NHS performance tracker

NHS performance tracker The waiting list to start elective (planned) care continues to rise, now numbering almost 7.47 million.

There has been a lack of progress on reducing year-long waiters, with the number of people waiting over 52 weeks to start elective care growing from 371,000 in April 2023 to 385,000 in May.

In May, 41% of patients who had their first treatment for cancer following an urgent GP referral waited longer than two months, the third-worst performance on record.

In June 2023, 27% of people attending A&E spent more than four hours from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge, signifying minimal progress since the start of the year. Quality Watch

See also:

• NHS Confederation responds to the latest performance statistics NHS Confederation
• Significant A&E demand continues for NHS amid increasing strike pressure NHS England
• NHS Providers responds to record-high waiting list NHS Providers
• No sudden return to waiting times patients expect as NHS disruption continues Nuffield Trust
• NHS waiting lists hit record high in England BBC News
• Damning price of crippling NHS strikes laid bare: Waiting lists soar to record high of 7.47million The Daily Mail
• NHS waiting lists reach worst ever level as strikes cripple health service The Daily Telegraph
• NHS waiting list in England hits record 7.5 million The Independent
• NHS waiting lists in England hit record high with treatment delays for 7.47 million people amid strikes iNews

Fundamental reform of NHS dentistry needed to end a 'crisis of access'

Fundamental reform of NHS dentistry needed to end a 'crisis of access' Urgent and fundamental reform of NHS dentistry is needed if people are to receive the dental care they are entitled to. MPs cite frustration that recommendations for reform made by their predecessor Committee 15 years ago have still not been implemented. They brand the current contract, which pays dentists for NHS ‘units of dental activity’ (UDAs), as not fit for purpose.

The Report finds common misconceptions among the public about entitlement to NHS dental services and calls for action to address this. MPs endorse comments given by the Health Minister Neil O’Brien in evidence that it was the Government’s ambition to ensure that everyone who needs an NHS dentist can access one. The Committee calls for the Government to set out urgently how it intends to reform the dental contract to deliver on the ambition expressed by its Minister. Health and Social Care Committee

See also:

• England: A damning verdict on NHS dentistry British Dental Association
• New report calls for fundamental reform of NHS dental care Healthwatch
• NHS dentists: People having to drive hundreds of miles 'unacceptable' BBC News
• Patients are pulling out their own TEETH at home because they cannot afford a dentist, report finds The Daily Mail
• MPs demand dentistry overhaul as patients resort to DIY treatment The Guardian
• Britons are 'pulling their own teeth out with pliers' because they can't access NHS dentists Sky News

NHS staff receive pay rise

NHS staff receive pay rise Pay scales for most doctors and dentists to increase by at least a 6% this year after the government accepted the recommendations from the independent pay review bodies in full.

Around 130,000 full-time equivalent doctors and dentists, including junior doctors and consultants will see their pay rise in line with the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration’s (DDRB) recommendations. Pay for junior doctors will be increased by 8.8% on average. The agreement means pay for a first year junior doctor will increase by 10.3%. Pay for the most experienced junior doctors will increase by 8.1%. For consultants, this means a rise of 6%. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Pay uplift for doctors fails to recognise or remedy their pay cuts in real terms BMA
• Junior doctor striking over NHS 'abusive relationship' BBC News
• Public sector pay: Workers offered pay rises of around 6% BBC News
• Doctors urged to accept pay rise of up to £7,000 and end strikes The Daily Telegraph
• Sunak offers at least 6% pay rise to millions of public sector workers The Guardian
• Ministers ‘have obliterated morale’: junior doctors on first day of strike The Guardian
• Catastrophic winter pressure on NHS prompted junior doctor strike ballot, says BMA The Guardian
• BMA: Doctors' 6% pay offer 'missed opportunity' to end strikes The Independent
• Final offer: UK's Sunak seeks to end strikes with multi-billion pound pay deal Reuters
• Millions of UK public sector workers including teachers and doctors to get pay rises Sky News

Diet Coke safe as long as you don’t drink 14 cans every day, WHO says after aspartame cancer fears

Diet Coke safe as long as you don’t drink 14 cans every day, WHO says after aspartame cancer fears An artificial sweetener used in thousands of products including diet fizzy drinks, ice cream and chewing gum has been ruled a “possible” cause of cancer by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

But a panel of experts has said the sugar substitute aspartame is safe in limited quantities. The Independent

See also:

• Aspartame hazard and risk assessment results released World Health Organization
• Aspartame advice unchanged despite cancer question BBC News
• WHO bosses admit aspartame IS safe following major safety review The Daily Mail
• Aspartame: What effects do carcinogens have on your body? The Independent

Pollutionwatch: improving air quality could ease pressure on NHS

Pollutionwatch: improving air quality could ease pressure on NHS A study shows that the impact of air pollution on GP and A&E workloads may be greater than previously thought. Put another way, improving air quality could ease pressure on the NHS.

