Sperm blocking study brings 'male pill' closer

Sperm blocking study brings 'male pill' closer "Researchers announce discovery of proteins that can be blocked to prevent the launch of sperm cells during ejaculation," The Guardian reports. The paper explains that if drugs can be found that turn off these proteins, a male contraceptive pill could become a reality.

However, the news is based on a study on mice in a laboratory.

What can useful bureaucracy in the NHS achieve?

What can useful bureaucracy in the NHS achieve? Clinical staff think two thirds of the data and information they collect is relevant to patient care.

April to June is busiest time of year for A&E - not winter, reveals report

April to June is busiest time of year for A&E - not winter, reveals report

April to June is consistently the busiest time of year for A&E wards – not winter, according to a new report into accident and emergency services in England. The Independent

See also:

• HSCIC publishes new report to help shed light on A&E activity Health & Social Care Information Centre
• Government response: HSCIC report on A&E Department of Health
• A&E: The straw that broke the camel's back BBC News
• Changing picture of A&E activity revealed in new report OnMedica
• A&E visits rise steeply during coalition government, NHS figures reveal The Guardian
• Half of A&E arrivals sent home without treatment The Daily Telegraph

Community marks World AIDS Day 2013

Community marks World AIDS Day 2013 Members of the local community came together at the Guildhall to mark World AIDS Day 2013 and lit candles to remember those who have died and to promote safe sex and HIV testing. NHFT News

See also:

• Showing solidarity with HIV sufferers Northamptonshire Telegraph

HK confirms first H7N9 bird flu case

HK confirms first H7N9 bird flu case Hong Kong confirms its first case of the new strain of the H7N9 bird flu in a domestic worker from Indonesia, who officials say is in critical condition. BBC News

Inquiry into donor blood vCJD risk

Inquiry into donor blood vCJD risk An inquiry is being launched to check the safety of donor blood amid concerns about an infection risk from the human form of "mad cow disease". BBC News

See also:

• Commons committee launch investigation into potential spread of vCJD brain disease in hospitals The Independent

Lessons from Europe: the value of tariff redesign

Lessons from Europe: the value of tariff redesign Payment mechanisms can be a powerful lever for strengthening healthcare delivery – driving quality and efficiency gains. NHS Confederation

Disease-specific pathways and hospital-based care are a redundant strategy for the multi-morbidity future, says Sir John Oldham

Disease-specific pathways and hospital-based care are a redundant strategy for the multi-morbidity future, says Sir John Oldham Over the next 40 years, most healthcare systems worldwide will face a tsunami of need from people with long-term conditions such as diabetes, chronic airways disease and circulatory diseases. There will be a rise of 252 per cent by 2050, and this is built into existing demography and prevalence. The mathematics are inescapable. In England… Continue reading » NHS Voices

Heart's strain rate may be raised by energy drinks

Heart's strain rate may be raised by energy drinks Caffeine energy drinks “intensify heart contractions,” BBC News reports.

The news is based on a small study of 18 healthy adults who had heart scans taken before and one hour after drinking an energy drink containing caffeine and taurine (a chemical said to have stimulant properties).

Towards whole person care

Towards whole person care This paper reviews the case for change in the English health and care system and considers how to move towards a ‘whole person care’ approach. It sets out broad themes on creating a health and care system that is fit for the future. It makes a case for a number of person-centred guarantees at the heart of the vision for whole person care, focused on people with long-term conditions and older people. Institute for Public Policy Research

Review recommends one ombudsman for public sector services

Review recommends one ombudsman for public sector services The new ombudsman would combine the functions of the Local Government and Health Service Ombudsmen. OnMedica

Leap in care home deaths linked to blood infections

Leap in care home deaths linked to blood infections The number of care home residents dying with blood infections has soared by almost 50 per cent over the past decade, official figures show. The Daily Telegraph

'Unacceptable' that only half of NHS staff took routine flu vaccination

'Unacceptable' that only half of NHS staff took routine flu vaccination NHS staff who do not take a routine flu vaccine this winter are putting frail patients' lives at risk, a leading doctor has warned. The Independent

See also:

