Enter the CCG

Enter the CCG From time to time I come across something in the NHS that leaves me screaming, but this is the mother and father of them all - the Section 251 debacle. E-Health Insider

Strength in numbers: how independent hospices could raise more income

Strength in numbers: how independent hospices could raise more income This report explores the opportunities and challenges for hospices to raise more income from voluntary and donated sources in the future.

• Report
• Help the Hospices - publications

Auditing the accounts 2012/13: NHS bodies

Auditing the accounts 2012/13: NHS bodies This report summarises the results of auditors’ work for 2012/13 at NHS bodies within the Commission’s audit regime. These bodies comprised NHS trusts, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities. It covers the timeliness and quality of financial reporting, auditors’ local value for money work, the extent to which auditors utilised their statutory reporting powers, and the challenges facing NHS bodies for 2013/14. 

• Report
• Audit Commission - publications

Can the new NHS bodies solve the current problems?

Can the new NHS bodies solve the current problems? Few people would look at the new NHS structure and conclude that the health service needs more organisations.

Who is in charge? Hidden among the predictable dissection of urgent and emergency care woes in the health select committee report, published on Wednesday, are serious concerns about whether the myriad of new NHS bodies are capable of sorting the problems out.

Labour calls for investigation into rise in deaths of older people

Labour calls for investigation into rise in deaths of older people Official figures show 23,400 more deaths of older people than expected in 18 months, with many in poorest parts of country.

A&E doctors 'should focus on patients, not pay'

A&E doctors 'should focus on patients, not pay' A&E doctors should worry less about their pay packets and more about their patients, the head of NHS Employers has claimed as he dismissed complaints about evening and weekend work. The Daily Telegraph

£25 to see your GP: Majority of doctors want to charge patients for routine appointments

£25 to see your GP: Majority of doctors want to charge patients for routine appointments

The ideal of an NHS free at the point of need was dealt a serious blow today, as a survey of family doctors revealed unprecedented levels of support for charging patients for routine appointments. The Independent

See also:

• Patients should pay us, say doctors The Daily Telegraph
• NHS bosses rule out charging patients to visit GP The Guardian

NHS staff told to stop moaning and come up with solutions

NHS staff told to stop moaning and come up with solutions In an effort to boost morale NHS bosses have banned staff from moaning unless they come up with a solution to the problem. The Independent

Mock health inspections aim to boost quality

Mock health inspections aim to boost quality A new scheme of mock inspections of community health services has started in Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in a bid to drive up standards and ensure services are fit for purpose. Northamptonshire Telegraph

999 recommendations ‘need to be backed by cash’

999 recommendations ‘need to be backed by cash’ Recommendations from a new Government report will only bring relief for paramedics and patients if backed by funds and political will, the East Midlands Ambulance Service chief has said. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Ambulance service chief backs call for more community care Northamptonshire Telegraph

St Andrews nurse struck off for using patient's bank card

St Andrews nurse struck off for using patient's bank card A senior nurse who bought herself goods after snatching a mental health patient’s bank card from a hospital safe has been struck off.

Jean Mberi twice withdrew funds from the woman’s bank account while she was being treated at St Andrew’s Hospital in Northampton.

The woman, referred to as Patient A, had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act and had her possessions, including her bank card, kept in the hospital’s safe.

But Mberi took the woman’s debit card and withdrew a total of £220 out of her bank account, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard. Northampton Herald and Post

Why are we still using ECT?

Why are we still using ECT? Why are we still using electricity to treat depression? BBC News

VIDEO: UK rejects meningitis B vaccine

VIDEO: UK rejects meningitis B vaccine The only vaccine to protect against a deadly form of meningitis should not be introduced in the UK, the body that advises governments on immunisation says. BBC News

Can surgery help after genital mutilation?

