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Thousands join campaign to save Corby’s Urgent Care Centre

Thousands join campaign to save Corby’s Urgent Care Centre Thousands of postcards signed by residents asking to keep Corby’s Urgent Care Centre open have been presented to health bosses.

The centre has been involved in a long-running saga between operators Lakeside+ and NHS Corby CCG, and faced closure before it was kept open last October. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Preventing a recurrence of this winter’s crisis

Preventing a recurrence of this winter’s crisis The pressures engulfing the NHS this winter were not only predictable, they were predicted. Quarterly surveys of NHS performance carried out by The King’s Fund since April 2011 have reported growing financial challenges, increasing difficulties in achieving key standards such as a maximum wait of four hours in A&E departments for 95 per cent of patients, and rising pessimism among NHS leaders about the prospects for their own organisations and the systems of which they are a part. Declining performance is a consequence of rising demand for care from a growing and ageing population at a time of constrained resources. The King's Fund

Fragmented approach to child health damaging long term health of nation warns Royal College

Fragmented approach to child health damaging long term health of nation warns Royal College Child health is suffering at the hands of a disjointed approach from central Government is the warning from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) as it publishes its “State of Child Health: One year on” scorecard.

The scorecards for England, Scotland and Wales describe progress against the series of recommendations made a year ago in the RCPCH’s landmark State of Child Health report.

The England scorecard reveals progress in some areas including the launch of a Digital Child Health Strategy, the publication of a new Tobacco Control Plan, the initiation of some specialist service reviews in paediatrics and the implementation of the sugar tax. However, there has been no improvement in several fundamental areas, including:

• No plans for an overarching child health strategy
• No junk food advertising ban
• No way of measuring UK breastfeeding prevalence
• No increased investment in child health research

See also:

• Children in England 'deserve better' from healthcare BBC News

Annual asthma survey

Annual asthma survey Every day, the lives of three families are devastated by the death of a loved one from an asthma attack, and tragically two of these could have been prevented with better basic care.

Asthma affects the lives of 5.4 million people across the UK. Every year, we run an Annual Survey to find out about your experiences of living with asthma and the quality of care you receive.

In the 2017 edition of the Annual Survey, we found that two thirds of people are still not receiving basic care for their asthma, and that there differing levels of care across the UK. Asthma UK

See also:

• What basic asthma care is and why it’s important Asthma UK
• Asthma patients 'not receiving basic care' BBC News

Boris Johnson to push for more cash for NHS

Boris Johnson to push for more cash for NHS Boris Johnson is to push for an extra £100m a week for the NHS in England after Brexit, the BBC understands.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt will give the cabinet a routine update on how the NHS is coping with winter pressures.

The foreign secretary is expected to call for extra money and warn against "abandoning the territory".

Chancellor Philip Hammond, speaking as he arrived in Brussels, said the NHS got an extra £6bn in the Budget adding: "Mr Johnson is the foreign secretary". BBC News

See also:

• Why is Boris Johnson calling for more NHS cash? BBC News
• Experts all agree NHS needs more money, Boris Johnson tells May The Guardian
• NHS crisis is main worry for Conservative voters, poll suggests The Guardian

Disabilities caused in babies by epilepsy drug a 'scandal'

Disabilities caused in babies by epilepsy drug a 'scandal' An MP has said the harm caused to children after their mothers were given the epilepsy drug sodium valproate is an "extraordinary scandal".

It is thought about 20,000 children in the UK have been left with disabilities caused by valproate since the 1970s.

Norman Lamb MP said it was also "extraordinarily distressing" new research suggested medical problems could be passed through generations.

Affected families have called for a public inquiry and compensation.

Sodium valproate, also known as Epilim, can be prescribed by doctors as a treatment for epilepsy and bipolar disorder. BBC News

A&E stats may have to be recalculated

A&E stats may have to be recalculated NHS hospital trusts in England may have to recalculate A&E performance figures from last October onwards.

The UK Statistics Authority has told NHS England to explain changes to the recording of A&E data.

It says the changes - highlighted by BBC News - could have left people reaching "misleading conclusions".

They raise questions over some trusts' performance on the highest profile NHS performance target - that patients in A&E are seen within four hours.