• 75,000 more frontline NHS staff vaccinated against flu than in the same period last year NHS Employers

New NGH birth centre opens its doors

New NGH birth centre opens its doors Northampton General Hospital's new birth centre opens for business on Monday 2 December, the first midwife-led unit in the county. NGH News

GP panel to scrutinise whether operations are necessary

GP panel to scrutinise whether operations are necessary Everyone needing hip replacements or their tonsils removed will have their case scrutinised by a panel of Northamptonshire doctors as the NHS takes radical measures to save money. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

St Andrew’s Hospital must make “urgent improvements” to Adolescents Service after highly critical inspection

St Andrew’s Hospital must make “urgent improvements” to Adolescents Service after highly critical inspection St Andrew’s Hospital has been told it needs to make “urgent improvements” following an unannounced inspection of one of its departments, which revealed it failed to meet eight national standards for quality and safety. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Two deaths at virus-hit home

Two deaths at virus-hit home The county coroner is looking into the deaths of two people from a Northampton care home following an outbreak of winter vomiting. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

MP to raise forced Caesarean claim

MP to raise forced Caesarean claim An MP is to raise the case of a woman who he says had her baby forcibly removed by Caesarean section, and taken by social services in Essex. BBC News

See also:

• Woman has child taken from her womb by social services The Daily Telegraph

What's up, Doc? Comics in the clinic

What's up, Doc? Comics in the clinic How comic strips can improve medics' bedside manners. BBC News

HIV care 'at risk from NHS changes'

HIV care 'at risk from NHS changes' HIV care is at risk from the changes to the reorganisation of the NHS in England, doctors who specialise in treating it warn. BBC News

Interactive map of dementia services

Interactive map of dementia services The Department of Health has today published a new interactive online map, bringing together existing information on dementia services in England.

Updated standards for NHS leaders

Updated standards for NHS leaders Standards for members of NHS boards and Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) governing bodies have been revised to reflect the findings of the Francis report and other subsequent reviews. NHS Employers

Is Christmas weight gain harder to lose?

Is Christmas weight gain harder to lose? "Most of us gain 2lb over Christmas and never lose it," is the uncheerful news on the Mail Online website. It reports on a study that found that volunteers gained around 0.8kg between November and January that they then struggled to lose.

Patient suicide: the impact of service changes

Patient suicide: the impact of service changes This report argues that mental health service providers looking after patients at risk of suicide need to reduce absconding on in-patient wards and boost specialist community services like crisis resolution to reduce deaths. National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness

• Report

Reducing violence and aggression in A&E: through a better experience

Reducing violence and aggression in A&E: through a better experience This report provides evidence that accident & emergency departments could improve patient experience, increase staff wellbeing and save money by implementing a new, proven design solution created by studio PearsonLloyd. The two-pronged solution called ‘A Better A&E’ incorporates a ‘Guidance Solution’ - signage to guide and reassure patients, and a ‘People Solution’ - a programme to support staff in their interactions with frustrated, aggressive and sometimes violent patients through communications training and reflective practices.

• Report
• A Better A&E website

Polypharmacy and medicines optimisation: making it safe and sound

Polypharmacy and medicines optimisation: making it safe and sound Polypharmacy – the concurrent use of multiple medications by one individual – is an increasingly common phenomenon that demands attention at clinical policy and practice level. Driven by the growth of an ageing population and the rising prevalence of multi-morbidity, polypharmacy has previously been considered something to avoid. It is now recognised as having both positive and negative potential, depending on how medicines and care are managed. This report offers the terms ‘appropriate’ and ‘problematic’ polypharmacy to help define when polypharmacy can be beneficial. It traces the occurrence of polypharmacy in primary and secondary care, and in care homes. It also explores systems for managing polypharmacy and considers it in the context of multi-morbidity and older people, offering recommendations for improving care in both cases. The King's Fund

• Report
• The King's Fund - blogs

Reported assaults against NHS staff in England rose 6% last year

Reported assaults against NHS staff in England rose 6% last year But staff and employers need to do more to report and prosecute offenders, says NHS Protect. OnMedica 

More hospitals to be investigated over Jimmy Savile allegations

More hospitals to be investigated over Jimmy Savile allegations Jeremy Hunt says 32 hospitals are under investigation over links to claims of sexual abuse by presenter.

