Exclusive: NHS crisis looms as A&Es miss waiting time targets

Exclusive: NHS crisis looms as A&Es miss waiting time targets
Accident and emergency departments in England have experienced an unprecedented “spring crisis”, missing a key performance target for five weeks in a row and leaving 20,000 patients waiting for four hours or more in the first week of June alone. The Independent

See also:

• A&E targets missed for fifth straight week The Daily Telegraph

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, 2014 Update: How the U.S. Health Care System Compares Internationally

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, 2014 Update: How the U.S. Health Care System Compares Internationally Despite having the most expensive health care system, the United States ranks last overall among 11 industrialized countries on measures of health system quality, efficiency, access to care, equity, and healthy lives, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report. The UK comes out first overall.

Northamptonshire NHS launch campaign to keep pressure off A&E during World Cup

Northamptonshire NHS launch campaign to keep pressure off A&E during World Cup Northamptonshire hospitals have launched a healthcare awaress campaign to ease pressure on A&E departments during the World Cup. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• 999 crews predict up to a 15 percent increase in calls during World Cup weekend Northamptonshire Telegraph

Minister praises ‘really impressive’ improvements at Kettering General Hospital

Minister praises ‘really impressive’ improvements at Kettering General Hospital A health minister has praised the turnaround in the performance of the accident and emergency department at Kettering General Hospital. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Independent report: Payment by results: costing in the NHS

Independent report: Payment by results: costing in the NHS The trusts audited were selected based on a previous benchmarking exercise. Of the Trusts audited, 30 were identified as ‘at risk’, 10 as ‘low risk’ and 10 were selected at random. Department of Health

Hospital patients to get named doctor

Hospital patients to get named doctor Hospital patients in England should know which senior doctor is responsible for overseeing their care, according to new guidelines. BBC News

Identify people living in cold homes

Identify people living in cold homes Guidance on how to reduce deaths and illnesses among elderly people in winter has been drawn up by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). BBC News

See also:

• New draft guidance to help prevent people becoming ill or dying in the winter NICE
• Ensure discharged patients go back to warm home, doctors told The Independent

Recession 'led to 10,000 suicides'

Recession 'led to 10,000 suicides' The economic crisis in Europe and North America led to more than 10,000 suicides, according to figures from UK researchers. BBC News

NHS reform: the next shift-change

NHS reform: the next shift-change The government's NHS reforms were meant to devolve power away from Whitehall. In practice the health service remains one of the most centralised in the world. Bottom-up change is urgently needed. Public Finance 

Improving quality of life in care homes through community visiting

Improving quality of life in care homes through community visiting What difference could community visiting make to care home residents’ quality of life?

A pilot Community Visitor (CV) scheme in three Essex care homes has shown potential to support community engagement in care homes and improve residents’ quality of life. CVs visited care homes every week for a couple of hours, aiming to befriend older people and enhance communication between care home managers, staff, residents and their families. Joseph Rowntree Foundation

High-factor sunscreen doesn’t cut melanoma risk

High-factor sunscreen doesn’t cut melanoma risk “High-factor sun cream cannot…protect against the deadliest form of skin cancer,” The Guardian reports. Research involving mice with a predisposition to develop melanoma found that sunscreen only delayed, rather than prevented, the onset of melanoma.

Malignant melanoma occurs when cells that produce melanin – pigment that darkens the skin – rapidly divide and grow uncontrollably.

A mutation in a gene crucial for cell growth, BRAF, has been found in several cancers, including around half of melanoma cases. Mice in this study were given this mutation, and all of them developed melanoma when exposed to UV light.

Sunscreen factor 50 delayed the onset and reduced the number of tumours, but did not prevent melanoma.

The study also found that in the mice with the BRAF mutation, UV light damaged another part of the DNA that stops cells dividing too rapidly – tumour suppressor genes called TP53. Sunscreen did not prevent this damage, which means that the cells could grow unchecked.

Mutations in the BRAF gene found in melanomas are not the inherited type, and in humans may be caused by UV exposure and other environmental factors.

It should not be interpreted from this study that sunscreen is useless, but you cannot rely on it solely, especially if you have risk factors for melanoma, such as pale skin and having lots of moles.

NHS England in bid to cut drugs waste

NHS England in bid to cut drugs waste CCGs should work with trusts to better support patients taking medicines. OnMedica

See also:

• NHS England launches medicines optimisation prototype dashboard NHS England

NHS staff face the risk of going to jail if they mistreat patients

NHS staff face the risk of going to jail if they mistreat patients Deliberate or reckless behaviour towards patients will become punishable by up to five years in prison and £5,000 fines

NHS staff will face the risk of going to jail if they mistreat patients after ministers decided to ignore protests from doctors' organisations and bring in a new criminal offence of "wilful neglect".

Deliberate or reckless behaviour towards patients will become punishable by up to five years in prison and £5,000 fines under the government's amendment to the criminal justice and courts bill. Continue reading... The Guardian

Hospital staff should recognise carers' skills and knowledge

Hospital staff should recognise carers' skills and knowledge Carers have knowledge and expertise not provided by NHS staff, yet they are not consulted in the hospital process

You might think that when the person they care for goes into hospital, carers would receive a period of respite. I don't find it so. My responsibilities continue during my partner's spells of hospitalisation, because while the resources of a major teaching hospital are focused on the problem that led to Victoria's admission (currently, an infected pressure sore), the longer term needs created by her multiple sclerosis don't go away. But they do tend to get disregarded by hospital staff.

