The 11 GP practices in Northamptonshire with the worst NHS patient ratings in 2023

The 11 GP practices in Northamptonshire with the worst NHS patient ratings in 2023 NHS patients in Northamptonshire have reported mixed satisfaction ratings for local doctor’s surgeries in the area, according to the latest GP Patient Survey.

Produced by Ipsos on behalf of NHS England, the 2023 GP Patient Survey asked people across the country what they think about their local GP practice. It surveyed 2.7 million people between January and April 2023 and had a response rate of 29%. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Delays to NHS care: Understanding the impact

Delays to NHS care: Understanding the impact New research shows that people are currently facing multiple cancellations or postponements of care which are having a significant impact on their lives and symptoms, while further increasing health inequalities.  

We commissioned a survey of 1084 people who have seen their NHS care either cancelled or postponed this year to understand the extent of disruption to care amid rising waiting lists, workforce issues, and industrial action, and other pressures on the NHS. Healthwatch England

See also:

• NHS cancellations causing ‘catastrophic health impacts’, says watchdog The Guardian

National survey highlights decline in people’s experience of urgent and emergency care

National survey highlights decline in people’s experience of urgent and emergency care Findings from a survey of more than 36,000 people who used NHS urgent and emergency care services in September 2022 show that many people had a worse experience than in previous years – particularly those treated in an A&E type department.

Published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the survey reveals the responses from patients who attended either a major consultant-led A&E department (Type 1) or an urgent treatment centre or minor injury unit (Type 3) run directly by one of 122 acute hospital trusts in England during September 2022.

See also:

• A&E experience is now the worst on record as damning study reveals a third of NHS patients wait over an hour just to speak to a doctor or nurse while nearly a fifth wait more than FOUR hours to be examined The Daily Mail

We deserve better: ethnic minorities with a learning disability and access to healthcare

We deserve better: ethnic minorities with a learning disability and access to healthcare This five part review examines two decades of research looking into discriminatory barriers preventing equitable health care treatment. It finds that people with a learning disability from Black, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi heritage) and minority ethnic backgrounds face shorter life expectancy triggered by poorer health care access, experience and outcomes. It also captures the lack of reasonable adjustments and failure to recognise individual needs. Other obstacles identified include language barriers, cultural and religious insensitivity, a lack of information in easy read format, and a lack of information during transitional care in hospital and home. NHS Race & Health Observatory

NHS platform a ‘major force for good’ after identifying millions of savings in its first year

NHS platform a ‘major force for good’ after identifying millions of savings in its first year A Crown Commercial Service-funded digital platform used by the NHS has identified millions of pounds of potential savings in its first year, the government has announced. Department of Health and Social Care

Agreement to support mental health care and free up police time

Agreement to support mental health care and free up police time Patients experiencing a mental health crisis will be treated by the most appropriate agency, helping free up police time and ensuring care is provided by someone with the most relevant skills and experience, as a new national agreement is signed between health and policing partners. Department of Health and Social Care, Home Office and NHS England

Junior doctors to strike for four days in August

Junior doctors to strike for four days in August Junior doctors in England are to stage a four-day strike in August - their fifth strike in this pay dispute.

The walkout will start at 07:00 BST on Friday 11 August and end on 07:00 on Tuesday 15 August.

The British Medical Association has asked for a 35% pay rise to restore pay to 2008 levels after a series of below-inflation pay rises. BBC News

See also:

• Junior doctors urge Government to come to the table as they announce fifth round of strikes BMA
• Strike action: Junior doctors in England announce fifth walkout in August The BMJ
• Junior doctors announce ANOTHER strike: Four-day August walk-out by the BMA will bring struggling NHS to standstill again The Daily Mail
• Welcome to the NHS, fancy striking? New crop of junior doctors are being urged to join August's four-day BMA walk-out (which kicks off just 9 DAYS after they join) The Daily Mail
• NHS under increasing pressure as junior doctors announce another strike The Daily Telegraph
• Junior doctors urged to strike nine days after starting work in the NHS Evening Standard
• Junior doctors in England to stage four-day strike in August The Guardian
• Junior doctors to stage fresh strike next month in bitter pay dispute The Independent
• Junior doctors to stage fresh four-day walkout despite Sunak saying negotiations over Sky News

Extra hospital beds made available for winter - NHS England

Extra hospital beds made available for winter - NHS England An extra 5,000 hospital beds will be available this winter to help the NHS in England to cope, health bosses say.

