GPs concerned over separated parents seeking children's medical records

GPs concerned over separated parents seeking children's medical records: Children's medical records are increasingly becoming a battleground for separated parents seeking access to them, it is claimed. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• GPs in crossfire as separated parents seek access to children's records The Guardian

NHS healthcare assistants should be 'properly regulated'

NHS healthcare assistants should be 'properly regulated': As ministers announce that more than 50,000 low-paid and unregulated healthcare assistants will have to receive formal care training, Peter Bradley, editor of the British Journal of Healthcare Assistants, explains what regulation will mean. The Daily Telegraph

Transplant first for Britain as 51-year-old Mark Cahill is given new hand

Transplant first for Britain as 51-year-old Mark Cahill is given new hand:
A 51-year-old man has become the first person in the UK to receive a new hand in a pioneering eight-hour transplant operation. The Independent

Flu activity update: 3 January 2013

Flu activity update: 3 January 2013: Latest figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) up to 30 December 2012 show that flu activity continues to increase based on a number of indicators, including GP consultation rates in England and the proportion of calls to NHS Direct.

Parents with Drug Problems

Parents with Drug Problems:  How Treatment Helps Families This report helps to shape a more accurate picture of parental substance misuse in England and how it affects families National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse

Northampton General Hospital welcomes new Directors

Northampton General Hospital welcomes new Directors: Three new non-executive directors have been appointed, and a new executive director joins us in April. NGH News

Few festive 999 calls were genuine emergencies

Few festive 999 calls were genuine emergencies: Only four in 10 calls taken by Northamptonshire’s ambulance service on New Year’s Day were about life-threatening emergencies. Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Action plan for improving the use of medicines and reducing waste

Action plan for improving the use of medicines and reducing waste: The action plan outlines how best practice could be shared across the NHS in the future.
The plan identifies how everybody – not just pharmacists, GPs and care home staff, but also patients and the public – can stop avoidable medicines wastage. The report, Improving the Use of Medicines for Better Outcomes and Reduced Waste: an Action Plan, covers making more effective use of medicines in all NHS settings.  Department of Health

NHS pathology services to be reviewed

NHS pathology services to be reviewed: A review of quality assurance arrangements for NHS pathology services has been announced by NHS medical director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh. GP Online

DH invests £1m in doctors' training

DH invests £1m in doctors' training: The DH is investing £1m in piloting schemes designed to provide better education and training for junior doctors. GP Online

DH plans to become 'digital examplar'

DH plans to become 'digital examplar': The Department of Health has said it wants to become a "digital exemplar in Whitehall" in a plan for doing more of its work online and through social media. E-Health Insider

Primary care IT services: Operating model published

Primary care IT services: Operating model published: This document has been published to show how the management of IT systems will be organised for primary care providers (dentists, pharmacists and optometrists) from April 2013 has been set out. NHS Commissioning Board

Revised Midwives rules and standards come into force

Revised Midwives rules and standards come into force  The NMC

Overweight people 'live longer' study claims

Overweight people 'live longer' study claims: “Being overweight can extend life rather than shorten it,” is the headline in The Independent.

This and related headlines come from a large review of previous research that found that those categorised as overweight were around 6% less likely to have died by the end of a study than those of a healthy weight.

Report shows how NHS trusts are working to improve staff health

Report shows how NHS trusts are working to improve staff health: A study reveals how NHS trusts in England are promoting the wellbeing of employees – from Zumba classes to healthier food
The Staff Health Improvement Project report, which was released in November, reveals the steps taken by 22 NHS trusts in England to support staff health and wellbeing.

15 Steps Challenge toolkit reveals what NHS patients think about their care

15 Steps Challenge toolkit reveals what NHS patients think about their care: In the lead up to the implementation of the NHS friends and family test, a toolkit created by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement offers new insights into how patients feel.

IVF 'postcode lottery' to worsen, Lord Winston warns

IVF 'postcode lottery' to worsen, Lord Winston warns: IVF treatment will be down to a "postcode lottery" this spring when doctors take control of NHS spending, Lord Winston has warned. The Daily Telegraph

HPA update on seasonal norovirus activity: 2 January 2013

HPA update on seasonal norovirus activity: 2 January 2013: Latest figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show there have been 3,877 laboratory confirmed cases of norovirus this season (from week 27 to week 51 2012). The latest figures are 72 per cent higher than the number of cases reported at this point last year, when there were 2,255 cases.

