Monday, 31 December 2018
Sexual health services and the importance of prevention
Sexual health services and the importance of prevention Rhetoric about prioritising prevention is not new. There is solid evidence that it delivers a good return on investment in the long-run. But moving beyond rhetoric is challenging for a system whose gravitational pull is towards treating people in hospital. Despite being one of the new Secretary of State’s three key priorities, if you follow the money then prevention still lags way behind cure. The King's Fund
Are parts of England 'left behind' by the NHS?
Are parts of England 'left behind' by the NHS? With a number of factors driving worse health outcomes in poorer areas of England, Mark Dayan looks at whether the NHS is also leaving certain areas behind. Nuffield Trust
Matt Hancock: shake-up of GP IT will remove outdated systems
Matt Hancock: shake-up of GP IT will remove outdated systems The GP IT Futures framework will create an open, competitive market to encourage the best technology companies to invest in the NHS. All systems will be required to meet minimum standards to ensure they can talk to each other across boundaries.
The current market is dominated by 2 main providers, which slows down innovation and traps GP practices in long-term contracts with systems that are not suited to the digital age.
The framework will look at how patient data will be moved to modern cloud services to allow clinicians and patients to securely access crucial, life-saving information in real time. Department of Health and Social care
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The current market is dominated by 2 main providers, which slows down innovation and traps GP practices in long-term contracts with systems that are not suited to the digital age.
The framework will look at how patient data will be moved to modern cloud services to allow clinicians and patients to securely access crucial, life-saving information in real time. Department of Health and Social care
See also:
- Every patient should be able to Skype their GP The Daily Mail
- Virtual GPs may not be available to all till 2024, under Government plan The Daily Telegraph
- Full patient records to be available online under NHS IT shake-up The Guardian
Tens of thousands of patients failing to turn up for surgery
Tens of thousands of patients failing to turn up for surgery Tens of thousands of patients every year are not bothering to attend surgery in hospital leaving NHS trusts counting the cost of no shows, an iNews investigation can reveal.
Freedom of Information (FoI) requests to all 135 acute non-specialist trusts in England, Scotland’s 14 NHS boards, the seven NHS boards in Wales and five health and social care trusts in Northern Ireland reveal more than 200,000 patients failed to turn up for elective day surgery over the last three years.
The appointments – typically for exploratory or minor procedures as well as biopsies and organ removal – can involve several members of staff, including consultants, and take up theatre time with a cost of between £1,400 and £1,500 an hour according to trusts.
Freedom of Information (FoI) requests to all 135 acute non-specialist trusts in England, Scotland’s 14 NHS boards, the seven NHS boards in Wales and five health and social care trusts in Northern Ireland reveal more than 200,000 patients failed to turn up for elective day surgery over the last three years.
The appointments – typically for exploratory or minor procedures as well as biopsies and organ removal – can involve several members of staff, including consultants, and take up theatre time with a cost of between £1,400 and £1,500 an hour according to trusts.
Minority take up 'live-saving' free health check
Minority take up 'live-saving' free health check Fewer than half of people eligible for a NHS health check in England have taken up the offer, despite it being free to everyone over 40.
The routine check can pick up heart problems early and help to prevent dementia, plus highlight the need to stop smoking, NHS England said.
The check-up takes 20 minutes and is carried out by a GP or nurse.
It involves tests on blood pressure, weight and height, and is offered every five years up to the age of 74.
Around 7.15 million people have had a free health check since 2013, yet 15 million are eligible, NHS stats show. BBC News
The routine check can pick up heart problems early and help to prevent dementia, plus highlight the need to stop smoking, NHS England said.
The check-up takes 20 minutes and is carried out by a GP or nurse.
It involves tests on blood pressure, weight and height, and is offered every five years up to the age of 74.
