KGH maternity care scores highly Staff at KGH say they are “really pleased” after their maternity care scored highly in a patient survey. Families gave the hospital’s maternity care the thumbs up in the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Maternity Survey 2018, published yesterday (January 29). The survey involved 102 women who gave birth at KGH during February 2018 filling in a questionnaire on their experience of their maternity care. Northants Telegraph
Thursday, 31 January 2019
Research and analysis: Smoking prevalence in young adults aged 18 to 34 years
Research and analysis: Smoking prevalence in young adults aged 18 to 34 years Detailed ad-hoc analysis of smoking prevalence, calculated from the Annual Population Survey. Gov.UK
Leukaemia sufferer, 11, is the first NHS patient to receive a revolutionary cancer treatment
Leukaemia sufferer, 11, is the first NHS patient to receive a revolutionary cancer treatment An 11-year-old boy is the first to receive a pioneering cancer therapy that uses the body's own immune system to fight his leukaemia on the NHS.
Yuvan Thakkar, from Watford, was given Kymriah - a type of immunotherapy called CAR-T cell therapy - at Great Ormond Street Hospital last week. The youngster was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2014, which is curable via chemo in around 90 per cent of children sufferers.
But after Yuvan's cancer failed to respond to two rounds of chemo and a bone marrow transplant, CAR-T is his 'last hope'. Kymriah - also known as tisagenlecleucel - was approved for Yuvan after NHS England struck a deal with Novartis, the pharma giant behind the drug, to offer it at a reduced price. Mail Online
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Yuvan Thakkar, from Watford, was given Kymriah - a type of immunotherapy called CAR-T cell therapy - at Great Ormond Street Hospital last week. The youngster was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2014, which is curable via chemo in around 90 per cent of children sufferers.
But after Yuvan's cancer failed to respond to two rounds of chemo and a bone marrow transplant, CAR-T is his 'last hope'. Kymriah - also known as tisagenlecleucel - was approved for Yuvan after NHS England struck a deal with Novartis, the pharma giant behind the drug, to offer it at a reduced price. Mail Online
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- First child given pioneering CAR-T cancer therapy BBC News - Health
Annual learning disabilities statistics released
Annual learning disabilities statistics released NHS Digital has released annual figures on the health and care of people with learning disabilities. NHS Networks
Guidance: Health matters: health and work
Guidance: Health matters: health and work Provides actions that employers in general, local authorities, and the NHS workforce can take with regards to health and work. Gov.UK
E-cigarettes 'much better for quitting smoking'
E-cigarettes 'much better for quitting smoking' E-cigarettes are almost twice as effective as nicotine replacements for helping smokers quit, a study suggests.
A trial found 18% of smokers who used them to quit remained smoke-free after a year, compared with 9.9% of those using nicotine-replacement treatments. The study of 886 smokers is the first to test how effective modern e-cigarettes are for quitting. Researchers hope their findings will lead to vaping devices being routinely offered by stop-smoking services. Public Health England has already called for e-cigarettes to be made available on the NHS within five years, pointing to a body of research that suggests they are at least 95% less harmful than cigarettes.
However, up until now there had been a shortage of evidence on how effective they were as stop-smoking tools. BBC News - Health
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A trial found 18% of smokers who used them to quit remained smoke-free after a year, compared with 9.9% of those using nicotine-replacement treatments. The study of 886 smokers is the first to test how effective modern e-cigarettes are for quitting. Researchers hope their findings will lead to vaping devices being routinely offered by stop-smoking services. Public Health England has already called for e-cigarettes to be made available on the NHS within five years, pointing to a body of research that suggests they are at least 95% less harmful than cigarettes.
However, up until now there had been a shortage of evidence on how effective they were as stop-smoking tools. BBC News - Health
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The GP substitute will see you now
The GP substitute will see you now An army of more than 20,000 physios, pharmacists and paramedics are to be recruited to work alongside under-pressure GPs, NHS bosses say. The new staff will work with GPs, taking responsibility for some of the 300 million bookings made with practices each year.
They will also provide continuing care to patients in the community. NHS England said this should allow GPs to spend more time with the sickest patients. The average appointment lasts about eight minutes, which GPs say is not enough time to deal with the complex issues an ageing population presents with. BBC News - Health
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They will also provide continuing care to patients in the community. NHS England said this should allow GPs to spend more time with the sickest patients. The average appointment lasts about eight minutes, which GPs say is not enough time to deal with the complex issues an ageing population presents with. BBC News - Health
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- GPs surgeries to hire 20,000 support staff as part of major overhaul The Guardian
- Pharmacists and physios to take over routine GP appointments - but health chiefs say it will mean the sickest get longer with family doctor The Telegraph
- NHS launches revolutionary plan to cut GP waiting times Mail Online
'No-deal' Brexit would mean patients and services suffer
'No-deal' Brexit would mean patients and services suffer The government’s ‘no-deal’ Brexit arrangements for EU citizens add to the uncertainty that trusts face in recruiting and retaining the EU staff that they need to operate, NHS Providers have warned. They said adding new barriers for people who want to work and live in the UK will cause patients and services to suffer. On Medica
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NHS England: NHS body could help struggling 'last partner standing' practices
NHS England: NHS body could help struggling 'last partner standing' practices An NHS body could take on the lease of practices that find themselves in a ‘last partner standing’ situation, NHS England has said. Speaking at the Westminster Health Forum Event in London last week, NHS England director of primary care workforce and infrastructure Ian Biggs presented the emerging themes of the upcoming General Practice Premises Policy Review.
Mr Biggs said talks with the BMA GP Committee and the RCGP are ongoing but solutions – which include the introduction of a body that could shoulder the lease of practices in ‘last partner standing’ situations – are being explored. Pulse
Mr Biggs said talks with the BMA GP Committee and the RCGP are ongoing but solutions – which include the introduction of a body that could shoulder the lease of practices in ‘last partner standing’ situations – are being explored. Pulse
Wednesday, 30 January 2019
Women left alone when anxious in labour, despite pledges to tackle Britain's poor maternity record
Women left alone when anxious in labour, despite pledges to tackle Britain's poor maternity record One in four women are being left alone while anxious during labour, despite pledges by ministers to tackle Britain’s woeful maternity record.
The survey by NHS watchdogs shows no progress ensuring women received support while giving birth - and worsening failings in post-natal care.
Almost half of mothers said they were not given enough support after birth, with rising numbers saying they had wanted to see a midwife more often. The Telegraph
The survey by NHS watchdogs shows no progress ensuring women received support while giving birth - and worsening failings in post-natal care.
Almost half of mothers said they were not given enough support after birth, with rising numbers saying they had wanted to see a midwife more often. The Telegraph
See also:
- Almost a QUARTER of new mothers are left 'alone' during childbirth Mail Online
- Maternity services survey 2018 Care Quality Commission
Just another day: 24 hours in the NHS – compromised care, staff shortages and serious stress
Just another day: 24 hours in the NHS – compromised care, staff shortages and serious stress UNISON - Almost half of NHS workers on the front line of patient care say there are not enough staff on their shift to ensure patients are treated safely and with compassion, according to the results of a snapshot survey of NHS staff. The report calls for an increase in NHS funding and mandatory safe-staffing levels in England and Northern Ireland. King's Fund
A model employer: increasing black and ethnic minority representation at senior levels across the NHS
A model employer: increasing black and ethnic minority representation at senior levels across the NHS NHS England - This document outlines the ambitions set by NHS England and NHS Improvement and reflected in the Long Term Plan, for each NHS organisation to set its own target for BME representation across its leadership team and broader workforce. The strategy will provide accelerated, intensive support to local NHS organisations on increasing the recruitment of BME staff at senior levels King's Fund
Patients left hunting for check-ups as number of new dentists falls by a fifth
Patients left hunting for check-ups as number of new dentists falls by a fifth Experts are warning of a growing shortage of dentists, with the number of new recruits falling by a fifth in just two years.
Researchers said the shortfalls were making it harder to find a dentist in many parts of the country, with a steep fall in levels of NHS provision.
Dentists said patients were being forced to undertake round trips of 65 miles to have a check-up, with some cases left attempting to extract their own teeth. The Telegraph
Researchers said the shortfalls were making it harder to find a dentist in many parts of the country, with a steep fall in levels of NHS provision.
Dentists said patients were being forced to undertake round trips of 65 miles to have a check-up, with some cases left attempting to extract their own teeth. The Telegraph
UK retirees in EU will lose free healthcare under no-deal Brexit
UK retirees in EU will lose free healthcare under no-deal Brexit Burden on NHS could increase after 29 March if pensioners return to UK for treatment. British nationals who have retired to EU countries including Spain and France will no longer have their healthcare covered by the NHS in the event of no Brexit deal, the government has said. The Guardian
NHS trust chief in no-deal Brexit medicine warning
NHS trust chief in no-deal Brexit medicine warning NHS trusts could "quickly run out of vital medicine" in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the chief executive of a leading hospital group has warned.
Dr David Rosser of University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) said that, despite NHS stockpiling, shortages would likely occur due to "unprecedented" distribution challenges.
Medicine shortages could lead to some operations being postponed, he said.
The Department of Health said planning for a no-deal Brexit was "ongoing". BBC News
Dr David Rosser of University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) said that, despite NHS stockpiling, shortages would likely occur due to "unprecedented" distribution challenges.
Medicine shortages could lead to some operations being postponed, he said.
The Department of Health said planning for a no-deal Brexit was "ongoing". BBC News
Do you need antibiotics? A simple blood test could tell you in a few seconds
Do you need antibiotics? A simple blood test could tell you in a few seconds The Government’s newly announced five-year action plan for tackling antimicrobial resistance sets out an important target to reduce the use of antibiotics in the UK by 15 per cent.
