Ministers 'ploughing on regardless' with GP contract reform

Ministers 'ploughing on regardless' with GP contract reform: Ministers have been accused of risking the care of patients by "ploughing on ahead" with reforms to the GP contract, regardless of grassroot concerns. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Consultation on GP contract 2013/14: government response

Gagged NHS whistleblowers will be allowed to speak out, Sir David Nicholson says

Gagged NHS whistleblowers will be allowed to speak out, Sir David Nicholson says: Hundreds of whistleblowers are free to come forward with damaging disclosures about NHS after gagging orders were lifted. The Daily Telegraph

Hip fracture patients suffering 'indefensible postcode lottery'

Hip fracture patients suffering 'indefensible postcode lottery': Hip fracture patients across Britain are suffering an "indefensible" postcode lottery of care, according to a report that shows a threefold difference in average length of hospital stay. The Daily Telegraph

Former chief nurse at scandal-hit Stafford Hospital failed to ensure adequate staff levels, hearing told

Former chief nurse at scandal-hit Stafford Hospital failed to ensure adequate staff levels, hearing told:
A former chief nurse at scandal-hit Stafford Hospital was a "bully" who intimidated staff and "wholly failed" in her management responsibilities in areas such as ensuring adequate staffing levels, a disciplinary hearing has been told. The Independent

First GP appointment booking app

First GP appointment booking app: First GP appointment booking app:
The Patient Access Mobile app from Patient.co.uk will also enable patients to order repeat prescriptions, securely message their practice and update personal details such as change of address.

Patient.co.uk is owned and operated by EMIS – a supplier of healthcare software and related services to GP practices. The EMIS system enables the app to connect directly with practices.
The app is one of the first to feature in the NHS Commissioning Board’s new Health Apps Library - a collection of recommended online tools designed to improve the health and wellbeing of the nation. NHS Networks

New technology to improve children’s mental health services

New technology to improve children’s mental health services: New technology to improve children’s mental health services:
Norman Lamb, Care and Support Minister announced £2million today for new handheld computers to boost children’s mental health services.
Children and young people will be able to use tablet computers in their therapy sessions to give them and their therapist instant access to information that details how close they are to achieving treatment goals.
Care and Support Minister, Norman Lamb said:

 “Acting early to help children with mental health problems can prevent a lifetime of suffering as half of those with lifelong mental health problems first experience symptoms before the age of 14.
“This technology helps children and young people see how their treatment is progressing. Where treatment is not going as well as it could, practitioners can then change their approach to get the best results.
“Children and young people have told us how much it helps them to see how their treatment is going and these new devices do just that.”

The new devices will be rolled out to 42 sites across England.
Therapists can also use the handheld computers to record sessions so that their supervisors and clinical tutors can watch the sessions and comment on their techniques to help therapists to improve.
The time therapists and administrators currently spend recording outcomes will also be cut dramatically.
Earlier this year, the department published the Mandate to the NHS Commissioning Board with a clear objective to put mental health on a par with physical health and to extend and ensure more open access to the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Programme in particular for children and young people and for those out of work. Department of Health

Strategy to reduce salt intake 'could lead to 20,000 fewer deaths each year from cardiovascular disease'

Strategy to reduce salt intake 'could lead to 20,000 fewer deaths each year from cardiovascular disease': Strategy to reduce salt intake 'could lead to 20,000 fewer deaths each year from cardiovascular disease': Source: NICE

NICE has reported that a new government strategy to reduce salt intake could lead to 20,000 fewer deaths each year from cardiovascular disease (CVD). In order to limit the harm caused to health by excess of salt, the government has launched a new strategy that aims to help reduce the daily intake of salt from an average of 8.1g a day to 6g a day. The policy follows the NICE pathway on diet, based on guidance originally published in 2010, which recommends aiming for a maximum salt intake of 6g per day per adult by 2015, and 3g by 2025.
 
NICE says that a 3g reduction of daily salt intake by adults, to achieve a target of 6g, would lead to around 14-20,000 fewer deaths from CVD each year.
 
NELM News

Medicines information is changing - NeLM integration into NHS Evidence

Medicines information is changing - NeLM integration into NHS Evidence: Medicines information is changing - NeLM integration into NHS Evidence: Source: NICE

In April 2013 the way you access and receive medicines information via the National electronic Library (NeLM) is changing. From this date, evidence currently available through NeLM will only be accessible via NHS Evidence provided by NICE, and NeLM will cease to exist. NICE is working with the UK Medicines Information service (UKMi) to bring medicines information together into one place- NHS Evidence- making it simpler for those with medicines and prescribing responsibilities to view, search and filter high quality evidence-based information.
 
