Junior doctor strikes back on

Junior doctor strikes back on The strikes by junior doctors over the contract dispute are back on after talks with the government broke down. BBC News

See also:

• Junior doctors to take industrial action British Medical Association
• Correspondence: Secretary of State for Health writes to Chair of the BMA Department of Health
• NHS Employers respond to BMA Junior Doctors’ Committee decision to strike NHS Employers
• Junior doctors strikes: BMA claims 'no choice' on industrial action (video) BBC News 
• Junior doctor strikes 'a disappointing outcome' - Jeremy Hunt BBC News
• Junior doctors' strike: what should patients do? The Daily Telegraph
• Junior doctors' strike: what do the experts think? The Daily Telegraph
• Junior doctor strikes to go ahead after talks collapse GP Online
• Junior doctors in England to strike next week after talks break down The Guardian
• Junior doctors announce they will strike next week The Independent
• Britain set for first mass strike by doctors in 40 years Reuters

The NHS must focus on better value in 2016 to deliver the £22 billion productivity challenge

The NHS must focus on better value in 2016 to deliver the £22 billion productivity challenge With the outcome of the Spending Review now known, the biggest challenge for the NHS in 2016 is to redouble efforts to deliver the £22 billion of productivity improvements it is expected to realise by 2020/21. The King's Fund

The digital revolution: eight technologies that will change health and care

The digital revolution: eight technologies that will change health and care The past decade has seen rapid development and adoption of technologies that change the way we live. But which technologies will have a similarly transformative impact on health and care? The King’s Fund has looked at some examples of innovative technology-enabled care that are already being deployed in the NHS and internationally to transform care. Now, we examine the technologies most likely to change health and care over the next few years.Some of the technologies we discuss are on the horizon – others are already in our pockets, our local surgeries and hospitals. But none are systematically deployed in our health and care system. Each could represent an opportunity to achieve better outcomes or more efficient care. The King's Fund

Research and analysis: Reducing missed hospital appointments using text messages

Research and analysis: Reducing missed hospital appointments using text messages This randomised controlled trial tested the effectiveness of the reminder message sent to outpatients. Results showed if the message included the specific cost to the NHS of not attending then the patient was more likely to attend or rearrange their appointment – rather than miss it. Department of Health

E-cigarette may become available on NHS

E-cigarette may become available on NHS The UK medicines regulator approves a brand of e-cigarette as an anti-smoking aid and it could be prescribed on the NHS. BBC News

See also:

• E-cigarettes win first approval as a 'medicine' opening way for prescription by the NHS The Daily Telegraph
• New vaping laws: Everything you need to know The Independent

GMC gets new powers to challenge tribunal decisions

GMC gets new powers to challenge tribunal decisions Amendments to the Medical Act will speed up hearings and revise how costs are awarded. OnMedica

See also:

• 'Unfair' powers for GMC to challenge tribunal decisions take effect GP Online

Researchers call for ‘urgent’ review of BP guidelines

Researchers call for ‘urgent’ review of BP guidelines Treatment below current targets significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular events and death. OnMedica

See also:

• Blood pressure lowering for prevention of cardiovascular disease and death: a systematic review and meta-analysis The Lancet

Britain's first humanist hospital chaplain takes up her post

Britain's first humanist hospital chaplain takes up her post Jane Flint has been appointed the non-religious pastoral carer for Leicester's Hospital Chaplaincy. The Independent

Happy New Year? The pressures on the NHS will only increase in 2016

Happy New Year? The pressures on the NHS will only increase in 2016 If the health service is to survive, it needs to be properly funded, adequately staffed, and with patients and clinicians in charge

As we look ahead to 2016 it is clear that the pressures on the NHS will, if anything, increase unless the government takes urgent action. Jeremy Hunt’s manifesto pledge of more GPs is a complete fantasy and the prime minister’s seven-day NHS project is a political gimmick. The government has made empty promise after empty promise about how it plans to recruit an additional 5,000 GPs by 2020, yet it doesn’t face up to the reality that there aren’t enough entering the profession. A BMA survey showing that a third of GPs plan to retire within five years suggests the problem is only going to get worse.

It is not just primary care that faces an uphill struggle in 2016. In England, there are NHS trusts facing a record deficit of £1.6bn, which will manifest itself in longer waits for patients, cancelled operations and more pressure on staff and resources. Continue reading... The Guardian

'Scandalous neglect' of elderly sees soaring numbers rushed from care homes to hospital

'Scandalous neglect' of elderly sees soaring numbers rushed from care homes to hospital New figures show the number of care home residents rushed to hospital has risen by 63 per cent in four years, with charities warning that cutbacks mean pensioners are being neglected until they become perilously ill. The Daily Telegraph

Children aged five eating own weight in sugar each year as parents urged to check products with free app

Children aged five eating own weight in sugar each year as parents urged to check products with free app Parents urged to take control of children's sugar intake with launch of health campaign as young consume three times recommended maximum. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Press release: 5 year olds eat and drink their body weight in sugar every year Public Health England
• Children aged five eat their bodyweight in sugar, experts warn The Independent
• Five-year-olds eat and drink their body weight in sugar every year OnMedica

