Foreign doctors who want to work for NHS 'must have good English'

Foreign doctors who want to work for NHS 'must have good English':
Foreign doctors who want to work for the NHS in England will have to prove they can speak English well enough to treat patients, the Government has confirmed. The Independent

See also

• Foreign doctor language checks 'good news for patient care', says GMC The Daily Telegraph
• European NHS doctors face tougher language checks before practising The Guardian
• Foreign doctors 'must speak English' BBC News
• New GMC language testing powers The GMC

Doctors raise concerns via helpline

Doctors raise concerns via helpline: Figures seen by the BBC show a whistle-blowing helpline set up by the UK's regulator of doctors two months ago has led to 12 investigations into allegations of a "very serious" nature. BBC News

See also:

• Doctor 'unfit to practise', callers warn The Independent
• Doctors' phone line leads to GMC inquiries Healthcare Today

Hospital food schemes 'wasted money'

Hospital food schemes 'wasted money': The government has wasted more than £54m on "failed" schemes to improve hospital food, a Campaign for Better Hospital Food report says. BBC News

See also

• £54m down the pan over 20 years to improve hospital food, report says The Guardian

96 per cent of GPs don't do online records

96 per cent of GPs don't do online records: Many don't even know if their systems would be able to cope, despite a 2015 deadline to provide the option Public Service

Language support: challenges and benefits for users and providers of health and social care services

Language support: challenges and benefits for users and providers of health and social care services: This briefing paper identifies and discusses different approaches to language support in health and social care, by comparing the use of professional and volunteer interpreters. It identifies key implications for policy and practice from both a patient and a provider perspective, and offers an understanding of how interpreting can reduce health inequalities.

• Briefing

Using staff survey data to assist with an organisational response to the Francis report

Using staff survey data to assist with an organisational response to the Francis report: The national NHS staff survey provides a very useful source of data to help identify the scale and nature of any issues in many of the areas identified by the Francis Report. This resource sets out some tips and guidance on analysing local survey results.

• Guidance
• NHS Employers - news

HMRC investigating trusts

HMRC investigating trusts:
The taxman has started to closely examine the tax arrangements of hospital trusts amid moves by some to lawfully avoid paying VAT on outpatient drugs.
It has emerged that at least 30 trusts have brought in private firms to run their outpatient dispensaries and HSJ has identified two foundation trusts - South Warwickshire Foundation Trust and University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust - which have set up who... Healthcare Today

Suggestions that new drug numbers are falling rejected

Suggestions that new drug numbers are falling rejected:
A research team from Birmingham University has refuted suggestions that the number of new medicines available to patients in the UK is declining.
Writing in the BMJ Open journal, they said the number of drugs introduced in recent decades has risen, despite suggestions to the contrary.
They used data in the British National Formulary guide on drugs to look at how many new medicines were added between 197... Healthcare Today

Latest obesity stats for England are alarming

Latest obesity stats for England are alarming: Most of the UK news media is covering the latest official NHS statistics on obesity, physical activity and diet in England.

The data, compiled by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, relates to information gathered during 2011. The statistics paint an alarming picture that reveals that the obesity epidemic in England shows no signs of abating any time soon.

Whittington hospital case shows importance of good communications

Whittington hospital case shows importance of good communications: Healthcare services need to engage the public early over reforms and not wait until others have united against them.
North London's Whittington hospital provides the latest excruciating example of how not manage service reorganisations. By mishandling the communication of plans to replace wards with community facilities it has a rebellion on its hands.

Pioneers from around the world are showing how to improve health care

Pioneers from around the world are showing how to improve health care: After the Mid Staffs disaster, the NHS needs to open itself up to the cutting-edge practices in place elsewhere, says Lord Darzi The Daily Telegraph

NHS must operate seven days a week in order to be 'compassionate' Sir Bruce Keogh has said

NHS must operate seven days a week in order to be 'compassionate' Sir Bruce Keogh has said: The NHS must provide routine services seven days a week in order to be 'patient centred, compassionate and convenient', Sir Bruce Keogh, the medical director, has said. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Top consultant warns against routine surgery at weekends The Independent
• NHS chief wants consultants to embrace seven-day working The Guardian

GP receptionists do not deserve their 'dragon' reputation: researchers

GP receptionists do not deserve their 'dragon' reputation: researchers: Patients are really to blame for GP receptionists having a grumpy reputation as they have to deal with people trying to play the system and are forced to make snap clinical decisions, researchers said. The Daily Telegraph

NHS spent £15m gaging whistleblowers

NHS spent £15m gaging whistleblowers: Pressure increases on Sir David Nicholson to resign after it emerges £15m has been spent on gagging hundreds of whistleblowers. The Daily Telegraph

Monitor sets out its guidance on costing to get the right price for NHS services

Monitor sets out its guidance on costing to get the right price for NHS services: Monitor moves a step closer to improving the pricing of NHS-funded services today by issuing guidance to providers about how to allocate the cost of their services to individual patients.

