Inquest into death of man who died at Northampton General Hospital after choking on McDonald's begins

Inquest into death of man who died at Northampton General Hospital after choking on McDonald's begins A jury will decide whether more could have been done to save a man who choked on a McDonald's meal in Northampton and died.

David Scales, 68, died on January 11, 2017 in Northampton General Hospital after he choked on the food on January 3, while being transported from London to Leeds.

NGH is not being investigated as part of the inquest. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Five ways to improve junior doctor morale

Five ways to improve junior doctor morale Dissatisfaction among junior doctors has reached unprecedented levels: 80 per cent feel excessively stressed, and the number progressing directly to specialty training is declining.

Some of the solutions to this can only be implemented at a national level, for example, increasing the number of medical school places. However, these changes take time to create an impact. Locally implemented ‘quick wins’ could help to improve the morale of today’s workforce, thereby improving retention, productivity and patient safety. Here are a few ideas based on my experience as a junior doctor over the past two years. The King's Fund

Can the voluntary and community sector lead the change we need in health and care?

Can the voluntary and community sector lead the change we need in health and care? In the UK, nearly one in five people today are aged 65 or over. In places like Somerset, this number will be one in four within the next few years. Many older people live with chronic conditions, and, increasingly, with several of them. Our need to get to grips with the reality of our ageing population and understand how our systems best adjust has never been greater.

This is why the Health Foundation and Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity have supported the Richmond Group of Charitiesand New Philanthropy Capital to take a deep look into what happened when individuals and organisations came together to improve care for people with long-term conditions in Somerset. Their work focused on moving towards more integrated person-centred models of health and care, this time with the voluntary and community sector (VCS) taking the lead. 

Working with policing and social care organisations to protect and prevent harm to vulnerable people

Working with policing and social care organisations to protect and prevent harm to vulnerable people NHS England has supported the launch of a joint consensus statement between policing, health and social care organisations.

It commits partners to working together to use our shared capabilities and resources more effectively to improve people’s health and wellbeing, prevent crime and protect the most vulnerable people.

A third of UK adults 'underestimate calorie intake '

A third of UK adults 'underestimate calorie intake ' A third of people in the UK underestimate how many calories they are eating, according to an analysis of Office of National Statistics data.

It suggests British men eat more than 3,000 a day while claiming to eat 2,000. And women say they eat about 1,500 while consuming nearly 2,500.

The recommended daily calorie allowance is 2,500 for men and 2,000 for women.

The study of more than 4,000 people looked at energy expenditure and self-reporting information on food eaten. BBC News

See also:

• Evaluating Calorie Intake Office for National Statistics
• Britons are lying to themselves about how much they eat The Daily Mail
• So the UK’s eating more than it realises – here’s how we could get thin | Michael Hallsworth The Guardian

One in four GPs have seen patients harmed by NHS winter pressure

One in four GPs have seen patients harmed by NHS winter pressure Almost one in four GPs have seen patients at their practice come to harm this winter - with some reporting patients have died - because of extreme pressure on the health service, a GPonline poll reveals.

Incontinence affects more than 200 million people worldwide, so why isn't more being done to find a cure?

Incontinence affects more than 200 million people worldwide, so why isn't more being done to find a cure? For a chronic health condition that causes shame and misery for countless people and costs billions, urinary incontinence keeps a low profile.

Media reports about chronic health conditions appear with alarming regularity, but it is rare to read about the debilitating impact of the involuntary leakage of urine. Nevertheless, urinary incontinence is a condition which, next to Alzheimer’s or strokes, is reported as most negatively affecting “health-related quality of life”. The Independent

I love my job as a nurse – but I’m not sure how much longer I can carry on | Anonymous

I love my job as a nurse – but I’m not sure how much longer I can carry on | Anonymous Despite what Jeremy Hunt may say, NHS professionals aren’t properly rewarded for what they do. Our wellbeing is at risk

I’m a nurse. While I don’t hate my current job, I no longer feel the burning desire to help people the way I used to.

Don’t get me wrong, I care greatly about my patients and I find real satisfaction in helping others get better. I don’t, however, find any real satisfaction in helping to quite literally save lives and being incredibly undervalued for it. If that makes me a bit of a brat, then so be it.

I never expected to become a millionaire as a nurse, but I would like to feel valued for the work I do Continue reading... The Guardian

Strike two years ago strikes had a 'significant impact'

Strike two years ago strikes had a 'significant impact' The junior doctors' strikes in England two years ago had a 'significant impact' on patients - with thousands of appointments cancelled, a study shows.

The worst effects were when emergency care was withdrawn during the last periods of industrial action - the first time this had ever happened in the history of the NHS.

There were over nine percent (31,651) fewer admissions and nearly seven percent (23,895) less A&E attendances compared to the weeks before and after.

The number of expected outpatient appointments also fell by six percent (173,462), according to the findings published in BMJ Open. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Retrospective analysis of the national impact of industrial action by English junior doctors in 2016 BMJ Open

Patients days from death to be offered 'compassion' signs

Patients days from death to be offered 'compassion' signs Hospital patients just hours or days from death are to be offered 'compassion' signs near their beds to alert staff and visitors.

The scheme to give them peace, dignity and respect has been devised by the east Kent hospitals trust and the Pilgrim's Hospice.

They say it will provide more comfort and solace to people receiving end-of-life care and their families.

It's operating in about 50 wards across the trust, including at Kent and Canterbury Hospital. The Daily Mail