New Year 999 calls rise by 15%

New Year 999 calls rise by 15%: The number of 999 calls paramedics dealt with across the West Midlands in the last four hours of 2012 increases by 15% on the previous New Year's Eve. BBC Northamptonshire

County health bosses back stop smoking campaign

County health bosses back stop smoking campaign: This new year NHS Northamptonshire is supporting the new hard-hitting stop smoking campaign launched by the Department of Health Evening Telegraph

Summary of cosmetic interventions call for evidence responses published

Summary of cosmetic interventions call for evidence responses published:
The responses to the cosmetic surgery review call for evidence have been published today. The call for evidence was issued to enable the public, cosmetic interventions industry and patient groups to contribute to NHS Medical Director Sir Bruce Keogh’s review of the regulation of cosmetic interventions.

New child abuse alert system for hospitals announced

New child abuse alert system for hospitals announced:
Hospitals will have a new system to help doctors and nurses spot children suffering from abuse and neglect, Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter has announced.
Work on the system will begin in early 2013 and it will start to be introduced to NHS hospitals in 2015.
Doctors and nurses using the system, known as ‘Child Protection – Information System’, in emergency departments or urgent care centres will be able to see if the children they treat:

• are subject to a child protection plan or being looked after by the local authority
• have frequently attended emergency departments or urgent care centres over a period of time.

For further information go to: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/12/abuse-alert-system

Prostate cancer research 'lagging'

Prostate cancer research 'lagging': Despite being the most common male cancer, prostate cancer is 20th in the league table of cancer research funding, say experts. BBC News

Lack of treatment for obesity criticised by Royal College

Lack of treatment for obesity criticised by Royal College: The NHS is unprepared to deal with the rise in patients admitted due to the ever-increasing obesity epidemic, the Royal College of Physicians has warned.  The Daily Telegraph

See also

• Each NHS trust needs a tsar to tackle obesity crisis, say top doctors as UK's fat epidemic shows no sign of slowing The Daily Mail
• Concerns over NHS approach to obesity Healthcare Today
• NHS approach to obesity 'patchy' BBC News

UK has world's fifth-highest rate of children with type 1 diabetes

UK has world's fifth-highest rate of children with type 1 diabetes: Some 24.5 children in every 100,000 in Britain develop the condition, putting the UK behind Finland, Sweden, Saudi Arabia and Norway
The UK has the fifth highest rate in the world of children with type 1 diabetes, which can lead to serious health problems such as blindness and strokes, new research shows.

Thousands of elderly needlessly in hospital

Thousands of elderly needlessly in hospital: Thousands of elderly people are being kept in hospital needlessly after the number of district nurses fell by almost one fifth. The Daily Telegraph

Alcohol guidelines 'too high' say doctors

Alcohol guidelines 'too high' say doctors: Government alcohol guidelines that were "plucked out of the air" wrongly suggest that we can drink almost daily with no ill-effects, say doctors. The Daily Telegraph

Targets and jargon 'prevent generation of nurses stopping abuse'

Targets and jargon 'prevent generation of nurses stopping abuse': A fixation with business jargon and targets rather than basic morality has created a generation of nurses, social workers and carers almost incapable of stopping abuse, an expert overhauling their training has warned. The Daily Telegraph

Children and young people’s health and wellbeing in changing times

Children and young people’s health and wellbeing in changing times: This report supports implementation of the health reforms to improve children and young people’s health and wellbeing. It makes recommendations and provides support and evidence to national government and bodies, and local organisations and professionals. NHS Confederation

Medical sciences news highlights of 2012

Medical sciences news highlights of 2012: What were the big health research breakthroughs of 2012? BBC News

Foreign doctors face stricter checks for work in Britain

Foreign doctors face stricter checks for work in Britain:
Foreign doctors face tougher checks before working in the UK following the revelation that three-quarters of medics struck off this year were trained abroad. Of the 39 doctors struck off in the year to September, 29 obtained their primary qualification from outside Britain, statistics from the General Medical Council showed. The Independent

See also: 

