Concern over hospital plans as hundreds sign cuts petition

Concern over hospital plans as hundreds sign cuts petition: More than 1,500 concerned people have signed a petition to save services at Kettering General Hospital as fears over cuts grow. Evening Telegraph

Guidance for NHS trusts on the NHS friends and family test

Guidance for NHS trusts on the NHS friends and family test:
Guidance for NHS trusts on the NHS friends and family test has been published today by the Department of Health.  The guidance details the background, requirements and implications of putting into practice a national friends and family test within the NHS. It aims to support those who will be implementing this work.

Congo fever case found in Glasgow

Congo fever case found in Glasgow: A man is being treated for Crimean Congo Viral Haemorrhagic Fever - a deadly tropical disease - in complete isolation in a Glasgow hospital. BBC News

NHS funding ''will depend on economy''

NHS funding ''will depend on economy'': Jeremy Hunt said he could not guarantee that the NHS's £110bn budget would be protected after 2015 Public Service

Diabetes cases expected to rise 700,000 by end of decade

Diabetes cases expected to rise 700,000 by end of decade: According to a new analysis by Diabetes UK, the number of people with diabetes in Britain is expected to rise by 700,000 by the end of the decade. The analysis, based on data from the Yorkshire & Humber Public Health Observatory, showed that 4.4 million people in England, Scotland and Wales are projected to have the condition by 2020.
 
The vast majority of the extra cases would be type 2 diabetes which can often be prevented by healthy lifestyle changes and losing weight. The charity has warned that the cost of providing healthcare for the extra 700,000 people would put great financial pressure on the NHS, which is already spending 10% of its entire budget on treating the condition. There would also be a great human cost, as those people are at increased risk of amputation, blindness, kidney failure and stroke, and ultimately of early death.

HPA issues travel advice for Hajj pilgrims

HPA issues travel advice for Hajj pilgrims: Around 25,000 people are expected to travel from the UK to Saudi Arabia for this year's Hajj, which is taking place from 24-29 October. A large population from around the world confined to one area has historically increased the risk of infectious disease outbreaks, in particular meningitis and respiratory infections. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) and the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) want to remind people to seek health advice before making the journey to ensure a healthy trip. Health Protection Agency

HIV infection missed by clinicians

HIV infection missed by clinicians:

Quarter of people with HIV could have been diagnosed earlier Related items from OnMedica Doctors should offer HIV test to all male patients in some areas HIV cases in UK could hit 100,000 by end of 2012 Call for major new drive to combat AIDS/HIV Call for universal HIV testing Normalise HIV testing to stop spread of infection

Cancer, heart and stroke specialists face NHS axe

Cancer, heart and stroke specialists face NHS axe: Charities and doctors warn that planned reductions in teams of experts will affect fight against killer diseases
The fight against Britain's biggest killer diseases could be hit by NHS plans to cut the number of dedicated teams of experts widely lauded for their work to improve care, doctors and health charities have warned.

NHS left 'in distress' by health reforms, claims top GP

NHS left 'in distress' by health reforms, claims top GP: The NHS has been left "in distress" by "the mother of all top-down reorganisations", Britain's top GP claimed today. The Daily Telegraph

Mother fights Branson's £132m NHS bonanza

Mother fights Branson's £132m NHS bonanza:
Sir Richard Branson's expansion into the NHS could falter next week when his bid to run children's health and social care services in Devon is challenged at the High Court. The Independent

Britons 'worst in flu outbreak'

Britons 'worst in flu outbreak': Britons are among the most unhealthy people to be around in a flu outbreak, research suggests. The Independent

How can we deal with financial pressures in health and social care?

How can we deal with financial pressures in health and social care?:

The financial pressures facing health and social care can be approached in one of two ways. Organisations can adopt a fortress mentality and seek to protect themselves in the current harsh climate, regardless of the impact on others. Alternatively, they can reach out to partner organisations and work towards a whole-system solution, even if this means sacrificing their own interests for the greater good.

