Medicines in health and adult social care: learning from risks and sharing good practice for better outcomes

Medicines in health and adult social care: learning from risks and sharing good practice for better outcomes This report describes lessons for better medicines optimisation across health and social care providers and the positive impact of involving pharmacy professionals in health and social care settings. Care Quality Commission

A data-driven approach to cancer care

A data-driven approach to cancer care This publication from the Reformer Thoughts series brings together healthcare experts to discuss the potential of a data-driven approach to cancer care. The articles show how data are currently shaping the delivery of cancer care, how to gain the most from data that are currently available and how to maximise the potential of this data in the future. Reform

Specialised parent-infant relationship teams are like rare jewels in the mental health system

Specialised parent-infant relationship teams are like rare jewels in the mental health system Parent Infant Partnership UK has launched a report about the provision of specialised parent-infant relationship services around the UK.

Parent-Infant teams provide expertise, training, supervision and support to help local services to improve early relationships for all babies. They also provide direct therapeutic support to those who need specialist help. Research found only 27 of these teams exist in the UK. These teams have been described as ‘rare jewels’ because they are small, valuable but scarce.

The research shows that NHS Children and Young People’s Mental Health Commissioners are overlooking the needs of the youngest children. 42% of areas in England do not accept referrals for children aged two and under even though commissioners should fund services for ALL children. The statistics uncovered for this report are shocking, and should be a source of disgrace, just as it would be if CCGs were commissioning services that excluded children because of other characteristics, such as disability, race or sex.

See also:

• Charity criticises lack of parent-infant mental health teams The Guardian

In plain sight: workplace bullying in charities and the implications for leadership

In plain sight: workplace bullying in charities and the implications for leadership This report shines a light on the experiences of people who have been bullied in a charity workplace. It highlights the emotional harm it causes, making six recommendations to create safer systems, processes and cultures. Centre for Mental Health

NHJS Estates advisor criticises new raid on NHS capital budgets - Health Service Journal

NHS Estates advisor criticises new raid on NHS capital budgets The first year of the government’s much-vaunted five-year NHS funding deal has been part funded by a fresh raid on cash intended for capital investment in the service’s buildings and facilities, it has emerged.

This has drawn strong criticism from the government’s own adviser on NHS estates, Sir Robert Naylor. Health Service Journal

NHS report on trust board diversity 'a wake-up call'

NHS report on trust board diversity 'a wake-up call' The process for appointing senior roles in NHS hospitals and trusts in England should be reviewed, after figures showed boards have become less diverse.

Appointments of black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates (BAME) to non-executive positions have fallen over eight years, a report found.

The NHS Confederation, who published the report, called it 'a wake-up call'. BBC News

Doctors will leave NHS unless they see pension reforms, union warns

Doctors will leave NHS unless they see pension reforms, union warns The Conservative Government must reform NHS pension taxation or risk an exodus of doctors and a major workforce crisis, the British Medical Association(BMA) has warned.

The doctors’ union has requested an urgent meeting with Health Secretary Matt Hancock to see what can be done to stop experienced doctors leaving. iNews

Male nursing: Why the profession needs to be more gender-neutral

Male nursing: Why the profession needs to be more gender-neutral It’s an uncharacteristically sunny Saturday at Stark’s Park football ground in Kirkcaldy, Fife, in the east of Scotland. This is the home of Raith Rovers, a big fish of the lower Scottish leagues, who are in the hunt for a place in the play-offs and a chance to clamber back into the second tier of league football.

Unlike most people coming through the gates for today’s clash with struggling Brechin City, my colleagues and I are not so much here for the football. We’re running a stand to press the case for more men in nursing, a profession where women outnumber men by a staggering nine to one – both in Scotland and around the world. The Independent

NHS data is worth billions – but who should have access to it?

NHS data is worth billions – but who should have access to it? Tech and drug firms including Google parent Alphabet want to use records of 65 million people

The NHS is a valuable national asset – and not just in terms of the lives it saves.

Last week the tensions between the health service’s role as a collective national endeavour and its potential as a source of private sector profit flared again, following a characteristically blunt intervention from the US president. Donald Trump’s claim, later retracted, that the NHS would be “on the table” in US-UK trade talks underlined the organisation’s enduring appeal to the private sector. The Guardian

Nurse re-arrested on suspicion of baby murders at Chester hospital

Nurse re-arrested on suspicion of baby murders at Chester hospital A nurse who was arrested last year on suspicion of murdering eight babies and attempting to murder three more at a hospital in Chester has been re-arrested, Cheshire Police has announced.

Lucy Letby, 29, was questioned last July in connection with suspicious infant deaths at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Chester hospital baby deaths probe: Nurse Lucy Letby rearrested BBC News

Inside the botched Liverpool hospital which is being taken apart for £100million repairs

Inside the botched Liverpool hospital which is being taken apart for £100million repairs The Royal Liverpool Hospital was originally supposed to open in 2017 but the contractor Carillion went bust last year while it was behind schedule - now surveyors have found some work needs redoing. The Daily Mail

Calls for third Northamptonshire serious case review to be published

Calls for third Northamptonshire serious case review to be published A further serious case review involving a council that was found to have failed to protect two murdered children should be published, a former MP has said.

Two damning reports into the separate killings of a two-year-old and a one-year-old were released on Wednesday.  But a review into a case in which a boy was "locked in room not fit for a human" remains confidential. The Northamptonshire Safeguarding Board said it "was not in the best interests of the children" to release the report. BBC News - Northampton

Northamptonshire charity’s sunlight protection campaign

Northamptonshire charity’s sunlight protection campaign A Northamptonshire sight support charity is urging people to wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from harmful UV rays.

Northamptonshire Association for the Blind (NAB) says wearing shades is essential to avoiding long-term, irreversible sight damage.

They have launched their #ShoutOutForShades campaign with the support of local optometrists. Schools across the county including Ringstead Primary School, Beanfield Primary School and the Studfall schools are taking part in mufti days to raise awareness and money for NAB. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Night owls: Simple sleep tweaks boost wellbeing

Night owls: Simple sleep tweaks boost wellbeing Tweaking sleeping habits can shift people's body clocks and improve their wellbeing, say scientists in the UK and Australia.

They focused on "night owls", whose bodies' drive them to stay up late into the night. Techniques used included consistent bedtimes, avoiding caffeine and getting plenty of morning sunshine.