Dr Taj Hassan, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: "The changes that are understood to have been made to recording practice throw doubt on whether the scale of the crisis facing emergency medicine - made so clear in December's data - is actually greater than first thought."

The letter focuses on advice given to trusts by the health regulator NHS Improvement. BBC News

See also:

• Accident and Emergency Statistics in England UK Statistics Authority
• NHS accused of fiddling A&E figures to downplay extent of crisis The Daily Telegraph
• Labour seeks action on 'misleading' A&E data The Guardian

NHS doctors warn medical care is deteriorating as nearly 75% report staffing shortages on wards

NHS doctors warn medical care is deteriorating as nearly 75% report staffing shortages on wards NHS doctors are warning that care being delivered across the health service has deteriorated in the past 12 months, according to a survey by the British Medical Association.

This may be driven in part by chronic staff shortages, which the BMA warns is forcing doctors to "juggle patients".

Seven out of ten hospital doctors (71 per cent) warned there are gaps on shift rotas in their department, but only 65 per cent reported gaps when asked the same question in May 2017.

The survey also highlighted a chronic shortage of doctors outside of hospitals. The Independent

See also:

• Most hospitals and GP practices have shortage of doctors, survey suggests The Daily Telegraph

We'll live longer but suffer more ill-health by 2035, says study

We'll live longer but suffer more ill-health by 2035, says study Number of old people suffering from four medical conditions to double in less than 20 years, researchers claim

The number of older people who have at least four different medical conditions is set to double by 2035, in a trend that will put huge extra strain on the NHS, researchers warn.

Diseases such as cancer, diabetes, dementia and depression will become far more common as more and more over-65s develop them in their later years, a study at Newcastle University published on Tuesday found. Continue reading... The Guardian

Bossy diet advice won’t save the NHS | Dawn Foster

Bossy diet advice won’t save the NHS | Dawn Foster The idea that disadvantaged people place undue strain on the system won’t go away. But the problem is underfunding – not people who eat too many chips

Anyone still observing dry January may be on to something: last week the Big Issue’s founder, John Bird, launched the magazine’s “NHS pledge”: a request for readers and supporters to “volunteer for the NHS by staying healthy” and not become “a drain” on its time and resources. The depiction of individual people as a drain on resources understandably left many of us bridling – as it fits the narrative promoted by the government and its supporters that the key problem facing our healthcare system is too much demand, rather than too little funding.

Yes, we could all do more to take responsibility for our own health. But health and the decisions we make about health are complex, as any doctor will tell you, and poverty is a crucial factor. Such admonishments about personal responsibility are invariably directed at the poor, so that the deserving/undeserving poor become deserving/undeserving patients. Eating habits in particular are endlessly scrutinised, with the “let them eat gruel” trope regularly trotted out. Why on earth do poor people go hungry, wonder rich people, when porridge is so cheap?

Yes, we could all do more to take responsibility for our own health. But the decisions we make are complex  Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS's £250m bill after private surgery gone wrong

NHS's £250m bill after private surgery gone wrong Every year around 1.6 million people in this country undergo surgery at a private hospital.

While many pay for it themselves, it is estimated that around half of the inpatients are funded by the NHS.

This is done to help clear waiting lists and for these patients in particular, it can seem like they’ve hit the jackpot: going private may seem like the health equivalent of flying first class or booking into a top restaurant.

But while the experience should be the best that money can buy — and of course many patients are happy with their care — if something goes wrong, private hospital treatment can fall woefully and dangerously short.


The problem is that while NHS hospitals are equipped with expertly staffed intensive care units, most private hospitals have no such emergency care facilities.

So should a patient’s condition suddenly deteriorate or a complication occur, they can end up being rushed to A&E at the nearest NHS hospital. The Daily Mail

NHS 111 calls could be answered by ROBOTS within two years

NHS 111 calls could be answered by ROBOTS within two years Calls to the NHS 111 helpline could be answered by robots within the next two years, a leaked report suggests.

NHS England says it is likely smartphones will become 'the primary method of accessing health services'.

By 2020, nearly 16 million queries may be processed by algorithms rather than phone operators, the report adds. Yet, human staff will not done away with entirely as the system is thought to transfer callers to appropriate people once the gist of the complaint has been established.