James Paget names new chief exec

James Paget names new chief exec: James Paget University Hospital names Christine Allen, currently at Northampton General Hospital, as its new chief executive. BBC Northamptonshire

Child poverty rates show stark contrast across Northamptonshire

Child poverty rates show stark contrast across Northamptonshire: A study showing the number of children across Britain who are classed as living in poverty has highlighted a stark contrast across Northamptonshire. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS leaders of the future: more like Thatcher or Nyborg?

NHS leaders of the future: more like Thatcher or Nyborg?: Aficionados of Borgen like me will have to contain their excitement as they wait for the third and final series of the Danish political drama to be broadcast on British TV. In the meantime, I have been reflecting on the lessons the series holds for NHS leaders.

Government pledge to reduce child mortality

Government pledge to reduce child mortality: The new pledge – part of the government’s response to the Children and Young People’s Health Outcomes Forum – is about making drastic improvements to the health of children and young people.
The government is asking the NHS, Royal Colleges and local government to sign up to the pledge. Department of Health

Ensuring an open NHS culture

Ensuring an open NHS culture: The Secretary of State for Health has written to chairs of all NHS trusts to remind them of the importance of ensuring an open culture within the NHS. His letter is on the back of Robert Francis’s report into failings at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, and recent media coverage about staff being able to raise concerns about patient safety.
Read the letter ensuring an open NHS culture (PDF 40Kb) Department of Heath 

VIDEO: Dementia: Pioneering city of Bruges

VIDEO: Dementia: Pioneering city of Bruges: Bruges is recognised as a pioneering city in how it deals with dementia. BBC News

Supporting you to benefit from e-learning

Supporting you to benefit from e-learning: Electronic learning (or e-learning) is an efficient and effective way of keeping staff skills up to date. Find out about how others have developed e-learning, and access tools that NHS Employers has developed for healthcare professionals. NHS Employers

HIV outpatient pathway updated guidance

HIV outpatient pathway updated guidance: Newly updated guidance is now available to support the implementation of the mandatory adult HIV outpatient and Payment by Results currency.

• HIV outpatients - a simple guide
• HIV outpatient clinical care pathway
• HIV currency general fact sheet
• HIV adult outpatient pathway clinical fact sheet 
• Department of Health - news

An integrated approach to asthma services is vital, says NICE in new quality standard

An integrated approach to asthma services is vital, says NICE in new quality standard: NICE has today (21 February) published a new quality standard on the diagnosis and treatment of asthma in adults, young people and children aged 12 months and older.

Real-time feedback from new app

Real-time feedback from new app: An app which allows patients to give feedback in real-time has been launched by Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
It will enable children, young people and their families to send comments directly to a ward with the click of a button with the anonymous message going straight to the manager in charge. A message is sent to the patient’s phone saying what action has been taken. The hospital tr... Healthcare Today

Cuts won't save healthcare – staff will

Cuts won't save healthcare – staff will: Reducing staff numbers will damage performance. Healthcare providers must find ways to utilise workers in a smarter, more efficient way.

Should one man take the blame for Mid Staffs?

Should one man take the blame for Mid Staffs?: Calls for the resignation of Sir David Nicholson, the NHS boss, raise questions about how we are governed, argues Sue Cameron The Daily Telegraph

Obesity-related hospital admissions increase in England, new report shows

Obesity-related hospital admissions increase in England, new report shows: February 20, 2013: Female admissions almost triple the number of male admissions NHS Information centre

See also:

• Three in five people are overweight The Independent
• Only one in three men 'a healthy weight' The Daily Telegraph
• Number of people hospitalised because of weight triples in five years The Guardian
• One in ten school-starters is obese, a figure that doubles by senior school The Daily Mail