The researchers say their approach may seem obvious, but could make an important difference to people's lives. BBC News - Health

See Also:

• Night owls can retrain their body clocks in just three weeks, study finds The Telegraph

Hospital patients die in sandwich listeria outbreak

Hospital patients die in sandwich listeria outbreak Three hospital patients have died in an outbreak of listeria linked to pre-packed sandwiches.

Public Health England (PHE) said the victims were among six patients affected in England and the deaths occurred in Manchester and Liverpool.

Two of the victims were at Manchester Royal Infirmary, with the other a patient at Aintree Hospital. BBC News - Health

See Also:

• Listeria outbreak: three patient deaths linked to chicken sandwiches The Guardian
• Public not warned about listeria outbreak because it was 'contained', experts insist The Telegraph

Having the right conversations about personalised care

Having the right conversations about personalised care NHS England has published a guide to taking a “What matters to you?” approach to conversations, which it argues is particularly important in the development of personalised care. NHS Networks

See Also:

• Personalised care: giving people more choice and control NHS England

CQC reports on medicines optimisation

CQC reports on medicines optimisation A report by the Care Quality Commission reviews lessons from medicines optimisation across health and social care providers, and concludes that involving pharmacy professionals has a positive impact. NHS Networks

See Also:

• Medicines in health and adult social care: Learning from risks and sharing good practice for better outcomes Care Quality Commission

Private health firm loses NHS treatment centre contract

Private health firm loses NHS treatment centre contract Circle has run Nottingham centre for 11 years and is fighting the decision in court

A private health firm has lost one of the biggest and longest-running contracts to treat NHS patients, in a significant blow to the creeping privatisation of care.

Circle is losing the contract it has held for 11 years to run the Nottingham NHS Treatment Centre, which provides 240,000 operations and checkups a year. Nottingham University Hospitals NHS trust (NUH) has been handed a £320m contract to run the centre for the next five years after a bitter legal battle between Circle and the NHS. The Guardian

Trump visit: Could US companies run NHS services after Brexit?

Trump visit: Could US companies run NHS services after Brexit? Along with the pomp, protests and politics, President Trump's visit to the UK brought renewed debate about whether a post-Brexit trade deal between the two countries could involve opening up the NHS to US companies.

Mr Trump told a press conference: "When you're dealing with trade, everything's on the table - so the NHS or anything else".

He quickly rowed back, saying he did not consider the NHS to be part of trade - though not before MPs from across the political spectrum had come out to say the health service was "not for sale".

The question is what "for sale" would actually mean.

As health think tank the Nuffield Trust points out, "a trade deal would not have the power to stop the NHS being a free, universal service". BBC News

Latest health guidance missing from alcohol labels

Latest health guidance missing from alcohol labels The alcohol industry has not updated health information labelling three years after health experts issued new guidelines, the BBC has found.

In 2016, the UK's chief medical officers recommended men and women drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week. But a BBC Panorama investigation found just 14 of 100 alcoholic products carried that information. The alcohol industry said it had until September 2019 to make the change.

Health advice on how much adults could safely drink in a week was cut significantly in 2016, from 28 units a week for men and 21 for women, to 14 for both. BBC News - Health

'When I try to talk to my grandad words won't come out'

'When I try to talk to my grandad words won't come out' As a child, Red was chatty and full of life - but only at home. When she left the house, everything changed. BBC News - Stories

Dozens of NHS staff awarded honours in Queen’s Birthday list

Dozens of NHS staff awarded honours in Queen’s Birthday list The head of the hospital which treated victims of the Salisbury nerve agent attacks joins nurses, psychiatrists, cancer specialists and family doctors among more than 30 local and national NHS workers recognised in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours. NHS England

Consultation on treatment of those detained under the Mental Health Act

Consultation on treatment of those detained under the Mental Health Act NHS England and NHS Improvement have launched a consultation on proposed guidance relating to individuals held within prisons and immigration removal centres who have been detained under the Mental Health Act for assessment and treatment within mental health inpatient services. NHS Networks

See Also:

• Consultation on proposed changes to ‘The transfer and remission of adult prisoners under the Mental Health Act 1983 good practice guidance 2019’ and introduction of ‘The transfer and remission of immigration removal centre detainees under the Mental Health Act 1983 good practice guidance 2019’ NHS England

Life-changing £1.8m KGH unit set to open

Life-changing £1.8m KGH unit set to open A unit at KGH which will allow patients needing facial surgery to see a 3D image of how they could look post-operation is set to open.

The Rothwell Road hospital is officially opening its £1.8m new maxillo-facial and orthodontic unit on Friday, June 7. The new unit has doubled the size of the department and expanded and significantly improved services for patients – and staff - and enabled the trust to address increased demands on the service. Northamptonshire Telegraph

St Andrew's Hospital chief admits 'we have failed staff'

St Andrew's Hospital chief admits 'we have failed staff' The chief executive of St Andrew's Hospital says she feels they have let down their hardworking staff.

Yesterday the mental health hospital's adolescents ward was rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and placed in special measures.

And Katie Fisher, chief executive of St Andrew's Healthcare - the charitable company which runs the hospital - has acknowledged how her employees are feeling about the blow. Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Today I have to talk to three of my patients about dying. This is how I do it

Today I have to talk to three of my patients about dying. This is how I do it  It’s tempting to put these all-important conversations off but the consequences can be dire

It’s 9.15am. The medical team is full of energy and caffeine. We have patients to see, some of whom are on the road to recovery, others who have already been recognised as dying, and some who have uncertain futures. There are three new patients whose condition could worsen at any time. Given their frailty I believe cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) would be futile. It is now my job to start a discussion about their future care. Three conversations. I take a deep breath. The Guardian

UK running out of care home places, says geriatrics society chief

UK running out of care home places, says geriatrics society chief Quality of care for older people set to fall and ‘wheels could come off completely’, says Tahir Masud.

The UK is running out of care home places and soon there will not be enough to look after the growing number of vulnerable older people needing specialist care, the president of the British Geriatrics Society has warned.

Prof Tahir Masud, fears that because so many care homes have collapsed in the past few years that the quality of those left will also decline as a result. The Guardian

Domestic abuse survivors 'more at risk of serious mental illness'

Domestic abuse survivors 'more at risk of serious mental illness' Women who experience domestic abuse are three times more likely to develop a serious mental illness, Birmingham University research suggests.