A large teaching hospital is a self-contained, if not positively hermetic, system which doesn't really recognise outsiders as having any contribution to make. For example, I have tried repeatedly and unsuccessfully to get the hospital's consultants to include the community tissue viability nurse in discussions of my partner's pressure sore. I want her involved because she is the person who will be my source of information on future management of the wound. She has monitored, and photographed, the sore's progress over the last five years rather than from the point of Victoria's recent admission; she will be the person who takes over management of the wound as soon as she leaves hospital; and she was the first to identify the underlying osteomyelitis that has prevented healing. Yet the hospital team don't feel it's important to include her. Continue reading... The Guardian

Doctors told to apologise to patients when they make mistakes

Doctors told to apologise to patients when they make mistakes Doctors must apologise to patients and admit when they have got it wrong under new guidance being issued today by the General Medical Council. The Daily Telegraph

Figures reveal Britain's dire record on child mortality

Figures reveal Britain's dire record on child mortality

The UK has fallen behind its European neighbours in preventing deaths among children and young adults, dropping from among the best performers in 1970s to one of the worst today. The Independent

It's time to end top-down reform of the NHS

It's time to end top-down reform of the NHS Politicians’ role in the running of the National Health Service (NHS) needs to be better defined to counter interventionist and centralising tendencies that have hampered effective reform to date, says a new report published today by The King’s Fund.

The report, Reforming the NHS from within: beyond hierarchy, inspection and markets, argues that a new political settlement is needed that clarifies the strategic role of ministers in determining funding, establishing priorities and providing accountability to Parliament, and leaves local NHS leaders with the space to innovate and lead service change. This settlement should reflect lessons learnt from the experience of the present government’s health reforms, which have failed to distance ministers from the operational management of the NHS as originally intended.

Valuing every voice, respecting every right: making the case for the Mental Capacity Act

Valuing every voice, respecting every right: making the case for the Mental Capacity Act The government has closely considered the 39 recommendations of the House of Lords. It has also reviewed inputs and insights received from our discussions with a wide range of stakeholders. This response sets out a system-wide programme of work over 2014 to 2015 and beyond that we believe will make a real improvement to the implementation of the Mental Capacity Act. Department of Health

Functions of the local public health system

Functions of the local public health system This document sets out the public health functions of local authorities in England and is intended to replace the draft minimum standards for public health teams published by FPH in November 2013. UK Faculty of Public Health

The Bradley Report five years on

The Bradley Report five years on The Bradley Report was a six-month independent commission which reviewed the extent to which offenders with mental health problems or learning disabilities could be diverted from prison.

This report looks at what has happened in the five years since the Bradley Report was published. It finds that there has been concerted action to improve support for people with mental health problems and those with learning difficulties in the criminal justice system, but this will need to be sustained for at least another five years to put the vision into practice nationwide. Centre for Mental Health

• Report
• The Bradley Report

Don't extend statin use, say doctors

Don't extend statin use, say doctors Proposals to extend the use of statins should be scrapped, according to a group of leading doctors and academics. BBC News

See also:

• NICE responds to criticisms of its draft guidance on statins NICE
• VIDEO: Doctors urge caution on statin use BBC News
• Giving statins to millions more 'could be a disaster': Leading doctors say decision to give drugs to healthy Britons could cause harm Daily Mail
• Statins for people at low risk of heart disease needs rethink, say top doctors The Guardian
• Leading doctors warn guidance on statins could do more harm than good The Independent
• New NHS statins guidance 'risks harming patients' The Daily Telegraph

Mind the gap

Mind the gap This year’s NHS Confederation conference heard from lots of people with big ideas, all of which will be heavily dependent on technology. But will they arrive in time to address the NHS’ pressing problems? E-Health Insider

One in three adults in England 'has prediabetes'

One in three adults in England 'has prediabetes' "One in three adults in England 'on cusp' of diabetes," BBC News and others report. The media reports are based on a study that estimated that 35.3% of adults in the UK now have prediabetes (also known as borderline diabetes).

Prediabetes is where blood sugar levels are abnormally high, but lower than the threshold for diagnosing diabetes. It is estimated that around 5-10% of people with prediabetes will go on to progress to "full-blown" type 2 diabetes in any given years.

Researchers analysed information from the Health Survey for England (HSE). This is a survey that combines questionnaire-based answers with physical measurements and the analysis of blood samples from a representative sample of the English population.

This study found that there has been a significant increase between 2003 and 2011 in the proportion of people aged 16 or older with prediabetes, from 11.6% in 2003 to 35.3% in 2013.

Known risk factors, confirmed in this study, include age (40 and above), body mass index (25 and above), being of south Asian ethnicity, and having high blood pressure.

Too few people chronically infected with HCV getting treated

Too few people chronically infected with HCV getting treated ‘Unacceptable’ levels of care spell large toll of end stage liver disease and liver cancer, and NHS costs, warns PHE. OnMedica

Social care problems lead to hospital bed blocking, says Age UK

Social care problems lead to hospital bed blocking, says Age UK Pressure grows because budgets have been cut, so expensive NHS resources are being wasted, the charity says

Almost 2m bed days in hospitals have been wasted since 2010 because deepening problems in social care mean patients cannot be discharged, according to new research.