New Medicines Awareness Service
 
A new personalised daily and weekly medicines awareness service will also be launched in April 2013 to replace the existing NeLM newsletter. Working with NICE, UKMi will continue to identify key current awareness information sent to your email address on a daily basis, providing you with rapid access to current awareness and evidence-based medicines information.
 
NELM News

Manipulation of NHS figures to become criminal offence

Manipulation of NHS figures to become criminal offence: Manipulation of NHS figures to become criminal offence:

Health secretary will announce move after Mid Staffordshire scandal to make service more 'honest and accountable'
Fiddling figures from NHS hospitals will become a criminal offence, Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, is to announce.
The Daily Telegraph reported that NHS managers and hospital trusts could be held criminally liable as part of a response to the Mid Staffordshire scandal. Penalties for manipulating statistics on waiting times and death rates could include seven-figure fines and jail terms.
Hunt said: "This is about a transparent, honest and accountable NHS. Patients and the public should be confident that they can trust information about how hospitals are performing, and a culture of honesty and accuracy will help those organisations drive up standards of care.
"Like me, the public has a deep and abiding affection for the NHS, but scandals such as Mid Staffordshire have affected trust in it. We need to get that trust back."
The new law is being considered in response to the Francis inquiry, which examined the deaths of up to 1,200 patients in Mid Staffs. Ministers will this month set out a range of new initiatives to prevent a repeat of the scandal.
It follows several recent accusations that hospitals have recorded causes of deaths wrongly in an attempt to obscure high death rates. There have also been allegations from nurses that they have been asked to manipulate waiting time statistics.
Hunt said: "If NHS Trusts are caught deliberately manipulating that information, whether waiting times or death rates, they need to be held to account."
The paper quoted a source close to Hunt, who claimed that official figures had been manipulated "rarely but consistently for many years".
"We feel strongly that if NHS trusts are caught acting fraudulently about their performance on areas such as death rates or waiting times, they should be criminally liable.
"The future NHS will have a more open culture, with better information for patients and the public. We're determined that information must be credible and provided on a basis that is honest and consistent."
Guardian

Study recommends changes to pneumonia prevention strategies

Study recommends changes to pneumonia prevention strategies: Study recommends changes to pneumonia prevention strategies: A Health Protection Agency (HPA) report published today has found since 2000 the number of cases of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) has increased in England by an average of seven per cent each year. The findings of the paper suggest that further work is needed to re-assess the prevention strategies currently in place for dealing with this infection. Health Protection Agency

Hospital deaths warning 'ignored'

Hospital deaths warning 'ignored': Hospital deaths warning 'ignored': More than 20,000 hospital deaths could have been prevented if warnings about high mortality rates had been acted on more quickly, a government adviser says. BBC health News

Tough times, tough choices: being open and honest about NHS finance

Tough times, tough choices: being open and honest about NHS finance: Tough times, tough choices: being open and honest about NHS finance: The NHS faces an unprecedented financial dilemma: the supply of funding is struggling to match the growing rate of demand for healthcare. NHS Confederation

A fine VINTAGE?

A fine VINTAGE?: A fine VINTAGE? The benefits and consequences of alcohol consumption in older adults: We know a lot about the health consequences of drinking too much alcohol, but most of this research comes from studies of adults in their twenties, thirties and forties. But what about older adults? The European project VINTAGE reviewed and synthesised the available evidence relating to alcohol consumption in older people across many European countries. [read the full story...] The Mental Elf

Clinical commissioning groups: skills, challenges and how they will deliver

Clinical commissioning groups: skills, challenges and how they will deliver: Clinical commissioning groups: skills, challenges and how they will deliver:

Leaders are already thinking about what their organisations must do to deliver the best possible health outcomes
In just two weeks, clinical commissioning groups take up their full responsibilities as we shift from a managerial to a clinical commissioning-led system for the NHS in England. While clinical commissioning may be on a developmental journey, as leaders we are already thinking about the skills we need to do the day job, some of the challenges we will face and how we can overcome them to make sure that our patients, our people and our practices deliver the best possible health outcomes for our area.

What are the skills we need?

For me, they are about listening to our patients and population about what they want and how they want it. From that, we can understand our population's healthcare needs and develop our vision so we can see the future and how to set about achieving it. We also need to inspire the team so that we are helping others to give of their best, and to see how they can deliver "best". Communicating our values to all we work with is important as well as striving, unremittingly, to make it happen for our patients.