Nowhere is this more important than in GP surgeries, where more than three quarters of all antibiotics are prescribed. Over half of these are for respiratory tract infections, despite there being little evidence to support their use. The Telegraph
Nowhere is this more important than in GP surgeries, where more than three quarters of all antibiotics are prescribed. Over half of these are for respiratory tract infections, despite there being little evidence to support their use. The Telegraph
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Doctors attack plan to scrap four-hour A&E target
Doctors attack plan to scrap four-hour A&E target NHS bosses are facing a backlash against plans to scrap a target to treat patients within four hours of arrival at A&E.
The body that represents A&E doctors said the move was an attempt to “bury problems” in the NHS. The proposal has sparked fears of a return to the days when some patients waited many hours in A&E to start treatment. The Guardian
The body that represents A&E doctors said the move was an attempt to “bury problems” in the NHS. The proposal has sparked fears of a return to the days when some patients waited many hours in A&E to start treatment. The Guardian
England will have no new cases of HIV by 2030, Health Secretary says
England will have no new cases of HIV by 2030, Health Secretary says England will be the first country in world to have no new cases of HIV, the health secretary will today pledge.
Matt Hancock will today tell a global summit that the goal is “now within our grasp” with the capital already surpassing targets which were set by the United Nations.
The Health Secretary said medical breakthroughs, including medication to treat and prevent the spread of disease, meant Aids is no longer a death sentence. The Telegraph
Matt Hancock will today tell a global summit that the goal is “now within our grasp” with the capital already surpassing targets which were set by the United Nations.
The Health Secretary said medical breakthroughs, including medication to treat and prevent the spread of disease, meant Aids is no longer a death sentence. The Telegraph
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Tuesday, 29 January 2019
Northamptonshire NHS staff urged to get flu vaccine or risk infecting patients
Northamptonshire NHS staff urged to get flu vaccine or risk infecting patients Nearly a quarter of doctors, nurses and other front-line staff at Northamptonshire Healthcare Trust are not vaccinated against flu, figures reveal.
NHS England has urged healthcare workers to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their patients, pushing for “near universal” coverage.
By the end of December 2018, 726 front-line NHS workers at Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Trust had not had the jab, according to Public Health England. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
NHS England has urged healthcare workers to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their patients, pushing for “near universal” coverage.
By the end of December 2018, 726 front-line NHS workers at Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Trust had not had the jab, according to Public Health England. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
New phase of national NHS recruitment campaign launched
New phase of national NHS recruitment campaign launched The third phase of the national We Are the NHS campaign has been launched, to encourage applications for existing job vacancies for both clinical and non-clinical roles.
This phase of the campaign will highlight the range of interesting roles available across the NHS and specifically highlight IT and administrative roles and how they work closely with clinical colleagues. NHS Employers
This phase of the campaign will highlight the range of interesting roles available across the NHS and specifically highlight IT and administrative roles and how they work closely with clinical colleagues. NHS Employers
Nursing associates join health and care workforce
Nursing associates join health and care workforce The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register for qualified nursing associates is now open.
Nursing associates are the latest registered profession to join the health and care workforce in England and around 1,800 further trainees are expected to qualify over the course of the next few months. NHS Employers
Nursing associates are the latest registered profession to join the health and care workforce in England and around 1,800 further trainees are expected to qualify over the course of the next few months. NHS Employers
Workforce race equality standard: 2018 data analysis report for NHS trusts
Workforce race equality standard: 2018 data analysis report for NHS trusts NHS England - The fourth WRES report is the first to compare data against previous years. It enables organisations to compare their performance against others in their region or those providing similar services and also to provide a national picture of WRES in practice. It is accompanied by a report which outlines the experience of five NHS trusts in applying quality improvement methodology to the workforce race equality agenda. King's Fund
National radiotherapy plan 'impossible to realise' without more funding
National radiotherapy plan 'impossible to realise' without more funding Consolidation of radiotherapy services “will be impossible” without more money, a royal college has warned.
The Royal College of Radiologists said the benefits NHS England hopes to achieve by reorganising services into 11 regional networks from April will require “strategic funding”.
The reorganisation is intended to link-up cancer centres and led to “substantially improved outcomes, including higher cure rates”. NHS England published the service specification this month. HSJ
The Royal College of Radiologists said the benefits NHS England hopes to achieve by reorganising services into 11 regional networks from April will require “strategic funding”.
The reorganisation is intended to link-up cancer centres and led to “substantially improved outcomes, including higher cure rates”. NHS England published the service specification this month. HSJ
NHS England to encourage patients to visit their pharmacist through 'Pharmacy Advice' campaign
NHS England to encourage patients to visit their pharmacist through 'Pharmacy Advice' campaign NHS England is set to launch a campaign to build the public’s trust and confidence in community pharmacists and the pharmacy team.
The ‘Pharmacy Advice’ campaign forms part of NHS England’s overarching ‘Help Us Help You’ initiative, which is being launched on 4 February 2019 to position pharmacy as the first place to go for minor illnesses, such as coughs, colds, stomach aches, and other aches and pains. Pharmaceutical Journal
The ‘Pharmacy Advice’ campaign forms part of NHS England’s overarching ‘Help Us Help You’ initiative, which is being launched on 4 February 2019 to position pharmacy as the first place to go for minor illnesses, such as coughs, colds, stomach aches, and other aches and pains. Pharmaceutical Journal
Over 150 NHS staff accused of snooping on patients' records
Over 150 NHS staff accused of snooping on patients' records More than 150 NHS staff have been investigated in the past 16 months for reading patient records without an obvious reason.
In August 2017 Britain’s privacy watchdog threatened “serious consequences” for those found prying into confidential health data without a valid cause, and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) promised prosecutions. The Times
In August 2017 Britain’s privacy watchdog threatened “serious consequences” for those found prying into confidential health data without a valid cause, and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) promised prosecutions. The Times
Summary care record to be replaced, says NHS digital chief
Summary care record to be replaced, says NHS digital chief The national summary care record system will be replaced by more detailed national “longitudinal” patient records for direct care, planning and research, Matthew Swindells has said.
Speaking to HSJ, the NHS England deputy chief executive said the summary care record would be phased out by 2024, replaced by a network of regional patient records covering the country. HSJ
Speaking to HSJ, the NHS England deputy chief executive said the summary care record would be phased out by 2024, replaced by a network of regional patient records covering the country. HSJ
NHS offers IVF to gay men for the first time
NHS offers IVF to gay men for the first time
Two gay men have been offered IVF treatment on the NHS as they hope to conceive their own baby in what is believed to be the first case of its kind in Britain.Sperm from one of the married Scottish men will be inserted into a surrogate mother. The Scottish Government changed the rules two years ago so that any couple is eligible for free fertility treatment. Couples in Scotland are also eligible for IVF on the NHS if multiple IUI (artificial insemination) procedures have not worked. Express
Two gay men have been offered IVF treatment on the NHS as they hope to conceive their own baby in what is believed to be the first case of its kind in Britain.Sperm from one of the married Scottish men will be inserted into a surrogate mother. The Scottish Government changed the rules two years ago so that any couple is eligible for free fertility treatment. Couples in Scotland are also eligible for IVF on the NHS if multiple IUI (artificial insemination) procedures have not worked. Express
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Screen time 'may harm toddlers'
Screen time 'may harm toddlers' Letting a toddler spend lots of time using screens may delay their development of skills such as language and sociability, according to a large Canadian study.
The research, which tracked nearly 2,500 two-year-olds, is the latest piece of evidence in the debate about how much screen time is safe for kids.
In Canada and the US, experts say children should not use screens before they are at least 18 months old.
But UK guidelines set no such limit. BBC News
The research, which tracked nearly 2,500 two-year-olds, is the latest piece of evidence in the debate about how much screen time is safe for kids.
In Canada and the US, experts say children should not use screens before they are at least 18 months old.
But UK guidelines set no such limit. BBC News
Breastfeeding guilt experienced by half of mothers - BBC survey
Breastfeeding guilt experienced by half of mothers Half of mothers who responded to a new survey said they felt they let their baby down when they struggled to breastfeed.
More than a third of the 1,162 respondents to the UK-wide poll, commissioned by BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour and BBC Radio Sheffield, revealed they felt ashamed for giving their child formula. BBC News
More than a third of the 1,162 respondents to the UK-wide poll, commissioned by BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour and BBC Radio Sheffield, revealed they felt ashamed for giving their child formula. BBC News
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Brexit could result in thousands of extra CVD deaths
Brexit could result in thousands of extra CVD deaths Brexit could result in thousands of extra cardiovascular deaths in England, doctors warned this morning. In their analysis*, published in BMJ Open, they said because the UK is so heavily dependent on fruit and vegetable imports whose prices would rise dramatically after the nation’s exit from the European Union, especially with a ‘no-deal’ Brexit, consumption will fall – leading to a substantial rise in heart disease and stroke mortality. On Medica
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No-deal Brexit plans prioritise medicines over food, MPs told
No-deal Brexit plans prioritise medicines over food, MPs told Supplies of medicine should be deemed more important than shipments of food if there is a no-deal Brexit, the health secretary has told MPs.