Government drills cash into NHS dentistry in Northamptonshire

Government drills cash into NHS dentistry in Northamptonshire: The Department of Health today announced a multi-million boost for NHS dentists in Northamptonshire.  Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Northampton General Hospital consistently full in January - Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Northampton General Hospital consistently full in January - Northampton Chronicle & Echo:

Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Northampton General Hospital consistently full in January Northampton Chronicle & Echo A spokeswoman for NGH said: “Like many other hospitals in the country NGH saw record numbers of patients attending at our A&E department during January, many of whom required admission to hospital. “At all times patient safety remains paramount. and more »

Personal health budgets DVD now available to professionals

Personal health budgets DVD now available to professionals:  “Three years on: Stories from the pilot programme”, a DVD of patient and clinician experiences with personal health budgets, is now available to health and social care professionals.
Seven patients, in the final year of the personal health budgets pilot programme, share their experiences, what the process is like, what they spend their money on and how they decided on this. The films include the perspectives of their family, carers and health care professionals, as well as a film specifically for health care professionals – interviews with GPs, nurses and a range of practitioners.
The DVD includes an introduction by Minister of State for Care Services Norman Lamb who launched the DVD, part of a good practice toolkit for healthcare professionals, when the government announced the national rollout of personal health budgets.
The films aim to illustrate the kind of choices people can make if they have a personal health budget, and the positive impact it can have on their health and lives. The DVD could be used in professional education and training in the NHS and social care, or to give to patients who are considering a personal health budget.
Order the DVD (available to the NHS and local government) and see the films from the DVD, and other personal health budget stories on film and in PDF. Department of Health

Patient feedback revolutionised at Birmingham Children's Hospital

Patient feedback revolutionised at Birmingham Children's Hospital: Feedback will be dealt with in real time and delivered directly to hospital wards from patients and their families via a new app Public Service

Military amputees to get 'bionic legs'

Military amputees to get 'bionic legs':

Government sets aside £6.5m for micro-processor limbs for military wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan Related items from OnMedica New help for traumatised combat veterans NHS failing in care of limbless military veterans GPs offered help to support veterans Improved care announced for war veterans

NHS ill-prepared to cope with obese patients

NHS ill-prepared to cope with obese patients:  Obese patients often require specialist equipment and more staff, say physiotherapists who warn of impact of obesity on NHS.

Health service to fund IVF for the over-40s

Health service to fund IVF for the over-40s:  Fertility treatment for all couples to be speeded up in NHS overhaul.
Women over the age of 40 are to be allowed fertility treatment on the NHS for the first time and all couples who are struggling to conceive and qualify for IVF should get it sooner, according to national treatment guidelines published on Wednesday.

Mortality rate three times as high among mental health service users than in general population

Mortality rate three times as high among mental health service users than in general population: February 19, 2013: Mortality among mental health service users aged 19 and over in England was 3.6 times the rate of the general population in 2010/11, new Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) figures show.

Update on family cluster of novel coronavirus infection in the UK

Update on family cluster of novel coronavirus infection in the UK: The Health Protection Agency (HPA) continues its investigations into a family cluster of novel coronavirus infections in the UK. Three members of the same family have all tested positive for novel coronavirus. Two of these had no history of recent travel suggesting that transmission has occurred in the UK.

NHS delays mean another operation for Cohen

NHS delays mean another operation for Cohen: A schoolboy from Northampton faces another gruelling operation after delays in NHS treatment meant a special hole he needs in his abdomen healed over. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Safer mental health services toolkit

Safer mental health services toolkit: Based on the findings of the national confidential inquiry into suicide and homicide by people with mental illness, this toolkit provides suggestions for best practice on the practical steps health professionals and managers can take to help improve service safety and reduce risk. Centre for Mental Health and Risk

Infection prevention and control in care homes: information resource published

Infection prevention and control in care homes: information resource published: An information resource and summary for care workers on the prevention and control of infection in care homes has been published.

NHS information service for parents reaches 100,000 signups

NHS information service for parents reaches 100,000 signups: More than 100,000 people have already signed up to receive online advice about looking after their baby – and a quarter of these are fathers.

Nursing and Midwifery Council hit with £150k data breach fine

Nursing and Midwifery Council hit with £150k data breach fine: The loss of three DVDs containing evidence from vulnerable children has led to a breach of the Data Protection Act Public Service

Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy service: fifth annual report

Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy service: fifth annual report: This annual report provides statistical information on the continued increase in referrals to this statutory advocacy service and makes recommends to clinical commissioning groups and local authorities about its use for those who lack capacity. It also provides an overview on the service over the past five years.

