The NHS will now need to get Brexit begun

The NHS will now need to get Brexit begun The Tories may have won the election promising to get Brexit done, but for the NHS and social care it’s only about to start. Mark Dayan looks at what might be in store over the year ahead. Nuffield Trust

Changing challenges into opportunities to improve care

Changing challenges into opportunities to improve care Since its inception, the NHS has been on an evolutionary pathway of experimentation and variation in an attempt to find its fittest form. As integrated care systems (ICSs) expand across England, the NHS and its constituent parts are being invited to play very different roles to those they had in the past. The King's Fund

A competency framework for designated prescribing practitioners

A competency framework for designated prescribing practitioners This framework supports individuals across all independent prescribing professions, training providers and universities to understand what competencies must be met to provide safe and effective prescribing supervision to independent prescribers. Regulatory changes in 2019 mean that experienced non-medical prescribers of any professional background can become responsible for a trainee prescriber's period of learning in practice. Royal Pharmaceutical Society

National Vascular Registry: 2019 annual report

National Vascular Registry: 2019 annual report This is the seventh annual report since the National Vascular Registry was launched in 2013. It contains comparative information on five major interventions for vascular disease: lower limb bypass; lower limb angioplasty/stenting; major lower limb amputation; carotid endarterectomy; and repair of aortic aneurysms, including elective infra-renal, ruptured infra-renal, and more complex aneurysms. Royal College of Surgeons of England

Stafford Hospital scandal: The real story behind Channel 4's The Cure

Stafford Hospital scandal: The real story behind Channel 4's The Cure It was one of the biggest scandals in the history of the NHS and saw hundreds of patients die. Now the story of Stafford Hospital, told through the eyes of campaigner Julie Bailey, is being brought to screens in new Channel 4 drama The Cure. BBC News takes a look at the Stafford Hospital scandal. BBC News

NHS bed occupancy beyond safe levels ahead of Christmas

NHS bed occupancy beyond safe levels ahead of Christmas Hospital wards across the country are having to look after an unsafe number of patients, with hundreds of beds closed due to an outbreak of norovirus.

NHS England has said that on average almost 900 beds were closed each day during the week to Sunday 15 December.

Hospitals have reported fewer empty beds with bed-occupancy rates reaching as high as 95 per cent, 10 per cent higher than the recommended safe level. The Independent

See also:

• The King's Fund responds to the latest winter operational update The King's Fund

Queen's speech: NHS at heart of Johnson's plans, says minister

Queen's speech: NHS at heart of Johnson's plans, says minister Rishi Sunak highlights £34bn health spending, but appears to water down social care pledge

Boris Johnson will try to use the Queen’s speech to refocus attention away from Brexit and on to the NHS, the government has confirmed.

The prime minister intends to put the health service at the centre of the legislative programme, according to the chief secretary to the Treasury, Rishi Sunak. The Guardian

See also:

• Government must now 'grasp the nettle' and reform social care The Health Foundation
• The King's Fund responds to the Queen’s Speech The King's Fund
• Brexit and NHS dominate government agenda BBC News
• Why NHS is front and centre of Queen's Speech? BBC News
• Government confirms pledge to deliver 6,000 more GPs following Queen's speech GPonline
• The Tories’ NHS pledges only scratch the surface of a deep crisis | John Appleby The Guardian
• Tory plans for the NHS mean more dither and delay on social-care reform The Independent
• As someone who works closely with the NHS, it’s clear Boris Johnson is setting us up to fail The Independent
• Ministers plan to fast-track new drugs after Brexit The Independent

Hancock says it is "wrong" for healthcare staff to refuse flu jabs, as virus continues to spread

Hancock says it is "wrong" for healthcare staff to refuse flu jabs, as virus continues to spread Matt Hancock has hinted that healthcare workers could be forced to have flu jabs, saying it is “wrong” for doctors and nurses to refuse them.

He made the comments as official figures showed the number of patients hospitalised this winter is now eight time last year’s total, with cases jumping by a third in a week.

The Health Secretary said he was determined to ensure “universal uptake” of vaccinations among healthcare workers next winter. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Official Statistics: Seasonal flu vaccine uptake in healthcare workers: monthly data, 2019 to 2020 Public Health England
• UK flu levels according to PHE statistics: 2019 to 2020 Public Health England
• Flu cases are now EIGHT TIMES higher than they were at the same point in the UK last winter The Daily Mail

Half of heart patients in the UK miss out on vital recovery care

Half of heart patients in the UK miss out on vital recovery care Tens of thousands of patients with heart conditions miss out on vital care that could prevent an early death, a report has warned.

British Heart Foundation has today revealed 68,000 people eligible for 'heart rehab' classes were not enrolled on the programme.

It is recommended for heart attack and heart surgery patients, and involves exercise, psychological support and educational classes. The Daily Mail

NHS winter crisis sees 7,000 more patients wait outside busy A&E units than last year

NHS winter crisis sees 7,000 more patients wait outside busy A&E units than last year Thousands more ambulance patients are facing long waits at busy A&E departments compared to the same time last year, NHS statistics have revealed.

Last week 16,254 people arriving by ambulance had to wait more than half an hour to be seen by A&E staff after arriving at a hospital in England.

This compared to 9,357 in the same week last winter – a 75 per cent jump. Hour-long waits were three times as high as last year. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Number of patients enduring long ambulance delays triples in a year The Daily Telegraph
• Mother died of cardiac arrest after waiting for ambulance for 6 hours in the street, say family The Daily Telegraph