Giant NHS database rollout delayed

Giant NHS database rollout delayed The start of a new NHS data-sharing scheme in England involving medical records is being delayed by six months. BBC News

See also:

• Care.data delayed E-Health Insider
• GP leaders propose six point action plan for care.data scheme OnMedica
• NHS medical records database halted amid concerns The Daily Telegraph
• Victory for privacy as NHS database is delayed The Independent
• NHS in England delays sharing of medical records The Guardian

NICE drugs policy for the elderly is unchanged

NICE drugs policy for the elderly is unchanged "NHS ban medicine if you are 'too old' in new attack on Britain's elderly" is the headline in the Daily Express, with many other news sources echoing similar dire warnings.

The media storm is based on the news that, as part of a consultation, the Department of Health has asked the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to take "wider societal benefits" into account when approving new drugs, as well as considering the burden of illness and the impact a disease has on patients.

There are fears that vulnerable groups, including the elderly, could lose out if they are judged not to contribute as much to society as other groups, especially if societal impact is just assessed from an economic viewpoint. The concern is that NICE may not recommend drugs specifically targeted at diseases that occur in these vulnerable groups.

NHS England sets out key elements of enhanced service for complex needs

NHS England sets out key elements of enhanced service for complex needs Options becomes available in April; aim is to cut avoidable unplanned admissions. OnMedica

The only thing wider than the NHS funding gap is the policy vacuum

The only thing wider than the NHS funding gap is the policy vacuum You might have thought a £30bn shortfall in NHS finances would have prompted Jeremy Hunt into action. Apparently not.

'Public health emergency' declared as one in six GPs was asked to refer a patient to food banks in the last year

'Public health emergency' declared as one in six GPs was asked to refer a patient to food banks in the last year

One in six family doctors has been asked to refer a patient to a food bank in the past year, a new survey has found, with GPs reporting that benefits delays are leaving people without money for food for weeks on end. The Independent

Check your ambulance service: postcode lottery 'costs 2,500 lives a year'

Check your ambulance service: postcode lottery 'costs 2,500 lives a year' Find out how your local service compares, as a former ambulance boss warns of the 'frightening' difference between postcodes. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• 'Deadly ambulance postcode lottery' BBC News

Breast cancer campaign targets older women

Breast cancer campaign targets older women Northamptonshire NHS and the county council are supporting the new NHS breast cancer in women over 70 campaign. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northamptonshire charity to launch ‘legal high’ educational campaign

Northamptonshire charity to launch ‘legal high’ educational campaign A campaign to inform young people about the dangers of taking ‘legal highs’ is to be launched by a Northamptonshire charity. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

As NHS Sustainability Day approaches, what can we learn from the trusts who are doing it right, asks Matthew Abbott

As NHS Sustainability Day approaches, what can we learn from the trusts who are doing it right, asks Matthew Abbott An important fixture in any healthcare professional’s diary, NHS Sustainability Day falls on 27 March. In the three years the campaign has been running it has managed to increase the amount of debate on sustainable healthcare practices to new levels, inspiring hundreds of NHS Trusts and healthcare providers to examine their own practices. NHS Voices

Press release: Better care for mental health crisis

Press release: Better care for mental health crisis Emergency support for people in mental health crisis is set to see dramatic improvements across the country as part of a far-reaching new agreement between police, mental health trusts and paramedics.

The agreement – called the Crisis Care Concordat – has been signed by more than 20 national organisations in a bid to drive up standards of care for people experiencing crisis such as suicidal thoughts or significant anxiety.