Some elderly patients are being trapped in hospital for up to 30 days a day longer than four years ago, on average while waiting to be transferred to a residential home, despite being fit to leave. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS facing summer crisis as A&E performance deteriorates, says Labour

NHS facing summer crisis as A&E performance deteriorates, says Labour Opposition says hospitals having to cope with unexpected rise in patients raising questions about inadequate GP services

An unexpected summer crisis is developing in the NHS, with performance in accident and emergency departments deteriorating, bucking the normal trend of waiting times being worse in winter than summer, according to the Labour party.

The figures show a record number of patients attending hospital A&E departments in any one week and a record number then admitted to hospital wards. The figures show a total of 296,667 going to A&E in the last week of May, again raising questions about the adequacy of GP services. Of these 77,745 were admitted to hospital. Continue reading... The Guardian

World Cup pub hours ‘are not sensible for A&E’

World Cup pub hours ‘are not sensible for A&E’ Extending pub opening hours for England’s World Cup games will be “unwelcome” for A&E departments and sets a worrying precedent for future sporting events, the country’s leading emergency doctor has said. The Independent

See also:

• World Cup alcohol licensing extension criticised The Daily Telegraph

£5 million care home ‘extends’ Northampton General Hospital site

£5 million care home ‘extends’ Northampton General Hospital site A second care home at the edge of the Northampton General Hospital site is providing a way of increasing beds for recovering patients without using NHS money. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

What is the evidence on the economic impacts of integrated care?

What is the evidence on the economic impacts of integrated care?  This policy summary reviews the existing evidence on the economic impact of integrated care approaches. Whereas it is generally accepted that integrated care models have a positive effect on the quality of care, health outcomes and patient satisfaction, it is less clear how cost effective they are. The authors found that the evidence base in this field was not strong enough to thoroughly assess the cost-effectiveness of integrated care and that a readjustment of expectations in terms of its assessment was therefore required. European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies

From the pond into the sea: children's transition to adult health services

From the pond into the sea: children's transition to adult health services This review found that young people with complex health needs do not always receive the necessary care and support when they move on to adult care services. The transition process can be a vulnerable time for young people and their families. During this period, they stop receiving health services that they may have had since a young age and move on to equivalent adult services which can be structured and funded differently. The review found that there are many committed professionals providing high-quality care but that system-wide change is needed in order to make the transition between services smoother for patients and families. Care Quality Commission 

• Report
• Summary

See also:

• NICE guidance to help tackle transition from children's to adult services NICE

CCGs may be audited to explain pressures on acute trusts

CCGs may be audited to explain pressures on acute trusts More GP commissioners has led to more burdens on acute sector. OnMedica

How mobile became mighty in healthcare

How mobile became mighty in healthcare Ten powerful trends emerging in mobile health for patients, professionals and providers

Without a doubt, 2014 will be declared the year mobile became mighty in healthcare. No matter where in the world you live, whether you are talking about patients, consumers, or healthcare providers, mobile is revolutionising the future of healthcare so much so, that it's worth taking a closer look at 10 powerful trends emerging throughout the mobile health space.

We'll also be showcasing our findings on mobile health user experience at the Mighty Mobile seminar at the inaugural Cannes Lions Health festival. Continue reading... The Guardian

Families left in the dark about care home dangers - Orchid View deaths inquiry

Families left in the dark about care home dangers - Orchid View deaths inquiry Serious Case Review into Orchid View neglect deaths scandal attacks 'perverse' restrictions on families being told about safety concerns at care homes. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

CQC response to Orchid View Serious Case Review Care Quality Commission
• Orchid View care home scandal review 'not enough' BBC News
• Orchid View care home to receive damning report published today The Daily Mail

Northumbria NHS trust saves £67m by freeing itself from PFI deal

Northumbria NHS trust saves £67m by freeing itself from PFI deal

Critics of the controversial private-finance initiative (PFI) programme have called for a full independent inquiry after an NHS trust saved nearly £67m by buying one of its hospitals out of its expensive private-sector deal. The Independent

Kettering Hospital purchases new £1m MRI scanner

Kettering Hospital purchases new £1m MRI scanner Kettering Hospital has purchased a £1m new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner to improve care for the 12,500 local people who need these scans each year. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Guidance: Care Act 2014 Part 1: factsheets

Guidance: Care Act 2014 Part 1: factsheets The Care Act received Royal Assent on 14 May 2014. These factsheets have been produced to accompany Part One of the Act. Department of Health

Busting bureaucracy: collaborative audit findings and recommendations

Busting bureaucracy: collaborative audit findings and recommendations This report makes a series of recommendations to help acute trusts spend less time on paperwork and more time providing direct care to patients. The HSCIC has been working with 16 acute trusts in England to understand local burdens of bureaucracy, since a pledge to increase efficiency and reduce burden was made last year by the Secretary of State for Health. The recommendations relate to controlling burden and bureaucracy, implementing processes and technology adoption. Health and Social Care Information Centre

• Report
• Top ten tips
• Self-assessment toolkit

Risk, safety and recovery

Risk, safety and recovery This briefing paper finds that mental health services can manage risk more effectively by involving service users in planning for safety. It argues that risk and safety are rightly major concerns in mental health care but that traditional methods of assessing risk have stood in the way of helping people to recover their lives. It argues that jointly produced ‘safety plans’ can be more effective ways of managing risk as well as enabling people to get on with their lives. Centre for Mental Health

NHS 'failing disabled and seriously ill teenagers' transferred to adult services

NHS 'failing disabled and seriously ill teenagers' transferred to adult services Care Quality Commission report criticises doctors and hospitals for leaving vulnerable young people confused and stressed

The NHS is failing disabled and seriously ill teenagers by depriving them of vital services such as pain relief when they become adults, the service's watchdog warns today.

