LGA launches own green paper as adult social care reaches breaking point

LGA launches own green paper as adult social care reaches breaking point The Local Government Association has today launched a nationwide consultation to kick-start a desperately-needed debate on how to pay for adult social care and rescue the services caring for older and disabled people from collapse.

Years of significant underfunding of councils, coupled with rising demand and costs for care and support, have combined to push adult social care services to breaking point.

Since 2010 councils have had to bridge a £6 billion funding shortfall just to keep the adult social care system going. In addition the LGA estimates that adult social care services face a £3.5 billion funding gap by 2025, just to maintain existing standards of care, while latest figures show that councils in England receive 1.8 million new requests for adult social care a year – the equivalent of nearly 5,000 a day.

See also:

• The King's Fund comments on Local Government Association's social care Green Paper The King's Fund
• Local councils forced to publish own proposals on social care funding after losing patience with government delays The Independent

A picture of health: the NHS at 70 and its future

A picture of health: the NHS at 70 and its future This report, edited by the Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth MP, explores a comprehensive agenda for the future of the NHS looking at how it is funded, organised and reformed. It brings together analysis and policy recommendations from twelve leading experts on the NHS from both left-wing and non-party perspectives. These authors include Luciana Berger MP, Paul Williams MP, Lord Kerslake, Sara Gorton (head of health at UNISON), Tara Donnelly (chief executive at the Health Innovation Network), and Andrew Harrop (Fabian Society).

Inclusion health audit tool

Inclusion health audit tool This online tool hopes to help organisations to audit engagement with groups identified as experiencing the worst health inequalities in the UK. It aims to provide a tailored guide to help embed action on tackling health inequalities into everyday activities. VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance

Cheaper NHS drugs 'as safe and effective'

Cheaper NHS drugs 'as safe and effective ' NHS patients switched to cheaper medicines are being told the cost-saving exercise is not compromising care.

The "better value" treatments, for conditions including rheumatoid arthritis and some cancers, are just as safe and effective, NHS Improvement says.

Hospitals that changed their prescribing saved the health service £324m last financial year.

More swaps and savings are expected.

Health charities welcomed the move. BBC News

Will the EHIC be valid after Brexit?

Will the EHIC be valid after Brexit? If you are getting ready to go on holiday to another EU country or Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you are likely to be packing your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) along with your passport.

The EHIC entitles you to state-provided medical treatment should you need it while visiting one of those countries.

The UK has issued 27 million EHIC cards . BBC News

England abortion pill rules 'out of step'

England abortion pill rules 'out of step'  Women in England should be allowed to take abortion pills at home rather than in the clinic, as they already can in Scotland and Wales, experts say.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) is calling on the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, to change legislation and create parity.

Current laws require women to take two doses of medication in a clinic to end a pregnancy.

This means some experience cramping and bleeds on their journey home. BBC News

Brexit will harm both NHS and public's health say doctors as BMA backs Final Say campaign

Brexit will harm both NHS and public's health say doctors as BMA backs Final Say campaign UK doctors believe Brexit will be devastating to the NHS and the nation’s health, a study has found, as the body representing more than 160,000 medics and students backed The Independent’s call for a Final Say on the deal.

A comprehensive poll of nearly 1,200 UK doctors published in the BMJ Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health on Monday found 83 per cent thought leaving the EU would hurt the NHS. The Independent

See also:

• Brexit is bad for the NHS, say surveyed doctors OnMedica

Thousands of mothers left to cope alone with mental illness

Thousands of mothers left to cope alone with mental illness NHS care too limited to meet needs of pregnant women or those who have given birth

Thousands of women are having to cope alone with mental health problems caused by pregnancy or giving birth because the NHS cannot provide the necessary help, a leaked report has revealed.

While up to one in five mothers have problems such as postnatal depression and post-traumatic stress disorder linked to childbirth, many are going untreated because specialist NHS care for them is so limited and the “gap” in help so wide, the research found. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Perinatal mental health: 'I wanted to abort my IVF baby' BBC News
• 'I got no help from the NHS': a new mother on facing mental illness The Guardian

'Motherhood penalty' stops women advancing their NHS careers

'Motherhood penalty' stops women advancing their NHS careers Expert panel at Guardian event calls for more opportunities for flexible and part-time working

Female NHS staff pay a “motherhood penalty” that stops them advancing in their careers, the president of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has warned.

Cecilia Anim, who combines her RCN role with frontline work as a sexual health nurse, told a Guardian event that women who work part-time in the health service are being held back. Those without children were also affected, as they may have caring responsibilities for parents or other relatives, she said. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• As a part-time female doctor, I'm considered a danger to the NHS The Guardian

Midwives should check new mums are breastfeeding within an hour

Midwives should check new mums are breastfeeding within an hour Midwives should check whether new mothers are breastfeeding within an hour of birth, the World Health Organisation says.

The agency said women should be offered immediate breastfeeding support, because it was important to start as soon as possible.

Britain’s rates of breastfeeding are the lowest in the developed world, with just one per cent of new mothers feeding their children purely by breast by the age of six months. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Capture the moment - Early initiation of breastfeeding: the best start for every newborn World Health Organization

Deadly virus pandemic could kill 900m people if it started today

Deadly virus pandemic could kill 900m people if it started today Scientists at the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health Security in Baltimore, Maryland, saw 150 million people die within 20 months in a made-up global disease outbreak scenario. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Clade X: A pandemic exercise Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health Security

Up to one in five millennials have no idea what STIs are, charity reveals

Up to one in five millennials have no idea what STIs are, charity reveals London-based charity The Mix found that 44 per cent of young people feel their is no need for them to have an STI test if they only ever have protected sex, with 20 per cent being too embarrassed. The Daily Mail

The Montefiore Health System in New York: a case study

The Montefiore Health System in New York: a case study The Montefiore Health System in the Bronx, New York, has found ways of helping even the most deprived by stepping beyond the bounds of conventional health services.

This commissioned report builds on the overview of the Montefiore Health System we published in April 2018 and explores building primary and community care, managing patients with complex needs, supporting infrastructure, and elements of a high-performing system. The King's Fund

Health matters: health economics - making the most of your budget

Health matters: health economics - making the most of your budget This guidance outlines how local authorities, NHS commissioners and health care providers can make better evidence-based commissioning decisions, and get the most from their budget using easy to use health economic tools, resources and core principles. Public Health England

Satisfaction with NHS cancer care at record high, national patient survey reveals

Satisfaction with NHS cancer care at record high, national patient survey reveals With survival rates at an all-time high, the national cancer patient survey has revealed the best results in its history with almost 70,000 patients rating their overall care nine out of 10.

