Free courses to help patients in Northamptonshire with recovery journeys

Free courses to help patients in Northamptonshire with recovery journeys A range of free learning opportunities are available to help patients learn more about their health conditions and take positive steps forward.

Exciting new learning opportunities are on offer to help patients with health conditions take positive steps forward on their recovery journey.

Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s Recovery College has launched its new prospectus for Spring term in 2023, for NHFT patients, or former patients of the Trust who live in the county. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Strategies to reduce waiting times for elective care

Strategies to reduce waiting times for elective care In the face of record high waiting times for elective care, we undertook research to understand the strategies that have been used to reduce waiting times in England and elsewhere in the past 20 years.

We found that successful strategies are typically associated with a concert of activities that simultaneously ensure sufficient supply of health care, manage demand and optimise the conditions within the health care system itself. The King's Fund

See also:

• Decade of neglect means NHS unable to tackle care backlog, report says The Guardian
• ‘Decade of neglect’ has left NHS unable to tackle care backlog, report finds The Independent

NHS waiting times: a symptom of the health of the health service

NHS waiting times: a symptom of the health of the health service All kinds of numbers – percentages, pound signs, performance, productivity and, of course, waiting times – are used to describe the state of the NHS. But what do these numbers really tell us about people – both those waiting for and those delivering care – and their experiences? The King's Fund

Sudden and unexpected deaths in infancy and childhood

Sudden and unexpected deaths in infancy and childhood This is an audit report of all infant and child deaths occurring between April 2019 and March 2021 in England. It is the first national report to have investigated all unexpected deaths of infants and children – not just those that remained unexplained. It is also the first national review of the “multi-agency investigation process” into unexpected deaths. National Child Mortality Database

Integrating care: policy, principles and practice for places

Integrating care: policy, principles and practice for places This report provides an overview of the changes since the Health and Care Act 2022 was introduced and discusses what integration is seeking to achieve. It considers the wider health and care landscape in the current climate and addresses the remaining challenges at place level. The recommendations and case studies it contains are intended to influence the development of further policy and guidance by central government, and to provide support for practitioners at local level. The purpose of the report is to help health and local government partners to find effective solutions to the challenges of health and care integration. Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy

Over £175 million for cutting-edge genomics research

Over £175 million for cutting-edge genomics research Patients with cancer and children born with treatable rare genetic diseases are set to benefit from earlier diagnosis and faster access to treatment, following a £175 million boost to cutting-edge genomics research announced by the Health and Social Care Secretary.

The funding will enable research which could deliver world-leading genomic healthcare to patients, which involves the study of people’s DNA. The boost is part of a new three-year plan to develop, evaluate and roll out new technologies across the health and care system and life sciences sector, bolstering the UK’s position as a life sciences superpower. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• 100,000 babies to have genetic code mapped BBC News
• Babies will get blood tests to see if they have rare childhood cancers The Daily Mail

Nurses' strike: Union accuses minister of belligerence after talks fail

Nurses' strike: Union accuses minister of belligerence after talks fail Talks to avert strike action by nurses have failed, with the union accusing the health secretary of "belligerence".

The head of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), Pat Cullen, said strikes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland would now go ahead on Thursday, after Steve Barclay refused to discuss pay.

The government said it would continue to engage on non-pay related issues. BBC News

See also:

• RCN responds to meeting with the Health Secretary Royal  College of Nursing
• NHS strikes: You could be taken to A&E in a taxi, health minister admits The Daily Mail
• NHS strikes: Steve Barclay will meet nursing union chief for negotiations to avoid winter action The Daily Mail
• 'Hypocrisy' claim as Royal College of Nursing offers staff 4.5% pay rise The Daily Mail
• Even Keir Starmer says nurse pay demands are unaffordable The Daily Mail
• Transport Secretary Mark Harper: We won't blink first in stand-off with rail, NHS and other unions Evening Standard
• 'What are they playing at?': Wes Streeting says ministers let NHS strikes go ahead – video The Guardian
• UK strikes: 600 military personnel to start training to drive ambulances The Guardian
• Health unions call off strike action in Scotland after new pay offer The Guardian
• Steve Barclay accused of ‘belligerence’ after refusing to discuss nurses’ pay at strike talks The Independent
• Thousands of NHS appointments cancelled as talks fail to avert nursing strike The Independent
• 'All they want is fair pay': Patients supporting striking NHS nurses despite disruption to care iNews
• Nursing strikes to go ahead after health secretary 'refuses to negotiate on pay' Sky News

Ketamine for alcoholics trial goes to next stage

Ketamine for alcoholics trial goes to next stage A programme of therapy involving the drug ketamine will be made available to alcoholics in a research project.

The University of Exeter-led trial, with funding of £2.4m, will go ahead at seven NHS sites across the UK.

The trial will look into whether a combination of ketamine and therapy could help alcoholics stay sober for longer. BBC News

Mental health patients left in dilapidated wards amid £677m repairs backlog

Mental health patients left in dilapidated wards amid £677m repairs backlog Dilapidated mental health facilities across the country are in need of £677m worth of repairs to fix sewerage issues, collapsing roofs and wards that deprive patients of their dignity, The Independent has been told.

An NHS analysis of the government’s flagship programme to build 40 hospitals, seen by The Independent, shows ministers have failed in their promise of “parity” for mental health services as issues are not addressed.

NHS ‘highly dependent’ on substandard private beds for children’s mental health care

NHS ‘highly dependent’ on substandard private beds for children’s mental health care A ‘high’ dependency on private sector mental health hospitals is placing children at greater risk of substandard care, the NHS has admitted.

In a briefing from August, NHS leaders admitted that for children’s mental health services there is a “high dependency” on the private sector where hospitals are at greater risk of being closed due to poor quality and workforce problems.

According to the figures, 60 per cent of children’s psychiatric intensive care beds, beds for the most acutely ill children, are provided by the private sector. The Independent

English hospitals make emergency plans amid winter power loss fears

English hospitals make emergency plans amid winter power loss fears English hospitals have increased emergency fuel supplies and put staff on standby to postpone operations and switch off X-ray scanners amid heightened concerns over energy provision this winter.

NHS hospital trusts across England have put their power plans under the microscope as they look to protect patients from potential outages for lifesaving equipment. The Guardian

Lack of NHS staff meant hospitals had to cancel 30,000 operations last year, Labour analysis claims

Lack of NHS staff meant hospitals had to cancel 30,000 operations last year, Labour analysis claims Hospitals cancelled 30,000 operations last year because there were not enough staff available to deliver them, damning figures suggest.

In total, 158,000 procedures were postponed for non-clinical reasons - almost double the 79,000 affected in 2018/19.

Staff shortages were the most common excuse cited by NHS trusts in 2021/22, accounting for almost one in five of those affected. The Daily Mail

See also:

• NHS operations cancelled in England due to staff shortages double in three years The Guardian