Liverpool Care Pathway being 'rebranded' not axed

Liverpool Care Pathway being 'rebranded' not axed Plans show Liverpool Care Pathway is being rebranded, not abolished, say doctors. The Daily Telegraph

More than a thousand care home residents die thirsty

More than a thousand care home residents die thirsty Exclusive: figures released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal the extent of neglect as the vulnerable left dehydrated. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Dehydration and malnutrition led to 2,162 deaths in care since 2003 The Guardian

More than 700 people in Northampton living with HIV

More than 700 people in Northampton living with HIV More than 700 people in Northamptonshire are living normal lives despite having the HIV virus, latest figures have shown. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Patient stories 2013: time for change

Patient stories 2013: time for change The aim of this report is to amplify the voices of individual patients to highlight wider trends, with particular reference to the key themes of the Francis Inquiry report. The Patients Association

See also:

• Teenager left to starve amid a catalogue of NHS failings The Daily Telegraph

Footballers 'no more likely' to get Alzheimer's disease

Footballers 'no more likely' to get Alzheimer's disease “Footballers and boxers are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s,” is the entirely spurious claim from the Mail Online.

The study it reports on did not involve footballers, or boxers, or indeed, any living humans.

Learning disabilities: good practice project

Learning disabilities: good practice project This report gives people who commission, design and deliver services a better understanding of how to improve the lives of people with learning disabilities. Department of Health

Black and minority ethnic communities and dementia: where are we now?

Black and minority ethnic communities and dementia: where are we now? This briefing looks at developments in the UK since the launch of the National Dementia Strategy in 2009.  It considers the extent to which the Strategy is addressing the information, support and care needs of those in black and minority ethnic communities and ensuring that they are supported in 'living well’ with dementia. Better Health

• Briefing
• Better Health - publications

We still need to talk: a report on access to talking therapies

We still need to talk: a report on access to talking therapies This report finds that more than one in ten (12%) people with mental health problems are stuck on waiting lists for over a year before receiving talking treatments and over half (54%) wait over three months. The survey of over 1,600 people who have tried to access talking therapies such as counselling and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy on the NHS in England over the last two years also shows how some people are paying for private therapy to get the help they desperately need. One in ten said that they had faced costs for private treatment because the therapy they needed was not available on the NHS. 

• Report
• Mind - report

Caring for an ageing population

Caring for an ageing population We looked beyond our own system to examine how Japan has tried to address the conundrum of providing sufficient and appropriate services for an increasing number of frail older people in an affordable and equitable way. The Nuffield Trust

Lack of GP appointments prompted almost 2 million A&E visits last year

Lack of GP appointments prompted almost 2 million A&E visits last year Survey indicates this could have cost the NHS £120m, estimates Network Locum OnMedica

NHS hospitals 'are where people go to die', says former health boss

NHS hospitals 'are where people go to die', says former health boss Mike Farrar, the former CEO of the NHS Confederation, has attacked the health service for failing to offer any alternatives to hospital to critically ill patients. The Daily Telegraph

'Disturbingly poor care is too common in NHS', says chairman of Mid-Staffs inquiry

'Disturbingly poor care is too common in NHS', says chairman of Mid-Staffs inquiry Reports of "disturbing, poor and unsafe care" in the NHS are too common, says Robert Francis QC, as he vows to champion the rights of patients. The Daily Telegraph

New government website to name and shame doctors over who have poor rates of dementia diagnosis

New government website to name and shame doctors over who have poor rates of dementia diagnosis

The Government is to launch a new website to try and name and shame doctors who have poor rates of dementia diagnosis, The Independent has learnt.