The sixth year of the Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) Service: 2012/2013

The sixth year of the Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) Service: 2012/2013 This report provides an overview of the 6 years that the IMCA service has been active. It is particularly relevant to local authority commissioners, mental capacity leads and safeguarding leads. Department of Health

E-referrals to be mandatory - Nicholson

E-referrals to be mandatory - Nicholson Use of the new NHS e-referrals service could become mandatory for GPs, NHS England's chief executive Sir David Nicholson has said. E-Health Insider

Care.data: a media.disaster

Care.data: a media.disaster When EHI reported that well-known privacy campaigner Phil Booth had "slammed" the leaflet that it was sending out about care.data, NHS England was very upset. E-Health Insider

Call for help for tongue-tie babies

Call for help for tongue-tie babies Services for babies with breastfeeding problems because of tongue tie need to be improved, the NCT parenting charity says. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: Call for better tongue-tie care BBC News

Correlating hospital and mental health data

Correlating hospital and mental health data The Health and Social Care Information Centre has published its latest monthly report (October 2013) linking hospital episode statistics mental health data from the mental health minimum dataset (MHMDS). The HES-MHMDS linkage promotes understanding of mental health service users' interactions with acute secondary care.

Is there such a thing as a 'lazy gene'?

Is there such a thing as a 'lazy gene'? "A mutation in a gene with a critical role in the brain could explain why some people are 'couch potatoes'," The Independent reports, while the Mail Online claims that "there might soon be a pill to get you moving".

Both headlines are way off the mark – the underlying study did not involve humans, but mice. Researchers looked at the genetics and brain chemistry of mice to see how a specific genetic mutation (a variant of the SLC35D3 gene) influenced body weight, food intake, metabolism and physical activity levels.

Use of police cells during mental health crises to be halved

Use of police cells during mental health crises to be halved Deal signed by 22 national organisations follows official report on detentions under section 136 of Mental Health Act.

The number of times police cells are used as a place of safety for people having a mental health crisis is intended to be halved under a far-reaching agreement between police, mental health trusts and paramedics.

Hospital chief executive steps down due to ‘health’

Hospital chief executive steps down due to ‘health’ The chief executive of St Andrew’s Healthcare in Northamopton has retired early for health reasons. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Transforming community services: learning from previous mistakes

Transforming community services: learning from previous mistakes Community services make up a large part of NHS activity, from chronic disease management and intensive rehabilitation to health visiting and school nursing. Yet years of initiatives, policy ideas and fads have left a legacy of highly complex, narrowly focused and often poorly co-ordinated services, making the system difficult to understand and navigate, even for professionals. So, with an ongoing ambition to shift care out of hospitals and closer to people’s homes, what is needed to transform community services?

TPP launches Mobile Working

TPP launches Mobile Working TPP has launched a new mobile version of SystmOne, which is optimised for touch screens and available on and off-line. E-Health Insider

NHS trusts ranked on clinical IT

NHS trusts ranked on clinical IT The first national table ranking NHS trusts in their use of clinical IT systems has been launched by EHI Intelligence, in partnership with NHS England. E-Health Insider

CCG allocation growth projections 2016/17 to 2018/19

CCG allocation growth projections 2016/17 to 2018/19 This guidance is intended to support commissioners who are currently developing their five years strategic plans. It sets out some high level planning assumptions that CCGs can use when considering how to project growth in allocations in years three to five of the planning period. NHS England

Adults 'unaware of NHS data plans'

Adults 'unaware of NHS data plans' Fewer than a third of adults in England recall getting an a leaflet about changes to the handling of medical records, a poll for the BBC suggests. BBC News

Community services have been neglected

Community services have been neglected The system is too complex and badly organised. Health Service Journal

Special measures update report

Special measures update report This update report finds that significant progress has been made turning around some of England’s most challenged hospitals. Monitor

Papworth hospital's future in doubt after Treasury intervention

Papworth hospital's future in doubt after Treasury intervention Heart and lung hospital's planned Cambridge move caught up in 'NHS politics' that may force partnership with loss-making trust.

The future of the world-renowned Papworth hospital is in doubt because it is being prevented by the Treasury from moving to a new centre of medical excellence in Cambridge.

Instead of consolidating its reputation as a pioneering heart and lung hospital at the forefront of medical innovation, Papworth may instead be forced into a shotgun partnership with the NHS's most loss-making foundation trust.