UK ovarian cancer treatment lags

UK ovarian cancer treatment lags: Women in the UK are dying unnecessarily of ovarian cancer because treatment lags behind other countries, say experts. BBC News

VIDEO: How health tourists buy GP access

VIDEO: How health tourists buy GP access: Panorama goes undercover to discover how so-called 'health tourists' buy access to free NHS services. BBC News

NHS Employers call for another pay freeze

NHS Employers call for another pay freeze: If health service pay is not frozen for a third year running, the quality of care for patients could suffer Public Service

Two-thirds of carers unaware of telehealth

Two-thirds of carers unaware of telehealth:
A survey by the charity Carers UK as found that health and social care staff are failing to provide carers with adequate information about telehealth technology.
The charity questioned 4,200 and found that almost two-thirds (62%) were still unaware of telehealth technology in helping them care for their ill and disabled loved ones. It also revealed that many carers in the UK have either never been offered telehea... Healthcare Today

Jeremy Hunt: no promises on the NHS ringfence - Spectator.co.uk (blog)

Jeremy Hunt: no promises on the NHS ringfence - Spectator.co.uk (blog):

The Sun

Jeremy Hunt: no promises on the NHS ringfence Spectator.co.uk (blog) In this week's Spectator James Forsyth interviews new Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt about how he will continue Andrew Lansley's legacy on NHS reform. He says his 'burning mission' is to 'demonstrate that we have as much to offer the NHS as Labour ever ... Jeremy Hunt: No cash vow for NHSThe Sun Hunt cautious on NHS spending plansRuncorn and Widnes Weekly News all 47 news articles »

Hundreds of contracts signed in 'biggest ever act of NHS privatisation'

Hundreds of contracts signed in 'biggest ever act of NHS privatisation': Labour says private contracts worth a quarter of a billion pounds have been signed this week

Shared decision making leads to a better patient experience

Shared decision making leads to a better patient experience: With policy documents promoting patient-centred healthcare, Steven Laitner explores how the shared decision making programme is providing tools to help make them reality

Patients being treated 'like medical conditions, not people'

Patients being treated 'like medical conditions, not people': Patients suffer poor care because they are viewed as "medical conditions", Royal College warns. The Daily Telegraph

Abortion: The minister and the moral minefield

Abortion: The minister and the moral minefield:
Maria Miller will have known that her comments yesterday on the abortion time limit would hit a nerve. No other issue generates more hand-wringing than the question of when it is too late to terminate a pregnancy. The Independent

Call for improved ward rounds

Call for improved ward rounds: A nurse should be at every bedside to help improve the quality of ward rounds, according to a joint report by the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Physicians.

Health intelligence requirements for local authorities set out

Health intelligence requirements for local authorities set out: This information is available as a series of factsheets and a single combined document. NHS Networks

Labour in NHS privatisation vow

Labour in NHS privatisation vow: Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham will vow to reverse the "rapid" privatisation of NHS hospitals in England in his keynote conference speech. BBC News

How CCGs can find patients undiagnosed by practices

How CCGs can find patients undiagnosed by practices: A south-east London practice worried a significant number of patients had undiagnosed long-term conditions came up with a novel solution, writes Neil Durham. GP Online

Evaluating disease management programmes: learning from diverse approaches across Europe

Evaluating disease management programmes: learning from diverse approaches across Europe:
The DISMEVAL consortium examined approaches to chronic disease
management and its evaluation in 13 countries across Europe. The project
identified and validated evaluation methods that can be used in
situations where randomisation is not possible.

• Research briefing
• RAND Corporation - publications

NICE role to expand to social care

NICE role to expand to social care: The Department of Health has confirmed that the National Institue for Health and Clinical Excellence will expand its role from April 2013 to include social care. The DH has set out a list of topics for NICE to begin working on. These include autism in adults and children; mental well-being of older people in residential care; the transition between health and social care, including discharge planning... Healthcare Today

Mandarins take reins as NHS battle hots up

Mandarins take reins as NHS battle hots up: The future of the national health service will be a trial of strength between a giant NHS commissioning board and thousands of family doctors across England
With the arrival of the NHS commissioning board, the biggest quango ever created, with direct control of £25bn, the health service has entered the age of Davids. While much has been made about how tightly Jeremy Hunt, the new health secretary, will embrace the private sector, real power is now in the hands of three mandarins: David Behan at the Care Quality Commission (CQC); David Bennett at Monitor and Sir David Nicholson at the board.