In addition to robotic 111 recipients, 25 per cent of NHS such calls will be logged online next year, rising to one-third by 2020, according to the report, which is dated last month.

This controversial move is being introduced to ease overstretched NHS staff's workloads after one in five non-emergency callers gave up on the busiest day over the New Year period as a record numbers of calls came in, according to official figures.

Yet some are concerned this may affect people without internet access, such as the elderly. The Daily Mail

See also:

• If we’re spooked by a ‘shopbot’, we’re definitely not ready for NHS droids The Guardian

Northamptonshire County Council provided only night care for deaf man

Northamptonshire County Council provided only night care for deaf man A council has been accused by the social care ombudsman of illegally limiting care funding for a profoundly deaf man.

The unnamed man spent £17,000 on his own daily needs as Northamptonshire County Council only funded night care.

Ombudsman Michael King said the council was obliged to meet all his needs.

The council said the man had used informal care services and was unable to provide evidence of spending, so it was challenging the ombudsman's ruling.

The council's own assessment of the man, who is profoundly deaf, suffers from sleep apnoea, anxiety and has other mental health needs, indicated he required both day and night-time support.

The council initially accepted a fault but withdrew this later, the ombudsman said. BBC Northampton

Patients detained under Mental Health Act need stronger safeguards

Patients detained under Mental Health Act need stronger safeguards People detained for mental health problems need legislation that protects them better, the Law Society of England and Wales said in its evidence to the independent review of the Mental Health Act 1983 (the Act), announced by Theresa May in her most recent party conference speech.

“As the law stands today, someone detained under the Mental Health Act – or ‘sectioned’ – may be treated without their consent for the first three months of their detention without any safeguards. This must stop,” said Law Society vice president Christina Blacklaws.

See also:

• Law Society urges end to enforced medical treatment of vulnerable people The Guardian

Sustainability and transformation in the NHS

Sustainability and transformation in the NHS Additional funding, aimed to help the NHS get on a financially sustainable footing, has instead been spent on coping with existing pressures, according to the National Audit Office’s report.

The NHS received an additional £1.8 billion Sustainability and Transformation Fund in 2016-17 to give it breathing space to set itself up to survive on significantly less funding growth from 2017-18 onwards. It was also intended to give it stability to improve performance and transform services, to achieve a sustainable health system.

The Fund has helped the NHS improve its financial position from a £1,848 million deficit in 2015-16 to a £111 million surplus in 2016-17. Within the overall position, the combined trust deficit reduced to £791 million in 2016-17 from £2,447 million in 2015-16. There has also been an improved underspend of £154 million across clinical commissioning groups, yet 62 groups reported a cumulative deficit in 2016-17, up from 32 in 2015-16.

Despite its overall financial position improving, the NHS is struggling to manage increased activity and demand within its budget and has not met NHS access targets. Furthermore, measures it took to rebalance its finances have restricted money available for longer-term transformation, which is essential for the NHS to meet demand, drive efficiencies and improve the service.

See also:

• Response to the National Audit Office report on sustainability and transformation in the NHS The King's Fund
• NHS bail-outs could become new normal, National Audit Office says BBC News
• Underfunded NHS needs new financial settlement, warns NAO GPonline
• £1.8bn 'transformation fund' was used to keep NHS afloat, say auditors The Guardian

Body shame responsible for young women not attending smear tests

Body shame responsible for young women not attending smear tests Young women are embarrassed to attend smear tests because of their body shape (35%), the appearance of their vulva (34%) and concerns over smelling ‘normally’ (38%). In a new survey of 25-35 year old women, a third (31%) admitted they wouldn’t go if they hadn’t waxed or shaved their bikini area.

A third (35%) of the 2,017 women surveyed said embarrassment has caused them to delay attending and high numbers do not prioritise the potentially life-saving test as one in six (16%) would rather miss their smear test than a gym class and one in seven (14%) a waxing appointment.

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust is concerned that body image issues, including perception of what is ‘normal’, could be putting lives in danger.

See also:

• Embarrassment makes women avoid smear tests, charity says BBC News
• Third of young women do not attend smear tests due to 'embarrassment about bodies' The Daily Telegraph
• Young women too ashamed of their bodies to attend smear tests, cancer charity warns The Independent

Cancer blood test ‘enormously exciting’

Cancer blood test ‘enormously exciting’ Scientists have taken a step towards one of the biggest goals in medicine - a universal blood test for cancer.