Can surgery help after genital mutilation? Can surgery bring hope to survivors of genital mutilation? BBC News

Professional indemnity - forthcoming changes

Professional indemnity - forthcoming changes Legislation is being prepared by the UK Government to take effect in late 2013. It will require all statutory regulated healthcare professionals to have relevant insurance or indemnity to cover their practice & confirm this to their professional body. NHS Employers

CQC introduces new changes to inspection plans

CQC introduces new changes to inspection plans CQC’s new Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards is introducing radical changes to the way hospitals in England are inspected. These are expected to be introduced in August. NHS Employers

Foundation trusts ''to recruit 4,000 nurses''

Foundation trusts ''to recruit 4,000 nurses'' NHS Foundation Trusts have said they intend to recruit 10,000 more clinical staff in 2013/14 Public Service

NHS 111 is a 'sorry saga', say MPs

NHS 111 is a 'sorry saga', say MPs The national deployment for NHS 111 was undertaken prematurely and without a sufficiently sound evidence base, warns Commons Health Committee Public Service

NHS Bed-blockers are taking up two wards in each hospital

NHS Bed-blockers are taking up two wards in each hospital Cuts to council social care have been blamed for restricting care home places and delaying the provision of help for older people in their own homes. The Daily Mail

NHS faces chronic shortage of staff, warns King's Fund

NHS faces chronic shortage of staff, warns King's Fund Deepening gaps in service's workforce so serious that bosses are under pressure to alter pay agreements to attract staff.

Global search for new NHS boss

Global search for new NHS boss Outgoing NHS England boss Sir David Nicholson could be replaced with someone from outside the UK, officials have said.The Daily Telegraph

Anxiety disorders cost £10 billion a year

Anxiety disorders cost £10 billion a year More than eight million people in Britain suffer from anxiety disorders caused by the pressures of modern life, costing the country nearly £10 billion a year, according to a new study. The Daily Telegraph

NHS will not give meningitis B vaccine to all UK's children

NHS will not give meningitis B vaccine to all UK's children

A vaccine that protects against a deadly form of meningitis should not yet be made available to all children in the UK, the Government’s advisors on immunisation have said. The Independent

A&E crisis plans 'not good enough'

A&E crisis plans 'not good enough' The plans to relieve the pressure on A&E units in England are not good enough, says MPs who warn of a potential NHS crisis next winter. BBC News

Diabetes 'linked to disability risk'

Diabetes 'linked to disability risk' Adults with diabetes have a higher risk of physical disability than the general population, research suggests. BBC News

2012-13 NHS staff sickness figures released

2012-13 NHS staff sickness figures released Today sees the release of NHS staff sickness absence figures for 2012-13. These show that NHS staff in England took an average of 9.5 working days off sick and also show a slight increase in sickness absence rates nationally.

Liverpool care pathway review shows challenges in care

Liverpool care pathway review shows challenges in care Findings illustrate failures of training around the regime and that it leads to poor practice for terminally ill patients

The law of unintended consequences can be insidious. The Liverpool care pathway (LCP) has been encouraged over the last decade with the express objective of avoiding unnecessary interventions in the care of people who are clearly dying, and ensuring they achieve a good death. However, it should now be phased out and replaced by an individual end-of-life care plan, according to the findings of the independent review led by Lady Julia Neuberger.

EU review: Doctors 'get trained in their free time because of working time rules'

EU review: Doctors 'get trained in their free time because of working time rules' Doctors are having to get trained in their free time because of European Union rules which restrict the number of hours they can work every week.Telegraph

Coming of age in the NHS

Coming of age in the NHS How best can we engage and support our staff and patients to lead the necessary redesign to achieve quality, reliability and the required efficiencies? asks Suzie Bailey. The Health Foundation

AUDIO: Wasted prescriptions cost NHS £300m

AUDIO: Wasted prescriptions cost NHS £300m Jan James, managing director of NHS campaign Medicine Waste talks about the cost of wasted prescription medication. BBC News

Ministers: Improve work fitness test

Ministers: Improve work fitness test Atos, the company which carries out "fitness-for-work" tests on disabled people, is told to improve its services, after an "unacceptable reduction" in quality. BBC News

Plain packs 'help smokers to quit'

Plain packs 'help smokers to quit' Plain packaging for cigarettes seems to make tobacco less appealing and encourages smokers to quit, suggests a study. BBC News