Researchers compared the timing of 114,930 GP and 9,878 A&E respiratory visits in Bradford with air pollution measured around the city. Polluted days were followed by increased health service use for breathing problems, with impacts persisting for more than 100 days. The Guardian

See also:

• The effects of exposure to NO2, PM2.5 and PM10 on health service attendances with respiratory illnesses: A time-series analysis (open access) Environmental Pollution

Public satisfaction with GP practices plummets to an all-time low

Public satisfaction with GP practices plummets to an all-time low More patients are turning to overcrowded A&Es for basic care after finding it increasingly difficult to secure a GP appointment, official figures reveal.

Public satisfaction with their practice has fallen to an all-time low, with many giving up trying to see their doctor altogether, according to the GP Patient Survey.

Experts say the NHS poll of 759,000 people lays bare the crisis in primary care and warn patients are being left in pain, unable to work and getting sicker. The Daily Mail

See also:

• GP Patient Survey 2023 headline findings IPSOS
• GP Patient Survey 2023 national report IPSOS
• More admin staff needed to help tackle GP access issues Healthwatch
• Patient satisfaction with quality of care remains steady as general practice battles continuing high demand NHS Confederation

'Groundbreaking' two-in-one prostate cancer drug which 'halves the risk' of the disease progressing

'Groundbreaking' two-in-one prostate cancer drug which 'halves the risk' of the disease progressing A treatment described as groundbreaking could benefit hundreds of men with advanced prostate cancer if approved in the UK.

Trials have shown a combination of two drugs – enzalutamide and talazoparib – can halve the risk of prostate cancer progressing.

The treatment is part of a class of new precision medications which allow tumours to be targeted more accurately. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Talazoparib plus enzalutamide in men with first-line metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (TALAPRO-2): a randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial (abstract) The Lancet

Stretched to the limit: tackling the NHS productivity challenge

Stretched to the limit: tackling the NHS productivity challenge Despite performance gains to date, the NHS is tasked with delivering yet more activity within existing resources as well as taking further costs out of the system without impacting on patient care. This will present a major challenge for providers and staff, already stretched to the limit.

In this report we explore the main barriers trusts are facing as they seek to recover performance and improve productivity. We also consider the financial impact of current pressures and the scale of the efficiency ask, which is even more stretching than in 2022/23. NHS Providers

Variations in the delivery of palliative care services to adults

Variations in the delivery of palliative care services to adults Palliative and end of life care is ‘variable and inequitable’ across the NHS in England.

The report sets out an investigation we undertook examining the quality and consistency of palliative care provided to adults. Since 2004, and even with a national strategy in place since 2008, numerous publications have highlighted concerns about the limitations of the delivery of palliative and end of life care. These limitations may be more noticeable in areas where funding for services is limited or where care is being delivered across wide geographical areas. Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch

See also:

• NHS end-of-life care in England ‘variable and inequitable’ says watchdog The Guardian

SAS professional development funding: application guidance

SAS professional development funding: application guidance To support the implementation of the new 2021 specialty doctor and specialist contracts and the professional development of specialist, associate specialist and specialty doctors (SAS) doctors, NHS England included the SAS development funding in 2021/22 and 2023/24 within commissioner allocations. This guidance has been published in partnership with the British Medical Association to support employers to allocate SAS development funding. NHS Employers

Junior doctors begin longest strike yet in England

Junior doctors begin longest strike yet in England Junior doctors in England have begun their longest walkout yet today, in protest over pay.

They said the government's refusal to talk ahead of the five-day strike was "baffling" and "frustrating".

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said doctors' 35% pay demand was "unreasonable" and the strike would put patient safety at risk.

Thousands of planned appointments are being postponed, as emergency and urgent care are prioritised. BBC News

See also:

• Junior doctors urge Government to come back to the table as new strike begins in England BMA
• Strikes will cause major disruption over the next week, says top NHS doctor NHS England
• Junior doctors ready to begin longest strike in NHS history Channel 4 News
• Junior doctors told to use 5-day NHS strike to go on a picnic The Daily Mail
• Sunak won’t meet NHS waiting times pledge if strikes continue, warn health bosses The Guardian
• NHS strikes: who is taking part and why are they happening? The Guardian
• Warning junior doctors’ strike will top £100m as fresh walkout begins The Independent
• Junior doctors walk out on strike set to be the 'longest in NHS history' ITV News
• Upcoming industrial action will have a serious impact on local NHS services in Northamptonshire Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Junior doctors walking out for five days - the longest strike in NHS history Sky News

Call for clarity over NHS role after misdiagnosis death

Call for clarity over NHS role after misdiagnosis death The mother of a woman who died after a misdiagnosis by an NHS worker she mistakenly believed was a GP has called for better patient protection.

Emily Chesterton, from Salford, died after being seen twice by a physician associate, a role which the NHS said supports doctors in diagnosis.

The 30-year-old, who lived in London, was told her calf pain was a sprain, when she actually had a blood clot.