NHS facing toughest winter for 30 years, according to report by Northampton General Hospital

NHS facing toughest winter for 30 years, according to report by Northampton General Hospital The concern was raised in a Maintaining Quality Over Winter Report published by the hospital. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

SPECIAL REPORT: The challenge facing Northampton General Hospital to cope with winter

SPECIAL REPORT: The challenge facing Northampton General Hospital to cope with winter Northampton General Hospital has introduced a number of measures to reduce the pressures over winter...but will it be enough? Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS clampdown on staffing agencies saves millions of pounds

NHS clampdown on staffing agencies saves millions of pounds Figures released by the health regulator, NHS Improvement, show the amount hospitals spend on management consultants has fallen sharply over the last few months by £42 million. Spend has fallen from £145 million in July-September 2014 to £103 million in the same period in 2015.

The clampdown, part of a wider package of spending controls announced in June aimed at supporting hospitals to improve hospital finances, also targeted ‘rip off’ staffing agencies including limiting the amount hospitals could pay for agency staff.

Hospitals spent £3.3 billion on agency staff last year, following a move to increase staffing levels on wards in the wake of the Mid-Staffordshire scandal. The government is targeting those agencies making big profits from this, while also incentivising NHS trusts to employ permanent staff because they provide better continuity of care for patients.

NHS Improvement believes these measures will save up to £160 million by the end of the year, and remove £1 billion from the agency staffing bill by 2018. Department of Health

New alcohol intake limits drawn up

New alcohol intake limits drawn up Proposed new guidelines on how much people should limit their alcohol intake are to be issued following the first review of official advice in 20 years. BBC News

See also:

• Keep off the booze for two days a week, says health boss as she warns men should only have three HALVES a day The Daily Mail
• Older people drinking too much could create NHS ‘timebomb’, says doctor The Guardian
• No safe alcohol limit, new guidelines to say The Guardian
• Drinkers are going to be advised to cut back on alcohol for at least two days a week The Independent

VIDEO: E-cigarette laws to change across EU

VIDEO: E-cigarette laws to change across EU Laws on electronic cigarettes are to change across Europe, with new health warnings and controls on how they are sold. BBC News

See also:

• E-cigarettes to be available on NHS prescription for the first time The Daily Mail
• E-cigarettes win first approval as a 'medicine' opening way for prescription by the NHS The Daily Telegraph

NHS dentistry is 'Third World' and 'unfit for purpose', say hundreds of dentists

NHS dentistry is 'Third World' and 'unfit for purpose', say hundreds of dentists According to NHS figures, half of adults and a third of children in England have not been to a dentist for two years. The Independent

Government makes last-ditch offer to avert junior doctors strike

Government makes last-ditch offer to avert junior doctors strike As Monday deadline for strike decision looms, the Department of Health makes fresh attempt to avoid first doctors walkout in 40 years

A last-ditch offer will be made to junior doctors as talks aimed at finding a settlement in the protracted dispute reach a critical point.

Fresh proposals about pay and conditions will be put by NHS Employers and the Department of Health (DH) to leaders of England’s 45,000 junior doctors on Monday, the term used for all doctors below consultant level. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Up to 45,000 doctors to strike next week as hope of pay deal fades The Daily Mail
• Forty eight hours to avert doctors strike after last-minute talks The Daily Telegraph
• Junior doctors likely to strike as government talks falter The Guardian
• Junior doctors' strike could last the entire year, campaigners warn The Independent

Cuts to sexual health services will lead to STI 'explosion', warn experts

Cuts to sexual health services will lead to STI 'explosion', warn experts Labour analysis predicts £40m less will be spent on testing and treating infection in 2016 despite rates of gonorrhoea and syphilis soaring

Cuts to sexual health services will lead to more abortions, unplanned pregnancies and an “explosion” in sexually transmitted infections, medical experts warn.

Their warning comes as Labour claims that local councils in England will spend as much as £40m less than planned this year on services such as testing and treating infections such as herpes and syphilis as a result of George Osborne’s decision to cut £200m from the public health budget. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS hospital bosses given pay rises worth more than a nurse's annual salary

NHS hospital bosses given pay rises worth more than a nurse's annual salary Some hospital chief executives have been given pay rises of up to £35,000. The Daily Telegraph

GP records IT system delayed at 'huge cost' to the taxpayer

GP records IT system delayed at 'huge cost' to the taxpayer MPs on the Public Account Committee say that the cost of extracting GP records has risen from £14 million to £40 million after series of failings. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• 14th Report - General Practice Extraction Service House of Commons Public Accounts Committee

GP surgery in Northamptonshire left blank prescriptions in unlocked offices

GP surgery in Northamptonshire left blank prescriptions in unlocked offices

Staff at a Northamptonshire doctor’s surgery have been reprimanded by inspectors for exposing blank prescriptions to theft. Chronicle & Echo

GP records database delayed at 'huge cost' to taxpayer

GP records database delayed at 'huge cost' to taxpayer

MPs on the Public Account Committee say that the cost of a giant medical database to extract GP records has risen from £14million to £40milliion after series of failings. Telegraph

• Department of Health 'squanders' millions of pounds of taxpayer's money on overdue NHS IT project  Independent
• NHS blows £40million on an out-of-date IT system launched last year  Daily Mail

Mental health now area of most public concern within NHS

Mental health now area of most public concern within NHS


Inadequate support of greater concern than trouble getting a GP appointment and desire for more joined-up services

Mental health has become the area of NHS and social care the public most worry about and want improved, with delays in getting treatment and too little support for people in need their main concerns.