See also:

• 'No excuse' to delay plain cigarette packs after new study, say campaigners The Independent
• 'No excuse for delay on plain cigarette packaging, say campaigners The Daily Telegraph

Skin cancer survival all-time high

Skin cancer survival all-time high Eight out of 10 men and nine out of 10 women, diagnosed with the most dangerous form of skin cancer will survive the disease, says a new report. BBC News

Nurses recorded wrong waiting times

Nurses recorded wrong waiting times Two nurses from Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust are found to have inaccurately recorded patient waiting times in accident and emergency. BBC News

Nurses still struggling to influence IT

Nurses still struggling to influence IT The Royal College of Nursing has called for more nursing input into IT and more IT training for nurses after a survey uncovered a lack of confidence in clinical systems. E-Health Insider

Leicester telehealth scheme expanded

Leicester telehealth scheme expanded A telehealth project for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has prevented 107 hospital admissions in Leicester over the past 30 weeks. E-Health Insider

People with epilepsy 'have higher risk of early death'

People with epilepsy 'have higher risk of early death' "People with epilepsy 11 times more likely to die prematurely, study finds," is the news in The Daily Telegraph. The story comes from a large long-term study of records of people with epilepsy. The study compared them with their unaffected siblings and the general population.

NHS Health Check implementation review and action plan

NHS Health Check implementation review and action plan This review argues that checking 40-74-year-olds’ blood pressure, cholesterol, weight and lifestyle could identify problems earlier and prevent 650 deaths, 1,600 heart attacks and 4,000 cases of diabetes a year. Before local authorities took over responsibility for commissioning Health Checks in April, there was considerable variation in how widely they were offered. PHE, which leads the NHS Health Check programme, has now launched a ten-point plan to help councils roll them out to 20 per cent of their eligible local population a year –15 million people by 2018/19.

• Review and action plan
• Department of Health - press release

GPC sets out plan to integrate all unscheduled care

GPC sets out plan to integrate all unscheduled care CCGs should integrate all out-of-hours unscheduled care under GP leadership, according to the GPC. GP Online

Could 'good egg' Jeremy Hunt be the saviour of the NHS?

Could 'good egg' Jeremy Hunt be the saviour of the NHS? The health secretary seems to think like a patient and gets down to the nitty gritty by working in hospitals

I have come to the conclusion that the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, is a good egg. As a long-term NHS customer, he does seem to think like a patient. What's more, he has two of the same bees buzzing in his bonnet as I have: that GPs should take back oversight of out-of-hours care, and that the lack of effective IT in the NHS is a disgrace.

Mid-Staffs nursing chief: I’m not to blame

Mid-Staffs nursing chief: I’m not to blame

The former director of nursing at the scandal-hit Stafford Hospital has told a disciplinary hearing that the word "nursing" in her job title was "misleading", as she blamed frontline staff for catastrophic care failings at the hospital. The Independent

Junior doctors' 100-hour weeks 'put patient safety at risk'

Junior doctors' 100-hour weeks 'put patient safety at risk' Junior doctors have warned that they are being left exhausted by 100-hour weeks and 12-day rotations that put patient safety at risk. The Independent

Places still left on our course for staff about to start studying

Places still left on our course for staff about to start studying We still have some places left in July, August and September on our Pre-course Course.

It is designed to give anyone about to start an academic programme a flying start in dealing with:

• Sourcing material from reading lists
• Getting an Athens password
• Accessing electronic journals
• Searching databases
• Getting the most from the support the Library Service can offer you.

If you are going back to education, whether it is a module, short course, degree or postgraduate qualification, this course could help to make your academic life a little easier.

To find out more, including course dates and venues, and how to book, visit our web site.

Would you trust a doctor in a T-shirt?

