Shifting responsibilities: who cares?

Shifting responsibilities: who cares? Following a recent survey of adult carers in England, Lucina Rolewicz examines what's behind the findings and argues what might help matters in future. Nuffield Trust

International migration and the healthcare workforce

International migration and the healthcare workforce This analysis draws on all currently available data to set out how many migrants work in health care in the UK and explore their age structure, location and changes over time. It also presents data on specific health workers in England, such as hospital nurses and general practitioners. Office for National Statistics

Children's oral health: position statement

Children's oral health: position statement New analysis has found that more than 100,000 hospital admissions for children under the age of ten in England due to tooth decay over a three year period. This statement calls on the new government to stand by previous commitments in the Childhood Obesity Plan and Prevention Green Paper to improve children's oral health in England. Royal College of Surgeons

NHS trust IT spend up more than £150m since WannaCry

NHS trust IT spend up more than £150m since WannaCry NHS trusts have upped their IT spending by at least £152 million since 2017’s WannaCry ransomware attack, according to figures obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.

Research by government policy think tank, Parliament Street, revealed that 65 NHS trusts spent a total of £612m on IT in the 2018/19 financial year, compared to a spend of £495m in the previous year and £460m in the year directly preceding WannaCry. Digital Health

'Hundreds' seek private clinics for medical cannabis

'Hundreds' seek private clinics for medical cannabis Hundreds of people in the UK are turning to private clinics for medical cannabis, BBC News has been told.

Since its legalisation in November 2018, there have been very few, if any, prescriptions for medical cannabis containing THC on the NHS.

And this has led some patients, with conditions such as epilepsy and MS, to pay up to £800 a month privately.

Patients who cannot eat food 'fear for lives'

Patients who cannot eat food 'fear for lives' Patients who cannot eat have told BBC News they are petrified and fear for their lives after problems making their replacement nutrition.

They are completely dependent on bags filled with a liquid that contains everything their body needs and is infused directly into the bloodstream.

The NHS in England has described the issue as a national emergency.

NHS bill for private out-of-area mental health care rises to £100m

NHS bill for private out-of-area mental health care rises to £100m Labour calls for investment in public provision rather than lining companies’ pockets

NHS spending on private firms nursing people with mental health problems outside their local authority area has risen by almost 30% in a year to £100m.

Adults in mental health crises were sent as far as 300 miles from home last year – a situation NHS chiefs have admitted reduces the chances of recovery because vulnerable people are separated from their loved ones. The Guardian

NHS mobile cancer screening unit charged £1,500 for parking by council

NHS mobile cancer screening unit charged £1,500 for parking by council A council has faced a backlash for charging a mobile NHS breast cancer screening unit £1,500 for parking, with patients saying the fees are "disgusting".

Cornwall Council issued the bill after a lorry used to offer routine mammograms to women aged 50-71 stayed in a car park in Liskeard for six months last year. The Daily Telegraph

Drug deaths at record high as cocaine deaths double in three years

Drug deaths at record high as cocaine deaths double in three years Drug-related deaths in England and Wales are the highest they have been since records began more than a quarter of a century ago, official figures show.

There were 4,359 deaths from drug poisoning recorded in England and Wales in 2018 - the highest number since records began in 1993, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales: 2018 registrations Office for National Statistics
• Drug deaths in Northampton rise by nearly 50 per cent in just five years Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Drug deaths soar to highest level on record BBC News
• Drug deaths in England and Wales at highest level since records began, figures show The Independent

Ministers are to scrap 'one-size-fits-all' NHS health MOTs

Ministers are to scrap 'one-size-fits-all' NHS health MOTs Ministers are to scrap 'one-size-fits-all' health MOTs for the middle aged and replace them with finely tailored medical checks.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the revamped NHS Health Checks scheme – which is offered to anyone aged 40 to 74 – will harness modern technology such as genetic testing to create a personalised programme to prevent disease later in life. The Daily Mail

See also:

• More targeted approach to health checks welcome, but method needs careful consideration, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
• NHS to scrap standard health MOTs for over 40s  The Daily Telegraph