Matt Hancock made clear his view when answering questions at the health and social care select committee. “The thing is that medicines will be prioritised in the event of a no-deal Brexit,” the health and social care secretary said when asked by the former Labour health minister Ben Bradshaw which would be given precedence. The Guardian
Matt Hancock made clear his view when answering questions at the health and social care select committee. “The thing is that medicines will be prioritised in the event of a no-deal Brexit,” the health and social care secretary said when asked by the former Labour health minister Ben Bradshaw which would be given precedence. The Guardian
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Aussie docs urged to work for the NHS - in land of Harry Potter, Shakespeare and Manchester United
Aussie docs urged to work for the NHS - in land of Harry Potter, Shakespeare and Manchester United Health chiefs will attempt to recruit doctors from Down Under with a new campaign urging them to come to the land of Shakespeare, Harry Potter and Manchester United.
Australian GPs are being targeted by the new drive, in a desperate bid to plug shortages of family doctors across England.
In September 2015, then-Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, pledged there would be 5,000 extra GPs in England by 2020. But since then the number of full-time doctors in the workforce has fallen.
The new social media campaign will attempt to persuade doctors abroad to come to the NHS and work for “a national treasure”. The Telegraph
Australian GPs are being targeted by the new drive, in a desperate bid to plug shortages of family doctors across England.
In September 2015, then-Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, pledged there would be 5,000 extra GPs in England by 2020. But since then the number of full-time doctors in the workforce has fallen.
The new social media campaign will attempt to persuade doctors abroad to come to the NHS and work for “a national treasure”. The Telegraph
MPs to debate lowering the age for cervival smear tests following petition by dying mother
MPs to debate lowering the age for cervival smear tests following petition by dying mother
MPs will debate lowering the age for women to undergo smear tests following a petition by a cancer sufferer who died last month.
Mother of four Natasha Sale launched a petition calling for the threshold to be lowered from 25 to 18, after she was diagnosed with cervical cancer.
In the petition, she said she believed that that the age for smear tests should be lowered to 18 "to enable all women to detect cell changes and prevent cancer". The Telegraph
MPs will debate lowering the age for women to undergo smear tests following a petition by a cancer sufferer who died last month.
Mother of four Natasha Sale launched a petition calling for the threshold to be lowered from 25 to 18, after she was diagnosed with cervical cancer.
In the petition, she said she believed that that the age for smear tests should be lowered to 18 "to enable all women to detect cell changes and prevent cancer". The Telegraph
Monday, 28 January 2019
No safety issues at KGH despite high bed occupancy figures, say bosses
No safety issues at KGH despite high bed occupancy figures, say bosses Bosses at Kettering General Hospital say safety is not an issue despite nearly all its beds being occupied in recent days. According to figures from NHS England for the week January 7 to 13, bed occupancy on general and acute wards at KGH were 97.6 per cent full on average, exceeding the safe limit of 85 per cent recommended by health experts. On average, Kettering General Hospital had 537 available beds each day, of which 524 were in use. Of those, 12 were escalation beds – temporary beds set up in periods of intense pressure. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Northampton GP suspended over relationship with patient he made pregnant
Northampton GP suspended over relationship with patient he made pregnant A doctor has been suspended for three months over a relationship with a vulnerable patient at the Northampton surgery where he was working. Dr Atif Hussain was undertaking regular locum shifts at St Luke's Primary Care Centre in Duston in 2015 and 2016. During that time, he examined Patient A on three occasions between November 2015 and November 2016. In November 2016 they began a relationship and two months later she became pregnant. The same month, the couple married in an Islamic ceremony but the marriage was ended in a traditional Islamic manner in front of witnesses two months later. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Donations needed for new buggy to transport patients around Northampton General Hospital
Donations needed for new buggy to transport patients around Northampton General Hospital An ever-increasing demand has meant one of the existing NGH buggies has become tired and in need of replacement. NGH is spread across 40 acres with the walk from the Billing Road entrance to Tree Wards stretching over 800 metres long. Over the years, the buggy service has become vital to transport elderly patients to and from their appointments around the vast space - making 260 journeys a week. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Daventry care home in special measures as watchdog inspection highlights abuse allegations - Daventry Express
Daventry care home in special measures as watchdog inspection highlights abuse allegations - Daventry Express A Daventry nursing home failed to improve on a previous watchdog inspection and is now in special measures. Wheatsheaf Court Care Home in Sheaf Street was visited by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in an unannounced inspection in November 2018. A previous examination resulted in the service being rated as 'requires improvement' and the latest inspection has concluded the care home is now 'inadequate'. Among the watchdog's findings were allegations of abuse by staff towards residents. Daventry Express
More 'social prescribers' to ease pressure on GPs
More 'social prescribers' to ease pressure on GPs The number of workers trained to prescribe social activities, like exercise groups and art classes, to GP patients who don't need pills, is set to rise, under NHS England plans. The aim is that "link workers" will support GPs and reduce their workload.
A link worker's role is to help patients find suitable community activities to improve their health and wellbeing. The NHS says more than 1,000 will be recruited by 2020-21. In the long term, it wants link workers to handle around 900,000 patient appointments a year. BBC News - Health
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A link worker's role is to help patients find suitable community activities to improve their health and wellbeing. The NHS says more than 1,000 will be recruited by 2020-21. In the long term, it wants link workers to handle around 900,000 patient appointments a year. BBC News - Health
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Don't call us heroes or victims, cancer patients say
Don't call us heroes or victims, cancer patients say Cancer patients don't want to be called heroes or victims, research has shown. Many also object to being told they are 'battling' or 'fighting' the illness as they feel under pressure. A survey by Macmillan has found that most patients would prefer to talk in clear, factual language and avoid cliches. Of the 2,040 cancer patients who responded, 42 per cent said terms such as 'hero' were disempowering. Another 30 per cent said they felt the words put them under pressure to be positive and 24 per cent found them isolating. Mail Online
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Royal college assesses progress of child health strategy
Royal college assesses progress of child health strategy A report from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health applauds the government’s commitment to child health, but says that England continues to lag behind other western European countries on a range of outcomes. NHS Networks
Mental health: Social media firms 'should purge' distressing content
Mental health: Social media firms 'should purge' distressing content Social media firms could be banned if they fail to remove harmful content, the health secretary has warned.
Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr show, Matt Hancock said: "If we think they need to do things they are refusing to do, then we can and we must legislate." But he said it would be better to work jointly with social media companies. The minister earlier called on social media giants to "purge" material promoting self-harm and suicide in the wake of links to a teenager's suicide.
Asked if social media could be banned, Mr Hancock said: "Ultimately parliament does have that sanction, yes" but added: "it's not where I'd like to end up." Molly Russell, 14, took her own life in 2017 after viewing disturbing content about suicide on social media. BBC News - Health
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Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr show, Matt Hancock said: "If we think they need to do things they are refusing to do, then we can and we must legislate." But he said it would be better to work jointly with social media companies. The minister earlier called on social media giants to "purge" material promoting self-harm and suicide in the wake of links to a teenager's suicide.
Asked if social media could be banned, Mr Hancock said: "Ultimately parliament does have that sanction, yes" but added: "it's not where I'd like to end up." Molly Russell, 14, took her own life in 2017 after viewing disturbing content about suicide on social media. BBC News - Health
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Fitness trackers 'overestimate' calorie burning
Fitness trackers 'overestimate' calorie burning Popular brands of fitness trackers can overestimate the number of calories burned while walking by more than 50%, tests have found.
Researchers at Aberystwyth University found all products - ranging from £20 to £80 in price - were inaccurate during walking and running tests. Dr Rhys Thatcher said devices had an "inherent tendency" to over-measure. Fitbit said its product was based on "extensive research", but others said theirs were "not medical devices". BBC News
Researchers at Aberystwyth University found all products - ranging from £20 to £80 in price - were inaccurate during walking and running tests. Dr Rhys Thatcher said devices had an "inherent tendency" to over-measure. Fitbit said its product was based on "extensive research", but others said theirs were "not medical devices". BBC News
Gene modified chickens 'lay medicines'
Gene modified chickens 'lay medicines' They hope the project will one day lead to lifesaving drugs that are much cheaper to make.The team modified the genomes of the chickens so their eggs contain large amounts of high quality proteins. Just three eggs contain a clinically significant dose, according to the scientists. Initially the proteins will be used in research but laboratory tests have already found they work at least as well as equivalent drugs.
Protein-based therapies such as the cancer treatments Herceptin and Avastin can be effective where traditional drugs fail but they are highly expensive. The new research - a collaboration between the institute and the university's spinout company Roslin Technologies - holds out the promise of a far cheaper production process. BBC News - Health
Protein-based therapies such as the cancer treatments Herceptin and Avastin can be effective where traditional drugs fail but they are highly expensive. The new research - a collaboration between the institute and the university's spinout company Roslin Technologies - holds out the promise of a far cheaper production process. BBC News - Health
Friday, 25 January 2019
Primary care networks: work needed to fulfil expectations
Primary care networks: work needed to fulfil expectations With the Long Term Plan expecting big things from primary care networks, Rebecca Rosen explains what will be needed for them to be successful. Nuffield Trust
Detailed guide: Mental health: migrant health guide
Detailed guide: Mental health: migrant health guide Advice and guidance on the health needs of migrant patients for healthcare practitioners. Public Health England
Open consultation: Revising the Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice: Call for evidence
Open consultation: Revising the Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice: Call for evidence The call for evidence will aim to seek views and contributions from a range of stakeholders, to develop a robust evidence base which will inform revisions made to the Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice. Ministry of Justice
'High' survival for many cancers diagnosed at stages 1-3
'High' survival for many cancers diagnosed at stages 1-3 Adults diagnosed with stage-1 skin, prostate or breast cancer have the same chance of still being alive a year later as the general population, data from the Office for National Statistics and Public Health England suggests.
