Doctors warn visitors to keep away from Northants hospitals after rise in people with norovirus bug

Doctors warn visitors to keep away from Northants hospitals after rise in people with norovirus bug With health services across Northamptonshire seeing a higher than usual number of patients with norovirus, doctors are telling loved ones to stay away from hospital for two days after diarrhoea and sickness symptoms have stopped to avoid it spreading. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Improving nurses' work-life balance

Improving nurses' work-life balance A new report highlights ways to improve nurses’ work-life balance by implementing team-based rostering. The report, Improving Nurses’ Work-life Balance, published by flexible working consultancy, Timewise, provides insights from a team-based rostering pilot carried out with 240 nurses, in seven wards in three hospitals.
The pilot aimed to increase nurses’ ownership over their working patterns and work-life balance. Key elements of the approach outlined in the report include empowering the workforce to take responsibility, giving nurses the autonomy and permission to make changes, and liberating talent. In addition to the report, Timewise has also published a detailed ‘how-to’ guide for trusts and ward managers, including free resources on how to implement this approach. NHS Employers

Europe’s doctors urge tighter curbs in Chinese medicine

Europe’s doctors urge tighter curbs in Chinese medicine Organisations representing Europe’s leading doctors and scientists are calling for tighter regulations on the availability of traditional Chinese medicines. The Federation of European Academies of Medicine (FEAM) and the European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC) have issued a joint statement in which they express concerns at the recent recognition of traditional Chinese medicine in the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) standards framework.
“Just because the World Health Organisation includes a chapter on Traditional Chinese Medicine in its new International Classification of Diseases, it is not automatically safe to use without robust evidence,” says Professor Dan Larhammar, president of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and chair of the expert group of the FEAM. OnMedica

Does UK lag behind other rich nations on health and care?

Does UK lag behind other rich nations on health and care? The UK has fewer doctors and nurses and poorer access to elderly long-term care than other rich nations, a study shows. The OECD review also warned that many Brits were living unhealthy lives with high rates of drinking and obesity. But it praised the "strong access" to health care delivered by the NHS, saying there were low levels of inequality compared to other countries.
Spending at 9.8% of GDP - a measure of the size of the economy - was above the 8.8% average for the 36 nations. The review - carried out every two years - looks at the performance and characteristics of the wealthiest nations across all continents. BBC News

A&E pressure causes 'critical incident' in Nottingham

A&E pressure causes 'critical incident' in Nottingham A hospital trust has declared a "critical incident" because of the "exceptional" pressure on A&E. Nottingham University Hospitals Trust (NUH) runs the Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) and City Hospital and has been on OPEL 4 - previously known as black alert - since Monday morning. On Wednesday it raised the level further.
Some routine operations have been cancelled as the trust prioritises those who need emergency care.
Health bosses do not want to operate on patients who cannot be guaranteed a bed in which to recover. BBC News

The NHS trusts muscling in on PCNs

The NHS trusts muscling in on PCNs PCNs – the new groupings of GP practices central to the NHS long-term plan – must all choose an organisation to manage funding and employ the substantial additional staff they are due to take on in coming years. They can choose either one of their own member GP practices, a GP federation or “voluntary sector organisation”, or an NHS trust or foundation trust.
HSJ analysis has discovered that four NHS provider trusts which are directly or obliquely filling this role – often known as their “banker” but officially referred to as the “nominated payee”.

These four trusts – Humber, Yeovil District Hospital, Southern Health and Royal Wolverhampton – already run, or jointly run, general practice services in their area, under existing arrangements. The payee receives funds from NHS England and local commissioners on behalf of the network, dispersing the money to pay practices for participating, providing services, and for salaries of network workforce. It is also envisaged that they will often employ the staff. Health Service Journal

BMA demands action to avert crisis as NHS heads for worst winter on record

BMA demands action to avert crisis as NHS heads for worst winter on record  The BMA manifesto published ahead of the 12 December general election calls for a 4% increase in overall NHS spending, alongside legislation to stop the pension tax crisis, better staffing and pay and a second Brexit referendum.
In a report on NHS winter pressure published alongside its 'Manifesto for Health', the BMA warns that 'trusts and GP practices are almost certain to endure the most pressurised winter on record'. Pressures faced by the NHS over the summer were worse than even the worst-case scenarios forecast by the BMA, the association said. GP Online

Under-18s being denied urgent mental health treatment, say GPs

Under-18s being denied urgent mental health treatment, say GPs Troubled teenagers seeking urgent help from NHS mental health services are being denied treatment or facing months of delays, GPs have said.
Three in four family doctors do not believe under-18s they refer to child and adolescent mental health services will end up being treated, research shows.
In a survey of 1,008 GPs across the UK, 76% said they did not usually feel confident a young person they referred to CAMHS would receive treatment for their illness. Only 10% were confident that treatment would follow. The Guardian

NHS workers must say no when patients ask for a white doctor, Matt Hancock says

NHS workers must say no when patients ask for a white doctor, Matt Hancock says  NHS workers must say no when patients ask for a white doctor, Matt Hancock has said, as he vows to support staff against racism. In a letter sent to all staff in the health service, he said he was “horrified” by the amount of abuse being heaped on staff, and by “appalling” racially motivated incidents.

Last week a senior surgeon who has worked in the NHS for more than 20 years told how a patient had asked him “can I have a white doctor?” Dr Radhakrishna Shanbhag said he had been left to feel “worthless” as a result of the way he was treated by patients.  In a letter sent to all NHS staff yesterday the Health Secretary said the Government and management of the NHS would back up any workers who took a “zero-tolerance” approach to racism. The Telegraph

DIY cervical checks boost uptake by 50 per cent among those who otherwise miss tests

DIY cervical checks boost uptake by 50 per cent among those who otherwise miss tests DIY cervical screening kits boost uptake by more than 50 per cent, among those who otherwise fail to have the checks, trials show. Research on almost 20,000 patients who had not been screened for the disease for at least three years found that they were far more likely to do so if they could do the tests at home.

The US trial, which involved self-sampling kits sent by post, follows a “gamechanging” British study.
This found that home urine tests for cervical cancer were more accurate than smear tests, as well as more popular among women. Take-up of cervical screening in the UK is the lowest for 21 years, with almost one in three women failing to respond to invitations. Experts fear embarrassment and a dislike of intrusive checks is deterring many women from undergoing checks at their GP surgeries. The Telegraph