Would you trust a doctor in a T-shirt? Would you trust a doctor who wears a T-shirt? BBC News

Health checks 'could save lives'

Health checks 'could save lives' Hundreds of lives in England could be saved if the NHS and local authorities did more to encourage people to take up free health checks, the health secretary says. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: Free health checks 'will save lives' BBC News 
• Jeremy Hunt urges over-40s to take advantage of free NHS checks The Independent
• Press release: Call to action on health checks The Department of Health

Doctors urged to cut medicines waste

Doctors urged to cut medicines waste Doctors are being urged to change the way they prescribe medicines to stop £300m of drugs being thrown away each year. BBC News

Updated guide to community pharmacy published

Updated guide to community pharmacy published NHS Employers, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and the General Practitioners Committee of the BMA have published an updated guide to community pharmacy.

Securing the future of general practice: new models of primary care

Securing the future of general practice: new models of primary care NHS England (Midlands and East) commissioned the Nuffield Trust and the King's Fund to review UK and international models of primary care, focusing on those that could increase capacity and help primary care meet the pressures it faces.  The Nuffield Trust

NHS reforms cost taxpayer £1bn for redundancies, IT, closures and more

NHS reforms cost taxpayer £1bn for redundancies, IT, closures and more Controversial changes to the way the NHS is run have so far cost more than £1bn to implement, the government has confirmed. E-Health Insider

Media blames 'ladettes' as alcohol-related deaths rise

Media blames 'ladettes' as alcohol-related deaths rise "More young women dying of alcohol abuse," The Times reports, with much of the media covering the story that the risk of death from an alcohol-related health condition has increased for women in their 30s and 40s.

Immunisation and screening: local government's new public role

Immunisation and screening: local government's new public role This briefing explains the challenges facing councils and the opportunities they have to help deliver efficient and good quality vaccination and screening programmes.

• Briefing
• LGA - publications

NHS recorded £2.1 billion surplus last year

NHS recorded £2.1 billion surplus last year NHS performance was slightly stronger in 2012-13 than in 2011-12  OnMedica

See also:

• 2012-13 update on indicators of financial sustainability in the NHS National Audit Office

CCG membership forces half of GPs to change clinical practice

CCG membership forces half of GPs to change clinical practice More than half of practices say that being a CCG member had changed their clinical practice in terms of prescribing patterns, referral pathways and volume of referrals, according to research. GP Online

Tory strategist Lynton Crosby in new lobbying row

Tory strategist Lynton Crosby in new lobbying row Exclusive: Firm he founded, Crosby Textor, advised private healthcare providers how to exploit NHS 'failings'

The lobbying firm founded by the Tories' chief election strategist, Lynton Crosby, advised private healthcare providers on how to exploit perceived "failings" in the NHS, according to a leaked document obtained by the Guardian.

Lonely lives of the rural elderly

Lonely lives of the rural elderly Shop closures and bus service cuts causing social isolation says report which found half of over 75s living alone. The Daily Telegraph

Four in five sufferers of skin cancer now survive

Four in five sufferers of skin cancer now survive

More than 80 per cent of people diagnosed with malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, will now survive the disease, scientists have said. Yet British sunbathing habits mean the number of cases continues to rise. The Independent

NHS Nene CCG Shaping your local healthcare prospectus published

NHS Nene CCG Shaping your local healthcare prospectus published NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has published its prospectus for 2013/14, ‘Shaping your local healthcare'. 

MPs meet minister over 'unfit' A&E

MPs meet minister over 'unfit' A&E A health minister agrees to look at a bid to expand an A&E department deemed "unfit for purpose" at Kettering General Hospital. BBC Northamptonshire

Warning over cancer health issues

Warning over cancer health issues Hundreds of thousands of people in the UK face poor health or disability after being treated for cancer, says a report from Macmillan Cancer Support. BBC News

See also:

• Cured, but at what cost? MacMillan Cancer Support

Five ways the NHS landscape is changing

Five ways the NHS landscape is changing What has the last week taught us about the NHS? BBC News

Alcohol deaths 'up' in young women

Alcohol deaths 'up' in young women Deaths from alcohol-related disease in women born in the 1970s are rising, contrary to the overall trend, a study suggests. BBC News

See also:

• Numbers of young women dying due to alcohol increasing The Daily Telegraph

Survey on female leaders in healthcare

Survey on female leaders in healthcare This survey, conducted in conjunction with the HSJ, suggests that women are still facing barriers to becoming senior leaders in the NHS. Just under half of the respondants thought having children put their career at a disadvantage, and two thirds felt a greater pressure to prove themselves than their male counterparts. Other respondents said that they struggled with a culture of an old boys’ network and attitudes to women leaders. Over a third said they had encountered sexual discrimination and over half said they had been bullied in the workplace.