For many cancers, one-year survival rates are high if they are diagnosed in stages 1-3, but lower in stage 4.
Pancreatic cancer has the lowest rates of survival, for men and women.
The estimates are based on cancer diagnoses in England from 2012-16. BBC News
For many cancers, one-year survival rates are high if they are diagnosed in stages 1-3, but lower in stage 4.
Pancreatic cancer has the lowest rates of survival, for men and women.
The estimates are based on cancer diagnoses in England from 2012-16. BBC News
NHS app launched but fraction of patients will have full functionality before April
NHS app launched but fraction of patients will have full functionality before April A new app which allows patients to book appointments, order prescriptions and view their medical records has been launched by NHS England, although the vast majority of people won’t be able to use it until the summer.
Despite a pledge that it would end the 8am scarmble for appointments, a large majority of GP surgeries have yet to sign up for it.
As a result, it has been criticised by users on the Google Play store, with one describing it as “almost, but not entirely, functionless”. The Independent
Despite a pledge that it would end the 8am scarmble for appointments, a large majority of GP surgeries have yet to sign up for it.
As a result, it has been criticised by users on the Google Play store, with one describing it as “almost, but not entirely, functionless”. The Independent
75,000 patients stuck in ambulances as winter at A&E starts to bite
75,000 patients stuck in ambulances as winter at A&E starts to bite Hospitals forced to divert patients, while 11 trusts report bed occupancy of 99% or more
More than 75,000 patients have had to spend at least half an hour this winter with ambulance crews waiting to be treated by A&E staff as the NHS has come under extra pressure.
As the first prolonged cold spell of the winter caused problems last week, 13 hospital trusts were forced to temporarily send patients to other nearby NHS trusts 35 times. The Guardian
More than 75,000 patients have had to spend at least half an hour this winter with ambulance crews waiting to be treated by A&E staff as the NHS has come under extra pressure.
As the first prolonged cold spell of the winter caused problems last week, 13 hospital trusts were forced to temporarily send patients to other nearby NHS trusts 35 times. The Guardian
‘We predict more deaths’: GPs on the frontline of UK homelessness crisis
‘We predict more deaths’: GPs on the frontline of UK homelessness crisis A day in a specialist homeless GP practice in London reveals some of the struggles staff have helping their migrant patients
Dr Dana Beale suspects the woman sitting in front of her has bowel cancer. She’s already complained of pain and bleeding when she goes to the toilet and Beale, a GP, has referred her for a hospital appointment. The woman is glad but also hesitant and asks whether she might have to pay for the appointment. Beale says yes.
The woman starts to cry. She is Roma and is in the UK alone, living rough on the streets of Westminster after she was lured here by a man promising work. She is destitute and doesn’t speak English; Beale is communicating with her using a telephone interpreting service. Beale worries the woman is at risk of being exploited as a slave, like some of her other patients. The Guardian
Dr Dana Beale suspects the woman sitting in front of her has bowel cancer. She’s already complained of pain and bleeding when she goes to the toilet and Beale, a GP, has referred her for a hospital appointment. The woman is glad but also hesitant and asks whether she might have to pay for the appointment. Beale says yes.
The woman starts to cry. She is Roma and is in the UK alone, living rough on the streets of Westminster after she was lured here by a man promising work. She is destitute and doesn’t speak English; Beale is communicating with her using a telephone interpreting service. Beale worries the woman is at risk of being exploited as a slave, like some of her other patients. The Guardian
Bacteria and viruses are fighting back, but will big pharma save us?
Bacteria and viruses are fighting back, but will big pharma save us? | Sarah Boseley Experts warn of an apocalypse but new drugs won’t be developed unless they can turn a profit
An apocalypse is looming, warn the public health experts. The spectre of a benighted world where humankind again falls prey to bacterial plagues, wiping out the frail and the young, has been hanging over us for many years now. Infections we have conquered, such as pneumonia and typhoid, will return to kill us. Surgery and chemotherapy for cancer will carry huge risks.
It’s a distant scenario as yet, but it cannot be dismissed as alarmist rhetoric. Antibiotics are no longer the cure-all for bacterial infections that they once were. Antimicrobial resistance is real. Microbes – both bacteria and viruses – are fighting back, developing resistance to the drugs invented to wipe them out. It’s an evolutionary thing. Bugs were here before we were and are evolving to survive us. The Guardian
An apocalypse is looming, warn the public health experts. The spectre of a benighted world where humankind again falls prey to bacterial plagues, wiping out the frail and the young, has been hanging over us for many years now. Infections we have conquered, such as pneumonia and typhoid, will return to kill us. Surgery and chemotherapy for cancer will carry huge risks.
It’s a distant scenario as yet, but it cannot be dismissed as alarmist rhetoric. Antibiotics are no longer the cure-all for bacterial infections that they once were. Antimicrobial resistance is real. Microbes – both bacteria and viruses – are fighting back, developing resistance to the drugs invented to wipe them out. It’s an evolutionary thing. Bugs were here before we were and are evolving to survive us. The Guardian
Tougher food labelling proposed to prevent allergy deaths
Tougher food labelling proposed to prevent allergy deaths The Government has set out new proposals to toughen food labelling laws and protect the two million food allergy suffers across the country.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has launched a consultation into food labelling laws focusing on overhauling the labelling of pre-prepared foods such as sandwiches and salads which are made, packaged and sold in the same stores. The Daily Telegraph
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The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has launched a consultation into food labelling laws focusing on overhauling the labelling of pre-prepared foods such as sandwiches and salads which are made, packaged and sold in the same stores. The Daily Telegraph
See also:
- Open consultation: Food labelling: changing food allergen information laws Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Food Standards Agency
Health officials announce ANOTHER recall of blood pressure pills in the UK
Health officials announce ANOTHER recall of blood pressure pills in the UK More blood pressure and heart medications have been recalled today amid concerns they contain a chemical linked to cancer.
The recall is the latest in a months-long scandal with irbesartan, a drug prescribed to patients with high blood pressure or kidney disease.
Pharmacies have been told not to dispense three batches of the pills, just a day after a US company announced a similar recall there.
Today's announcement concerns 150mg and 300mg irbesartan pills supplied by Macleods Pharma UK. Other recalls have concerned other firms. The Daily Mail
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The recall is the latest in a months-long scandal with irbesartan, a drug prescribed to patients with high blood pressure or kidney disease.
Pharmacies have been told not to dispense three batches of the pills, just a day after a US company announced a similar recall there.
Today's announcement concerns 150mg and 300mg irbesartan pills supplied by Macleods Pharma UK. Other recalls have concerned other firms. The Daily Mail
See also:
- MHRA recalls more blood pressure and heart medication from pharmacies as a precaution Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
Thursday, 24 January 2019
No safety issues at KGH despite high bed occupancy figures, say bosses
No safety issues at KGH despite high bed occupancy figures, say bosses Bosses at Kettering General Hospital say safety is not an issue despite nearly all its beds being occupied in recent days.
According to figures from NHS England for the week January 7 to 13, bed occupancy on general and acute wards at KGH were 97.6 per cent full on average, exceeding the safe limit of 85 per cent recommended by health experts.
On average, Kettering General Hospital had 537 available beds each day, of which 524 were in use. Northamptonshire Telegraph
According to figures from NHS England for the week January 7 to 13, bed occupancy on general and acute wards at KGH were 97.6 per cent full on average, exceeding the safe limit of 85 per cent recommended by health experts.
On average, Kettering General Hospital had 537 available beds each day, of which 524 were in use. Northamptonshire Telegraph
On the same page? Taking a closer look at the Long Term Plan and the Planning Guidance
On the same page? Taking a closer look at the Long Term Plan and the Planning Guidance With the Long Term Plan recently in the news, Helen Buckingham looks at how it reads alongside the Operational Planning Guidance, which arguably could be called the NHS’s ‘short-term plan’. Nuffield Trust
Cross-government suicide prevention workplan
Cross-government suicide prevention workplan This first cross-government suicide prevention workplan will be led by the new Suicide Prevention Minister Jackie Doyle-Price. It sets out the actions being taken up to 2020 to carry out the suicide prevention strategy for England. These actions will be taken by national and local government, the NHS, and other stakeholders, including the voluntary sector. A progress report of the suicide prevention strategy has been published alongside this. Department of Health and Social Care
Moving the Needle: Promoting vaccination uptake across the life course
Moving the Needle: Promoting vaccination uptake across the life course The discovery of our ability to immunise people against disease has had an almost unprecedented impact on human health.
Though the UK has a world-leading vaccination programme and this should be celebrated, history and current events have shown that fear and misinformation about vaccines can cause significant damage to seemingly stable vaccination programmes.
While improving access to vaccines remains crucial in addressing low uptake rates – and especially in reducing inequalities in uptake – understanding the public’s attitudes to vaccination is also a valuable tool for increasing and maintaining uptake. Royal Society for Public Health
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Though the UK has a world-leading vaccination programme and this should be celebrated, history and current events have shown that fear and misinformation about vaccines can cause significant damage to seemingly stable vaccination programmes.
While improving access to vaccines remains crucial in addressing low uptake rates – and especially in reducing inequalities in uptake – understanding the public’s attitudes to vaccination is also a valuable tool for increasing and maintaining uptake. Royal Society for Public Health
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Approaches to improving staff engagement in the NHS - a quick guide
Approaches to improving staff engagement in the NHS - a quick guide We have published a new quick guide to staff engagement in the NHS.
Approaches to improving staff engagement in the NHS looks at a range of approaches that organisations can take to sustain staff engagement.