See also:

• Half of dementia sufferers 'not being formally diagnosed' The Guardian
• Half of dementia patients failed by the NHS: Hundreds of thousands of sufferers do not receive medicine or support The Guardian
• 'Dementia map': how diagnosis rates vary across England The Daily Telegraph

New look at uniform cigarette packs

New look at uniform cigarette packs The government is to announce an independent review of cigarette packaging amid continuing calls for action to discourage young smokers. BBC News

See also:

• Plain cigarette packaging expected to be given go ahead The Daily Telegraph
• U-turn could result in plain packaging on cigarettes by 2015 The Guardian

Patients 'wait too long' for therapy

Patients 'wait too long' for therapy Mental health experts say there are still problems accessing talking therapies such as counselling, despite wide recognition of their benefits. BBC News

New patients' champion for the NHS

New patients' champion for the NHS The man who led the public inquiry into the Stafford Hospital scandal is to become president of the Patients Association, promising to do all he can to rid the NHS of bad care. BBC News

Why cancer costs as much as a mortgage

Why cancer costs as much as a mortgage The financial hit can be as much as a mortgage. BBC News

RCN and Carers Trust develop ‘Triangle of Care’ to improve dementia care

RCN and Carers Trust develop ‘Triangle of Care’ to improve dementia care The RCN and Carers Trust have today published a new guide to improve the care of people with dementia by ensuring the support and involvement of their carers. The RCN

High salt levels in soluble drugs may raise heart risk

High salt levels in soluble drugs may raise heart risk “High sodium levels in drugs 'putting patients at risk',” The Guardian reports. A study in the BMJ highlights the often overlooked fact that 'everyday' soluble drugs such as painkillers, contain high levels of salt (sodium) which may cause health problems if taken on a long-term basis.

Failing to care: NHS continuing care in England

Failing to care: NHS continuing care in England This report follows an inquiry into NHS continuing care and finds that people with Parkinson's are often left to cover the cost of care themselves. It also found that 59% of NHS continuing care assessments don't involve a professional with specialist expertise or knowledge in the applicant's condition, leading to inaccurate and incorrect decisions on funding. Parkinson's UK

• Report
• Parkinson's UK - news

The NHS atlas of variation in diagnostic services

The NHS atlas of variation in diagnostic services This publication features 69 different maps of England and identifies local variations for a wide range of diagnostic services covering imaging, endoscopy, physiological diagnostics, pathology, and genetics. It shows that patients in certain areas are hundreds of times less likely to be offered some tests than in other parts of the country.

• Atlas
• NHS Right Care - diagnostics
• NHS Right Care - news

Improving patient flow across organisations and pathways

Improving patient flow across organisations and pathways "This scan compiled research about the methods used to improve patient flow across organisations or pathways." The Health Foundation

NHS to launch Tripadvisor-style website

NHS to launch Tripadvisor-style website Following a three month trial involving 20 hospital trusts, the scheme is to be rolled out nationally next year.

Charities attack treatment delays for mental health patients

Charities attack treatment delays for mental health patients Ministers urged to act quickly as survey finds 12% of people are forced to wait more than a year to be seen.

Revealed: the financial impact of cancer

Revealed: the financial impact of cancer Cancer is costing sufferers an average of £7,000 a year - the equivalent of an extra mortgage - in travel and lost income, a think tank report has disclosed. The Daily Telegraph

NHS told to ban smoking near hospitals

NHS told to ban smoking near hospitals

NHS hospitals have been advised to ban smoking on their premises and prohibit staff from facilitating patients who want to smoke, according to new guidance. The Independent

See also:

• Ban smoking on all your grounds, hospitals urged The Daily Mail
• VIDEO: Can a hospital stub out smoking? BBC News
• Impose total smoking ban in hospitals, NHS told OnMedica
• Smoking outside the hospital is a break for patients and staff. Why ban it? The Guardian
• This hospital smoking ban may be bad for your health The Daily Telegraph

County’s NHS launches pilot to reduce pressure on A&E

County’s NHS launches pilot to reduce pressure on A&E A pilot scheme at accident and emergency services in Northamptonshire are being put in place to help alleviate pressures on the departments. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Press release: Equivalent of up to 3,000 extra doctors and nurses, and thousands more beds made available to support NHS

Press release: Equivalent of up to 3,000 extra doctors and nurses, and thousands more beds made available to support NHS Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced the plans today to make sure the NHS is better prepared for winter than ever before.