But they are also twice as likely to have had some form of mental illness already, the study in the British Journal of Psychiatry found. Experts said opportunities were being missed to detect abuse and support vulnerable women. GPs said they were highly trained to spot it, but it was often well-hidden. BBC News - Health

See Also:

• Female survivors of intimate partner violence and risk of depression, anxiety and serious mental illness British Journal of Psychiatry
• GPs failing to pick up extent of UK domestic abuse, study suggests On Medica

NHS drive for diversity in key roles ‘going backwards’

NHS drive for diversity in key roles ‘going backwards’ Fewer women and people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds are being given key roles running NHS trusts, prompting claims that the health service is going backwards on diversity and inclusion.

The proportion of chairs and non-executive directors of NHS trusts in England who are from an ethnic minority has almost halved from 15% in 2010 to just 8%, research shows.

The proportion of women in those posts has also fallen from 47% in 2002 to only 38%, despite a flurry of initiatives to improve female as well as BME representation in senior NHS roles.

As a black nurse, I see the crushing racial inequality across the NHS. This has to stop
Donna Kinnair. The findings are contained in a report by the NHS Confederation, which represents 85% of local health service bodies in England. The Guardian

See Also:

• Chairs and non-executives in the NHS: The need for diverse leadership NHS Confederation

One million new STIs every day, says WHO

One million new STIs every day, says WHO One million new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) occur every single day, the World Health Organization has estimated. That means more than 376 million new cases annually of four infections - chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis, and syphilis.

The WHO highlights a lack of progress in stopping the spread of STIs, and says its figures are a "wake-up call". Experts are particularly concerned about the rise in drug-resistant STIs. BBC News - Health

Are we more constipated than we think?

Are we more constipated than we think? Doctors and the public are at odds over the symptoms of constipation, leaving some people without the advice or treatment they need, researchers say.

While medics think infrequent bowel movements are an important sign, less than a third of the public does, a study found.

The King's College London team said a new definition for constipation was needed, based on patient experiences. "This shows the poo taboo is over," charity Guts UK said. Constipation is a very common condition, affecting around one in seven people who are otherwise healthy. BBC News - Health

See Also:

• Research redefines constipation King's College London

Review on gross negligence manslaughter and culpable homicide - recommendations for employers

Review on gross negligence manslaughter and culpable homicide - recommendations for employers An independent review into gross negligence manslaughter and culpable homicide has been published today, focusing on how medical regulation can be improved to support a more just and fair culture.

The review, commissioned in January 2018 by the General Medical Council (GMC) and chaired by Leslie Hamilton, saw engagement with health stakeholders across the UK including doctors, doctors’ organisations, patients and their families, patient organisations, healthcare providers and regulators. A total of 29 recommendations have been made for a range of organisations, aimed at the better application of a just and fair culture when things go wrong. NHS Employers

Amanda Pritchard named as NHS chief operating officer

Amanda Pritchard named as NHS chief operating officer NHS England has announced that Amanda Pritchard has been appointed as the NHS chief operating officer (COO). NHS Networks

See Also:

• Amanda Pritchard appointed NHS’ Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive of NHS Improvement NHS England

Mental health hospital where patients were secluded in unfurnished, unsafe rooms, rated inaequate by watchdog

Mental health hospital where patients were secluded in unfurnished, unsafe rooms, rated inaequate by watchdog Vulnerable patients at one of England’s largest charity-run mental health hospitals were kept in unsafe seclusion rooms for excessive amounts of time and without beds, blankets or pillows, a damning report has found.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated adolescent mental health services at St Andrew’s Healthcare hospital in Northampton ”inadequate”.

It has given the charity six months to turn around services at FitzRoy House, a specialist centre for up to 100 young people with mental health, learning disabilities and autism, or it will lose its registration. The Independent

See also:

• St Andrew's Healthcare - Adolescents Service Care Quality Commission

Northamptonshire child murders: Care failings revealed

Northamptonshire child murders: Care failings revealed A toddler murdered by his father was deemed by carers as "unlikely to suffer harm", while concerns about the welfare of another child who was later killed were dismissed, reviews have found.

Dylan Tiffin-Brown, two, and Evelyn-Rose Muggleton, one, were victims of separate murders in Northamptonshire.

Raphael Kennedy, Dylan's father, and Ryan Coleman, partner of Evelyn-Rose's mother, were both jailed for life.

Ex-MP Sally Keeble said there were "massive failings" in child services. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Authorities missed opportunities to protect two children murdered by drug dealing father figures, report finds The Daily Telegraph
• Social workers had no contact with murdered Northampton toddler in months before his death despite fears over his drug-dealing father Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Murdered Northamptonshire children ‘let down’ by authorities Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northamptonshire social workers disciplined over murdered children cases Northamptonshire Telegraph

Meet the team behind the images at Northampton General Hospital

Meet the team behind the images at Northampton General Hospital From scans of broken bones to ultrasounds of unborn babies, the radiology team at Northampton General Hospital has a hugely varied role and is always at the heart of patient care.

But who are the people who create the images that help diagnose conditions or give the all-clear to thousands of Northampton patients? Northampton Chronicle and Echo

A two-way street: primary care networks and integrated care systems

A two-way street: primary care networks and integrated care systems The deadline for GP practices to agree their primary care network boundaries with local commissioners has now passed and the first money is due to flow to the new networks from July. As the dust begins to settle on decisions over membership, boundaries and leadership of networks, attention will now turn to delivery. The King's Fund

NHS aims to be a world leader in artificial intelligence and machine learning within 5 years

NHS aims to be a world leader in artificial intelligence and machine learning within 5 years NHS chief Simon Stevens today called on tech firms to help the health service become a world leader in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. He also asked staff to work with us and share ideas on reforms to the payment systems that would help encourage and facilitate quicker adoption and expansion. NHS England

Crisis in care: what do MPs think?

Crisis in care: what do MPs think? Health for Care is a coalition, led by the NHS Confederation, of 15 national health organisations. To inform government thinking ahead of the green paper and the expected spending review in autumn 2019, the coalition wanted to test the views of MPs on whether they believe there is a crisis in social care, whether they have noticed an increase in their constituency casework regarding social care, and what options for reform they would favour.

Integrated care research and practice

Integrated care research and practice This new digital resource aims to support the planning, commissioning and delivery of coordinated person-centred care. Based on the integration logic model, it brings together the evidence base and practice guidance on what good integrated care looks like. Funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, it is designed as a practical, digital tool and will be updated regularly in order to support the drive towards improvement and innovation. Social Care Institute for Excellence

Inquiry into Liverpool Community Health failures expected

Inquiry into Liverpool Community Health failures expected An independent inquiry into a failed NHS trust is expected to be announced later - amid concerns that 150 deaths were not properly investigated.

Liverpool Community Health (LCH), formed in 2010, ran services for about 750,000 people on Merseyside until 2018.