Inadequate support for people with mental illness has replaced the difficulty of getting a GP appointment as the public’s main frustration with the NHS, research by Healthwatch England shows. Guardian

Continue reading...

Junior doctors increasingly pessimistic a deal can be reached to avert new year strike

Junior doctors increasingly pessimistic a deal can be reached to avert new year strike

The most significant industrial action by medics in 40 years could take place as early as the second week in January. Independent

Dementia in the family: the impact on carers

Dementia in the family: the impact on carers

This report highlights the realities of daily life for carers who are looking after their loved ones and reveal how dementia changes family relationships, leaving people feeling socially isolated, and affects both the health and finances of family carers. NHS Networks

New obesity measure 'is better at predicting risk of early death than BMI'

New obesity measure 'is better at predicting risk of early death than BMI'

University of West Virginia scientists developed the surface-based body shape index (SBSI), which takes into account body surface area, vertical trunk circumference, height and waist circumference. Daily Mail

Counting the cost of alcohol to the NHS – share your stories

Counting the cost of alcohol to the NHS – share your stories


Doctors, nurses, administrative staff and other healthcare professionals – tell us about your experiences and the impact of alcohol on the health service

The festive party season is in full swing. But what effect is it, and increased alcohol consumption in general, having on health and social care services and the people who work in them?

The cost of alcohol is being felt across the health service all year round. More than 10 million adults in England now drink more than the recommended daily limit (pdf). Up to 35% of all A&E attendance and ambulance costs may be alcohol related, according to the Nuffield Trust. In 2013-14, more than a million hospital admissions were as a consequence of an alcohol-related diagnosis, and this figure is increasing. Guardian

Continue reading...

High dose vitamin D could treat multiple sclerosis, scientists find

High dose vitamin D could treat multiple sclerosis, scientists find

Low levels of vitamin D are known to be associated with an increased risk of developing MS but it is the first study to show that supplements can help the condition. Telegraph

Press release: Chronic smoking-related lung disease blights over 1 million lives in England

Press release: Chronic smoking-related lung disease blights over 1 million lives in England


Public Health England (PHE) is today (29 December 2015) highlighting the debilitating nature of serious lung diseases for which smoking is the biggest preventable risk factor, after the latest GP figures revealed that more than 1 million people are living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

COPD is the umbrella term for serious lung conditions that include chronic bronchitis and emphysema

People with COPD have difficulties breathing, primarily due to the narrowing of their airways and destruction of lung tissue. Typical symptoms include breathlessness when active, a persistent cough and frequent chest infections.

Smokers can often dismiss the early signs of COPD as a ‘smoker’s cough’, but if they continue smoking and the condition worsens, it can greatly impact on their quality of life. Large numbers of people with COPD are unable to participate in everyday activities such as climbing stairs, housework or gardening; with many even unable take a holiday because of their disease.

HSCIC figures show COPD led to over 113,000 emergency hospital admissions in England in 2013 and 2014.

Public Health England

E-cigarettes are no safer than smoking tobacco, scientists warn

E-cigarettes are no safer than smoking tobacco, scientists warn

Cells exposed to the e-cigarette vapour showed several forms of damage, including DNA strand breaks, which can lead to cancer. Telegraph

NHS paid more than £1m in compensation due to helpline's bad advice - Express.co.uk

NHS paid more than £1m in compensation due to helpline's bad advice - Express.co.uk

THE HEALTH service has had to pay out more than £1million in compensation to patients who suffered after being given poor advice from the controversial NHSDirect telephone helpline. By Matthew Davis, exclusive. PUBLISHED: 00:01, Sun, Dec 27, 2015 ... Health News from around the web and more »

Why your GP may be recommending a dose of the great outdoors in 2016

Why your GP may be recommending a dose of the great outdoors in 2016

'Green prescriptions' are common in other countries – and research suggests they can be more effective than drugs.  Independent

Gonorrhoea could become untreatable, says chief medic

Gonorrhoea could become untreatable, says chief medic


Dame Sally Davies asks GPs and pharmacies to ensure they are prescribing correct drugs after 16 cases of drug-resistant strain of STI this year

Gonorrhoea is at risk of becoming an untreatable disease, England’s chief medical officer has said.

Dame Sally Davies has written to all GPs and pharmacies to ensure they are prescribing the correct drugs after the rise of a highly drug-resistant strain of the infection.  Guardian

Related: Drug-resistant gonorrhoea outbreak sparks England-wide alert

Continue reading...