The challenges

I don't want to downplay the challenges we face, but we must confront them if we are to change how things happen. For me, the priorities are:
• Persuading our clinicians and staff of the need to change their behaviours to focus on our population and patients
• Engaging with our population to accept that how they use the NHS will determine its future success in delivering the quality they seek
• Encouraging providers to transform and deliver efficiencies that both drive quality and improve working lives
• Re-modelling the NHS into an innovative "excellence generator" that automatically delivers patient-centred improved outcomes
• Achieving wide societal consensus on health and social care priorities, and engaging with the conversation about what the taxpayer should/shouldn't fund
• Making all of us hungry for change as the way we deliver great outcomes in a sustainable system

How will we meet the challenges?

I recognise that it will take time, drive and commitment, but we must:
• Learn to communicate clearly, skillfully and unambiguously
• Develop our teams to have the skills they need
• Give our patients and population the stake in the system they need to understand their power and its relevance
• Work towards consensus through a "national health and social care conversation"
• Recognise the shared civic responsibility all citizens have to strive for a truly excellent healthcare system
• Rule 001: We include everyone – no one gets left behind.

How will we deliver?

We have used education as the primary tool in Slough. We have worked with our specialists and patients to develop consensus across the clinical spectrum, developed new pathways and guidance, explained to our patients why this was of value, succeeded in changing the behaviour of GPs and other clinicians, and reduced referrals to secondary care from 25,000 to under 16,000 in three years. We have moved from 121st lowest referrer to tenth nationally in two years.
This is just the start, but we can do it and clinically-led commissioning can make the difference.
Dr Jim O'Donnell is chair of NHS Slough CCG and part of the NHS Clinical Commissioners Leadership Group.
 Guardian 

One per cent rise in basic pay announced for Agenda for Change staff

One per cent rise in basic pay announced for Agenda for Change staff: The Government announced today that following the recommendations of the NHS Pay Review Body, all NHS staff on Agenda for Change pay, terms and conditions will receive a one per cent rise in their basic pay effective from 1 April 2013. NHS Employers

See also:

• NHS staff 'facing year of financial hardship' with 1% pay rise The Guardian

Care home extension given go ahead

Care home extension given go ahead: A major extension is approved at a Northamptonshire care home for people with dementia that received 196 letters of objection. BBC Northamptonshire

Merger talks leave the hospital's future unclear - Northampton Herald and Post

Merger talks leave the hospital's future unclear - Northampton Herald and Post:

Northampton Herald and Post

Merger talks leave the hospital's future unclear Northampton Herald and Post PLANS for Northampton General Hospital are in 'limbo' as it is not yet clear how a potential 'merger' will affect the current review. The proposals from Healthier Together, a £2 million project, aim to find the best way to provide treatment for five ... and more »

The Francis Inquiry and an international picture of safety

The Francis Inquiry and an international picture of safety: The Francis report represents a major milestone in the global fight to reduce unsafe care that started, in many ways, in the UK. What it says, and does not say, therefore, will have a major impact on health care safety efforts internationally says Edward Kelley of the WHO. The Health Foundation

Guidance to support medical revalidation

Guidance to support medical revalidation: The General Medical Council and other regulators have published a joint revalidation handbook to help boards check that their organisations are placing quality and safety at the heart of their services for patients.

How one question can change the NHS

How one question can change the NHS: Can one question change the NHS? BBC News

Ten more apps for NHS apps library

Ten more apps for NHS apps library: The first iteration of the new Health Apps Library was launched this week at the NHS Innovation Expo 2013. E-Health Insider

GMS contract uplift for 2013/14 announced

GMS contract uplift for 2013/14 announced: The government has announced the uplift to the GMS contract for 2013/14. NHS Employers

NHS trusts have spent £1bn in sick pay over the past three years

NHS trusts have spent £1bn in sick pay over the past three years:

More than one in three have no health and wellbeing strategy Related items from OnMedica What ails NHS staff? NHS staff to have better occupational healthcare Health for Health Professionals Scottish health scheme launched to keep people in work NHS urged to cut £290m from staff sickness bill

Last tranche of 48 CCGs given go ahead by Commissioning Board

Last tranche of 48 CCGs given go ahead by Commissioning Board:

But only 10 have no conditions attached to authorisation Related items from OnMedica Almost half of CCGs now authorised, says Commissioning Board Green light for first wave of clinical commissioning groups Communication hubs are the key to commissioning engagement CCG funding formula to be revised, Commissioning Board promises

The NHS is ''biased'' against mental health - Public Service

The NHS is ''biased'' against mental health - Public Service:

Public Service

The NHS is ''biased'' against mental health Public Service The NHS does not treat patients with mental health issues fairly and there is still a postcode lottery affecting services, the former care services minister Paul Burstow has said. The NHS's "bias" towards physical health was stealing years from people ...