A review last year found it was "dysfunctional from the outset" and patients suffered "unnecessary harm".

The trust has previously apologised to patients, families and staff. BBC News

What happens when social care stops?

What happens when social care stops? After a six-month hospital stay, Pat, 84, returns home and is offered short-term care, but what happens when it runs out?

An estimated 1.6 million people in the UK need more help with daily life, according to older people's charity Age UK. BBC News

Trump state visit: President rows back on NHS trade remarks

Trump state visit: President rows back on NHS trade remarks Donald Trump has rowed back on his remarks that the NHS should form part of a future trade deal between the UK and US.

The comment, made during his state visit to the UK, prompted a backlash from Conservative leadership candidates, Labour and trade unions.

But on Wednesday, the US president told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "I don't see it being on the table."

He added that the NHS was something he would "not consider part of trade". BBC News

See also:

• ‘The NHS is not for sale’: Health Secretary hits back after US Ambassador says healthcare should be on the table in any transatlantic post-Brexit trade talks The Daily Mail
• The NHS cannot become a bargaining chip in our desperate deal-making with the US The Guardian

Sure Start programme saved the NHS millions of pounds, study finds

Sure Start programme saved the NHS millions of pounds, study finds Sure Start children’s centres delivered major health benefits for youngsters in the most deprived areas, reducing the number of people taken to hospital and delivering millions of pounds in savings to the NHS, a study has found.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies research found that where Sure Start offered high levels of service in poor neighbourhoods in England, visits to hospital to treat injuries fell among all children of primary school age, and by a third of all 11-year-olds. The Guardian

See also:

• The health effects of Sure Start Institute for Fiscal Studies

Why aren’t new homes fully accessible for older and disabled people?

Why aren’t new homes fully accessible for older and disabled people? | David Brindle Cuts to planning services have helped ensure that only 7% of England’s housing stock is even ‘visitable’ by a disabled person

Six years ago a House of Lords inquiry concluded that the UK government and society were “woefully under-prepared” for the needs of the ageing population. It was meant to be a wake-up call, a prompt for action, but new evidence shows that we continue to drift negligently on the crucial issue of housing.

If older people are going to live longer in their own homes, avoiding costly residential care, those homes must be suitable for the limitations of later life or capable of easy adaptation. Yet just 7% of England’s housing stock provides even the most basic features of accessibility, making a property “visitable” by a disabled person in the official jargon. The Guardian

Self-harm trebles among women in past 14 years amid calls for social media firms to protect vulnerable users

Self-harm trebles among women in past 14 years amid calls for social media firms to protect vulnerable users The number of girls and young women self-harming has tripled in the past 14 years as charities call on social media companies to take up their duty of care.

In 2000, 6.5% of 16 to 24-year-old girls and women reported having self-harmed at some point in their life. However this figure doubled to 11.7% in 2007 and 19.7% in 2014. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Prevalence of non-suicidal self-harm and service contact in England, 2000–14: repeated cross-sectional surveys of the general population The Lancet Psychiatry
• 'Alarming rise in self-harm - but only half get care' BBC News

Government accused of a 'cop out' over calorie labelling plans

Government accused of a 'cop out' over calorie labelling plans Ministers have been accused of a 'cop out' amid claims plans to force restaurants, cafes and takeaways to list calorie contents have been watered down.

The Government last year announced its intentions to introduce mandatory calorie labelling across England, in hope of tackling childhood obesity. The Daily Mail

The weekend effect IS real: Patients are 15% more likely to die on Saturday or Sunday

The weekend effect IS real: Patients are 15% more likely to die on Saturday or Sunday Patients taken to hospitals at weekends are 16 per cent more likely to die than those admitted during the week, a major study suggests.

Researchers found non-emergency operations - such as hip and knee replacements - are 70 per cent more deadly when performed on the weekend compared to a week day.

But experts believe while a 'weekend effect' exists, the higher death rates are not a reflection of poorer care in hospitals on Saturdays and Sundays. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Magnitude and modifiers of the weekend effect in hospital admissions: a systematic review and meta-analysis (open access) BMJ Open
• Weekend effect: The row that set the NHS against Jeremy Hunt The Independent
• Weekend effect: Study debunks government claim that staff shortages to blame for rise in deaths The Independent

Woman, 92, dies after Northampton General Hospital loses dentures

Woman, 92, dies after Northampton General Hospital loses dentures A 92-year-old woman died in hospital following weeks of weight loss after staff lost her false teeth.

Northampton General Hospital's board heard how the hospital failed to replace the dentures, which were lost during her admission.

The woman, who had dementia, also suffered from dehydration before her death in January.

Director of nursing Sheran Oke told the board meeting the "very sad" incident was being investigated. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Woman, 92, died at NGH following weeks of weight loss after false teeth lost by NHS Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Interim NHS People Plan

Interim NHS People Plan This interim report, developed collaboratively with national leaders and partners, sets a vision for how people working in the NHS will be supported to deliver that care and identifies the actions that NHS England will take to help them. NHS Improvement 

See also:

• NHS People Plan is welcome but will need investment NHS Employers
• “More staff not enough – NHS must also be best place to work” says new NHS people plan NHS England
• The King’s Fund responds to the interim NHS People Plan The King's Fund
• NHS staff quitting due to burnout and bullying, report says The Guardian
• Exclusive: Dido Harding: Boards should take culture as seriously as finance Health Service Journal

Sexual health

Sexual health This report finds that despite top line figures for sexual health appearing positive they hide a number of seriously concerning underlying trends and inequalities as poor sexual health outcomes fall disproportionately on certain groups. An enduring theme throughout the Health and Social Care Committee's inquiry was geographical variation in access to the highest standard of sexual health services, worsened by the impact of greatly reduced funding and increased fragmentation of services. The report concludes that sexual health must be sufficiently funded on a national level to deliver high quality sexual health services and information. House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee 

See also:

• People urged to practise safer sex after rise in STIs in England Public Health England
• Official Statistics: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): annual data tables Public Health England
• Syphilis: Public Health England action plan Public Health England
• Sex diseases on the rise in England BBC News
• Gonorrhoea cases reach a 40 YEAR high in England The Daily Mail

Whorlton Hall abuse: Care watchdog launches investigations

Whorlton Hall abuse: Care watchdog launches investigations The health watchdog is launching a review into how it handled a 2015 report raising concerns about Whorlton Hall hospital.

Former Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspector Barry Stanley-Wilkinson said he wrote the report four years before BBC Panorama revealed the alleged abuse of patients.