The National Cancer Patient Experience Survey asks people with cancer across England to rate their care on a scale of zero (very poor) to 10 (very good).

Overall ratings continue to improve, with year on year increases in reported positive experience. Patients also reported more positively on areas including involvement in decisions about care and treatment, and being treated with dignity and respect.

The survey also points to areas for further improvement including follow up community and social care after treatment. NHS England

See also:

• THIRD of cancer patients have to go to their GP at least twice before being sent for tests The Daily Mail

Family wins case on end-of-life decisions

Family wins case on end-of-life decisions Legal permission will no longer be required to end care for patients in a long-term permanent vegetative state, the Supreme Court has ruled.

It will now be easier to withdraw food and liquid to allow such patients to die.

When families and doctors are in agreement, medical staff will be able to remove feeding tubes without applying to the Court of Protection. BBC News

Millions miss out on seven-day GP access

Millions miss out on seven-day GP access More than five million people across England are unable to book an appointment with a GP outside of working hours.

BBC analysis of official data shows 10% of registered patients live in areas where there is no access to GPs in evenings and at weekends.

Labour has accused the government of "breaking its promises".

NHS England said it was still on target to provide access to extended care for all patients by 1 October. BBC News

See also:

• Access to additional GP services must be tailored to local patient need not to meet targets Royal College of General Practitioners

Gosport hospital deaths: Police announce new probe

Gosport hospital deaths: Police announce new probe A new police investigation is to be held into the deaths of patients who were given painkillers at Gosport War Memorial Hospital.

An inquiry found in June more than 450 patients died after doctors gave them "dangerous" levels of the drugs.

Three previous investigations into 92 of the deaths by Hampshire Constabulary resulted in no charges being brought. BBC News

See also:

• Gosport hospital deaths: police launch new investigation The Guardian

Aston Hall: More people speak out over hospital abuse claims

Aston Hall: More people speak out over hospital abuse claims A further 15 people have come forward after a report outlined claims of historical abuse by a doctor.

The number of people to speak to investigators about alleged abuse at Aston Hall psychiatric hospital has now risen to 130, Derbyshire Police said.

A report found children were allegedly given a "truth drug", stripped, abused and put in straitjackets.

Police said Dr Kenneth Milner would have been questioned over rape and cruelty claims if he was still alive. BBC News

Blue badges: UK charities welcome introduction of parking permits for people with 'hidden disabilities'

Blue badges: UK charities welcome introduction of parking permits for people with 'hidden disabilities' UK charities supporting individuals with autism and mental healthconditions have welcomed government plans to introduce blue badge parking permits for those with “hidden disabilities”.

In what marks the largest overhaul of the current system in 40 years, the Department for Transport has confirmed that, from 2019, those with unseen disabilities will now be granted permits enabling them to park closer to their destinations.

Citing the fact that current rules concerning the badge scheme are “open to interpretation” by local authorities, the government has said the new scheme will help to offer greater clarity. The Independent

See also:

• Consultation outcome: Blue Badge (disabled parking) scheme eligibility review Department of Transport

Is outsourcing still bad news? Is seems to be for Capita

Is outsourcing still bad news? Is seems to be for Capita The company is hoping to reassure investors about its turnaround plan this week, but fresh rows have blown up about its NHS and MoD deals

For a business already struggling to improve its image, having one of your major projects described by MPs as a “shambles” is not the best advertisement.

But for bosses at Capita – the company behind the London congestion charge, running the teachers’ pension scheme and collecting the BBC licence fee – it’s just the latest in a series of setbacks. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Firm condemned over NHS outsourcing 'shambles' given lucrative contract to arrest people dodging court fines The Independent

Leaked figures reveal more patients coming to harm as NHS standards fall

Leaked figures reveal more patients coming to harm as NHS standards fall Ex-coalition health minister Norman Lamb says rise in serious incidents to critically ill patients caused by ‘sub-optimal care’ is ‘deeply disturbing’

Growing numbers of critically ill patients are coming to harm as a result of inadequate care provided by NHS staff, new figures reveal.

The number of “serious incidents” involving what the NHS calls “sub-optimal care of deteriorating patients” is going up in hospitals, ambulance services and mental health settings. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Serious incidents involving 'sub-optimal' care rise in the NHS The Daily Mail

Maternity units 'could prevent 600 stillbirths a year in England'

Maternity units 'could prevent 600 stillbirths a year in England' NHS says use of best practice already saved 160 babies over two years at 19 units

About 600 stillbirths a year in England could be prevented if maternity units followed national best practice, the health service said.

NHS England said practical steps including reducing smoking in pregnancy, and better monitoring of babies’ growth and movement in pregnancy and subsequently during labour, had already contributed to improved survival rates. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• 'Despairingly lacking': a midwife on support for breastfeeding mothers The Guardian
• Maternity units could prevent 600 stillbirths a year if new national guidance is adopted, says NHS England The Independent

Homeless people make us miss NHS targets, says UK's chief dentist

Homeless people make us miss NHS targets, says UK's chief dentist Many don’t finish treatments - dentists are then penalised by ‘tick-box’ contracts, says Mick Armstrong

The British Dental Association’s leader has accused homeless people of being “no-hopers” and suggested it was sometimes acceptable to deny them treatment.

In leaked emails seen by the Guardian, Mick Armstrong, who chairs the BDA, said many practitioners were wary of taking on homeless patients. Continue reading... The Guardian

Veterans will be offered extra help from the NHS under a national scheme to help them adjust to civilian life

Veterans will be offered extra help from the NHS under a national scheme to help them adjust to civilian life Military veterans will be offered extra help from the NHSunder a national scheme to help them adjust to civilian life.

GPs are signing up to become “veteran friendly” under the plan which aims to identify former members of the armed forces and ensure support is available.

The scheme, backed by NHS England and the Royal College of GPs, is being rolled out nationally following a pilot involving 90 GP practices in the West Midlands. The Daily Telegraph

Facebook putting children's lives at risk by reviving spurious MMR claims, say UK health chiefs

Facebook putting children's lives at risk by reviving spurious MMR claims, say UK health chiefs Facebook is putting children’s lives at risk by reviving spurious MMR claims, the UK’s top health chiefs have said.