Health tourism: GP surgeries selling 'black market' access to NHS

Health tourism: GP surgeries selling 'black market' access to NHS: Places on GP lists are being sold on the black market to NHS 'health tourists' for up to £800 a time, an undercover investigation has found.
The Daily Telegraph

Kill or cure? Why keeping pace with science and technology may be the death of the NHS

Kill or cure? Why keeping pace with science and technology may be the death of the NHS:
They could save the NHS – or bankrupt it. New technological advances that are transforming care of patients also risk crippling the health service responsible for delivering them.The Independent

Healthwatch England launched

Healthwatch England launched:
Healthwatch England, the new national, statutory consumer champion for health and social care in England,is launched today.
A key milestone in achieving the government’s vision set out in the White Paper ‘Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS’, Healthwatch England exists to ensure the public’s voice is heard at the national level.
Health Minister, Norman Lamb said:

“I’m pleased to welcome the launch of Healthwatch England today -England’s new national consumer champion for health and care services. 
“We want to put people at the heart of our health and care services and Healthwatch England will play a vital part in these plans. It will make sure that people have a stronger voice and greater influence, through the experiences they share about their care, to drive improvements.”

Chair Anna Bradley said:

“Our job is to argue for what is in the interest of those who use services. Health and social care can be a complex world to understand, however our starting point is simple: it’s about people – their experiences, and needs.
“We will actively seek views from all sections of the community to build a national picture of what matter most to local people and make sure their views and experiences are really listened to, analysed and acted upon. Better health and social care services has to be the result.”

Department of Health

GP trainee placements cut as other specialties fail to recruit

GP trainee placements cut as other specialties fail to recruit: GP trainees are spending less time in general practice because of low recruitment levels in secondary care specialties, experts have warned. GP Online

NHS charges for overseas visitors

NHS charges for overseas visitors: This briefing provides general guidance about the charging regime that applies to overseas visitors using NHS hospital services, and the circumstances where visitors may be exempt from charges.

• Briefing note
• House of Commons Library - publications

Diabetes UK warns of health 'calamity'

Diabetes UK warns of health 'calamity':

Charity calls for government intervention amid fears another 700,000 Britons will be diagnosed with disease by 2020

Fear of litigation 'stopping hospitals admitting mistakes'

Fear of litigation 'stopping hospitals admitting mistakes': Hospitals are failing to come clean over mistakes that result in serious harm to patients, for fear of being sued, research has suggested. The Daily Telegraph

Hip replacement method 'unacceptable' for women

Hip replacement method 'unacceptable' for women: Surgeons should stop carrying out a common type of hip replacement operation on women because of "unacceptably high" failure rates, doctors claim today. The Daily Telegraph

You can find the Lancet article here (requires NHS Athens password).

Breast cancer rates 'up 90pc since 1971'

Breast cancer rates 'up 90pc since 1971': 
Breast cancer rates have increased by 90 per cent in the last four decades, figures suggest. The Independent

More NHS Northamptonshire Healthcare staff lay-offs 'inescapable' - Northampton Chronicle & Echo

More NHS Northamptonshire Healthcare staff lay-offs 'inescapable' - Northampton Chronicle & Echo:

Northampton Chronicle & Echo

More NHS Northamptonshire Healthcare staff lay-offs 'inescapable' Northampton Chronicle & Echo Finance chiefs at Northamptonshire Healthcare's annual general meeting on Friday said it must save money at the rate of five per cent a year up until 2015 at least. After that, finance director Bill McFarland said, the level of cuts “was anyone's guess”. and more »

NGH 'might benefit' in all change scenarios - Northampton Chronicle & Echo

NGH 'might benefit' in all change scenarios - Northampton Chronicle & Echo:

Northampton Chronicle & Echo

NGH 'might benefit' in all change scenarios Northampton Chronicle & Echo The planned shake-up of NHS care could see Northampton General Hospital expand and become a better centre for many types of surgery. Patients have been worried the NGH could be affected negatively by the Healthier Together plans that would concentrate ...

A clinical commissioner’s guide to the voluntary sector

A clinical commissioner’s guide to the voluntary sector: It is the first guide of its kind and it is an important document both for CCGs and for the voluntary and community sector. It explores models for suc­cessful collaboration between commissioners and sector organisations in the new landscape of clinical commis­sioning and developing provider markets.