The CQC said there would also be a review of its regulation of the County Durham hospital between 2015 and 2019. BBC News

Nearly 10,000 beds lost from half of England’s local authorities

Nearly 10,000 beds lost from half of England’s local authorities Nearly 10,000 care home beds for the elderly have been lost in five years across half of England’s local authorities, figures show.

In total, 9,772 care home beds have been lost in England in the 75 local authority areas that have struggled to keep up with provision since 2014, the analysis of Care Quality Commission (CQC) data shows. OnMedica

Plan to hire thousands of foreign nurses for NHS is axed

Plan to hire thousands of foreign nurses for NHS is axed Target was politically difficult for a government committed to reducing net migration

A controversial target of hiring 5,000 foreign nurses a year for at least 15 years has been cut from a flagship plan to deal with the NHS’s staffing crisis, the Observer understands.

The move will frustrate health chiefs, who are desperate for a clear strategy to reduce NHS staffing pressures, which are expected to worsen. The Guardian

See also:

• NHS turns to Mumsnet to fill nurse vacancies BBC News
• NHS turns to Mumsnet to find nurses The Daily Mail
• NHS bosses to recruit Mumsnet users in a bid to help fill nursing vacancies The Daily Telegraph

Matt Hancock pledges to lift immigration limits on NHS medics

Matt Hancock pledges to lift immigration limits on NHS medics Centrist Tory candidate advocates free movement of foreign doctors and nurses

The UK should allow complete freedom of movement for medics from around the world, the Tory leadership hopeful Matt Hancock will pledge on Monday.

The health secretary, who is one of main contenders from the party’s centre-left in the 13-strong race to be the next prime minister, will promise to lift all immigration restrictions for qualified doctors and nurses of any nationality who have secured a job in the NHS. The Guardian

Austerity to blame for 130,000 ‘preventable’ UK deaths – report

Austerity to blame for 130,000 ‘preventable’ UK deaths – report Two decades of public health improvements have stalled, says IPPR thinktank

More than 130,000 deaths in the UK since 2012 could have been prevented if improvements in public health policy had not stalled as a direct result of austerity cuts, according to a hard-hitting analysis to be published this week.

The study by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) thinktank finds that, after two decades in which preventable diseases were reduced as a result of spending on better education and prevention, there has been a seven-year “perfect storm” in which state provision has been pared back because of budget cuts, while harmful behaviours among people of all ages have increased. The Guardian

See also:

• Ending the blame game: The case for a new approach to public health and prevention IPPR

Most doctors never read patient feedback, report finds

Most doctors never read patient feedback, report finds Patient feedback about the performance of doctors is ignored by the vast majority of the profession, a report has found.

Research revealed that only one in five doctors read comments directly concerning them. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Online patient feedback: a cross-sectional survey of the attitudes and experiences of United Kingdom health care professionals (open access) Journal of Health Services Research and Policy

Obesity has become 'the new smoking' and will fuel weight-related cancers, head of NHS warns

Obesity has become 'the new smoking' and will fuel weight-related cancers, head of NHS warns Obesity has become “the new smoking” and is set to fuel double the number of weight-related cancers within two decades, the head of the NHS today warns.

Simon Stevens raised fears that the UK is apeing the United States, as medics warned that today’s deadly lifestyles could set back decades of medical advances.

The NHS forecasts show that by 2035, the health service is set to be treating more than 40,000 cases of cancer linked to excess weight - a rise from around 22,800 in 2015. The Daily Telegraph

One person in 10 is mistaken about the identity of their father, reveals NHS chief

One person in 10 is mistaken about the identity of their father, reveals NHS chief One person in 10 is mistaken about the identity of their father, genetic tests for hereditary illnesses are revealing, according to an NHS chief.

The era of genomic medicine is allowing doctors to screen rising numbers for preventative action against diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.

About 220,000 such tests are carried out by the NHS in England and Scotland each year. The Daily Telegraph

Postcode lottery for UK heart failure patients: Hospitals are not meeting care standards

Postcode lottery for UK heart failure patients: Hospitals are not meeting care standards Heart failure patients across the UK face a 'postcode lottery' in the NHS care they receive, according to a report.

Researchers uncovered a 'worrying wide variation' and 'lack of consistency' in the level of care received across the home nations.

The British Heart Foundation described the differences as being 'stark' - the worst-performing regions were not named.

Health watchdog NICE updated its guidelines for the treatment of chronic heart failure nine months ago. The Daily Mail

Government help may be needed for cost of new children's trust for Northamptonshire

Government help may be needed for cost of new children's trust for Northamptonshire Government help may be needed to fund the cost of setting up a new trust to oversee children’s services in Northamptonshire.

The admission came from county council leader Matt Golby during a debate on how much the transformation to two new unitary councils in 2021 would cost.

The county council’s overview and scrutiny committee was told that the cost of establishing the trust, which was announced by Secretary of State for local government James Brokenshire, was not included in the £43million budget estimate for the two new councils. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Achieving a digital NHS: Lessons for national policy from the acute sector

Achieving a digital NHS: Lessons for national policy from the acute sector As a new body, NHSX, becomes established to lead national policy for technology, digital and data, and with the Secretary of State firmly behind plans to create a fully digital NHS, this report seeks to understand how national policy for digitisation is working from the perspective of acute trusts. Do digital leaders feel the commitment to digital over the last two decades is helping to move things forward? And what could be done differently to support digitisation on the ground? Nuffield Trust

See also:

• Going digital: three crucial areas for NHS policy Nuffield Trust
• Inability to recruit key staff and untested standards undermine NHS technology push Nuffield Trust

Saving lives, supporting communities

Saving lives, supporting communities At the frontline of NHS emergency care, the ambulance service is probably the last place you’d expect to see volunteers – but you’d be wrong. There are now over 10,000 people who volunteer in ambulance trusts across England. The King's Fund

PHE calls on all NHS Trusts to ban smoking on hospital grounds

PHE calls on all NHS Trusts to ban smoking on hospital grounds Public Health England (PHE) has found that Trusts are making steady progress in becoming smokefree, with smoking now banned completely on the grounds of more than two thirds (69%) of NHS acute Trusts in England. Yet despite this progress, almost a third (31%) have not yet enforced total smoking bans across hospital premises.

