Northampton mental health hospital says '£250' offer to journalists to attend confidential meeting is not a bribe

Northampton mental health hospital says '£250' offer to journalists to attend confidential meeting is not a bribe Bosses of a Northampton mental health hospital that is offering journalists £250 to attend an off-record 'round table' meeting say the money is not a bribe.

St Andrew's Healthcare, which runs one of Europe's largest mental health facilities in Billing Road, is inviting 'opinion leaders' to an event in London tomorrow. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Government underestimates challenge of delivering NHS plan

Government underestimates challenge of delivering NHS plan While the NHS did balance its overall budget in 2017-18, there is a worrying level of disparity in financial health and patient experience at a local level.

The top-level picture hides warning signs that the NHS’ financial health is getting worse: increasing loans to support trusts in difficulty, raids on capital budgets to cover revenue shortfalls, and the growth in waiting lists and slippage in waiting times do not indicate a sustainable position.

It is unacceptable to simply offset surpluses and deficits in the presentation of these overall budget results. House of Commons Public Accounts Committee

See also:

• Extra £20billion-a-year funding won’t head off a healthcare crisis, MPs warn The Daily Mail
• Government underestimates challenges facing NHS which could 'rapidly reach crisis point', MPs warn The Independent

Preventing amputations major concern as diabetes numbers rise

Preventing amputations major concern as diabetes numbers rise New data from the Diabetes Foot Care Profiles, published by PHE’s National Cardiovascular Intelligence Network, shows that the number of major lower limb amputations (above the ankle) continues to rise – with 7,545 major amputations over the past 3 years between 2015 to 2018, compared with 6,957 between 2012 to 2015.

The overall number of major amputations is increasing, as the number of people with diabetes rises, but the rate among people with diabetes is not significantly increasing. Public Health England

See also:

• Hospitals in England are amputating more limbs than EVER because of diabetes The Daily Mail
• Record numbers of amputations on NHS amid warnings 1 in 10 will soon suffer type two diabetes The Daily Telegraph

When safeguarding becomes stigmatising: a report on the impact of FGM-safeguarding procedures on people with a Somali heritage living in Bristol

When safeguarding becomes stigmatising: a report on the impact of FGM-safeguarding procedures on people with a Somali heritage living in Bristol Female genital mutilation (FGM) is considered by the UN to be a ‘global concern’. International organisations routinely claim a 98 per cent prevalence rate among the Somali population (UNICEF 2013). As a consequence, Somalis living in the UK have attracted particular attention from FGM-safeguarding policy. This research presents the perspectives of Somali families living in Bristol with experience of FGM-safeguarding services. University of Bristol

How should we measure quality of life impact in rare disease? Recent learnings in spinal muscular atrophy

How should we measure quality of life impact in rare disease? Recent learnings in spinal muscular atrophy The measurement of quality of life in the context of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is challenging. This is because the disease is experienced by children and is rare, which makes data collection difficult. This briefing reports on a symposium that outlined some lessons that can be learnt from the SMA context that might be more widely applicable to other rare diseases. Office of Health Economics

'Unbelievable' failings in Claire Greaves hospital death

'Unbelievable' failings in Claire Greaves hospital death The parents of a woman who took her own life at a mental health hospital say failings in her care were "unbelievable".

Claire Greaves, 25, from Pontypool, was a patient at Cygnet Hospital, Coventry.

An inquest jury found care failings contributed to her death in February 2018 and reached an open conclusion. BBC News

'Should we get our baby vaccinated?'

'Should we get our baby vaccinated?' A growing number of parents are confused about whether to vaccinate their children, with many influenced by "anti-vax" material on social media. Can asking experts questions help one undecided couple find clarity? BBC News

Is ‘Total football’ the best model for running health and social care in the NHS?

Is ‘Total football’ the best model for running health and social care in the NHS? Total football is a style of play in which positions are fluid and the collective comes above the individual. Developed in the 1970s, its influence can be traced from the Netherlands to Barcelona to Manchester City, whose manager, Pep Guardiola, is a devotee of Johan Cruyff, the style’s most celebrated practitioner.

Less well known is that it is also, according to Jon Rouse, the chief officer of the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, the model for the city’s new healthcare system. Just as players are given freedom to work things out on the pitch, so too are health and local authority leaders in the conference room. iNews

Toxic air lowers life expectancy by 20 months

Toxic air lowers life expectancy by 20 months Exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollution is almost as dangerous as smoking, reducing life expectancy by an average of 20 months, according to a major study.

The report, the State of Global Air, is the latest in a slew of evidence on the links between air pollution and poor health.

It shows that breathing toxic air - both inside and outside the home - will cut the life expectancy of a baby born today by an average of 20 months, compared to a 21-month fall in life expectancy in a smoker. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Toxic air will shorten children's lives by 20 months, study reveals The Guardian
• New funding for councils to tackle air pollution ‘won’t touch the sides’, green groups say The Independent

Male doctors accused of sending female medics unsolicited naked pictures amid BMA #metoo moment

Male doctors accused of sending female medics unsolicited naked pictures amid BMA #metoo moment Female doctors have accused senior members of the British Medical Association of sending unsolicited naked pictures and joking about women’s bra sizes, amid a culture of “institutional sexism”.

Medics said they were speaking up as part of the #metoo movement, warning that they had suffered harassment, sexism and discriminatory behaviour which must be stamped out. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• BMA launches urgent inquiry into sexual harassment The Guardian

Deaths from heart disease plunge by more than half thanks to better healthcare and fewer smokers

Deaths from heart disease plunge by more than half thanks to better healthcare and fewer smokers Deaths through heart disease have plunged thanks to better healthcare and fewer smokers, a study shows.

Researchers who compared Britain with 20 other western countries found a 63 per cent fall in cardiovascular disease between 1989-91 and 2013-15. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Reduced Cardiovascular Disease Deaths in 21 Western Countries 1989-91 v 2013-154. What is the UK doing Right or What is the USA doing Wrong? (open access) Online Journal of Cardiovascular Research