• Revealed: 3 in 4 of Britain's danger doctors are trained abroad The Daily Telegraph
• Majority of UK doctors struck off have been trained abroad The Guardian
• Training push for foreign doctors BBC News

Prescribe cheaper drugs, GPs told

Prescribe cheaper drugs, GPs told:
Doctors who unnecessarily prescribe expensive branded drugs to patients when cheaper alternatives are available are facing a crackdown as the NHS attempts to reduce its annual £8bn family medicine bill. The Independent

It's been a year of breast implants, 'gaydar' and bad eggs - NHS Choices

It's been a year of breast implants, 'gaydar' and bad eggs - NHS Choices:

NHS Choices

It's been a year of breast implants, 'gaydar' and bad eggs NHS Choices Go to NHS Choices homepage Your health, your choices. Information navigation. Search entire site. Enter a search term: Main navigation. Health A-Z. Hundreds of conditions explained; Arthritis information; Asthma information; Back pain information ...

More die over Christmas holidays and New Year

More die over Christmas holidays and New Year: More people die over the Christmas holidays with deaths at their highest on New Year's Day, it can be revealed, as the NHS festive shutdown is thought to be to blame. The Daily Telegraph

NHS staff 'should consider weight loss surgery to set a better example to patients'

NHS staff 'should consider weight loss surgery to set a better example to patients': Half of NHS staff are overweight or obese and should consider surgery in order to set a better example for patients, a report will say. The Daily Telegraph

Cosmetic surgery firms face ban on giving free advice

Cosmetic surgery firms face ban on giving free advice:
Cosmetic surgery companies face being banned from offering free medical consultations to prospective patients and may be required to obtain a two-stage written consent in a clampdown on the industry in the wake of the PIP breast implant scandal. The Independent

HPA update on seasonal norovirus activity: 28 December 2012

HPA update on seasonal norovirus activity: 28 December 2012: Latest figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show there have been 3,538 laboratory confirmed cases of norovirus this season (from week 27 to week 50 2012), up from 3,046 cases last week. The latest figures are 83 percent higher than the number of cases reported at this point last year (the same increase as was reported last week), when there were 1,934 cases.

Concerns over ambulance changes

Concerns over ambulance changes: Northamptonshire County Council raises concerns that the whole county will not be adequately served by new ambulance "hubs". BBC News

Hospital’s plea on visits to help stop winter bug

Hospital’s plea on visits to help stop winter bug:
Accident and emergency doctors and nurses at Kettering General Hospital are reminding people that A&E does not stand for “anything and everything” over the Christmas period. Evening Telegraph

Drugs and alcohol payment by results (PbR) pilot evaluation: scoping and feasibility report

Drugs and alcohol payment by results (PbR) pilot evaluation: scoping and feasibility report:
This report, commissioned by the Department of Health, looks at a pilot project which took a new approach to commissioning and delivering drug and alcohol misuse treatment.

Graphic anti-smoking ad launched

Graphic anti-smoking ad launched: A series of hard-hitting government adverts featuring people smoking cigarettes with a tumour bulging from them is being launched in England. BBC News - Health

Public must accept reforms if NHS is to survive, warns hospitals chief

Public must accept reforms if NHS is to survive, warns hospitals chief:

Hospitals must provide fewer services if it is to cope with growing demand caused by ageing population, says Mike Farrar. The public need to accept the closure of many hospital units and live healthier lives if they want the health service to survive, according to an NHS executive.
Hospitals will have to provide fewer services and beds if the NHS is to cope with growing demand caused by the ageing population, warns Mike Farrar, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents hospitals.
Health professionals must do more to keep people out of hospital and treat them in or near their homes, while politicians should back the urgent and far-reaching changes needed to keep the NHS sustainable rather than joining protest marches, he added.
Dr Paul Flynn, chairman of the British Medical Association's hospital consultants committee, said the doctors' union "agrees that the NHS cannot stand still". But he warned against the service undertaking "constant overhaul" so soon after the reorganisation of the NHS in England imposed by the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and with £20bn of efficiency savings to be found by 2015.
He backed Farrar's call for patients to live more healthily to relieve the growing workload and to use medicines they have been prescribed, a move Farrar said would save £300m. Guardian

Children who often visit A&E to be logged on national database

Children who often visit A&E to be logged on national database: Children who often visit A&E to be logged on national database:

Plan to help doctors and nurses spot children suffering from abuse or neglect and avoid cases like that of Baby Peter. All children who visit hospital accident and emergency departments or have out-of-hours GP consultations will be logged in a national database, according to health services minister Dan Poulter.
Medical staff will be able to see if the children they treat are subject to a child protection plan or are being looked after, meaning they are already identified as being at risk. Doctors and nurses will also be able to check if a child has been a frequent visitor to A&E over a period of time – an indication of abuse or neglect.
Under the new system, when a child arrives and is logged in at an emergency department or urgent care centre, a flag will appear on the child's record if they are subject to a protection plan or are being looked after by the local authority. Guardian

Primary care IT services: Operating model published

Primary care IT services: Operating model published:
The NHS Commissioning Board has published a document today setting out how the management of IT systems will be organised for primary care providers (dentists, pharmacists and optometrists) from April 2013.
Securing excellence in IT Services: Operating Model for Community Pharmacies, Appliance Contractors, Dental Practices and Community Optometry explains how the accountability for the delivery of primary care information services will transfer from primary care trusts (PCTs) to the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB).
It follows the publication of the Operating model for GP IT services Securing Excellence in GP IT Services earlier this month which described how responsibility for operational management of GP IT services, along with associated funding, was being discharged to clinical commissioning groups to manage on behalf of the NHS CB.
Under the new system the NHS Commissioning Board will commission access for use of national IT services – such as the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) or NHSmail – for primary care contractors. As part of this it will need to provide the support and assurance linked to these services. This may be through its regional/area teams, commissioning support units (CSUs) or any other IT provider.
Primary care contractors will remain responsible for local implementation of national services and will provide the necessary support services including training, associated hardware and network services. They will be free to choose any local IT delivery organisation.

• Primary care IT Operating Model
• Primary care IT factsheet
• Primary care IT frequently asked questions

NHS Commissioning

Brain scan can sort dementia by type

Brain scan can sort dementia by type: Scientists say they have found a way to distinguish different types of dementia without the need for invasive tests.BBC News - Health

'Arrest' follows GP notes request

'Arrest' follows GP notes request: A 67-year-old retired scientist is escorted in handcuffs from her doctor's surgery after demanding to see her amended medical notes. BBC News

Drinkers will spend Christmas in hospital after festive binge

Drinkers will spend Christmas in hospital after festive binge: Irresponsible drinkers were the main cause of a 24 per cent spike in 999 call-outs on Friday night, East Midland Ambulance Service said. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Reassurance on future of hospital care - Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Reassurance on future of hospital care - Northampton Chronicle & Echo:

Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Reassurance on future of hospital care Northampton Chronicle & Echo That is the latest estimate of NHS leaders who are examining whether some services at Northampton General Hospital and four other hospitals can be centralised. Some patients fear that specialised maternity and A&E care will be moved away from their ... and more »

Advance care planning toolkit

Advance care planning toolkit: The toolkit enables care providers to empower individuals to discuss and plan the care that they would prefer to receive at the end of their lives, including where they would like to die. NHS National End of Life Care Programe

PiP one year on: thousands of women have turned to NHS for help

PiP one year on: thousands of women have turned to NHS for help: One year on since serious problems with PiP breast implants emerged, almost 8,000 women, who had their implants put in privately, have turned to the NHS for help.

VIDEO: Poetry unlocking dementia memories

VIDEO: Poetry unlocking dementia memories: A poetry reading project has had unexpected benefits for dementia sufferers. BBC News

Hospital apologises to 38 families for appalling care that saw a patient starve to death

Hospital apologises to 38 families for appalling care that saw a patient starve to death: An NHS hospital has apologised to 38 families after a patient starved to death and it left other dying people screaming in pain. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Victims of neglect at the Alexandra Hospital The Daily Telegraph
• NHS hospital trust apologises for 'appalling' neglect The Guardian
• Hospital that left patient to starve to death and another unwashed for 11 weeks forced to pay £400,000 in compensation The Daily Mail
• 'Disgust' over hospital's neglect BBC News

Updated immigration 'quick guides'

Updated immigration 'quick guides': The NHS Employers organisation has published updated versions of three immigration 'quick guides', designed for use when recruiting individuals who require a sponsor to work in the UK. NHS Employers