Please note: in order to view the results of this survey, free registration with the HSJ is required.

• Survey results
• Related blog
• Pinterest board of inspiring women in healthcare
• The King's Fund - press release

NHS 111 inquiry slams providers, commissioners and NHS England

NHS 111 inquiry slams providers, commissioners and NHS England A damning report into failings with NHS 111 found local commissioners lacked necessary skills and tried to cut costs, providers lacked capacity and capability, and NHS England failed to provide proper central oversight and support. GP Online

See also:

• Full 111 rollout put back to 2014 BBC News

'Jaw-dropping' rise in NHS claims after scandals

'Jaw-dropping' rise in NHS claims after scandals Claims against the NHS for medical negligence have risen by more than 20 per cent in just one year after a succession of hospital scandals, official figures show. The Daily Telegraph

While dubious mortality rates grab headlines, NHS privatisation gallops on | Polly Toynbee

While dubious mortality rates grab headlines, NHS privatisation gallops on | Polly Toynbee The ferocity of the battle over 'dangerous' hospitals was not synthetic. The future of the NHS itself is under attack.

How the NHS can build external partnerships

How the NHS can build external partnerships Successful partnerships can offer benefits to both the public and private sectors.

Bain buys £230m stake in UK blood plasma supplier

Bain buys £230m stake in UK blood plasma supplier The government has sold a majority stake in Plasma Resources UK, the Department of Health's blood plasma supplier, to private equity firms Bain Capital for £230m.The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Bain Capital buys majority stake in Plasma Resources UK The Guardian

Elderly patients wait up to a year for dementia tests

Elderly patients wait up to a year for dementia tests

Elderly patients are waiting up to a year for a dementia diagnosis and face delays getting the help they need, even after diagnosis, an investigation has revealed. The Independent

See also:

• Dementia patients wait a year for diagnosis The Daily Telegraph
• National Audit for Dementia Care in General Hospitals 2012-13 Second report Royal College of Psychiatrists

Health warning as temperature soars

Health warning as temperature soars As the hot weather continues, NHS Corby and NHS Nene clinical commissioning groups are reminding people to take simple steps to stay safe and well. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Two perfect babies. But you've just paid Bernice £44,000 compensation for having them

Two perfect babies. But you've just paid Bernice £44,000 compensation for having them Bernice met the directors of Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust last March, after she had her dummy implant removed at four months pregnant. She had been promised an investigation and an explanation as to why the contraception... The Daily Mail

The Keogh Report: reacting to reactions

The Keogh Report: reacting to reactions Yesterday's high octane ding-dong in the House of Commons over the Keogh report was an example of the unacceptable face of political interference in the delivery of healthcare, says Stephen Thornton. The Health Foundation

Hospital inspections 'to be tougher'

Hospital inspections 'to be tougher' he new chief inspector of hospitals in England promises more robust and broader inspections, as he acknowledges previous methods were "flawed". BBC News

See also:

• 'Whistleblower-in-chief' reveals plan to fix NHS: make you the inspector The Independent
• Army of patients to be recruited to inspect NHS The Daily Telegraph
• NHS care watchdog CQC to overhaul hospital inspection system The Guardian
• 'Stigma associated with raising concerns must be removed' The Guardian
• Patients, not bureaucrats, will be on new inspection teams to sort out NHS hospitals The Daily Mail

Minimum alcohol price plan shelved

Minimum alcohol price plan shelved The government will not introduce a minimum price for a unit of alcohol in England and Wales but will stop it being sold below the cost of duty plus VAT. BBC News

'Cancer sniffing' knife designed

'Cancer sniffing' knife designed An "intelligent" knife that can sniff out tumours to improve cancer surgery has been developed by scientists. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: 'Intelligent' knife detects cancer BBC News
• Magic scalpel that sniffs out tumours in an instant is set to revolutionise cancer surgery The Daily Mail

Why not... privatise the NHS?

