Scaling innovation within healthcare systems: practical considerations

Scaling innovation within healthcare systems: practical considerations This guidance is based on extensive research and interviews with NHS Confederation members. It aims to provide practical pointers for innovators and system decision-makers on how to successfully adopt and scale proven innovations. NHS Confederation

Government response: Government boosts use of independent sector capacity to cut NHS waits

Government response: Government boosts use of independent sector capacity to cut NHS waits Thirteen new community diagnostic centres (CDCs) – including eight independently run CDCs – are being launched across the country as part of government plans to use the independent sector to cut NHS waiting lists, Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay will announce today.

The government has also set out a range of new measures to unlock spare capacity within the independent healthcare sector.  Department of Health and Social Care

See also: 

• NHS to expand use of private sector to tackle waits BBC News
• NHS goes private in biggest expansion of sector since Blair The Daily Telegraph
• Let private and third sectors cut NHS waiting lists, says Steve Barclay The Guardian
• Govt turns to private sector in attempt to cut NHS waiting lists Sky News

Flu and COVID-19 surveillance report published

Flu and COVID-19 surveillance report published This fortnightly flu and COVID-19 report brings together the latest surveillance data along with the latest public health advice.

COVID-19 case rates continued to increase this week compared to our previous report. 5.4% of 4,396 respiratory specimens reported through the Respiratory DataMart System were identified as COVID-19. This is compared to 3.7% of 4,403 from the previous report. UK Health Security Agency

Hospital to test 'interpreter on wheels' to bridge language barriers

Hospital to test 'interpreter on wheels' to bridge language barriers Two hospitals are to try using a mobile translation service in a bid to remove language barriers between patients and staff.

Peterborough City and Hinchingbrooke hospitals will trial the remote interpreting service for four weeks.

The service, Interpreters on Wheels, uses iPads on trolleys and the Language Line Insight application, says Alex Papp, service coordinator for North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust's linguistic and interpretation department. BBC News

£2 billion NHS digitisation implementation delayed by a year

£2 billion NHS digitisation implementation delayed by a year The NHS digitisation initiative, forecast to deliver £29.8 billion in benefits, has been moved from amber to red on the traffic-light system used by the IPA as trusts struggle to keep up.

The time scale and budget for implementing the NHS digitisation initiative ‘appears to be unachievable’, as trusts report issues with EPR implementation nationally. Open Access Government

AI could solve NHS radiologist ‘workforce crisis’

AI could solve NHS radiologist ‘workforce crisis’ Artificial intelligence (AI) could help the NHS overcome a radiologist “workforce crisis”, experts have said, although building trust in the technology is an important step in it becoming a normal part of a modern health service.

It comes after a pilot study in Surrey found AI had the power to categorise normal chest X-rays with a 99.7% accuracy, showing potential to speed up cancer diagnoses. The Independent

The risk of kidney stones could be increased by eating biscuits and drinking fizzy drinks, researchers warn

The risk of kidney stones could be increased by eating biscuits and drinking fizzy drinks, researchers warn Biscuits, cakes and fizzy drinks could increase the risk of getting kidney stones, researchers have warned.

A study suggests that a greater intake of added sugars - commonly found in processed food - raises the chance of developing the painful condition.

Kidney stones affect more than one in ten people, mostly aged between 30 and 60, and are caused by waste products in the blood forming crystals. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Association between added sugars and kidney stones in U.S. adults: data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2018 (open access) Frontiers in Nutrition
• Consuming foods with added sugars may increase risk of kidney stones – study The Independent

The battle for an NHS dentist: More than 100 people queue overnight and 27,000 calls jammed phone lines to compete for just 60 NHS places at Kent dental surgery

The battle for an NHS dentist: More than 100 people queue overnight and 27,000 calls jammed phone lines to compete for just 60 NHS places at Kent dental surgery A dental practice received 27,000 phone calls after announcing it would be taking on new NHS patients - while more than 100 people desperate for an appointment spent hours queuing outside the building.

Faversham Smiles announced it would be admitting 60 new NHS patients on a first-come-first-served basis from Tuesday. The Daily Mail

See also:

• The rise in dental service recommendations from NHS 111 Nuffield Trust