New virus 'is not easily spread'

New virus 'is not easily spread': A new respiratory illness - from the same family as the Sars virus - appears not to spread easily, experts at the World Health Organization say. BBC News

VIDEO: Alzheimer's patients tracked

VIDEO: Alzheimer's patients tracked: A council in London is trying out a new way of helping people with dementia. BBC News

Implementing the age discrimination ban - briefing for providers and commissioners

Implementing the age discrimination ban - briefing for providers and commissioners: A new briefing details what providers and commissioners of NHS services need to know about the age discrimination ban, which the Government will fully implement on 1 October 2012. NHS Employers

Implementing a ban on age discrimination in the NHS: making effective, appropriate decisions

Implementing a ban on age discrimination in the NHS: making effective, appropriate decisions: From 1 October 2012, it will be unlawful for service providers and commissioners to discriminate, victimise, or harass a person because of age. This briefing gives an overview of the ban on age discrimination.It is specifically aimed at those who plan, commission or provide NHS services, whether in the NHS, voluntary or private sectors.

• Briefing
• Department of Health - publications

Community mental health survey 2012

Community mental health survey 2012: This survey looked at the experiences of people receiving community
mental health services. The majority of participants said that they were
treated with respect and dignity and were listened to carefully, that
they had their views taken into account and had enough time to discuss
their condition and treatment, and that they had trust and confidence in
the health or social care worker they had seen most recently. It was
also found that participants felt the need to be more involved in some
aspects of their care.

• Summary of results
• National comparison tables
• A-Z list of community mental health services survey results by NHS trust
• CQC - publications

NICE to develop further quality standards promoting the integration of health and social care services

NICE to develop further quality standards promoting the integration of health and social care services: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is to develop further integrated health and social care standards after several topic areas were referred to the Institute by the Department of Health.

'Significant risk' for mental health patients in custody - BBC News

'Significant risk' for mental health patients in custody - BBC News:

BBC News

'Significant risk' for mental health patients in custody BBC News A coroner has warned there is a "significant risk" for mental health patients who come into contact with the police when they are in a crisis. Last month an inquest decided officers at Brixton police station used "unsuitable" force in restraining ... and more »

The public must be more involved in how NHS services are run

The public must be more involved in how NHS services are run:

The service needs more transparency, honesty and openness, says the NHS Confederation chief executive
In recent weeks I have attended numerous meetings that used the NHS constitution as a means to describe the health service. For those less familiar with this excellent creed, it includes the statement: "The NHS belongs to the people."

Cross party fears that NHS reforms risk the right to die at home

Cross party fears that NHS reforms risk the right to die at home: Reforms of the health service could mean fewer people are given the right to die in their own homes, a cross-party alliance of MPs, peers and charities has warned. The Daily Telegraph

British workers 'most depressed in Europe'

British workers 'most depressed in Europe': British workers are the most depressed in Europe, according to a report that claims a quarter of employees here have been diagnosed with the affliction. The Daily Telegraph

Cancer costs EU £99bn per year

Cancer costs EU £99bn per year:
Cancer costs European countries 124 billion euros (£99 billion) every year, according to the first estimate of the full economic burden of the disease in the EU. The Independent

NHS 'cover-up' over lost cancer patient records

NHS 'cover-up' over lost cancer patient records:
Britain's largest NHS trust took five months to tell patients it had mislaid medical records for thousands of people waiting for cancer tests and other urgent treatments. Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust discovered in January that a serious computer problem and staff mistakes had played havoc with patient waiting lists. The Independent

Whooping cough jabs to be made available to pregnant women in Northants

Whooping cough jabs to be made available to pregnant women in Northants: Pregnant women in Northamptonshire will be offered whooping cough vaccinations as part of a nationwide drive to protect their newborn babies following a rise in cases and deaths amongst young infants. Northampton Chornicle and Echo

Balancing liberation with accountability?

Balancing liberation with accountability?:How should a multi-billion pound quango be held to account? This is the challenge that faces the Department of Health in setting out a mandate for the NHS Commissioning Board which will take over responsibility for the majority of the NHS budget in April 2013. The Board will be responsible for directly commissioning services worth around £20 billion and for allocating more than £60 billion to more than 200 clinical commissioning groups.