It will mean nearly 100,000 permanent beds accessible at the busiest time of the year - a 5% rise on current levels.

NHS England is also promising quicker discharge arrangements to get patients out of hospital when they are medically-fit to leave.

This will be achieved through the rollout of what have been dubbed "care traffic control centres". BBC News

Herpes deaths: Why did our daughters die after Caesareans?

Herpes deaths: Why did our daughters die after Caesareans? In 2018, two new mothers died of herpes - a common, normally mild infection - just weeks apart, shortly after giving birth by Caesarean section at the same NHS Trust. Following an inquest into both deaths, their families say they will continue their fight to find out what happened. BBC News

NHS Ambulance trusts unable to access patient records following cyberattack

NHS Ambulance trusts unable to access patient records following cyberattack Attack on Ortivus's data centre last week has left two trusts in the south of England resorting to paper-based records

Two NHS ambulance services have been unable to access electronic patient records for over a week following a cyberattack on Swedish health tech company Ortivus. Computing

See also:

• Cyber attack hits two ambulance services in England BBC News
• Cyber attack hits two ambulance trusts leaving hospitals without access to electronic patient records The Daily Mail
• Cyber attack leaves NHS ambulance trusts unable to access patient records The Daily Telegraph

‘Awful lot of nothing’: families denounce Sunak’s response to blood scandal inquiry

‘Awful lot of nothing’: families denounce Sunak’s response to blood scandal inquiry Victims and family members have expressed frustration and dismay with Rishi Sunak for not committing to a compensation framework for those affected by the contaminated blood scandal.

Before the prime minister’s appearance on Wednesday at the public inquiry into the unparalleled treatment disaster, there were protests by campaigners carrying photos of bereaved loved ones and banners saying: “Dying for Justice.” The Guardian

See also:

• Blood-inquiry families heckle PM over compensation BBC News
• Prime Minister jeered while giving evidence during infected blood inquiry Channel 4 News
• Extraordinary moment Rishi Sunak gets heckled by outraged victims of infected blood scandal as PM dodges compensation questions at inquiry The Daily Mail
• Sunak heckled at infected blood inquiry for saying government working ‘at pace’ The Guardian
• 'Betrayal': Sunak attacked over performance at infected blood inquiry ITV News
• Infected Blood Inquiry: Shifty Sunak appears evasive... again Sky News

Government likely to lose millions in dispute over PPE contract awarded via ‘VIP lane’

Government likely to lose millions in dispute over PPE contract awarded via ‘VIP lane’ The UK government appears unlikely to recover any money from a healthcare recruitment agency that allegedly failed to deliver on a multimillion-pound PPE contract awarded during the Covid pandemic.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has confirmed it is in a dispute over the £20m-plus contract awarded to SG Recruitment UK Ltd. However, the agency’s parent company has gone into liquidation, raising questions about whether the government can recoup any funds. The Guardian

Got high blood pressure? Why doing the plank or 'wall-sits' might be better than going for a swim

Got high blood pressure? Why doing the plank or 'wall-sits' might be better than going for a swim A brisk walk, cycle or swim is often the doctors' orders when it comes to high blood pressure.

But now scientists suggest doing the 'plank' or 'wall-sits' are better exercises for helping to control hypertension.

A review of clinical data found that while 'cardio', or aerobic workouts were beneficial, static exercises designed to work the muscles had the most impact. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Exercise training and resting blood pressure: a large-scale pairwise and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (free access) British Journal of Sports Medicine
•  Static isometric exercise, such as wall sits and planks, best for lowering blood pressure Canterbury Christ Church University