Monday, 27 February 2023

Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust prosecuted after three patients died

Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust prosecuted after three patients died A mental health trust is to be prosecuted after three patients died in its care.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is bringing charges against the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys (TEWV) NHS Trust.

It is thought they relate to the deaths of Christie Harnett, 17, Emily Moore, 18, and a third person.

The trust is said to have failed "to provide safe care and treatment" which exposed patients to "significant risk of avoidable harm". BBC News

Abortion UK: Women 'manipulated' in crisis pregnancy advice centres

Abortion UK: Women 'manipulated' in crisis pregnancy advice centres Women are being misled and manipulated about abortion by some crisis pregnancy advice centres in the UK, according to evidence from a Panorama investigation.

The centres operate outside the NHS and tend to be registered charities.

Most say they don't refer women for abortions, but offer support and counselling for unplanned pregnancies.

But the BBC's investigation reveals more than a third of these services give misleading medical information or unethical advice, and sometimes both. BBC News

Campaigners demand inquiry into treatment of ethnic minority NHS staff

Campaigners demand inquiry into treatment of ethnic minority NHS staff The partner of a nurse who set himself on fire outside Kensington Palace has staged a protest on the steps of Downing Street to demand an independent inquiry into the treatment of BAME staff within the NHS.

Amin Abdullah, 41, an award-winning NHS nurse, took his own life in 2016 after being dismissed from his job at Charing Cross Hospital and suffering a mental breakdown because of his treatment. Evening Standard

Regular cannabis consumption could give you a heart attack, new study reveals

Regular cannabis consumption could give you a heart attack, new study reveals Whether you smoke or eat cannabis, regular consumption could give you a heart attack, according to a new study.

People who smoke marijuana or eat weed-laced edibles daily are a third more likely to develop coronary artery disease (CAD.)

One of the largest studies of the long term toll of the drug on the heart revealed that the more you smoke the higher the risk. The Independent

UK spent only £15m on brain tumour research after promising £40m

UK spent only £15m on brain tumour research after promising £40m Ministers have spent only £15m in five years on research into tackling brain tumours, the biggest killer of adults and children under 40, while boasting about delivering £40m, MPs have found.

The revelation emerged in a damning report seen by the Guardian that is due to be published this week by the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on brain tumours after a two-year inquiry.

Depth of NHS crisis is revealed by coroners’ courts reports

Depth of NHS crisis is revealed by coroners’ courts reports NHS waiting times, staff shortages and service backlogs have been flagged as concerns in relation to dozens of patient deaths across England and Wales since the start of last year, the Observer can reveal, with coroners facing a succession of inquests concerning ambulance delays.

Coroners issue prevention of future deaths reports (PFDs) when they believe preventive action should be taken, and send them to relevant individuals or organisations, which are expected to respond.

NHS needs are long-term, complicated and challenging

NHS needs are long-term, complicated and challenging Since the pandemic respiratory services have been flat out and there is no end in sight. More than seven million people are waiting for elective care in England. A list that was too long before the pandemic and has only become longer. Sky News

New AI blood test for bowel cancer could save lives by slashing huge backlog of cases

New AI blood test for bowel cancer could save lives by slashing huge backlog of cases Scientists are rolling out a new ‘artificial intelligence blood test’ for bowel cancer that they hope will save lives by prioritising those who need a check-up straight away.

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a huge backlog of patients awaiting a colonoscopy – the ‘gold standard’ examination for bowel cancer in which a tiny camera is inserted into the body to look for tumours. The Daily Mail

Friday, 24 February 2023

Northampton: Maternity unit's staffing levels concerns regulator

Northampton: Maternity unit's staffing levels concerns regulator A maternity unit did not always have enough qualified and experienced staff to keep women safe from avoidable harm, inspectors have said.

The care regulator found the Northampton General Hospital (NGH) unit "did not always control infection risk well".

It rated the service as requiring improvement but said staff managed safety incidents well.

The hospital said it had undertaken "a lot of work" in the past 18 months. BBC Northampton

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Dying well at home: commissioning quality end-of-life care

Dying well at home: commissioning quality end-of-life care Increasingly people are dying at home rather than in hospital and this trend is set to continue. This report from The King's Fund, and accompanying policy brief, offer recommendations for commissioners, integrated care boards and national bodies who want to improve care for those dying at home.

    MHRA safety review of medicines containing pseudoephedrine

    MHRA safety review of medicines containing pseudoephedrine Pseudoephedrine is used for the symptomatic relief of coughs, colds and allergies. Pseudoephedrine has been used in the UK for decades in millions and millions of people.