In a highly critical report published on Monday the Care Quality Commission (CQC) castigates doctors and hospitals for leaving vulnerable young people confused and stressed when they start being cared for as adults by different health professionals. Continue reading... The Guardian

Cancer charity claims older patients are being denied life-saving surgery

Cancer charity claims older patients are being denied life-saving surgery Macmillan Cancer Support claims that those aged 75 or over are being discriminated against.

Older lung cancer patients are being denied life-saving surgery, a charity has said. Those aged 75 or over who are otherwise in good health and whose cancer has not spread are five times less likely to be given life-extending surgery than younger patients, Macmillan Cancer Support said.

England and Wales have the worst five-year lung-cancer survival rates in Europe among the over 75s, a spokesman said. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS midwives consider strike after Jeremy Hunt's U-turn on 1% pay rise

NHS midwives consider strike after Jeremy Hunt's U-turn on 1% pay rise Union recommends industrial action after health secretary rejects proposal despite it being approved by George Osborne

Midwives could go on strike for the first time in protest at what they say is ministers "assaulting" their living standards by denying them a 1% pay rise promised to all NHS staff.

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM), the midwives' union, has taken the unprecedented step of recommending to its members in England that they agree to take industrial action, including strike action, to try and force a coalition U-turn. Continue reading... The Guardian

Fine print of care rules could 'screen out' frail elderly and disabled, charities warn

Fine print of care rules could 'screen out' frail elderly and disabled, charities warn New frailty test for social care hinges on "worryingly vague" notion of "well-being", charities say. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Campaigners criticise care changes BBC News

Students' sexual and mental health services hit by cuts

Students' sexual and mental health services hit by cuts Students and doctors have warned the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, that he risks "failing an entire generation", as university GP practices attempt to cope with funding cuts which they say threaten to shut down surgeries and wipe out vital sexual and mental health services for students. The Independent

Authorities urged to hand over domestic violence cash now

Authorities urged to hand over domestic violence cash now Health and crime and council bosses have been urged to come together within seven days to ensure funding for under-threat domestic violence services in Northamptonshire can continue this year. Northamptonshire Telegraph

New management centre in Northamptonshire to improve health services for children and young people

New management centre in Northamptonshire to improve health services for children and young people A new Referral Management Centre (RMC) will be launched in Northamptonshire next week to help ensure that children and young people are seen by the right medical professionals as smoothly as possible.

The centre, launched by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) on Monday, June 9, will be based at Isebrook Hospital. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

HEE predicts requirement for more flexible care to meet needs of future patients

HEE predicts requirement for more flexible care to meet needs of future patients The patient of the future will require more care delivered closer to home by a more integrated and flexible workforce.

In the future there will be a larger population with more elderly people living for longer but current approaches to education and training continue to replicate current models of care.

Those are the findings from Health Education England’s ‘Framework 15’, a strategic framework for 2014-2029 that has been made available today.

It was launched at the NHS Confederation 2014 annual conference and exhibition by HEE Chief Executive Professor Ian Cumming in a session entitled ‘future proofing the NHS’.

HEE commissions education and training for around 130 different types of staff. Over 300 different professions and staff groups make up the current workforce.

HEE’s annual budget of £5bn will commission staff in 2014 who are likely to still be working as healthcare professionals in 2060.

Framework 15 sets out HEE’s approach to the various local, national and international challenges in healthcare over the next few years, suggests solutions and ensures the focus remains on delivery of quality care to patients.

Professor Cumming said: ‘When patients turn to us for help in the future, we need to ensure that we can meet their needs through staff with the rights skills, values and behaviours, delivering the right care in the right place at the right time.

He said: ‘The NHS is about people, not buildings. We need to deliver change through the workforce to ensure we are providing appropriate care to meet the needs of the future patient. Framework 15 is all about that future patient, understanding who they are and the healthcare needs they will have.

‘We will need more integrated, flexible care delivered closer to people’s homes and we need to ensure that we are educating and training the workforce to be able to deliver that model of care.’

Framework 15 looks at past, present and future trends across a range of global healthcare factors.

Dropping the 'N' in NHS

Dropping the 'N' in NHS Can the new NHS England boss encourage local innovation? BBC News

Three new baby poisoning cases

Three new baby poisoning cases Three new cases of babies developing blood poisoning from a suspected contaminated drip have come to light. BBC News

See also:

• Liquid food linked to poisoning of babies was sent to 22 hospitals The Guardian
• Hospital drips: blood poisoning baby victim named as three more cases revealed The Daily Telegraph

Air pollution linked to irregular heartbeat and lung blood clots

Air pollution linked to irregular heartbeat and lung blood clots "Air pollution is linked to increased risk of developing an irregular heartbeat and blood clots in the lung," BBC News reports.

A large study found that short-term exposure to small particulate matter – a form of air pollution linked to cars and other sources – was linked to a raised risk of death from these conditions.

Small particulate matter is known to potentially be dangerous – because of its size (which can be 100 times thinner than a human hair), it can bypass the body's defences against foreign objects and affect the heart and the lungs.