The anti-vaccination sites which promote the fake science that caused a surge in measles cases as well as conspiracy theories about other vaccines appear at the top of searches when parents use Facebook to find information about the MMR vaccine or other vaccinations.

Andrew Wakefield, the discredited doctor behind the fraudulent research linking the MMR vaccine to autism, features prominently on the sites with his film Vaxxed in which he accuses the US government’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention of a cover-up over the risks. The Daily Telegraph

Revealed: NHS spent more than £3million on toothpaste, shampoo and other toiletries after a rise in prescriptions for items many patients buy themselves

Revealed: NHS spent more than £3million on toothpaste, shampoo and other toiletries after a rise in prescriptions for items many patients buy themselves Doctors are giving out nearly 500,000 prescriptions a year for toiletries such as shampoo, toothpaste and body wash, official figures reveal.

The NHS is spending £3.5million a year on the items, even though many can easily be bought at chemists and supermarkets.

This bill – described as ‘absurd’ by campaigners – has risen seven-fold in a decade. Figures from NHS Digital show a total of 470,678 prescriptions for toiletries were handed out last year, up from 79,341 in 2007. The Daily Mail

Northamptonshire County Council misappropriate £8m of public health money

Northamptonshire County Council misappropriate £8m of public health money A county council "misappropriated" £8m of funds ring-fenced for public health projects, auditors have revealed.

Northamptonshire County Council is facing a budget shortfall of £70m and this week was ordered to restrict spending to statutory services.

A report by auditors KPMG says the council used Public Health England grants to support other council services between 2015 and 2018. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Checks on whether ring-fenced money was spent correctly at Northamptonshire County Council Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northampton hospital staff face down heatwave to bring care to patients

Northampton hospital staff face down heatwave to bring care to patients Northampton General Hospital says they are "very proud" of their staff who taken on the extreme temperatures of the UK heatwave to provide care for patients.

Yesterday, the hottest day of the year so far was recorded in the UK with temperatures hitting 35C in London and reaching 32C in Northampton. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Northampton General Hospital urges patients to bring their medication to hospital in new campaign

Northampton General Hospital urges patients to bring their medication to hospital in new campaign Patients at Northampton General Hospital (NGH) are urging patients to bring all their own medicines with them for emergency or scheduled visits.

The hospital trust has launched campaign urging those likely to be seated in waiting areas to remember to bring their prescribed medication, including to outpatient clinic visits. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

The NHS app: will it work?

The NHS app: will it work? It is fitting the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, is the only MP to have his own app. The NHS is getting its own too. Hancock inherited Jeremy Hunt’s commitment that the national NHS app will be available by the end of 2018. The King's Fund

The toolkit for a sustainable health workforce in the WHO European Region

The toolkit for a sustainable health workforce in the WHO European Region This toolkit is aimed at policy-makers, human resources for health (HRH) planners and professionals, and other stakeholders, such as education institutions and those implementing policy. It is framed around four strategic domains mirroring the themes of the global strategy: education and performance, planning and investment, capacity-building, and analysis and monitoring. It is formulated to provide information and signpost to practical materials, such as HRH assessment, policy and planning tools, analytical approaches and case studies, to support efforts to strengthen HRH in a sustainable way, including through investment in capital and recurrent expenditure. World Health Organization

Fake NHS boss ordered to sell boat to repay earnings

Fake NHS boss ordered to sell boat to repay earnings A disgraced NHS executive who lied his way into a string of top jobs has been ordered to sell his boat and cash in a pension plan to repay some of his fraudulent earnings.

Ex-social worker Jon Andrewes, 64, invented fake degrees to land jobs running a hospice and two NHS trusts.

He admitted deception and fraud and was jailed for two years in 2017.

On Thursday at Exeter Crown Court he was ordered to pay back £97,737.24 under the Proceeds of Crime Act. BBC News

Medicinal cannabis products to be legalised

Medicinal cannabis products to be legalised Specialist doctors in the UK will be able to legally prescribe cannabis-derived medicinal products by autumn, the home secretary has announced.

Those that meet safety and quality standards are to be made legal for patients with an "exceptional clinical need", Sajid Javid said.

As it is a devolved matter, it will require legislative change before it is enforced in Northern Ireland.

Legalisation follows high-profile cases involving severely epileptic children. BBC News

See also:

• Cannabis-derived medicinal products to be made available on prescription Home Office
• Cannabis-derived medicines: What you need to know BBC News
• Cannabis-based medicines get green light as UK eases rules The Guardian
• 'Billy can live a normal life': families react to medicinal cannabis move The Guardian
• Medical cannabis to be available on prescription in UK after being approved for use by government The Independent

Nurses' pay: Union chief apologises over mix-up

Nurses' pay: Union chief apologises over mix-up The head of the Royal College of Nursing has apologised after nurses in England complained of being "misled" over a new pay deal.

The union had said they would receive a 3% pay rise this month as part of a new three-year pay deal.

But a number of nurses took to social media to say their pay had gone up by much less - in some cases by pennies.

RCN general secretary Janet Davies apologised, saying the deal had been presented "in good faith". BBC News

See also:

• NHS pay deal: not what you expected Royal College of Nursing
• NHS Employers response to RCN Agenda For Change letter NHS Employers
• RCN misled members over Agenda for Change pay deal HSJ

Government to trial child and adolescent mental health four-week referral deadline

Government to trial child and adolescent mental health four-week referral deadline A new four-week waiting time standard for children and young people referred for mental health treatment by GPs and other professionals is to be trialled, the Government has announced.

The first pilot sites will be finalised in the autumn and it is expected that between 20% and 25% of the country will have measures in place by the end of 2022/23, according to a green paper published yesterday. Pulse

Millions of injured and unwell may be 'trapped in their homes' because they cannot get a wheelchair, says Red Cross

Millions of injured and unwell may be 'trapped in their homes' because they cannot get a wheelchair, says Red Cross Millions of injured and ill people could be “trapped in their homes” because they are unable to access a wheelchair, raising concerns of a postcode lottery of provision.

A study by the British Red Cross shows that an estimated 3.8 million people who would benefit from use of a wheelchair or mobility aid loan are not getting the help they need.