Adding fluoride to water supply may have no benefit, say experts

Adding fluoride to water supply may have no benefit, say experts


Critics call for end to scheme designed to prevent tooth decay in children, saying its effectiveness remains unproved

Water fluoridation has been in place in England for more than 40 years, and now covers about 6 million people. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls adding fluoride to drinking water one of the 10 great public health achievements in the 20th century.

Public Health England (PHE) describes it as “a safe and effective public health measure” to combat tooth decay in children and, alongside dentists’ groups, has called for it to be implemented more widely.  Guardian

Related: Call for water fluoridation across England to cut childhood tooth decay

Related: US lowers fluoride levels in drinking water for first time in over 50 years

Continue reading...

Easier said than done: why we struggle with healthy behaviours and what to do about it

Easier said than done: why we struggle with healthy behaviours and what to do about it


This report sets out some of the reasons why we might find it hard to live in a healthy way, exercising, eating well, getting adequate sleep, and checking for early warning symptoms. It also looks to the field of behavioural science for strategies that people can use to overcome those hurdles and to initiate lifestyle changes. These include commitment devices, temptation bundling and implementation plans. RSA
Report
RSA - publications

New NHS England action plan to help tackle ‘silent killer’ sepsis

New NHS England action plan to help tackle ‘silent killer’ sepsis A new action plan has been published today to help support healthcare professionals to recognise and treat sepsis promptly. NHS England

Using social media in your recruitment: bringing the candidates to you

Using social media in your recruitment: bringing the candidates to you Read how Cambridge University Hospital Trust is using social media to engage and recruit their future workforce. NHS Employers

Detailed guide: New payment approaches for mental health services

Detailed guide: New payment approaches for mental health services The Five Year Forward View (5YFV) sets out objectives to transform the way in which health and care is organised and delivered. These include an increased focus on person-centred and co-ordinated care for patients. Mental health has a crucial role to play in supporting these objectives. Monitor

Revalidation - updated guidance and key documents

Revalidation - updated guidance and key documents Updates made to key guidance for Revalidation. Nursing and Midwifery Council

Hospice care at Christmas

Hospice care at Christmas A hospice is not the first place you would think would be full of festive cheer at this time of year, but staff at Wirral Hospice St John's are trying to change that. BBC News

Blood pressure therapy re-think urged

Blood pressure therapy re-think urged More lives could be saved if doctors considered using blood pressure drugs for all patients at high-risk of heart disease - even if their blood pressures are normal, a study suggests. BBC News

NHS sets out seven-day service targets

NHS sets out seven-day service targets Acute trusts and GPs told to widen access within the next 15 months. OnMedica

Signs you or a relative might have dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Society

Signs you or a relative might have dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Society The Alzheimer's Society is raising awareness about the symptoms of dementia. The Independent

See also:

• Signs of dementia detected at Christmas - demand for support from Alzheimer’s Society soars after the festive period Alzheimer's Society
• Alzheimer's charities expect 60 per cent rise in calls after Christmas The Daily Telegraph

Most of extra £3.8bn NHS funds already spent, says expert

Most of extra £3.8bn NHS funds already spent, says expert King’s Fund economist backs Labour claims that NHS trust deficits and pension costs mean little of the extra money will be available for better care

Much of the extra £3.8bn allocated to the NHS in George Osborne’s autumn statement has effectively already been spent, a leading health expert had said.

John Appleby, chief economist at the King’s Fund, backed Labour claims that NHS trust deficits and extra pension costs mean very little of the extra money promised for 2016-17 will be available for better care. Continue reading. The Guardian

Behind the headline: deaths in learning disability services

Behind the headline: deaths in learning disability services On the 20 December 2015 the Guardian published an article about deaths in learning disability services, which incorrectly implied that since March 2011 there have been 63 unexpected deaths in our learning disability services which were not investigated.

The data published in fact refers to expected deaths in our services which therefore did not require investigation. There were no unexpected deaths in this period in these services and any unexpected deaths would have been fully investigated in accordance with national guidelines.

As a trust, patient safety is and always will be our top priority. Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

MP raises case of Raunds woman trying to get the best treatment for Hepatitis C in Parliament

MP raises case of Raunds woman trying to get the best treatment for Hepatitis C in Parliament An MP has spoken in the House of Commons about the case of a woman fighting for the best possible treatment after she contracted Hepatitis C from contaminated blood given to her by the NHS. Northampton Telegraph

More CCGs set to take on commissioning of GP services

More CCGs set to take on commissioning of GP services Another 52 Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) have been authorised to take on delegated responsibility for commissioning GP services. NHS England

Delivering the Forward View: NHS Shared Planning Guidance 2016/17 – 2020/21

Delivering the Forward View: NHS Shared Planning Guidance 2016/17 – 2020/21 The leading national health and care bodies in England have come together to publish shared planning guidance for the NHS, setting out the steps to help local organisations deliver a sustainable, transformed health service and improve the quality of care, wellbeing and NHS finances. NHS England

NHS 'must adopt innovation faster'

NHS 'must adopt innovation faster' NHS urged to adopt innovation more quickly. BBC News