NHS adviser Sir Stuart Rose has private health link

NHS adviser Sir Stuart Rose has private health link

The former Marks & Spencer’s boss appointed by Jeremy Hunt to advise on improving the NHS could “make a fortune” from hospital takeovers by private companies, the country’s biggest union has claimed. The Independent

See also:

• M&S's pastel shades won't suit the NHS The Guardian

NHS hospitals have their worst week yet this winter

NHS hospitals have their worst week yet this winter NHS hospitals have their worst week yet this winter, figures show. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Bad week for A&E: Worst performance since April 2013 The Independent
• A&E waiting times in England prompt Labour to warn of NHS winter crisis The Guardian

Queuing medics at Northampton hospitals ‘lose 11,000 hours a year’

Queuing medics at Northampton hospitals ‘lose 11,000 hours a year’ Queuing ambulance drivers at Northamptonshire hospitals are wasting about 11,000 hours a year when they could be on call. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Trainee GP at Northampton surgery cleared of sexual assault

Trainee GP at Northampton surgery cleared of sexual assault Queuing ambulance drivers at Northamptonshire hospitals are wasting about 11,000 hours a year when they could be on call. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Re-allocating the money: who should lead on reforming mental health?

Re-allocating the money: who should lead on reforming mental health? The focus on delivering improvements in mental health care is currently dominated by how funding is allocated. But in the midst of the debate, little thought has been given to who should receive this money, and importantly how this could lead to reforming the system. Is it really a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul, or could we all benefit by sharing a little more?

Ex-M&S boss to advise NHS managers

Ex-M&S boss to advise NHS managers Former Marks and Spencer boss Sir Stuart Rose is to lead a review into how to improve management in the NHS in England. BBC News

See also:

• Press release: Sir Stuart Rose to advise on NHS leadership Department of Health
• This is not just an ordinary NHS bypass... Former M&S boss Sir Stuart Rose to advise Government on failing hospitals The Independent
• M&S meets the NHS as Stuart Rose is handed mentor role for hospitals The Guardian

Government response to the review of the regulation of cosmetic interventions

Government response to the review of the regulation of cosmetic interventions The Government accepts the principles of the Keogh Review and the majority of its recommendations for protecting people who choose cosmetic procedures. Department of Health

See also:

• New cosmetic rules 'are appalling' BBC News
• Crackdown on 'cosmetic cowboys' The Daily Telegraph
• Plastic surgeons criticise government over new rules The Independent
• Surgeons condemn 'appalling' lack of action on cosmetic surgery regulation The Guardian

Belgium approves child euthanasia

Belgium approves child euthanasia Belgium becomes the first country in the world to allow child euthanasia without any age limit, after parliament passed a bill by a wide majority. BBC News

Merger of GP and community care possible, says NHS England

Merger of GP and community care possible, says NHS England Work by NHS England to develop primary care could include new contractual arrangements for GPs and the merger of community and primary care services, its deputy medical director has suggested. GP Online

300,000 more patients on NHS waiting list under coalition

300,000 more patients on NHS waiting list under coalition HS data shows that 2.88 million people in England were waiting for consultant-led treatment in December.

The number of people waiting for NHS hospital treatment has risen by more than 300,000 under the coalition, amid concern that NHS rationing is forcing patients to wait longer for operations.

Mobile phones 'pose no health risk'

Mobile phones 'pose no health risk' UK research group publishes its final report which shows no health risks linked to mobile phone use. The Daily Telegraph

Change needed to realise the potential of community services, says new report by The King’s Fund

Change needed to realise the potential of community services, says new report by The King’s Fund Radical changes to community services are needed to realise the ambition of moving more care out of hospital and closer to people's homes, says a new report published by The King's Fund.