    We are reviewing the available evidence relating to the very rare risk of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) and reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) associated with pseudoephedrine-containing medicines. PRES and RCVS are rare, reversible conditions, and most patients fully recover with appropriate treatment. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

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    UKHSA update on avian influenza

    UKHSA update on avian influenza The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published its latest technical briefing on avian influenza. UKHSA continues to work with partners including the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to assess the risk to human health from avian influenza and improve our understanding of the virus. While the very high levels of transmission in wild birds present a constant risk, there is no evidence so far that the virus is getting better at infecting humans or other mammals.

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    National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published

    National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports published Coronavirus (COVID-19) activity increased in most indicators in week 7.

    The COVID-19 hospital admission rate for week 7 was 9.38 per 100,000 population, an increase from 7.92 per 100,000 in the previous week.

    Hospital admission rates for COVID-19 are highest in the South East, with a rate of 12.47 per 100,000 population. UK Health Security Agency

    NHS cuts elective backlog with longest waiters down a quarter in one month

    NHS cuts elective backlog with longest waiters down a quarter in one month NHS staff across England have reduced the number of patients waiting more than a year and a half by over a quarter in just one month, despite the busiest winter ever.

    The total number waiting more than 18 months has fallen by 27% from 54,382 on 15 January to 39,903 as of 12 February.

    Over 70 NHS trusts in England now have fewer than 100 patients waiting more than a year and a half, ahead of the ambition to virtually eliminate these waits by April. NHS England

    Speak Up Review of ambulance trusts in England

    Speak Up Review of ambulance trusts in England The National Guardian’s Office has published Listening to Workers – the report following its Speak Up review of NHS ambulance trusts in England. The review found the culture in ambulance trusts did not support workers to speak up and that this was having an impact on worker wellbeing and ultimately patient safety.

    The National Guardian’s Office undertook this Speak Up review as the speaking up culture in NHS Ambulance Trusts appeared be more challenged compared to other trust types.

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    Record levels of NHS staff seek mental health help in crisis deemed ‘worse than pandemic’

    Record levels of NHS staff seek mental health help in crisis deemed ‘worse than pandemic’ Record levels of NHS staff are seeking mental health help as clinicians warn the “crisis” facing workers is “worse than the pandemic”.

    Hundreds of staff are being referred to the specialist mental health service, NHS Practitioner Health, with 842 workers referred in October 2022 – up from 534 in the same month the year before and 371 in 2020.

    Around 40 per cent of the staff seeking the service are GPs and 50 per cent are hospital doctors. The Independent

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    Fact Check: why are junior doctors striking, could industrial action make NHS backlogs worse, and nurse pay talks – explained

    Fact Check: why are junior doctors striking, could industrial action make NHS backlogs worse, and nurse pay talks – explained Junior doctors in England are set to take part in a 72-hour walkout after voting in favour of striking over pay.

    This comes as nursing strikes have been paused while talks over pay take place between the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and ministers.

    But why are junior doctors striking, could industrial action make current NHS backlogs worse, and could nurses still walkout?

    Here’s what we know so far. Channel 4 News

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    Draft of NHS workforce plan calls for doubling of medical school places

    Draft of NHS workforce plan calls for doubling of medical school places Britain could double the number of doctors and nurses it trains under NHS plans to tackle a deepening staffing crisis, according to reports.

    The proposal to increase the number of places in UK medical schools from 7,500 to 15,000 is contained in a draft of NHS England’s long-awaited workforce plan, which is expected to be published next month. The Guardian

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    'We've cut out the middleman': How NHS virtual wards mean acute patients are now being treated at home

    'We've cut out the middleman': How NHS virtual wards mean acute patients are now being treated at home Elizabeth Simpson, 80, was anxious when she found out she might need to go to hospital because she didn't want to be separated from her family. However, a virtual ward has allowed her to be treated at home - with benefits for both her and the health service. Sky News

    Government urged to introduce prostate cancer screening

    Government urged to introduce prostate cancer screening Prostate cancer screening could soon be offered to all middle-aged men after trials showed new techniques slashed the chances of overdiagnosis.

    Experts have long argued that only a national screening programme will significantly reduce deaths from the leading cancer in men.

    Until now, tests have been too unreliable to pass the threshold, with the potential for unnecessary harms deemed to outweigh the benefits. The Daily Mail