• Report
• Department of Health - news

Measuring up: the medical profession's prescription for the national obesity crisis

Measuring up: the medical profession's prescription for the national obesity crisis: This report sets out recommendations from a range of medical professions - from surgeons to psychiatrists to paediatricians to GPs -
on tackling the obesity crisis in the UK. The recommendations include food-based standards to be made mandatory for hospitals; £300m over the next three years to be spent on increasing the provision of weight
management services; and a duty on sugary soft drinks.

• Report
• AoMRC - news

Unsafe sex linked to rise in HIV rates in gay men

Unsafe sex linked to rise in HIV rates in gay men: "The number of gay and bisexual men contracting HIV rose…because of an increase in numbers having unprotected sex," The Guardian reports.

The story is based on a study that used UK data on HIV and sexual risk behaviour among men who have sex with men (MSM). The data was used to build computer models to estimate the impact of various factors on HIV rates since the 1980s.

Ministers pledge to reduce child mortality

Ministers pledge to reduce child mortality: UK figures now among the worst in Europe as regional variations in quality of care for young people are branded 'unacceptable'
A new national pledge to reduce child deaths is to be announced by the government.

Why is the NHS still using snail-mail?

Why is the NHS still using snail-mail?: Email between patients and doctors would be cheaper and quicker, so why isn't it being used, asks the Patient from Hell.

NHS still obsessed with waiting time targets, says ex-A&E tsar

NHS still obsessed with waiting time targets, says ex-A&E tsar: Hospital waiting time targets are still being "pushed very heavily" despite the Health Secretary's promise to scrap them and focus on better patient care, a former Government adviser has said. The Daily Telegraph

Coronavirus cases may be 'tip of the iceberg'

Coronavirus cases may be 'tip of the iceberg': The deadly new coronavirus replicates faster than SARS and the four British cases so far may be the tip of the iceberg, scientists have warned. The Daily Telegraph

Difficulty making an appointment the number one reason people might delay seeing GP

Difficulty making an appointment the number one reason people might delay seeing GP: More than a third of people in Britain might delay seeing a doctor over symptoms they think could be serious because of difficulty making an appointment, a study has revealed. The Independent

Helpers back Northamptonshire scheme to search for missing dementia patients

Helpers back Northamptonshire scheme to search for missing dementia patients: More than 260 volunteers have already signed up to a Northamptonshire scheme to search for missing dementia patients. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Figures show 25 per cent rise in domestic abuse

Figures show 25 per cent rise in domestic abuse: Reports of domestic abuse across Northamptonshire have increase by a quarter over the last five years, the latest Government figures have revealed. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Liverpool Care Pathway independent review: Public call for evidence launched

Liverpool Care Pathway independent review: Public call for evidence launched:
Members of the public were today invited to share their experiences of the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP), both good and bad, as part of an independent review being chaired by Baroness Julia Neuberger.

Hunt warns over defensive NHS bosses

Hunt warns over defensive NHS bosses: Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt writes to every NHS trust in England warning them against a culture that is "defensive" in dealing with whistleblowers. BBC News

See also:

• Jeremy Hunt: gagging order for NHS whistleblower unacceptable The Daily Telegraph
• Senior MP calls on NHS not to prosecute whistleblower over gagging order The Daily Telegraph
• Whistleblowing laws to be overhauled as new claims emerge over NHS trust The Guardian

Fall in condom use behind HIV rise

Fall in condom use behind HIV rise: A fall in the proportion of gay and bisexual men using condoms is behind the rise in HIV infections in those groups in the UK, say researchers. BBC News

Resurrecting public trust in management is a must, but we are in difficult territory, says Jo Webber

Resurrecting public trust in management is a must, but we are in difficult territory, says Jo Webber: The inquiry into failings at Mid Staffordshire Hospital has finally reported. But what might it mean for management within the NHS? We know that some sort of enhanced managerial accountability is on its way. The Secretary of State, Jeremy Hunt, wants to consider a range of options, and our discussion paper and consultation on the … Continue reading » NHS Voices

Public Health England’s organisational structure and National Executive

Public Health England’s organisational structure and National Executive: Public Health England (PHE) has finalised its organisational structure in advance of taking on its full range of responsibilities on the 1st April.  Appointments to the PHE National Executive have also now been completed.