The charity warned that people diagnosed with a terminal illness, recovering from surgery or an injury such as a broken leg are at risk of isolation or ending up trapped in their homes due to a lack of mobility aid provision. The Independent

See also:

• Wheelchair shortage: 'I didn't leave my house for three years' BBC News
• Millions of patients denied use of a wheelchair The Guardian
• 'I didn't want to live': Disabled woman reveals physical and mental struggle of living without a wheelchair The Independent

NHS in England facing deepening staffing crisis, figures show

NHS in England facing deepening staffing crisis, figures show Vacancies for doctors, nurses, midwives and therapists at highest level for three years

The NHS is facing a deepening staffing crisis as hospitals report growing shortages of doctors, nurses, midwives and therapists, official figures have revealed.

Vacancies across the NHS in England for those key groups of health professionals are running at the highest level since records began three years ago, according to NHS Digital statistics released on Thursday. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NHS Vacancy Statistics England - February 2015 - March 2018 NHS Digital
• NHS needs more than 11,000 extra healthcare workers The Daily Mail

Hospitals in England face heatwave crisis on hottest day of the year

Hospitals in England face heatwave crisis on hottest day of the year Labour says NHS is under similar pressure to a winter crisis with record numbers attending A&E

Some hospitals in England have had record numbers of people attending A&E amid a summer crisis, NHS trusts have said, as the UK experienced its hottest day of the year.

The mercury reached 35C (95F) on Thursday at Heathrow, west London, and is expected to go even higher before thunderstorms bring some relief. The Met Office says the all-time record of 38.5C could be exceeded in south-east England on Friday. Continue reading... The Guardian

Scroll free September: NHS endorses mental health campaign to get children to give up social media for one month

Scroll free September: NHS endorses mental health campaign to get children to give up social media for one month After the success of Movember the NHS has endorsed a mental health campaign to get children to give up social media for 30 days.

Claire Murdoch, NHS England’s national director for mental health, said the campaign for people to sign up for a “Scroll-Free September” highlighted growing concerns that social media was contributing to a potential “epidemic” in mental ill health among young people.

The campaign is the brainchild of Britain’s oldest public health body, The Royal Society for Public Health, whose poll to launch it showed two thirds of people would consider giving up social media for the 30 days of September. It is the first time it has been tried anywhere in the world. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Scroll Free September Royal Society for Public Health
• Scroll Free September aims to wean us off social media The Guardian

Training care workers properly could prevent 20,000 deaths from dementia

Training care workers properly could prevent 20,000 deaths from dementia Additional dementia training for care home staff could save the lives of up to 20,000 people a year across Britain, research suggests.

Experts calculated that providing proper training for care assistants would cost just £4,500 for every life saved.

Assistants in Britain's 28,000 care homes usually require no formal training - and doctors say the training that is available is not based on any evidence that it actually works.

Some 70 per cent of the people in residential care homes have dementia - a population of roughly 300,000 people - and they have distinct special needs.

Yet the vast majority of them are over-medicated and left for hours at a time without any human interaction at all, with experts warning the average patient only talks to another person for two minutes every six hours. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Impact of person-centred care training and person-centred activities on quality of life, agitation, and antipsychotic use in people with dementia living in nursing homes: A cluster-randomised controlled trial (open access) PLOS Medicine
• Improving Wellbeing and Health for People with Dementia (WHELD) Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Dementia patients living in care homes are given just two minutes of social interaction a day The London Economic

Summer outbreak of norovirus could mean another NHS winter crisis

Summer outbreak of norovirus could mean another NHS winter crisis Dr John Harris, of Liverpool University, said the bug added to the unprecedented pressure on the NHS during its 'worst ever winter'. But he fears this winter could be even worse. The Daily Mail

Thousands of Northamptonshire’s abused children let down by lack of NHS mental health plans

Thousands of Northamptonshire’s abused children let down by lack of NHS mental health plans More than 21,000 children in Northamptonshire who have been abused or neglected are not covered by adequate NHS plans for their mental health needs, new NSPCC research estimates.

The charity analysed the latest annual plans published by NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) which set out how they will care for children’s mental health and found that, across England, 88 per cent were failing to properly plan for the needs of vulnerable children including those who had been abused. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Over 1 million children are being let down by inadequate local mental health plans NSPCC
• Transformingmental healthservices for childrenwho have beenabused: A review ofLocal Transformation Plansfor Children and YoungPeople’s Mental Heal NSPCC

Northamptonshire County Council bans spending again

Northamptonshire County Council bans spending again A cash-strapped council has imposed emergency spending controls for the second time this year.

The section 114 notice bans all new expenditure at Northamptonshire County Council, with the exception of statutory services for protecting vulnerable people.

A letter sent to councillors says the authority "knowingly adopted unachievable savings" in 2017-18.

It says the council thought it would get "fairer funding" in a review. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Commissioner drafted in to rescue Northamptonshire County Council outlines contract cull Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Measles outbreaks across England

Measles outbreaks across England Public Health England is advising the public to ensure they have had 2 doses of MMR vaccine after outbreaks of measles are confirmed across England.

NHS England must rethink outsourcing after contract shambles

NHS England must rethink outsourcing after contract shambles NHS England’s outsourcing of primary care support services to Capita Business Services Ltd (Capita) was a shambles.

Its short-sighted rush to slash by a third the £90 million it cost to provide these services was heedless of the impact it would have on the 39,000 GPs, dentists, opticians and pharmacists affected.

Capita recognises that the service it provided was not good enough. Its failures have not only been disruptive to thousands of GPs, dentists, opticians and pharmacists, but potentially have also put patients at risk of serious harm. Public Accounts Committee

See also:

• NHS contract with Capita could have put patients at risk BBC News
• Watchdog blasts NHS England outsourcing ‘shambles’ Public Finance

Heat-related deaths set to treble by 2050 unless Govt acts

Heat-related deaths set to treble by 2050 unless Govt acts Prediction that higher temperatures which caused 2000+ deaths in 2003 will be summer norm by 2040s making adaptation to heatwaves a matter of life and death.

The Environmental Audit Committee publishes its report into ‘Heatwaves: adapting to climate change’.

The Committee has found that failing to address the danger of heatwaves will threaten the wellbeing of an increasing number of vulnerable people.

See also:

• Regular heatwaves 'will kill thousands' BBC News
• Heat-related deaths will treble by 2050 unless government takes urgent action, warn MPs The Independent
• Deaths linked to heat set to rise sharply OnMedica

Meet the NHS duo keeping the elderly safe at home.

Meet the NHS duo keeping the elderly safe at home. An NHS partnership has reduced the number of elderly people admitted to hospital after falling at home.