Why not... privatise the NHS? Arguments for and against the biggest taboo in UK politics. BBC News

Community nursing insulin chart

Community nursing insulin chart The risks associated with the administration of insulin are well known and the maladministration of insulin is now a never event.

An insulin chart has been developed by experienced community health services pharmacists and includes a number of safety features within the chart design, for example it is pre-printed with the word “units”. NHS Networks

Dementia rates dropping

Dementia rates dropping “Dementia rates fall as public health improves,” is the good news story greeting readers of The Daily Telegraph.

The news comes from UK based research published in The Lancet medical journal. The research showed the number of people with dementia in the UK in 2011 was much lower than researchers predicted based on trends two decades earlier.

Surgery deferred. Sight denied. Variation in cataract service provision across England

Surgery deferred. Sight denied. Variation in cataract service provision across England This report from the RNIB reveals the variation in rates of cataract operations across England. The analysis also reveals a national decline in the rate of second eye operations taking place which the report highlights as an area of concern. Research indicates that patients who have early access to second eye surgery may experience fewer falls and fractures compared to those who waited for 12 months.

• Report
• Executive summary

NHS staff: social indicators

NHS staff: social indicators This briefing note provides overview statistical information on the NHS workforce in England.

• Briefing
• House of Commons library - publications

Patients are twice as likely to die in some NHS hospitals because they lack proper equipment and resources, new study finds

Patients are twice as likely to die in some NHS hospitals because they lack proper equipment and resources, new study finds A study by Imperial College London found that hospital that made the most of medical equipment like ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) scanning had lower mortality rates. The Daily Mail

Elderly care revolution as state-backed insurance scheme announced

Elderly care revolution as state-backed insurance scheme announced Government shakeup planned to cap costs for one in eight poorer pensioners and cut bills for the wealthy by up to a fifth.

Care cap will only help small minority of elderly, officials admit

Care cap will only help small minority of elderly, officials admit Only one in eight elderly people will ever qualify for the long-awaited cap on the cost of care, Government officials have acknowledged for the first time.The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Care cap to benefit 'one in eight' BBC News
• Press release: New fairer capped funding system to help everyone plan for the cost of care Department of Health

Hospitals rely increasingly on income from fee-paying patients, warns BMA report

Hospitals rely increasingly on income from fee-paying patients, warns BMA report

Hospitals in England are increasingly relying on income from fee-paying patients, as NHS budget pressures continue to mount. The Independent

The Keogh Mortality Review

The final report of the Keogh Review into 14 NHS trusts has now been published:

• Review into the Quality of Care and Treatment Provided by 14 Hospital Trusts in England

See also:

• Press release: Jeremy Hunt sets out plans to tackle mediocrity and inadequate leadership in the NHS Department of Health
• Keogh review on hospital deaths published NHS Choices
• Keogh announces new mortality measure E-Health Insider
• 'Trapped in mediocrity': The damning verdict on the NHS as report reveals 14 hospitals had higher than expected mortality rates The Independent
• Analysis: Hospital mediocrity isn't the problem - it's the failure to address it The Independent
• NHS inquiry: trust by trust, the Keogh Report's findings The Daily Telegraph
• Jeremy Hunt accused of turning NHS deaths into 'political capital' The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt: inspectors found evidence of poor care at NHS hospitals The Guardian
• Another NHS crisis? This is no way to run a public service The Guardian
• Keogh Review: 'ostrich approach' not an option NHS Confederation
• RCN responds to Keogh review RCN
• Our reponse to Sir Bruce Keogh's review of hospitals with high mortality rates The King's Fund
• Failing hospitals: Are there more out there? BBC News

Whither public health policy: conspiracy or cock-up?

Whither public health policy: conspiracy or cock-up? Whilst Public Health England has been busy releasing useful tools to help local areas benchmark their performance against others, Whitehall has been largely quiet on the public health policy front (with the exception of the Secretary of State’s welcome focus on reducing premature mortality). 

