Mental illness recovery linked to deprivation, report
Official statistics show a strong link between deprivation and the likelihood of recovering from anxiety and depression.
NHS Networks
Thursday, 20 October 2016
Does health literacy matter? – Jonathan Berry
Does health literacy matter? – Jonathan Berry
Jonathan Berry, Personalisation & Control Specialist in NHS England’s Person Centred Care Team, provides an update on the current work being done to transform health literacy and explains why it is so important and the positive impact it can have for patients. “Does health literacy matter?”. I am often asked this by clinicians and managers […]
Jonathan Berry, Personalisation & Control Specialist in NHS England’s Person Centred Care Team, provides an update on the current work being done to transform health literacy and explains why it is so important and the positive impact it can have for patients. “Does health literacy matter?”. I am often asked this by clinicians and managers […]
NHS Commissioning
Proposals for changes to the arrangements for evaluating and funding drugs and other health technologies appraised through NICE’s technology appraisal and highly specialised technologies programmes
Proposals for changes to the arrangements for evaluating and funding drugs and other health technologies appraised through NICE’s technology appraisal and highly specialised technologies programmes
NICE and NHS England have launched a consultation on changes to the arrangements for evaluating and funding drugs and other health technologies appraised through NICE’s Technology Appraisal and Highly Specialised Technologies programmes. The proposed changes could benefit patients by providing access to the most effective and cost-effective new treatments more quickly and will help the life sciences industry by increasing the opportunities for companies to help manage the introduction of their new technologies into the NHS. This consultation sets out a number of ways in which NICE and NHS England can provide an environment that encourages the life sciences industry and the NHS to work together in the best interests of patients. The closing date for comments is 13 January 2017.
NICE and NHS England have launched a consultation on changes to the arrangements for evaluating and funding drugs and other health technologies appraised through NICE’s Technology Appraisal and Highly Specialised Technologies programmes. The proposed changes could benefit patients by providing access to the most effective and cost-effective new treatments more quickly and will help the life sciences industry by increasing the opportunities for companies to help manage the introduction of their new technologies into the NHS. This consultation sets out a number of ways in which NICE and NHS England can provide an environment that encourages the life sciences industry and the NHS to work together in the best interests of patients. The closing date for comments is 13 January 2017.
A rapid review of evidence on the cost-effectiveness of interventions to improve the oral health of children aged 0-5 years
A rapid review of evidence on the cost-effectiveness of interventions to improve the oral health of children aged 0-5 years
These resources were developed to support local authorities investing in the local commissioning of oral health improvement programmes for pre-school children. They were commissioned from the York Health Economics Consortium and developed in partnership with Public Health England.
These resources were developed to support local authorities investing in the local commissioning of oral health improvement programmes for pre-school children. They were commissioned from the York Health Economics Consortium and developed in partnership with Public Health England.
Public Health England
Rapid review
ROI infographic
ROI interventions tool
Public Health England - publications
Rapid review
ROI infographic
ROI interventions tool
Public Health England - publications
NHS England sets out funding for GP infrastructure, indemnity and mental health
NHS England sets out funding for GP infrastructure, indemnity and mental health
Nearly 300 GP practices will receive premises or technology investment this year as part of a plan to invest £900m in general practice infrastructure by 2020/21, NHS England has announced.
Nearly 300 GP practices will receive premises or technology investment this year as part of a plan to invest £900m in general practice infrastructure by 2020/21, NHS England has announced.
GP Online
How do people with psychosis use online health information, and do they tell their clinicians?
How do people with psychosis use online health information, and do they tell their clinicians?
Sarah Knowles reviews a recent qualitative study of online mental health information seeking behaviour by people with psychosis.
Sarah Knowles reviews a recent qualitative study of online mental health information seeking behaviour by people with psychosis.
The Mental Elf
Doctors 'know too little about nutrition and exercise'
Doctors 'know too little about nutrition and exercise'
Letter from medics and dieticians calls for improvement in training to reduce lifestyle-related deaths
Most doctors are ill-equipped to tackle Britain’s increasing frequency of lifestyle-related diseases because they know worryingly little about how nutrition and exercise can improve health, a group of prominent medics has claimed.
“There is a lack of knowledge and understanding of the basic evidence for the impact of nutrition and physical activity on health among the overwhelming majority of doctors. This has its roots in the lack of early formal training,” they state in a letter to the Medical Schools Council (MSC) and General Medical Council (GMC).
Letter from medics and dieticians calls for improvement in training to reduce lifestyle-related deaths
Most doctors are ill-equipped to tackle Britain’s increasing frequency of lifestyle-related diseases because they know worryingly little about how nutrition and exercise can improve health, a group of prominent medics has claimed.
“There is a lack of knowledge and understanding of the basic evidence for the impact of nutrition and physical activity on health among the overwhelming majority of doctors. This has its roots in the lack of early formal training,” they state in a letter to the Medical Schools Council (MSC) and General Medical Council (GMC).
Guardian
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
How virtual reality is changing the game in healthcare
How virtual reality is changing the game in healthcare
UK hospitals are turning to simulation and the virtual world to train healthcare professionals in medical procedures
In a small operating theatre underneath University College London hospital, a team of cardiologists are in a race against time. They’re performing an angioplasty, a delicate and dextrous procedure where tiny wires are inserted into the heart to widen coronary arteries narrowed by plaque buildup. Things have gone badly wrong.
One of the wires has perforated the artery walls, causing a rapid leakage of blood. With fluid building up around the heart, the team must act quickly. A microscopic balloon has to be blown up inside the artery to stop further blood loss, before a drain is inserted through a tiny keyhole incision to remove the excess. This has to be done in less than five minutes to prevent the patient going into cardiac arrest.
UK hospitals are turning to simulation and the virtual world to train healthcare professionals in medical procedures
In a small operating theatre underneath University College London hospital, a team of cardiologists are in a race against time. They’re performing an angioplasty, a delicate and dextrous procedure where tiny wires are inserted into the heart to widen coronary arteries narrowed by plaque buildup. Things have gone badly wrong.
One of the wires has perforated the artery walls, causing a rapid leakage of blood. With fluid building up around the heart, the team must act quickly. A microscopic balloon has to be blown up inside the artery to stop further blood loss, before a drain is inserted through a tiny keyhole incision to remove the excess. This has to be done in less than five minutes to prevent the patient going into cardiac arrest.
Guardian
Wednesday, 19 October 2016
Northamptonshire among training pilot sites for new nursing role
Northamptonshire among training pilot sites for new nursing role Healthcare leaders in Northamptonshire have welcomed news that the county has been selected as a test site for training the first wave of nursing associates in the UK. Over 1,000 nursing associates will begin training across the UK this December in a new role that will sit alongside existing nursing care support workers and fully-qualified registered nurses to deliver hands-on care for patients. Northampton General Hospital
Guided Care: A Structured Approach to Providing Comprehensive Primary Care for Complex Patients
Guided Care: A Structured Approach to Providing Comprehensive Primary Care for Complex Patients In the Guided Care model, specially trained nurses create care plans, educate and support high-need patients and their caregivers, and coordinate care among providers, using formal assessment and planning tools to set priorities for stabilizing health and achieving patients’ goals. The Commonwealth Fund
Children's mental health services in 'emergency state'
Children's mental health services in 'emergency state' Children's mental health services are in a state of emergency and must be prioritised, a leading doctor has said.
The government has vowed to invest £1.4bn to transform young people's mental health services.
But Dr Richard Vautrey, a Leeds GP and deputy chair of the British Medical Association (BMA), said the government needs to "turn rhetoric into reality".
Figures show one in 50 children under 18 are in contact with specialist mental health services in England. BBC News
The government has vowed to invest £1.4bn to transform young people's mental health services.
But Dr Richard Vautrey, a Leeds GP and deputy chair of the British Medical Association (BMA), said the government needs to "turn rhetoric into reality".
Figures show one in 50 children under 18 are in contact with specialist mental health services in England. BBC News
Widespread Inequality Is At The Root Of The UK's Mental Health Crisis
Widespread Inequality Is At The Root Of The UK's Mental Health Crisis Setting out her One Nation agenda and making a clear break from the past, Theresa May used her first speech as Prime Minister to highlight the need to tackle social injustice. This rhetoric is welcome; but we must also be clear it can never translate into reality if the alarming situation in mental health is not resolved.