We’re all whistleblowers now

We’re all whistleblowers now: Medicine and nursing are unique amongst professions in their capacity to do significant harm as well and a huge amount of good, and yet the culture of openly acknowledging the harm we do and measuring it to learn from and minimise it is still a long way off, says Dr Phil Hammond. The Health Foundation

VIDEO: Controversy over private NHS practices

VIDEO: Controversy over private NHS practices: The government's health service reforms in England have provoked huge controversy, particularly over the role of private companies. BBC News

Validity of NICE guidance for GPs questioned

Validity of NICE guidance for GPs questioned: Most studies used to develop NICE guidelines for general practice are not applicable to primary care, a UK study has found. GP Online

Peer support for people with long term conditions: guidance from the Mental Health Foundation

Peer support for people with long term conditions: guidance from the Mental Health Foundation: This brief new guidance will be of interest if you are involved in delivering or planning peer support for people with long term conditions. It’s the result of a research project carried out in Scotland during 2010-11, which reported that: Peer support activity for people with long term conditions across Scotland had a positive impact [read the full story...]

Leading the way to the new NHS

Leading the way to the new NHS: The Government is setting up a range of new organisations to run the NHS in future, with at least seven new bodies impacting on the NHS day-to-day. NHS Employers

Primary care for the 21st century: learning from New Zealand's independent practitioner associations (IPAs)

Primary care for the 21st century: learning from New Zealand's independent practitioner associations (IPAs): This report was supplemented by previous research on IPAs, and on an
analysis of documents related to the development, operation and
evaluation of organised general practice. Findings suggest several
lessons for NHS general practice including: the need for CCGs to form
wider networks to secure the active engagement of GPs; the
implementation of genuine independence for GPs ; and the offer of time
and support to allow GP groups to focus more on public health.

• Report
• Related blog
• The Nuffield Trust - publications

Medical appraisal guide pilot

Medical appraisal guide pilot: These five reports summarise the work of the Revalidation Support
Team's testing and piloting project in 2011-12. The project aimed to
inform the implementation of revalidation and to provide information to
inform the Department of Health’s business case for revalidation.

• Testing and piloting 2011-12: a summary of findings and learning
• Medical appraisal guide pilot: pilot results
• Public and Patient Involvement in revalidation
• Doctors in training: a summary of findings
• Colleague and patient feedback study: a summary of findings
• Revalidation Support Team - news

CCG staff numbers vary significantly

CCG staff numbers vary significantly:

A survey of the new clinical commissioning groups has revealed major variations in the number of staff they plan to employ.
The first analysis of the structure of the new groups has shown the number of internal staff and their reliance on independent support services will vary from on CCG to another.
CCGs in total are likely to employ significantly fewer people than the independent commissioning support... Healthcare Today

NHS hospitals urged to copy City takeovers - CITY A.M.

NHS hospitals urged to copy City takeovers - CITY A.M.:

The Guardian

NHS hospitals urged to copy City takeovers CITY A.M. Friday 28th September 2012, 2:21am. JAMES WATERSON. THE NHS should learn from the City takeover process and allow successful health providers to take full control of failing public hospitals, according to research released today by the think tank ... Takeovers of failing hospitals urgedFinancial Times Merging hospitals failed so let private firms take over, urges ex-Blair adviserThe Guardian Struggling hospitals 'should be taken over, not merged'Public Finance Health Service Journal -This is Bristol all 24 news articles »

Whooping cough jab to be offered during pregnancy

Whooping cough jab to be offered during pregnancy: Vaccine now available for women in 28th to 38th week of pregnancy in move to halt surge in baby deaths. All pregnant women will be offered vaccination against whooping cough from Friday in an urgent effort by the government to halt the surge in deaths of small babies.
Ten children from across the UK have died from whooping cough in the first eight months of this year – up from seven in the whole of 2011.

NHS on 'high alert' over reforms hitting patient care

NHS on 'high alert' over reforms hitting patient care: Sir David Nicholson, the NHS chief executive, said the health service is preparing itself in case of problems caused by the coming shake-up. The Daily Telegraph

NHS performing well but worries over tougher times ahead

NHS performing well but worries over tougher times ahead: NHS performance is continuing to hold up well, but there is concern that quality of care may suffer as financial pressures bite from next year, according to the latest quarterly monitoring report on NHS performance published by The King’s Fund.