Labour: Extra NHS cash vow 'unravels'

Labour: Extra NHS cash vow 'unravels' Chancellor George Osborne's promise of a £3.8bn financial boost for the NHS in England next year has "unravelled", the Labour Party says. BBC News

Care homes on NHS comparison website

Care homes on NHS comparison website Care homes are added to an NHS website that lets people compare the performance of health services across England. BBC News

See also:

• NHS 'TripAdvisor' to let families check care home quality The Daily Mail
• Government launches first 'TripAdvisor' style website for care homes The Daily Telegraph

Weight loss surgery 'cuts diabetes'

Weight loss surgery 'cuts diabetes' Weight-loss surgery can cut a person's risk of diabetes and heart attacks as well as keep fat off, a UK study suggests. BBC News

See also:

• Bariatric Surgery in the United Kingdom: A Cohort Study of Weight Loss and Clinical Outcomes in Routine Clinical Care PLOS Medicine (open access)
• London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine finds proof that weight-loss surgery saves lives The Daily Mail
• Weight-loss surgery 'produces unrivalled health benefits' for patients and NHS, study shows The Daily Telegraph

Boy with cancer has sperm stem cells frozen in the hope he can have children

Boy with cancer has sperm stem cells frozen in the hope he can have children Nine-year-old Nathan Crawford has had treatment for brain tumour which could leave him infertile. The Independent

More than £2.5m of public money spent on expensive gadgets for NHS chiefs

More than £2.5m of public money spent on expensive gadgets for NHS chiefs Thousands of iPads, iPhones and new tablets have been purchased for NHS managers since 2011. The Daily Telegraph

NHS leaders set out plans for seven-day access to services in 15 months

NHS leaders set out plans for seven-day access to services in 15 months Guidance includes aim for quarter of patients in England to have week-round access to acute care and a fifth to GPs by March 2017

A quarter of England’s population should have access to some seven-day services in acute hospitals in only 15 months, NHS leaders have said.

They also laid out their ambition for a fifth of people to have better week-round access to GPs and other primary care by March 2017. Continue reading... The Guardian

Working in a psychiatric ward at Christmas made me commit to the NHS

Working in a psychiatric ward at Christmas made me commit to the NHS The day was an emotional rollercoaster, but it helped me realise I wanted to pursue a career in the health service.

Several years ago I was working in a mental health crisis team in an inner city psychiatric hospital and volunteered to work on Christmas Day.

The Christmas shift started at 8am; I had the luxury of driving the team car from my flat to the hospital. The streets looked abandoned aside from the occasional dog walker. Continue reading... The Guardian

Nursing agencies and the cost to the NHS - by numbers

Nursing agencies and the cost to the NHS - by numbers The amount the NHS is paying companies to arrange last-minute nurses has been uncovered in an investigation by The Telegraph - here are the numbers behind the story. The Daily Telegraph

Relatives of Northamptonshire care home residents say closure plans are causing anxiety

Relatives of Northamptonshire care home residents say closure plans are causing anxiety Relatives of people living in Olympus Care Homes in Northamptonshire say the county council is “putting its budget before care” with proposals to close two as part of £77 million cuts to public services. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Cancer treatment targets at Northampton General Hospital back on track

Cancer treatment targets at Northampton General Hospital back on track Cancer treatment at Northampton General Hospital is back on track after two months of poor performance. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Praise for 999 crews after receiving 500 call-outs on busy Christmas party night

Praise for 999 crews after receiving 500 call-outs on busy Christmas party night East Midlands Ambulance Service received about 500 calls on what was predicted to be the busiest night out for 999 crews over the Christmas period. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Carewatch offers advice on caring for people with dementia over Christmas

Carewatch offers advice on caring for people with dementia over Christmas Carewatch Northampton has issued advice on caring for people living with dementia over the Christmas period. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Premature discharge: is going home early really a Christmas gift?

Premature discharge: is going home early really a Christmas gift? In the past week or so we’ve seen headlines about record delayed discharges from English hospitals and the Nuffield Trust’s considered assessment that many of the NHS’s problems last winter were caused by unsustainably high bed occupancy. We know that avoidable delays cause problems for the system, and more importantly, for patients.

However, the debate on discharge is in danger of focusing solely on delays. That’s partly because they are so obviously important, but also because delays are the most often reported-on national statistics. But what about the other side of the coin – premature discharge, or people leaving hospital too early? The King's Fund

Open consultation: Proposals for CQC to set fees for all aspects of its inspections

Open consultation: Proposals for CQC to set fees for all aspects of its inspections The Health and Social Care Act 2008 gives CQC the power to charge for the registration of health and adult social care providers of regulated activities.

CQC’s new comprehensive inspections consider the quality and safety of care, above and beyond whether a provider is complying with the registration requirements, and highlight good and outstanding aspects of care.

The department intends to introduce a regulation that will bring these inspections and any associated rating within the scope of its fees setting power.