• Organisational structure
• National Executive
• Department of Health - news

What next for the NHS after the Mid Staffs scandal?

What next for the NHS after the Mid Staffs scandal?:

We round up readers' thoughts on the direction of the NHS after the Francis report, following an online live discussion

Think every hospital should survive? You need to see a doctor | Catherine Benett

Think every hospital should survive? You need to see a doctor | Catherine Benett: It is wrongheaded for MPs to claim that their local health establishments are a credit to their communities.

Dozens of hospitals too full to take new patients

Dozens of hospitals too full to take new patients: A third of England's hospitals have been completely full at some point this year, official figures have revealed. The Daily Telegraph

Number of full-time unpaid carers hits 1m in England and Wales

Number of full-time unpaid carers hits 1m in England and Wales:
A “growing army” of more than one million people spend more than 50 hours a week providing free care for family or loved ones. The Independent

Disabled face 'funding black hole'

Disabled face 'funding black hole': Leading charities say disabled adults are in danger of being forgotten in the social care debate after the Health Secretary's statement last week failed to allay their fears of a £1.2bn deficit in disability funding. The Independent

'The greatest public health crisis affecting the UK': Doctors demand curbs on fizzy drinks and fast food

'The greatest public health crisis affecting the UK': Doctors demand curbs on fizzy drinks and fast food:
Fizzy drinks should be taxed, fast food outlets near schools limited and new parents given specific advice on how to feed their children properly to help tackle spiralling levels of obesity, an influential medical group has demanded. The Independent

Hospital choices to be taken locally

Hospital choices to be taken locally: A group examining the future of five hospitals says decisions will now be made at local level. BBC Northamptonshire

Extra funding for NHS dentists announced

Extra funding for NHS dentists announced: The Department of Health is today announcing £30 million funding for NHS dentists. Dental practices can use the extra funds to put on extra clinics, attract new patients or buy in new services such as orthodontics.
Dental surgeries have been applying to the local NHS to access the extra funds which will allow them to take on new patients and fund extra clinics.
This is the second year the Government has made extra dental funding available. This will allow more patients to register with a dentist and get their oral health checked.
Read our press release 30 million reasons to smile this Valentine’s Day Department of Health

Telehealth benefits realised

Telehealth benefits realised: A Yorkshire project proves the cost benefits of telehealth, says a report on the scheme by think-tank 2020health. E-Health Insider

Lessons from Europe: provider governance

Lessons from Europe: provider governance: This Briefing outlines key insights from a 'Lessons from Europe' seminar that examined the impact of recent reforms in hospital governance in Spain and the Netherlands. NHS Confederation

How the NHS locks away its secrets - BBC News

How the NHS locks away its secrets - BBC News:

BBC News

How the NHS locks away its secrets BBC News On setting up the NHS, its founder Nye Bevan is reported to have said if a bedpan was dropped on a ward of a hospital, the noise would reverberate all the way to the corridors of power in Westminster. That may be so, but the level of control and ... NHS whistleblower speaks outITV News NHS boss 'not interested in safety'Express.co.uk NHS must not 'gag' nurses who raise safety concerns, says whistleblowerNursing Times RT -The Times (subscription) -Wall Street Journal all 41 news articles »

NHS whistleblower faces ruin after speaking out about patient safety

NHS whistleblower faces ruin after speaking out about patient safety: An NHS whistleblower who claims he was paid £500,000 to keep quiet over patient safety last night said he feared he would "lose everything" by speaking out against the "culture of fear" in the health service. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• MPs ask former hospital trust boss to back up allegations against NHS chiefs The Guardian
• Victimised for blowing whistle on NHS chiefs: Man who defied gagging order faces ruin The Daily Mail
• NHS 'gagging' compromises patient care Public Service
• AUDIO: Former NHS manager breaks gag order BBC News

Patients at risk from junior doctors working 100 hour weeks: GMC

Patients at risk from junior doctors working 100 hour weeks: GMC: Patients are being put at risk by exhausted junior doctors working 100 hours a week, the General Medical Council has warned, because the European rules on working hours are not working. The Daily Telegraph