The high levels of health inequalities in the UK, especially within mental health, make this all the more urgent. Those in poverty are more likely to suffer from poor mental health than others, and at points in their life when we know people are vulnerable - infancy, childhood, and during poor physical health - they are not receiving enough support to prevent lasting mental health problems. Huffington Post UK
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The high levels of health inequalities in the UK, especially within mental health, make this all the more urgent. Those in poverty are more likely to suffer from poor mental health than others, and at points in their life when we know people are vulnerable - infancy, childhood, and during poor physical health - they are not receiving enough support to prevent lasting mental health problems. Huffington Post UK
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Failing national drugs policy behind rising death toll, say experts
Failing national drugs policy behind rising death toll, say experts We must learn lessons from our failing drugs policy in England, experts have warned in The BMJ this morning. They argue in theireditorial* that the current situation is a public health and primary care emergency. They call for better support for GPs looking after an ageing cohort of opiate users, better commissioning of services and more coordinated work between the NHS and local authorities.
Office for National Statistics figures published last month showed that, between 2012 and 2015, total drug-related deaths in England and Wales increased by 65.7% and opioid-related deaths by 107%. Professor John Middleton, president of the Faculty of Public Health, and co-authors pointed out that actual mortality associated with drug use is even higher, as these figures exclude deaths from bloodborne viruses and other conditions related to use of illegal drugs. OnMedica
Office for National Statistics figures published last month showed that, between 2012 and 2015, total drug-related deaths in England and Wales increased by 65.7% and opioid-related deaths by 107%. Professor John Middleton, president of the Faculty of Public Health, and co-authors pointed out that actual mortality associated with drug use is even higher, as these figures exclude deaths from bloodborne viruses and other conditions related to use of illegal drugs. OnMedica
Digital health devices are great - but the people who really need them can't afford them, warns public health professor
Digital health devices are great - but the people who really need them can't afford them, warns public health professor These technologies, such as activity trackers and blood pressure and glucose monitors, empower patients with the necessary information to better manage their conditions. The Daily Mail
The parents in denial about their children being fat: Just 9% consider their offspring overweight while half reward good behaviour with unhealthy snacks
The parents in denial about their children being fat: Just 9% consider their offspring overweight while half reward good behaviour with unhealthy snacks Just 9 per cent of children are considered overweight by their family – even though NHS figures show almost a third of two- to 15-year-olds are. The Daily Mail
Tuesday, 18 October 2016
New role created at Northampton General Hospital for victims of domestic violence
New role created at Northampton General Hospital for victims of domestic violence Northampton General Hospital has created a new role to strengthen the support it gives to patients at risk of domestic abuse .
Claire, an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) working for Northamptonshire Sunflower Centre, is now based at the hospital to offer advice and guidance to adults who have experienced domestic abuse and are at risk of injury, harm or homicide.
Claire will also introduce new training for our staff to help them to recognise signs of abuse and to act safely and appropriately to signpost and support them.
She will be based initially in the hospital's maternity offices working alongside the hospital's safeguarding midwives. Northants Herald and Post
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Claire, an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) working for Northamptonshire Sunflower Centre, is now based at the hospital to offer advice and guidance to adults who have experienced domestic abuse and are at risk of injury, harm or homicide.
Claire will also introduce new training for our staff to help them to recognise signs of abuse and to act safely and appropriately to signpost and support them.
She will be based initially in the hospital's maternity offices working alongside the hospital's safeguarding midwives. Northants Herald and Post
See also:
- New hospital-based role to support patients at risk of domestic abuse Northampton General Hospital
Guidance: Safer maternity care
Guidance: Safer maternity care The Safer Maternity Care action plan from the Department of Health is part of the national ambition to halve rates of stillbirths, neonatal deaths, maternal deaths and brain injuries that occur during or shortly after birth, by 2030.
It is supported by a national package of measures and funding including:
It is supported by a national package of measures and funding including:
- an £8 million maternity safety training fund to support trusts to drive improvements in maternity safety
- the launch of ‘Our Chance’ campaign, targeted towards pregnant women and their families to raise awareness of the symptoms that can lead to stillbirth
- a £250,000 maternity safety innovation fund to support local maternity services to create and pilot new ideas
- a new National Quality Improvement Programme for all trusts.
- Maternity ratings for clinical commissioning groups across England will be published to benchmark local areas, help identify those areas needing improvement and examples of the best practice
Open consultation: Providing a 'safe space' in healthcare safety investigations
Open consultation: Providing a 'safe space' in healthcare safety investigations The proposal outlined in this consultation will legally ensure that information that staff provide as part of a health service investigation will be kept confidential except where there is an immediate risk to patient safety, or where the High Court makes an order permitting disclosure. This broadly mirrors the procedures followed in air accidents investigations. Department of Health
The NHS partners with Twitter to help shed light on what it means to work or be a patient in the NHS
The NHS partners with Twitter to help shed light on what it means to work or be a patient in the NHS A pioneering new initiative to lift the lid on the NHS through the voices of the people on its frontline goes live today with the launch of the @NHS Twitter account.
A UK first, @NHS will see a different NHS patient or member of its 1.3 million staff become curator each week over a three month pilot and report first hand their experiences of the health service. NHS England
A UK first, @NHS will see a different NHS patient or member of its 1.3 million staff become curator each week over a three month pilot and report first hand their experiences of the health service. NHS England
Inquiry call over NHS health provider's finances
Inquiry call over NHS health provider's finances An MP is demanding the health secretary investigates how a private firm running dozens of GP surgeries and NHS walk-in centres is handling its finances.
Integral Medical Holdings (IMH), which controls 50 NHS sites, swapped its debts for loan notes to its parent company, which is based in The Bahamas.
It essentially means taxpayers' money given to IMH ends up paying off interest of 20%.
IMH said the system allowed flexibility over when debts were repaid. BBC News
Integral Medical Holdings (IMH), which controls 50 NHS sites, swapped its debts for loan notes to its parent company, which is based in The Bahamas.
It essentially means taxpayers' money given to IMH ends up paying off interest of 20%.
IMH said the system allowed flexibility over when debts were repaid. BBC News
Sussex NHS mental health trust criticised over killings by patients
Sussex NHS mental health trust criticised over killings by patients A mental health trust underestimated the risk posed by its patients and sometimes did not act on threats to kill, a review of 10 killings over eight years has found.
The review examined deaths linked to Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust patients between 2007 and 2015.
It found killings by Kayden Smith in 2012 and Roger Goswell in 2007 had been "preventable" and "predictable".
The trust has apologised and offered its condolences to families. BBC News
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The review examined deaths linked to Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust patients between 2007 and 2015.
It found killings by Kayden Smith in 2012 and Roger Goswell in 2007 had been "preventable" and "predictable".
The trust has apologised and offered its condolences to families. BBC News
See also:
- An independent thematic review ofinvestigations into the care and treatment provided to service users who committed ahomicide and to a victim of homicide Sussex
Partnership NHS Foundation Trust - Sussex deaths BBC News
- Review of 10 killings uncovers failings at NHS mental health trust that 'severely underestimated' risk posed by patients The Daily Telegraph
- NHS trust criticised for underestimating risk posed by patients who killed people The Guardian
- NHS Trust criticised for failings after 'killings' involving people with links to its mental health services ITV News
Ambulance patients face long A&E delays
Ambulance patients face long A&E delays Thousands of patients taken to hospital by ambulance face long delays before being seen by accident and emergency staff, figures for England show. BBC News
Threat to name NHS trusts over high agency spending
Threat to name NHS trusts over high agency spending NHS bosses are threatening to "name and shame" trusts in England as they try to crack down on agency spending. BBC News
Every 1% saved from chaotic NHS procurement could save £220m
Every 1% saved from chaotic NHS procurement could save £220m If health secretary Jeremy Hunt took a tougher line over procurement, the millions saved could pay for thousands more junior doctors
Last week, when she met Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, prime minister Theresa May dashed any hopes of a cash boost in next month’s autumn statement.
But there is one area of NHS England spending that has not yet come sufficiently under the microscope: procurement. Every 1% reduction – a reasonably conservative target – in hospital trusts’ annual procurement expenditure of £22bn could, for instance, pay for more than 4,000 extra junior doctors. Continue reading... The Guardian
Last week, when she met Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, prime minister Theresa May dashed any hopes of a cash boost in next month’s autumn statement.
But there is one area of NHS England spending that has not yet come sufficiently under the microscope: procurement. Every 1% reduction – a reasonably conservative target – in hospital trusts’ annual procurement expenditure of £22bn could, for instance, pay for more than 4,000 extra junior doctors. Continue reading... The Guardian
Hospital deficits could force NHS to divert money meant for improving care
Hospital deficits could force NHS to divert money meant for improving care Trusts in England will have £5.4bn made available to them until 2019 to help wipe out deficits, threatening plans to overhaul delivery of care, says thinktank
The NHS expects hospitals to go on racking up such large deficits in the next few years that it will have to divert £5.4bn earmarked for improving patient care to prop them up, experts claim.