'Cosmetic crisis' measures expected

'Cosmetic crisis' measures expected Tougher rules on dermal fillers, Botox injections and plastic surgery are set to be announced by the government. BBC News

GPs add to fears over NHS database

GPs add to fears over NHS database There is a crisis of confidence about a new NHS data-sharing scheme involving medical records, GP leaders are warning. BBC News

See also:

• RCGP voices concerns about care.data Royal College of General Practitioners
• Survey shows readers wary on care.data E-Health Insider
• NHS database faces 'crisis of public confidence', GP body warns The Guardian
• 'Crisis of confidence' in NHS database, warn GPs The Daily Telegraph

Raising Concerns Newsletter Launch

Raising Concerns Newsletter Launch Read the first edition of the raising concerns newsletter for latest news on raising concerns NHS Employers

Public expenditure on health and social care: seventh report of session 2013-14

Public expenditure on health and social care: seventh report of session 2013-14 This report concludes that the health and care system needs fundamental change so that services are joined up and focussed on the needs of patients. It recommends that the current level of real terms funding for social care should be ring-fenced. It also recommends that the role of Health and Wellbeing Boards should be developed to allow them to become effective commissioners of joined-up health and care services. It also considers other issues such as competition, pay restraint and trusts and foundation trusts. House of Commons Health Select Committee

See also:

• MPs call for review of ‘fragmented’ commissioning OnMedica

NHS financial squeeze unsustainable in face of increasing demand

NHS financial squeeze unsustainable in face of increasing demand It's time the health service admits it is unlikely to meet future demand with ongoing funding crunch.

The NHS is now at a more pivotal stage than it has ever been since I became a GP more than 30 years ago. The financial squeeze on health services will get much tighter over the next five years, with spending per person on the NHS falling by 9%. The Institute for Fiscal Studies said that even if the NHS budget remained protected from cuts, the growth in population would lead to big real terms cuts. The truth is that the NHS protection myth is over. Even if health spending continued to rise with inflation, as it has since 2010, age-adjusted spending per person would be 9% lower in 2018 than in 2010.

£1bn could be saved by NHS over next decade if doctors diagnosed chronic lung diseases earlier

£1bn could be saved by NHS over next decade if doctors diagnosed chronic lung diseases earlier

Doctors are failing to make an early diagnosis in 85 per cent of chronic lung diseases, which kill 25,000 people in the UK every year, researchers have found. The Independent

'Lack of clarity' over NHS savings

'Lack of clarity' over NHS savings There is a lack of clarity about what the money saved in the NHS in England in recent years has been spent on, say MPs. BBC News

'Millions more should take statins'

'Millions more should take statins' Millions more people should be put on cholesterol-lowering statin drugs to cut their risk of heart disease, say draft guidelines for the NHS. BBC News

See also:

• NICE advises much wider use of statins in draft guidance NICE
• Cholesterol drug statins should be given to millions more, NHS guidance says The Guardian
• Statins: 12 million Brits will be advised to take cholesterol-lowering drug The Daily Telegraph

Delivering integrated care and support

Delivering integrated care and support A report by the Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services (IRISS) highlights six factors in successful integrated care: vision, leadership, culture, local context, integrated teams and time.

What are the effects of teaching evidence-based health care?

What are the effects of teaching evidence-based health care? An evidence-based approach to health care is recognized internationally as a key competency for healthcare practitioners. This overview systematically evaluated and organized evidence from systematic reviews on teaching evidence-based health care. PLOS

The Francis Report: one year on

The Francis Report: one year on Many senior leaders of the acute trusts said that the publication of the Francis Report had prompted them to reflect in greater depth on the quality of care being delivered in their organisations. The Nuffield Trust

Transformation of care required to make NHS sustainable in future 'yet to take place,' says Health Select Committee

Transformation of care required to make NHS sustainable in future 'yet to take place,' says Health Select Committee The NHS is failing to meet its savings targets and new competition laws are standing in the way of “necessary change”, an influential committee of MPs has said. The Independent

See also:

• Hospitals must stop providing certain services or shut to sustain NHS – MPs The Guardian

Shrink our hospitals to give better care, says NHS chief Sir David Nicholson

Shrink our hospitals to give better care, says NHS chief Sir David Nicholson Writing for The Telegraph, Sir David Nicholson says NHS needs to centralise services, with smaller number of larger hospitals offering most major surgery. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• 'NHS has to adapt to survive', says chief executive The Daily Telegraph

