Tuesday 3 July 2018

Is the problem of excessive winter deaths unique to the UK?

Is the problem of excessive winter deaths unique to the UK? Several commentators have reported on how improvements in life expectancy in the UK have stalled since 2010, with the most recent analysis showing that long-term mortality improvement has stalled in males and females, and at younger and older ages. Views about the causes of this disturbing trend vary widely. We have previously commented on issues that need to be considered in this debate, including whether or not these trends are unique to the UK. Given that some of this slowing has been caused by higher than the normal excess seen in winter deaths, and that data for the recent 2017–18 winter is now available, it is timely to see whether it brings more of the same. The King's Fund

Ten steps towards a new plan for the NHS in England

Ten steps towards a new plan for the NHS in England The NHS Confederation is calling for a national conversation about what we want and can expect from the health service in England over the next ten years. Crucially this needs to involve those who use and those who work for the service. They propose ten actions which would underpin specific priorities for a new plan. The plan itself would set clear outcomes for patients and for the NHS over the next decade.

Beyond barriers: how older people move between health and care in England

Beyond barriers: how older people move between health and care in England 'Beyond barriers' looks at how services are working together to support and care for people aged 65 and over.

Many older people have complex care needs that need more than one professional and more than one service. Their experience depends on how well services work together with and for them, their families and carers.

We have completed a review of local health and social care systems in 20 local authority areas. We have published a report for each area in this programme. Care Quality Commission

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Investing in a resilient generation: Keys to a mentally prosperous nation

Investing in a resilient generation: Keys to a mentally prosperous nation Looking beyond treatment to promoting mental health and well-being, the Mental Health Policy Commission has examined evidence from people with experience of mental distress, families, practitioners, communities, academics, and policy makers to form ground-breaking recommendations that will support a truly different approach and provide a strategic framework for mental health for the 21st Century.

NHS data breach affects 150,000 patients in England

NHS data breach affects 150,000 patients in England The NHS is blaming a coding error for 150,000 patients in England being involved in a data breach.

Those affected had requested that their confidential health information only be used to help provide them with care.

But it appears that there was a problem with the software used by GPs to record objections to the same data being used for research and auditing purposes.

As a result, the SystmOne application involved never passed on the request to NHS England's IT provider. BBC News

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Blood scandal inquiry 'will find any cover-up'

Blood scandal inquiry 'will find any cover-up' A UK-wide inquiry into a contaminated blood scandal that left at least 2,400 people dead will look at whether there was a cover-up by the authorities and if documents were destroyed.

Treatments including blood transfusions infected thousands of patients with HIV and hepatitis C in the 1970s and 1980s.

It has been called the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS.

The terms of reference have now been published by the judge chairing the public inquiry, Sir Brian Langstaff. BBC News

70 years of the NHS: How Aneurin Bevan created our beloved health service

70 years of the NHS: How Aneurin Bevan created our beloved health service Continuing our series to mark 70 years since the birth of the NHS, Labour MP Nick Thomas-Symonds looks at how its creator forged such a lasting institution. The Independent

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Theresa May vows to eradicate ‘abhorrent’ gay conversion therapy as part of LGBT+ equality plan

Theresa May vows to eradicate ‘abhorrent’ gay conversion therapy as part of LGBT+ equality plan Theresa May has vowed to eradicate the “abhorrent” practice of gay conversion therapy as she today publishes the world’s largest LGBT+ survey and a government plan aimed at addressing discrimination and health inequality.

Writing exclusively for The Independent, Penny Mordaunt, the women and equalities minister, said that conversion therapy – sometimes referred to as “gay cure” – is “abuse of the worst kind and must be stamped out”.

The decision comes after ministers found the controversial practice, which aims to alter a person’s sexual orientation, to be more prevalent than previously thought after analysing the survey of 108,000 LGBT+ individuals across the UK. 

High sugar content in cereals next target in battle of child obesity

High sugar content in cereals next target in battle of child obesity Children eating equivalent of three sugar lumps at breakfast, says head of NHS England

Food manufacturers will have to reformulate the way they produce breakfast cereals if the government’s obesity strategy is to succeed, the head of the NHS in England has warned.

Giving evidence to the Commons health and social care committee, Simon Stevens, head of NHS England, said it was “very concerning” that products marketed as healthy often contained large amounts of sugar. Continue reading... The Guardian

May needs to show courage of Attlee to fix social care, says CQC chief

May needs to show courage of Attlee to fix social care, says CQC chief David Behan says older people are left without support and demands improvements to mental health care

Theresa May has been urged to show the same courage as Clement Attlee did when creating the NHS in order to fix the UK’s crumbling social care system.

In an exclusive interview, the head of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) told the prime minister that support for older people was now so threadbare that Britain’s status as a civilised society was diminished. Continue reading... The Guardian

National measles warning after five-fold rise in cases in England 

National measles warning after five-fold rise in cases in England Health officials have declared a “national measles incident” after a five-fold rise in cases over the past year.

Experts said outbreaks were largely affecting young adults who missed out on the MMR vaccine when they were younger.

Uptake fell heavily following the publication of research in 1998, which was later discredited, linking the jab to autism.

And they said GPs should also pay particular attention to those travelling from countries such as Romania and Italy where uptake has always been low. The Daily Telegraph

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Robots are set to carry out dementia care within 20 years

Robots are set to carry out dementia care within 20 years Robots are set to carry out dementia care within 20 years, NHS officials have announced.

They are planning a major expansion of artificial intelligence across the health service for routine operations and treatment.

The technology will also be used to 'nudge' patients towards having healthier lifestyles, particularly if they have diabetes or heart conditions. The Daily Mail