There isn’t one simple solution or initiative that has been shown to be effective in resolving all engagement issues, but there are a core set of approaches that have had positive impacts, briefly outlined in this guide, in organisations where they have been implemented effectively. The guide links to resources and case studies looking at how NHS organisations have put ideas into practice. NHS Employers
Approaches to improving staff engagement in the NHS looks at a range of approaches that organisations can take to sustain staff engagement.
There isn’t one simple solution or initiative that has been shown to be effective in resolving all engagement issues, but there are a core set of approaches that have had positive impacts, briefly outlined in this guide, in organisations where they have been implemented effectively. The guide links to resources and case studies looking at how NHS organisations have put ideas into practice. NHS Employers
Antibiotic resistance plan to fight 'urgent' global threat
Antibiotic resistance plan to fight 'urgent' global threat Drug-resistant superbugs are as big a threat as climate change, the health secretary will say as he unveils a new five-year plan to tackle the problem.
Overuse of antibiotics is making infections harder to treat and leading to thousands of deaths a year through drug-resistant superbugs.
The government plans to change the way it funds drug companies to encourage them to develop new medicines.
It is also increasing efforts to cut unnecessary use of the drugs. BBC News
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Overuse of antibiotics is making infections harder to treat and leading to thousands of deaths a year through drug-resistant superbugs.
The government plans to change the way it funds drug companies to encourage them to develop new medicines.
It is also increasing efforts to cut unnecessary use of the drugs. BBC News
See also:
- Antimicrobial resistance: UK launches 5-year action plan and 20-year vision Department of Health and Social Care
- College welcomes national action plan in the fight against antibiotic resistance Royal College of General Practitioners
- NHS will roll out electronic prescribing to curb 'global health emergency' of antibiotic resistance The Daily Telegraph
- Antibiotic-resistant infections a 'global health emergency', Matt Hancock to say The Independent
An empire at home: the pitfalls of being brown in the NHS
An empire at home: the pitfalls of being brown in the NHS Our health service is the biggest employer of people of colour in Europe, but, as Neil Singh recounts in his tale of three generations working alongside, and for, the British, that doesn’t mean the age of empire is over. The Independent
NHS to prescribe 'app therapy' for children with mild depression
NHS to prescribe 'app therapy' for children with mild depression NICE recommends use of programs on smartphones for young people aged five to eight
Children as young as five will be able to get help for mild depression through apps on their smartphones after the NHS’s treatment advisers recommended the use of such devices in their care.
Under-18s in England and Wales will in future be able to use digital cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) through mobile phones and computers to help them manage their feelings of low mood. It will help them avoid potentially long delays to see a therapist and reduce the pressure on NHS child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), according to new guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The Guardian
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Children as young as five will be able to get help for mild depression through apps on their smartphones after the NHS’s treatment advisers recommended the use of such devices in their care.
Under-18s in England and Wales will in future be able to use digital cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) through mobile phones and computers to help them manage their feelings of low mood. It will help them avoid potentially long delays to see a therapist and reduce the pressure on NHS child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), according to new guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The Guardian
See also:
- NHS App begins public rollout NHS England
- Public roll-out of NHS App OnMedica
Health chiefs announce review into deaths of up to 250 heart patients
Health chiefs announce review into deaths of up to 250 heart patients The deaths of 200 to 250 patients who died following heart surgery at a scandal-hit NHS trust are to be reviewed, it has been announced.
All the patients were treated in the cardiac unit at St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Tooting, south-west London.
The hospital suspended complex heart operations last year after a leaked report suggested poor relationships between surgeons were risking patient safety.
There had been a years-long 'toxic' feud between staff which escalated to the point one surgeon was sent a dead animal in the post. The Daily Mail
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All the patients were treated in the cardiac unit at St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Tooting, south-west London.
The hospital suspended complex heart operations last year after a leaked report suggested poor relationships between surgeons were risking patient safety.
There had been a years-long 'toxic' feud between staff which escalated to the point one surgeon was sent a dead animal in the post. The Daily Mail
See also:
- St George's Hospital: 250 cardiac unit deaths to be reviewed BBC News
- Deaths of up to 250 patients reviewed at 'toxic' heart unit The Daily Telegraph
- Watchdog to review heart surgery deaths at London hospital The Guardian
- Hundreds of deaths under review at London NHS hospital where whistleblower was mailed dead animal The Independent
Wednesday, 23 January 2019
Fines over excess A&E patients means Northampton General Hospital is set for £18 million deficit
Fines over excess A&E patients means Northampton General Hospital is set for £18 million deficit Fines and penalties mostly relating to high numbers of A&E patients is contributing to a multi-million pound deficit at Northampton General Hospital.
The hospital is currently overspent by £12.5m this financial year, but forecasts by finance director Phil Bradley predict that will increase to £18.5m by April.
A complex system of penalties is to blame, with NGH being penalised for huge numbers of patients through the doors of its A&E departments even though it has no control over the influx. If numbers breach a ceratin threshold, the hospital gets less money per patient. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
The hospital is currently overspent by £12.5m this financial year, but forecasts by finance director Phil Bradley predict that will increase to £18.5m by April.
A complex system of penalties is to blame, with NGH being penalised for huge numbers of patients through the doors of its A&E departments even though it has no control over the influx. If numbers breach a ceratin threshold, the hospital gets less money per patient. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Child health high on the agenda, but political uncertainty and public health cuts pose risk to progress, warns UK’s top paediatrician
Child health high on the agenda, but political uncertainty and public health cuts pose risk to progress, warns UK’s top paediatrician The RCPCH has published State of Child Health: Two Years On, which highlights progress made against the policy recommendations in our landmark State of Child Health 2017 report.
Children’s doctors say they are “witnessing a hugely welcome shift towards the prioritisation of child health” but warn child poverty, cuts to public health services and uncertainties about Brexit pose substantial threats to progress. Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
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Children’s doctors say they are “witnessing a hugely welcome shift towards the prioritisation of child health” but warn child poverty, cuts to public health services and uncertainties about Brexit pose substantial threats to progress. Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
See also:
- State of Child health: Two years on scorecard Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
- Child poverty and Brexit threaten improvements to children's health outcomes Nuffield Trust
- Brexit threatens children’s health with concerns over recruiting specialist doctors, report warns The Independent
Public preferences for health gains and cures: a discrete choice experiment
Public preferences for health gains and cures: a discrete choice experiment Whether or not society values curative therapies more highly (or less highly) than the sum of the iterative improvements that might come from conventional therapy has been highlighted as an important area for research. The aim of this research was thus to explore society’s preferences across curative and non-curative therapies and large and small health gains, via a discrete choice experiment. Office for Health Economics
Teen one of first UK proton-beam patients
Teen one of first UK proton-beam patients Fifteen-year-old Mason Kettley, who has a rare brain cancer, is about to become one of the first UK patients to have proton-beam therapy, at a new dedicated treatment centre.
He is starting treatment at the £125m centre at Manchester's Christie hospital.
Previously, most patients needing the treatment had to travel abroad.
The specialist radiotherapy targets cancers without damaging tissues around the tumours. BBC News
He is starting treatment at the £125m centre at Manchester's Christie hospital.
Previously, most patients needing the treatment had to travel abroad.
The specialist radiotherapy targets cancers without damaging tissues around the tumours. BBC News
Vulnerable dementia patients could be locked up for three years without review under ‘rushed’ government reform
Vulnerable dementia patients could be locked up for three years without review under ‘rushed’ government reform People with mental health conditions, learning disabilities and dementia could be locked away for as long as three years without a review under “rushed” reforms put forward by the government.
Charities have expressed dismay at changes to deprivation of liberty safeguards, used to ensure people without capacity to consent to their care are not detained inappropriately.
They warn the measures would create “worrying conflicts of interest” by giving care home operators a greater role in the reviews and assessing whether their paying residents are receiving good care. The Independent
Charities have expressed dismay at changes to deprivation of liberty safeguards, used to ensure people without capacity to consent to their care are not detained inappropriately.
They warn the measures would create “worrying conflicts of interest” by giving care home operators a greater role in the reviews and assessing whether their paying residents are receiving good care. The Independent
Dying man given bill for tens of thousands of pounds for NHS treatment
Dying man given bill for tens of thousands of pounds for NHS treatment Doctors say making migrant patients pay for NHS palliative care contravenes the Hippocratic oath
Nasar Ullah Khan is lying in a hospital bed in Birmingham. He is 38 and has weeks, if not days, left to live. Khan, a Pakistani national who came to the UK nine years ago and overstayed his visa, was refused a lifesaving heart transplant just before Christmas because of his ineligibility for free healthcare. Now he’s been told that he will be charged before he can receive end-of-life care. He was handed his first invoice for £16,000 on New Year’s Eve, days after he was told he would probably die within a month. The payment for hospital treatment already received is due at the end of January. The Guardian
Nasar Ullah Khan is lying in a hospital bed in Birmingham. He is 38 and has weeks, if not days, left to live. Khan, a Pakistani national who came to the UK nine years ago and overstayed his visa, was refused a lifesaving heart transplant just before Christmas because of his ineligibility for free healthcare. Now he’s been told that he will be charged before he can receive end-of-life care. He was handed his first invoice for £16,000 on New Year’s Eve, days after he was told he would probably die within a month. The payment for hospital treatment already received is due at the end of January. The Guardian
My patient made racist remarks about me. I decided to do something about it
My patient made racist remarks about me. I decided to do something about it I’ve encountered racism since I was a junior doctor. We rarely talk about it, but it hurts like hell and damages the NHS
Every day doctors experience some form of abuse in the NHS yet we rarely talk about it. There’s lots of evidence of the racism we face: I’ve seen it, colleagues have told me about it, and last week I experienced it. This time, however, I decided to do something about it. The Guardian
Every day doctors experience some form of abuse in the NHS yet we rarely talk about it. There’s lots of evidence of the racism we face: I’ve seen it, colleagues have told me about it, and last week I experienced it. This time, however, I decided to do something about it. The Guardian
Asthma rising among 'generation rent' as damp and mould boost emergency hospital visits, experts say
Asthma rising among 'generation rent' as damp and mould boost emergency hospital visits, experts say “Generation rent” is suffering worsening levels of asthma because of the deteriorating quality of housing, a new report suggests.