Half of people with dementia suffer malnutrition, new report warns

Half of people with dementia suffer malnutrition, new report warns Research found that half of care homes residents were not eating enough food, while almost as many had low fluid intake. The Daily Telegraph

Abortion scandal: Inside Britain's unregulated 'pro-life' clinics

Abortion scandal: Inside Britain's unregulated 'pro-life' clinics Undercover Telegraph reporters reveal what's really going on inside unregulated clinics that offer misleading information to women considering abortions The Daily Telegraph

Chief exec says Northampton General Hospital needs two more wards

Chief exec says Northampton General Hospital needs two more wards Two more wards are needed for use by Northampton General Hospital to ensure safer care, its chief executive has said. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

How can healthcare get it so right and so wrong? Part 2

How can healthcare get it so right and so wrong? Part 2 Like it or not, the whole system of healthcare delivery in the UK depends on leaders to inspire a better way of doing business. But at the top of the NHS there has been a loss of credible leadership – in fact it’s been decimated, says Martin Bromiley. The Health Foundation

See also:

• How can healthcare get it so right and so wrong? Part 1 (which focuses on Kettering General Hospital)

Ministers 'will ban car smoking'

Ministers 'will ban car smoking' The UK government will make it a criminal offence to smoke in cars in England when children are passengers, a Downing Street source says. BBC News

EU rules on child drugs 'cost lives'

EU rules on child drugs 'cost lives' EU rules must be changed to allow more testing of potentially life-saving cancer drugs on children, says Institute of Cancer Research. BBC News

See also:

• Children denied life-saving cancer drugs The Daily Telegraph

Female stroke survivors’ quality of life investigated

Female stroke survivors’ quality of life investigated “Women have a poorer quality of life after stroke than men,” reports BBC News.

This headline stemmed from a new US study that found women had a lower quality of life than men three and 12 months after experiencing a stroke or mini-stroke.

Regulating quality and safety of health and social care: international experiences

Regulating quality and safety of health and social care: international experiences This report is concerned with standards of quality and safety within health and social care systems. Care standards are intended to support efforts in maintaining and improving the quality of care; they have been developed across countries, although the ways in which they are implemented and applied differs between nations. Taking a range of six countries, it reviews the regulatory mechanisms that have been implemented to ensure that essential standards of care are applied and are being adhered to, and consider the range of policy instruments used to encourage and ensure continuous quality improvement. It looks at on Australia, England, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and the USA. It is intended to inform policy thinking for the Department of Health and others in developing the regulation of safety and quality of health and social care in England. It was prepared as part of the project 'An "On-call" Facility for International Healthcare Comparisons' funded by the Department of Health in England through its Policy Research Programme. Rand Corporation

• Report
• Report summary

State of the sector 2013

State of the sector 2013 This report contains the findings from a survey of nearly 170 drug and alcohol services, from across England’s four PHE regions. Amongst its findings, it reports that the picture on engagement with health and wellbeing boards (HWBs) and Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) is mixed, with positive examples, but other services reporting a lack of engagement; 35 per cent of drug and alcohol services surveyed reported a decrease in funding, against 20 per cent reporting an increase and 33 per cent no change; and almost half reported that they were employing fewer frontline staff and 6 out of 10 services reported an increase in the use of volunteers. Drugscope

• Report
• Executive summary
• Briefing on impact of public health reform on drug and alcohol services
• DrugScope - press release

You can find the Northamptonshire PCC FOI response here.

3.2 million Britons have diabetes

3.2 million Britons have diabetes Charity calls on NHS to fully implement Health Checks to help identify people at risk of Type 2 diabetes. OnMedica

See also:

• Rise in new diabetes cases BBC News

Mental health issues 'cost UK £70bn a year', claims thinktank

Mental health issues 'cost UK £70bn a year', claims thinktank Mental health issues are costing Britain £70bn a year, the west's leading economic thinktank said on Monday, as it urged the government to help those with depression, stress and anxiety into work. The Guardian

What can clinical commissioning groups learn from Oxfordshire?