The scheme is a collaboration between North West Ambulance Service and East Lancashire hospitals in Burnley. BBC News

ADHD diagnosis for adults 'can take seven years'

ADHD diagnosis for adults 'can take seven years' Some adults wait more than seven years to be diagnosed with ADHD because of huge waiting lists, a charity has said.

ADHD Action has lobbied the government to start recording adult ADHD figures, as it already does with autism.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists said people with the behavioural disorder were more likely to commit crime or become suicidal.

About 1.5 million adults in the UK have the condition, ADHD Action said, but only 120,000 are formally diagnosed. BBC News

See also:

• A crisis for ADHD diagnosis and waiting times for adults in the UK is having serious health and other impacts ADHD Action

NHS: New health secretary Matt Hancock says use more apps

NHS: New health secretary Matt Hancock says use more apps There needs to be more use of apps in the National Health Service, the new health secretary says.

Matt Hancock has told Newsbeat there is "loads to do on that area" when asked if they would help the NHS.

He was speaking as he gave more details of the government's plans to transform children and young people's mental health services. BBC News

Government attacked over child mental health plan and told it is ‘sleepwalking into deepening crisis’

Government attacked over child mental health plan and told it is ‘sleepwalking into deepening crisis’ The government has been accused of “sleepwalking into a deepening crisis” on child mental health and attacked for its flagship plans to improve it.

Hundreds of mental health workers will be trained to work in and near schools from the end of next year to help boost young people’s wellbeing, after the government confirmed plans will go ahead.

But the Barnardo’s children’s charity said the £300m approved plan – first set out in a green paper last year – would still leave hundreds of thousands of children without the help they desperately need. The Independent

Happy 40th Birthday IVF. Now let’s discuss your dirty secret

Happy 40th Birthday IVF. Now let’s discuss your dirty secret | Zeynep Gurtin As the world’s first IVF baby turns 40, it’s time to make fertility treatment more widely available in the UK and abroad

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the first IVF birth. Louise Brown, born in Oldham General Hospital in 1978, was heralded by the world’s press as a British medical marvel and a beacon of hope for people with fertility problems. Forty years later, IVF has unquestionably transformed the lives of millions of men and women, giving them the children they so deeply desired. But, despite its evident positives, IVF also hides a dirty secret: its benefits remain largely limited to those who can afford them. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• 'I was the world's first test tube baby. This is my story' The Independent

Woman killed herself after series of NHS trust errors, jury finds

Woman killed herself after series of NHS trust errors, jury finds Five key mistakes contributed to death of Sophie Payne, 22, in mental health unit, says jury

A young woman with mental health problems killed herself after a series of major errors by the NHS trust that was looking after her, a jury at an inquest into her death has found.

It issued a scathing assessment of the care received by Sophie Payne, 22, a “warm, bright and creative” woman who died in July 2017 in the Rose ward of Queen Mary hospital in Roehampton, south-west London. Continue reading... The Guardian

Grandmother banned from phoning 999 or 111 ended up taking overdose to get to hospital

Grandmother banned from phoning 999 or 111 ended up taking overdose  to get to hospital A grandmother who was told by paramedics not to dial 999 even if she had a heart attack took an overdose after repeatedly being refused hospital treatment.

Dorothy Southard, 89, fell outside an Oxford bingo hall in April and contacted the NHS helpline number 111 on three separate occasions because she was feeling unwell.

Paramedics from the South Central Ambulance Service were sent out on each occasion but could not find anything wrong with the pensioner - despite her having two bleeds on the brain - and declined to take her to hospital for a check up. The Daily Telegraph

Noise in NHS children's wards is 'breaching safe levels': Young patients getting less sleep too

Noise in NHS children's wards is 'breaching safe levels': Young patients getting less sleep too Noisy children's wards in NHS hospitals breach guidelines on safe sound levels, say researchers who also found young patients are getting less sleep than they would at home. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Sleep quality and noise: comparisons between hospital and home settings Archives of Disease in Childhood

Future of Corby's Urgent Care Centre to go to Judicial Review

Future of Corby's Urgent Care Centre to go to Judicial Review The future of a Northamptonshire care provider which treats around 75,000 people a year will be decided at a Judicial Review .

Legal action has been brought forward from campaigners to Corby’s Urgent Care Centre, opened in 2013, a provider which is operated by private firm Lakeside Plus Ltd.

The centre was built to take pressure off nearby Kettering General Hospital, but last year the private firm said they could no longer afford to operate services from Corby due to a lack of funding from the Corby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). National Health Executive

The NHS 10-year plan: how much will be spent on NHS deficits?

The NHS 10-year plan: how much will be spent on NHS deficits? NHS providers racked up a deficit of just under £1 billion in 2017/18. How much of the Prime Minister’s 3.4 per cent real-terms growth a year will go into removing these deficits? Not a lot is probably the answer. The King's Fund

Government response to 'The nursing workforce' report from the Health and Social Care Select Committee

Government response to 'The nursing workforce' report from the Health and Social Care Select Committee This response sets out how the government is working with its arm’s length bodies to make sure the NHS continues to have the nursing workforce it needs, for patient and public benefit. Department of Health and Social Care

Excellence in continence care

Excellence in continence care NHS England has issued guidance for commissioners, providers, health and social care staff to help ensure people receive excellent continence care consideration.

HPV jab will be given to boys, government says

HPV jab will be given to boys, government says A jab that protects against a virus that causes cervical cancer will be given to boys aged 12 to 13 in England.

The policy decision brings England into line with Scotland and Wales.

HPV vaccine is already routinely offered to girls of the same age at secondary school and is free up until they turn 18.

Experts and campaigners have been calling for equal access to the jab, which can also guard against oral, throat and anal cancers. BBC News

See also:

• HPV vaccination programme to extend to boys, government confirms GPonline
• HPV vaccination to be introduced for all teenage boys in UK, government announces The Independent
• Boys in England to be given HPV vaccine, public health minister announces Pulse

Antidepressant prescriptions for children on the rise

Antidepressant prescriptions for children on the rise The number of antidepressants prescribed to children in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland has risen over the past three years, figures obtained by BBC's File on 4 reveal.

In England, there was a 15% rise. Scotland saw a 10% increase. And in Northern Ireland the number rose by 6%.

In total, there were 950,000 prescriptions issued between April 2015 and March 2018.