Reassuringly, though, the study found no clear evidence of a link between air pollution and the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

But the link found between irregular heartbeats (atrial fibrillation) and blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) is still a matter of concern. Both conditions can cause serious complications, especially in vulnerable people with a pre-existing health condition.

Linking pay with performance toolkit

Linking pay with performance toolkit This toolkit aims to support employers to link pay with performance in line with the 2013 Agenda for Change flexibilities. In March 2013, amendments to Agenda for Change were introduced that included an explicit requirement that progression through all pay points is conditional on meeting the required local level of performance. It aims to help make decisions on how to link pay progression and performance in a way that is appropriate to individual organisations, guiding employers through the relevant processes and offering examples of where it is already being implemented effectively. NHS Employers

Thousands of disabled people lose their liberty because of red tape

Thousands of disabled people lose their liberty because of red tape Tens of thousands of people with disabilities and mental health problems could have their right to freedom wrongly denied because of vast backlogs in assessing their care. The Independent

Labour vows to 'reset' the NHS after the next election

Labour vows to 'reset' the NHS after the next election The NHS in England will have to be “reset” after the next election, Labour have said, with a fundamental shift from hospital care to support in the home. The Independent

The NHS can rise to the challenge, Simon Stevens tells NHS leaders

The NHS can rise to the challenge, Simon Stevens tells NHS leaders NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens sets out critical steps the Health Service must take to address head-on the challenges it faces over the next five years and beyond. NHS England

See also:

• Speech by Simon Stevens, CEO NHS England, to the NHS Confederation Annual Conference 2014 NHS England
• NHS 'failing elderly patients' BBC News
• GPs could merge with hospital services, says NHS chief executive GP Online
• NHS faces ‘defining moment’ in its history but it can rise to its challenges OnMedica
• New NHS boss: service must become world leader in personalised medicine The Guardian
• NHS hospitals to be given bonuses for treating patients well The Daily Telegraph

Patient and Family-Centred Care toolkit

Patient and Family-Centred Care toolkit Patient and Family-Centred Care toolkit This toolkit is a step-by-step guide to improving processes of care and staff–patient interactions, using a technique called Patient and Family-Centred Care. It aims to offer a simple way for health care organisations to show their commitment to patients’ experience of the care they receive while also attending to the wellbeing of the staff who deliver that care. The toolkit evolved from the Patient and Family-Centred Care programme.

This initiative was run jointly by the Health Foundation and The King’s Fund to develop a small number of exemplary hospitals and a team of professional staff and managers who could demonstrate their achievements to others and bring sustainable improvement in patients' experience and outcomes.

• Toolkit
• Blog about the toolkit

New mileage rates from 1 July 2014

New mileage rates from 1 July 2014 Changes to the rates of reimbursement for the additional costs incurred by employees who travel on NHS business. NHS Employers

See also:

• NHS trusts to save millions on mileage adjustment NHS Employers

The Gold Guide (fifth edition) is now available

The Gold Guide (fifth edition) is now available This fifth edition of A Reference Guide for Postgraduate Specialty Training in the UK (the “Gold Guide”) sets out the arrangements agreed by the four UK Health Departments for core and/or specialty training programmes.

The Gold Guide is applicable to trainees taking up appointments in core and/or specialty training programmes which commence on or after 1 August 2007. This edition is a consolidation of earlier versions of the Gold Guide and replaces the first, second and third editions of the Gold Guide with immediate effect. Health Education England

'Male hormones' in womb linked to autism

'Male hormones' in womb linked to autism “Boys who develop autism may be exposed to higher levels of hormones…in the womb,” The Daily Telegraph reports.

Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), commonly known as autism, is more common in males, but the reason why is still unknown. One hypothesis is that there may be factors in the development of male infants that increase their risk of ASD, such as exposure to certain hormones.

This study measured sex hormone levels in the amniotic fluid (which surrounds and supports the baby) of over 300 boys. Hormone levels were found to be higher in boys who developed ASD.

However, this does not necessarily mean this is the cause of ASD. The average levels were higher, but many of the boys who developed ASD had normal and low levels, meaning there has to be other factors that play a role in the development of these conditions.

These findings have no immediate implications.

The open data era in health and social care

The open data era in health and social care This report contains a blueprint for the NHS in England to develop a research and learning programme for the open data era in health and social care. It suggests ways to enable a conversation about how the health and care system can maximize the impact of sharing open data through establishing priorities and clear ways of measuring benefits. The GovLab

• Full report
• Executive summary

Establishing incentives and changing cultures to support data access

Establishing incentives and changing cultures to support data access This study seeks to understand the factors that help and hinder researchers in making data more widely available, and to investigate the need to create new incentives to facilitate data sharing. In addition to a review of previous work on this topic, the research encompassed a web survey, expert interviews and focus group discussions with researchers and data managers. The report makes a series of recommendations to funders and research leaders about how they could work to build incentives and embed cultural change. Wellcome Trust

• Report
• Supporting materials

Early death and violent crime rates have risen in people with schizophrenia

Early death and violent crime rates have risen in people with schizophrenia Eight times as likely to die early as general public; emphasises need for secondary prevention, say researchers OnMedica

Only an injection of cash can avert an NHS crisis | Denis Campbell

Only an injection of cash can avert an NHS crisis | Denis Campbell Its new chief executive Simon Stevens is on a mission to save the NHS. But will the coalition come up with a pre-election bailout?