Around 7.15 million people have had a free health check since 2013, yet 15 million are eligible, NHS stats show. BBC News
‘Taxing the sick’: Hospitals making millions from parking charges as investigation reveals almost half of NHS trusts have increased prices
‘Taxing the sick’: Hospitals making millions from parking charges as investigation reveals almost half of NHS trusts have increased prices More than four in 10 NHS hospitals have increased their prices for car parking in the last year, an investigation has found.
Some NHS trusts have doubled the cost of a stay for patients and visitors.
Freedom of Information data analysed by the Press Association shows that hospitals in England are making more money than ever from charging visitors, staff and patients.
Some 124 NHS trusts responded to the request for data on parking charges.
Of these, 53 (43 per cent) said they had increased prices in the last year for visitors or staff, or both. The Independent
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Some NHS trusts have doubled the cost of a stay for patients and visitors.
Freedom of Information data analysed by the Press Association shows that hospitals in England are making more money than ever from charging visitors, staff and patients.
Some 124 NHS trusts responded to the request for data on parking charges.
Of these, 53 (43 per cent) said they had increased prices in the last year for visitors or staff, or both. The Independent
See also:
- Parking fees rise at many hospitals in 2017-18, analysis finds BBC News
- Parking firm urged to stop pursuing staff at Glasgow hospital BBC News
- Almost half of hospitals RAISE parking fees despite promises of a crackdown The Daily Mail
- Hospitals accused of putting a 'tax on the sick' as some double parking fees The Daily Telegraph
- Hospitals making hundreds of millions from parking charges The Guardian
- It is time to finally end the NHS parking stealth tax The Independent
More nurses, better care – Tories’ 10-year pledge on maternity services
More nurses, better care – Tories’ 10-year pledge on maternity services The health secretary says he wants Britain to be ‘the best place to give birth’ as he announces new plan
Ministers are to order an expansion of staff in maternity services and more recruitment of expert neonatal nurses and specialists in the hope of making the NHS “the best place in the world to give birth”, the health secretary Matt Hancock will say on Sunday.
The proposals will be contained in the government’s new 10-year plan for the NHS, expected to be published in the second week of January. Maternity services in England will undergo a digital revolution which will see every child’s health record – the so-called “red book” – made available on a parent’s phone.
We will ensure every expectant mother is supported: from pregnancy, to birth, to the critical first months of parenthood. The Guardian
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Ministers are to order an expansion of staff in maternity services and more recruitment of expert neonatal nurses and specialists in the hope of making the NHS “the best place in the world to give birth”, the health secretary Matt Hancock will say on Sunday.
The proposals will be contained in the government’s new 10-year plan for the NHS, expected to be published in the second week of January. Maternity services in England will undergo a digital revolution which will see every child’s health record – the so-called “red book” – made available on a parent’s phone.
We will ensure every expectant mother is supported: from pregnancy, to birth, to the critical first months of parenthood. The Guardian
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Lack of NHS mental health services puts under-18s at risk, say GPs
Lack of NHS mental health services puts under-18s at risk, say GPs Survey shows young people struggle to access treatment and face long delays
Nearly all GPs worry that young people with mental health problems will come to harm because of difficulties in accessing treatment on the NHS, according to a survey.
The poll of UK family doctors found that 99% said they feared that under-18s would come to harm as a direct result of facing long delays to see a specialist and vital care being rationed.
78% of GPs are worried that too few of their young patients can get treatment for mental ill-health.
86% have seen a rise in the last two years in the number of 11- to 18-year-olds with anxiety.
88% say it is impossible or very difficult for young people to get help with anxiety. The Guardian
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Nearly all GPs worry that young people with mental health problems will come to harm because of difficulties in accessing treatment on the NHS, according to a survey.
The poll of UK family doctors found that 99% said they feared that under-18s would come to harm as a direct result of facing long delays to see a specialist and vital care being rationed.
78% of GPs are worried that too few of their young patients can get treatment for mental ill-health.
86% have seen a rise in the last two years in the number of 11- to 18-year-olds with anxiety.
