Sir Ron Kerr review: empowering NHS leaders to lead

Sir Ron Kerr review: empowering NHS leaders to lead This review was led by Sir Ron Kerr and explored 3 challenges faced by executive leaders across the NHS:

• expectations and support available for leaders
• alignment of performance expectations at the organisational and system level
• level of administrative burden placed upon executive leaders

The review makes a number of recommendations to address these challenges. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Ex-NHS chief finds 'bullying and discrimination prevalent' in official review Health Service Journal

Leadership in integrated care systems

Leadership in integrated care systems This paper, aimed at chief executives, directors and senior managers from the NHS, local authorities, housing organisations and voluntary and community sector, is based on findings from interviews with systems leaders and a review of the literature. The NHS Leadership Academy commissioned SCIE to undertake this research to further expand the understanding of systems leadership and leadership of integrated care systems. Free registration is required to access this document. Social Care Institute for Excellence

Health at a glance: Europe 2018

Health at a glance: Europe 2018 This report states that mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety disorders and alcohol and drug use disorders, affect more than one in six people across the European Union in any given year. Besides the impact on people’s well-being, the report estimates the total costs of mental ill-health at over EUR 600 billion – or more than four per cent of GDP – across the 28 EU countries. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust remains 'inadequate'

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust remains 'inadequate' England's worst performing mental health trust has been rated inadequate for a third time, with patients trying to take their lives waiting for care.

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) had unsafe acute wards and was seriously understaffed.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said bosses repeatedly failed to protect patients and a charity has called for the government to intervene.

NSFT said it was disappointed but "determined to get things right". BBC News

See also:

• The lives lost in Norfolk and Suffolk's mental health crisis Eastern Daily Press

NHS no deal Brexit plans will be activated 'before Christmas' if MPs vote down May's deal, health secretary says

NHS no deal Brexit plans will be activated 'before Christmas' if MPs vote down May's deal, health secretary says Contingency plans to ensure the supply of medicines and other health services will be triggered before Christmas if Theresa May’s Brexit deal fails to get MP’s backing next month, the head of NHS England has admitted.

Simon Stevens, told the Commons Health Committee that plans for a no dealBrexit, some costing “tens of millions of pounds", would need activating within weeks if the transition plan is voted down on 11 December.

Contracts to take on additional warehouses and refrigerator capacity for drug stockpiles and other biological materials would be included in these expenses. The Independent

No more silk pyjamas: NHS cracks down on ineffective treatments

No more silk pyjamas: NHS cracks down on ineffective treatments Health service in England plans to stop eight treatments in attempt to save £68m a year

NHS England is to stop buying silk pyjamas for patients who have serious skin conditions as part of a crackdown on treatments it says are not proven to work.

The health service plans to no longer purchase silk nightwear and gloves for people with eczema and dermatitis because of a lack of evidence of their effectiveness.

Aliskiren, a blood pressure drug, saving an estimated £939,300

Amiodarone, for abnormal heart rhythms (£1.1m)

Dronedarone, given to patients with atrial fibrillation (1.7m)

Minocycline, prescribed for acne (£637,400) The Guardian

Pharma firm sold mesh implant despite pain warnings

Pharma firm sold mesh implant despite pain warnings A vaginal mesh implant made by one of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical firms was launched despite the company being warned it could shrink and harden inside the body, company documents reveal.

Internal emails between executives, shared with the Guardian, show staff at Johnson & Johnson (J&J) were concerned that the plastic material the mesh was made from had the potential to turn “hard as a rock” and roll up like a “folded potato chip” inside patients.

Despite this risk, the Prolift implant was made available in 2005 and marketed for seven years. In one exchange, staff discussed how “shrinkage of the mesh may lead to pain”.

See also:

• Pharma company 'KNEW vaginal mesh implant would leave women in pain' The Daily Mail

Attempts to divert patients from A&E make little difference

Attempts to divert patients from A&E make little difference Attempts to reduce pressure on Accident and Emergency departments by diverting the least sick do little to cut attendances or save money, new research suggests.

The study published in the Emergency Medicine Journal, found little evidence that schemes which try to weed out “low need” patients and send them to GPs and minor injuries units help to cut crowding in casualty units. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Interventions to improve patient flow in emergency departments: an umbrella review Emergency Medicine Journal

Cervical cancer screening rate falls to lowest for at least 21 years

Cervical cancer screening rate falls to lowest for at least 21 years The proportion of women attending cervical screening is the lowest for at least 21 years, new figures show.

The statistics show that just 71.4 per cent of women in England are attending screening - the lowest since 1997 - and a fall from 75.7 per cent in 2011.

Experts said difficulties getting GP appointments for a smear test were fuelling the decline.

The figures show screening coverage is higher among older women than younger women. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Cervical screening programme 2017-18 NHS Digital
• Record FIVE MILLION British women are overdue for life-saving smear tests The Daily Mail
• Women going to cervical cancer screening falls to 21-year low, official figures show The Independent

Why has it taken so long to wake up to the danger implants that caused 1,000 deaths?

Why has it taken so long to wake up to the danger implants that caused 1,000 deaths? Carl Heneghan, a professor of evidence-based medicine at Oxford University, details his shock and annoyance at the regulation of medical devices. The Daily Mail