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
Monday, 22 January 2018
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.
“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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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
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
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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
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
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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
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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
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