England to host mental health leadership

England to host mental health leadership:
It has been announced England will host the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership exchange in 2014.
Care services minister Norman Lamb has accepted an invitation for England to host the 2014 event, which will help the NHS, local government and partners to speed up improvements to services, and support and improve mental health services by learning from experts from across the world.
In a... Healthcare Today

More NHS foundation hospitals miss A&E waiting time targets

More NHS foundation hospitals miss A&E waiting time targets:  32 out of 88 hospital trusts failing to treat accident patients within four hours of arrival. Sharply rising numbers of hospitals are failing to treat patients arriving in accident and emergency units within four hours – one of the government's key targets for the NHS – amid concern that hospitals cannot cope with growing demand.

Sir David Nicholson is partly to blame for Mid Staffs, Jeremy Hunt says

Sir David Nicholson is partly to blame for Mid Staffs, Jeremy Hunt says: Sir David Nicholson does "bear some responsibility" over the scandal at Mid Staffs hospital, Jeremy Hunt has said, as senior Government figures consider plan for Sir David to "pre-announce" his retirement. The Daily Telegraph

NHS complaints system review launched

NHS complaints system review launched: An MP who claimed her husband died "like a battery hen" in a hospital bed is to lead a review of the NHS complaints system launched today. The Daily Telegraph

More children are being diagnosed with diabetes at Northampton General Hospital - Northampton Chronicle & Echo

More children are being diagnosed with diabetes at Northampton General Hospital - Northampton Chronicle & Echo:

Northampton Chronicle & Echo

More children are being diagnosed with diabetes at Northampton General Hospital Northampton Chronicle & Echo Doctors at Northampton General Hospital have seen a significant increase in the number of new diagnoses of type 1 diabetes in children in the last three months. New research shows that the hospital have seen 19 new diagnoses of type 1 diabetes in the ...

NHS staff 'gagging clauses' banned

NHS staff 'gagging clauses' banned: The government bans "gagging clauses" in NHS severance agreements in England, to ensure staff with care concerns are not silenced. BBC News

See also:

• Jeremy Hunt to ban gagging of NHS whistleblowers The Independent
• Gagging clauses for NHS staff to be banned The Daily Telegraph
• Ban on NHS gagging orders The Guardian

Conflicts 'rife' in new GP groups

Conflicts 'rife' in new GP groups: More than a third of GPs on the boards of new NHS commissioning groups will have a potential conflict of interest, an investigation suggests. BBC News

See also:

• Study in the British Medical Journal (open access - no password required)
• GPs' links to private healthcare firms spark fears of conflict of interest The Guardian
• Third of GPs have links to private health companies that could make millions from the Government's health reforms The Daily Mail
• GP conflicts of interest rife on commissioning boards OnMedica News

UK 'not ready for ageing society'

UK 'not ready for ageing society': The UK is "woefully under-prepared" for the social and economic challenges presented by an ageing society, a Lords committee warns. BBC News

Up to 100,000 people use the internet to improve their health

Up to 100,000 people use the internet to improve their health: The NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB) today announces plans to help up to 100,000 more people to use the internet to improve their health.

Quality at a glance: using aggregate measures to assess the quality of NHS hospitals

Quality at a glance: using aggregate measures to assess the quality of NHS hospitals: This is the first ever overall assessment of NHS hospital quality in England, and aims to contribute to the ongoing debate about how best to
measure quality in the NHS. Findings include: many of the lowest performing trusts on the quality index are subject to regulatory intervention; Foundation Trust status is a good indicator of high performance on the quality index; patient experience and waiting times matter most to members of the public who responded to the poll; and that condition-specific ratings are deemed more useful to patients than general ratings when making informed decisions about their care.

• Report
• Quality index
• MHP Health Mandate - publications

After Francis: doing justice

After Francis: doing justice: This report highlights urgent changes which could make a difference to patient care post-Francis. Recommendations include: a legal duty of honesty; an end to “gagging” clauses for departing staff;
whistle-blowing protection rights for patients and their families; legal rights for patients to participate in producing a care plan; a legal right to an independent advocate for the most vulnerable patients; as well as ring-fenced funding for local Healthwatch organisations, and the replacement of restrictions which could potentially constrain their freedom to comment on policy.

• Report
• National Voices - publications

Fit enough for patients?: an audit of workplace health and wellbeing services for NHS staff

Fit enough for patients?: an audit of workplace health and wellbeing services for NHS staff: This report into the wellbeing of NHS staff finds that physiotherapy services play a vital role in improving staff health and wellbeing. The evidence shows that early access to physiotherapy can reduce staff sickness rates, stop people going off sick at all, or help them return to work more quickly. It recommends investing in good occupational health services and prioritising staff health and wellbeing to make potential savings which can then be invested in patient care.