Her mother Marion said more regulation was needed around physician associates. BBC News

Care watchdog sounds fresh alarm over mental health trust being investigated over 2,000 deaths

Care watchdog sounds fresh alarm over mental health trust being investigated over 2,000 deaths The NHS safety watchdog has sounded fresh alarm over the risk to mental health patients at an Essex health trust already facing a public inquiry over 2,000 deaths.

Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust [EPUT] is being investigated over failures relating to the deaths of patients spanning two decades. The Independent

Majority of public want digital health apps to be used in NHS

Majority of public want digital health apps to be used in NHS Sixty-eight percent of people agree that digital health apps should be used within the NHS, according to the third annual survey into public attitudes on health apps in the UK by the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps (ORCHA).

In line with this, 60% more GPs have recommended digital health apps to their patients this year, in comparison to last year. London GPs were revealed to recommend more health apps than any other region.

In addition, nearly half (47%) of all those surveyed said they were already using a health app. Digital Health

Powerful Google tool is almost as good as human doctors in giving answers to basic ailment questions

Powerful Google tool is almost as good as human doctors in giving answers to basic ailment questions Family doctors already have patients turning to 'Dr Google' for a diagnosis.

But Google has now developed AI which could perform as well as a doctor when answering questions about ailments.

The tech giant reports in the journal, Nature, that its latest model, which processes language similarly to ChatGPT, can answer a range of medical questions with 92.6 per cent accuracy. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Large language models encode clinical knowledge (open access) Nature

Even 'SAFE' levels of air pollution can trigger heart attacks, study warns

Even 'SAFE' levels of air pollution can trigger heart attacks, study warns Even 'safe' levels of air pollution can trigger heart attacks, a study suggests.

Researchers also found people can be struck down within just an hour of breathing in dirty air.

Tougher air quality standards are now urgently needed, experts claimed. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Can traffic-related air pollution trigger myocardial infarction within a few hours of exposure? Identifying hourly hazard periods (open access) Environment International

Review of neonatal assessment and practice in Black, Asian and minority ethnic newborns: Exploring the Apgar score, the detection of cyanosis, and jaundice

Review of neonatal assessment and practice in Black, Asian and minority ethnic newborns: Exploring the Apgar score, the detection of cyanosis, and jaundice Tests that indicate the health of newborns, moments after birth, are limited and not fit-for-purpose for Black, Asian and ethnic minority babies, and need immediate revision according to findings from the NHS Race and Health Observatory.

Neonatal assessments, including the Apgar score, a quick observation test used to assess babies minutes after birth was developed in 1952, and is now considered out of date by many healthcare professionals. Based on a score of 1 to 10, with a high Apgar score indicating good health for babies, minutes following birth, the assessments are used as standard by healthcare professionals regardless of a baby’s skin tone and can give misleading scores.

See also:

• Concerns over focus on skin colour in newborn checks BBC News
• Tests to assess newborns health not effective for BAME babies in UK The Guardian
• New NHS Report Reveals How Racial Biases From The 50s Are Still Impacting Newborn Care Huffington Post UK
• Babies could be put at risk due to ‘skin colour tests’ – report The Independent

Fear and futility – what does the staff survey tell us about speaking up in the NHS?

Fear and futility – what does the staff survey tell us about speaking up in the NHS? We have published our analysis of the questions relating to speaking up in the 2022 NHS Staff Survey.

While the results have improved since Freedom to Speak Up guardians were first implemented, the results show a fall in NHS workers’ confidence to speak up. Of particular concern is the marked fall in how safe people feel to raise a clinical concern. National Guardians Office

See also:

• Review finds decrease in workforce confidence to speak up NHS Employers

NHS steps up battle against life-threatening infections following successful world-first pilot

NHS steps up battle against life-threatening infections following successful world-first pilot The NHS has launched plans to expand pioneering subscription-style drug contracts to develop lifesaving antibiotics of the future.

It comes as data shows more people are contracting drug-resistant superbugs than ever before, with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) predicted to cause 10 million global deaths each year by 2050 if no action is taken.

NHS England is building on its world-first pilot to incentivise the pharmaceutical industry to develop new antibiotics that could be offered to NHS patients when they need them the most. NHS England

NHS shingles vaccine will be offered to almost one million more people

NHS shingles vaccine will be offered to almost one million more people Almost a million more people (900,000) will become eligible for a shingles vaccination from September, the NHS announced today.

Anyone who is severely immunosuppressed and over 50 will be able to get two doses of the Shingrix vaccine – currently the vaccine is only available to those over 70.

From 1 September 2023, those turning 65 and 70 will also be able to get the vaccine after their birthday, in addition to those already aged 70-80. Patients will be contacted by their GP practice when they become eligible.

Eligibility will then be expanded to include those 60 and up by September 2028. NHS England

See also:

• Shingles vaccine extended to vulnerable over-50s BBC News