NHS told to get tough on smoking

NHS told to get tough on smoking The NHS must stop turning a "blind eye" to smoking and ban it in all hospital grounds in England, according to new guidance. BBC News

See also:

• Hospitals have a duty of care to help all patients who smoke to quit NICE

Boots recalls cough and cold remedies

Boots recalls cough and cold remedies Pharmacy giant Boots recalls tens of thousands of bottles of cough and cold medicines over fears that plastic might have got into the liquid. BBC News

Patient safety reporting overhaul

Patient safety reporting overhaul The NHS is developing the National Reporting and Learning System to become an integrated reporting route for patient safety incidents. E-Health Insider

Are private patients 'too posh to push'?

Are private patients 'too posh to push'? "Well-off mothers really are 'too posh to push'," the Mail Online reports after an Irish study found that mothers who use private healthcare services had twice the odds of having a planned caesarean section as women using state-funded care.

Self-harm: half of inpatient cases dealt with by hospitals involve existing mental health service users

Self-harm: half of inpatient cases dealt with by hospitals involve existing mental health service users A third of all service user cases involve intentional self-harm with prescription drugs. Health and Social Care Information Centre

Francis report: Jeremy Hunt has prioritised blame over support

Francis report: Jeremy Hunt has prioritised blame over support The government's response fits in with the wider political strategy of blaming individuals for shortcomings in the system.

More transparency needed in hospitals

More transparency needed in hospitals Jane Cummings, the chief nursing officer, says openness will help drive up standards for patients. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• “Absolute transparency is the key to driving improvements in standards of care” says Chief Nursing Officer NHS England

Bitter conditions linked to deaths of additional 31,000 people last winter - a rise of almost one third

Bitter conditions linked to deaths of additional 31,000 people last winter - a rise of almost one third

There was a 29 per cent increase in deaths linked to the cold weather last winter, new figures have revealed. The Independent

See also:

• Charities say rise in cold weather deaths is a scandal The Daily Telegraph
• Steep rise in winter deaths BBC News
• Government response: ONS Excess Winter Mortality in England and Wales statistics Department of Health

Invitation to talk health in Corby

Invitation to talk health in Corby Healthwatch Northamptonshire is inviting people to a meeting about health and social care at the Corby Cube on Thursday, December 5. Northamptonshire Telegraph

The Third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles

The Third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles Results published across six papers in The Lancet give the most detailed picture yet of the British population’s sex lives over the last 10 years, as part of the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles survey (Natsal).

See also:

• Let's talk about sex... BBC News
• Modern life 'turning people off sex' BBC News 

Child-on-child abuse 'shocking'

Child-on-child abuse 'shocking' "Shocking" sexual violence is being carried out by children against other children as young as 11, according to an official report. BBC News

Solving a game of hospital Tetris

Solving a game of hospital Tetris Can tracking technology help fill hospital beds? BBC News

AUDIO: Carers 'paid less than minimum wage'

AUDIO: Carers 'paid less than minimum wage' Some care workers are being paid less than the minimum wage, a report has found. BBC News

Tough decisions needed on NHS pay says Dean Royles

Tough decisions needed on NHS pay says Dean Royles It is the same every year. The annual planning cycle means that each September, we submit our written evidence to the NHS Pay review bodies – independent bodies that recommend pay awards for NHS staff. They will decide in spring 2014 whether or not to accept our recommendations. The review body asked us for evidence …NHS Voices 

Waiting times for GPs predicted to worsen this winter, as result of emerging £10.2bn funding black hole

Waiting times for GPs predicted to worsen this winter, as result of emerging £10.2bn funding black hole According to new research by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), funding has drifted away from primary care towards hospitals over the last eight years – with the result that general practice now receives £2.4bn less a year than if funding had kept pace with secondary care.

