Antibiotic resistance 'threat to UK'

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

See also:

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

Increasing staff engagement with social media

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

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

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

Keep hospitals only for the very sick, says new report

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

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

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

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

• Guidance
• Help the Hospices - news

Diet high in processed meat 'threatens health'

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

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

We love the NHS too much to make it better

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

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

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

Freeze on foreign nurses over fake documents fears

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

Suffolk patient with anthrax takes total in England to five cases

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Closing NHS services: the impossible job?

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

UK smoking 'halves' in 40 years

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

'Postcode lottery' for NHS surgery

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

Patients are increasingly likely to sue GPs

Patients are increasingly likely to sue GPs:

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

Heroin and crack use falling

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

Nicholson could face private criminal prosecution

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

NMC failed to prioritise patient safety

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