This proposal is not about changing the CQC’s fee structure or the level of fees that it proposes to charge. Neither is it about extending the remit of the CQC’s activity to additional providers or services. Department of Health

Survey on homophobia and discrimination in the workplace

Survey on homophobia and discrimination in the workplace Take part in the BMA's survey on homophobia and discrimination in the workplace. NHS Employers

Bugs resist 'last antibiotic' in UK

Bugs resist 'last antibiotic' in UK Bacteria that resist the antibiotic of last resort colistin have been discovered in the UK. BBC News

See also:

• New potentially lethal superbug resistant to ALL antibiotics is found in the UK - and 12 people have been infected The Daily Mail
• Antibiotic resistant E.coli is circulating in Britain, warn public health officials The Daily Telegraph
• 'Almost too late': fears of global superbug crisis in wake of antibiotic misuse The Guardian

Does going into hospital make you sick?

Does going into hospital make you sick? Is hospital so unpleasant it makes you ill? BBC News

NHS mandated to provide weekend routine GP appointments for all by 2020

NHS mandated to provide weekend routine GP appointments for all by 2020 The government has mandated NHS England to provide weekend routine GP access for every patient in England by 2020 and for a fifth of the population by 2017. GP Online

NHS trusts make as much as £3m a year in car park fees

NHS trusts make as much as £3m a year in car park fees Hospital bodies accused of levying a ‘tax on sick people’ after Press Association investigation reveals earnings.

NHS hospital trusts have been accused of levying a “tax on sick people” after an investigation revealed that some are making more than £3m a year from car park fees.

Year on year, hospitals across England are raising increasing amounts of money from staff, patients and visitors, including those who are disabled, the Freedom of Information study by the Press Association found. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Some NHS trusts make £3m from parking BBC News
• Scandal of the hospitals raking in £3m a year in parking charges - and most of it goes to private firms rather than the NHS The Daily Mail
• NHS hospital trusts accused of 'taxing the sick' through car parking fees The Independent

Three in four people in A&E at weekend are there because of alcohol

Three in four people in A&E at weekend are there because of alcohol 70 per cent of people are admitted to emergency units at the weekend as a result of drinking. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• A&E admissions due to alcohol 'up 50%' BBC News
• Teenage girls worse binge drinkers than men, as hospital admissions for alcohol poisoning soar The Daily Telegraph
• Emergency hospital admissions due to alcohol up 50% in nine years The Guardian

KGH fall below national A&E waiting time average

KGH fall below national A&E waiting time average Kettering General Hospital falls below the national average when it comes to A&E waiting times, according to the latest national statistics. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Reform of support for healthcare students in England

Reform of support for healthcare students in England This note explains the proposed changes to funding for students on NHS funded courses in England, that lead to professional registration as nurses, midwives, or other allied health professionals as announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015. From September 2017 NHS bursaries which provide tuition fee funding, grants and living cost support, will be replaced by funding through the standard student support package of loans. The paper provides background to the proposals, data on nursing and midwifery students and gives reaction to the proposals. House of Commons Library

Efficiency, equity and equality in health and health care

Efficiency, equity and equality in health and health care Three common “Es” have high ethical and political content for health policy: efficiency, equity and equality. This paper examines the links between the three, with especial attention given to (a) the claimed conflict between efficiency and equity, (b) the equity of inequalities and (c) the conflict between six equity principles: equal health, equal health gain, equal value of additional health, maintaining existing distributions, allocation according to need and equal per capita resources. Centre for Health Economics

Cost-effectiveness thresholds in health care: a bookshelf guide to their meaning and use

Cost-effectiveness thresholds in health care: a bookshelf guide to their meaning and use This paper explains the essential meaning of a cost-effectiveness threshold, using the simple metaphor of a bookshelf. Implications of its use, misuse and non-use are explored. These matters are discussed in the context of decisions by governments and agencies concerning the inclusion or exclusion of healthcare technologies in public programmes. Centre for Health Economics

Failure to fortify flour with folic acid 'led to 2,000 birth defects'

Failure to fortify flour with folic acid 'led to 2,000 birth defects' "UK experts are backing the call for flour to be fortified with folic acid – a move which they say would have prevented about 2,000 cases of serious birth defects since 1998," BBC News reports.

Folic acid supplementation around the time of conception and early pregnancy is known to help the formation of a baby's brain and spinal cord. It also reduces the risk of a baby being born with neural tube defects, the most common being spina bifida.

The compulsory fortification of flour with folic acid was introduced in the US and 77 other countries in 1998. The UK chose not introduce the policy, opting to advise women to take supplements instead.

Researchers looked at health records to see how many cases of neural tube defect there have been in the UK over the past 15 to 20 years, and estimated how many there might have been had flour fortification been introduced.

Their results suggest there would have been around 21% fewer babies born with neural tube defects since 1998 – around 2,000 babies.

Current UK recommendations are that women who are pregnant, thinking of trying to have a baby or likely to become pregnant should take a 0.4mg (400 micrograms) folic acid supplement until the twelfth week of pregnancy.