Patient receiving treatment for novel coronavirus

Patient receiving treatment for novel coronavirus: The Department of Health has issued an alert to advise of a case of a novel coronavirus in a patient receiving treatment in a London hospital.
On 22 September 2012 a novel coronavirus was identified in lower respiratory tract specimens of a previously well, adult male Qatari national receiving treatment for a severe respiratory illness in London.
Please see the full alert from the Department of Health

NHS 'could get worse from 2013'

NHS 'could get worse from 2013': Fresh concerns are being raised about the NHS's ability to cope without front line cuts, with finance chiefs saying 2013 could be a turning point. BBC News

'Serious failure' over lost data

'Serious failure' over lost data: A review into why one of the UK's biggest NHS trusts, Imperial College Healthcare in London, lost data about patients has blamed "a serious management failure". BBC News

VIDEO: How NHS changes will affect GPs

VIDEO: How NHS changes will affect GPs: In sweeping NHS changes, GPs are being asked to group together, form a constitution for their area, and manage not just the care, but the budget for their community. BBC News

NHS staff seasonal flu campaign 2012/13 begins!

NHS staff seasonal flu campaign 2012/13 begins!: The NHS flu fighter campaign aims to continue boost in number of frontline staff receiving vaccinations NHS Employers

Childhood obesity has been underestimated

Childhood obesity has been underestimated: A review of studies has raised new concerns about childhood obesity.
The work by researchers at Oxford University suggests that children who are obese may have an even higher risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other weight-related diseases later in life than had earlier been thought.
Experts now fear that earlier studies may have underestimated the effect of obesity during childhood and adolescence o... Healthcare Today

Doctors accused of lacking compassion in survey of patients

Doctors accused of lacking compassion in survey of patients: Patients Association findings reveal growing concerns about attitudes and actions of GPs

Patients daren't complain about bad GPs

Patients daren't complain about bad GPs: Patients treated badly by their GPs are not complaining over fear of being banned from their local surgery, a report says. The Daily Telegraph

Social care services 'at risk'

Social care services 'at risk': Budget cuts of up to £85m would put severe pressure on Northamptonshire's adult and children's social care services, a report finds. BBC Northamptonshire

A mounting case for change, but will it drive change in a 'liberated NHS'?

A mounting case for change, but will it drive change in a 'liberated NHS'?: Less than two weeks ago, we said that the current health and social care system is not fit to meet current and future demands and requires radical reform.

Now the publication from the Royal College of Physicians, Hospitals on the edge? Time for action, – and hot on its heels, The state of medical education and practice in the UK, from the General Medical Council – provide further compelling evidence for the need for change. In essence both these reports describe a fundamental misalignment of the medical workforce, and the way in which care is organised, with the needs of the patients. The RCP report in particular makes salutary reading.

Dental mouth cancer checks urged

Dental mouth cancer checks urged: More dentists need to be checking their patients for mouth cancer, say experts. BBC News

Incapacity benefits appeals heap unpaid work upon GPs

Incapacity benefits appeals heap unpaid work upon GPs: Practices have faced a huge surge in unfunded work in the past 18 months as thousands of patients ask for help with benefits appeals, GP leaders say. GP Online

CCGs plan to limit private sector role

CCGs plan to limit private sector role: Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are planning to add clauses to their constitutions to limit the role of private providers, GP can reveal. GP Online

Care and support at home

Care and support at home: The Good Governance Institute has published a report into out of hospital care. 'Care and support at home: an audit of telecare services in England' examines how care services in the future need to be developed. It provides a number of recommendations aimed at Government and local authority officials about how telecare services and user outcomes can be improved. It is targeted at policy-makers, local authority councillors with an interest in adult social care, local authority directors of adult social services, and health and wellbeing board members. Its purpose is to encourage decision-makers to understand the current provision of telecare services in England and how services can be improved for the future.

Report: http://www.good-governance.org.uk/Product%20Menus/audit-of-telecare-services-in-england.htm 

Good Governance Institute

Atlas of Variation in healthcare for people with respiratory disease

Atlas of Variation in healthcare for people with respiratory disease: Right Care has produced a new themed Atlas which highlights variation in care for people with respiratory disease. The indicators presented in this document underline the substantial scope clinicians and commissioners have to improve outcomes by ensuring that all patients receive the quality of care that is delivered in the best-performing localities.

GMC trialling new system to improve how complaints against doctors are investigated

GMC trialling new system to improve how complaints against doctors are investigated: A new system to improve how complaints against doctors are investigated is to be trialled by the General Medical Council (GMC), it was announced today.

More support needed for smokeless tobacco cessation in South Asian communities, says new NICE guidance

More support needed for smokeless tobacco cessation in South Asian communities, says new NICE guidance: NICE has published final guidance on providing support for people in South Asian communities on stopping the use of  smokeless tobacco products, such as Paan, Gutka, Shupari, and Betel Quid.  Contrary to perceptions that these types of products are healthy or beneficial, they are in fact associated with serious health problems such as oral cancer, serious dental problems, heart attack and stroke, and problems in pregnancy.