See also

• Trainees still working nearly 100 hours a week OnMedica

The NHS: we can make it better

The NHS: we can make it better: Improving NHS hospitals means enforcing a culture of accountability - as the best do already, says Nick Seddon The Daily Telegraph

A&E departments so short-staffed four in 10 doctors are locums, warns report

A&E departments so short-staffed four in 10 doctors are locums, warns report: Accident and emergency departments are so short staffed that at some hospitals four in 10 doctors are locums, a report has warned. The Daily Telegraph

GMC investigates senior Department of Health manager over claims she put targets ahead of patient safety

GMC investigates senior Department of Health manager over claims she put targets ahead of patient safety:
A senior Department of Health manager is under investigation by the General Medical Council over allegations that she ordered a hospital trust to hit its waiting list targets “whatever the demand.” The Independent

See also

• Senior NHS official 'should be suspended' over whistleblower's claims The Daily Telegraph

Monitor publishes new provider licence

Monitor publishes new provider licence: Monitor today signals a new approach to regulation of the healthcare sector with the publication of its standard licence conditions.

Outlook for NHS and social care pessimistic as financial squeeze bites

Outlook for NHS and social care pessimistic as financial squeeze bites: Pessimism is growing in the NHS and social care as local leaders respond to mounting financial pressures, according to the latest quarterly monitoring report on service performance published by The King's Fund.

The Francis report - reflections from abroad

The Francis report - reflections from abroad: Norway has no tradition of public inquiries into healthcare, says Morten Pytte, and so he's been following the coverage around the final report of the Francis Inquiry with interest.   The Health Foundation

Call to ban gluten-free food on NHS

Call to ban gluten-free food on NHS: A medical journal is calling for prescriptions of gluten-free food to be scrapped as they are costly and outdated. BBC News

'Safety concern gag' on NHS chief

'Safety concern gag' on NHS chief: Health service manager Gary Walker claims he was gagged by the NHS from speaking out about his dismissal and his concerns over patient safety. BBC News

See also:

• Head of NHS ignored warnings that patients were in danger, alleges whistleblower The Daily Telegraph
• NHS whistleblower claims he was forced to quit then gagged The Guardian

CSUs to spend £670m a year on IT

CSUs to spend £670m a year: The commissioning support units that will come into being on 1 April will spend around £700m a year on IT and other support services, according to a new report from EHI Intelligence.
E-Health Insider

Foreign patients ‘lucrative source of NHS income’

Foreign patients ‘lucrative source of NHS income’:

More UK residents seek treatment abroad than vice versa Related items from OnMedica Cosmetic tourism is burdening the NHS Tough new sanctions to combat ‘health tourism’ Action needed to curb global smoking NHS finances in dire straits warn health leaders

Carers to lose benefits

Carers to lose benefits: New regulations could see thousands of carers in England, Wales and Scotland losing out on benefits.
Changes to disability-claim rules will mean about 5,000 carers who now receive an allowance of £58.45 a week will no longer get the benefit when personal independence payments replace the disability living allowance from April. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says the changes are necessary and that 20,... Healthcare Today

Women's lung cancer death rates set to rise

Women's lung cancer death rates set to rise: The news that lung cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in British women is being widely reported by the media. The stories are based on well conducted research that predicts cancer deaths in 2013.

Prince's charity lobbied government to water down homeopathy criticism

Prince's charity lobbied government to water down homeopathy criticism: Foundation for Integrated Medicine persuaded officials to neuter advice about homeopathy on the NHS Choices patient website
Draft guidance for the website NHS Choices warning that there is no evidence that homeopathy works was suppressed by officials following lobbying by a charity set up by the Prince of Wales.

Sars-like coronavirus appears to have spread person-to-person within the UK

Sars-like coronavirus appears to have spread person-to-person within the UK:
Health experts have confirmed that a Sars-like virus appears to have spread from one person to another within the UK. The Independent

See also

• Further UK case of novel coronavirus The Health Protection Agency
• Sars-like virus 'spreads in people': BBC News

Third of NHS finance directors think quality of care is declining

Third of NHS finance directors think quality of care is declining: Findings of survey for King's Fund prompt fresh concern about how hospitals look after patients
Fears are growing in the NHS that quality of care experienced by patients is falling as the service struggles to cope with rising demand for treatment and tight budgets, a new survey reveals.

