Uncertain future for 'at home' dementia service ran by Northamptonshire County Council

Uncertain future for 'at home' dementia service ran by Northamptonshire County Council A consultation is set to be held over the future of an ‘at home’ dementia service run by Northamptonshire County Council. 

The consultation will ask whether the service should continue to be provided in-house by Northamptonshire Adult Social Services, or whether the customers should receive these services from other providers. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Children born in poorer areas of Northamptonshire have a decade less in life expectancy

Children born in poorer areas of Northamptonshire have a decade less in life expectancy Children born in deprived areas of Northamptonshire are expected to have a shorter life expectancy by almost a decade than those born into affluence.

The stark life expectancy gap within the county was revealed in the latest report by Lucy Wightman, the county’s director for public health. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

The nation's health as an asset: Building the evidence on the social and economic value of health

The nation's health as an asset: Building the evidence on the social and economic value of health This briefing makes the case for the nation’s health to be viewed as an asset that requires long-term investment for our society to prosper.

It also describes a £2m research programme, funded by the Health Foundation, that will assess the effect of an individual’s health on their social and economic outcomes.

Same-day emergency clinics could save NHS 14,000 extra beds

Same-day emergency clinics could save NHS 14,000 extra beds Senior medics have warned the NHS is “on borrowed time” as winter approaches – but say better use of same-day emergency clinics could save at least 14,000 overnight hospital stays.

In a report released today, Winter 2018/19 in the NHS: The solutions, the Society for Acute Medicine (SAM) calls on the government and NHS leaders to “realise urgently” the potential of ambulatory emergency care (AEC).

The service, which sits within acute medical units, offers an alternative to hospital admission for patients with serious medical problems who might otherwise have spent at least one night in a hospital bed.

See also:

• NHS winter crisis can be avoided with ambulatory care, say doctors The Guardian

Age is just a number: views among people aged 50 and over in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Age is just a number: views among people aged 50 and over in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing This analysis of the most recent data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) shows that across the whole sample of more than 6,000 people aged 50 and over in England, most are feeling fairly good about ageing, with 60 per cent saying that growing older is a positive experience. However there are large and consistent differences by socioeconomic status. Centre for Ageing Better

The hospitals that fail to treat patients on time

The hospitals that fail to treat patients on time Nearly one in five local hospital services are consistently failing to hit any of their key waiting-time targets, BBC analysis shows.

Twenty-nine hospital trusts and boards out of 157 have not hit a single target for a whole year.

Northern Ireland is struggling the most - all five trusts have failed their key targets for A&E, cancer and routine operations every time in 2017-18.

NHS leaders said the NHS was facing a very difficult winter. BBC News

See also:

• A FIFTH of NHS hospitals are failing to treat their patients on time The Daily Mail
• A fifth of NHS hospitals are missing all their waiting list targets this year, figures show The Daily Telegraph
• Dozens of NHS trusts fail key targets on waiting times for a year The Independent

NHS claims IAPT programme had over 50% 'recovery' rate last year

NHS claims IAPT programme had over 50% 'recovery' rate last year The improving access to psychological therapies (IAPT) programme met its target for a 50% recovery rate from depression and anxiety for the first time last year.

This is according to NHS Digital statistics, which found 51% of patients who finished a course of treatment in 2017/18 were considered recovered. Pulse

Doctors call for ‘learn not blame’ culture in NHS

Doctors call for ‘learn not blame’ culture in NHS We need a just culture in the NHS in which every individual patient and staff member is valued and cared for, doctors have demandedthis morning. At the launch in Westminster of their "Learn Not Blame" campaign, The Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK) lobbied for a revolution in NHS culture to one that celebrates professionals’ success and good work, and also “acknowledges and learns in a constructive and fair manner when things go wrong”. OnMedica

Children under 10 among those given strong antidepressants in UK

Children under 10 among those given strong antidepressants in UK Guidance warns against prescribing paroxetine and venlafaxine due to risk of suicide

Children aged 10 and under are among hundreds of young people being given strong antidepressant drugs – in breach of official guidance – that increase the risk of suicide, the Guardian can reveal.

Figures show 597 children and teenagers were given paroxetine and venlafaxine last year. Government guidance cautions against their use due to increased suicidal thoughts and behaviour in younger people, but some experts argue they can be used as a last resort when all other treatments have failed. The Guardian

Mental health hospital admissions linked to cocaine use treble in 10 years

Mental health hospital admissions linked to cocaine use treble in 10 years NHS data shows surge in England, with increased availability of drug and government cuts blamed

The number of hospital admissions for mental health disorders linked to cocaine use has almost trebled in the past decade, official figures show.

NHS Digital data has shown that in England between 2017-18 there were 14,470 admissions where patients were experiencing mental and behavioural disorders due to use of cocaine. The number was up year-on-year, substantially higher than the 5,148 between 2007-08. The figures did not distinguish between powdered cocaine and crack cocaine. The Guardian

Terror attack victims let down by NHS mental health services

Terror attack victims let down by NHS mental health services Victims of terror attacks are waiting up to 14 months for their trauma to be treated by NHS mental health services, the biggest study of its kind reveals today.

Some of the adults and children injured, bereaved or caught up in terror attacks have become so desperate they have paid for their treatment rather than wait any longer.

More than three quarters (76%) of the 271 survivors of terror attacks who took part in the unique study said they felt let down and believed mental health services require improvement. Three quarters of those felt the improvement needed should be “dramatic.” The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Terror survivors: Mental health services must improve 'dramatically' BBC News

One in five cancer sufferers face discrimination in the workplace

One in five cancer sufferers face discrimination in the workplace Record number of cancer sufferers are facing discrimination at work as employers fear they will not pull their weight, a study by Macmillan Cancer reveals today.

The number of calls to the charity from cancer victims with work-related problems rose by 74% , up from fewer than 1,000 in 2015/16 to 1,711 in the year to May. Already this calendar year, they have received 3,000. The Daily Telegraph