Suddenly the rhetoric around the NHS has got very dramatic. The service is "at a defining moment". Says who? None other than Simon Stevens, NHS England's new chief executive. His self-declared mission: to make the NHS sustainable. No pressure, eh? Interestingly, the ex-Labour special adviser personally wooed by David Cameron to take the job seems relaxed about being seen so widely as the service's saviour. Today brings his first big speech. Stevens' turn at the NHS Confederation's annual conference in Liverpool this week will expand upon themes he set out last week about reorganising services out of hospital care and making proper support for older people the top priority. Rarely have an NHS leader's views been more eagerly anticipated, or important. Answers and action are urgent.

The King's Fund, not an organisation given to hyperbole, recently warned that "the NHS is rapidly approaching a major crisis". The threat in the near future is of a service that, without a significant injection of extra cash, will run out of money and see deficits becoming common, care standards slipping or both. Continue reading... The Guardian

Baby dies after contracting bacterial infection from contaminated drip feed

Baby dies after contracting bacterial infection from contaminated drip feed One baby has died and 14 others are being treated for blood poisoning after a harmful bacteria entered their drip feed in one of the worst contamination scandals in NHS history, it has been revealed. The Independent

See also:

• Hospital feed 'poisons 15 babies' BBC News
• Feed firm 'saddened' by baby death BBC News
• One baby dead and 14 with blood poisoning from contaminated drip The Daily Telegraph
• Baby dies of blood poisoning from contaminated IV drip The Guardian
• Premature Baby Dies At St Thomas' Hospital, 15 Others Infected The Huffington Post

VIDEO: Dedicated hospital stroke unit opens

VIDEO: Dedicated hospital stroke unit opens A new dedicated stroke unit to help the rehabilitation of patients has opened at Kettering General Hospital. BBC Northamptonshire

Dorrell leaves Commons health role

Dorrell leaves Commons health role Former Cabinet minister Stephen Dorrell steps down as chair of the Commons health committee with immediate effect. BBC News

Just five sunburns increase your cancer risk

Just five sunburns increase your cancer risk  “Five serious sunburns increase the risk of deadly skin cancer by 80%,” The Daily Telegraph reports. A US study has found that sun overexposure during the teenage years significantly increases the risk of developing skin cancer in later life.

The study followed over 110,000 nurses over 20 years, using questionnaires. It found that women who had five or more blistering sunburns between the ages of 15 and 20, compared to those that had none, were 80% more likely to develop melanoma (the most aggressive form of skin cancer).

Community specialist palliative care enabling more people to die at home

Community specialist palliative care enabling more people to die at home  But more still needs to be done to open up services to non-cancer patients, says report. OnMedica

Hospital chiefs call for urgent reforms to ensure NHS survives

Hospital chiefs call for urgent reforms to ensure NHS survives Health service leaders call on three main parties to recognise scale of the challenge as £30bn funding gap is revealed.

The NHS will become "unsustainable" in its current form unless politiciansurgently work out how to modernise and fund the service so that it cancope with sharply rising pressures, hospital bosses warn today.

In a letter to the Guardian, 71 NHS leaders urge the three main parties to start producing solutions to help the NHS survive or risk it ceasing to be a universal servicethat is free at the point of need. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Get real on the challenges facing the NHS, party political leaders told OnMedica
• Does the size of the NHS budget matter? BBC News

Psychiatric support teams improve patient care and save hospitals millions | Sarah Whitehead

Psychiatric support teams improve patient care and save hospitals millions | Sarah Whitehead  A project to diagnose mental illness in inpatients is improving treatment while also reducing readmissions and waiting lists.

Vicky Mason, 69, cares for her 94-year-old mother, Jane, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease a decade ago. In recent years, Jane has begun to show signs of dementia and delirium. "She has been deteriorating over the past few years. She still knows who we are, but her memory is fading," says Mason.

But a project to provide specialist psychiatric support to dementia patients while they are in hospital has
both stabilised Jane's cognitive abilities and improved the way in which her Parkinson's is treated. On noticing a change in behaviour, the doctors treating Mason's mum on the Parkinson's ward in Heartlands
hospital, Birmingham, referred her to the project's rapid assessment interface and discharge (Raid) team based in the hospital, for immediate specialist psychiatric support. Continue reading.. The Guardian

Britain must do more to protect growing population of over-100s

Britain must do more to protect growing population of over-100s Britain needs to transform the way it looks after its oldest people,
expanding care home capacity to meet the needs of rising numbers of
“survivors” who live be 100 or more, experts have said. The Independent

Hospital inspectors facing ‘intolerable’ workload, leaked CQC documents reveal

Hospital inspectors facing ‘intolerable’ workload, leaked CQC documents reveal Hospital inspectors warn their workload has become “unsustainable”, as leaked documents reveal serious concerns about pressures faced by staff, inconsistent inspections and even drinking on the job. The Independent

What gets measured gets done. Or does it?