Experts have linked the rise to waits for specialist mental health services. BBC News

See also:

• Nearly one million antidepressants were doled out to children in less than three years, figures show The Daily Mail
• Antidepressant prescriptions increased by half a million last year Pulse

UK heatwave: Patients and relatives 'passing out' because hospitals are too hot

UK heatwave: Patients and relatives 'passing out' because hospitals are too hot Patients and relatives are passing out and vomiting because hospitals are getting so hot during the UK heatwave, nurses have warned.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said some wards have reached more than 30C, leading to patients becoming dehydrated.

The Society of Acute Medicine also raised concerns about patients and staff in overheated hospitals. The Independent

See also:

• Hydration for staff and patients is vital, as people pass out in overheated hospitals Royal College of Nursing
• Hospitals ‘seeing winter levels of activity’ – SAM president Society for Acute Medicine

Brexit: Health secretary admits plans to stockpile medicines and blood in case of no-deal

Brexit: Health secretary admits plans to stockpile medicines and blood in case of no-deal 'Some of the medicines most difficult to provide in a no-deal scenario, where there is difficult access through ports, will need to be flown in'

The government is making plans to stockpile vital blood products and medicines in case of a no-deal Brexit, the new health secretary has said.

Matthew Hancock admitted he had already met with industry leaders to discuss building up NHS reserves of vaccinations and other medical supplies if Britain crashes out of the European Union without a deal.

His comments came after Dominic Raab, the new Brexit secretary, finally confirmed plans were in place to stockpile food as ministers ramp up their planning in case the negotiations fail. The Independent

See also:

• NHS preparing to 'stockpile' drugs for no deal Brexit BBC News

Children's hospital spent £130,000 on 'reputation management' lawyers

Children's hospital spent £130,000 on 'reputation management' lawyers Great Ormond Street hospital hired firm to respond to claim patients were being put at risk

Great Ormond Street hospital spent more than £130,000 with the reputation management lawyers Schillings over an investigation into whether it was putting patients’ lives at risks.

The expenditure, detailed in the children’s hospital’s accounts, shows the extent to which money was diverted from the health service to cover legal fees in response to a news story, which claimed the hospital risked the physical and mental health of a child with gut conditions by adopting “aggressive” treatment. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS protest: how ‘hostile’ migrant charging policy came into being

NHS protest: how ‘hostile’ migrant charging policy came into being The planned action by David Cameron’s Ebola ‘heroes’ has thrown spotlight on tough checks and charges

In 2015, the then prime minister David Cameron hailed the British volunteers, including scores of NHS staff, who worked at the Ebola treatment centre at Kerry Town, near Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, as “heroes”. Each received a commemorative medal etched with their name as a mark of appreciation of their efforts. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Ebola heroes to protest over migrants being denied NHS healthcare The Guardian
• As an NHS doctor this ‘hostile environment' has made me reject my medal | Neal Russell The Guardian
• As a doctor, I can see that denying NHS care to immigrants is inhumane | Kitty Worthing The Guardian

Dangerous liaisons: why syphilis and gonorrhoea have returned to haunt Britain

Dangerous liaisons: why syphilis and gonorrhoea have returned to haunt Britain Clinic appointments fill up in minutes and babies are once again being born with syphilis – what is behind Britain’s sexual health crisis?

Tucked down a backstreet, Patrick French’s workplace is identified only by a generic blue NHS sign. Nobody would know why the men and women entering the building off Tottenham Court Road in central London were here. Even inside, it’s not obvious. With its blond wood floors and potted plants, all that distinguishes the Mortimer Market sexual health clinic from a dentist’s waiting room is the presence of enormous posters advertising Liquid Silk lubricant.

Such invisibility helps protect patients’ privacy in this most intimate field of medicine. But it also means a crisis can fly beneath the radar. When patients are waiting on A&E trolleys, we all hear about it. When they’re queueing out of the door to be tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), we don’t. “People say the NHS has been protected against cuts – well there’s one bit that hasn’t,” says French, a genitourinary medicine (GUM) consultant at central and north west London trust. Continue reading... The Guardian

Elderly people turned away from care homes with spare beds because of staff shortages

Elderly people turned away from care homes with spare beds because of staff shortages Elderly people are being turned away from care homes with spare beds because of staff shortages, analysis suggests.

Research by analysts Laing Buisson found that the care home system was not as full as previously thought.

Previous studies have warned that high levels of care home closures would lead to a crisis where some residents would be left unable to find suitable accommodation. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Report reappraises the care home capacity crisis in the light of new data Laing Buisson

More than 50 twin babies die every year because hospitals fail to follow guidance, warns charity

More than 50 twin babies die every year because hospitals fail to follow guidance, warns charity Research by UK charity the Twins and Multiple Births Association (Tamba) has revealed more than a third of large hospitals do not follow official guidance on caring for women expecting twins. The Daily Mail

See also:

• 55 baby deaths could be prevented every year Tamba

Record numbers are classed as 'severely obese' by the age of 11

Record numbers are classed as 'severely obese' by the age of 11 The proportion of Year Six leavers classed as having severe obesity has increased by 28 per cent in a decade. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Severe obesity in 10 to 11 year olds reaches record high Public Health England
• Record number of severely obese children BBC News
• Ten-fold rise in extreme obesity among school children The Daily Telegraph

Hospital vending machines: helping people make healthier choices

Hospital vending machines: helping people make healthier choices Obesity-related illness costs the NHS around £6.1 billion per year and vending machines in hospitals can support healthy consumption habits amongst NHS staff, patients and visitors. This trial at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust used 17 cold drink and mixed snack vending machines to test whether changing the availability or positioning of products within the vending machines could encourage healthier choices and whether that was economically viable. Public Health England

Addressing inequalities in access to general practice

Addressing inequalities in access to general practice An animation by the University of East Anglia highlights inequalities of access to GP general practice services and offers advice to CCGs on how to tackle the issue. NHS England

UK heatwave: People told to 'stay out of sun' amid warning

UK heatwave: People told to 'stay out of sun' amid warning People are being urged to "stay out of the sun" for most of this week, as a heat health watch alert is issued by the Met Office.

The level 3 or amber alert is in place until 09:00 BST Friday for much of the east and south-east of England.


The level 3 warning is issued when temperatures are predicted to hit 30C during the day, and 15C at night, for at least two consecutive days.

It is the third time the level 3 alert has been reached in England this year. BBC News

Allowing women to take the abortion pill at home would be a great first step for Matt Hancock – and for the NHS

Allowing women to take the abortion pill at home would be a great first step for Matt Hancock – and for the NHS Women, after taking the pill in a clinic, have to race home before their miscarriage starts. They often suffer heavy bleeding and cramping before they get there

Let’s get straight to the point. Women need the new health secretary, Matt Hancock, to act now.