This reliable and informative research has added to the weight of evidence to bring about a change in policy. NHS Choices

Hospitals fail to hit nurse targets

Hospitals fail to hit nurse targets The vast majority of hospitals in England are struggling to recruit enough nurses, figures show. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: Hospitals missing nurse number targets BBC News
• A&E matron: It's like a complex chess game BBC News
• Speech: Creating a modern nursing workforce Department of Health

Free wi-fi 'in all NHS buildings'

Free wi-fi 'in all NHS buildings' Free wi-fi is to be provided in all NHS buildings in a bid to improve services and reduce costs, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says. BBC News

See also:

• Every NHS building to get free Wi-Fi The Guardian

A&Es 'not equipped to cope with winter'

A&Es 'not equipped to cope with winter' A&E units across the UK are not equipped to cope with the rising demands being seen this winter, emergency care doctors say. BBC News

Funding for community pharmacy services to be cut by £170 million

Funding for community pharmacy services to be cut by £170 million Efficiencies won’t have any impact on quality of care or access, argues government. OnMedica

NHS bosses order 'review' by the same people who had proposed shutting units

NHS bosses order 'review' by the same people who had proposed shutting units The ‘independent’ review, commissioned by NHS England, found that soaring waits for A&E treatment in North-West London were ‘unrelated to the closures’ of two casualty units in 2014. The Daily Mail

Revealed: NHS hospitals investigate one in seven deaths of vulnerable patients

Revealed: NHS hospitals investigate one in seven deaths of vulnerable patients Jeremy Hunt urged to investigate after trusts examine just 209 of 1,436 deaths of inpatients with learning disabilities.

Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, is facing calls for a nationwide inquiry into the deaths of highly vulnerable patients in NHS care after it emerged that just one in seven such fatalities in hospitals in England have been investigated.

Data released to the Guardian under freedom of information laws show that hospitals in England have investigated just 209 out of 1,436 deaths of inpatients with learning disabilities since 2011. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NHS fails to investigate 85% of deaths of hospital patients with learning disabilities The Daily Mail
• "No one should have to wait four years for an explanation"  The Guardian
• NHS fails to investigate 85% of deaths of hospital patients with learning disabilities The Independent

They asked for our opinion on the NHS. And then they didn’t listen | Ann Robinson

They asked for our opinion on the NHS. And then they didn’t listen | Ann Robinson The Department of Health held a public consultation on the health service, and the response crashed the site. But despite polite assurances, there is no real shift on key concerns.

The government has published its NHS mandate with the accompanying consultation response. You may remember this consultation process. It was the invitation to participate that got lost in the post.

Campaigning groups 38 degrees and OurNHS highlighted the fact that the deadline for the public to comment on the proposed mandate was fast approaching but no one seemed to know about it. Then, I wrote a piece for the Guardian and you shared, commented and crashed theDepartment of Health (DH) website. There had been 900 responses before the piece, and by the close of play four days later the figure had reached nearly 130,000. Continue reading... The Guardian

Our hospitals are turning into care homes and it's testing the NHS to destruction

Our hospitals are turning into care homes and it's testing the NHS to destruction The NHS faces its worst winter yet, and part of the problem lies in record levels of 'bed blocking' by patients who have nowhere else to go. The Daily Telegraph

Pensioners to be charged £26 'lifting fee' for falling over at home

Pensioners to be charged £26 'lifting fee' for falling over at home A local council is considering introducing the additional fee to its £260-a-year Careline service. The Daily Telegraph

Ambulance service expecting call every 35 seconds tonight as Christmas paries peak in Northamptonshire

Ambulance service expecting call every 35 seconds tonight as Christmas parties peak in Northamptonshire East Midlands Ambulance Service is urging people to think carefully about their alcohol consumption as the service expects its busiest night this year. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Nursing associate role offers new route into nursing

Nursing associate role offers new route into nursing Health Minister Ben Gummer announced a plan to create a new nursing support role.

Provisionally called nursing associates, they will work alongside healthcare support workers and fully qualified nurses focusing on patient care.

Guidance: NHS mandate 2016 to 2017

Guidance: NHS mandate 2016 to 2017 The mandate helps set direction for the NHS and helps ensure the NHS is accountable to Parliament and the public. The mandate must be published each year, to ensure that NHS England’s objectives remain up to date. This mandate was produced following public consultation.

By setting a multi-year mandate with a multi-year budget the government is enabling the NHS to plan more effectively to deliver our long-term aim to achieve the transformation set out in the NHS’s Five Year Forward View and create a fully 7-day NHS.