What gets measured gets done. Or does it? What gets measured gets done' – a well-established mantra, and with good reason. But Penny Pereira isn't entirely comfortable with the implication that results always neatly follow from applying focus and pressure to priority problems. The Health Foundation

Fairness and the GMC

Fairness and the GMC The GMC has published an independent study which shows how doctors from a range of backgrounds view the GMC and its work. The study, undertaken by NatCen Social Research, interviewed doctors in focus groups and surveyed a random sample of doctors. NHS Employers

See also:

• Fairness and the GMC: Doctors’ views  General Medical Council
• GMC determined to put fairness front and centre (press release) General Medical Council
• GMC registration and fitness to practise unfair, black and minority ethnic doctors say GP Online

Elderly care overhaul at risk over short-term funding deal, council chiefs warn

Elderly care overhaul at risk over short-term funding deal, council chiefs warn Care crisis could spiral out of control without new five-year multi-billion pound cash pot, says LGA. The Daily Telegraph

The 'Saatchi Bill': can a PR guru cure cancer?

The 'Saatchi Bill': can a PR guru cure cancer? Lord Saatchi's medican innovations Bill won't encourage good research - and, in its original form, could have opened the door for dangerous quackery, writes Nick Ross. The Daily Telegraph

Hospitals’ financial forecasts ‘are too optimistic’

Hospitals’ financial forecasts ‘are too optimistic’ Hospitals across the country have been advised to go back to the drawing board and reassess their financial plans for next year amid fears that their current forecasts are unrealistically rosy. The Independent

See also:

• NHS hospital pays finance chief rates of £600,000 a year The Daily Telegraph

Exclusive: Private contractor Healthcare at Home blamed for NHS drug delays

Exclusive: Private contractor Healthcare at Home blamed for NHS drug delays Thousands of patients, some seriously ill, are facing “disgraceful” and “unsafe” delays in receiving prescription medication because of failures at a company contracted to deliver it by the NHS. The Independent

See also:

• Thousands of NHS patients left waiting for drugs because of problems with private contractor The Daily Telegraph

Volunteers 'worth £500m to NHS'

Volunteers 'worth £500m to NHS' The country's healthcare system is being supported by 1.9 million volunteers, worth almost £500 million to the NHS, according to a new study. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Volunteer army is worth £487million to Britain’s healthcare system Royal Voluntary Service

Corby Urgent Care Centre given top marks

Corby Urgent Care Centre given top marks Inspectors have delivered a glowing report after visiting Corby Urgent Care Centre. Northamptonshire Telegraph

MP Andy Sawford makes GP appointment promise

MP Andy Sawford makes GP appointment promise An MP has promised his constituents they will be guaranteed an appointment to see their GP within 48 hours if his party win the next General Election. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Cancer waiting time targets slip

Cancer waiting time targets slip A key government target for treating people diagnosed with suspected cancer has been breached for the first time since it was introduced in 2009. BBC News

See also:

• Cancer waiting time figures reveal first breach of target The Guardian
• Cancer waiting time targets breached for first time The Daily Telegraph
• NHS misses cancer targets for the first time ever The Independent

Mental health beds 'crisis' warning

Mental health beds 'crisis' warning Pressure on mental health beds is so severe that some patients are being sectioned to secure necessary care, according to a survey of junior doctors. BBC News

Is sleeping in a light room linked to obesity?

Is sleeping in a light room linked to obesity? "Sleeping in a room with too much light has been linked to an increased risk of piling on the pounds," BBC News reports. The news comes from a study that assessed self-reported sleeping habits and body weight measurements in a group of women at a single point in time.

The researchers did find a significant link between light levels in women's rooms at night and their risk of being overweight and obese. However, the study could not provide evidence that light was causing the difference in obesity risk. The authors were aware of this limitation and cautiously described their results as "intriguing".

College sets out safe models of psychiatric care

College sets out safe models of psychiatric care Psychiatrists say service change must ensure ease of patient access. OnMedica

See also:

• Service models in adult psychiatry Royal College of Psychiatrists

The NHS must evolve or face a painful death | Ian Birrell

The NHS must evolve or face a painful death | Ian Birrell Our health service is treated as sacred. But if we want it to survive, now is the time for a frank talk about privatisation.

Politicians have a poor record of fighting the wars of the past rather than facing up to those of the future. Now we see this again amid panic over Ukip winning a protest election, with corrosive talk over the supposed curse of immigration. The desire of people to come to Britain is a gratifying sign of economic success, yet Westminster is convulsed as parties vie to appear hostile to hard-working migrants.

They ignore an issue of far more profound consequence to national wellbeing: the looming implosion of the health service. Yet as Lord Ashcroft revealed in his latest electoral analysis, nearly as many voters mention the NHS as immigration as the issue that determines their vote and as financial pressures grow, this will rise up the agenda. It is worth mentioning in passing that the two issues are inextricably linked: Britain's beloved NHS would instantly collapse without the one in four doctors from abroad, let alone all those foreign-born nurses, midwives, porters and cooks. Continue reading... The Guardian

Millions face postcode lottery in GP services

Millions face postcode lottery in GP services Doctors surgeries' are 'on the brink of collapse', senior medic warns as research shows deprived communities face the longest GP waiting times. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Millions facing postcode lottery over GP appointments Royal College of General Practitioners

NHS breaks promise after Winterbourne View scandal

NHS breaks promise after Winterbourne View scandal Thousands of children and adults with learning disabilities failed as NHS breaks its promise to re-home in the wake of a major scandal. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• VIDEO: 'Josh must return home to survive' BBC News

Exclusive: Labour plans big rise in NHS spending

Exclusive: Labour plans big rise in NHS spending Labour is drawing up plans to go into the next election with a manifesto pledge to increase NHS spending significantly should the party be returned to power,The Independent can reveal. The Independent

Death more likely after a weekend operation: Weekly dip in recovery rates worldwide proves need for a ‘seven-day NHS

Death more likely after a weekend operation: Weekly dip in recovery rates worldwide proves need for a ‘seven-day NHS Sick? In need of an operation? Then keep your fingers crossed that your consultant doesn’t schedule your procedure for a weekend afternoon – especially one in February. Patients are up to 17 per cent more likely to die if they are admitted at the weekend, an unprecedented global study has revealed. The Independent

E-cigarettes: a burning issue for future public health policy?