NHS trusts in England, which recorded a collective deficit of £2.45bn last year, are meant to reduce their overspending this year to only £580m to help tackle the service’s acute financial problems. Continue reading... The Guardian
The NHS expects hospitals to go on racking up such large deficits in the next few years that it will have to divert £5.4bn earmarked for improving patient care to prop them up, experts claim.
NHS trusts in England, which recorded a collective deficit of £2.45bn last year, are meant to reduce their overspending this year to only £580m to help tackle the service’s acute financial problems. Continue reading... The Guardian
Third of people worry the NHS will share their personal data
Third of people worry the NHS will share their personal data More than 2,000 British adults were surveyed for a European-wide campaign known as eTRIKS - which tries to increase the sharing of patient data among scientific studies for medical breakthroughs. The Daily Mail
Monday, 17 October 2016
Parking charges at Northampton General Hospital among most expensive in the country
Parking charges at Northampton General Hospital among most expensive in the country Patients at Northampton General Hospital are paying some of the highest parking prices in England, new figures have revealed.
The cost to park at NGH is the sixth highest in the country, with patients and visitors forced to fork to £3.10 for a one-hour visit (price for 0-3 hours).
This is higher than the The Royal Free Hospital in London (at £3), while the most expensive is the Royal Surrey County Hospital where it costs £4.
These prices have been revealed this week as part of a Freedom of Information request by the Press Association. Northampton Herald and Post
The cost to park at NGH is the sixth highest in the country, with patients and visitors forced to fork to £3.10 for a one-hour visit (price for 0-3 hours).
This is higher than the The Royal Free Hospital in London (at £3), while the most expensive is the Royal Surrey County Hospital where it costs £4.
These prices have been revealed this week as part of a Freedom of Information request by the Press Association. Northampton Herald and Post
Commitments to increase mental health funding not reaching the front line
Commitments to increase mental health funding not reaching the front line
Promised increases in funding for mental health services have not materialised in many areas of the country, according to a new analysis.
The analysis shows that 40 per cent of mental health trusts saw their income fall in 2015/16. This is despite the government’s commitment to parity of esteem for mental health and assurances from NHS England that almost 90 per cent of plans submitted by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) last year included mental health funding increases. NHS England had made it clear that it expected CCGs to increase mental health funding in 2015/16.
The findings are based on analysis of the annual accounts of all 58 mental health trusts in England. Given that mental health trusts provide about 80 per cent of all mental health care, the fact that income fell in so many trusts last year provides a clear indication that the promised funding increases are not reaching the front line. The analysis also showed that a higher proportion of trusts ended the year in deficit than in previous years. The King's Fund
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Promised increases in funding for mental health services have not materialised in many areas of the country, according to a new analysis.
The analysis shows that 40 per cent of mental health trusts saw their income fall in 2015/16. This is despite the government’s commitment to parity of esteem for mental health and assurances from NHS England that almost 90 per cent of plans submitted by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) last year included mental health funding increases. NHS England had made it clear that it expected CCGs to increase mental health funding in 2015/16.
The findings are based on analysis of the annual accounts of all 58 mental health trusts in England. Given that mental health trusts provide about 80 per cent of all mental health care, the fact that income fell in so many trusts last year provides a clear indication that the promised funding increases are not reaching the front line. The analysis also showed that a higher proportion of trusts ended the year in deficit than in previous years. The King's Fund
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New birth injuries compensation scheme announced
New birth injuries compensation scheme announced The government is proposing a new system for compensating parents in England for injuries to babies during birth, which will allow medical staff to speak openly. BBC News
See also:
See also:
- Tripling in NHS legal bills for catastrophic childbirth blunders The Daily Telegraph
- Maternity wards in England to be rated by safety record The Guardian
Investigation over cancer 'cure' GcMAF in health food shop
Investigation over cancer 'cure' GcMAF in health food shop An undercover investigation by 5 live Investigates has found an unlicensed blood product being sold illegally in the UK to treat cancer. BBC News
Midwives: NHS spending on agency staff in England doubles to £25m
Midwives: NHS spending on agency staff in England doubles to £25m The NHS in England spent £25m on agency midwives last year - more than double the figure for 2013, a report from the Royal College of Midwives says. BBC News
See also:
See also:
- NHS midwife agency spend could solve midwife shortage says RCM in new report Royal College of Midwives
- Doubling in NHS agency spending with £50 hourly rates for midwives The Daily Telegraph
Act now or the NHS will be insurance-based system within 10 years, warns doctor who resigned on live TV
Act now or the NHS will be insurance-based system within 10 years, warns doctor who resigned on live TV As dramatic resignations go, handing in your notice on live TV has to be up there – particularly when your boss is Jeremy Hunt. In April this year Dr Ben White appeared on Good Morning Britain to discuss the first ever all-out doctors’ strike. “I am resigning as a trainee doctor to focus on a legal campaign to fight the [junior doctors] contract on behalf of my patients and on behalf of the NHS,” Dr White said. iNews
Could Brexit prove terminal for the NHS?
Could Brexit prove terminal for the NHS? With Britain’s dedicated foreign medical staff under threat, an already beleaguered national health service faces possibly the biggest crisis in its history
All human life is in Homerton hospital’s car park. Or at least, passing through Homerton hospital car park on the way to A&E or outpatients or maternity. A Bangladeshi woman in a wheelchair. A Hasidic Jewish schoolboy with ringlets and a limp. A bearded hipster with a newborn baby in a plastic carrycot. Inside there are nurses from the Philippines, from Spain, from Italy, from Gambia, from the Caribbean. There are doctors from India, and radiographers from Germany, and anaesthetists from Pakistan, and cleaners from Ghana, and midwives from Nigeria. To cut to the chase: there is everyone from everywhere. And of course they’re not alone in this. With more than half of all doctors coming from abroad – as they have since at least the late 60s – Homerton hospital in the East End of London is like every NHS hospital in every city in Britain. Continue reading... The Guardian
All human life is in Homerton hospital’s car park. Or at least, passing through Homerton hospital car park on the way to A&E or outpatients or maternity. A Bangladeshi woman in a wheelchair. A Hasidic Jewish schoolboy with ringlets and a limp. A bearded hipster with a newborn baby in a plastic carrycot. Inside there are nurses from the Philippines, from Spain, from Italy, from Gambia, from the Caribbean. There are doctors from India, and radiographers from Germany, and anaesthetists from Pakistan, and cleaners from Ghana, and midwives from Nigeria. To cut to the chase: there is everyone from everywhere. And of course they’re not alone in this. With more than half of all doctors coming from abroad – as they have since at least the late 60s – Homerton hospital in the East End of London is like every NHS hospital in every city in Britain. Continue reading... The Guardian
No extra money for NHS, Theresa May tells health chief
No extra money for NHS, Theresa May tells health chief Exclusive: PM says service should focus on efficiencies to fill £22bn hole despite warnings hospitals close to breaking point
Theresa May has told the head of the NHS that it will get no extra money despite rapidly escalating problems that led to warnings this week that hospitals are close to breaking point.
The prime minister dashed any hopes of a cash boost in next month’s autumn statement when she met Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, senior NHS sources have told the Guardian. Instead she told him last month that the NHS should urgently focus on making efficiencies to fill the £22bn hole in its finances and not publicly seek more than the “£10bn extra” that ministers insist they have already pledged to provide during this parliament. Continue reading... The Guardian
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Theresa May has told the head of the NHS that it will get no extra money despite rapidly escalating problems that led to warnings this week that hospitals are close to breaking point.
The prime minister dashed any hopes of a cash boost in next month’s autumn statement when she met Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, senior NHS sources have told the Guardian. Instead she told him last month that the NHS should urgently focus on making efficiencies to fill the £22bn hole in its finances and not publicly seek more than the “£10bn extra” that ministers insist they have already pledged to provide during this parliament. Continue reading... The Guardian
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Shocking picture shows freezing pensioner forced to wait 3 HOURS in the pouring rain for an ambulance after breaking her leg
Shocking picture shows freezing pensioner forced to wait 3 HOURS in the pouring rain for an ambulance after breaking her leg Hazel Baines, from Grantham, was given an umbrella to protect her from the rain during her wait. She reached hospital seven hours after her fall - where she doctors said she had a broken femur. The Daily Mail
Cuts to subsidies will force 1,600 rural pharmacies to shut
Cuts to subsidies will force 1,600 rural pharmacies to shut More than 1,600 pharmacies in rural areas face closure because they will not benefit from a promised government financial package, leaked documents indicate.
Ministers are expected to unveil a large cut in the annual subsidy for community chemists in the next few days.
The cuts have proved highly controversial, with a record 2.2 million people – one in 30 of the population of Britain – signing a petition against them. The Daily Telegraph
Ministers are expected to unveil a large cut in the annual subsidy for community chemists in the next few days.