A team at Johns Hopkins University has trialled a method that detects eight common forms of the disease.

Their vision is an annual test designed to catch cancer early and save lives. UK experts said it was "enormously exciting".

However, one said more work was needed to assess the test's effectiveness at detecting early-stage cancers. BBC News

Tory MPs accuse Theresa May of failing to at on NHS and social care crisis

 Tory MPs accuse Theresa May of failing to at on NHS and social care crisis ​Theresa May came under intense criticism from her backbenchers on Sunday evening over a cross-party proposals to discuss the future of NHS and social care spending.

The Prime Minister’s delayed response to the letter from 90 cross-party MPs was criticised as “disappointing” by one Tory MP while another added: “This response lacks ambition”.

The attacks came after 90 MPs, in November, called on the Prime Minister to agree to cross-party working, warning the gathering crisis was being kicked “into the long grass”. The Independent

Carillion collapse further delays building at two major hospitals

Carillion collapse further delays building at two major hospitals BMA demands answers as work stops at Royal Liverpool and Midland Metropolitan

The chair of the British Medical Association has demanded answers about the future of two major hospitals that Carillion was building when it collapsed, amid mounting concern about the impact of any delays on stretched NHS services.

Patients’ groups joined the doctors’ trade body in calling for clarity after local NHS trusts admitted that work on the £335m Royal Liverpool University and Birmingham’s £350m Midland Metropolitan hospitals is on hold. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• The Guardian view on the private finance initiative: replace this failed model | Editorial The Guardian
• I was an outsourced Carillion hospital worker. Here’s what I learned | Polly Toynbee The Guardian
• PFI deals are bleeding the NHS dry – some hospitals can't even afford to buy sutures to stitch up wounds  The Independent

Down's syndrome test could see condition disappear, C of E warns

Down's syndrome test could see condition disappear, C of E warns Church says new NHS test could lead to more terminations and fewer people born with condition

A new advanced test for Down’s syndrome to be offered to pregnant women this year raises the prospect of people with the condition disappearing from UK society as terminations are expected to rise, the Church of England has warned.

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), a safer form of screening, is to be rolled out by the NHS this year. It will be offered to about 10,000 women a year who are considered to have a higher likelihood of giving birth to a baby with Down’s syndrome or two less common genetic conditions, Edwards’ and Patau’s syndromes. Continue reading... The Guardian

Care homes selling dead residents' possessions and keeping the cash, watchdog warns

Care homes selling dead residents' possessions and keeping the cash, watchdog warns  Care homes are selling dead residents' possessions and keeping the cash, the Competition and Markets Authority has warned.

The watchdog said some homes have contracts including a clause which allows them to sell a deceased person's things after they die and not return the proceeds to their families or executors.

In a document published on Friday it said it had "seen terms" in some contracts which allowed homes to "dispose" of a person's possessions "without providing adequate notice to the estate of its intention to do so" and "without setting out that any monies received from the sale of possessions, minus reasonable expenses, should be returned to the resident’s estate or their personal representatives, within a reasonable time frame". The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Care Homes for the elderly – charging fees after death (consultation) Competition and Markets Authority

Flu reaches epidemic levels in parts of UK as Japanese strain dominates

Flu reaches epidemic levels in parts of UK as Japanese strain dominates Flu has reached epidemic levels in some parts of the UK with the “Japanese” strain now dominant after the NHS failed to vaccinate against it, official figures show.

Latest data from Public Health England shows that cases of flu have risen by 150 per cent in two weeks, fuelling a “significant excess” of elderly deaths.

The statistics show that epidemic levels have already been reached in the city of York, with Herefordshire and north Somerset close behind.