Steroid use in premature babies linked to ADHD

Steroid use in premature babies linked to ADHD "Steroid injections for premature babies could raise ADHD risk," reports The Daily Telegraph after a Finnish study found a link between steroid use (corticosteroids) in premature babies and developmental conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Still ignoring the risks? An interim review of health and wellbeing boards

Still ignoring the risks? An interim review of health and wellbeing boards Earlier this year, the Campaign to End Loneliness published Ignoring the health risks?, which tracked whether the newly established health and wellbeing boards across England had prioritised the public health issues of loneliness and isolation within their strategies. This review updates the research and finds that more than half of boards  have included some reference to loneliness or isolation in their strategies.

• Report
• Campaign to End Loneliness - press release

Improve access to support for domestic abuse, BMA demands

Improve access to support for domestic abuse, BMA demands GPs have key role in spotting signs of abuse, but often lack confidence in how best to handle it. OnMedica

Obesity crisis: more than one third of 60-70 year olds now dangerously overweight

Obesity crisis: more than one third of 60-70 year olds now dangerously overweight People are growing fatter in old age with waist sizes rising faster than body mass index. The Daily Telegraph

Fire crews treated patients 387 times in three months

Fire crews treated patients 387 times in three months Hundreds of patients who dial 999 and ask for an ambulance are now being sent firefighters or, on some occasions, police officers. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Speech: Secretary of State for Health: message to NHS staff

Speech: Secretary of State for Health: message to NHS staff This week was a major milestone for the NHS, with our final response to the Francis report. It comes on the back of a challenging year of unprecedented scrutiny and transparency. It has not been easy, but I am confident the result will be a profound change in culture that will make our NHS the safest health system in the world.

Friendship line for elderly launched

Friendship line for elderly launched Esther Rantzen launches a free 24-hour dedicated helpline for older people that aims to provide friendship and combat loneliness. BBC News

Delayed hospital discharges examined

Delayed hospital discharges examined NHS figures have highlighted the growing impact of delays in discharging patients in England once they are fit to leave hospital. BBC News

See also:

• NHS Bed blocking increases to highest level in three years  The Daily Telegraph

'Fat gene' could make you 'eat more and move less'

'Fat gene' could make you 'eat more and move less' "Do YOU have the fat gene?" the Mail Online asks, saying that, "90% of obese people could have mutation that means they're programmed to eat more and move less". Its report is based on a genetic analysis of a multigenerational Arab Israeli family in which it appeared that morbid obesity "ran in the family".

The UK strategy for rare diseases

The UK strategy for rare diseases This strategy contains over 50 commitments to ensure people living with a rare disease have access to the best evidence-based care and treatment that health and social services, working with charities, researchers and industry, can provide.

• Strategy document
• Department of Health - publications

Hospitals scramble to prevent crisis in NHS's 'toughest ever' winter

Hospitals scramble to prevent crisis in NHS's 'toughest ever' winter NHS deputy chief executive says service 'pulling out all the stops' to deal with impact of bad weather, flu and vomiting bug.

Hundreds of convicted doctors still practising

Hundreds of convicted doctors still practising Medical chiefs say they cannot automatically ban convicted doctors because it may breach their human rights. The Daily Telegraph

'Stealth' pay rises for NHS staff costing £1bn a year

'Stealth' pay rises for NHS staff costing £1bn a year The NHS is spending almost £1 billion a year on a stealth system of automatic pay rises, which have seen earnings rise by up to a third in five years. The Daily Telegraph

NHS hospitals send overseas for nurses before winter crisis

NHS hospitals send overseas for nurses before winter crisis

Hundreds of Spanish nurses will start work across Britain this week, having been fast-tracked to work at NHS hospitals in what the Royal College of Nursing is describing as a “crisis in workforce supply”. The Independent

Reactor closure puts medical scans at risk as shortage of radioactive material could jeopardise patients’ health

Reactor closure puts medical scans at risk as shortage of radioactive material could jeopardise patients’ health

A worldwide shortage of radioactive material vital for the operation of medical scanners could jeopardise patients’ health in the UK, say senior doctors. They are calling on the Government to prevent a shortage of a radioactive isotope used to diagnose cancers and heart defects. The Independent

‘Legal high’ cases on the rise at Northampton General Hospital

‘Legal high’ cases on the rise at Northampton General Hospital One person a week is being taken to Northampton General Hospital suffering from the effects of ‘legal highs’, an accident and emergency consultant has warned. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Three men collapse after taking legal highs in Northants Northamptonshire Telegraph

The state of health care and adult social care in England 2012/13

The state of health care and adult social care in England 2012/13 This year’s State of Care report looks at the pressures on A&E services due to an increase of admissions for ‘avoidable’ conditions. It also brings together the findings of more than 35,000 inspections to try and give a picture of the quality of health and social care services in 2012/13.