• Report
• CSP - publications

NHS should not underestimate value of volunteers

NHS should not underestimate value of volunteers: Volunteers are helping to deliver care in hospitals and in the community, but the health service does not always make the most of their knowledge and expertise.

Breastfeeding advice ignored by most mothers

Breastfeeding advice ignored by most mothers: Official breastfeeding and weaning advice is being ignored by the vast majority of mothers, according to a new Department of Health study. The Daily Telegraph

'Big stick' approach to NHS might backfire, Jeremy Hunt warned

'Big stick' approach to NHS might backfire, Jeremy Hunt warned: A 'big stick' approaches to fixing the NHS after the Stafford hospital scandal will be counter productive, alienating staff and making managers secretive, a think-tank is warning. The Daily Telegraph

New NHS mileage payment system to be implemented in July

New NHS mileage payment system to be implemented in July: New arrangements come into place in July for reimbursing NHS staff for the costs incurred in using their vehicle for work. Reimbursement will move to a single rate for up to 3,500 miles and a reduced rate thereafter. RCN

HPA study shows poor hygiene practices at mobile vendors

HPA study shows poor hygiene practices at mobile vendors: Research from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has revealed that food, water, chopping boards, cleaning cloths and security wristbands sampled from mobile and outdoor food vendors were contaminated with a range of bacteria including E.coli. This bacteria, which originates from human or animal faeces indicates either poor hygiene, undercooking or cross-contamination in the kitchen.

NHS call takers 'lose' jobs to Derbyshire - Northampton Chronicle & Echo

NHS call takers 'lose' jobs to Derbyshire - Northampton Chronicle & Echo:

Northampton Chronicle & Echo

NHS call takers 'lose' jobs to Derbyshire Northampton Chronicle & Echo An NHS Northamptonshire spokeswoman said: “NHS 111 is part of a national campaign to ensure patients are directed to the right service as quickly as possible. It is a national requirement that the NHS 111 provider handles calls made between 6.30pm and ...

Alcohol price plan 'may be dropped'

Alcohol price plan 'may be dropped': Plans for minimum pricing on alcohol in England and Wales may be dropped because of differences between ministers, the BBC understands.

Call to use NHS anger positively

Call to use NHS anger positively: The man leading a review of patient safety in the NHS in England says he wants to turn the anger over the Stafford hospital scandal into action. BBC News

Protection has swung too far in favour of NHS staff

Protection has swung too far in favour of NHS staff: People who have not got the right attitude and never will have no place working in the health service Public Service

NHSmail likely to run another year

NHSmail likely to run another year: The Cabinet Office has been asked to agree an extension to the current NHSmail contract to allow more time for a replacement to be procured. E-Health Insider

Remedying our hospitals starts with a simple connection, says Andrea Kennedy

Remedying our hospitals starts with a simple connection, says Andrea Kennedy: Speaking on a recent Question Time panel, Lord Falconer expressed his despair at the failings in care unearthed at Stafford Hospital, saying he could not begin to think how to start to address such a failure. I think I know where to start – by making people who work in hospitals feel more connected. Connected … Continue reading » NHS Voices 

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. It identifies lessons for NHS managers and policymakers in England on how to approach the challenge of
effective provider governance as the present NHS reforms are implemented.

• Briefing
• LSE - publications

Reward people who 'live healthily', says think-tank

Reward people who 'live healthily', says think-tank: A report by think-tank Demos has hit the headlines after it advised that people who lead healthy lifestyles should be rewarded with easier access to healthcare. The report, which was sponsored by a private health insurance company, explores the impact of having a more 'responsible' population, and is largely focused on public health.

NHS Commissioning Board: who's who

NHS Commissioning Board: who's who: A look at the members that make up the body that will run the health service in England from next month.

My cure for sick NHS, by David Cameron's new health tsar Don Berwick

My cure for sick NHS, by David Cameron's new health tsar Don Berwick: The NHS is suffering from "enormous sickness" in the wake of the Mid Staffordshire hospital scandal, David Cameron's new patient safety tsar has told The Telegraph.

Bupa offers fixed-fee surgery as UK profits take turn for the worse

Bupa offers fixed-fee surgery as UK profits take turn for the worse: Bupa is offering patients "pay-as-you-go" operations to boost business after the double impact of poorer Britons and rising healthcare costs cut UK profits at the private medical giant by one-fifth to £109.7m last year. The Independent

Broken hip deaths examined at NGH - Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Broken hip deaths examined at NGH - Northampton Chronicle & Echo:

Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Broken hip deaths examined at NGH Northampton Chronicle & Echo Bosses at Northampton General Hospital are looking into the number of deaths of elderly people suffering with broken hips. The hospital stressed it does not yet know if there is a common link between the deaths, but 34 people with 'fractured neck of ...