New 'SARS-like' virus detected

New 'SARS-like' virus detected:

A new “SARS-like” virus has been detected in the UK, according to widespread media reports. The headlines are based on press releases from the UK’s Health Protection Agency (HPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Coroners make record number of recommendations to NHS

Coroners make record number of recommendations to NHS: Coroners have issued a record numbers of recommendations to hospitals in order to prevent future patient deaths. The Daily Telegraph

Nurse and midwife total falls by 6,000

Nurse and midwife total falls by 6,000: The number of nurses and midwives working in the NHS has fallen by almost 6,000 in two years, figures show. The Independent

Cardiologist struck off for molesting young boys

Cardiologist struck off for molesting young boys:
An internationally renowned former Great Ormond Street cardiologist has been struck off the medical register after he was found guilty of molesting young boys. The Independent

New features to be added to mental health report following successful consultation

New features to be added to mental health report following successful consultation: The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) is to further enhance one of its biggest annual mental health reports following a successful con... NHS Information Centre

NHS meeting to discuss plans for the future

NHS meeting to discuss plans for the future: A county NHS service will discuss its plans for the future at a public meeting this week. Evening Telegraph

Consultation on ambulance stations in Northamptonshire

Consultation on ambulance stations in Northamptonshire: People in Northamptonshire are being urged to have their say on the possible closure of ambulance stations. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Patients value care over longer hospital journeys

Patients value care over longer hospital journeys: Most patients who have studied NHS proposals to move obstetrics and emergency surgery services around the region, ranked journey times as the least important factor. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Patient-level costing: can it yield efficiency savings?

Patient-level costing: can it yield efficiency savings?: The report examines in depth the experience of one NHS trust with a patient-level information and costing system. These computerised information systems were introduced in the NHS in the mid-2000s, and are currently used in many other countries. NHS Networks

How threatening is the new coronavirus?

How threatening is the new coronavirus?: How worried should we be by new Sars-like bug? BBC News

'Convenience should not compromise confidentiality'

'Convenience should not compromise confidentiality': Medical Protection Society (MPS) raises concerns over the use of tablet computers for patient data Public Service

NHS rationing 'forcing patients to go private'

NHS rationing 'forcing patients to go private': More patients are going private because the NHS is increasingly cutting back on providing a range of treatments. The Daily Telegraph

Eye clinics 'can't cope with demand' for sight-saving drugs

Eye clinics 'can't cope with demand' for sight-saving drugs: Elderly patients with a common eye condition are needlessly losing their sight because doctors are not treating them in time, campaigners have warned. The Daily Telegraph

Cancer deaths 'to fall 17% by 2030'

Cancer deaths 'to fall 17% by 2030':
Cancer death rates in the UK are set to fall by almost 17 per cent by 2030, experts predict. The Independent

County consultation on health and well-being

County consultation on health and well-being: Residents are being urged to have their say on what health and well-being means to them as part of a public consultation launched this week. Evening Telegraph

NHS Northamptonshire failing heart, stroke and kidney failure patients

NHS Northamptonshire failing heart, stroke and kidney failure patients: Diabetes, heart stroke and kidney failure patients are being failed by a lack of important health checks being carried out by NHS Northamptonshire according to a new report from Diabetes UK. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Guidance published on sharing information to tackle violence

Guidance published on sharing information to tackle violence:
This Guidance highlights how Community Safety Partnerships  (CSPs) made up of local authorities, the Police and other local agencies can reduce violence in their community by encouraging A&Es to collect and share information on time, type and location of assault, as part of the Government’s commitment to deliver on Information Sharing to Tackle Violence.
Information can be anonymised, aggregated and shared with local CSPs to identify where violence is happening and inform local interventions to tackle it. Interventions such as restricting alcohol licensing and targeting policing can have a big impact on community safety.
This guidance should also support CSP partners to understand better ways of engaging with their health partners at a local level.
This guidance includes:

• advice and tools to support CSPs to share information to reduce violence
• advice on data collection, use and feedback
• information on how to engage with health partners effectively
• relevant information on NHS and Public Health reform

Read the guidance on Information Sharing to Tackle Violence Department of Health