See also:

• Almost one in three NHS hospitals still allow smoking on their premises The Daily Mail

MAC recommends all doctors are added to shortage occupation list

MAC recommends all doctors are added to shortage occupation list The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has recommended that all medical practitioners are now added to the shortage occupation list alongside a number of other suggestions for government. NHS Employers

We still need to talk about boards

We still need to talk about boards This briefing sets out NHS Providers' rationale for board leadership now and in the future. It argues that board leadership, and sound local accountability, are critical in managing risk, and must remain a key component of system working. The briefing is a revised version of a paper NHS Providers published in 2015. NHS Providers

GM fungus rapidly kills 99% of malaria mosquitoes, study suggests

GM fungus rapidly kills 99% of malaria mosquitoes, study suggests A fungus - genetically enhanced to produce spider toxin - can rapidly kill huge numbers of the mosquitoes that spread malaria, a study suggests.

Trials, which took place in Burkina Faso, showed mosquito populations collapsed by 99% within 45 days.

The researchers say their aim is not to make the insects extinct but to help stop the spread of malaria. BBC News

See also:

• Transgenic Metarhizium rapidly kills mosquitoes in a malaria-endemic region of Burkina Faso (abstract) Science
• Malaria mosquitoes wiped out with GM fungus in first controlled ‘real world’ tests The Independent

GP surgery closures in UK 'hit all-time high' in 2018

GP surgery closures in UK 'hit all-time high' in 2018 Research, disputed by NHS, shows 138 practices shut with smaller surgeries worst hit

GP surgery closures across the UK have reached an all-time high, affecting an estimated half a million patients last year, research has found. An investigation by the medical website Pulse found 138 doctors’ premises shut their doors in 2018, compared with 18 in 2013.

GPs said under-resourcing and recruitment difficulties were forcing surgeries to close. They said many smaller practices were merging with others to survive, which allowed them to avoid having to disperse their patient list to other practices much further away. The Guardian

See also:

• Revealed: more surgeries than ever closed last year Pulse
• Urgent action needed to prevent more 'heart-breaking' practice closures, says College Royal College of General Practitioners
• GP retention just as vital as recruitment, says RCGP responding to latest workforce figures Royal College of General Practitioners
• NHS has lost 700 GPs in three years The Daily Mail
• Record 138 surgeries closed down last year as more GPs take early retirement or change carer The Daily Mail
• The diary of a GP driven to despair The Daily Mail
• 2018 saw highest ever number of GP practice closures, with small local surgeries worst affected The Daily Telegraph
• Over half a million patients forced to swap GP surgeries after closures last year, investigation finds The Independent

Nasal flu spray to be offered to all primary school children next winter

Nasal flu spray to be offered to all primary school children next winter The flu vaccine in the form of a nasal spray will be offered to all children in primary school next winter in a bid to boost uptake, health chiefs have announced.

Currently the vaccine is not available in all schools and for many older children it is only on offer in injection form. The Daily Telegraph

Tourists are spreading superbugs across international borders, report warns

Tourists are spreading superbugs across international borders, report warns Holiday-makers are at risk of picking up and bringing home superbugs, according to a study looking at the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) worldwide.

Drug-resistant infections are already responsible for some 700,000 deaths globally each year, but it is estimated that this figure could rise to 10 million annually by 2050 if left unchecked. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Global Geographic Trends in Antimicrobial Resistance: The Role of International Travel (open access) Journal of Travel Medicine

Health Secretary Matt Hancock asks for help to halve childhood obesity in the UK

Health Secretary Matt Hancock asks for help to halve childhood obesity in the UK The Health Secretary today asked for help to deliver the Government's promise to halve childhood obesity over the next 10 years.

Matt Hancock called on England's Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, to prepare an urgent report by September on how best to help children lose weight.

Some 29 per cent of children aged two to 15 are now overweight or obese in England, with 16 per cent of them being obese. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Chief medical officer considers recommending tax on unhealthy food BBC News
• Chief medical officer considers taxing all unhealthy food The Daily Telegraph
• Matt Hancock backs parenting classes as calls for 'targeted support' to help combat obesity epidemic The Daily Telegraph

On call with the community first responders saving lives every day in Northampton

On call with the community first responders saving lives every day in Northampton Ambulances and paramedics are more stretched than ever. The pressures on the NHS’s emergency services means crews are faced with more 999 calls than ever before – so many that at its worst, they have to decide which jobs need their attention first.

But at least in Northampton, a team of some 40 volunteers are making sure there is always someone there when an emergency strikes. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Campaign launched in Corby to prevent ‘dangerous’ wrong decisions over NHS care

Campaign launched in Corby to prevent ‘dangerous’ wrong decisions over NHS care Patients who choose the wrong NHS service may not only be delaying their care but could also be making a ‘dangerous’ mistake, Corby health chiefs warned today (Tuesday) at the launch of a new campaign.

With the introduction of new services and healthcare providers in the town, the awareness campaign is aiming to help patients select the correct NHS service at the first time of choosing. Northamptonshire Telegraph

How apprenticeships are just the starting point for great careers in healthcare - Training Journal

How apprenticeships are just the starting point for great careers in healthcare In 2017, Government reforms sought to improve the quality of apprenticeship training and boost the number of apprentices in the UK to 3m by 2020.

Apprenticeships are an excellent training route into healthcare for people starting their careers, as well as for individuals looking to develop and progress, and we place huge value on our apprenticeship programmes.

Not only are they a way of addressing staff shortages and boosting the workforce, but apprenticeships enable individuals to gain on the job training and build their knowledge, confidence and experience. As employers, we can upskill our teams and plug skills gaps. Training Journal

Untapped potential: investing in health and care data analytics

Untapped potential: investing in health and care data analytics This report highlights nine key reasons why there should be more investment in analytical capability. Action and investment is needed across the system so the NHS has the right people with the right tools to interpret and create value from its data. This could result in an NHS that can make faster progress on improving outcomes for patients. The Health Foundation

Yet another case of history repeating

Yet another case of history repeating With poor care for people with learning disabilities once again in the news, Helen Buckingham laments the NHS’s failure to learn from what’s gone on before, while arguing that the future doesn’t have to see the same mistakes. Nuffield Trust

RCPsych calls on NICE to update its antidepressant withdrawal advice

RCPsych calls on NICE to update its antidepressant withdrawal advice OFFICIAL guidance on coming off antidepressants needs to reflect the full range of patients’ experiences; the Royal College of Psychiatrists says today.

Existing advice from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) – which provides national guidance to improve health and social care in England – suggests most people should be able to come off antidepressants over four weeks.