If he wants to reverse the damage caused by his predecessor to women’s health and to the NHS in general, he needs to move quickly. Another cabinet reshuffle is only around the corner. The Independent

Young people’s mental health: we can build a resilient generation​

Young people’s mental health: we can build a resilient generation​ | Paul Burstow Prevention and early intervention could halve the number of people with lifelong mental health problems.

Half of lifelong mental illness starts before the age of 14. What if we could change that? What if we could tackle the causes and reduce the incidence of enduring mental health problems?  Continue reading... The Guardian

New malaria treatment paves way for eradication

New malaria treatment paves way for eradication The US authorities have approved the first new treatment in 60 years for malaria that is endemic in Asia and Latin America.

Experts hope it will play a significant role in eliminating the mosquito-borne disease, which is on the march again after decades of decline.

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the drug tafenoquine for the treatment of Plasmodium vivax malaria - a disease causing around 8.5million infections every year in Asia, Latin America and parts of Africa. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Single-dose malaria drug eliminates parasite from liver OnMedica

Pay £15,000 to jump the queue for a hip operation on the NHS

Pay £15,000 to jump the queue for a hip operation on the NHS A Daily Mail investigation uncovered how two-thirds of hospitals allow patients to pay out of their pockets for hip and knee replacements and cataract surgery.

Dementia research is '40 years behind cancer advances'

Dementia research is '40 years behind cancer advances' Dementia research is trailing 40 years behind the advances seen in cancer, Professor Nick Fox, director of University College London’s Dementia Research Centre, has warned. The Daily Mail

The NHS at 70: blow out the candles and make a wish

The NHS at 70: blow out the candles and make a wish A podcast about big ideas in health and care. We talk with experts from The King’s Fund and beyond about the NHS, social care, and all things health policy and leadership.

Tech an early priority for health secretary

Tech an early priority for health secretary More GP consultations via Skype and barcode tracking of patients and their treatments in hospitals - these are two of the uses of technology the new health and social care secretary was enthusing about in his first speech since taking on the job.

Matt Hancock sees the tech agenda in the NHS as one of his early priorities. BBC News

See also:

• GPs and patients need to know they are safe in new Health Secretary's hands, says College in response to Matt Hancock's first speech to NHS Royal College of General Practitioners
• Patients to be tracked by barcode in £500m bid to free up beds The Daily Mail
• Smart speakers will be joined to the health service website to create a virtual doctor The Daily Mail
• Technology like Babylon's GP at Hand should be available to all, says health secretary GPonline
• NHS to receive £487m technology boost The Independent
• NHS needs GPs more than tech, RCGP tells Hancock OnMedica
• Health secretary says Babylon-style GP model should become 'available to all' Pulse

Opioids: Why 'dangerous' drugs are still being used to treat pain

Opioids: Why 'dangerous' drugs are still being used to treat pain The widespread use of opioids to treat pain frequently prompts concerns about addiction and even deaths. So, why are these sometimes dangerous drugs still being given to patients?

Much stronger than many of the other options, opioids are among the world's most commonly prescribed painkillers.

These drugs - including morphine, tramadol and fentanyl - are used to treat pain caused by everything from heart attacks to cancer.

But in the UK they were recently linked to the deaths of hundreds of elderly hospital patients, while the US is battling a well-documented opioid epidemic.

Why not just use other painkillers to avoid the risk of harm? BBC News

Whistleblowing law 'wholly inadequate' for protecting staff who speak out, say MPs and campaigners

Whistleblowing law 'wholly inadequate' for protecting staff who speak out, say MPs and campaigners Senior MPs and campaigners are demanding the government overhauls laws around whistleblowing, calling the current legislation “wholly inadequate” and “not fit for purpose”.

They argue a change in the law is essential to stop the unfair practice of whistleblowers routinely losing their jobs after lifting the lid on often dangerous and illegal practices.

Among those worst affected are NHS doctors, many of whom have been fired after speaking out about malpractice such as bullying, faulty medical equipment and unsafe staffing levels. The Independent

How can we expect borderline personality disorder patients to trust mental health services when the staff don’t trust them?

How can we expect borderline personality disorder patients to trust mental health services when the staff don’t trust them? Establishing trust is a huge ask for patients who have experience damage at the hands of others. Yet we punish psychiatric patients by giving them a label that enables others to carry on treating them like dirt. The Independent

Too little money, too few beds. Why mental health is in crisis

Too little money, too few beds. Why mental health is in crisis Home support is weak, the number of patients being detained has soared and a £1.4bn cash boost isn’t enough

What was once a taboo subject is now the stuff of commercials and celebrity confessions. Today, stars are lining up to discuss their mental health issues in public. Sheridan Smith and Simon Pegg are two high-profile names who have recently shared their problems, and recounted how they sought help from friends and professionals.

A Lloyds Bank television advert raising awareness of different mental health problems, featuring the likes of Countdown’s Rachel Riley, Olympian Victoria Pendleton, rapper Professor Green and journalist Jeremy Paxman, marked the crossing of another rubicon.

Community services are still a long way behind where they need to be, and crisis care is overstretched as a result Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Number of NHS beds for mental health patients slumps by 30% The Guardian

A&E four-hour target in doubt as new health secretary Matt Hancock promises to listen to NHS leaders

A&E four-hour target in doubt as new health secretary Matt Hancock promises to listen to NHS leaders The symbolic four-hour NHS treatment target for A&E patients may be abandoned or changed, the new Health Secretary has suggested.

Matt Hancock yesterday refused to rule out altering the commitment, as well as those for cancer and routine operations, hinting instead that health experts should consider what is “more clinically appropriate”.

Seen as a bellwether for NHS performance, the target to see at least 95 per cent of emergency patients within four hours has slipped badly over the last two years, with recent figures showing hospitals are managing just 86 per cent. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Health secretary to consider NHS targets BBC News

Sunburn warning as Public Health England urge people to wear suncream after surge in hospitalisations

Sunburn warning as Public Health England urge people to wear suncream after surge in hospitalisations A sunburn warning has been issued for the UK after a spike in hospitalisations as British people struggled to cope with the heatwave.

Public Health England has urged people who go out in the sun to “use common sense” and protect themselves from damaging UV rays, after 220 people were hospitalised in Northern Ireland over the past two months. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Health warning issued after hundreds treated for sunburn during heatwave The Independent

Investigation ordered into adult social care facilities in Northampton

Investigation ordered into adult social care facilities in Northampton An investigation will be held into adult social care facilities in the Northampton area ahead of the local government reorganisation which will form two new unitary authorities in 2020.