Regulations on procurement, patient choice and competition laid

Regulations on procurement, patient choice and competition laid:
The government has laid regulations on procurement, patient choice and competition. The regulations are to help ensure that commissioners’ decisions on buying clinical services are transparent and fair, and that they improve the quality and efficiency of health care services for patients.
These regulations revoke the regulations laid on 13 February 2013.

• see revised regulations
• read explanatory memorandum
• read revised impact assessment
• read note of changes to regulations

Department of Health

Care system 'struggles on dementia'

Care system 'struggles on dementia': The health and care system is "struggling" to look after people with dementia, according to the regulator. BBC News

See also:

• Hospitals playing 'Russian roulette' with dementia patients The Daily Telegraph
• Care homes and hospitals 'failing people with dementia' The Guardian
• Dementia victims 'have twice the risk of dying in hospital while a third are not properly diagnosed by staff' The Daily Mail

Suicide prevention must be priority

Suicide prevention must be priority: The number of suicides across the UK has risen and the government says reducing them has to be a top priority. BBC News

Are telehealth's benefits a myth?

Are telehealth's benefits a myth?: Are remote monitoring services really working? BBC News

How thoroughly are hospitals inspected?

How thoroughly are hospitals inspected?: What happens when the regulator turns up? BBC News

Few patients wake up during surgery

Few patients wake up during surgery: The risk of waking up while under the surgeon's knife is extremely small - about one in 15,000 - research reveals. BBC News

'NHS must be paperless by 2018 or there won't be an NHS'

'NHS must be paperless by 2018 or there won't be an NHS': The health service cannot afford to take decades to shift to digital if it is going to survive, a senior NHS figure has warned Public Service

Top tips on appraisals and objective setting

Top tips on appraisals and objective setting: Following the NHS Staff Council agreement on changes to "Agenda for Change", we are currently updating the appraisal information and guidance on our website which will help employers in planning how to implement the changes. NHS Employers

Councils unprepared for public health threat of Hep C

Councils unprepared for public health threat of Hep C:

Survey shows lack of information and planning to deal with rising rates of disease Related items from OnMedica Vitamin B12 supplements may help treat hepatitis C GPs warned of Hepatitis C crisis Antivirals cut liver cancer risk after hepatitis C Target IV drug users early to stop hepatitis C

Improving later life: understanding the oldest old

Improving later life: understanding the oldest old: This book provides insights from various contributors into key points for professionals making decisions about those aged 85 and over. Messages include: the oldest old are more diverse in health than the younger old and cannot all be treated the same; chronological age is a weak predictor of life expectancy and response to treatments; and many illnesses associated with age can be treated or avoided, especially if the oldest old receive good co-ordination across services and specialities to offer the best treatment.

• Book
• Key facts and statistics
• Age UK - publications

Comprehensive cervical cancer prevention and control: a healthier future for girls and women

Comprehensive cervical cancer prevention and control: a healthier future for girls and women: This guidance note advocates a comprehensive approach to cervical cancer prevention and control. It is aimed at senior policy makers and programme managers. It describes the need to deliver effective interventions from childhood through to adulthood, including community education, social mobilization, HPV vaccination, screening, treatment and palliative care. It also outlines the complementary strategies for comprehensive cervical cancer prevention and control, and highlights collaboration across national health programmes (particularly immunisation, reproductive health, cancer control and adolescent health), organisations and partners.

• Report
• WHO - publications

Superbug threat is 'ticking time bomb'

Superbug threat is 'ticking time bomb': There are claims across the media that antibiotic resistance is a ‘ticking time bomb’, with the Daily Express claiming “Superbug threat 'ranks alongside terrorism'”.

These headlines reflect the views of England’s Chief Medical Officer, and arguably could be viewed as understated.

How can we maximise the benefits of telehealth?

How can we maximise the benefits of telehealth?: Technology-enabled integrated care is working well for many health organisations, helping patients stay in their own homes
There is no doubt about it, for those of us in the telehealth industry, this month has seen a disappointing development.

David Cameron: NHS budget 'is not going to be cut' - video

David Cameron: NHS budget 'is not going to be cut' - video: David Cameron pledges to protect NHS spending on Monday The Guardian

Healthy patients who exercise regularly and avoid fatty foods 'should be fast-tracked for surgery'

Healthy patients who exercise regularly and avoid fatty foods 'should be fast-tracked for surgery':
Patients who exercise regularly and avoid fatty foods should go to the front of the queue for NHS operations, a think tank urges today. The Independent

See also:

• Healthy patients 'should be rewarded,' says think-tank The Daily Telegraph
• Patients who eat healthily and go to the gym 'should be able to jump NHS queues for operations and treatment' The Daily Mail

Lining Up: How is harm measured?