The cuts have proved highly controversial, with a record 2.2 million people – one in 30 of the population of Britain – signing a petition against them. The Daily Telegraph
Breast implant operations to be logged in cosmetic clampdown
Breast implant operations to be logged in cosmetic clampdown A new national register will log every breast implant operation in England to prevent a repeat of the scandal in which thousands of women received substandard devices.
The registry will record the details of patients having cosmetic surgery, so they can be traced in the event of a product recall or other safety concern. The Daily Telegraph
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The registry will record the details of patients having cosmetic surgery, so they can be traced in the event of a product recall or other safety concern. The Daily Telegraph
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Friday, 14 October 2016
New family support programme in Northampton has been awarded with hundreds-of-thousands-of-pounds
New family support programme in Northampton has been awarded with hundreds-of-thousands-of-pounds A recently developed support scheme for new parents and babies is set to launch in Northampton and Daventry after being awarded £500,000 from the Big Lottery Fund, it was announced today.
The ‘Flourishing Babies’ programme will work with parents and their babies during pregnancy two-years-old, working closely with Northampton General Hospital and Danetre Hospital’s health visiting and midwifery teams to identify mums and dads most in need of extra help to get their family life off to a great start. Daventry Express
The ‘Flourishing Babies’ programme will work with parents and their babies during pregnancy two-years-old, working closely with Northampton General Hospital and Danetre Hospital’s health visiting and midwifery teams to identify mums and dads most in need of extra help to get their family life off to a great start. Daventry Express
Patients to get faster access to the most cost effective treatments under proposed changes to NICE process
Patients to get faster access to the most cost effective treatments under proposed changes to NICE process Proposed changes to the way NICE appraises new treatments could see patients benefiting from the most cost effective treatments nearly three months faster than is currently the case. NHS England
Midwives' voices, midwives realities: findings from a global consulation on providing quality midwifery care
Midwives' voices, midwives realities: findings from a global consulation on providing quality midwifery care This report outlines the findings of the first global survey of midwifery personnel and it reveals that too often midwives report their efforts are constrained by unequal power relations within the health system. It highlights the need to provide midwives with professional support (including better working conditions); stronger education and regulatory environments; and stronger advocacy around midwifery. World Health Organization
Pharmacy funding cuts 'could force closures'
Pharmacy funding cuts 'could force closures' Pharmacies in England could face steep funding cuts within weeks that will force some to close, the industry's negotiating body tells BBC News
See also:
See also:
- PSNC rejects DH proposed funding package Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee
- NHS England patients calling 111 will see local chemist and not their doctor The Daily Mail
- Pharmacies to dole out emergency prescriptions to ease NHS crisis The Daily Telegraph
Warning issued over faulty defibrillators in public places
Warning issued over faulty defibrillators in public places More than 2,000 defibrillators available for use in public places, like schools and train stations, are faulty and will not deliver an electric shock in an emergency. BBC News
Health education chiefs told to 'reduce NHS demand for migrants'
Health education chiefs told to 'reduce NHS demand for migrants' Health Education England (HEE) has been given a year to draw up plans to 'reduce the demand for international migrants to fill roles in the NHS'. GP Online
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See also:
Global TB epidemic prompts fresh warnings amid drug-resistance crisis
Global TB epidemic prompts fresh warnings amid drug-resistance crisis The world is making “dismal progress” towards ending the global epidemic of tuberculosis – the infection which kills more people than any other – amid a “crisis” in resistance to drugs used to treat the disease, the World Health Organisation has warned.
An estimated 10.4 million people had TB last year with 1.8 million dying as a result, the WHO said in a new report.
The figures show the disease is significantly more common than previously thought. The WHO had estimated there were 9.6 million cases in 2014, but it put the rise down to better recording in India, where TB is a particular problem. The Independent
An estimated 10.4 million people had TB last year with 1.8 million dying as a result, the WHO said in a new report.
The figures show the disease is significantly more common than previously thought. The WHO had estimated there were 9.6 million cases in 2014, but it put the rise down to better recording in India, where TB is a particular problem. The Independent
Areas of NHS will implode this winter, expert warns
Areas of NHS will implode this winter, expert warns Dr Mark Holland of Society for Acute Medicine says service is on its knees as A&E performance in England shows fall
Parts of the NHS will implode this winter, an expert has warned, as new figures show falling A&E performance over the past few months.
Dr Mark Holland, the president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said the days when summer used to provide a respite for busy emergency departments had gone, and instead the NHS faces an “eternal winter”. Continue reading... The Guardian
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Parts of the NHS will implode this winter, an expert has warned, as new figures show falling A&E performance over the past few months.
Dr Mark Holland, the president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said the days when summer used to provide a respite for busy emergency departments had gone, and instead the NHS faces an “eternal winter”. Continue reading... The Guardian
See also:
- The King’s Fund responds to the CQC State of Care report The King's Fund
- The King’s Fund responds to latest NHS performance statistics The King's Fund
- A&E summer waiting times worse than most winters, new data shows The Daily Telegraph
- The Guardian view on social care: a crisis of politics as well as finance | Editorial The Guardian
- Social care cuts take English service to tipping point, regulator warns The Guardian
My patient told me he is going to stab someone. There's nothing I can do
My patient told me he is going to stab someone. There's nothing I can do He was treated in hospital for mental health problems but will be discharged. Anything he does is on my head
“I’m going to go home and I’m going to stab someone.”
Alan is in the weekly ward review meeting with a group of doctors, nurses, and students. We’ve told him we think he is well enough to leave the ward; he disagrees. Continue reading... The Guardian
“I’m going to go home and I’m going to stab someone.”
Alan is in the weekly ward review meeting with a group of doctors, nurses, and students. We’ve told him we think he is well enough to leave the ward; he disagrees. Continue reading... The Guardian
At least 300 GP practices are expected to be rated inadequate following inspections
At least 300 GP practices are expected to be rated inadequate following inspections At least 800,000 patients are registered with unsafe GPs, the Care Quality Commission found. Patients are reportedly not being invited in for routine cancer screening. The Daily Mail
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Hospital trusts now charging up to £4 an hour in car parking fees
Hospital trusts now charging up to £4 an hour in car parking fees Campaigners say they hit cancer sufferers and other very sick patients receiving life-saving treatment particularly hard. The Daily Mail
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Midwives' union tried to cover up pay-off for ringleader 'musketeer'
Midwives' union tried to cover up pay-off for ringleader 'musketeer' The midwives' union tried to gag health officials, in a bid to protect the ringleader in a scandal which saw 11 baby deaths, an investigation has revealed.
Jeanette Parkinson was one of a group of midwives in Morecambe Bay who she dubbed “the musketeers” as she they colluded to cover up critical blunders.
Yesterday leaked documents revealed that she was “significantly overpaid” – receiving 14 months’ salary in a farewell deal in 2012 which prevented investigation of her conduct.
The manager who signed off the terms is now being hauled in front of regulators.
Now it has emerged that the Royal College of Midwives has threatened legal action to prevent the NHS trust publishing a report into the matter. The Daily Telegraph
Jeanette Parkinson was one of a group of midwives in Morecambe Bay who she dubbed “the musketeers” as she they colluded to cover up critical blunders.
Yesterday leaked documents revealed that she was “significantly overpaid” – receiving 14 months’ salary in a farewell deal in 2012 which prevented investigation of her conduct.
The manager who signed off the terms is now being hauled in front of regulators.
Now it has emerged that the Royal College of Midwives has threatened legal action to prevent the NHS trust publishing a report into the matter. The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, 13 October 2016
Plea by health bosses to use Northamptonshire hospitals carefully after surge in demand
Plea by health bosses to use Northamptonshire hospitals carefully after surge in demand Health bosses in Northamptonshire are strongly urging people to help their local accident and emergency departments cope with very high levels of demand. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Understanding patient flow in hospitals
Understanding patient flow in hospitals With performance falling below targets and winter approaching, a Nuffield Trust briefing today warns the NHS can no longer find enough bed space to move patients through hospitals quickly and meet key A&E targets – and that its practice of counting patients at midnight means we are missing the true scale of the squeeze.
Understanding patient flow in hospitals, a briefing for NHS managers, estimates that 5.5% of beds need to be free for cleaning and preparation if patients are to be moved through quickly enough to meet the high-profile commitment to admit or transfer emergency patients within four hours. Yet many hospitals are unable to provide this much of the time, making target breaches inevitable. With a growing number of patients coming and going during the day, counting bed occupancy at midnight means that crunch times are often invisible. The Nuffield Trust
Understanding patient flow in hospitals, a briefing for NHS managers, estimates that 5.5% of beds need to be free for cleaning and preparation if patients are to be moved through quickly enough to meet the high-profile commitment to admit or transfer emergency patients within four hours. Yet many hospitals are unable to provide this much of the time, making target breaches inevitable. With a growing number of patients coming and going during the day, counting bed occupancy at midnight means that crunch times are often invisible. The Nuffield Trust
Is mental health crisis care in crisis?
