Why are delayed discharges from hospital increasing? Seeing the bigger picture

Why are delayed discharges from hospital increasing? Seeing the bigger picture In December 2022, more than 13,000 of a total of around 100,000 hospital beds in England were occupied by patients who were medically fit for discharge. This number has increased by 57% over the last 2 years, representing an additional 6,000 people waiting in hospital who do not need to be there. The Health Foundation

See also:

• Short-term social care funding for hospital discharge: learning from past mistakes The Health Foundation

Safe and wellbeing reviews: thematic review and lessons learned

Safe and wellbeing reviews: thematic review and lessons learned As part of the NHS response to the safeguarding adults review concerning the deaths of Joanna, Jon and Ben at Cawston Park, a national review has been undertaken to check the safety and wellbeing of all people with a learning disability and autistic people who are being cared for in a mental health inpatient setting. This document sets out the themes emerging from the review findings. NHS England

Tackling disadvantage in medical education: analysis of postgraduate outcomes by ethnicity and the interplay with other personal characteristics

Tackling disadvantage in medical education: analysis of postgraduate outcomes by ethnicity and the interplay with other personal characteristics This report explores the extent that inequalities persist in medical education, for example an 18 percentage point difference between the specialty exam pass rate of UK-trained black doctors and UK-trained white doctors. It also considers good practice, and highlights the importance of evaluating interventions to enable a better understanding of initiatives that successfully support trainees from different backgrounds. General Medical Council

NHS employee suicide: a postvention toolkit to help manage the impact and provide support

NHS employee suicide: a postvention toolkit to help manage the impact and provide support This toolkit was developed to help NHS organisations develop and implement a process to manage the impact of an employee suicide on colleagues. Postvention refers to the actions taken to provide support after someone dies by suicide. This can ensure that timely and appropriate care and support is provided which can help individuals with their grief, manage the impact on the organisation and reduce the risk of further deaths by suicide. NHS Confederation

The evolution of provider collaboration

The evolution of provider collaboration This report, written with NHS Providers, aims to provide an in-depth look at the formation and development of provider collaboratives. It also highlights their challenges and successes, and where more support might be needed to fully realise their potential. NHS Confederation

See also:

• How have provider collaboratives been set up? NHS Confederation

Research: Hepatitis C in England and the UK

Research: Hepatitis C in England and the UK Latest UKHSA hepatitis C virus (HCV) reports and supporting documents, for England and the UK. UK Health Security Agency

Thousands of patients to benefit from quicker diagnosis and more accurate tests from ground-breaking AI research

Thousands of patients to benefit from quicker diagnosis and more accurate tests from ground-breaking AI research Tens of thousands of patients across the country could benefit from quicker, earlier diagnoses and more effective treatments for a range of conditions - as the government invests nearly £16 million into pioneering artificial intelligence (AI) research. Department of Health and Social Care

Ambulance strikes: Unite union suspends action in England

Ambulance strikes: Unite union suspends action in England Ambulance strikes due to take place in England on Monday and Wednesday have been called off.

The Unite union suspended the industrial action to enter pay talks with the government, it said.

It followed the Unison and GMB unions earlier suspending walkouts after what they called a "huge shift" in the government's position.

Unite is the smallest of the three ambulance unions, representing about 3,000 workers. BBC News

See also:

• Two unions suspend ambulance strikes in England as talks reopen BBC News
• Consultants want up to £262 an hour to cover strike days for junior doctors BBC News
• NHS ambulance strikes are OFF The Daily Mail
• NHS worried about ‘impact of doctor strikes on emergency care’ Evening Standard
• Medical students urged to fill gaps when junior doctors strike in England The Guardian
• Three UK health unions call off strikes and agree to pay talks The Guardian
• Ambulance worker strikes in England called off as union to enter pay talks The Independent
• NHS strikes could be suspended as health secretary willing to discuss one-off payment Sky News

Half of world on track to be overweight by 2035

Half of world on track to be overweight by 2035 More than half the world's population will be classed as obese or overweight by 2035 if action is not taken, the World Obesity Federation warns.

More than four billion people will be affected, with rates rising fastest among children, its report says.

Low or middle-income countries in Africa and Asia are expected to see the greatest rises.

The report predicts the cost of obesity will amount to more than $4tn (£3.3tn) annually by 2035. BBC News

See also:

• Economic impact of overweight and obesity to surpass $4 trillion by 2035 World Obesity Forum
• More than HALF of world's 8billion people will be fat by 2035, stark report warns The Daily Mail

Scotland first to ban environmentally harmful anaesthetic

Scotland first to ban environmentally harmful anaesthetic Scotland has become the first country in the world to stop its hospitals using the anaesthetic desflurane because of the threat it poses to the environment.

NHS data suggests the gas, used to keep people unconscious during surgery, has a global warming potential 2,500 times greater than carbon dioxide.

Banning it in Scotland - from its peak use in 2017 - would cut emissions equal to powering 1,700 homes a year.

UK hospitals have already cut down. BBC News

Hancock said removing NHS England chief executive would be ‘massive improvement’

Hancock said removing NHS England chief executive would be  ‘massive improvement’ Matt Hancock was irked by the chief executive of NHS England during the pandemic and even said that ousting him would be a “massive improvement”, according to the latest set of leaked WhatsApp messages. Evening Standard

See also:

• Matt Hancock texts reveal concern at plans to relax Covid isolation BBC News
• Matt Hancock: Leaked messages suggest plan to frighten public BBC News
• Matt Hancock rejected advice to cut Covid isolation as it would ‘imply we’ve been wrong’ The Daily Telegraph
• Matt Hancock plotted to oust NHS England chief, WhatsApp leak shows The Guardian
• Matt Hancock leaks lead to cover-up fears over ‘eat out to help out’ scheme The Guardian
• Top civil servant warned Boris Johnson was ‘nationally distrusted’, WhatsApp leak reveals The Independent
• What have we learned from Matt Hancock's leaked WhatsApp messages? ITV News
• How have Matt Hancock's WhatsApp messages been leaked – and what is a non-disclosure agreement? Sky News

More than half of ambulance workers have seen patient die because of delay

More than half of ambulance workers have seen patient die because of delay More than half of ambulance workers have seen a patient die because of a delay in reaching them after a 999 call or overcrowding in A&E, a new survey has found.

The findings, from a survey of frontline paramedics and other ambulance staff, are another stark illustration of the patient safety risks created by the crisis in NHS urgent and emergency care. The Guardian

Multiple sclerosis patients denied vital drug due to shortage of brain specialists, NHS data shows

Multiple sclerosis patients denied vital drug due to shortage of brain specialists, NHS data shows Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are missing out on vital drugs that can put the disease on pause, because there is a nationwide shortage of specialists able to prescribe them.

Nine in ten of those with the incurable neurological disease can't access a drug that can halt progression by up to four years, according to NHS data seen by the MS Society. The Daily Mail

Lack of staff forced four in ten NHS maternity units to turn away expectant mothers last year

Lack of staff forced four in ten NHS maternity units to turn away expectant mothers last year Pregnant women were forced to travel to alternative maternity units when four in ten temporarily closed due to staff shortages last year.

Some hospitals turned expectant mothers away for weeks at a time or on dozens of occasions, an alarming investigation reveals.

It means expectant mothers were unable to give birth or have check-ups at the maternity unit or birth centre closest to their home or with the midwives they wanted. The Daily Mail