However, it is increasingly apparent from the experiences shared by some patients and clinicians, including GPs, that some patients can suffer from more severe symptoms that can last much longer. This may affect those who have been prescribed antidepressants over a long period and who have stopped their use too quickly. Royal College of Psychiatrists

See also:

• Royal College of Pyschiatrists warn doctors anti-depressants have dangerous side effects The Daily Mail

NHS WiFi now available to millions of patients

NHS WiFi now available to millions of patients Free NHS WiFi is now available in 6,749 GP practices and 212 acute, mental health and community NHS Trusts across England, benefitting millions of patients.

95% of GP practices and 98% of NHS trusts are already connected with the remaining four trusts and ten CCGs all underway with their own procurements and set to be live this year. NHS Digital exceeded its target to have 95% coverage, by 31 March 2019, in GP practices and NHS trusts.

Patient safety essentials toolkit

Patient safety essentials toolkit This toolkit includes documents on improving teamwork and communication, tools to help you understand the underlying issues that can cause errors, and valuable guidance about how to create and maintain reliable systems. Each of the nine tools includes a short description, instructions, an example, and a blank template. Please note that free registration is required to access the toolkit. Institute for Healthcare Improvement

English council funding: what’s happened and what’s next?

English council funding: what’s happened and what’s next? This report finds that overall spending on local services by English councils fell by 21 per cent between 2009-10 and 2017-18. Some services have seen much deeper cuts though. Spending on planning & development and housing services fell by more than 50 per cent while cultural & leisure services and highways & transport also saw cuts of more than 40 per cent over the same period. This has allowed councils to protect social care services from the full force of budget cuts. Spending on adult social care fell by 5 per cent between 2009–10 and 2017–18 – although the numbers receiving care fell by much more – and spending on acute children’s social care services (such as social work, safeguarding and fostering) actually rose by 10 per cent. Institute for Fiscal Studies

Ultra-processed food linked to early death

Ultra-processed food linked to early death Ultra-processed foods - such as chicken nuggets, ice cream and breakfast cereals - have been linked to early death and poor health, scientists say.

Researchers in France and Spain say the amount of such food being eaten has soared.

Their studies are not definite proof of harm but do come hot on the heels of trials suggesting ultra-processed foods lead to overeating.

Experts expressed caution but called for further investigation. BBC News

See also:

• Ultra-processed food and adverse health outcomes The BMJ
• Ultra-processed food intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: prospective cohort study (NutriNet-Santé) The BMJ 
• Eating too much ultra-processed foods raises the risk of death The Daily Mail

Transgender no longer recognised as 'disorder' by WHO

Transgender no longer recognised as 'disorder' by WHO Transgender health issues will no longer be classified as mental and behavioural disorders under big changes to the World Health Organization's global manual of diagnoses.

The newly-approved version instead places issues of gender incongruence under a chapter on sexual health.

A World Health Organization expert said it now understands transgender is "not actually a mental health condition".

Human Rights Watch says the change will have a "liberating effect worldwide" BBC News

2,000 domestic abuse survivors placed at risk of homelessness a year, report finds

2,000 domestic abuse survivors placed at risk of homelessness a year, report finds Two thousand domestic abuse survivors a year are put at risk of homelessness or being forced back into the arms of their abuser due to local authority rules saying they are not vulnerable enough to access housing.

An estimated 1,960 households fleeing domestic abuse in England are not being provided with a safe home by local authority housing teams because not everyone escaping domestic abuse is considered in “priority need”, finds a report by Crisis and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Ending Homelessness (APPGEH). The Independent

Woman left infertile after surgeon removes wrong fallopian tube

Woman left infertile after surgeon removes wrong fallopian tube Doctor phoned Chelsie Thomas, 27, to say he had mistakenly removed her left tube

A woman was left infertile after a surgeon removed her healthy fallopian tube by mistake.

Chelsie Thomas, 27, was admitted to Walsall Manor hospital, in the West Midlands, suffering from an ectopic pregnancy in March last year. Though the pregnancy was in her right tube, the doctor mistakenly removed the left fallopian tube during surgery. The Guardian

UK fails to back international agreement on reducing drug costs

UK fails to back international agreement on reducing drug costs The UK has been accused of acting in bad faith after backing away from an international agreement aimed at reducing the cost of drugs worldwide.

In the run-up to this month’s World Health Assembly – the decision-making body of the World Health Organization – member states spent three weeks negotiating the agreement aimed at increasing transparency over drug pricing, with the UK, United States, Germany, Japan and Switzerland demanding changes to the text.

However, when the final agreement was signed on Monday the UK, Germany and Hungary formally dissociated themselves from it as they said they needed more time to consider its implications. The Daily Telegraph

Self-harm increased 50% in middle-aged men after the 2008 financial crisis

Self-harm increased 50% in middle-aged men after the 2008 financial crisis There was a 50 per cent spike in self-harm among middle-aged men after the financial crash of 2008, according to scientists.

A study has found the numbers of men harming themselves rose 'significantly' after the credit crunch.

People aged between 40 and 59 are the most likely to self-harm, according to researchers, and common triggers include alcohol problems and financial trouble. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Self-harm in midlife: analysis using data from the Multicentre Study of Self-harm in England British Journal of Psychiatry

Cruel rationing of vital cataract ops has DOUBLED since 2017

Cruel rationing of vital cataract ops has DOUBLED since 2017 Cruel rationing of vital cataract operations has doubled since NHS officials were ordered to stop refusing patients the surgery, a shocking report has revealed.

At least 2,851 people were turned down for a cataract operation in 2018/19 after their doctor had referred them for the procedure, according to figures published in the British Medical Journal.

Astonishingly, the number of refusals have doubled since guidance published by NHS watchdog NICE in October 2017 was supposed to spell an end to people being denied the operations. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Leading ophthalmologist vows to stamp out “unjustified” screening for cataract surgery The BMJ
• Cataract patients across England being denied NHS surgery The Medical Technology Group
• Investigation reveals doubling in NHS rationing of cataract surgery The Daily Telegraph
• NHS surgery rationing on the rise as thousands rejected for cataract surgery, investigation finds The Independent
• CCGs rationing cataract surgery against guidelines OnMedica

English councils warned on 'running out' of reserve cash

English councils warned on 'running out' of reserve cash Some councils in England (including Northamptonshire County Council) have been warned they risk running out of cash reserves if recent spending continues.

Analysis by the BBC has identified 11 authorities the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (Cipfa) said would have "fully exhausted" reserves within four years unless they topped them up.

The Local Government Association said councils faced "systemic underfunding".

The government said councils were responsible for managing their funds. BBC News

£4.4bn funding gap projected for social care in England as spending per person falls further behind other UK countries

£4.4bn funding gap projected for social care in England as spending per person falls further behind other UK countries New analysis from the Health Foundation shows that there will be a social care funding gap of £4.4bn in England in 2023/24 to meet rising demand and address critical staffing shortages in the sector.

