Politicians alienating GPs with 'relentless' attacks, senior doctor claims Dr Chaand Nagpaul accuses MPs of belittling family doctors, causing some young doctors to shun becoming GPs
Politicians are alienating GPs with "relentless attacks" and use of "political gimmickry" to tackle the unsustainable pressures facing family doctors, a key leader of the profession warns on Thursday.
In a critique of the coalition and Labour opposition, Dr Chaand Nagpaul will accuse them of belittling GPs by bemoaning the difficulty patients have getting appointments and the lack of extended opening times. Continue reading... The Guardian
Thursday, 22 May 2014
Hospitals criticised for discharging vulnerable patients at night
Hospitals criticised for discharging vulnerable patients at night Growing pressure on NHS hospitals has led to hundreds of thousands of patients being discharged in the middle of the night, despite efforts to cut back on the controversial practice, it has been revealed. The Independent
See also:
See also:
- Rising numbers of hospital patients sent home in the midst of night The Daily Telegraph
- Hospitals break NHS pledge to protect frail and elderly Daily Mail
NHS in the red: Hospitals forced to beg Government for equipment loans and electricity bills
NHS in the red: Hospitals forced to beg Government for equipment loans and electricity bills
The intense financial pressure faced by NHS hospitals has been laid bare in a series of letters, which range from pleas for bailout loans to replace defunct equipment, attempts to fend off legal threats from suppliers and even requests to pay off electricity bills. The Independent
See also:
The intense financial pressure faced by NHS hospitals has been laid bare in a series of letters, which range from pleas for bailout loans to replace defunct equipment, attempts to fend off legal threats from suppliers and even requests to pay off electricity bills. The Independent
See also:
- Hospitals forced to ask Government for emergency bail-out loans The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, 21 May 2014
Borough bids to bolster domestic abuse services in Northampton
Borough bids to bolster domestic abuse services in Northampton Councillors launched the first stage of a major report aimed at tackling domestic violence in Northampton last night. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
High proportion of NHS staff feel swift and effective action is not taken to deal with inappropriate behaviours, new survey finds
High proportion of NHS staff feel swift and effective action is not taken to deal with inappropriate behaviours, new survey finds Two fifths (43 per cent) of NHS staff feel that swift and effective action is not taken to deal with inappropriate behaviours and performance in their organisation, a survey published today by The King’s Fund has found.
Consultation on revalidation and the revised Code
Consultation on revalidation and the revised Code The NMC are currently seeking feedback and views on The Code which outlines the standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives. The Code has been revised following the recommendations of recent major healthcare reviews including the Francis Report. The revised Code will also align to revalidation, a process which will require all nurses and midwives to regularly confirm to the NMC that they are fit to practise. This consultation closes on 11th August 2014. Nursing and Midwifery Council
Vaccines not linked with autism, study finds
Vaccines not linked with autism, study finds "There is no evidence whatsoever linking the development of autism to childhood vaccines," The Guardian reports.
A new study involving more than a million children found no evidence of a link between childhood vaccines and autism or autism spectrum disorder.
Researchers pooled the results of studies that have assessed the relationship between vaccine administration and the subsequent development of autism spectrum disorder. No significant associations were found between vaccinations and the development of the condition.
The results of this study therefore suggest that there is no reason that parents should avoid having their child vaccinated because of fears that their child will develop autism after they are immunised.
A new study involving more than a million children found no evidence of a link between childhood vaccines and autism or autism spectrum disorder.
Researchers pooled the results of studies that have assessed the relationship between vaccine administration and the subsequent development of autism spectrum disorder. No significant associations were found between vaccinations and the development of the condition.
The results of this study therefore suggest that there is no reason that parents should avoid having their child vaccinated because of fears that their child will develop autism after they are immunised.
Information published for first time about repeat use of the Mental Health Act
Information published for first time about repeat use of the Mental Health Act Information is released for the first time today about the number of adults subject to repeat use of detentions and short term orders under the Mental Health Act. Health & Social Care Information Centre
Socio-technical allocation of resources (STAR) casebooks
Socio-technical allocation of resources (STAR) casebooks These two casebooks describe a new approach to priority setting called STAR which combines money analysis with stakeholder engagement. It allows those who plan services to determine how services can effectively be invested whilst stakeholder engagement ensures that decisions are understood and supported by those affected. The first casebook describes the principles of the approach, whilst the second examines the implementation of STAR in an eating disorder service in Sheffield. NHS Right Care
Overwork stopping GPs from collaborating
Overwork stopping GPs from collaborating Over two-thirds say workload and lack of time stop them joining networks. OnMedica
See also:
See also:
Can technology improve patient safety?
Can technology improve patient safety? The advantage of technology is that it obeys instructions and behaves consistently.
Since 2000, following a report by the chief medical officer, An organisation with memory, a safer NHS has been a key priority. More recently, the Sign up to safety campaign is the latest iteration of the continual aspiration to make the NHS a high reliability organisation, one that succeeds in avoiding incidents in a high risk environment. Jeremy Hunt has stated that he aims to reduce avoidable deaths by 6,000 over three years.
In an era where people can manage every aspect of their life from a device little bigger than a credit card, can technology help us achieve those aims? Continue reading... The Guardian
Since 2000, following a report by the chief medical officer, An organisation with memory, a safer NHS has been a key priority. More recently, the Sign up to safety campaign is the latest iteration of the continual aspiration to make the NHS a high reliability organisation, one that succeeds in avoiding incidents in a high risk environment. Jeremy Hunt has stated that he aims to reduce avoidable deaths by 6,000 over three years.