NHS hospitals expanding private work

NHS hospitals expanding private work One in six hospitals in England have introduced new private treatment options this year, an investigation reveals. BBC News

More care, less pathway: a review of the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP)

More care, less pathway: a review of the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) This report sets out recommendations regarding the LCP and end of life care following an independent review chaired by Baroness Julia Neuberger. The recommendations include phasing out the LCP and replacing it with an individual end of life care plan; an end to incentive payments for use of the LCP and other similar approaches; and a new system-wide approach to improving the quality of care for the dying.

• Report
• Rapid evidence review
• Snapshot review of complaints in end of life care
• Department of Health - news

Resources for commissioners of women's health services

Resources for commissioners of women's health services This new new e-resource aims to support CCGs and NHS England in the commissioning of women’s health services. It brings together standards for hospital-based obstetric and gynaecological care with community-based sexual and reproductive healthcare advice. It is also accompanied by a digital booklet, which provides a brief introduction to the medical specialties and highlights examples of best practice and innovation in UK health organisations.

• Commissioning resource
• Digital booklet
• RCOG - news

Named GP for people dying in the community

Named GP for people dying in the community GPs should give dying patients their phone number for OOH emergencies. OnMedica

What questions should we be asking about end-of-life care?

What questions should we be asking about end-of-life care? The Liverpool care pathway was one element in a system that needs refocusing on how, rather than just where, people die

With the current focus on the Liverpool care pathway (LCP), there is a lot of talk about how people's end-of-life wishes are taken into account.

This is a very specific example of where a tool designed to improve co-ordination between professionals has sometimes been poorly implemented to the detriment of patients and their families.

But focusing on the LCP alone means we fail to see the wood for the trees.

Researchers cut 130,000 from number of UK dementia sufferers

Researchers cut 130,000 from number of UK dementia sufferers

The number of people with dementia in the UK could be significantly lower than previously thought, according to new research. The Independent

See also:

• Dementia rates fall as public health improves The Daily Telegraph
• Risk of developing dementia down 25% in two decades, but caseload still rising because we are living longer The Daily Mail
• Dementia rate has fallen by a quarter in 20 years OnMedica
• Dementia risk 'reducing', figures show BBC News

High hospital death rates exposed

High hospital death rates exposed Standards of care at 14 hospital trusts with the worst death rates in England are to be laid bare in an official report later. BBC News

See also:

• Thousands may have died because of Labour NHS failings, Tory MPs claim Daily Telegraph
• Andy Burnham: The Coalition failed to act on my concerns about the NHS Daily Telegraph
• Keogh's review of mortality rates in the NHS is a blueprint, not a red alert Guardian

National audit of dementia care in general hospitals 2012-13

National audit of dementia care in general hospitals 2012-13 This second report of the National Audit of Dementia has identified continuing problems in the quality of care received by people with dementia in hospitals in England and Wales. It shows that less than half of hospital executive boards are routinely involved in reviewing hospital performance data on quality of care received by people with dementia, and two in five hospitals do not provide dementia awareness training to new staff. Problems with the quality of information and communication are also an issue. It also shows that several aspects of care have improved since the first report in 2011.

• Audit report
• RCPsych - press release

What's the best way to teach care and compassion?

What's the best way to teach care and compassion? Sheffield Hallam University has introduced augmented reality when teaching students clinical and non-technical skills.

Following the publication of the Francis report earlier this year, healthcare professionals across the service faced heightened scrutiny over their ability to show empathy and care to their patients.

Pricing scandal sees NHS pay £89 for cod-liver oil capsules

Pricing scandal sees NHS pay £89 for cod-liver oil capsules Taxpayers are being charged up to 40 times the usual cost for common over-the-counter products being prescribed by NHS doctors.The Daily Telegraph

Calls to mental health helpline rise by 50%

Calls to mental health helpline rise by 50% The number of calls to mental health charity Mind’s helpline has increased by 50 per cent in the past year with many callers now presenting “acute and complex” problems stemming from severe financial worries. The Independent