What can clinical commissioning groups learn from Oxfordshire? Oxfordshire CCG's experience demonstrates that although commissioners control the finances, providers are still in charge.

The unravelling of the plans by Oxfordshire clinical commissioning group to introduce outcomes-based service contracts shows that while commissioners have the money, providers are still running the system. What will it take to break their power?

Revealed: Big Pharma's hidden links to NHS policy, with senior MPs saying medical industry uses ‘wealth to influence government’

Revealed: Big Pharma's hidden links to NHS policy, with senior MPs saying medical industry uses ‘wealth to influence government’

NHS bosses allowed a lobbying company working for some of the world’s biggest drugs and medical equipment firms to write a draft report which could help shape future health policy.

NHS England commissioned a group called the Specialised Healthcare Alliance (SHCA) to consult with patients’ groups, charities and health organisations and produce a report feeding into its future five-year strategy for commissioning £12bn of services. The Independent

See also: 

• NHS hires drugmaker lobbyists The Guardian

NHS bosses accused of 'climate of fear' over care.data

NHS bosses accused of 'climate of fear' over care.data Rebel GPs wont be told punishment for opting out data-sharing until it is too late. The Daily Telegraph

What are Crisis Pregnancy Centres and where are they in the UK?

What are Crisis Pregnancy Centres and where are they in the UK? Telegraph abortion investigation: There are more than 100 Crisis Pregnancy Centres (CPCs) across the UK. But what are they and where are they located? Here is an overview.

See also:

• Abortion scandal: women told 'terminations increase chance of child abuse' The Daily Telegraph
• Abortion scandal: 'abortions increase breast cancer risk', claims counsellor The Daily Telegraph
• Abortion scandal: 'abortions increase chance of infertility', claims counsellor The Daily Telegraph

More than 350 ambulance handover delays at KGH A&E

More than 350 ambulance handover delays at KGH A&E An ambulance had to wait more than half an hour to hand over a patient at Kettering General Hospital on more than 350 occasions in January. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Sick paramedics face 28-day overtime ban

Sick paramedics face 28-day overtime ban Some ambulance shifts in Northamptonshire are not being fully covered because some medics who have been off sick are stopped from doing overtime, a paramedic has claimed. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

MPs set to vote on car smoking ban

MPs set to vote on car smoking ban MPs are set to vote later on whether smoking in cars with children present should be banned. BBC News

See also:

• Smoking ban in cars carrying children expected to be passed The Guardian

Women 'fare worse after strokes'

Women 'fare worse after strokes' Women have a poorer quality of life after a stroke than men, especially if they are older, a study has found. BBC News

Offenders with learning disabilities not getting help they need, say inspectors

Offenders with learning disabilities not getting help they need, say inspectors The report makes recommendations for greater partnership working between the justice and health system in order to support the assessment and treatment of offenders with learning disabilities. HMIC

Inaccurate reporting of cat bite dangers

Inaccurate reporting of cat bite dangers “Why even a tiny cat bite could leave you in hospital: Cats’ teeth ‘inject bacteria deep into the joints and tissue’, doctors warn”. The Daily Mail inaccurately claims that one in three people bitten by cats need to go into hospital, and that two-thirds of those people need surgery.

Planned registration fee hike angers nurses

Planned registration fee hike angers nurses Nurses asked to ‘bail out’ NMC, say nurse leaders. OnMedica

STI infection rates among gay men reach 'crisis' levels

STI infection rates among gay men reach 'crisis' levels

A growing epidemic of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) linked to a rise in unprotected sex and club drug use represents “a crisis for gay men”, a leading expert has said. The Independent

Workers off sick for a month to receive health assessments

Workers off sick for a month to receive health assessments The Department for Work and Pensions says employees off work for more than a month will be offered health assessments to cut Britain's annual £9bn sick pay bill. The Daily Telegraph

NHS will be dependent on EHRs - Hunt

NHS will be dependent on EHRs - Hunt

The health service will become "totally dependent" on electronic health records over the next five years, health secretary Jeremy Hunt has said. EHI News