In the absence of an additional funding commitment, the money available for adult social care will rise at an annual average rate of 1.4% a year. This is much lower than the 3.4% a year the government has committed to the NHS and crucially, far below rising demand of 3.6% a year, with increasing numbers of elderly and younger adults needing help with day to day activities such as washing, eating and dressing.

The Health Foundation also point to poor pay and conditions in social care as a major threat to the quality of care and future sustainability of the sector. Staff turnover has been increasing since 2012/13 and there are over 110,000 vacancies in adult social care. Over 40,000 nurses work in adult social care but almost a third are estimated to have left their role within the past 12 months. Adult social care wages are low and below equivalent salaries in the NHS.

See also:

• The real cost of a fair adult social care system The Health Foundation
• English 'short-changed on care funding' BBC News

Five myths of compassionate leadership

Five myths of compassionate leadership The NHS is facing a crisis in staffing with large gaps in the nursing and medical workforces in both primary and secondary care. Recruitment is proving ever more difficult, absenteeism is high and staff are leaving or retiring early. There is no magic solution in sight. Part of the reason is the sustained work overload staff face, which has been increasing over time. This leads to high levels of staff stress (50 per cent higher than in the working population as a whole), harming the physical and mental health of staff across the NHS. It is an unsustainable position which demands a wise and powerful response. The King's Fund

The impact of primary care incentive schemes on care home placements for people with dementia

The impact of primary care incentive schemes on care home placements for people with dementia The interface between primary care and long-term care is complex. In the case of dementia, this interface may be influenced by incentives offered to GPs as part of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) to provide an annual review for patients with dementia. The hypothesis is that the annual reviews reduce the likelihood of admission to a care home by supporting the patient to live independently and by addressing carers’ needs for support. Centre for Health Economics

Evaluation of Babylon GP at hand: final evaluation report

Evaluation of Babylon GP at hand: final evaluation report Ipsos MORI, working in partnership with York Health Economics Consortium, and with advisory input from Professor Chris Salisbury (University of Bristol), were commissioned by NHS Hammersmith and Fulham Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS England in May 2018 to undertake an independent evaluation of the Babylon GP at Hand (BGPaH) practice. This report sets out the final results of the evaluation.

Homeless and disabled: ‘I’m at my wits’ end’

Homeless and disabled: ‘I’m at my wits’ end’ The number of physically disabled people affected by homelessness in England increased by three quarters during an almost 10-year period, according to official statistics.

Now new government figures show thousands of vulnerable people are struggling amid a shortage of suitable accommodation – with many living on the streets.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government says it's "providing councils with almost £1 billion over the next two years to adapt properties for disabled people."

The BBC 's disability news correspondent, Nikki Fox, has been to meet three homeless disabled people in Birmingham to hear their stories. BBC News

Nurses struggling to look after dying patients due of staff shortages, survey finds

Nurses struggling to look after dying patients due of staff shortages, survey finds Nurses are struggling to look after dying patients because of staff shortages, according to a survey.

Two-thirds of nurses (65 per cent) said staffing levels are the main “barrier” to providing good care in the final stages of patients’ lives, according to an annual poll by magazine Nursing Standard and charity Marie Curie.

Last year, 38 per cent reported the same reason.

Meanwhile, more than half (57 per cent) of nurses reported time constraints as an issue, compared to 25 per cent last year. The Independent

See also:

• Two thirds of nurses struggle to provide good care to dying patients due to staff shortages Marie Curie
• Nurses need more support to care for dying people Marie Curie
• End of life care: what thousands of nurses told our annual survey Nursing Standard

Government policy makes people ill – and the NHS pays the price

Government policy makes people ill – and the NHS pays the price Poverty and pollution are political choices. Ministers should be accountable for the burden they put on our health system.

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens has been remarkably successful in prising more money for the health service out of the government, but short-term ministerial thinking about the service and its resources has resulted in an unedifying, dysfunctional scramble for cash in austerity Britain. Finally, though, ideas are emerging that could change all that. The Guardian

Nearly five million children and young people at risk of measles across Europe

Nearly five million children and young people at risk of measles across Europe Some 4.5million young people in Europe are at risk of catching measles because they have not been vaccinated against this highly infectious disease, research has shown.

An analysis of vaccination rates across countries in the European Union and European Economic Area shows that about four per cent of the people born in the region since 1999 are not fully protected against the disease. The Daily Telegraph

Working night shifts is NOT linked to an increased risk of breast cancer

Working night shifts is NOT linked to an increased risk of breast cancer Women who work night shifts do not face a higher risk of breast cancer, according to a major scientific analysis.

For decades, it has been suggested that burning the midnight oil could raise the risk of the killer disease.

But researchers have now quashed the fears, after finding no evidence of any greater odds of breast cancer in female night shift workers. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Night shift work and risk of breast cancer in women: the Generations Study cohort (open access) British Journal of Cancer
• Working night shift does not increase likelihood of developing breast cancer despite previous evidence to the contrary, WHO study says The Daily Telegraph
• Night shifts do not increase breast cancer risk, study concludes The Guardian

Hospital builds a replica bus stop in A&E department to calm dementia patients

Hospital builds a replica bus stop in A&E department to calm dementia patients A hospital has built a replica bus stop inside its A&E department to help people with dementia feel at home.

Southend University Hospital has constructed the stand with its own sign, timetable and bench – but no buses will be driving through the department.

It's hoped the stop will provide a familiar sight for people suffering from the brain-damaging disease, which can leave them feeling lost, confused and anxious. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Doctors install replica bus stop inside hospital's emergency department to help dementia patients feel more relaxed The Daily Telegraph

The prevention Green Paper

The prevention Green Paper Prevention is one of the three pillars (alongside workforce and technology) of the Secretary of State’s stated priorities, and his Department has been working towards a Green Paper, due relatively soon as far as we can tell. What’s likely to be in it, and what should be in it? The King's Fund

NHS hands 50,000 people control of their own care

NHS hands 50,000 people control of their own care More than 50,000 people have taken charge of their own care after being handed control of how their NHS funding is spent.

Personal Health Budgets can be used to purchase personalised wheelchairs, assistance dogs and respite care to manage complex health problems, as well as tech devices that can control curtains, lighting, heating and door intercoms to help people live independent lives.

The rollout of the Budgets across the country is two years ahead of scheme and being ramped up further as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. NHS England