A survey of 10,000 sufferers found that “millennials” - those aged between 18 and 29 - are now twice as likely to be hospitalised as a result of the respiratory condition than those in their 60s. The Daily Telegraph
A survey of 10,000 sufferers found that “millennials” - those aged between 18 and 29 - are now twice as likely to be hospitalised as a result of the respiratory condition than those in their 60s. The Daily Telegraph
Women will be told not to be afraid of smear tests in new NHS campaign
Women will be told not to be afraid of smear tests in new NHS campaign The Public Health England information campaign will launch in six weeks' time. There will be adverts on TV and social media designed to increase take-up of smear tests and screening. The Daily Mail
Tuesday, 22 January 2019
Northamptonshire health trust nominated for award after championing employees' wellbeing
Northamptonshire health trust nominated for award after championing employees' wellbeing Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has been shortlisted for an award in recognition of its employees' wellbeing. The trust has been nominated in the leadership and culture category in the upcoming Employee Wellbeing Awards on February 7.
The category celebrates businesses and organisations that put employee wellbeing at the heart of their culture, championed by leadership from the top executives through to the senior line managers. Northamptonshire Telegraph
The category celebrates businesses and organisations that put employee wellbeing at the heart of their culture, championed by leadership from the top executives through to the senior line managers. Northamptonshire Telegraph
New KGH role aims to make the most of digital technology
New KGH role aims to make the most of digital technology Kettering General Hospital has filled a new role designed to maximise the benefits of digital technology for patients and staff.
Andy Callow will become the trust’s new chief digital and information officer from spring this year. He brings a wealth of digital experience to the role from a career spanning the public and private sector. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Andy Callow will become the trust’s new chief digital and information officer from spring this year. He brings a wealth of digital experience to the role from a career spanning the public and private sector. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Sexual and reproductive health in England: local and national data
Sexual and reproductive health in England: local and national data Guidance to help health professionals including local government, service providers and commissioners understand the sexual health data available across England and how the data can be accessed. It includes data collected by Public Health England and other organisations.
Report on the health of refugees and migrants in the WHO European Region
Report on the health of refugees and migrants in the WHO European Region This report creates an evidence base with the aim of catalysing progress towards developing and promoting migrant-sensitive health systems in the 53 Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region and beyond. This report seeks to illuminate the causes, consequences and responses to the health needs and challenges faced by refugees and migrants in the Region, while also providing a snapshot of the progress being made across the Region. Additionally, the report seeks to identify gaps that require further action through collaboration, to improve the collection and availability of high-quality data and to stimulate policy initiatives. World Health Organization
Incorporating concerns for equity into health resource allocation: a guide for practitioners
Incorporating concerns for equity into health resource allocation: a guide for practitioners Unfair differences in health care access, quality or health outcomes exist between and within countries around the world, and improving health equity is an important social objective for many governments and international organisations. This paper summaries the methods for analysing health equity available to policymakers regarding the allocation of health sector resources. Centre for Health Economics
How Bournemouth's 'streaming' nurses ease A&E pressure
How Bournemouth's 'streaming' nurses ease A&E pressure Senior A&E doctors are warning that hospitals are teetering on the edge of safety. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine says that after a quieter start to the year, the pressure has intensified this month.
However, in the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, waiting times in A&E have fallen under a new initiative, which places a senior nurse near the front doors to turn away non-emergency patients.
No-one is sent home under the policy, but simply redirected to GP clinics and pharmacies. BBC News
However, in the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, waiting times in A&E have fallen under a new initiative, which places a senior nurse near the front doors to turn away non-emergency patients.
No-one is sent home under the policy, but simply redirected to GP clinics and pharmacies. BBC News
Ten years of checklists have improved surgical safety
Ten years of checklists have improved surgical safety A checklist for surgical teams developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and introduced within the NHS 10 years ago has saved countless lives and improved outcomes for patients, NHS England says.
The Surgical Safety Checklist is a simple tool designed to improve communication and teamwork by bringing together the surgeons, anaesthesia providers and nurses involved in care to confirm that critical safety measures are performed before, during and after an operation. It was launched by the WHO in June 2008, with substantial input from UK clinicians, and mandated for use in the NHS in January 2009. OnMedica
The Surgical Safety Checklist is a simple tool designed to improve communication and teamwork by bringing together the surgeons, anaesthesia providers and nurses involved in care to confirm that critical safety measures are performed before, during and after an operation. It was launched by the WHO in June 2008, with substantial input from UK clinicians, and mandated for use in the NHS in January 2009. OnMedica
Gosport hospital scandal: Evidence was sufficient for prosecutions 14 years ago, detective says
Gosport hospital scandal: Evidence was sufficient for prosecutions 14 years ago, detective says There is enough evidence to bring criminal charges over the deaths of at least 450 people at Gosport War Memorial Hospital given unnecessary doses of opiates, according to the detective who investigated the case.
Steve Watts, former assistant chief constable at Hampshire Constabulary, led the investigation into 94 of the deaths and said he believes prosecutions could have been brought when he handed evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service in 2005.
“I think it’s strong enough now, I think it was strong enough then, and I think there was an overriding public interest in doing so,” Mr Watts told the BBC’s Panorama – in an episode which aired on Monday evening. The Independent
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Steve Watts, former assistant chief constable at Hampshire Constabulary, led the investigation into 94 of the deaths and said he believes prosecutions could have been brought when he handed evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service in 2005.
“I think it’s strong enough now, I think it was strong enough then, and I think there was an overriding public interest in doing so,” Mr Watts told the BBC’s Panorama – in an episode which aired on Monday evening. The Independent
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Cancer in your 20s is terrifying – too many of us are left to cope alone
Cancer in your 20s is terrifying – too many of us are left to cope alone | Hannah Partos Survival rates for 13- to 24-year-olds are rising. Yet poorer patients fare less well, and vital post-cancer care is still lacking
When I was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2013, aged 22, I was shocked to find out how little survival rates had improved among young people with cancer in recent decades. Research had left us “forgotten in the middle” between children and older adults, as one study put it, with improvements in outcomes among teens and twentysomethings lagging behind the dramatic advances seen among the general population. The Guardian
When I was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2013, aged 22, I was shocked to find out how little survival rates had improved among young people with cancer in recent decades. Research had left us “forgotten in the middle” between children and older adults, as one study put it, with improvements in outcomes among teens and twentysomethings lagging behind the dramatic advances seen among the general population. The Guardian
Opioids don’t work well for chronic pain. So why do we prescribe them?
Opioids don’t work well for chronic pain. So why do we prescribe them? | Mariam Alexander There’s a temptation to offer desperate patients a solution in a medicine bottle. But long-lasting pain has complex causes
One of the key principles you learn in medical school is that doctors should “do no harm”. But what should doctors do when our patients insist that we do things that we know are harmful? This is the dilemma that thousands of doctors face on a daily basis when tasked with helping patients with chronic pain.
Pain is a universal human experience that alerts us to bodily harm. Most pain is transient and requires no specific intervention other than the passage of time. For more severe acute pain (pain that lasts hours, days or weeks) and cancer pain at the end of life, modern medicine has several very effective treatments – pills, injections and the like. But chronic pain (which persists for months or years) is a very different entity.
Patients who have complex health needs fall between the cracks of services which are designed with policy in mind rather than pathology... The Guardian
One of the key principles you learn in medical school is that doctors should “do no harm”. But what should doctors do when our patients insist that we do things that we know are harmful? This is the dilemma that thousands of doctors face on a daily basis when tasked with helping patients with chronic pain.
Pain is a universal human experience that alerts us to bodily harm. Most pain is transient and requires no specific intervention other than the passage of time. For more severe acute pain (pain that lasts hours, days or weeks) and cancer pain at the end of life, modern medicine has several very effective treatments – pills, injections and the like. But chronic pain (which persists for months or years) is a very different entity.
Patients who have complex health needs fall between the cracks of services which are designed with policy in mind rather than pathology... The Guardian
Doctors share image to show we are losing the '10-year challenge' against antibiotic resistance
Doctors share image to show we are losing the '10-year challenge' against antibiotic resistance Compared to their 2009 10-year challenge photo, antibiotics don't look so good too good.
Several doctors are trying to harness the power of the #10YearChallenge trend on social media to draw attention to the growing, worldwide public health crisis of antibiotic resistance.
They are re-tweeting side-by-side photos of what appear to be petri dishes full of bacteria with antibiotics sitting in them - one from 2009 and one from 2019.
'This is genius and incredibly depressing at the same time,' tweeted Dr Kate Flavin, an internist in the UK. The Daily Mail
Several doctors are trying to harness the power of the #10YearChallenge trend on social media to draw attention to the growing, worldwide public health crisis of antibiotic resistance.
They are re-tweeting side-by-side photos of what appear to be petri dishes full of bacteria with antibiotics sitting in them - one from 2009 and one from 2019.