Is mental health crisis care in crisis? This briefing, by the Mental Health Network, explores the gap between the policy rhetoric around mental health crisis care and reporting on the ground. NHS Confederation
Hidden in plain sight: the unmet mental health needs of older people
Hidden in plain sight: the unmet mental health needs of older people According to this report, the current availability of mental health services does not meet the increasingly high demand from our ageing population. It also found that over a third of Mental Health Trusts in England have no policies for providing integrated care for people over 65 with both mental and physical health needs. Age UK
Council care cuts 'affecting A&E'
Council care cuts 'affecting A&E' The Care Quality Commission annual report says emergency care is one of the poorest performing parts of the health system. BBC News
See also:
See also:
- Adult social care ‘approaching tipping point’, warns quality regulator Care Quality Commission
- The state of health care and adult social care in England 2015/16 Care Quality Commission
- Safety fears in two-thirds of England's A&Es, inspectors say BBC News
- Eight in 10 NHS hospitals not safe enough, amid warnings that care crisis is reaching a 'tipping point' The Daily Telegraph
- Social care cuts take English service to tipping point, regulator warns The Guardian
Let struggling GP surgeries fail, says NHS England letter
Let struggling GP surgeries fail, says NHS England letter Some struggling GP surgeries in England will be allowed to fail and close, according to a leaked document.
A letter from an NHS England official to managers and GPs in one region suggests vulnerable practices could be left to "wither by the system".
The note, seen by the BBC and Pulse magazine, claims NHS England is no longer able to "continue supporting practices irrespective of their ability… to transform appropriately".
NHS England denied this was the case.
A spokesman for the British Medical Association said it was "unacceptable" that some NHS managers believed that some GP practices would be left to close. BBC News
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A letter from an NHS England official to managers and GPs in one region suggests vulnerable practices could be left to "wither by the system".
The note, seen by the BBC and Pulse magazine, claims NHS England is no longer able to "continue supporting practices irrespective of their ability… to transform appropriately".
NHS England denied this was the case.
A spokesman for the British Medical Association said it was "unacceptable" that some NHS managers believed that some GP practices would be left to close. BBC News
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Hospitals and GP practices fail to check for HIV
Hospitals and GP practices fail to check for HIV Some hospitals and GP practices in England and Scotland are failing to carry out recommended HIV checks, a BBC investigation finds. BBC News
Half of patients think GPs should always give them the treatment or referral they demand
Half of patients think GPs should always give them the treatment or referral they demand Half of patients now Google their symptoms before visiting a GP and believe that family doctors should always provide the prescription, treatment or referral they request, according to a poll commissioned by a medico-legal organisation. GP Online
GP's charging mentally ill patients up to £150 for sick notes
GP's charging mentally ill patients up to £150 for sick notes Sick notes that banks and lenders need to help customers with mental illnesses manage their debt are costing patients up to £150.
GPs normally charge between £20 and £30 for a note but it can range up to £150, according to research conducted by the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute.
The forms can allow patients to get their debts cancelled and also stops lenders from involving bailiffs. They are drawn up by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the credit sector and are seen as proof of mental illness. The Independent
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GPs normally charge between £20 and £30 for a note but it can range up to £150, according to research conducted by the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute.
The forms can allow patients to get their debts cancelled and also stops lenders from involving bailiffs. They are drawn up by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the credit sector and are seen as proof of mental illness. The Independent
See also:
- The case for stopping charges for the debt and mental health evidence form Money and Health Policy Institute
More babies face health risks due to obese parents, experts warn
More babies face health risks due to obese parents, experts warn Doctors say increasing number of babies worldwide face serious problems, such as brain damage, strokes and heart disease
A growing number of babies worldwide are at risk of brain damage or having a stroke, heart attack or asthma in adulthood because their mother was obese, health experts have warned.
Leading doctors said dangerously overweight mothers were passing on obesity to their children as the result of “a vicious cycle” in which excess weight can seriously affect the health of parents and their offspring. Continue reading... The Guardian
A growing number of babies worldwide are at risk of brain damage or having a stroke, heart attack or asthma in adulthood because their mother was obese, health experts have warned.
Leading doctors said dangerously overweight mothers were passing on obesity to their children as the result of “a vicious cycle” in which excess weight can seriously affect the health of parents and their offspring. Continue reading... The Guardian
Patients forced to make appointments to boost profits, says Labour MP
Patients forced to make appointments to boost profits, says Labour MP Paula Sherriff says her former employer Virgin Care insisted on extra consultations at expense of taxpayer and patient safety
Healthcare provider Virgin Care has been forcing patients to attend extra appointments to boost profits, says former employee and the Labour MP for Dewsbury, Paula Sherriff.
Speaking in the House of Commons, where she was protected from possible legal action by parliamentary privilege, Sherriff accused Virgin Care of insisting on “extra consultations before surgery, boosting their profits at the expense of the taxpayer and patient safety”. Continue reading... The Guardian
Healthcare provider Virgin Care has been forcing patients to attend extra appointments to boost profits, says former employee and the Labour MP for Dewsbury, Paula Sherriff.
Speaking in the House of Commons, where she was protected from possible legal action by parliamentary privilege, Sherriff accused Virgin Care of insisting on “extra consultations before surgery, boosting their profits at the expense of the taxpayer and patient safety”. Continue reading... The Guardian
'Musketeer' nurse at heart of Morecambe Bay baby death scandal 'significantly overpaid' in goodbye deal
'Musketeer' nurse at heart of Morecambe Bay baby death scandal 'significantly overpaid' in goodbye deal The midwife at the heart of a scandal where 11 babies avoidably died was “significantly overpaid” in a farewell deal which also prevented investigation of her conduct.
Jeanette Parkinson, the former maternity risk manager at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Foundation Trust, received up to 14 months’ salary as part of a 2012 redundancy agreement after the deaths came to light.
A review by the trust last year, seen by the Health Service Journal, found Ms Parkinson, one of a group of midwives calling themselves the “Musketeers”, also received more than 470 hours in overtime pay. The Daily Telegraph
Jeanette Parkinson, the former maternity risk manager at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Foundation Trust, received up to 14 months’ salary as part of a 2012 redundancy agreement after the deaths came to light.
A review by the trust last year, seen by the Health Service Journal, found Ms Parkinson, one of a group of midwives calling themselves the “Musketeers”, also received more than 470 hours in overtime pay. The Daily Telegraph
‘Just a nurse?’ Woman’s heartfelt letter to those who devalue her profession
‘Just a nurse?’ Woman’s heartfelt letter to those who devalue her profession A nurse from Queensland, Australia, has been praised for a heartfelt open letter she wrote following a meeting with an acquaintance who described her as ‘just a nurse’.
Caitlin Brassington was returning home last week from a busy shift at the hospital, where she works as a paediatric nurse, when she bumped into the woman during a stop-off to pick up milk.
The acquaintance had never seen Carrie in uniform, she later wrote for ABC, and told her “she didn't realise I was just a nurse.”
“Over my 18-year career, I have heard this phrase many, many times,” she later wrote. “ But today it got to me. The Daily Telegraph
Caitlin Brassington was returning home last week from a busy shift at the hospital, where she works as a paediatric nurse, when she bumped into the woman during a stop-off to pick up milk.
The acquaintance had never seen Carrie in uniform, she later wrote for ABC, and told her “she didn't realise I was just a nurse.”
“Over my 18-year career, I have heard this phrase many, many times,” she later wrote. “ But today it got to me. The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, 12 October 2016
Northampton woman to risk life-saving drugs online because the NHS cannot prescribe them
Northampton woman to risk life-saving drugs online because the NHS cannot prescribe them A severely ill Northampton woman, who claims she has been living like a “suicidal old lady,” intends to risk her life buying rare drugs via the internet as the NHS cannot prescribe them. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
More than 4 million children to be offered flu vaccination
More than 4 million children to be offered flu vaccination Public Health England and NHS England are launching a major campaign to help children and the vulnerable stay well over the winter months.
The Stay Well This Winter campaign (SWTW) launches today (12 October 2016) with the biggest ever flu vaccination programme in England for children. This year the programme is being extended to those in school year 3, offering more than 4 million children protection against flu – around 600,000 more than last year. As well as offering protection to these children aged 2 to 7 years, it will help reduce the spread of this infection to the most vulnerable in the community, particularly younger children, the elderly and those with long-term conditions.