• Report
• CQC - news

See also:

• NHS has not learned from MId-Staffs, warns damning report The Daily Telegraph 
• CQC report says hospital care has not improved since Mid Staffs scandal The Guardian 
• NHS Confederation comments on CQC's fourth State of Care report NHS Confederation 
• Government response: CQC State of Care report Department of Health l

Elderly emergency admissions rising

Elderly emergency admissions rising Urgent action is needed to stem the rise in avoidable emergency admissions among the elderly, regulators say. BBC News

See also: 

• Hospital A&Es swamped by 500,000 elderly victims of neglect The Independent 
• Neglect of elderly fuels 500,000 hospital admissions The Daily Telegraph

Concern at brain haemorrhage delays

Concern at brain haemorrhage delays Experts warn of delays in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with brain haemorrhages, especially at weekends, which they say is causing 'unnecessary harm'. BBC News

A question of behaviours: why delivering care integration and managing acute demand depends as much on changing behaviour as new systems

A question of behaviours: why delivering care integration and managing acute demand depends as much on changing behaviour as new systems This report from iMPOWER addresses two connected challenges: the increasing dependency on acute settings and urgent care, particularly for the elderly and the positive agenda to integrate care in home and community settings.

• Report
• iMPOWER - publications

Health at a glance 2013: OECD indicators

Health at a glance 2013: OECD indicators This report provides the latest comparable data on different aspects of the performance of health systems in OECD countries. It provides evidence of large variations across countries in the costs, activities and results of health systems. Key indicators provide information on health status, the determinants of health, health care activities and health expenditure and financing in OECD countries.

• Report
• OECD - publications

NHS wastes millions each year on utilities

NHS wastes millions each year on utilities The NHS in England could have saved £41.4m by simply paying the average tariff for energy and water OnMedica

See also:

• Research note: Energy and water bills in the NHS Taxpayers Alliance

Middle managers can bridge gap between ward and board

Middle managers can bridge gap between ward and board The NHS doesn't always encourage sharing information across the tiers – but it is essential to improving patient safety.

Britain's rates of cancer and stroke survival on par with Eastern Europe, study finds

Britain's rates of cancer and stroke survival on par with Eastern Europe, study finds Britain's rates of cancer and stroke survival are on a par with Eastern Europe, despite Government pledges to improve care, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation Development finds. The Daily Telegraph

Labour demands health bosses hold meetings over possible cuts

Labour demands health bosses hold meetings over possible cuts Northamptonshire’s Labour Party says health bosses in the county have gone back on their pledge to hold public meetings over plans which could see a reduction in funding for services. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Hunt for Northampton General Hospital poster girl

Hunt for Northampton General Hospital poster girl A search has begun for a girl who appeared in a charity fund-raising film for Northampton General Hospital almost 80 years ago. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Do you recognise this girl - from an old 1935 photo? NGH News

The role of rules and regulation in patient safety

The role of rules and regulation in patient safety The concrete steps we should take in making progress towards Berwick’s noble vision are unlikely to involve dispensing with rules and regulation altogether, says Karen Yeung, the question is how to design them so that they promote behaviour deemed desirable without thwarting the very conduct we seek to encourage. The Health Foundation  

NHS electronic prescribing 'patchy'

NHS electronic prescribing 'patchy' Better use of electronic prescribing in NHS hospitals would improve patient safety, a study suggests. BBC News

A&Es get extra money as winter bites

A&Es get extra money as winter bites The government is expected to make an extra £150m available for A&E units in England as they gear up for what looks set to be a tough winter, the BBC understands. BBC News

See also:

• English A&Es get extra £150m winter funds The Guardian