Monday 18 June 2018

Three KGH staff named in the NHS’ ‘Top 70 Stars’

Three KGH staff named in the NHS’ ‘Top 70 Stars’ A consultant obstetrician at KGH has been voted one of the NHS’ ‘Top 70 Stars’ for her outstanding work – achieving 7th place in the national top ten. Northamptonshire Telegraph

CQC report set to slam 'unsatisfactory' experience for over 65s in Northamptonshire

CQC report set to slam 'unsatisfactory' experience for over 65s in Northamptonshire An upcoming Care Quality Commission review of health and social care for people over 65 in Northamptonshire is set to criticise the ‘unsatisfactory experience’ for patients.

The health watchdog is expected to hit out at the lack of a clear, shared vision for care services for pensioners, while it also noted that staff did not know its care improvement plans ‘on the ground’ and were neither excited or as motivated as they should be by it.

The whole-system CQC review is due to be officially reported in July, but councillors on the adults, health and wellbeing scrutiny committee were given a verbal update of the key findings ahead of publication from Anna Earnshaw, the executive director for Northamptonshire Adult Social Services (NASS). Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Northampton mental health hospital for men shakes off major failings but is still below standard, says inspectors

Northampton mental health hospital for men shakes off major failings but is still below standard, says inspectors
Inspectors say a Northampton mental health hospital has shaken off a list of failings pointed out in a damning report last year - but still has a long way to go.

St Andrew's Hospital's men's service was branded "inadequate" by inspectors in a scathing report last year that found failings in cleanliness, patient safety and pointed to an "oppressive culture" for staff.

But in the latest report by the CQC, the hospital has bounced back from the poor rating and has even been scored "good" in some areas. Northampton Chronical and Echo

Reducing emergency admissions

Reducing emergency admissions House of Commons Public Accounts Committee -This report warns hospitals, GPs, community services and social care need to work together more effectively to prevent emergency admissions to hospitals. It concludes that NHS England needs to deliver on its five-year plan to move care into the community and out of hospitals. King's Fund

Better health and care for all: a 10-point plan for the 2020s

Better health and care for all: a 10-point plan for the 2020s Institute for Public Policy Research -A previous report concluded that a bold and long-term funding and reform plan is needed to secure the NHS and social care for the future. This final report of the Lord Darzi Review puts forward a ten point plan to achieve this, as well as a ten point offer to the public which sets out what the health and care system will be able to offer if this plan for investment and reform is adopted. King's Fund

Hay fever rates smash records

Hay fever rates smash records Hay fever cases in England have reached their highest level so far this year, with more than 45,000 people visiting GPs with symptoms according to the latest weekly figures from the Royal College of General Practitioners' Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC).

The RSC revealed there were 45,355 cases of hay fever, or allergic rhinitis, presented to GP practices between 4 June-10 June 2018, 76.7 presentations per 100,000 population - up from 19.8/100,000 the previous week when there were only 11,708 cases. OnMedica

See also:

Gaming addiction can be treated on the NHS after it is declared a medical disorder

Gaming addiction can be treated on the NHS after it is declared a medical disorder Children hooked on addictive video games like Fortnite will be able to seek treatment on the NHS after video gaming is classified as a medical disorder by the World Health Organisation (WHO) next week.

The WHO will on Monday notify governments around the world that they will be expected to incorporate “gaming disorder” into their health systems. The Telgraph

See also:

Mental health patients still sent hundreds of miles for treatment

Mental health patients still sent hundreds of miles for treatment Despite government promises to end practice, figures show almost no change since 2016

Hundreds of mental health patients are being sent hundreds of miles from home to get treatment, despite ministers branding the practice damaging and unacceptable.

Latest NHS figures show that in February 650 adults in England had to travel for inpatient treatment, even though Jeremy Hunt, the health and social care secretary, has pledged to reduce, and eventually ban, out-of-area placements by 2020. The Guardian

Number of children waiting six months for dental operations soars

Number of children waiting six months for dental operations soars Labour says 52% rise in England over three years is ‘damning indictment of Tory neglect’

The number of children in England waiting longer than six months for a dental operation under general anaesthesia has risen by 52% over the past three years, data provided by NHS trusts suggests.

The figures also show a 15% increase in the number of children on waiting lists for such treatment between 2015 and 2017. The Guardian

Over 40s health check to include dementia advice

Over 40s health check to include dementia advice People over 40 in England will be given advice on dementia as part of their free NHS health check.

Guidance on how to reduce the risk of dementia will be given to patients at GP surgeries and through community health programmes.

Public Health England (PHE) said up to one-third of dementia cases could be improved through lifestyle choices.

But its says 28% of people have no awareness of risk factors and only 2% know what they can do to reduce them.

The planned roll-out follows a small pilot conducted by PHE, with the help of Alzheimer's Research UK and the Alzheimer's Society, which led to both charities calling for it to become mandatory. BBC News 

See also: 

Millennials on track to have worse health problems than their parents by middle age, new study finds

Millennials on track to have worse health problems than their parents by middle age, new study finds

Millennials are to become the first generation to have worse health problems than their parents when they reach middle age, according to a new study.

The impact of employment, relationships and housing on people currently in their 20s and 30s will lead to a higher risk of "lifestyle" diseases such as cancers, heart disease and diabetes in 30 years' time.

The report, commission by the Health Foundation think tank, says that despite public health measures leading to an improvement on traditional measures such as smoking and alcohol use, millennialsare "losing ground" on these important environmental and social factors. The Telegraph

Billy Caldwell: Senior MP urges reform over medical cannabis

Billy Caldwell: Senior MP urges reform over medical cannabis A senior MP leading an all-party group looking at medical cannabis has called the existing laws "bizarre and cruel".

Sir Mike Penning MP has called for "fundamental reform" of the system.

"Medical cannabis is a health issue, not a misuse of drugs issue," Sir Mike said in a statement. "It's about patients and relieving suffering."

It follows the home secretary's decision to grant 12-year-old Billy Caldwell temporary access to cannabis oil medication to treat his epilepsy. BBC News

See also:

Breast cancer patients are being denied 'life-changing' reconstructive surgery, research shows

Breast cancer patients are being denied 'life-changing' reconstructive surgery, research shows Breast cancer patients are being denied “life-changing” reconstructive surgery across swathes of the country, amid deepening NHS rationing, research shows.

Freedom of Information disclosures reveal that almost one in four NHS authorities have introduced restrictive policies, which mean women can be denied the operations to restore their bodies.

Experts said the rationing measures mean some women who have just been treated for cancer are being told they can only have the surgery within a limited time frame. The Telegraph

See also:

Social care funding crisis leaves the NHS in limbo

Social care funding crisis leaves the NHS in limbo The health service can’t plan its next decade with confidence until the entire care system has a comprehensive deal

Four themes dominated this year’s gathering of the health service clan at the NHS Confederation’s annual conference in Manchester: priorities for the new money, avoiding another winter crisis, re-energising the redesign of clinical services, and finding, keeping and training the staff to do it all. The Guardian

See also:

NHS gets £20bn 'birthday present'

NHS gets £20bn 'birthday present' The NHS in England is to get an extra £20bn a year by 2023 as a 70th "birthday present", Theresa May says.

It means the £114bn budget will rise by an average of 3.4% annually - but that is still less than the 3.7% average rise the NHS has had since 1948.

The prime minister said this would be funded partly by a "Brexit dividend", but also hinted at tax rises. BBC News

See also: