Almost 20,000 medical appointments wasted by Corby patients who fail to turn up

Almost 20,000 medical appointments wasted by Corby patients who fail to turn up Close to 20,000 medical appointments in Corby were wasted last year after patients didn’t turn up to them. Northamptonshire Telegraph

KGH rated country’s best for equality and fairness

KGH rated country’s best for equality and fairness Kettering General Hospital has been nationally recognised for the work it does to provide fair and equitable services for the diverse communities it serves. Northamptonshire Telegraph

The consequences of living within your means

The consequences of living within your means The technicality (or ‘administrative error’ as the National Audit Office described it) that enabled the Department of Health to avoid breaching expenditure controls set by parliament may have spared it from the full wrath of the National Audit Office, MPs and the Public Accounts Committee; but it did little to hide the bottom line – a serious financial crisis engulfing the NHS.

In 2015/16, NHS providers overspent by an eye-watering £2.8 billion (reduced to £2.5 billion by one-off measures). Although a commissioning underspend of £700 million helped to offset this figure, the NHS (commissioners and providers in aggregate) still ended 2015/16 with the largest deficit in its history. The King's Fund

Annual hepatitis C in the UK report

Annual hepatitis C in the UK report The annual hepatitis C 2016 report has been published with latest figures suggesting improved access to treatments may be having a positive impact.

Treatment rates saw an increase of around 40% in 2015, up to 8,970 from an average of 6,400 in previous years. This is likely to be the result of access to new hepatitis C drugs that came online in 2014 to 2015, and offer improved cure rates, fewer side effects, and are easier to administer. Public Health England

Listen to the end-of-life care webinar

Listen to the end-of-life care webinar Listen to our end-of-life care webinar which shares best practice examples of how organisations are improving end-of-life care for patients through the education and training of staff. NHS Employers

Hospital admissions for poisoning by illicit drugs up by more than 50 per cent in a decade

Hospital admissions for poisoning by illicit drugs up by more than 50 per cent in a decade There were 14,280 hospital admissions with a primary diagnosis of poisoning by illicit drugs in 2014/15 - a rise of 57 per cent since 2004-05. Health and Social Care Information Centre

See also:

• Drug deaths at their highest EVER: Number of people poisoned by illegal substances soars by 57% with nearly half of victims aged 16 to 34 The Daily Mail
• Huge rise in hospital admissions for illicit drug poisoning OnMedica

'We want women to feel safe'

'We want women to feel safe' The UK's first maternity service for victims of rape and sexual abuse, which opens today at the Royal London Hospital. BBC News

Southern Health NHS Trust 'paid millions' to Katrina Percy's associates

Southern Health NHS Trust 'paid millions' to Katrina Percy's associates A troubled NHS trust has paid millions of pounds to companies owned by previous associates of its embattled chief executive, BBC News has learned.

One firm received more than £5m despite winning a contract valued at less than £300,000, while another was paid more than £500,000 without bidding at all.

Both are owned by former acquaintances of Southern Health NHS Trust's chief executive Katrina Percy.

The trust said it took its financial responsibilities "very seriously". BBC News

Stepping Hill Hospital cuts jobs as it loses £75 a minute

Stepping Hill Hospital cuts jobs as it loses £75 a minute A hospital losing £75 a minute is to close a ward and axe 350 full time posts, an NHS trust reveals. BBC News

NHS England announces 'immediate action' to fund rises in GP indemnity costs

NHS England announces 'immediate action' to fund rises in GP indemnity costs NHS England will introduce new funding 'to fully offset the rising cost of GP indemnity' in the short term while it works on wider plans to reform current indemnity arrangements, it has announced. GP Online

See also:

• NHS England takes action to ease pressures on general practice and provide joined-up care NHS England
• First wave of £40m GP resilience fund to be released this week, says NHS England GP Online
• GP indemnity crisis will not be solved by short-term funding fix, warn MDOs GP Online

Creeping privatisation of healthcare is damaging the NHS, study finds

Creeping privatisation of healthcare is damaging the NHS, study finds The creeping privatisation of healthcare under the guise of "patient choice" could be damaging a central concept of the NHS, leading to worse treatment for the old, the poor and the sick, a new study suggests.

Researchers warned that the Government’s sudden shift to the widespread use of private healthcare firms in England was a “radical” experiment that could go “catastrophically wrong”. The Independent

See also:

• Patient choice and private provision decreased public provision and increased inequalities in Scotland: a case study of elective hip arthroplasty (abstract) Journal of Public Health
• Study finds private hip operation policy failed to boost rates BBC News
• The impact of private sector contracts on NHS provision and treatment inequalities EurekAlert!

Women's prison suicide rate soars as charity warns of 'horrifying' self-harm

Women's prison suicide rate soars as charity warns of 'horrifying' self-harm The number of women killing themselves in prison has “risen alarmingly”, new government figures have revealed - prompting warnings from top charity leaders over unsafe jail conditions.

Statistics published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) show the total number of deaths classed as “self-inflicted” rose by 28 per cent over the past 12 months compared with the previous year. The Independent

Can the NHS really not afford second transplants for cancer patients like me?

Can the NHS really not afford second transplants for cancer patients like me? | Hannah Partos NHS England has stopped funding stem cell transplants for relapsed blood cancer patients. Experts have condemned the decision and it’s left me reeling.

If I had not been given a stem cell transplant, I would be dead by now. At 22, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, an aggressive form of blood cancer. Doctors told me a transplant of healthy stem cells from an unrelated donor was my only hope. Last month, I was thrilled to celebrate three years in remission. I hope the cancer never returns, but if it does, my only chance of survival will be another transplant. Except this time around, I might not be given that chance.

Two weeks ago, NHS England announced it would stop routinely funding second stem cell transplants for patients who have relapsed more than a year after their first transplant. NHS England, the body which oversees the budget for commissioning NHS services, has ruled that the treatment is “not currently affordable”, even though it was widely available in England before 2013, and is routinely given to patients in Europe and the US. Continue reading... The Guardian

From ketamine to cupboard therapy: the future of mental health treatment

From ketamine to cupboard therapy: the future of mental health treatment Once upon a time, the future of mental health treatment was drugs. The advent of Prozac and whole class of similar medication in the 1990s gavedoctors an easy option and big pharma easy money.

But 20 years on, the problems have not gone away. In fact, mental illness is much more pervasive, with depression now the world’s second biggest cause of disability.

Moreover, a dramatic reduction in drug research and development suggests pills will not be the only – or even the primary – answer to mental health problems in the long term.

But what will be? Continue reading... The Guardian

Cancer sufferers risk losing access to effective drugs, says support group

Cancer sufferers risk losing access to effective drugs, says support group Medicine regulator Nice will act as gatekeeper for new treatments, leading to fears NHS patients may be denied them on cost grounds

Cancer patients in the UK will miss out on drugs available in other countries under new arrangements for deciding which expensive medicines the NHS will pay for, according to a charity.

Breast Cancer Now has criticised the relaunched Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF), which was originally a pot of money to pay for costly new medicines not considered cost effective or not yet assessed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice). Continue reading... The Guardian

Three in four NHS trusts deny life-changing cataract surgery finds Mail probe

Three in four NHS trusts deny life-changing cataract surgery finds Mail probe The life-transforming procedure costs less than £1,000 per eye – yet it is being rationed by NHS managers in the UK so that even those in direst need are being subjected to humiliating tests. The Daily Mail

Britain 'grinds to a halt' with average person walking half a mile a day

Britain 'grinds to a halt' with average person walking half a mile a day Britons are being urged to take to their feet after official data showed walking levels have fallen by more than a third in three decades.

Jeremy Hunt last night called on the public to make lifestyle changes to stop Britain from “grinding to a halt” after statistics showed the average person walks less than half a mile a day.

The Health Secretary - who wears a fitness tracker, in a bid to ensure he manages 10,000 steps daily – said small changes could help people dramatically boost their health. The Daily Telegraph

Brain tumour patient assaulted by pregnant woman and mum in Northampton hospital car park

Brain tumour patient assaulted by pregnant woman and mum in Northampton hospital car park A brain tumour patient was left with a black eye after an angry driver and her pregnant daughter assaulted her in the car park of Northampton General Hospital during a road rage incident. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

The state of maternity services in England

The state of maternity services in England This policy briefing focuses on the meaning of maternity care and analyses the main characteristics of maternity services in England. It outlines the broader implications of changing quality in maternity care settings and includes suggestions for further actions and policy measures needed to improve the quality of care in English maternity services. Picker Institute Europe

Antibiotic resistance: 'Snot wars' study heralds new class of drugs

Antibiotic resistance: 'Snot wars' study heralds new class of drugs A new class of antibiotics has been discovered by analysing the bacterial warfare taking place up people's noses, scientists report. BBC News

See also:

• Human commensals producing a novel antibiotic impair pathogen colonization (abstract) Nature

Drug 'may slow' Alzheimer's brain death

Drug 'may slow' Alzheimer's brain death A drug appears to slow the death of the brain and preserve mental function in patients with Alzheimer's disease, a study shows. BBC News

Mental health research 'being short-changed', academics claim

Mental health research 'being short-changed', academics claim Universities will lose out on tens of millions of pounds as a result of a change to the way mental health research is funded, researchers have claimed.

Campaigners say that the move by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) “flies in the face” of a growing emphasis on mental health by politicians and the public.

The row stems from a decision not to fund clinical and bioscience mental health research at the same level as similarly expensive research into physical health. Times Higher Education

How sexist stereotypes mean doctors ignore women's pain

How sexist stereotypes mean doctors ignore women's pain Research shows hospital staff take women's pain less seriously, spent less time treating them and are more likely to wrongly diagnose physical pain as 'just emotional' The Independent

NHS 'abandoning' thousands by rationing hepatitis C drugs

NHS 'abandoning' thousands by rationing hepatitis C drugs Addaction says NHS England decision to treat just 10,000 people a year with costly drugs is ‘potential death sentence’

NHS England has been accused by a charity of “abandoning” thousands of people to a potential death sentence by rationing drugs that can cure hepatitis C.

An estimated 215,000 people in the UK have chronic hepatitis C infection (160,000 in England), which new but costly drugs can cure. Addaction, a charity that helps people overcome drug and alcohol abuse, says the decision to treat 10,000 people a year is “manifestly unfair”. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• WHO experts urge fairer pricing of 'unaffordable' hepatitis C cure The Guardian
• NHS England tried to sabotage hepatitis C drugs release because it couldn't afford them, doctors claim  The Independent

NHS spends £87m on paracetamol at 20 TIMES the high street cost

NHS spends £87m on paracetamol at 20 TIMES the high street cost The price per prescription of £3.83 - compared to just 25p a packet from the supermarket - cost tax payers a staggering £87,600,000 last year as GPs in England wrote 22,900,000 for patients. The Daily Mail

Pensioner who broke her pelvis while protesting about local A&E closure is taken to ANOTHER unit 15 miles away for treatment

Pensioner who broke her pelvis while protesting about local A&E closure is taken to ANOTHER unit 15 miles away for treatment Joan Carpenter, 82, was protesting outside Chorley A&E when she fell. Instead of being taken inside, she was driven 15 miles to Royal Preston Hospital. Her son said this was 'absurd'. The Daily Mail

Nuisance caller cost the taxpayer £78,000 by making 408 calls to the ambulance service in two years

Nuisance caller cost the taxpayer £78,000 by making 408 calls to the ambulance service in two years A woman who cost the taxpayer £78,000 by phoning ambulance service more than 400 times in two years has been jailed.

Mariette Mcharg, 54, also cost the health service a further £94,611 in unscheduled care.

She was sentenced to six months in jail for a number of offences including the assault of an officer and the assault of two nurses. The Daily Telegraph

Alarming dirty air figures prompt campaign to map Northampton’s air pollution hotspots

Alarming dirty air figures prompt campaign to map Northampton’s air pollution hotspots After shock figures revealed Northampton topped the country’s air pollution charts last week, the Green Party is calling on the public’s help to draw up a map of the town’s worst affected places. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS grants case studies

NHS grants case studies These three case studies show how innovative use of NHS grants to voluntary organisations can help respond to the needs of patients and the public, and also target health inequalities. The case studies illustrate examples of the NHS and the voluntary sector working together effectively to improve people's health and wellbeing in their local community. Regional Voices

NHS consultant paid £375,000 in overtime

NHS consultant paid £375,000 in overtime Growing pressures are leading UK hospitals to increasingly rely on premium overtime pay to get consultants to do extra work, with one paid £375,000 last year. BBC News

See also:

• NHS Employers comments on the BBC's FOI about consultants' overtime NHS Employers
• NHS consultants: Overworked or overpaid? BBC News

Judge approves judicial review against Hunt's junior doctor contract imposition

Judge approves judicial review against Hunt's junior doctor contract imposition A judicial review into the 'imposition' of the junior doctors' contract will be held in September after a campaign group successfully argued the case was in the public interest and raised more than £150,000 to cover costs. GP Online

Government urged to save jobs of over 33,000 EU nurses

Government urged to save jobs of over 33,000 EU nurses Nursing leaders have called for safeguards on the future of European Union health workers as new research reveals that over 33,000 EU trained nurses work in the UK.

The figures obtained by the Royal College of Nursing from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) show that there are currently over 33,000 EU trained nurses registered to work in the UK as a whole, with over 9,000 joining the register in 2015/16 – a 21% increase on 2014/15. OnMedica

'I fell asleep at the wheel': the dangers of doctors driving home

'I fell asleep at the wheel': the dangers of doctors driving home As new research finds that two in five have dropped off at the wheel, doctors speak out about the need for change

Steven Best was on his way home from work when he crashed and wrote off his car.

The GP, who at the time was a junior doctor working in obstetrics, had just finished his shift at 5pm after starting work at 9am the day before. He was in the fast lane of the dual carriageway when a car in the slow lane crossed into his line of vision and he hit it. Continue reading... The Guardian

Sepsis campaign aims to save thousands of lives

Sepsis campaign aims to save thousands of lives Mum whose son died ‘delighted’ at project to raise awareness of blood poisoning that kills nearly 50,000 people annually

Thousands of lives could be saved by urging unwell patients and their loved ones to ask doctors to check for sepsis, experts said as they announced a new campaign to raise awareness of the devastating condition.

Every year, sepsis, or blood poisoning, kills nearly a third of the 150,000 people it affects. But campaigners say better care could save 13,500 lives, as well as up to £314m from NHS budgets. Continue reading... The Guardian

Dementia missed in men, because memory is more often spared

Dementia missed in men, because memory  is more often spared Dementia is more likely to be missed in men because they are less likely to lose their memory, a major study has found.

Research on 1,600 patients found that male dementia sufferers were more likely to have suffered from “atypical” symptoms which are more difficult to spot.

The findings were revealed as scientists said simple eye tests could soon be used to spot early signs of Alzheimer’s disease long before symptoms emerge. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Opticians could offer early warning tests for dementia, studies suggest The Daily Telegraph

Foxhill Manor care home: Did CQC rating mean it had to close?

Foxhill Manor care home: Did CQC rating mean it had to close? Shut in 2014 following a damning Care Quality Commission report, Foxhill Manor offered "placements of last resort" to dementia and mental health patients. Could it have been saved and what does the Foxhill story tell us about the state of modern care? BBC Northampton

Clinical network develops tool for better children’s services

Clinical network develops tool for better children’s services A toolkit for providers and guidance for commissioners to improve care and outcomes for children, young people and their families. Children and young people across the region were involved in development of the resource. Yorkshire and Humber Clinical Networks

English language requirements for public sector workers published

English language requirements for public sector workers published The Immigration Act 2016 creates a duty for employers to ensure that all public sector staff working in customer-facing roles speak English to an appropriate standard. To support employers to meet their obligations the government has published an early draft of the code of practice. NHS Employers

Working with epilepsy and homelessness: guidance for community nurses

Working with epilepsy and homelessness: guidance for community nurses This guidance is aimed at community nurses and it provides advice on how to support people who are homeless and who have epilepsy. It covers the specific risks and needs of people who are homeless and includes useful advice nurses to enable nurses to support patients with epilepsy and give practical advice for coordinating their care. The Queen's Nursing Institute

Local empowerment: how to achieve a sustainable health service

Local empowerment: how to achieve a sustainable health service This report, sponsored by KPMG, recommends that local areas should negotiate health devolution deals directly with the government to empower local leaders to drive integration, transformation and financial sustainability in their local health and care economies. . It argues that much more NHS funding should be raised and controlled locally with local NHS and local government leaders devolved total control of their entire local health budget. Correspondingly local areas should be increasingly free of central government control and direction, with greater local flexibilities. Localis

NHS faces 'compensation time bomb' as clinical negligence liabilities double

NHS faces 'compensation time bomb' as clinical negligence liabilities double Medico-legal organisations have warned of a ticking time bomb on medical indemnity after the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) announced clinical negligence liability for hospitals almost doubled to £56bn last year. GP Online

See also:

• Annual Report and Accounts NHS Litigation Authority 

Week-long waiting times to see a GP could rise sharply

Week-long waiting times to see a GP could rise sharply Numbers of patients who will have to wait more than one week to see their GP could rise by 40% over the next few years if the government fails to implement its promises to increase support for general practice, claims the RCGP.

The college released details of its analysis at the weekend which concluded that the number of occasions when patients will have to wait longer than a week to see their GP could increase from the 69 million occasions it happened in 2015-16 to 98 million in 2020-21.

The analysis was carried out into NHS England’s GP Patient survey published earlier this month. OnMedica

See also:

• RCGP predicts one-week wait for 100m GP appointments by 2020 GP Online

Spain reports first case of baby born with microcephaly after mother contracts Zika virus

Spain reports first case of baby born with microcephaly after mother contracts Zika virus Spain has recorded the first European case of a baby born with Zika-related birth defects.

Though dozens of people across the continent are known to have contracted the virus, usually after having travelled in the affected South American countries, but this is the first time a baby has been in born to a mother carrying the virus in Europe. The Independent

See also:

• Detailed guide: Zika virus: travel advice Public Health England
• Detailed guide: Zika virus: country specific risk Public Health England
• Spain registers first Zika microcephaly birth in Europe BBC News

Kate Granger inspired all of us in the NHS to be more compassionate

Kate Granger inspired all of us in the NHS to be more compassionate With her #hellomynameis campaign, Kate reminded me that if I lose my humanity, I am a shadow of the doctor I should be

He’d been rushed the day before to our surgical emergency unit. An elderly man, crying out in pain, he’d looked haggard, gaunt and frightened as we wheeled him straight to the CT scanner. Now, stripped of his clothes and draped in a gown, he stared up in trepidation as my consultant surgeon, impatient to be done with his morning ward round, stopped by the bedside. Without so much as an introduction, this experienced doctor broke the news to the patient of his terminal illness by turning to the bedside entourage and muttering, perfectly audibly: “Get a palliative care nurse to come and see him.” No one had even told “him” he had cancer.

As panic began to rise in my patient’s face, I remember catching the ward sister’s eye to see her cringing alongside me. The ward round had already swept on. I felt sick, complicit in something barbaric. But, as an inexperienced house officer barely qualified as a doctor, I scuttled dutifully after my boss, leaving someone else to pick up the pieces. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• I want my legacy to be that the NHS treats all patients with compassion The Guardian

Children 'going blind and risk dying from cancer' as doctors overlook crucial NF1 signs

Children 'going blind and risk dying from cancer' as doctors overlook crucial NF1 signs Despite being more common than cystic fibrosis and being linked to a number of serious complications, the incurable condition neurofibromatosis (NF1) is not checked for in infancy. The Daily Mail

NHS chief launched cover-up after surgeon operated on wrong finger because he 'did not know his right from his left', tribunal hears

NHS chief launched cover-up after surgeon operated on wrong finger because he 'did not know his right from his left', tribunal hears An NHS chief staged a cover-up after a surgeon operated on the wrong finger of a patient because he “did not know his right from his left”, a tribunal heard.

Rachel Sansbury, head of nursing for the surgical division at Lancashire Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, is said to have told a member of staff that revealing that the surgeon had a condition affecting his co-ordination could stop him operating, lengthening waiting lists.

Mrs Sansbury, who faces six charges relating to dishonestly asking colleagues to conceal or misrepresent the performance of the trust, allegedly also told staff who raised concerns about incidents going unreported not to “open that can of worms”. The Daily Telegraph

Mother claims she has to restrain mentally-ill son, 24, with handcuffs due to 'lack of support from NHS'

Mother claims she has to restrain mentally-ill son, 24, with handcuffs due to 'lack of support from NHS' A mother claims she has to put her mentally-ill son in handcuffs at home because of a lack of support from mental health services.

Joely Hignett alleges she has to physically restrain 24-year-old son Kyle Hignett - who has a borderline personality disorder and suffers from psychosis - to stop him from harming himself or others.

The 44-year-old mother of two, from Warrington, Cheshire, has released "distressing" footage of Kyle sobbing and screaming to raise awareness of his condition and said she feels "let down" by the mental health system. The Daily Telegraph

Severely disabled baby should be allowed to die, judge rules

Severely disabled baby should be allowed to die, judge rules A severely disabled baby who has been on a ventilator since he was 18 minutes old should be allowed to die, a high court judge has ruled.

Hospital bosses had asked for permission to withdraw life-sustaining treatment. The three-and-a-half-month-old boy’s parents had objected.

Bosses at the Northampton General hospital NHS trust had asked for a ruling on what was in the baby’s best interests. The Guardian

See also:

• Severely disabled baby boy 'should be allowed to die', judge rules ITV News

Four in every five patients with early inflammatory arthritis at risk of long-term disability and reduced life expectancy due to delays in NHS treatment

Four in every five patients with early inflammatory arthritis at risk of long-term disability and reduced life expectancy due to delays in NHS treatment Up to a million Britons are at risk of preventable, long-term disability and reduced life expectancy due to delays in referrals to specialist advice and treatment services, according to the most comprehensive audit of rheumatology services carried out across England and Wales.

The first weeks and months following the onset of rheumatic disease symptoms are known as the 'window of opportunity', and it is crucial that patients get appropriate treatment in that time period to maximise their chances of avoiding lasting complications. Early referral to, and assessment by rheumatology services is therefore vital and the report reveals that for four out of five patients in England and Wales, this does not happen. The British Society for Rheumatology 

See also:

• Arthritis patients experience referral delays, audit finds BBC News

Getting a whole system view of mental health services – Debra Gilderdale

Getting a whole system view of mental health services – Debra Gilderdale In the latest of a series of blogs about the Mental Health Implementation Plan launched earlier this week, the Deputy Director of Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust discusses the development of its First Response service to deliver 24/7 support and tackle its out of area beds crisis. NHS England

Mapping STPs with your local leaders of growth

Mapping STPs with your local leaders of growth This interactive map plots sustainability and transformation plan (STP) footprints against local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) and, where appropriate, combined authorities. It enables STP leads to establish closer links with their respective leaders of growth, helping NHS organisations to bring in long-term external funding, exert more influence over strategic decision-making and improve services locally. NHS Confederation

Patients to wait more than one week to see GP on 100m occasions by 2020 - endangering the health of thousands of patients

Patients to wait more than one week to see GP on 100m occasions by 2020 - endangering the health of thousands of patients The new analysis published today by the Royal College of GPs show that, if recent trends continue, the number of occasions when patients will have to wait longer than a week to see their GP will increase by more than 28m occasions from 2015/16, when patients had to wait to see a GP on just over 69m occasions, to 98m in 2020/21.

The analysis also indicates that by 2020/21 waiting times will be so bad that patients will be unable to get an appointment with their GP at all on 52m occasions. In response, the College is calling for government promises of increased investment and an expansion in general practice staff numbers, outlined in NHS England’s GP Forward View, to be implemented as a matter of urgency in order to avoid this and ensure patient safety. RCGP analysis also reveals that on 9.4m occasions last year, patients didn’t seek healthcare elsewhere having been unable to secure an appointment to see their GP. If this situation does not improve, patients will fail to secure any healthcare at all, having been unable to see their GP for their condition, on a total of 46.8m occasions between now and the end of 2020/21. The RCGP believes these shocking figures pose a grave risk to the health of thousands of patients across the country. Royal College of General Practitioners

Loss of EU funding 'could cost children's lives' warns hospital

Loss of EU funding 'could cost children's lives' warns hospital The loss of European funding for medical research could cost the lives of some vulnerable children, Great Ormond Street Hospital says. BBC News

CQC: Too many mental health trusts rated ‘requires improvement’

CQC: Too many mental health trusts rated ‘requires improvement’ The inspection programme for mental health trusts in England is due to be completed shortly, but nearly two-thirds of trusts have been rated ‘requires improvement’ so far.

The CQC said that it has completed its inspection of all 56 trusts and will publish all its results shortly.

However, of the 47 inspected so far, 29 (62%) are rated ‘requires improvement’, 17 are rated ‘good’ and none are rated ‘outstanding’. One trust, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS FT, was rated ‘inadequate’ and is currently in special measures. National Health Executive

Why your NHS surgeon could be a robot in the future

Why your NHS surgeon could be a robot in the future Day-to-day interactions between humans and machines may well become commonplace in hospitals within a decade

Long waiting times, staff shortages, exorbitant agency fees, doctors’ working hours: it’s no secret that the NHS is facing a labour crisis. Post-Brexit it could very well get worse, with the NHS Confederation now warning of a reluctance by EU doctors and nurses to come and work in the UK.

Difficult times call for radical measures. So, with an estimated staff shortfall of 50,000 for the NHS in England, is it time to start thinking seriously about the mass adoption of robotics and other automated technologies in the health service?

Working with automated technology can improve efficiency and thus allow personnel to use their skills to greater effect Continue reading... The Guardian

Veteran condemned to die by the NHS on 'death pathway' at Hammersmith Hospital

Veteran condemned to die by the NHS on 'death pathway' at Hammersmith Hospital Great-grandfather Josef Boberek was admitted to Hammersmith Hospital in West London with a chest infection, but died days later after doctors incorrectly told his family he was at death's door. The Daily Mail

NHS Trusts don't have enough nurses in 93% of their areas

NHS Trusts don't have enough nurses in 93% of their areas More than 93 per cent of 137 NHS Trusts don't have enough nurses, according to the latest figures. Here, nurse Helen Cowan reveals why she believes there is a staffing crisis. The Daily Mail

Inspirational #hellomynameis doctor Kate Granger dies

Inspirational #hellomynameis doctor Kate Granger dies An inspirational doctor who spent five years campaigning to transform public attitudes to death and doctors’ approaches to patients while herself battling terminal cancer has died.

Dr Kate Granger, 34, who started a global campaign to encourage medical staff to get to know their patients as people, died just three days after reaching a personal £250,000 fundraising target for cancer care. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• A tribute to Dr Kate Granger – Natalie Silvey NHS England
• Dr Kate Granger who raised £250,000 for cancer charities dies aged 34 The Daily Mail

Two senior consultants investigated after NHS pays £1m bill for cancer patients they treated at ​their private clinic

Two senior consultants investigated after NHS pays £1m bill for cancer patients they treated at ​their private clinic A hospital trust has launched an investigation after patients of two senior consultants wer​e referred ​to their private clinic for treatment, costing the NHS up to £1million.

Steve Pandey and Stephen Lake, clinical directors at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust, after facing the independent probe after it emerged the health service had paid for some cancer patients to be treated at Worcestershire Bowel Clinic. The Daily Telegraph

Government shows 'striking poverty of ambition' on discharge delays

Government shows 'striking poverty of ambition' on discharge delays  A new report challenges the Government to address the scale and cost of delays in discharging older patients from hospital, concluding: "Patients and the NHS have a right to expect better."

It urges new measures to tackle discharge delays, which are bad for both patients' health and the financial sustainability of the NHS and local government, and finds there is a poor understanding of the scale of discharge problems, with official data substantially under-estimating the range of delays and the number of older patients affected. Public Accounts Select Committee

See also:

• The King's Fund response to the PAC report on discharging older people from hospitals The King's Fund
• Stop making excuses on delays, NHS bosses told BBC News
• NHS heavily criticised for lack of ambition to reduce bed-blocking The Daily Telegraph

The first ever FGM figures show nearly 6,000 new cases in England

The first ever FGM figures show nearly 6,000 new cases in England The first ever recorded figures for female genital mutilation (FGM) show that between April 2015 and March 2016 there were 5,702 new cases in England.

The data was recorded by doctors and nurses who have been obliged to do so since July 2015.

Most of the women and girls were born in Africa and underwent the procedure there. But 43 girls were born in the UK and 18 of those had it done here. BBC News

See also:

• First ever annual statistical publication for FGM shows 5,700 newly recorded cases during 2015-16 Health and Social Care Information Centre
• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) - April 2015 to March 2016, Experimental Statistics Health and Social Care Information Centre
• HSCIC study shows 16 new cases of FGM are reported in Britain every day The Daily Mail

Unconscious bias against BME doctors identified

Unconscious bias against BME doctors identified Black and minority ethnic doctors’ career prospects are being damaged by “unconscious bias” against them, suggests research and data* from the General Medical Council (GMC).

The GMC published new research and data on the progression of doctors from different ethnicities and backgrounds through exams and recruitment.

It shows that white UK medical graduates remain more likely to pass specialty exams than their black and minority ethnic (BME) counterparts, while doctors whose primary qualification was gained outside the UK or European Economic Area (EEA) are even less likely to do well in exams or recruitment. OnMedica

See also:

• How do doctors progress through key milestones during training? General Medical Council
• BME doctors face unconscious bias and remain less likely to pass exams, says GMC GP Online

NHS bosses launch 'reset' plan to tackle £2.45bn deficit

NHS bosses launch 'reset' plan to tackle £2.45bn deficit Five hospital trusts and 14 CCGs in England will go into financial special measures as campaigners voice fears for patient safety

NHS bosses have launched a plan to “reset” the health service’s broken finances that will see overspending hospitals taken into financial special measures, as part of a crackdown to tackle a £2.45bn deficit.

Five hospital trusts that are set to overshoot their budgets by a wide margin this year, and 14 GP-led local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) that are facing acute financial problems, are the first NHS bodies to be forced into special measures. Their bosses have been given weeks to devise an action plan to reduce overspending or risk being replaced. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NHS action to strengthen trusts’ and CCGs’ financial and operational performance for 2016/17 NHS England
• Impact of the spending review on health and social care Commons Health Select Committee
• Transparency data: NHS trusts accounts data for 2015 to 2016 Department of Health
• Corporate report: NHS England: assessment of performance 2015 to 2016 Department of Health
• Corporate report: Department of Health annual report and accounts 2015 to 2016 Department of Health
• Corporate report: PHE annual report and accounts 2015 to 2016 Public Health England
• Reports on Department of Health, NHS England and NHS Foundation Trusts’ consolidated accounts 2015-16 National Audit Office
• NHS financial crisis: Target rules relaxed BBC News
• DH accounts reveal 'financial crisis engulfing NHS' GP Online
• Health Foundation responds to the Department of Health’s annual end of year accounts The Health Foundation
• The King's Fund response to the Department of Health's annual accounts The King's Fund

NHS staff say they face a glass ceiling if they object to abortions

NHS staff say they face a glass ceiling if they object to abortions The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists was criticised for a policy which discriminates against the advancement of students who objected to carrying out abortions. The Daily Mail

Bursaries for student nurses and midwives to be scrapped by government

Bursaries for student nurses and midwives to be scrapped by government Health bodies and unions have reacted angrily after the Government confirmed plans to axe bursaries for student nurses and midwives.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said the changes were "unfair and risky" while the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) said it had "grave concerns" for the future of maternity services in England as a result of the decision, which it said would add to current staff shortages.

The Department of Health insisted it had listened to concerns raised during a consultation about the plans and would provide extra funding to help meet travel and childcare costs. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• News story: Plans for changing healthcare education funding Department of Health
• Consultation outcome: Changing how healthcare education is funded Department of Health
• DH confirms changes to healthcare education funding NHS Employers
• Bursaries for student nurses will end in 2017, government confirms The Guardian

KGH deficit doubles in past year

KGH deficit doubles in past year KGH’s deficit has almost doubled over the past 12 months – and it’s predicted to get worse. Northamptonshire Telegraph

‘Poor practice’: KGH emergency department told it must improve after latest inspection

‘Poor practice’: KGH emergency department told it must improve after latest inspection KGH’s emergency department has been criticised for areas of ‘poor practice’ in a report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Kettering General Hospital Quality Report Care Quality Commission

Top ten: Which Northampton area is the worst for alcohol harm, according to public health officials?

Top ten: Which Northampton area is the worst for alcohol harm, according to public health officials? Public health officials have revealed the areas of Northampton that suffer the most drink-related crime and injuries. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Northampton area suffers worst air pollution in the UK during heatwave

Northampton area suffers worst air pollution in the UK during heatwave An area of Northampton notorious for queuing traffic suffered from the worst air pollution levels in the country during the heatwave this week, according to scientific data. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

PHE publishes new advice on vitamin D

PHE publishes new advice on vitamin D To protect bone and muscle health, everyone needs vitamin D equivalent to an average daily intake of 10 micrograms, Public Health England advised the government.

This advice is based on the recommendations of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) following its review of the evidence on vitamin D and health.

Vitamin D is made in the skin by the action of sunlight and this is the main source of vitamin D for most people. SACN could not say how much vitamin D is made in the skin through exposure to sunlight, so it is therefore recommending a daily dietary intake of 10 micrograms.

See also:

• Independent report: SACN vitamin D and health report Public Health England
• Vitamin D supplements 'advised for everyone' BBC News
• Tuck into tuna, salmon and eggs or take vitamin D pills – official health advice The Guardian

Thousands to benefit from kick-start of mental health services transformation

Thousands to benefit from kick-start of mental health services transformation Thousands of children and adults of all ages with conditions such as psychosis, depression and anxiety will be among the first to benefit from improved services as work starts on a major transformation programme for mental health care.

‘Implementing the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health‘, published today, outlines the changes people will see on the ground over the coming years in response to the Mental Health Taskforce’s recommendations to improve care. NHS England

See also:

• Implementing the Mental Health Forward View NHS England
• Turning plans into reality – Professor Tim Kendall NHS England
• General practice must be recognised in mental health care provisions, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
• £1bn a year overhaul of 'neglected' NHS mental health services announced The Daily Telegraph
• NHS England plan to integrate physical and mental health could ease pressure on GPs GP Online
• Lord Carter: Community and mental health review to start in September National Health Executive

Future of an ageing population

Future of an ageing population This report brings together evidence about today’s older population, with future trends and projections, to identify the implications for the UK. This evidence will help government to develop the policies needed to adapt to an ageing population. Government Office for Science

Health and digital: reducing inequalities, improving society - an evaluation of the Widening Digital Participation programme

Health and digital: reducing inequalities, improving society - an evaluation of the Widening Digital Participation programme In July 2013 Tinder Foundation and NHS England began the three year Widening Digital Participation programme, aiming to help more than 220,000 people improve their digital health skills. This report presents an evaluation of the key statistics, themes and learnings from the final year of the programme, as well as providing a summary of the key findings across the three year programme.

See also:

• New findings reveal NHS initiative to get vulnerable people online has dramatically improved their health and well being and reduced demand for front line services NHS England

England NHS multi-million pound contract consultants axed

England NHS multi-million pound contract consultants axed An "award winning" team of consultants linked to a series of failed multi-million pound NHS deals in England are to be scrapped. BBC News

NHS regions will shift funding to primary care, Simon Stevens tells MPs

NHS regions will shift funding to primary care, Simon Stevens tells MPs Sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) being finalised by local NHS leaders will definitely see funding and activity shifted into primary care, NHS England's chief executive has told MPs. GP Online

The NHS is being torn from those who have cherished it for decades

The NHS is being torn from those who have cherished it for decades The NHS is Britain’s most civilised accomplishment, yet our government is itching to convert it from a public service to a set of business opportunities

The NHS has just turned 68. Despite austerity, political meddling, cuts, [dis]reorganisations, years of misuse, battering and bruising and Brexit it’s still here, though gasping for breath.

A combined financial and staffing crisis could cause ongoing chaos for years and ultimately kill off the NHS for good. We have been squeezing the lemon for “efficiency savings” for years. But it is getting to the stage where there is nothing left to squeeze. 'Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• What lies in store for Jeremy Hunt and NHS in Theresa May's government? The Guardian

Nurse 'tricked friends and family into believing that he was a surgeon for eight years'

Nurse 'tricked friends and family into believing that he was a surgeon for eight years' A nurse has been accused of duping his wife and friends into thinking he was a leading surgeon for eight years.

Kevin O'Flanagan allegedly even put down his job title as orthopaedic practitioner on his marriage certificate on Sept 4, 2010.

His family and friends were reportedly shocked to discover he was a humble scrub nurse at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex.

O'Flanagan, who lived in Colchester until 2014, is due to appear before the Nursing and Midwifery Council next month to answer 12 charges. The Daily Telegraph

HEATWAVE: Health leaders in Northamptonshire support Public Health England advice on keeping cool

HEATWAVE: Health leaders in Northamptonshire support Public Health England advice on keeping cool GPs in Northamptonshire are supporting a heatwave campaign launched by Public Health England, as temperatures continue to rise. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Victim in triple shooting was 'studying to be a midwife at University of Northampton'

Victim in triple shooting was 'studying to be a midwife at University of Northampton' A 19-year-old woman believed to have been shot dead by her father was studying to be a midwife at the University of Northampton, according to reports. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

'Disabled are treated like second class citizens'

'Disabled are treated like second class citizens' David Isaac the new chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission has described disability rights in the UK as a badge of shame. BBC News

Research exposes flaws in ‘weekend effect’ argument

Research exposes flaws in ‘weekend effect’ argument Analysis of patterns of stroke care across a whole week reveals that the often repeated simplistic criticism that the "weekend effect" has a deleterious effect on care should be seriously challenged.

Writing in The Lancet,* researcher by Dr Ben Bray, public health registrar and research director of the Royal College of Physician’s Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) set out to describe and quantify the magnitude and pattern of variation in healthcare quality across the whole week, not just between weekdays and weekends. OnMedica

Lords to investigate NHS sustainability

Lords to investigate NHS sustainability The House of Lords Committee on the Long-term Sustainability of the NHS wants to hear submissions to its inquiry which hopes to identify what the NHS of the future may look like.

The Committee's inquiry is set against the backdrop of an annual deficit of £1.85bn, imminent demographic changes that promise an older population and more patients with increasingly complex long-term health needs.

These challenges come alongside changes in healthcare and medical technology which may lead to more personalised prevention and treatment of diseases. OnMedica

Patients could be struck off GP surgery lists after five years of no contact

Patients could be struck off GP surgery lists after five years of no contact NHS England bid to save money on ‘ghost patients’ criticised by GP leaders saying key groups could lose access to a doctor

Patients face being removed from GP surgery lists if they do not contact their doctor for five years as part of an NHS drive to save money.

A patient who has been out of touch for that long will receive two letters, and if they do not respond, they will be taken off their GP’s list. Continue reading... The Guardian

Report strongly criticises NHS investigation into boy's sepsis death

Report strongly criticises NHS investigation into boy's sepsis death Ombudsman finds organisations unwilling to accept views other than their own after 2010 death of three-year-old Sam Morrish

Hospital bosses and doctors have been strongly criticised in an ombudsman’s report for their “total unwillingness” to accept that any view apart from their own could have been correct following the death of a three-year-old boy from sepsis.

The report concluded that those involved leapt to the conclusion that Sam Morrish’s death was rare and unfortunate rather than being open to what turned out to be the truth – that his death was avoidable. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Learning from mistakes: An investigation report into how the NHS failed to properly investigate the death of a three-year old child Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
• Ombudsman calls for culture change in how NHS investigates avoidable deaths Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
• NHS investigation 'failed' over boy's sepsis death BBC News
• 'We were told not to pick a fight with the NHS': Parents of three-year-old who died needlessly from sepsis were made to feel like the tragedy was 'just bad luck' The Daily Mail

Thousands of student nurses cheating their way through training, universities reveal

Thousands of student nurses cheating their way through training, universities reveal Thousands of student nurses have been caught cheating amid what experts fear is a hidden wave of plagiarism with potentially lethal consequences for patients.

More than 1,700 nursing students have been disciplined by their university over the last three academic years, freedom of information documents reveal.

Offences include submitting essays commissioned from bespoke plagiarism websites, colluding with other students and even impersonating each other in exams. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Thousands of student nurses CHEAT in exams and coursework - with potentially lethal consequences for patients The Daily Mail

Spending Review does not meet funding commitment for NHS's vision

Spending Review does not meet funding commitment for NHS's vision The scale of the funding challenge in health is colossal and whilst spending on health is increasing, the service is under unprecedented strain and struggling to keep pace with relentlessly rising demand, says the Health Committee in its report on Impact of the Spending Review on health and social care.

See also:

• Health budget rise 'less than was promised' BBC News
• New prime minister must address NHS funding challenges, says BMA GP Online
• Jeremy Hunt has broken NHS funding pledges, report finds The Guardian

Audit of early intervention in psychosis services

Audit of early intervention in psychosis services The Royal College of Psychiatrists College Centre of Quality Improvement has published a baseline audit showing variation among early intervention in psychosis (EIP) services in delivering National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended interventions.

Thousands to benefit from kick-start of mental health services transformation

Thousands to benefit from kick-start of mental health services transformation Thousands of children and adults of all ages with conditions such as psychosis, depression and anxiety will be among the first to benefit from improved services as work starts on a major transformation programme for mental health care. NHS England

Delivering an equal right to sight

Delivering an equal right to sight This report examines current evidence and examples of good practice to advocate for people with learning disabilities about what is important to them in the provision of eye care and sight tests. It finds that people with learning disabilities are at high risk of developing sight problems but that support is lacking in assisting this group in accessing the services needed to prevent sight loss. The report highlights examples of projects and initiatives to improve access to eye care for those with learning disabilities. SeeAbility

Elderly perpetrators of NHS assault

Elderly perpetrators of NHS assault Patients over the age of 75 are responsible for more than half of all physical assaults on NHS staff in hospitals across England, figures show. BBC News

Exclusive: Systematic underfunding of GPs is driving up the NHS deficit, new research shows

Exclusive: Systematic underfunding of GPs is driving up the NHS deficit, new research shows Systematic underinvestment in general practice and district nursing, coupled with deep cuts to social care, are the main factors driving financial meltdown in the NHS, according to landmark research by primary care academics. GP Online

Seven-day NHS unachievable for 20 years, expert claims

Seven-day NHS unachievable for 20 years, expert claims Prof Julian Bion, who is researching how services can improve at weekends, says much more money is needed

The government’s pledge to deliver a seven-day NHS will remain unachievable for 20 years because of underfunding and chronic understaffing, a leading expert has said.

There are also fears that providing more NHS services at weekends could increase the risk of death facing patients who are in hospital during the week, because fewer doctors will be on duty then. Continue reading... The Guardian

Tasers have no place in mental health care

Tasers have no place in mental health care For more than 10 years, Tasers have been used against patents in locked psychiatric settings, without monitoring or investigation. This practice must end

An amendment to the policing and crime bill tabled by former health minister Norman Lamb in support of Black Mental Health UK’s campaign for an outright ban on Tasers against patients in psychiatric hospitals has broken the silence on a hidden human rights abuse.

The unequal power balance between those subject to such treatment and statutory providers and the police has silenced public debate around this issue, until calls to ban the use of Taser or any other conductive electrical device against detained patients was debated in the House of Commons during report stage of the policing and crime bill. Continue reading... The Guardian

How the UK halved its teenage pregnancy rate

How the UK halved its teenage pregnancy rate Political support at all levels, long-term commitment and changes to social norms behind success of public health strategy

Rates of teenage pregnancy in the UK have halved in the past two decades and are now at their lowest levels since record-keeping began in the late 1960s.

It is a dramatic turnaround: in 1998, England had one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in western Europe. Last week, the Office for National Statistics released data revealing the fall in the conception rate among females aged 15 to 19 as the standout success story in the public health field: just 14.5 per 1,000 births were to women in their teens, with drops in all age groups under 25. Continue reading... The Guardian

Exposed, the scandal of agency nurses who earn £2,000 shift and drain the NHS of millions

Exposed, the scandal of agency nurses who earn £2,000 shift and drain the NHS of millions Despite a recent cap on the amount that can be spent on ‘rip-off’ agency fees, we’ve found that the agencies continue to rake in tens of millions from hospitals struggling to cope with staff shortages. The Daily Mail

The radical blueprint the NHS needs to survive life after Brexit - Simon Stevens

The radical blueprint the NHS needs to survive life after Brexit The NHS wasn’t on the Brexit ballot. But it often felt as if it was. Emblazoned on the Battlebus, both Leave and Remain wrapped themselves in the mantle of a strong and better funded health service.

This was curious, as on the NHS there is no overriding need to 'take back control’. We already make the big decisions about our health system largely as we please, as do the Germans, the French and the rest.

But if the referendum result revealed a country divided, on the NHS it confirmed a nation united – by deep pride and genuine concern for our most important social institution. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• NHS chief sets out blueprint for 'bold and broad reforms' The Guardian

Hospital issues warning after becoming Pokémon Go hotspot

Hospital issues warning after becoming Pokémon Go hotspot The staff at a hectic Accident and Emergency department might be considered busy enough with patients without also having to cope with an invasion of cartoon animals.

That, however, is precisely the situation a Midlands hospital has found itself in after becoming a focal point for players of the new craze game Pokémon Go.

Managers of Royal Stoke University Hospital were horrified to discover that their A&E department had become a “gym” for the augmented reality creatures, causing players to enter the unit in order to “train” their characters. The Daily Telegraph

New guidance for creating workplace e-cigarette policies

New guidance for creating workplace e-cigarette policies Find out about PHE's new guidance on workplace e-cigarette policies and how to help your staff stay smoke free. NHS Employers

New report warns of shocking diagnosis failings for people with incurable breast cancer

New report warns of shocking diagnosis failings for people with incurable breast cancer A new report on diagnosis for people with incurable, secondary breast cancer exposes shocking failings – patients being diagnosed in A&E, facing avoidable delays and having concerns ignored by healthcare professionals.

The charity warns this could mean thousands of patients with incurable breast cancer across England, Scotland and Wales are receiving second-rate care. Breast Cancer Care

See also:

• Secondary. Not second rate. Secondary nreast cancer part 1: diagnosis Breast Cancer Care
• GPs 'dismiss' 1 in 3 women with incurable breast cancer The Daily Mail

National training survey 2016

National training survey 2016 These four reports details the results of an annual survey into medical education and training across the four nations in the UK. The survey seeks the views from around 55,000 doctors undergoing postgraduate training. In addition around 44,000 trainers - senior doctors responsible for developing the next generation of consultants and GPs - were also surveyed for their views from the education frontline. Among issues raised by doctors were the pressures of dealing with high workloads, and the fact that there were not always enough experienced staff to ensure patients received the treatment they needed. General Medical Council

State of the nation 2016: time to take control of diabetes

State of the nation 2016: time to take control of diabetes This report brings together evidence from recent national diabetes audit reports covering care processes and treatment targets, inpatient care, pregnancy and foot care. It sets out actions to improve the delivery support, care and prevention of diabetes in England. Some of the recommendations include greater support for lifestyle and behavioural changes; for CCGs to develop an improvement plan to tackle variation in treatment outcomes; and greater patient education to enable self-management. Diabetes UK

Adult social care 2016: funding, staffing and the bottom line

Adult social care 2016: funding, staffing and the bottom line Using the results of a survey of nearly 200 care providers, this report examines the pressures on funding, staffing and the bottom line impact on adult social care in the UK. It aims to place the issues of funding and staffing into context, assess the changes over the last year and provide answers to pivotal questions around this area. Christie & Co

Public health cuts 'could hamper anti-obesity effort'

Public health cuts 'could hamper anti-obesity effort' Local councils in England are warning that government cuts to public health funding could hamper their efforts to tackle obesity. BBC News

Specialised commissioning spend threatens financial stability of NHS

Specialised commissioning spend threatens financial stability of NHS Disproportionate spending on specialised services is threatening the financial sustainability of the wider NHS, an influential panel of MPs has concluded in a new report published today.

NHS England will have to take some “tough decisions" if it is to stay within the budget it set for itself for these services, says the Public Accounts Committee report. OnMedica

See also:

• NHS facing tough decisions over spending on specialised services Public Accounts Committee

Bedfordshire trials new response team for mental health emergencies

Bedfordshire trials new response team for mental health emergencies A new emergency response team is being introduced in Bedfordshire that will see a police officer, a paramedic and a mental health worker working together.

The Mental Health Street Triage is the first of its kind in the county. They will respond to calls together in one car.

The year-long pilot is designed to make sure people going through a mental health crisis are given the right care. ITV News

NHS hospitals borrowed record £2.8bn from government last year

NHS hospitals borrowed record £2.8bn from government last year Two-thirds of hospital trusts needed emergency bailouts to pay wages and bills

The government had to lend cash-strapped hospitals a record £2.825bn in the last financial year so they could pay staff wages, energy bills and for drugs needed to treat patients.

The Department of Health was forced to provide emergency bailouts on an unprecedented scale to two-thirds of hospital trusts in the 2015-16 financial year because they were set to run out of money, the Guardian can reveal. Continue reading... The Guardian

As a mental health nurse, people don't realise I'm more soldier than nurse

As a mental health nurse, people don't realise I'm more soldier than nurse They imagine me making up beds and giving out medication. They don’t see the steel behind my eyes

When I tell people I am a nurse working on an acute psychiatric ward they often say, “That must be hard”. They imagine something quite different from reality. They see me by the bedside of a crying woman, gently squeezing her hand as she tells me how sad she feels. They do not realise that our depressed service users stopped speaking long before admission, and stopped eating and drinking for that matter.

They see us, mostly young women with kind faces, and imagine us making beds and giving out medication. But what they do not realise is that we are more soldiers than we are nurses. If they looked closer they would see the steel behind our eyes, and a hardness to our faces that was not there when we qualified. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS England struggling to meet cancer waiting list targets

NHS England struggling to meet cancer waiting list targets More than 2,000 people waited more than two months to start treatment in May, new figures show

The NHS is under fire for leaving cancer patients facing stressful delays before starting treatment because hospitals cannot cope with the growing number of people suspected to have the disease.

New NHS figures show hospitals in England failed to ensure people with suspected breast cancer were seen by a specialist within 14 days and that enough cancer patients had their first treatment within 62 days of referral by their GP. Continue reading... The Guardian

Gonorrhea 'could soon be untreatable': CDC warns sexually-transmitted disease is rapidly becoming resistant to antibiotics

Gonorrhea 'could soon be untreatable': CDC warns sexually-transmitted disease is rapidly becoming resistant to antibiotics Antibiotic-resistant cases of the sexually-transmitted disease in America rocketed more than 400 per cent between 2013 and 2014, according to new data released by the CDC on Thursday. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Antibiotic resistance threatens gonorrhea treatment Centre for Disease Control and Prevention

Health fears mount over rocket consumption as deadly e-coli strain kills two and dozens are rushed to hospital

Health fears mount over rocket consumption as deadly e-coli strain kills two and dozens are rushed to hospital Warnings have been issued over rocket leaves sold to supermarkets and restaurants which may contain a deadly strain of E.coli that has so far killed two people and left dozens needing hospital treatment.

Authorities have ordered wholesalers supplying UK restaurant chains and supermarkets to stop importing rocket from the Mediterranean, where the infected leaves are thought to have originated.

However, rocket infected with the E.coli strain “0157” could already be on retailers’ shelves and in shoppers’ fridges. More than 150 people have become infected with bacteria. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Update as E. coli O157 investigation continues Public Health England
• Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157 NHS Choices
• 'Wash salad' advice after two die from E. coli BBC News

Northampton General Hospital antenatal group nominated for national awards.

Northampton General Hospital antenatal group nominated for national awards. An antenatal group for women and their partners who need extra support with their experience of pregnancy and childbirth has been shortlisted for two national awards. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

State of Caring 2016

State of Caring 2016 An annual survey of carers to collect evidence on a whole range of issues affecting carers' lives.This year over 6,149 people shared their views and experiences on what life is like for carers in 2016. Carers UK

See also:

• More than half of carers report bleak outlook for 2016 as new law not yet delivering promised improvements to their lives Carers UK
• Hidden £5.3 billion cost to economy of unpaid care army The Daily Telegraph

Asthma deaths in England and Wales hit highest peak for 10 years

Asthma deaths in England and Wales hit highest peak for 10 years The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed new data today which shows an increase in the number of asthma related deaths in England and Wales in 2015.

The annual death rate statistics show that 1,302 asthma deaths were recorded, which is a 17% increase in the number of asthma related deaths since 2014. The figures also show the highest number of deaths due to asthma in over ten years.

The statistics are presented by sex, age and area of residence and show that women aged 65 or over make up nearly 56% of all asthma deaths registered in 2015. Asthma UK

See also:

• Asthma deaths reach highest level in 10 years and two-thirds are women aged over 65 The Daily Mail

Colchester Hospital chief apologises after CQC report

Colchester Hospital chief apologises after CQC report The new head of Colchester Hospital issues a "heartfelt apology" following the publication of a damning CQC report. BBC News