E-cigarettes: a burning issue for future public health policy? Although some of the Labour party’s early thinking on public health policy has recently been leaked, in the run-up to the general election all political parties will need to develop their ideas for improving the public’s health, from policies on alcohol and food, to the role of industry and taxes. With plain (or rather standardised) cigarette packaging now close – in no small measure thanks to the compelling Chantler Review – the next political issue on tobacco must surely be a clearer view on e-cigarettes.

Enabling integrated care in the NHS

Enabling integrated care in the NHS Guidance on how healthcare providers and commissioners can enable better integration of care so services are less fragmented and easier for patients to access. Monitor

New NHS boss backs smaller hospitals

New NHS boss backs smaller hospitals Smaller community hospitals should play a bigger role especially in the care of older patients, the new head of the NHS in England says. BBC News

See also:

• Simon Stevens: 'The NHS is at a defining moment' The Daily Telegraph
• NHS chief Simon Stevens: We need cottage hospitals The Daily Telegraph

Drugs to treat alcohol top £3m

Drugs to treat alcohol top £3m There were a million hospital admissions related to alcohol in England last year and £3.13m was spent on drugs to treat alcohol dependency. BBC News

See also:

• Cost of drugs for treating alcohol dependence tops £3 million for the first time Health & Social Care Information Centre

Developing a sustainable podiatry workforce for the UK towards 2030

Developing a sustainable podiatry workforce for the UK towards 2030 This report was commissioned by the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists as evidence to inform and influence organisations responsible for health workforce strategy, funding of under and post graduate education and service provision for Podiatry. The College of Podiatry

Environmental sustainability in hospitals: the value of efficiency

Environmental sustainability in hospitals: the value of efficiency This guide aims to help hospital and care system leaders navigate the world of sustainability and build upon their organizations’ existing efforts. Hospitals in Pursuit of Excellence

How can the NHS find its way out of the funding crisis?

How can the NHS find its way out of the funding crisis? Two possible solutions have been offered but are they viable and will they prove successful?

This week two visions are being offered for how the NHS can find its way out of the funding and quality crises. One is a myth, the other might make a difference.

The myth is, of course, being peddled by a politician. This week it's the turn of health secretary Jeremy Hunt (again). In an HSJ interview he claimed that safety and technology are all that are needed to get the NHS through more years of deficit reduction. Eradicating mistakes while installing new kit appears to be the way forward. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS providers face mounting financial and staffing pressures

NHS providers face mounting financial and staffing pressures NHS providers are worrying how to keep the quality of patient care high as resources are squeezed.

NHS foundation trusts (FT) and NHS trusts are facing the broadest range of challenges for more than a generation including dealing with an ever tighter budget and rapidly rising demand. With NHS England warning of an "even more challenging" financial year than 2013-14, how did NHS providers end last year and what shape are they in to deliver the changes needed to make the NHS clinically and financially sustainable?

The last fortnight has seen the publication of year end reports from Monitor for NHS Foundation Trusts and the Trust Development Authority for NHS Trusts. They identify four trends: "very significant financial pressure", a rapid, largely unfunded, growth in staff numbers, good operational performance with some growing concerns, and a pessimistic outlook. Continue reading... The Guardian

Deaths from high blood pressure in decline

Deaths from high blood pressure in decline Hundreds of thousands of lives have been saved because of improvements to the treatment of high blood pressure, according to a new study. The Independent

See also:

• Blood pressure advances save lives BBC News
• Blood pressure drugs prevent 70,000 heart attacks in a single year: Tens of thousands of lives saved by improved diagnosis and treatment The Daily Mail
• 55,000 strokes and heart attacks could be prevented in 2022 with better blood pressure control The Daily Telegraph

Beyond Francis and Berwick...sign up to improvement?

Beyond Francis and Berwick...sign up to improvement? We’ve faltered in England. There hasn’t been a medium term strategy for improvement in the NHS based on recognised tried and tested quality improvement techniques, some from other industries with complex high risk systems like the NHS. Isn’t it now time for something more strategic, on the back of Francis and given the financial squeeze? asks Dr Jennifer Dixon. The Health Foundation

QualityWatch: Focus on: antidepressant prescribing

QualityWatch: Focus on: antidepressant prescribing This research, conducted jointly between The Nuffield Trust and The Health Foundation, reveals that the financial crisis and subsequent recession saw a significant acceleration in the numbers of antidepressants prescribed by GPs. This striking increase is despite the incidence of depression having risen much more slowly over the same time period, meaning that either antidepressants were heavily under-prescribed in 1998, or they are heavily over prescribed now.

• Report
• Quality Watch press release

Meet the people using social media to make a difference

Meet the people using social media to make a difference NHS Employers have collaborated with HSJ and Nursing Times to celebrate healthcare’s social media pioneers.