88% say it is impossible or very difficult for young people to get help with anxiety. The Guardian
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More than 240,000 NHS workers abandon 'gold-plated' pension plan
More than 240,000 NHS workers abandon 'gold-plated' pension plan NHS workers are abandoning their generous gold-plated pensions in droves, despite warnings they could face poverty in retirement.
Concerns have been raised over an "epidemic" of workers opting out of the NHS pension scheme after nearly 250,000 staff withdrew from the scheme in the past three years.
Workers who opt out could be giving up pensions worth around nine times what they save, Royal London hospital warned last night. The Daily Telegraph
Concerns have been raised over an "epidemic" of workers opting out of the NHS pension scheme after nearly 250,000 staff withdrew from the scheme in the past three years.
Workers who opt out could be giving up pensions worth around nine times what they save, Royal London hospital warned last night. The Daily Telegraph
Children's hospices to receive funding boost under NHS plans
Children's hospices to receive funding boost under NHS plans Health officials will increase funding for children’s hospices to up to £25 million a year, the head of the NHS has announced
Simon Stevens said care of terminally ill children was a top priority for the NHS, as he promised an expansion of services which mean help can be provided close to home.
Mr Stevens said: “Looking after a child at the end of their life is the hardest thing a parent or carer will ever do, and it is vital they have somewhere to turn for help if they need it.
“Providing help and support to families when they need it most is a top priority for the NHS which is why ensuring specialised, personalised care close to home will be part of the NHS long term plan.” The Daily Telegraph
Simon Stevens said care of terminally ill children was a top priority for the NHS, as he promised an expansion of services which mean help can be provided close to home.
Mr Stevens said: “Looking after a child at the end of their life is the hardest thing a parent or carer will ever do, and it is vital they have somewhere to turn for help if they need it.
“Providing help and support to families when they need it most is a top priority for the NHS which is why ensuring specialised, personalised care close to home will be part of the NHS long term plan.” The Daily Telegraph
Don't be so British, urges new suicide prevention minister, as she calls for more openness about mental health
Don't be so British, urges new suicide prevention minister, as she calls for more openness about mental health “Hindsight is a wonderful thing,” says Jackie Doyle-Price, as she recalls the reaction to her appointment as Britain’s first minister for suicide prevention, just over two months ago.
She was swiftly reminded of a joke made four years before, when she said she “would sooner jump off Beachy Head” than join UKIP.
Having been appointed by Theresa May to tackle the stigma surrounding mental health problems, the unearthing of comments about Britain’s best known suicide spot made for a bumpy start.
Reflecting back, she says: “As I’m suicide prevention minister it clearly wasn't the best turn of phrase to use, we do need to be sensitive to language - but equally we shouldn’t let suicide become taboo.” The Daily Telegraph
She was swiftly reminded of a joke made four years before, when she said she “would sooner jump off Beachy Head” than join UKIP.
Having been appointed by Theresa May to tackle the stigma surrounding mental health problems, the unearthing of comments about Britain’s best known suicide spot made for a bumpy start.
Reflecting back, she says: “As I’m suicide prevention minister it clearly wasn't the best turn of phrase to use, we do need to be sensitive to language - but equally we shouldn’t let suicide become taboo.” The Daily Telegraph
People are shying away from donating their eyes because of the 'yuck factor', NHS warns
People are shying away from donating their eyes because of the 'yuck factor', NHS warns People are shying away from donating their eyes because of the 'yuck factor', the NHS has warned amid a shortage.
One in 10 organ donors opts out of donating their eyes, data from NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) revealed - despite them being willing to donate their hearts, livers and kidneys.
As well as being too squeamish, families often refuse to consent to their loved ones' eyes being taken. The Daily Mail
One in 10 organ donors opts out of donating their eyes, data from NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) revealed - despite them being willing to donate their hearts, livers and kidneys.
As well as being too squeamish, families often refuse to consent to their loved ones' eyes being taken. The Daily Mail
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