Lining Up: How is harm measured? This learning report looks at lessons from the Health Foundation’s Lining Up research project, an investigation into interventions to reduce central line infections.  The report describes findings that have important implications for measurement of performance, and using measurement to improve quality and ensure patient safety.  The project also demonstrates that, without a standardised approach and excellent data collection, quality improvement initiatives will fail to change culture or behaviour. The Health Foundation

'No-one had heard of my boys' syndrome'

'No-one had heard of my boys' syndrome': Brothers Alex and Daniel from Northants share a rare metabolic condition called Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome which affects them both differently in a range of challenging ways. BBC Northamptonshire

KGH struggling to cope with population rise

KGH struggling to cope with population rise: Figures released by Kettering General Hospital show how the number of accident and emergency admissions has rocketed over 20 years. Evening Telegraph

MP campaigns to keep ambulance station in Corby

MP campaigns to keep ambulance station in Corby: Corby MP Andy Sawford is calling for the town’s ambulance station, which has been recommended for closure, to be kept open. Evening Telegraph

Shoes funded Northampton General Hospital site

Shoes funded Northampton General Hospital site: THE vital role that shoe barons played in building Northampton General Hospital is being explored in the NGH archive. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS winter health campaign is a 'success' - Northampton Herald and Post

NHS winter health campaign is a 'success' - Northampton Herald and Post:

Northampton Herald and Post

NHS winter health campaign is a 'success' Northampton Herald and Post Wrapped Up was a joint initiative between Northamptonshire County Council, NHS Northamptonshire Public Health, Age UK, Nene Valley Community Action and Northamptonshire Community Foundation. Events have taken place across the county and ...

Being open: the importance of communication in healthcare

Being open: the importance of communication in healthcare: There are a number of barriers to staff being open in the NHS, says Jo Bibby. When surveyed, staff cite the fear of the patient’s response; the fear of litigation; fear of blame and judgement and the lack of confidence and skill to be open even if they want to be. The Health Foundation

Antibiotic resistance 'threat to UK'

Antibiotic resistance 'threat to UK': The danger of growing resistance to antibiotics should be treated as seriously as the threat of terrorism, England's chief medical officer says. BBC News

See also:

• Analysis: Antibiotic apocalypse - is the end nigh? BBC News
• Threat posed by resistance to antibiotics 'ranks alongside terrorism' The Daily Telegraph
• Superbugs 'will send the health service back to 19th century': Even routine surgery could become deadly, warns top medical adviser The Daily Mail

Increasing staff engagement with social media

Increasing staff engagement with social media: This briefing looks at how you can use social media in your organisation to improve staff engagement. It is aimed at the HR community but will also be of interest to communications teams and line managers. NHS Employers

Disruptive innovation is the pill to remedy care for older people, says Ian Philp

Disruptive innovation is the pill to remedy care for older people, says Ian Philp: Delivering care for older people is a challenge which most health and care communities have failed to meet. In Warwickshire, we have had some success in delivering better and more sustainable care for older people across hospital and community settings. We have reduced mortality rates, acute hospital bed use, readmissions and the need for long-term … Continue reading » NHS Voices

Keep hospitals only for the very sick, says new report

Keep hospitals only for the very sick, says new report:

Shifting funds into community based care better for patients and public purse Related items from OnMedica Community nursing “overburdened and at risk” Community care must be improved to reduce bed use Commissioners and the voluntary sector Shake-up needed of urgent care Coach trip: a new journey to manage long-term conditions

Widening access to palliative care for people with learning disabilities: guidance and resources for professionals

Widening access to palliative care for people with learning disabilities: guidance and resources for professionals: This guide aims to help hospices, and the wider healthcare sector, care for people with learning disabilities. It represents a step towards greater partnership by sharing some of the thinking, good practice and resources that have been developed throughout learning disability and end of life care services, in a form that is accessible to all
practitioners but especially those in a hospice setting.

• Guidance
• Help the Hospices - news

Diet high in processed meat 'threatens health'

Diet high in processed meat 'threatens health': The big health news of the week is the claim that eating a diet high in processed meat can increase the risk of premature death due to cancer and heart disease.

The current media scare stems from a large Europe-wide study looking at diet and mortality, involving just under half a million people who were followed for an average of 12.7 years.

We love the NHS too much to make it better

We love the NHS too much to make it better: We adore our NHS so much that any criticism smacks of disloyalty – even eccentricity. So after the Mid Staffordshire scandal, how do we talk about what really needs to change, asks Roger Taylor.

Care home staff to have compulsory training under government plans to protect elderly

Care home staff to have compulsory training under government plans to protect elderly: Care home staff will be forced to undergo compulsory training for the first time under government plans to protect the elderly from abuse and neglect, The Telegraph can disclose.