The Stay Well This Winter campaign (SWTW) launches today (12 October 2016) with the biggest ever flu vaccination programme in England for children. This year the programme is being extended to those in school year 3, offering more than 4 million children protection against flu – around 600,000 more than last year. As well as offering protection to these children aged 2 to 7 years, it will help reduce the spread of this infection to the most vulnerable in the community, particularly younger children, the elderly and those with long-term conditions.
Children in need of help or protection
Children in need of help or protection The actions taken by the Department for Education since 2010 to improve the quality of help and protection services delivered by local authorities for children have not yet resulted in services being of good enough quality, according to the National Audit Office.
Criticism of pregnant women ID scheme
Criticism of pregnant women ID scheme There are worries over a pilot scheme that asks women to show evidence of their eligibility to receive maternity care as they book in to hospital.
Cathy Warwick, RCM chief executive, said the move by St George’s University Foundation Trust ‘is a concern’.
The proposals mean women who attend hospital would have to show photo ID or proof of their right to remain, for example a visa or their asylum status, before receiving care.
The scheme is aimed at clamping down on ‘health tourism’, but the trust has said that emergency patients would not be asked for ID. Royal College of Midwives
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Cathy Warwick, RCM chief executive, said the move by St George’s University Foundation Trust ‘is a concern’.
The proposals mean women who attend hospital would have to show photo ID or proof of their right to remain, for example a visa or their asylum status, before receiving care.
The scheme is aimed at clamping down on ‘health tourism’, but the trust has said that emergency patients would not be asked for ID. Royal College of Midwives
See also:
- Passport checks for pregnant NHS patients BBC News
- Forcing pregnant women to show passports is 'dangerous', say midwives The Daily Telegraph
- Pregnant women could be forced to show their passports before giving birth The Independent
Mental health of adults in contact with the criminal justice system: draft guidance
Mental health of adults in contact with the criminal justice system: draft guidance This draft guidance seeks to improve the assessment, treatment and prevention of mental health problems in adults. When the guideline is finalised, it will apply to anyone who comes into contact with the English criminal justice system, including time spent serving a community or prison sentence, and any probationary periods. It highlights the need for all staff working within the criminal justice system to receive training to recognise and respond to mental health problems. Comments and feedback are currently being sought on this draft guidance until 18 November 2016. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
New figures reveal running cost of NHS estate
New figures reveal running cost of NHS estate NHS Digital has released figures detailing the costs of building, maintaining and servicing parts of the NHS estate - from how much is spent on feeding patients, to how many car parking spaces hospitals have.
'Cleaner world' increases allergy hospital admissions by 33% in five years
'Cleaner world' increases allergy hospital admissions by 33% in five years New figures show the number of people being admitted to hospitals in England has increased by a third in the last five years. BBC News
Care sector woes leave frail at risk, regulator says
Care sector woes leave frail at risk, regulator says The whole care market for older and disabled people in England could be at risk, the official regulator says.
Evidence gathered by the Care Quality Commission, and seen by the BBC, shows the regulator is worried over the "pace" of care home closures.
Over the past six years, the number of homes has fallen by nearly 1,500 to 16,600.
The document also warns about the number of home care providers turning their back on council contracts. BBC News
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Evidence gathered by the Care Quality Commission, and seen by the BBC, shows the regulator is worried over the "pace" of care home closures.
Over the past six years, the number of homes has fallen by nearly 1,500 to 16,600.
The document also warns about the number of home care providers turning their back on council contracts. BBC News
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NHS not transgender-friendly enough, says nurse
NHS not transgender-friendly enough, says nurse The NHS is failing to meet the needs of transgender adults and children, says an NHS nurse who has first hand experience both as a transgender patient and a caregiver. BBC News
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GPs now at the forefront of NHS policy development, says NHS England leader
GPs now at the forefront of NHS policy development, says NHS England leader Sir Sam Everington, GP chair of Tower Hamlets CCG in East London, and NHS England national lead for new models of care, said there had been a 'sea change' in the composition of NHS leadership. GP Online
500,000 Britons a year will be diagnosed with cancer by 2035, study shows
500,000 Britons a year will be diagnosed with cancer by 2035, study shows Charity calls for urgent plan to secure future of oncology services amid fears predicted rise could stretch NHS to limit
More than half a million Britons a year will be diagnosed with cancer by 2035, making it hard for NHS services to cope with the extra demand for testing and treatment, Cancer Research UK (CRUK) has warned.
The number of people across the UK found to have cancer every year is expected to rise from 352,000 to an estimated 514,000 in less than 20 years – more than 160,000 extra cases annually – according to research in the British Journal of Cancer. Continue reading... The Guardian
More than half a million Britons a year will be diagnosed with cancer by 2035, making it hard for NHS services to cope with the extra demand for testing and treatment, Cancer Research UK (CRUK) has warned.
The number of people across the UK found to have cancer every year is expected to rise from 352,000 to an estimated 514,000 in less than 20 years – more than 160,000 extra cases annually – according to research in the British Journal of Cancer. Continue reading... The Guardian
Figures reveal huge inequalities in health and longevity across UK
Figures reveal huge inequalities in health and longevity across UK ONS report shows disparities largest in England and smallest in Northern Ireland, while Scotland has the worst longevity
Women in Richmond-upon-Thames in south-west London live 15 years longer in good or very good health than women in the east London borough of Tower Hamlets, according to figures that expose huge inequalities in health and longevity across the UK.
Men in Wokingham, Berkshire, enjoy the longest healthy lives, with 14.1 more years of good or very good health than men in Manchester, who are the unhealthiest in Britain. Continue reading... The Guardian
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Women in Richmond-upon-Thames in south-west London live 15 years longer in good or very good health than women in the east London borough of Tower Hamlets, according to figures that expose huge inequalities in health and longevity across the UK.
Men in Wokingham, Berkshire, enjoy the longest healthy lives, with 14.1 more years of good or very good health than men in Manchester, who are the unhealthiest in Britain. Continue reading... The Guardian
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Britain is eating itself to death, and our plan to fight obesity is woefully inadequate
Britain is eating itself to death, and our plan to fight obesity is woefully inadequate Today is World Obesity Day, and with three-quarters of the British population set to be overweight or obese in a single generation, we simply cannot watch our children eat themselves to death any longer.
The UK has an alarming "obesity gap". The poorest 20 per cent of children are nearly three times more likely to be obese than the richest 20 per cent. This is why I wholeheartedly welcome the Centre for Social Justice’s plan to begin a report looking at the root causes of childhood obesity in Britain’s most deprived communities and set out solid recommendations for the Government to take forward, so we can tackle this issue once and for all and ensure our children have the best life chances. The Daily Telegraph
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The UK has an alarming "obesity gap". The poorest 20 per cent of children are nearly three times more likely to be obese than the richest 20 per cent. This is why I wholeheartedly welcome the Centre for Social Justice’s plan to begin a report looking at the root causes of childhood obesity in Britain’s most deprived communities and set out solid recommendations for the Government to take forward, so we can tackle this issue once and for all and ensure our children have the best life chances. The Daily Telegraph
See also:
- Fiscal policies for diet and the prevention of noncommunicable diseases World Health Organization
- World Health Organisation backs tax on sugary foods and drinks BBC News
- There is one cure for obesity and one only: eat less. It's that or the fatness epidemic will kill more than Spanish flu The Daily Telegraph
- Forget Russia and Isil terrorists: childhood obesity is one of the gravest dangers we face The Daily Telegraph
- Rising diabetes and obesity crisis laid bare by data analysts in new maps The Independent
- Experts warn of obesity upsurge within a decade OnMedica
- Diabetes prescriptions rise by a third in last five years OnMedica
Tuesday, 11 October 2016
Staff and volunteers celebrate Northampton General Hospital’s unsung heroes
Staff and volunteers celebrate Northampton General Hospital’s unsung heroes Over 60 shortlisted individuals and teams gathered to find out who would be declared winners at the Best Possible Care awards at Northampton’s Park Inn hotel. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Reuniting care
Reuniting care Eighteen months into the multispecialty community provider (MCP) and primary and acute care system (PACS) vanguards, commissioners are preparing to contract for the new models while providers are considering how to bind themselves together as a coherent system – the focus of our new report.
During the initial phase of the programme, commissioners and providers worked in relatively informal partnerships to develop the MCP and PACS care models. That may have been a pragmatic approach to kick-starting the vanguards, but rather more robust arrangements are now clearly needed before commissioners can transfer substantial budgets to providers on long-term contracts.
So how should multiple local providers – primary care, community services, local hospitals, social care and potentially other services – bind themselves together as a coherent organisation or partnership, one that is capable of managing a multi-million pound budget and making the most efficient use of resources? The King's Fund
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During the initial phase of the programme, commissioners and providers worked in relatively informal partnerships to develop the MCP and PACS care models. That may have been a pragmatic approach to kick-starting the vanguards, but rather more robust arrangements are now clearly needed before commissioners can transfer substantial budgets to providers on long-term contracts.