'This is genius and incredibly depressing at the same time,' tweeted Dr Kate Flavin, an internist in the UK. The Daily Mail
Number of visits to England’s A&E departments by homeless people ‘has more than TREBLED since 2011’
Number of visits to England’s A&E departments by homeless people ‘has more than TREBLED since 2011’ The British Medical Association found nearly 32,000 homeless people visited A&E departments in England last year. They blame rising admissions on Government cuts and drugs. The Daily Mail
See also:
See also:
- Streets of shame: Homelessness and the NHS – a tome of tragedies British Medical Association
- A&E attendances by homeless people tripled under Conservative-led governments, investigation finds The Independent
Monday, 21 January 2019
Bed blocking drops in Northamptonshire but still worst performer in region
Bed blocking drops in Northamptonshire but still worst performer in region The number of patients stranded in NHS hospital beds in Northamptonshire is at its lowest level for two years – but the county is still the worst performing in the region. NHS figures released this week show that social care bed-blocking in the county has reduced to the lowest levels since July 2016.
In November, the collective number of days that patients were held in Kettering General Hospital and Northampton General Hospital due to a delayed transfer of care (DTOC) was 808, 49 per cent lower than October (1,585) and 48 per cent lower than November 2017 (1,544). Northamptonshire Telegraph
In November, the collective number of days that patients were held in Kettering General Hospital and Northampton General Hospital due to a delayed transfer of care (DTOC) was 808, 49 per cent lower than October (1,585) and 48 per cent lower than November 2017 (1,544). Northamptonshire Telegraph
Mind and body: inseparable twins
Mind and body: inseparable twins The past five years have seen much discussion about the effect of societal changes on the health of the population in the UK. This has been prompted by a stalling growth in healthy life expectancy since 2010 and a growing gap in levels of health and disability between the most and least deprived populations. For example, one recent study showed that age-standardised rates of years of life lost were twice as high in Blackpool as in Wokingham. The Health Foundation
Rural and remote health services lose out on NHS funding
Rural and remote health services lose out on NHS funding The way the NHS distributes funding between local health services is unclear, unfair and fails to fully compensate remote and rural areas for the extra costs they face, an evidence review conducted by the Nuffield Trust for the National Centre for Rural Health and Care, concludes today.
The financial position of remote hospitals is so precarious that six of England’s smallest and most remote hospital trusts account for nearly a quarter of the £1 billion deficit carried by NHS organisations in England.
The factors used to decide how funding is allocated transfer at least £1.3 billion away from rural areas.
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The financial position of remote hospitals is so precarious that six of England’s smallest and most remote hospital trusts account for nearly a quarter of the £1 billion deficit carried by NHS organisations in England.
The factors used to decide how funding is allocated transfer at least £1.3 billion away from rural areas.
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Two dead after pigeon dropping infection at hospital
Two dead after pigeon dropping infection at hospital Two patients have died after contracting a fungal infection caused by pigeon droppings at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said an elderly patient died but from an unrelated cause.
Another infected patient has also died but the factors contributing to the death are still being investigated.
A non-public room, thought to contain machinery, was identified as a likely source. An investigation is under way. BBC News
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said an elderly patient died but from an unrelated cause.
Another infected patient has also died but the factors contributing to the death are still being investigated.
A non-public room, thought to contain machinery, was identified as a likely source. An investigation is under way. BBC News
Differences in GP access across England 'shocking'
Differences in GP access across England 'shocking' The variation in the availability of GPs in different parts of England is shocking, doctors' leaders say.
A BBC analysis has found close to a threefold difference between the areas with the most and fewest doctors.
In one area - Swale in Kent - there is only one GP for every 3,300 patients, while in Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire it is just under one for every 1,200.
The Royal College of GPs said the shortages put care at risk, but NHS chiefs said issues were being tackled. BBC News
A BBC analysis has found close to a threefold difference between the areas with the most and fewest doctors.
In one area - Swale in Kent - there is only one GP for every 3,300 patients, while in Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire it is just under one for every 1,200.
The Royal College of GPs said the shortages put care at risk, but NHS chiefs said issues were being tackled. BBC News
Thousands Of People With Learning Disabilities Are Stuck Living In Hospital – Despite Promises From The NHS
Thousands Of People With Learning Disabilities Are Stuck Living In Hospital – Despite Promises From The NHS “The care Stephen received was inhumane. It has to stop.”
Stephen Andrade-Martinez, who has learning disabilities and autism, is 23. He has already spent almost six years living in inpatient wards – a quarter of his life. One of the placements was 80 miles away from his family.
“Stephen finally came home in December, but the long-term impact of being kept in a hospital unnecessarily is apparent everyday,” his mum, Leo, said. “He is self-harming, hitting and biting himself.
“He says he wants to sleep on the floor as that is what he did in the assessment treatment unit,” she continued, adding that he is suffering from “huge panic attacks”. Huffington Post UK
Stephen Andrade-Martinez, who has learning disabilities and autism, is 23. He has already spent almost six years living in inpatient wards – a quarter of his life. One of the placements was 80 miles away from his family.
“Stephen finally came home in December, but the long-term impact of being kept in a hospital unnecessarily is apparent everyday,” his mum, Leo, said. “He is self-harming, hitting and biting himself.
“He says he wants to sleep on the floor as that is what he did in the assessment treatment unit,” she continued, adding that he is suffering from “huge panic attacks”. Huffington Post UK
Superdrug to run mental health checks for patients seeking Botox and lip fillers
Superdrug to run mental health checks for patients seeking Botox and lip fillers Superdrug will offer mental health screening to customers who come in for cosmetic procedures such as lip fillers and Botox, in a move NHS officials hope will set a “higher bar” for the sector.
Customers seeking treatment will now be asked to complete a questionnaire developed by psychologists working in the field, and where issues are raised they will be directed to a GP or mental health groups.
The move is intended to help identify people who may have body dysmorphic disorder or other anxieties that experts say are flourishing on social media and driving more people to seek cosmetic procedures. The Independent
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Customers seeking treatment will now be asked to complete a questionnaire developed by psychologists working in the field, and where issues are raised they will be directed to a GP or mental health groups.
The move is intended to help identify people who may have body dysmorphic disorder or other anxieties that experts say are flourishing on social media and driving more people to seek cosmetic procedures. The Independent
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Pharmacies will not run out of medicine after Brexit, says NHS
Pharmacies will not run out of medicine after Brexit, says NHS Alternative transport routes will be implemented and medicines prioritised in event of no deal
Plans have been drawn up for the use of alternative transport routes and prioritisation of medicines as part of contingency planning for a no deal Brexit, pharmacists have been told by the NHS.
The government has been reviewing transport routes for all medicines “to maximise the ability for supply to continue unimpeded” after 29 March, according to a letter seen by the Guardian that was was sent out in recent days (17 January). The Guardian
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Plans have been drawn up for the use of alternative transport routes and prioritisation of medicines as part of contingency planning for a no deal Brexit, pharmacists have been told by the NHS.
The government has been reviewing transport routes for all medicines “to maximise the ability for supply to continue unimpeded” after 29 March, according to a letter seen by the Guardian that was was sent out in recent days (17 January). The Guardian
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New GPs sign up to poorest areas after £20,000 incentives
New GPs sign up to poorest areas after £20,000 incentives More than 500 trainee doctors join practices in deprived communities since ‘golden hellos’ two years ago
Record numbers of GPs are working in some of England’s most deprived communities after being given £20,000 “golden hellos” to tackle the under-doctoring of poorer areas.
More than 500 trainee family doctors have begun working in places such as Hull, Blackpool and Cumbria since 2016 in a move NHS bosses hope will tackle stark health inequalities. The Guardian
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Record numbers of GPs are working in some of England’s most deprived communities after being given £20,000 “golden hellos” to tackle the under-doctoring of poorer areas.
More than 500 trainee family doctors have begun working in places such as Hull, Blackpool and Cumbria since 2016 in a move NHS bosses hope will tackle stark health inequalities. The Guardian
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It's not too late to have flu jab, pleads country's top doctor
It's not too late to have flu jab, pleads country's top doctor Flu jab take-up is too low, the chief medical officer has warned, amid concerns that the failure of last year's vaccine has put people off.
Prof Dame Sally Davies urged those eligible to come forward, amid rising levels of flu across the country as winter deepens.
Last year winter deaths hit a 42-year high, after the flu jab failed to work in the vast majority of cases.
Officials stressed that this year’s vaccination is a good match - but fear some patients may have been deterred by the failings last winter. The Daily Telegraph
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Prof Dame Sally Davies urged those eligible to come forward, amid rising levels of flu across the country as winter deepens.
Last year winter deaths hit a 42-year high, after the flu jab failed to work in the vast majority of cases.
Officials stressed that this year’s vaccination is a good match - but fear some patients may have been deterred by the failings last winter. The Daily Telegraph
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Friday, 18 January 2019
Lack of resources for mental health in Northampton 'failed' my son, says mother at 21-year-old's inquest
Lack of resources for mental health in Northampton 'failed' my son, says mother at 21-year-old's inquest A mother says her 21-year-old son was 'failed' by the lack of resources for mental health in Northampton after he took his own life last year.
The young man from Northampton was found dead in a wooded area near his home on June 8, 2018.
But at his inquest yesterday (January 16), his mother told the coroner she believed her son 'reached out for help and never received it in time' and claimed there is not enough help in Northampton for people suffering from mental health issues. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
The young man from Northampton was found dead in a wooded area near his home on June 8, 2018.