Elderly warned of growing isolation as face-to-face care cut

Elderly warned of growing isolation as face-to-face care cut: ELDERLY people dependent on help in their homes are facing growing isolation after social services chiefs admitted they are planning to cut face-to-face care. The Daily Telegraph

Half of Britons don't expect high quality care from NHS in old age, survey finds

Half of Britons don't expect high quality care from NHS in old age, survey finds: Half of people in Britain do not expect to receive high-quality care from the NHS in their dying days, according to a survey. The Daily Telegraph

One million patients waiting too long in A&E, report suggests

One million patients waiting too long in A&E, report suggests: The number of patients forced to wait more than four hours in Accident and Emergency wards is at its highest in ten years. The Daily Telegraph

See also

• A&E waits 'highest for a decade' BBC News

Hospital outpatients: Men in their 20s fail to attend one in six appointments

Hospital outpatients: Men in their 20s fail to attend one in six appointments: Men in their 20s miss considerably more outpatient appointments compared to women of the same age, Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) figures show. NHS Information Centre

New help group aims to protect women at risk of GMU

New help group aims to protect women at risk of GMU: A new Northamptonshire group which aims to protect women at risk of genital mutilation is appealing for volunteers to help. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

DH website to move to GOV.UK in March 2013

DH website to move to GOV.UK in March 2013:
The Department of Health website will move to the new single website for government in March 2013.
GOV.UK is the new single website for UK Government. In October 2012 it brought together government  information and guidance from Directgov and Business Link into one place.
GOV.UK will also replace all UK central government department websites. Some departments can already be found in the ‘Inside Government’ section of GOV.UK. Information from the Department of Health will be found there from Tuesday 26 March.

Elderly 'suffer from poor home care'

Elderly 'suffer from poor home care': A quarter of home-care services provided to the elderly in England are failing to meet quality and safety standards, inspectors say. BBC News

Thousands of carers to lose benefits

Thousands of carers to lose benefits: Thousands of carers are set to lose benefits when new disability claim rules begin in April. BBC News

TB emerging in increasingly drug-resistant forms, experts warn

TB emerging in increasingly drug-resistant forms, experts warn:

TB – ‘the most successful human pathogen of all time’ Related items from OnMedica TB drug resistance is growing around the world Hopes raised by TB drug cocktail TB toolkit for commissioners GPs warned to consider TB in pregnancy Countries must work together to tackle disease security threat

Big picture challenges for health and social care: implications for workforce planning, education, training and development

Big picture challenges for health and social care: implications for workforce planning, education, training and development: This report uses the five domains of the Education Outcomes Framework (EOF) as a template to put forward questions to encourage readers to consider how Health Education England (HEE) and partners could help to address the challenges facing health, social care and public health as well as to draw out their workforce implications. The aim of this work is to create reports which will stimulate thinking in the sector and
demonstrate the need for change in the context of the whole workforce.

• Report
• Infographics
• CfWI - publications

Local tobacco control profiles for England

Local tobacco control profiles for England: These profiles provides a snapshot of the extent of tobacco use,
tobacco related harm, and measures being taken to reduce this harm at a local level. They are designed to help local government and health services to assess the effect of tobacco use on their local populations. They aim to inform commissioning and planning decisions to tackle tobacco use and improve the health of local communities.

•  Profiles

Want to save NHS money? Start with more effective data

Want to save NHS money? Start with more effective data: Rather than ration care or urge staff to work harder, the NHS could make huge savings by using its existing information.

Jeremy Hunt plans reforms to tackle NHS regulatory 'madness'

Jeremy Hunt plans reforms to tackle NHS regulatory 'madness': Health secretary says he wants to avoid 'elephant trap' of more regulation in wake of Francis report on Stafford scandal
The health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, raised the prospect of hospital super-heads and a new chief inspector of family doctors, in his first public response to the Francis report on hundreds of needless deaths at Stafford hospital.

Mid Staffs comment: This is why the NHS must defend its whistleblowers

Mid Staffs comment: This is why the NHS must defend its whistleblowers: The Mid Staffs scandal shows the NHS needs staff who are prepared to blow the whistle more than ever, says Stephen Barclay MP. The Daily Telegraph

Lung cancer overtakes breast cancer as most deadly form of disease among UK women

Lung cancer overtakes breast cancer as most deadly form of disease among UK women: Deaths from lung cancer have overtaken deaths from breast cancer as it becomes the most lethal form of the disease among British women, new research has shown. The Daily Telegraph