Wellbeing - why it matters to health policy

Wellbeing - why it matters to health policy

These documents contain evidence on why wellbeing matters to health throughout someone’s life, and what policy makers can do about it. Department of Health
Guidance

England eating disorders up by 8%

England eating disorders up by 8%

Hospital admissions for eating disorders rose by 8% in England from 2012/13, official figures show. The data, from the Health and Social information Centre (HSCIC), showed that there were 2,560 admissions, compared to 2,370 in 2011/12.Key statistics released by HSCIC:9 times as many females diagnosed Most common age for females: 15Most common age for males: 1320% of tho... Healthcare Today

“What matters most to you?” How decision aids help patients make better choices

“What matters most to you?” How decision aids help patients make better choices

You might never have heard of a decision aid, but there’s good evidence from a newly updated Cochrane review that they can help people facing decisions about treatment or screening feel better informed about the options and clearer about what … Continue reading →  Evidently Cochrane

Patient confidentiality ‘to be breached by police’: NHS database to be made available to investigators, claims former shadow Home Secretary...

Patient confidentiality ‘to be breached by police’: NHS database to be made available to investigators, claims former shadow Home Secretary...
A central NHS database of the patient’s medical records will be available to police without a warrant in breach of the idea of doctor-patient confidentiality, according to the former shadow Home Secretary, David Davis MP. Independent

• Why sharing data is for greater good  BBC News
• Police will have 'backdoor' access to health records despite opt-out, says MP  Guardian

Diabetes claim for low-fat yoghurt not proven - NHS Choices

Diabetes claim for low-fat yoghurt not proven - NHS Choices

“Yoghurt is key to beating diabetes,” is the front page headline from the Daily Express. The news is based on a study looking at the association between dairy intake and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It found that the risk of the disease was ... NHS Choices

Health experts back car smoking ban

Health experts back car smoking ban

More than 700 doctors and other health experts put their names to a letter urging MPs to back a ban in England on smoking in cars with children. BBC News

Can the Care Quality Commission live up to expectations?

Can the Care Quality Commission live up to expectations?
This week marks one year since Robert Francis published his second report into failures of care at Mid-Staffordshire Foundation Trust.

Mid-Staffs Director of Quality and Patient Experience Julie Hendry gave a moving presentation at a conference at the Fund in November summarising the journey that the trust have been on since 2009 and the progress they have made and continue to make.But what developments have there been more broadly across the system?

One year is barely long enough to achieve culture change. But locally, both in response to the first Francis report and more recently, there are countless examples of improvements in how boards monitor and manage quality, how care for frail older people is organised in hospitals, and how leaders listen to and involve patients. There are also organisations continuing to struggle to focus on quality – the picture is inevitably mixed. Nationally, the final full government response to Francisbalanced commitments to strengthen how quality is monitored with initiatives to help teams and organisations improve safety and support staff wellbeing.

Fewer overweight and obese people living in Northampton than the rest of the county

Fewer overweight and obese people living in Northampton than the rest of the county

Northampton has fewer overweight or obese people than the rest of the county and is statistically just below the national fattest average, according to new figures released by Public Health England.  Chronicle & Echo

NICE publishes draft guidance on self-monitoring tests for people on long-term anticoagulation therapy

NICE publishes draft guidance on self-monitoring tests for people on long-term anticoagulation therapy

Draft guidance from NICE?s Diagnostics Assessment Programme on 2 technologies for self-monitoring the clotting of blood in people on long-term anticoagulation therapy has been issued for public consultation.