But at his inquest yesterday (January 16), his mother told the coroner she believed her son 'reached out for help and never received it in time' and claimed there is not enough help in Northampton for people suffering from mental health issues. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
New app shows waiting times at NGH, KGH and Corby Urgent Care Centre
New app shows waiting times at NGH, KGH and Corby Urgent Care Centre Those seeking medical attention at KGH and Corby Urgent Care Centre can now see how long the wait is on a smartphone app.
The app, called WaitLess, enables those in need of urgent but not life-threatening care to see waiting times at the two sites, as well as at Northampton General Hospital.
It will also factor in journey times using live traffic and travel information to help them choose the most appropriate location to have their condition or injury seen to. Northamptonshire Telegraph
The app, called WaitLess, enables those in need of urgent but not life-threatening care to see waiting times at the two sites, as well as at Northampton General Hospital.
It will also factor in journey times using live traffic and travel information to help them choose the most appropriate location to have their condition or injury seen to. Northamptonshire Telegraph
Northamptonshire child service's boss Victoria Perry removed
Northamptonshire child service's boss Victoria Perry removed A councillor overseeing a troubled children's services department has been asked to step down.
Victoria Perry was removed from her position as Northamptonshire County Council cabinet member for children's services by council leader Matt Golby.
Ms Perry said the move came out of the blue. No replacement has yet been announced.
Mr Golby praised Ms Perry's time in the post and thanked her on behalf of the council. BBC Northampton
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Victoria Perry was removed from her position as Northamptonshire County Council cabinet member for children's services by council leader Matt Golby.
Ms Perry said the move came out of the blue. No replacement has yet been announced.
Mr Golby praised Ms Perry's time in the post and thanked her on behalf of the council. BBC Northampton
See also:
- Northamptonshire councillor in charge of children's services given the chop Northamptonshire Telegraph
Are patients benefitting from better integrated care?
Are patients benefitting from better integrated care? As QualityWatch publishes a scrolling data story investigating whether the drive in recent years to integrate services more closely has resulted in any tangible improvements for patients, Sarah Scobie puts the study in context and explains the findings. Nuffield Trust
NHS financial sustainability
NHS financial sustainability In its annual report on the financial sustainability of the NHS, the NAO concludes that the existence of substantial deficits in some parts of the system, offset by surpluses elsewhere coupled with growing waiting lists and year-on-year increases in waiting times, does not paint a picture that is sustainable. The recent NHS long-term plan sets out a prudent approach to achieving the priorities and tests set by the government in return for its long-term funding settlement but a number of risks remain to the delivery of the plan.
The long-term funding settlement equates to a 3.4% average real-terms increase in funding, from 2019-20 to 2023-24 and applies only to the budget for NHS England and not to the Department’s entire budget. Consequently, it does not cover some key areas of health spending such as education, public health and capital investment that could affect the NHS’s ability to deliver the priorities of the long-term plan. In addition, without a long-term funding settlement for social care, local NHS bodies are concerned that it will be very difficult to make the NHS sustainable. National Audit Office
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The long-term funding settlement equates to a 3.4% average real-terms increase in funding, from 2019-20 to 2023-24 and applies only to the budget for NHS England and not to the Department’s entire budget. Consequently, it does not cover some key areas of health spending such as education, public health and capital investment that could affect the NHS’s ability to deliver the priorities of the long-term plan. In addition, without a long-term funding settlement for social care, local NHS bodies are concerned that it will be very difficult to make the NHS sustainable. National Audit Office
See also:
- The NHS has a new long-term plan but this is not 'job done' The Health Foundation
- The King’s Fund responds to the National Audit Office (NAO) report on NHS sustainability The King's Fund
- NHS hospitals overspend by up to £141m a year The Guardian
- NHS not sustainable and Theresa May’s £20.5bn funding pledge won’t fix it, NAO warns The Independent
Pharmacists warn of a 'surge' in shortage of common medicines
Pharmacists warn of a 'surge' in shortage of common medicines Pharmacists say they are struggling to obtain many common medicines and paying "vastly increased" prices for them.
This is leaving patients complaining of delays in getting hold of drugs such as painkillers, anti-depressants and blood pressure medication.
The BBC has found there has been a big rise in the number of drugs on the "shortage of supply" list for England.
There are 80 medicines in such short supply that the Department of Health has agreed to pay a premium for them.
This is up from 45 in October. BBC News
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This is leaving patients complaining of delays in getting hold of drugs such as painkillers, anti-depressants and blood pressure medication.
The BBC has found there has been a big rise in the number of drugs on the "shortage of supply" list for England.
There are 80 medicines in such short supply that the Department of Health has agreed to pay a premium for them.
This is up from 45 in October. BBC News
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NHS must tackle 'systemic racism' as report shows staff discrimination on the rise
NHS must tackle 'systemic racism' as report shows staff discrimination on the rise The NHS has been urged to tackle its “systemic racism” as new figures reveal that black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds remain “grossly underrepresented” and discrimination is on the rise.
The number of BME staff who reported experiencing discrimination in the last 12 months has risen to 15% according to data published by NHS England in a new workforce race quality standard report. National Health Executive
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The number of BME staff who reported experiencing discrimination in the last 12 months has risen to 15% according to data published by NHS England in a new workforce race quality standard report. National Health Executive
See also:
- NHS commits to long term support for race equality NHS England
- Workforce Race Equality Standard 2018 report NHS England
UK asthma sufferers experience three times more attacks than previously suggested, charity warns
UK asthma sufferers experience three times more attacks than previously suggested, charity warns The number of potentially life-threatening asthma attacks suffered in the UK each year is more than three-times higher than previously thought, according to new data.
The Asthma UK charity surveyed more than 10,000 people with asthma and found each had an attack on average twice a year.
Extrapolated across 5.4 million people in the UK currently being treatment for asthma, experts calculated that this averaged one attack every three seconds.
Previous studies have suggested that the rate was closer to one every 10 seconds, the charity said. The Independent
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The Asthma UK charity surveyed more than 10,000 people with asthma and found each had an attack on average twice a year.
Extrapolated across 5.4 million people in the UK currently being treatment for asthma, experts calculated that this averaged one attack every three seconds.
Previous studies have suggested that the rate was closer to one every 10 seconds, the charity said. The Independent
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Mental capacity changes give care homes too much power, critics say
Mental capacity changes give care homes too much power, critics say Charities, lawyers and Labour warn against government rushing out legislation in England and Wales
Changes to mental capacity safeguards – intended to protect hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people – will hand care home managers and private hospitals far too much power, the government has been warned.
The Law Society, mental health charities and Labour have accused the Department of Health and Social Care (DoH) of rushing through legislation that would remove independent scrutiny of the monitoring process to ensure that residents were not subjected to excessive restrictions. The Guardian
Changes to mental capacity safeguards – intended to protect hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people – will hand care home managers and private hospitals far too much power, the government has been warned.
The Law Society, mental health charities and Labour have accused the Department of Health and Social Care (DoH) of rushing through legislation that would remove independent scrutiny of the monitoring process to ensure that residents were not subjected to excessive restrictions. The Guardian
Anti-vaxxers are among the top 'threats to global health' in 2019, WHO declares
Anti-vaxxers are among the top 'threats to global health' in 2019, WHO declares Anti-vaxxers have been named one of the top threats to global health in 2019 by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The anti-vaccine movement joined air pollution and climate change, HIV, and a worldwide influenza pandemic on the list released on Monday.
'Vaccine hesitancy', as the WHO calls it, 'threatens to reverse progress made in tackling vaccine-preventable diseases.'
The organization added in its statement: 'Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective ways of avoiding disease - it currently prevents [two to three] million deaths a year, and a further 1.5 million could be avoided if global coverage of vaccinations improved.' The Daily Mail
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The anti-vaccine movement joined air pollution and climate change, HIV, and a worldwide influenza pandemic on the list released on Monday.
'Vaccine hesitancy', as the WHO calls it, 'threatens to reverse progress made in tackling vaccine-preventable diseases.'
The organization added in its statement: 'Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective ways of avoiding disease - it currently prevents [two to three] million deaths a year, and a further 1.5 million could be avoided if global coverage of vaccinations improved.' The Daily Mail
See also:
- Ten threats to global health in 2019 World Health Organization
- Anti-vaccine movement 'a top threat to global health in 2019' says WHO The Independent
NHS crisis: Damning figures show ambulance diverts have doubled and 19 out of 20 beds are full
NHS crisis: Damning figures show ambulance diverts have doubled and 19 out of 20 beds are full The number of times hospitals turned ambulances away from their A&E departments soared last week to its highest level this winter.
Accident and emergency performance figures this week show the NHS is feeling the strain, as snow falls across Britain and temperatures plunge to -4C.
One in eight people taken to A&E in an ambulance were forced to wait at least half an hour before being handed over because hospitals were too busy.
And 19 out of 20 overnight hospital beds in the entire country are full – higher than the 'safe operating level' and the busiest they have been all winter. The Daily Mail
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Accident and emergency performance figures this week show the NHS is feeling the strain, as snow falls across Britain and temperatures plunge to -4C.
One in eight people taken to A&E in an ambulance were forced to wait at least half an hour before being handed over because hospitals were too busy.
And 19 out of 20 overnight hospital beds in the entire country are full – higher than the 'safe operating level' and the busiest they have been all winter. The Daily Mail
See also:
- UK flu levels according to PHE statistics: 2018 to 2019 Public Health England
- Official Statistics: Weekly national flu reports: 2018 to 2019 season Public Health England
- Flu piles pressure on over-stretched NHS hospitals as the outbreak KILLS 26 people in a week The Daily Mail
- Flu pressures on intensive care units now as bad as at height of last year's winter crisis The Daily Telegraph
- Winter pressures on NHS appear to be growing Public Finance
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