This mandate reaffirms the government’s commitment to an NHS that remains available to all, based on clinical need and not ability to pay, and that is able to meet patients’ needs and expectations now and in the future. Department of Health

New guidance on disability discrimination

New guidance on disability discrimination New guidance on disability discrimination has been published by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS). NHS Employers

Health Survey for England, 2014

Health Survey for England, 2014 The Health Survey for England series was designed to monitor trends in the nation’s health, to estimate the proportion of people in England who have specified health conditions, and to estimate the prevalence of risk factors associated with these conditions. Health and Social Care Information Centre

NHS death investigations to be reviewed

NHS death investigations to be reviewed A review into the way deaths are investigated throughout the NHS has been announced by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. BBC News

See also:

• News story: NHS Improvement response to the report into Southern Health Monitor
• NHS England publishes report into Southern Health NHS England
• 'Southern Health wouldn't tell me how my son died' BBC News
• ‘A failure of leadership’: official report’s verdict on NHS trust’s scrutiny of deaths Community Care
• Jeremy Hunt criticises NHS trust over response to unexpected deaths The Guardian

GP funding to rise 25% over five years, says NHS England

GP funding to rise 25% over five years, says NHS England GP funding will rise 25% by 2020/21 according to NHS England, but demands for the profession to receive a significantly increased share of overall NHS funding look to have been snubbed. GP Online

Prisoners' use of legal highs 'puts severe strain on ambulance services'

Prisoners' use of legal highs 'puts severe strain on ambulance services' Major study finds increasing use of synthetic cannabis substitutes in prisons is depleting community resources

Local ambulance services in some parts of the country are being put under severe strain because of the rising number of prisoners needing emergency medical help after using legal highs, a watchdog has revealed.

A major study by the chief inspector of prisons says the use of “new psychoactive substances”, such as the synthetic cannabis substitutes spice and black mamba, now represent the most serious threat to the safety and security of prisons across England and Wales. Continue reading... The Guardian

For trans people, NHS delays are all too often a matter of life and death | Jane Fae

For trans people, NHS delays are all too often a matter of life and death | Jane Fae It’s good the media has finally picked up on the scarcity of NHS gender identity clinics. But for some, the wait to transition has proved too long

One cheer for the press; one cheer for the media reporting this weekend on the parlous state of trans healthcare in the UK today.

One cheer – no more. For the story is already old, dangerously old. And in its telling the press has fallen, line and sinker, for the official misdirection that seems now de rigueur for any story that touches on trans issues. Continue reading... The Guardian

British nurse stunned by £5,000 NHS bill

British nurse stunned by £5,000 NHS bill Ex-pat who returned for sister's funeral charged by hospital where she worked for 50 years. The Daily Telegraph

Family doctors attack NHS chief inspector for criticising the profession

Family doctors attack NHS chief inspector for criticising the profession Chief inspector of GPs under pressure to resign after being told that he has 'lost the confidence of the profession'. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• CQC Chief Inspector Steve Field has ‘lost confidence of GPs’ and is ‘no longer viewed as fair and impartial’ Royal College of General Practitioners
• GPs demand that NHS chief inspector Steve Field resign after criticising failing surgeries The Daily Mail
• CQC chief inspector Steve Field has 'lost confidence' of GPs and must apologise, says RCGP GP Online
• BMA demands resignation of CQC chief inspector Steve Field GP Online

Mix meditation, yoga and NHS services and get … wellbeing

Mix meditation, yoga and NHS services and get … wellbeing The NHS, local council and university in Northamptonshire have come together to launch a pioneering new company that will prioritise preventive healthcare services

“How many people join a gym in the new year and don’t use it? What if that money went into public health rather than a private company?” These are the questions Akeen Ali, public health physician and strategist at Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, is asking himself.

Not that Ali doesn’t want people to join a gym and use it. He is part of the core team launching Northamptonshire’s Wellbeing Company, a new community interest company (CIC) created by the trust, Northamptonshire county council and Northamptonshire University. Continue reading... The Guardian

GPs shunning Northamptonshire because they do not want to live in the county, NHS says

GPs shunning Northamptonshire because they do not want to live in the county, NHS says GP numbers are falling in Northamptonshire partly because people do not want to live in the county, the NHS has said. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Discrimination and NHS staff: stepping bravely into the grey

Discrimination and NHS staff: stepping bravely into the grey Sadly, but perhaps unsurprisingly, as our recent report for NHS England discusses, a significant number of NHS staff still experience discrimination as a result of being gay, or Muslim, or disabled, or black African.

Our report is based on data in the 2014 NHS Staff Survey. Data is, of course, important, in highlighting the issues but only tells part of the story. For me, what is missing is the conversation, the human part of the story: the real-life experience of the hospital porter, the nurse, the doctor, the patient or carer who is experiencing discrimination. The King's Fund

See also:

• Making the difference: diversity and inclusion in the NHS The King's Fund

Personal budgets as an integral form of NHS care: a discussion paper

Personal budgets as an integral form of NHS care: a discussion paper This paper argues that the use of personal budgets in health care supports the values of the NHS. It asserts that personal budgets in health offer a more targeted form of support that is available free at the point of use, according to need, and via public funds. The paper consolidates the view the idea that personal budgets can be implemented in a way that promotes community ties, rather than individualism and privatisation of health and social care and that they have the potential to improve experience and outcomes for individuals, promoting equity of access to support that can change lives. National Voices

Hospital staffing 'affects death rates'

Hospital staffing 'affects death rates' Fewer patients die after emergency surgery in hospitals that have more doctors and nurses, a study suggests. BBC News

See also:

• Mortality of emergency general surgical patients and associations with hospital structures and processes British Journal of Anaesthesia (Open Athens password required) 
• Shortage of NHS nurses 'kills hundreds of patients after emergency surgery' The Daily Mail