So how should multiple local providers – primary care, community services, local hospitals, social care and potentially other services – bind themselves together as a coherent organisation or partnership, one that is capable of managing a multi-million pound budget and making the most efficient use of resources? The King's Fund
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3 in 5 of England’s most deprived boys will be overweight or obese by 2020
3 in 5 of England’s most deprived boys will be overweight or obese by 2020 Stark new figures show a looming significant weight gap between the poorest and wealthiest primary-school aged boys living in England. Three in five (60%) of the most deprived boys aged 5-11 are predicted to be overweight or obese by 2020, compared to about one in six (16%) of boys in the most affluent group.
The most deprived girls didn’t however show the same trend, and are projected to have similar obese and overweight prevalence rates to their more affluent counterparts with an average of 1 in 5 girls predicted to be obese or overweight by 2020. Obesity Health Alliance
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The most deprived girls didn’t however show the same trend, and are projected to have similar obese and overweight prevalence rates to their more affluent counterparts with an average of 1 in 5 girls predicted to be obese or overweight by 2020. Obesity Health Alliance
See also:
- New figures reveal widening obesity gap for gender and class The Daily Telegraph
The Damage of Debt: The impact of money worries on children’s mental health and well-being
The Damage of Debt: The impact of money worries on children’s mental health and well-being The aim of this report is to provide fresh insights on how low well-being and poor mental health in children are linked to household poverty and problem debt; and to explore the views of children and parents who live in low income households with debt problems on how their family’s financial situation affects their well-being and mental health. The report makes recommendations to address these issues. The Children’s Society
Receptionists 'put people off seeing doctor'
Receptionists 'put people off seeing doctor' Receptionists quizzing patients about why they need to see their doctor could be putting some sick people off visiting their surgery, a poll suggests. BBC News
See also:
See also:
- Receptionists could put people off seeing their GP Cancer Research UK
- GP receptionists are valued but are not in a position to make decision on patient health, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
- Cancer patients only diagnosed when they end up at A&E: Are we too scared to take our symptoms to the doctor? The Daily Mail
- Fear of being grilled by GPs' receptionists keeps patients away The Daily Telegraph
- Having to discuss symptoms with receptionists puts 40% of patients off GP visits GP Online
Leaders call for major rethink on NHS
Leaders call for major rethink on NHS A fundamental shift of provision of care from hospitals to the community is central to a radical new vision for how the NHS should be run, published at the weekend.
The manifesto* published in The Lancet, is written by a leading group of clinicians, scientists, social entrepreneurs and peers including Professor Maureen Baker, chair of the RCGP, Lord Nigel Crisp, the former chief executive of the NHS, and Professor Dame Sue Bailey, chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges. OnMedica
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The manifesto* published in The Lancet, is written by a leading group of clinicians, scientists, social entrepreneurs and peers including Professor Maureen Baker, chair of the RCGP, Lord Nigel Crisp, the former chief executive of the NHS, and Professor Dame Sue Bailey, chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges. OnMedica
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UK nurses lacking skills to treat transgender patients, says research
UK nurses lacking skills to treat transgender patients, says research RCN survey of nurses points to inadequate training, with only a fifth saying workforce has relevant training and experience
UK nurses are failing to meet the needs of transgender patients and feel they lack training and experience to treat the growing number of trans people seeking medical treatment in relation to their gender identity, according to research.
A survey of more than 1,200 nursing staff across the UK found 87% of those nurses who have directly cared for a trans patient felt unprepared to meet the patient’s needs. Continue reading... The Guardian
UK nurses are failing to meet the needs of transgender patients and feel they lack training and experience to treat the growing number of trans people seeking medical treatment in relation to their gender identity, according to research.
A survey of more than 1,200 nursing staff across the UK found 87% of those nurses who have directly cared for a trans patient felt unprepared to meet the patient’s needs. Continue reading... The Guardian
We need mental health support at work – and every employer should commit to it | Norman Lamb
We need mental health support at work – and every employer should commit to it | Norman Lamb World Mental Health Day is a good opportunity for government and business to finally take this issue as seriously as physical health
We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health, and in both cases we are on a continuum, where our health can vary day to day. It is estimated that one in four people experience a mental health issue in any given year, and that one in six employees is depressed, anxious or suffering from stress-related problems at any time. However, many of us know little about mental health. We often don’t spot the signs that a colleague, employee, or we ourselves are struggling, and this delays help and recovery. Continue reading... The Guardian
We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health, and in both cases we are on a continuum, where our health can vary day to day. It is estimated that one in four people experience a mental health issue in any given year, and that one in six employees is depressed, anxious or suffering from stress-related problems at any time. However, many of us know little about mental health. We often don’t spot the signs that a colleague, employee, or we ourselves are struggling, and this delays help and recovery. Continue reading... The Guardian
NHS accused of abandoning children with life-threatening disease
NHS accused of abandoning children with life-threatening disease The NHS rationing body has been accused of abandoning children with a life threatening genetic condition after it refused funding for a breakthrough drug that will let them live ‘long and healthy lives’.
Hopes were raised after ‘spectacular’ trial results in which youngsters with the tumour-causing disease tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), some of whom had been given as little as 12 months to live, were saved by the one-a-day tablet.
But in July, NHS England reversed an earlier decision to recommend prescribing the breakthrough drug everolimus, claiming that it was ‘not currently affordable’. The Daily Mail
Hopes were raised after ‘spectacular’ trial results in which youngsters with the tumour-causing disease tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), some of whom had been given as little as 12 months to live, were saved by the one-a-day tablet.
But in July, NHS England reversed an earlier decision to recommend prescribing the breakthrough drug everolimus, claiming that it was ‘not currently affordable’. The Daily Mail
First ever head-to-head study reveals doctors are WAY better than symptom-checker apps at diagnosing illnesses (...for now, at least)
First ever head-to-head study reveals doctors are WAY better than symptom-checker apps at diagnosing illnesses (...for now, at least) The research by Harvard Medical School is the first test to compare human and virtual doctors. Doctors correctly diagnosed 84 per cent of patients. Computers only got 50 per cent right. BBC News
Pregnant women could be forced to show their passports at hospital before giving birth
Pregnant women could be forced to show their passports at hospital before giving birth Pregnant women will be forced to hand over passports before they give birth at NHS hospitals under controversial proposals to clamp down on health tourism.
A pilot scheme backed by the Home Office will see every mother-to-be told to prove their right to use the health service when their labour is booked in.
The London trust behind the scheme said all those seeking to give birth would be asked for photo identification, or proof of right to remain in this country.
The trust board papers also say changes in the law will mean patients are charged for ambulance and A&E services if they cannot provide proof of identity, unless the situation is an emergency or matter of life and death. The Daily Telegraph
A pilot scheme backed by the Home Office will see every mother-to-be told to prove their right to use the health service when their labour is booked in.
The London trust behind the scheme said all those seeking to give birth would be asked for photo identification, or proof of right to remain in this country.
The trust board papers also say changes in the law will mean patients are charged for ambulance and A&E services if they cannot provide proof of identity, unless the situation is an emergency or matter of life and death. The Daily Telegraph
Monday, 10 October 2016
Mental health unit in Kettering recognised for good practice
Mental health unit in Kettering recognised for good practice A unit for patients with mental health issues has been given an industry seal of approval for its work.
The Forest Centre, a 24-bed unit for elderly patients who have mental health issues including dementia, is based at St Mary’s Hospital, Kettering. It has has been awarded an Acute Inpatient Mental Health Services (AIMS) accreditation for its dedication to providing high quality patient care. Northamptonshire Telegraph
The Forest Centre, a 24-bed unit for elderly patients who have mental health issues including dementia, is based at St Mary’s Hospital, Kettering. It has has been awarded an Acute Inpatient Mental Health Services (AIMS) accreditation for its dedication to providing high quality patient care. Northamptonshire Telegraph
No hospital is an island: new models of acute collaboration in the NHS
No hospital is an island: new models of acute collaboration in the NHS Encouraged in recent years through the NHS Five Year Forward View, the Dalton and Carter reviews and now Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs), hospitals are looking for creative solutions to clinical and financial challenges that they can’t solve on their own. NHS England
Mental health stigma is stopping young people asking for help
Mental health stigma is stopping young people asking for help More than one in three young people with mental health difficulties experience stigma, according to major new research released by youth charity, YMCA.
The I AM WHOLE report published in support of an NHS anti-stigma campaign being launched by UK music star Jordan Stephens (Rizzle Kicks), also shows that, of the young people who experience this stigma, more than a third say it happens at least once a week and 54% say it originates from their own friends.