Politicians who oppose NHS closures 'secretly support them'

Politicians who oppose NHS closures 'secretly support them': Politicians are publicly opposing hospital closures but secretly agreeing that they would benefit patients, according to a senior NHS official. The Daily Telegraph

Services may go but no change for most KGH patients

Services may go but no change for most KGH patients:
Health chiefs predict that following a review of services at Kettering General Hospital, eight out of 10 patients now receiving acute treatment there would continue to do so. Evening Telegraph

Digital strategy: Leading the culture change in health and care published

Digital strategy: Leading the culture change in health and care published:
The department has published its digital strategy, setting out its ambition to become a Digital First department of state, with digital tools and techniques embedded throughout its work.
The strategy responds to the Government Digital Strategy published on 6 November, which set out 14 specific actions for government.
All government departments are publishing departmental digital strategies in December 2012.
The Department of Health strategy includes specific commitments to:

1. improve the development and impact of its open policymaking
2. increase the effectiveness of its communications to, and engagement with, audiences and stakeholders
3. develop the digital skills it needs across the organisation
4. improve its day-to-day efficiency
5. steward the health and care system towards a health information revolution

Read the full strategy, including case studies and commitments on the department’s Digital health site
Download a printable version of the Digital strategy Leading the culture change in health and care
 Department of Health

Update on use of antivirals for flu prevention and treatment published

Update on use of antivirals for flu prevention and treatment published:
The Chief Medical Officer and Chief Pharmaceutical Officer have written to the NHS to advise that antiviral medicines may now be used for the prevention or treatment of flu in line with NICE guidelines.
This update sent to GPs and other health professionals advises for a final push this season to offer vaccination to those in the at risk groups, so that they are protected before the level of flu increases significantly.
This action is being taken because surveillance data from the Health Protection Agency indicates increased levels of the influenza virus is circulating.
Read the letter from the CMO and CPhO on flu antiviral use

Department of Health

Communications strategy agreed for potential flu pandemic

Communications strategy agreed for potential flu pandemic:
This is a companion document to the UK Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Strategy, published in November, and the Health and Social Care Influenza Pandemic Preparedness and Response Guidance for the health and social care community, published in April.
This strategy covers health-related communication in the stages leading up to a UK pandemic, during a pandemic itself, and during the recovery phase.  It focuses on mainstream communications channels with targeted elements for specific audiences. NHS Networks

NHS Equality and Diversity Council

NHS Equality and Diversity Council:
In November 2012, the NHS Equality and Diversity Council (EDC) announced that it was to change its name to the Personal, Fair and Diverse Council in response to the Council’s new responsibilities for health inequalities and human rights as part of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Feedback is important to us and we understand that the name change has met with some concern and debate... and we look forward to inviting your views on this.
In light of these considerations, we have agreed to operate as the NHS Equality and Diversity Council whilst further engagement is carried out.
Find out more about the work of the EDC. NHS Commissioning

NHS CB supports Blackpool Hospitals’ flu video!

NHS CB supports Blackpool Hospitals’ flu video!:
Communications assistant at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Lee Rayner created a video to raise awareness about the importance of flu vaccinations and encourage all staff to get the inoculation to help protect patients and visitors and help to ensure services run smoothly and efficiently throughout the winter months.
But what he did was raise awareness worldwide!
His video, depicting porter Phil Smith becoming a hero for a day after getting the vaccine, became a massive YouTube hit, and now he is the face of the Flu Fighters campaign. When the video went viral it was seen by NHS Commissioning Board Chief Executive, Sir David Nicholson, who wanted to add his name to Phil’s growing list of fans. So Phil hopped on a train to the NHS Commissioning Board’s offices in Leeds where he was greeted with staff and national directors applauding his flu jab heroics.
Now the film has been re-launched by Blackpool Hospitals for the national Flu Fighters campaign advising all NHS staff to protect patients, family and themselves, and you can watch the film on Blackpool Hospital’s YouTube channel.
Follow @NHSFlufighter on Twitter for all the latest flu updates and developments across the service and join the conversation #flufighter. NHS Commissioning

DH to use Facebook to fight future flu pandemic

DH to use Facebook to fight future flu pandemic: The DH has published plans for clearer communication to the public and between health officials in a future flu pandemic, including greater use of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. GP Online News

Health Survey for England - 2011, Health, social care and lifestyles

Health Survey for England - 2011, Health, social care and lifestyles: Source: NHS Information Centre

The Health Survey for England (HSE) is part of a programme of surveys commissioned by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. The surveys were designed to monitor trends in the nation's health, to estimate the proportion of people in England who have specified health conditions, and to estimate the prevalence of certain risk factors and combinations of risk factors associated with these conditions. The survey is also used to monitor progress towards selected health targets.