Health officials said the current season is the worst for seven years. If trends continue, an epidemic will be declared across England within a fortnight. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• UK flu levels remain high according to PHE statistics Public Health England
• Flu outbreak: UK deaths triple with GPs seeing major rise in patients The Guardian

Making sense of accountable care

Making sense of accountable care An overview of accountable care and accountable care organisations, different models of service provision and how they work in practice for the NHS. The King's Fund

Policies for healthy lives: a look beyond Brexit

Policies for healthy lives: a look beyond Brexit This collection brings together contributors with expertise in public health, employment standards, local government, consumer rights and food policy, who share their insights on the potential risks and challenges ahead. The Health Foundation

'What would life be - without a sing or dance, what are we?': a report from the Commission on Dementia and Music

'What would life be - without a sing or dance, what are we?': a report from the Commission on Dementia and Music This report summarises the work of the Commission on Dementia and Music, set-up and coordinated by International Longevity Centre-UK, with support from The Utley Foundation. It examines the existing landscape and future potential of using therapeutic music with people with dementia. It calls for a national framework to collate information from local offers and for greater funding.

See also:

• Dementia study adds to calls for more funding of music therapy The Guardian

PFI and PF2

PFI and PF2 This briefing looks at the rationale, costs and benefits of the Private Finance Initiative; the use of and impact of PFI, and ability to make savings from operational contracts; and the introduction of PF2. National Audit Office

UK 'in grip of worst flu season since 2011'

UK 'in grip of worst flu season since 2011' The UK is in the grip of its worst flu season for seven years, figures suggest.

Health officials say flu rates have once again risen in every part of the UK.

The number of people going to GPs in England with suspected flu rose by over 40% compared to the previous week, figures up to last Sunday show.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have also seen increases.

The last time there was more flu circulating than this was in 2010-11, when swine flu - responsible for the pandemic of the year before - came back.

Hospitals are also seeing "very high" rates of admissions - although it appears the strain known as "Aussie flu" is not causing the most serious illnesses, according to the report from Public Health England.

Instead - of the four strains circulating - a B strain, which does not normally cause high rates of severe illness, is responsible for about half the hospital cases. BBC News

Noel Conway: Terminally ill man granted assisted dying appeal

Noel Conway: Terminally ill man granted assisted dying appeal A terminally ill man who wants to be helped to die has been granted permission to take his case to appeal.

Two judges from the Court of Appeal said there should be a full hearing of 68-year-old Noel Conway's case.

Mr Conway, a retired lecturer from Shropshire who has motor neurone disease, was too ill to attend court.

Last October, the High Court rejected his challenge to the Suicide Act 1961 which he argues breaches his right to a "peaceful and dignified death".

Mr Conway wants a doctor to be allowed to prescribe him a lethal dose of drugs. BBC News

NHS crisis: 100,000 waited 30 minutes in ambulance this winter

NHS crisis: 100,000 waited 30 minutes in ambulance this winter Latest figures show almost a quarter of those had to wait at least an hour before being seen

More than 100,000 patients this winter have had to wait in the back of an ambulance for at least 30 minutes because of A&E overcrowding, NHS figures have revealed.

In all 104,987 patients brought to hospitals in England have been stuck inside an ambulance for upwards of half an hour.

A combination of factors are at play. Hospitals have fewer beds than last year, so they are less able to deal with the recent, ongoing surge in illness. Last week, for example, the bed occupancy rate at 17 of England’s 153 acute hospital trusts was 98% or more, with the fullest – Walsall healthcare trust – 99.9% occupied.

The UK has fewer doctors and nurses than many other comparable countries both in Europe and worldwide. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Britain comes 24th in a league table of 34 member countries in terms of the number of doctors they have relative to their populations. Greece, Austria and Norway have the most; the three countries with proportionately the fewest medics are Turkey, Chile and Mexico. Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, regularly points out that the NHS in England has more doctors and nurses than when the Conservatives came to power in 2010. That is true, although there are now fewer district nurses, mental health nurses and other types of health professionals.

We will be monitoring the situation in hospitals over the next few months and want to hear your experiences of the NHS this winter. We are keen to hear from healthcare professionals as well as patients about the situation. Have operations been cancelled? Has pressure led to certain wards being closed? How are staff coping? Help us document what is going on across the UK. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS bosses urged GPs to purchase a cheaper flu jab

NHS bosses urged GPs to purchase a cheaper flu jab NHS England asked doctors to purchase the trivalent jab - which offers no protection against the B Yamagata strain, referred to as 'Japanese flu', according to documents obtained by HSJ. The Daily Mail

See also:

• NHS attempts to save £3 per flu jab have fuelled winter crisis as 'Japanese flu' spreads through hospitals The Daily Telegraph