Councillors on Northampton Borough Council’s scrutiny committee have been tasked by the authority to carry out the investigation to ‘identify future demand patterns’ so that any new unitary authority is ‘able to better plan for the needs of older people in the future’. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Kettering General Hospital: X-ray delays 'did not harm patients'

Kettering General Hospital: X-ray delays 'did not harm patients' A hospital says delays in the reporting of X-ray results has resulted in "no cases of patient harm".

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) had raised concerns about waiting times for radiology results at Kettering General and two other NHS hospitals in England.

It has now called for a limit on how long it takes to report scan results.

Kettering's chief executive Simon Weldon said a backlog, caused in part by the move to a new reporting system in 2016, had "almost been dealt with". BBC Northampton

See also:

• X-ray problems at KGH prompt national review Northamptonshire Telegraph

The determinants of health care expenditure growth

The determinants of health care expenditure growth This paper considers the detailed breakdown of hospital inpatient expenditures across the period 2007/08 to 2014/15. Decomposition techniques are used to unpick the observed rise in expenditure into a component due to a change in the distribution of characteristics, for example, greater prevalence of morbidity, and a component due to structural changes in the impact of such characteristics on expenditures (coefficient effects, for example, due to technological change). Centre for Health Economics

Low NHS morale is 'heartbreaking', says Matt Hancock

Low NHS morale is 'heartbreaking', says Matt Hancock Seeing how NHS staff feel "undervalued" is "heartbreaking", the new Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.

In his first speech since taking the job, Mr Hancock also said he was horrified at the level of bullying reported by staff.

The British Medical Association welcomed the sentiment but said it needed to be underpinned by action.

Mr Hancock, the former digital and culture secretary, also said £487m is to be spent on technology for the NHS. BBC News

IVF: NHS couples 'face social rationing'

IVF: NHS couples 'face social rationing' Eight out of 10 of CCGs in England do not offer IVF to couples if one partner has previous children.

The parents of the world's first IVF baby - born 40 years ago next week - would not have got the procedure on the NHS in most of England today because of "social rationing", a charity has said.

NHS IVF is unavailable to couples in many areas if either of them has children from a previous relationship.

One mother said not meeting such criteria was "crippling".

Fertility Network UK said action was needed to keep fertility treatment available for all. BBC News

MPs in plea for mental health checks for new mothers

MPs in plea for mental health checks for new mothers Women could get regular mental health checks during and after pregnancy if a campaign by two MPs is successful.

Mental illness related to birth issues has been raised by the Labour MP for Stockton South, Dr Paul Williams, and South West Bedfordshire Conservative, Andrew Selous.

In a debate on Wednesday they called for six-weekly checks for all mothers.

Funding could be available after the government said it was investing £365m into the condition from 2015 to 2021. BBC News

'Dangerous complacency' to global HIV epidemic risks resurgence

'Dangerous complacency' to global HIV epidemic risks resurgence A "dangerous complacency" in the response to the global HIV pandemic is risking a resurgence of the disease, according to a report.

Experts said a stalling of HIV funding in recent years was endangering efforts to control the illness.

As things stand, the world is no longer on course to end the pandemic by 2030 - a target agreed by UN member states, say experts in The Lancet.

They call for urgent changes in how the disease is treated and controlled. BBC News

The NHS is giving £1bn a year away to private companies – this is Jeremy Hunt's legacy

The NHS is giving £1bn a year away to private companies – this is Jeremy Hunt's legacy According to the BBC, the NHS is now spending a staggering £1bn a year buying in care from private companies.

The broadcaster said its data showed that the bill has been racked up by hospitals, ambulances and mental health trusts.

Private firms are sometimes used when operations might otherwise be cancelled because NHS hospitals are swamped with emergencies. Sometimes the money is spent on hospitals buying places in care homes for elderly patients to free up beds. Sometimes private ambulance crews are called upon to transport less serious cases so NHS crews can concentrate on the really serious cases. The Independent

My husband's stroke showed me the best and worst of the NHS

My husband's stroke showed me the best and worst of the NHS Seeing the service from a different perspective forced me to assess my priorities and influenced how I treat my own patients

In March 2012, my husband had a stroke. He was 34. I recognised the signs within seconds, called 999 and had a hospital bag ready by the time the ambulance arrived four minutes later. Sam’s speech was slurred and he had lost 50% of his vision. In A&E, I held the sick bowl as he vomited again and again. As he was rushed off for a scan, I was in complete shock. In true English fashion I went to get a cup of tea. But the restaurant was closed and the vending machine broken; it was then that I cried. Continue reading... The Guardian

World's biggest tobacco firm under fire over 'disgraceful' PR stunt

World's biggest tobacco firm under fire over 'disgraceful' PR stunt NHS staff told to reject offer by makers of Marlboro cigarettes to help them quit smoking

The world’s biggest tobacco firm has been accused of staging “a digraceful PR stunt” by offering to help NHS staff quit smoking to help mark the service’s 70th birthday.

Philip Morris International (PMI), which makes Marlboro cigarettes, is under fire for apparently trying to breach global rules which stipulate that tobacco manufacturers should be treated as pariahs. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• World's biggest cigarette company offered tobacco products to doctors and nurses to mark NHS 70th birthday The Independent

Cannabis for medicinal use should be allowed, says Government drugs council

Cannabis for medicinal use should be allowed, says Government drugs council Doctors should be allowed to prescribe medicinal cannabis to patients in the UK, the official body which advises the Government on drugs has said.

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) said there is "evidence of medicinal benefit of some of these products in certain circumstances" and recommended they should be able to be prescribed as long as they meet appropriate safety standards. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Advice on scheduling of cannabis-derived medicinal products Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs
• Medicinal cannabis 'should be available on prescription' BBC News
• Doctors should be able to prescribe medical cannabis, Home Office adviser concludes The Independent

Corby celebrates 70th anniversary of the NHS

Corby celebrates 70th anniversary of the NHS A ‘thank you’ card for people to sign and share their thoughts about Corby’s health services was signed at a party celebrating the 70th anniversary of the NHS. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Research and analysis: Prison health: health and justice annual report

Research and analysis: Prison health: health and justice annual report Public Health England annual report on health trends in prisons and other prescribed places of detention (PPDs).