Mental illness services pilot announced

Mental illness services pilot announced: The government has unveiled plans to improve access to psychological therapies for people with severe mental illnesses.
Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb said six local projects are under way.
All sites are recognised as leaders in the mental health field and have been chosen to implement the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence’s recommended psychological therapies. Healthcare Today

More pensioners in Northamptonshire putting themselves at risk of flu

More pensioners in Northamptonshire putting themselves at risk of flu: Almost 10,000 extra over-65s in Northamptonshire have put their health at risk this year by neglecting to get the flu jab. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Fall in number of over 65s getting flu jab Evening Telegraph 
• Over 65s encouraged to get the flu jab Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Family “appalled” with NGH care following bath fall

Family “appalled” with NGH care following bath fall: The family of an elderly man, who fell into a bath of scalding hot water were “appalled” with the care he later received in hospital, an inquest has heard. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Training videos on migrant health

Training videos on migrant health: Topics include eliminating barriers to healthcare, interpreting in a health context, catching up immunisations for migrants, TB, HIV, hepatitis and parasitic infections. More …. Health Protection Agency

Department announces pilot projects to improve severe mental illness services

Department announces pilot projects to improve severe mental illness services: Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb today announced that 6 local projects have begun work to help improve access to psychological therapies for those with severe mental illnesses.

Payment by Results for acute and mental health services – road test of the 2013-14 package

Payment by Results for acute and mental health services – road test of the 2013-14 package: The Payment by Results (PbR) road test exercise provides an opportunity for the NHS to test out the new tariff, and supports the planning process. The focus of the road test is to gather comments on the draft 2013-14 acute and mental health PbR guidance documents and PbR code of conduct.

Older cancer patients rethink call

Older cancer patients rethink call: All older cancer patients should get physical and mental health tests to ensure they are not unfairly written off as too old for treatment, a report suggests. BBC News

See also:

• NHS ageism 'stopping elderly getting cancer treatment' The Daily Telegraph
• Older cancer patients are being denied the best treatments due to age discrimination The Daily Mail

Hospital Pathways programme: lessons learned

Hospital Pathways programme: lessons learned: This article tells the story of the Hospital Pathways programme, a collaborative programme in which five acute trusts worked with The King's Fund and the Health Foundation to apply techniques, not widely used in the NHS, to improve both processes of care and interactions between staff and patients. It describes the programme; the method used to evaluate it; what was learned about the approach, and how the lessons have influenced the next programme called Patient and Family-Centred Care.

• Article
• Patient and Family-Centred Care programme
• The King's Fund - articles

Cancer risk in men to rise

Cancer risk in men to rise:
Cancer Research UK has predicted that men's risk of cancer will increase in the next 15 years.The charity said that because people were living longer, the danger of men developing cancer would rise from 44 in 100 to 50 in 100, or a one in two chance of getting the disease.Researchers from the Wolfson Institute of Preventative Medicine at Queen Mary, University of London, and Cancer Research UK made the predicti... Healthcare Today

Paperless NHS by 2015

Paperless NHS by 2015: The NHS Commissioning Board has clarified the position on a pledge for the organisation to move towards being paperless by 2015. In October, the NHS CB national director of patients and information, Tim Kelsey, told the Healthcare Efficiency Through Technology Expo that the government’s mandate to the NHS CB would include a commitment to a paperless NHS by 2015. However, guidance issued by the organisation has ... Healthcare Today

Patient care at risk as GPs are asked to cut services

Patient care at risk as GPs are asked to cut services: While ministers say costs are being reduced via 'efficiency savings', GPs are being asked to cut services to patients
GPs are being asked to reduce or axe activities including childhood immunisation campaigns, out-of-hours care and minor surgery in emerging evidence that £20bn of NHS "efficiency savings" are leading to cuts in patient care.