Freeze on foreign nurses over fake documents fears

Freeze on foreign nurses over fake documents fears: A health body has imposed a recruitment freeze on foreign nurses amid fears that workers could have faked documents to get jobs in British hospitals. The Daily Telegraph

Suffolk patient with anthrax takes total in England to five cases

Suffolk patient with anthrax takes total in England to five cases: The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is aware that a person who injected heroin has been diagnosed with anthrax infection in Suffolk and has died.

First patient receives state of the art radiotherapy treatment for lung cancer at NGH

First patient receives state of the art radiotherapy treatment for lung cancer at NGH: Staff at Northampton General Hospital have carried out the first treatment in the county to target early-stage lung cancer with a technique called stereotactic radiotherapy. NGH News

Leading expert brought in to lead county’s child protection board

Leading expert brought in to lead county’s child protection board: The man who helped turn around the council at the centre of the Baby Peter case has been brought in as the new independent chairman of the county’s Local Safeguarding Children Board. Evening Telegraph

GP’s ‘inaction’ lost chance to save tot’s life

GP’s ‘inaction’ lost chance to save tot’s life: A mother has said it is “disgraceful” that a doctor who failed to properly examine her 19-month-son two days before he died has only been given a warning by the General Medical Council (GMC). Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Closing NHS services: the impossible job?

Closing NHS services: the impossible job?: Heart surgery verdict proves how difficult it is to change the NHS BBC News

UK smoking 'halves' in 40 years

UK smoking 'halves' in 40 years: Smoking in Britain has more than halved and people are drinking on fewer nights of the week, according to a snapshot survey covering the past 40 years. BBC News

'Postcode lottery' for NHS surgery

'Postcode lottery' for NHS surgery: The number of patients undergoing common surgical procedures varies widely across England because of funding restrictions, figures published in The Lancet show. BBC News

Patients are increasingly likely to sue GPs

Patients are increasingly likely to sue GPs:

40% rise in claims against GPs, according to the Medical Protection Society Related items from OnMedica GPs face 20% rise in negligence claims, MDU reports Negligence costs out of control Doctors under unprecedented pressure, claims MDU Only three in five NHS staff happy with care where they work Threat of prosecution could scupper transparency

Heroin and crack use falling

Heroin and crack use falling:
The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) says the numbers of people under 35 using crack and heroin in England is plummeting.
Latest figures show there were 298,752 users in 2010/11, which is the lowest since the NTA was set up 12 years ago.
When the NTA closes at the end of March and the management of substance misuse will be taken over by Public Health England (PHE), local authorities ... Healthcare Today

Nicholson could face private criminal prosecution

Nicholson could face private criminal prosecution: HSJ has reported that Sir David Nicholson could face a private criminal prosecution for corporate manslaughter over deaths at the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust.
The journal said that the NHS chief executive has been named in an application sent to Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court by retired investment banker Alan Edwards, 38, from Greenwich, London. He has applied to the court to seek permission to... Healthcare Today

NMC failed to prioritise patient safety

NMC failed to prioritise patient safety: Health Select Committee chair Stephen Dorrell has accused the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) of not understanding its function.
It has been criticised at the committee’s second nursing accountability hearing for failing to prioritise patient safety, although Mr Dorrell said he welcomed the fact that the new NMC management team was committed to addressing its failings and the latest evidence shows that its ... Healthcare Today

Venture capital firm makes £2m selling hospital to NHS

Venture capital firm makes £2m selling hospital to NHS: A venture capital firm has made £2 million selling a small hospital to the NHS, less than a year after it opened.The Daily Telegraph

Mid Staffs scandal: who buried the damning NHS reports?

Mid Staffs scandal: who buried the damning NHS reports?: Put Patients First: An MP will next week challenge former Labour Ministers to explain who suppressed three damning reports handed to the Department of Health in 2008. The Daily Telegraph

NHS must halt low aspirations and go for gold, says Hunt

NHS must halt low aspirations and go for gold, says Hunt: NHS hospitals should no longer accept "mediocrity" as the "moment has now come" for a dramatic improvement in standards, the Health Secretary warns today. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Coasting culture can kill, Jeremy Hunt warns hospitals The Independent
• NHS 'coasting' culture kills patients, says Jeremy Hunt The Guardian
• Hunt attacks 'complacent' hospitals BBC News
• Hunt – NHS is coasting with complacency Public Service

Royal Bolton Hospital deaths were 'wronglyrecorded'

Royal Bolton Hospital deaths were 'wrongly recorded': A hospital that saw a sudden leap in the number of patient deaths attributed to septicaemia had recorded the deaths wrongly, an inquiry has found. The Independent