Hospital discharge: the patient, carer and doctor perspective

Hospital discharge: the patient, carer and doctor perspective

This document contains a checklist to help support patients with the hospital discharge process. The list of questions that aims to be suitable for the majority of patients. It also includes stories from patients about their experiences and the perspectives of doctors on their care journey. British Medical Association (BMA)
Resource

Low fat yoghurt, fromage frais and cottage cheese could be the secret to beating type 2 diabetes

Low fat yoghurt, fromage frais and cottage cheese could be the secret to beating type 2 diabetes

Four or five pots of yoghurt per week may reduce our risk of developing type 2 diabetes, scientists have said. Independent

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt under pressure to introduce new meningitis B vaccine on NHS

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt under pressure to introduce new meningitis B vaccine on NHS

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is under increasing pressure from leading medical researchers and clinicians to back the UK-wide introduction of a newly licensed life-saving vaccine for children. Independent

NHS cancer blunders: MPs demand investigation after patients wrongly discharged

NHS cancer blunders: MPs demand investigation after patients wrongly discharged

Call for urgent investigation into whether patients are being denied care due to glitches in appointment systems. Telegraph

Too much of a good thing: the death of antibiotics

Too much of a good thing: the death of antibiotics

Antibiotics have saved millions of lives. Now, due to overuse, they are no longer working. The golden age of medicine is coming to and end. Telegraph

Use of Telemedicine Can Reduce Hospitalizations of Nursing Home Residents and Generate Savings for Medicare

Use of Telemedicine Can Reduce Hospitalizations of Nursing Home Residents and Generate Savings for Medicare

Results from a new Commonwealth Fund–supported study in Health Affairs led by Harvard Medical School's David C. Grabowski confirm that telemedicine can be a cost-effective alternative to a trip to the hospital.  Commonwealth Fund

An integrated approach is fundamental in care of adults with drug use disorders, says NICE

An integrated approach is fundamental in care of adults with drug use disorders, says NICE

The NHS needs to work closely with social services, local authorities and the voluntary sector if it is to deliver the best chance of recovery for adults with drug use disorders, says NICE in a new quality standard.

Hospitals to log victims of FGM

Hospitals to log victims of FGM

Doctors and nurses in the UK are to log details of the injuries suffered by victims of Female genital mutilation. BBC News

The Francis Report: One Year On

The Francis Report: One Year On
In the year since the publication of the Francis Report NHS England has led many significant improvements to address the concerns raised in this landmark report.

Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer for England and NHS England Chief Nurse said: “The lasting legacy that NHS England can give back to the patients and families who suffered in Mid-Staffs is to make the NHS the safest healthcare service in the world.

Digitising expenses saves trust money

Digitising expenses saves trust money

An NHS Trust saved 20% on its expenses spend after digitising its claims process using Expenses Health. EHI News

Northamptonshire comes fifth in England obesity league of shame

Northamptonshire comes fifth in England obesity league of shame

Northamptonshire has the fifth highest percentage of people who are overweight in England, a new report has revealed. Evening Telegraph

Data reveals England's fattest areas

Data reveals England's fattest areas

Copeland in West Cumbria is the fattest local authority area in England, according to new government figures. BBC News

Service transformation: lessons from mental health

Service transformation: lessons from mental health

"While nationally and internationally developed models are useful, choice of any particular model should be driven by local need, allowing flexibility for local providers to innovate."
Service transformation: lessons from mental health
H Gilburt, E Peck, B Ashton, N Edwards, C Naylor The King's Fund February 2014 Read more here.

The effect of hospital mergers on long-term sickness absence among hospital employees

The effect of hospital mergers on long-term sickness absence among hospital employees

"Mergers have a significant effect on employee health that should be taken into consideration when deciding to merge hospitals."
The effect of hospital mergers on long-term sickness absence among hospital employees: a fixed effects multivariate regression analysis using panel data
LE Kjekshus, VH Bernstrom, E Dahl, T Lorentzen BMC Health Services Research, 2014, 14:50 Read more here.

How clinical commissioning groups are changing the face of the NHS

How clinical commissioning groups are changing the face of the NHS

"These stories demonstrate how the NHS can become patient centred and sustainable. Not only do these innovations help people to stay well or prevent them becoming ill in the first place, they also allow the NHS to make best use of precious resources."
Taking the lead: how clinical commissioning groups are changing the face of the NHS
NHS Clinical Commissioners January 2014 Read more here.