NHS service providers' financial positions are weak – at best

NHS service providers' financial positions are weak – at best: Ramsay Health Care, Virgin Care, Harmoni, The Practice, Circle and Care UK cannot be treated as going concerns without the financial support of their parent companies
Analysis of the accounts of a number of NHS service providers reveals some disturbing trends.
It is estimated that 37 private healthcare companies bid for almost 400 NHS service contracts worth £262m earlier in the year. The Guardian's analysis looked at six of the biggest companies with a particular emphasis on patient care: Ramsay Health Care, Virgin Care, Harmoni, The Practice, Circle and Care UK.
Without exception, these six customer-facing operating companies admitted they could not be treated as going concerns without the financial support of their parent companies.

Hospice care 'threatened by NHS reforms'

Hospice care 'threatened by NHS reforms': Hospices should be allowed to get on with caring for dying patients with kindness and compassion but face being obstructed by a new layer of burdensome regulation, it was warned today. The Daily Telegraph

GPs have skin cancer 'blackspot'

GPs have skin cancer 'blackspot': GPs are failing to spot serious skin cancer cases, leading to dozens of medical negligence claims where it has spread to other organs, the Medical Protection Society is warning. The Daily Telegraph

Clinical commissioning groups – what do we know so far?

Clinical commissioning groups – what do we know so far?: In the past few days, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have come several steps closer to taking control of £65 billion of NHS spending. The NHS Commissioning Board published the results of the first wave of the CCG authorisation process last week, and today released more details about how it intends to support the development of the new approach to commissioning. The results of the authorisation process so far tell us important things about how CCGs are developing.

The abandoned illness?

The abandoned illness?: 100 years after the term ‘schizophrenia’ was coined, things are beginning to change, says Victoria Bleazard. The Schizophrenia Commission’s report ‘The Abandoned Illness’ and the National Audit of Schizophrenia have been published over recent weeks. The reality of living with the condition has been exposed – some of which makes for very uncomfortable reading. The Health Foundation

Determining arrangements for supporting research in primary and community care

Determining arrangements for supporting research in primary and community care: A discussion paper, Determining arrangements for supporting research in primary and community care, has been published.

Winter bug cases '83% up on 2011'

Winter bug cases '83% up on 2011': Latest figures show that cases of the winter vomiting bug norovirus have risen, experts say. BBC News

NHS 'blueprint' reveals GP commissioning and quality premium targets

NHS 'blueprint' reveals GP commissioning and quality premium targets: Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will be judged on 48 targets including death rates, a blueprint for the NHS reveals, and face four key targets to earn controversial quality premium payments worth up to £30,000 per practice. GP Online

Memorandum on leprosy: 2012 report

Memorandum on leprosy: 2012 report: This report has been published to provide information to both clinicians and consultants in communicable disease control involved in notifying and managing a case of leprosy. The memorandum draws on the best available evidence together with the specialist knowledge of the Panel of Leprosy Opinion. Leprosy is an uncommon disease in England and Wales, yet it remains an important disease globally with 250,000 cases diagnosed annually. Its importance lies in the need for early diagnosis and expert treatment and support, both for those with active disease and for those who are physically, psychologically, or socially affected by it. Health Protection Agency

Making integrated out of hospital care a reality

Making integrated out of hospital care a reality: This report presents a set of principles to act as foundations for delivering integrated out-of-hospital care. NHS Confederation

Everyone counts: planning for patients 2013/14

Everyone counts: planning for patients 2013/14: This planning guidance aims to help local clinicians deliver more
responsive health services, focused on improving outcomes for patients, addressing local priorities and meeting the rights people have under the NHS Constitution. It outlines the incentives and levers that will be used to improve services from April 2013, the first year of the new NHS where improvement is driven by clinical commissioners.

• Guidance
• Clinical datasets
• CCG outcomes indicator set 2013/14: at a glance
• CCG outcomes indicator set 2013/14: factsheet
• NHS Commissioning Board - news

21st century welfare: seventy years since the Beveridge Report

21st century welfare: seventy years since the Beveridge Report: This report examines the giant evils as conceived by Beveridge, places them in the context of today’s society and explores how they are experienced. It examines public attitudes towards the NHS and the funding of care and support in future.