Researchers spoke to more than 2,000 11 to 24-year-olds and found that 38% of those with mental health difficulties felt they were stigmatised. Of those, 56% said this stigma made them less willing to access professional support for their mental health difficulties and 70% were less likely to speak about their problems.
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The I AM WHOLE report published in support of an NHS anti-stigma campaign being launched by UK music star Jordan Stephens (Rizzle Kicks), also shows that, of the young people who experience this stigma, more than a third say it happens at least once a week and 54% say it originates from their own friends.
Researchers spoke to more than 2,000 11 to 24-year-olds and found that 38% of those with mental health difficulties felt they were stigmatised. Of those, 56% said this stigma made them less willing to access professional support for their mental health difficulties and 70% were less likely to speak about their problems.
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Type 2 diabetes: Data reveals hotspots for cases
Type 2 diabetes: Data reveals hotspots for cases Prescriptions for type 2 diabetes rise by a third in England in the last five years, according to new analysis of NHS data. BBC News
Former Southern Health boss Katrina Percy quits
Former Southern Health boss Katrina Percy quits The former head of troubled Southern Health NHS trust, who was controversially moved to a new post in the organisation, has quit following months of pressure. BBC News
STPs could be blocked if GPs oppose them, says health minister
STPs could be blocked if GPs oppose them, says health minister Opposition from GPs could force a rethink on sustainability and transformation plans (STPs), health minister David Mowat has told the RCGP conference. GP Online
Dozens of NHS hospitals targeted by cyber blackmailers
Dozens of NHS hospitals targeted by cyber blackmailers The NHS is under increasing attack from cyber blackmailers attempting to extort ransoms from dozens of hospitals using internet viruses which encrypt data.
Health service trusts serving millions of patients have been hit by the “ransomware” attacks in the past 12 months, prompting concern that antiquated IT systems are leaving NHS data such as patient records vulnerable to exploitation by criminals. i News
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Health service trusts serving millions of patients have been hit by the “ransomware” attacks in the past 12 months, prompting concern that antiquated IT systems are leaving NHS data such as patient records vulnerable to exploitation by criminals. i News
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Medical advances increase life expectancy but make people spend far more of their lives being ill
Medical advances increase life expectancy but make people spend far more of their lives being ill People are getting healthier, living longer – and spending more time with often debilitating illness and disability.
The gains in medical and health are masking an increasing amount of illness, disability and death from non-communicable diseases, according to a major new study.
Death rates from communicable diseases have fallen sharply, adding to a major overall increase in life expectancy. But that extra time appears to be spent more and more unhealthily. The Independent
The gains in medical and health are masking an increasing amount of illness, disability and death from non-communicable diseases, according to a major new study.
Death rates from communicable diseases have fallen sharply, adding to a major overall increase in life expectancy. But that extra time appears to be spent more and more unhealthily. The Independent
NHS leadership needs to give staff a powerful voice in any system change
NHS leadership needs to give staff a powerful voice in any system change Sustainability and transformation plans are focused on structures and process but they are ultimately worthless without clinical buy-in and leadership.
Inevitably the NHS reform drive got caught up in the party conference crossfire. Diane Abbott, in her last few days as shadow health secretary, attempted to rebrand sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) as “secret Tory plans”, while prime minister Theresa May made the ludicrous assertion that the government had given the NHS “more than its leaders asked for”, conjuring up an image of NHS England trying to work out what to do with all the extra cash.
But clinicians as well as politicians are becoming increasingly vocal on the current round of reform. The Royal College of GPs is getting angry over the obsessive focus on sorting out hospital deficits rather than transforming care. At their annual conference this week, college chair Maureen Baker accurately pointed out that if there is insufficient investment in general practice, system transformation simply won’t happen, and the whole process will have been in vain. Continue reading... The Guardian
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Inevitably the NHS reform drive got caught up in the party conference crossfire. Diane Abbott, in her last few days as shadow health secretary, attempted to rebrand sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) as “secret Tory plans”, while prime minister Theresa May made the ludicrous assertion that the government had given the NHS “more than its leaders asked for”, conjuring up an image of NHS England trying to work out what to do with all the extra cash.
But clinicians as well as politicians are becoming increasingly vocal on the current round of reform. The Royal College of GPs is getting angry over the obsessive focus on sorting out hospital deficits rather than transforming care. At their annual conference this week, college chair Maureen Baker accurately pointed out that if there is insufficient investment in general practice, system transformation simply won’t happen, and the whole process will have been in vain. Continue reading... The Guardian
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NHS is most widely held concern of UK adults, survey finds
NHS is most widely held concern of UK adults, survey finds Research for Ipsos Mori’s latest ‘issues index’ indicates worries about Britain’s health service are growing
The NHS has narrowly replaced immigration and Brexit as a key issue facing Britain in the minds of most voters, according to a new survey of public opinion by pollsters Ipsos Mori.
Two out of five (40%) mentioned the health service, hospitals or healthcare as a concern to them – more than cited any other issue. That was just ahead of the numbers who identified immigration or immigrants (39%) as either the most important or an important issue. Continue reading... The Guardian
The NHS has narrowly replaced immigration and Brexit as a key issue facing Britain in the minds of most voters, according to a new survey of public opinion by pollsters Ipsos Mori.
Two out of five (40%) mentioned the health service, hospitals or healthcare as a concern to them – more than cited any other issue. That was just ahead of the numbers who identified immigration or immigrants (39%) as either the most important or an important issue. Continue reading... The Guardian
I changed career to do mental health nursing but now I'm drowning
I changed career to do mental health nursing but now I'm drowning My job can be wonderful, but the reality is so much harder than I expected. It feels like it’s not safe sometimes
In my late twenties I decided to go back to university to study mental health nursing. I am now several months into my first position as a qualified nurse in an acute psychiatric hospital. There are days I question my decision and think: “What the hell have I done?” I sometimes feel trapped in a position I have worked so hard to achieve and I wonder if this is to be my life from now on.
Before I became a nurse I was a support worker looking after people with learning disabilities. I supported a service user who had physical and communication difficulties and she would fight, bite and scream at staff. However, when we were together we would laugh for hours and we developed an amazing relationship. I realised I had a knack for caring for people who were considered challenging and the whole nursing business escalated from there.
I knew I was entering a challenging yet rewarding career; I just never anticipated how tough it would be Continue reading... The Guardian
In my late twenties I decided to go back to university to study mental health nursing. I am now several months into my first position as a qualified nurse in an acute psychiatric hospital. There are days I question my decision and think: “What the hell have I done?” I sometimes feel trapped in a position I have worked so hard to achieve and I wonder if this is to be my life from now on.
Before I became a nurse I was a support worker looking after people with learning disabilities. I supported a service user who had physical and communication difficulties and she would fight, bite and scream at staff. However, when we were together we would laugh for hours and we developed an amazing relationship. I realised I had a knack for caring for people who were considered challenging and the whole nursing business escalated from there.
I knew I was entering a challenging yet rewarding career; I just never anticipated how tough it would be Continue reading... The Guardian
Vulture lawyers bleed the NHS for £418m: Their sickening fees in one year are enough to hire 19,000 nurse
Vulture lawyers bleed the NHS for £418m: Their sickening fees in one year are enough to hire 19,000 nurse Grasping law firms charged a record £418 million last year after pursuing cases of medical blunders against the NHS, a Mail on Sunday investigation reveals today.
And some greedy ‘ambulance chasers’ have been accused of pulling in ‘grossly inflated’ fees, many times what their clients actually received in compensation.
Our inquiries also expose how law firms are apparently prepared to brazenly overcharge for their services while bringing complaints against the NHS. The Daily Mail
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And some greedy ‘ambulance chasers’ have been accused of pulling in ‘grossly inflated’ fees, many times what their clients actually received in compensation.
Our inquiries also expose how law firms are apparently prepared to brazenly overcharge for their services while bringing complaints against the NHS. The Daily Mail
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Grumpy doctors harm patients, whistleblowing champion says
Grumpy doctors harm patients, whistleblowing champion says NHS employees must be more positive at work because grumpiness can harm patients and contribute to a “toxic environment”, the new whistleblowing chief has said.
Henrietta Hughes called on “every single person” in the health service to make it a happier place of work as she urged staff to “start living…the NHS that they want to work in”. The Daily Telegraph
Henrietta Hughes called on “every single person” in the health service to make it a happier place of work as she urged staff to “start living…the NHS that they want to work in”. The Daily Telegraph
Friday, 7 October 2016
Corby CCG seeking volunteers for infection prevention pilot scheme
Corby CCG seeking volunteers for infection prevention pilot scheme Corby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is running a year-long pilot scheme designed to prevent emergency admissions due to infections - and they need volunteers. Northamptonshire Telegraph
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