Monday 12 February 2018

Documentary inside Northampton mental health hospital explores self-harming among teenage girls

Documentary inside Northampton mental health hospital explores self-harming among teenage girls A BBC Two documentary is following the story of three girls inside a Northampton mental health hospital.

"Girls on the Edge" premieres later this month and takes viewers inside the town's own Fitzroy House, at St Andrew's Hospital, for a "raw and honest" look at the journey to recovery for three girls. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Evidence review: adults with complex needs (with a particular focus on street begging and street sleeping)

Evidence review: adults with complex needs (with a particular focus on street begging and street sleeping) Public Health England South East has carried out an independent review of the literature on homelessness, looking particularly at people living or begging on the streets to support efforts to prevent and reduce homelessness and the adverse outcomes associated with this. This review is aimed at local authorities and other stakeholders who are developing strategies and interventions to prevent homelessness and support adults with complex needs. Public Health England

Spatial competition and quality: evidence from the English family doctor market

Spatial competition and quality: evidence from the English family doctor market This paper examines whether family doctor firms in England respond to local competition by increasing their quality. It measures quality in terms of clinical performance and patient-reported satisfaction to capture its multi-dimensional nature. It finds that increases in local competition are associated with increases in clinical quality and patient satisfaction, particularly for firms with lower quality. However, the magnitude of the effect is small. Centre for Health Economics

Take sick children to pharmacies first, parents told

Take sick children to pharmacies first, parents told Parents of young children with minor illnesses should take them to pharmacies rather than GPs or A&E, a new NHS England campaign says.

It follows a survey which found just 6% of parents with under-fives would go to a pharmacist first.

NHS England said visits to GPs and A&E for these "self-treatable" conditions, like stomach ache, cost £850m a year.

But parents should not be put off seeing a doctor, a patients' group said.

GPs' leaders said parents of children with a very high temperature that doesn't go away should still seek help from a medical expert. BBC News

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NHS: Alcohol related hospital admissions hit record high after addiction support services slashed

NHS: Alcohol related hospital admissions hit record high after addiction support services slashed The number of people being admitted to hospital due to problems with alcohol has hit a record high in England, new figures show, following steep cuts to addiction support services in recent years.

Alcohol-related admissions have risen by more than two-thirds in a decade, with the figure now standing at more than 1.1 million in 2017, according to data released by Public Health England (PHE).

Politicians and campaigners warn government cuts to public health infrastructure have “failed” thousands of vulnerable people as well as increasing pressures on hard-pressed frontline A&E departments. The Independent

Liverpool NHS scandal shows how culture of denial harms patients

Liverpool NHS scandal shows how culture of denial harms patients If staff do not feel able to speak out about their concerns, something is rotten at an organisation’s core

The two most shocking revelations to emerge from the investigation into Liverpool community health NHS trust are that every part of the system failed, and it happened even as the trust was considering what it should learn from the Mid Staffordshire scandal.

The independent review by Dr Bill Kirkup into events at the trust between 2010 and 2014 shows the root cause of the trust’s problems was an inexperienced and bullying leadership obsessed with achieving foundation trust status, irrespective of the effect on patients. This toxic culture seeped into every part of the organisation, breaking the morale of frontline staff and inflicting serious clinical harm.

There was a climate of fear, intolerance, disbelief and insecurity Continue reading... The Guardian

GPs issuing thousands more fit notes for patients

GPs issuing thousands more fit notes for patients Rise of 9% in statements of fitness for work, with 13.5% increase in notes for mental and behavioural disorders

The number of fit notes issued by GPs has risen by nearly a tenth, with a larger increase for mental and behavioural disorders, research has shown.

A fit note is issued after the first seven days of sickness absence if the doctor assesses that the patient’s health affects their fitness for work. Continue reading... The Guardian

Almost two thirds of voters back extra 1p on income tax for the NHS

Almost two thirds of voters back extra 1p on income tax for the NHS Observer poll finds 65% support an extra penny in the pound ring-fenced for healthcare

Almost two thirds of voters back putting an extra 1p on income tax to solve the funding crisis engulfing the NHS and social care, a new poll for the Observer has found.

The Opinium survey found that 65% would be happy to pay an extra penny in the pound ring-fenced for health and social care, even after being shown what the increase would actually mean for their personal tax bill. Continue reading... The Guardian

Paraffin-based skin creams may be linked to hundreds of deaths, senior firefighter warns

Paraffin-based skin creams may be linked to hundreds of deaths, senior firefighter warns Paraffin-based skin creams may be linked to hundreds of deaths, a senior firefighter has warned.

Chris Bell, a watch commander with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the creams - used to treat a variety of skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis - are safe to use.

But he warned they can become flammable when they soak into fabrics, clothing, bandages and dressings, then come into contact with a cigarette, naked flame or other heat source. The Daily Telegraph

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Don't say 'good girl' to women in labour because it is disrespectful, midwives are told 

Don't say 'good girl' to women in labour because it is disrespectful, midwives are told Midwives should not say “good girl” to women in labour because it is disrespectful, according to new advice.

Other words to avoid include describing a baby as big or referring to a woman in labour as “she” in the guide published in the BMJ.

In the advice, the authors admitted some might think such caution was “political correctness gone mad” but said changes were needed to “instill a culture of respect” for mothers-to-be.

The advice drawn up by maternity experts, has been backed by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. The Daily Telegraph

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