In an era where people can manage every aspect of their life from a device little bigger than a credit card, can technology help us achieve those aims? Continue reading... The Guardian
Patients wait two weeks to see GP in a fifth of practices
Patients wait two weeks to see GP in a fifth of practices Survey of 500 GPs, conducted by Pulse Magazine, finds that waiting times for non-urgent appointments are getting longer. The Daily Telegraph
NHS could start prescribing e-cigarettes as study finds them 60% more effective than gum or patches
NHS could start prescribing e-cigarettes as study finds them 60% more effective than gum or patches Although e-cigarettes are not yet licenced by the Medical and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, researchers at University College London said new evidence showed they were extremely effective at helping smokers to quit. The Daily Telegraph
See also:
See also:
- E-cigarettes 'help smokers to quit' BBC News
Tuesday, 20 May 2014
AstraZeneca rejects £69bn Pfizer bid
AstraZeneca rejects £69bn Pfizer bid UK drugs company AstraZeneca rejects the improved "final" £69bn takeover offer from US firm Pfizer. BBC News
All in this together?
All in this together? MHP Health has published All in this together, investigating how councils are using the Better Care Fund.
- Local authorities allocated £349m across the two years to maintaining eligibility criteria aimed at ensuring access to existing services. Money allocated to maintaining service eligibility was higher than any other category of spend in each year, 23% in 2012-13 and 24% in 2013-14
- Less than 4% of the funding transfer was allocated towardsmental health services in 2012-13 and 2013-14 combined – this despite the fact that achieving parity of esteem between mental and physical health is a priority for NHS and social care services
- Services aimed at helping people recover following periods of hospitalisation are also an identified priority of councils with £1 in every £5 allocated through the transfer funding across 2012-13 and 2013-14 aimed at improving patient recovery and early hospital discharge
Power to the people: the mutual future of our National Health Service
Power to the people: the mutual future of our National Health Service This report calls for radical overhaul of the UK health service tackling the lifestyle and long-term conditions that it estimates will cause a £19 billion deficit in the NHS. It argues for a move away from acute care in hospitals and integrated care based in the community delivered through health mutuals. ResPublica
Health union ballots members on appetite for strike action
Health union ballots members on appetite for strike action Move prompted by what it dubs government’s ‘divide and rule’ pay offer. OnMedica
Strong leadership needed to overcome financial pressures on the NHS
Strong leadership needed to overcome financial pressures on the NHS Leadership needs to be shared and distributed throughout the NHS with leaders engaging with colleagues
The NHS needs leadership of the highest calibre if it is to respond successfully to financial and service pressures that are unprecedented in its history. We need to move on from a concept of heroic leaders who turn around organisational performance to seeing leadership as shared and distributed throughout the NHS. Leaders must engage their colleagues in bringing about improvements in patient care, and transforming the way in which care is provided.
Turning these ideas into practice is a challenge in an organisation where many leaders have adopted a pacesetting style in which they have set demanding goals and led from the front in delivering them. The dominance of pacesetting is not surprising when successive governments have used targets and performance management to drive improvements in patient care across the NHS. But it is unlikely to be sufficient to enagage or motivate staff to play their part in making the changes now needed to use constrained budgets as effectively as possible. Continue reading... The Guardian
The NHS needs leadership of the highest calibre if it is to respond successfully to financial and service pressures that are unprecedented in its history. We need to move on from a concept of heroic leaders who turn around organisational performance to seeing leadership as shared and distributed throughout the NHS. Leaders must engage their colleagues in bringing about improvements in patient care, and transforming the way in which care is provided.
Turning these ideas into practice is a challenge in an organisation where many leaders have adopted a pacesetting style in which they have set demanding goals and led from the front in delivering them. The dominance of pacesetting is not surprising when successive governments have used targets and performance management to drive improvements in patient care across the NHS. But it is unlikely to be sufficient to enagage or motivate staff to play their part in making the changes now needed to use constrained budgets as effectively as possible. Continue reading... The Guardian
Price of dementia: the families struggling to get NHS help
Price of dementia: the families struggling to get NHS help Dementia Awareness Week aims to raise understanding of the often heartbreaking process of trying to get NHS funding
Thousands of relatives and carers of dementia sufferers are battling to receive funding towards crippling care bills. Under the NHS Continuing Healthcare scheme, older people can qualify to have care and nursing home fees paid in full if they are judged to have chronic health needs. This money can help alleviate the burden for families who are otherwise forced to spend every penny and sell their home to meet the cost of care.
There is no ceiling on the amount that can be paid out, no means test and it is not age related. Yet access to this fund can be a particular struggle for people suffering from dementia. Continue reading... The Guardian
Thousands of relatives and carers of dementia sufferers are battling to receive funding towards crippling care bills. Under the NHS Continuing Healthcare scheme, older people can qualify to have care and nursing home fees paid in full if they are judged to have chronic health needs. This money can help alleviate the burden for families who are otherwise forced to spend every penny and sell their home to meet the cost of care.
There is no ceiling on the amount that can be paid out, no means test and it is not age related. Yet access to this fund can be a particular struggle for people suffering from dementia. Continue reading... The Guardian
What is Mers? Potentially deadly “camel virus” spreading from the Middle East
What is Mers? Potentially deadly “camel virus” spreading from the Middle East
Mers, which stands for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and has since killed more than 173 people – almost a third of those infected. The Independent
Mers, which stands for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and has since killed more than 173 people – almost a third of those infected. The Independent
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