• Report
• Ipsos MORI - publications

New NHS planning guidance puts patient first

New NHS planning guidance puts patient first: Many newspapers are reporting new planning guidance for the NHS released by the NHS Commissioning Board, which it says will "drive a revolution for patients…giving them greater control of their health."

Hospitals specialising in community healthcare are key to future of the NHS

Hospitals specialising in community healthcare are key to future of the NHS: Prevention and rehabilitation need to be more widespread if the NHS is to cope with the costs of ageing, say healthcare leaders

NHS trusts are enmeshed in private provision – as buyers and suppliers

NHS trusts are enmeshed in private provision – as buyers and suppliers:

FOI requests reveal NHS hospitals spending millions buying beds in private hospitals or profiting from patients who pay
NHS hospitals deal with private firms to buy and sell patient care and treatment services worth more than £500m, creating a marketplace for commercial healthcare companies in the English health service, an analysis by the Guardian reveals.

Surgeons' ranking system 'could lead to cherry picking patients'

Surgeons' ranking system 'could lead to cherry picking patients': Surgeons could be discouraged from treating "difficult" patients because of new tables that rank them according to how many people die in their operating theatres, it has been warned. The Daily Telegraph

Judge overrules mother over cancer treatment for seven-year-old Neon Roberts

Judge overrules mother over cancer treatment for seven-year-old Neon Roberts:
A seven-year-old cancer sufferer is due to have life-saving surgery today after a High Court judge intervened to order the operation against his mother’s wishes. The Independent

New detailed analysis about NHS staff pay in England released for first time today

New detailed analysis about NHS staff pay in England released for first time today: December 18, 2012: Average basic pay among NHS staff rose slightly in 2012 but by a smaller amount than in 2011, according to experimental data published for the first time today by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).

Hospitals to reveal performance data

Hospitals to reveal performance data: Hospitals will be required to publish survival rates for operations by the surgeon who carries them out under plans to help patients to choose more effectively where they have their care. The Independent

See also:

• Surgeons' death rates to be published following ten operations The Daily Telegraph

Why oh, why oh, wi-fi

Why oh, why oh, wi-fi: Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has made a technology revolution in the NHS one of his top priorities - but how well equipped is NHS infrastructure to deliver it? E-health Insider

New guide on sickness absence - musculoskeletal disorders

New guide on sickness absence - musculoskeletal disorders: NHS Employers has published a new guide to support line managers that are managing staff with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

Developing and updating local formularies

Developing and updating local formularies: This guidance provides advice and guides good practice for those
involved in handling, prescribing, commissioning and decision-making about medicines. It has been designed to help organisations develop and update local formularies that reflect local needs, reduce variation in prescribing, and allow rapid uptake of innovative medicines and treatments, in accordance with statutory requirements.

• Guidance
• NICE - news

Redbook to go digital

Redbook to go digital: The Redbook, a record of children's development and health, is the subject of a project by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in order to create an online version of the data.Dr David Low, Chair of the RCPCH Informatics for Quality Committee, said: "Having it (the Redbook) online with the right information and advice should encourage parents to use it in a much more interactive way and put in mo... Healthcare Today

NHS to drop poverty as yardstick for local funding

NHS to drop poverty as yardstick for local funding: NHS commissioning board will discontinue funding system using a formula involving age, poverty and regional variations
The new independent quango at the heart of the coalition's health reforms has said it will stop using income to determine health spending levels around in the country next year as part of a set of reforms designed to promote "patient choice" in the NHS.

Hospital consultants could lose £40,000 in pay shake-up

Hospital consultants could lose £40,000 in pay shake-up: Senior hospital consultants' pay packages should undergo a radical shakeup, according to a report commissioned by ministers. The Daily Telegraph

EU directive had led to 'rigid doctors' shift patterns'

EU directive had led to 'rigid doctors' shift patterns': The junior doctors' contract is "not suitable" for today's NHS, while the European Working Time Directive has led to "rigid shift patterns" that do not benefit medics or patients, according to a report. The Daily Telegraph

Bowel Cancer: Postoperative deaths fall for fourth consecutive year, says national audit

Bowel Cancer: Postoperative deaths fall for fourth consecutive year, says national audit: December 17, 2012: Call to "break taboo that locks symptoms behind bathroom door" as emergency admissions continue to cause concern NHS Information Centre