Stress 'causes damage to the heart,' study finds

Stress 'causes damage to the heart,' study finds

"Stress is already known to be bad for the heart, but now scientists have discovered why it is so harmful," The Times reports.

A new US study now offers a plausible model of how chronic psychological stress could lead to heart damage. It involved both mice and junior doctors.

Researchers checked the blood of a small group of doctors after a week at work in intensive care. After a week of this stressful work, their white blood cell count had increased.

Similarly, when mice were exposed to chronic stress (tilting their cage for an extended period of time), they also showed increased levels of white blood cells.

This finding is of interest and possible concern. Previous research suggested inflammatory white blood cells might be involved in the process of causing the rupture of fatty atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries of people with heart disease, which causes a heart attack.

However, this research is very far from providing conclusive proof that stress leads to the development of heart disease, or directly causes heart attacks.

Doncaster rolls out iPad dementia tests

Doncaster rolls out iPad dementia tests

An iPad-based test for early dementia diagnosis is being rolled out across 24 GP practices in Doncaster, following a pilot. EHI News

News: Cransley Hospice Fundraiser Appointed MBE

News: Cransley Hospice Fundraiser Appointed MBE

Diana Patrick, fundraising manager at Cransley Hospice in Kettering has been appointed an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to healthcare. Diana first became Fundraising Manager in... NHFT News

Mother-of-two died from cancer after hospital doctors told her to cure a lump on her breast with primrose oil ointment

Mother-of-two died from cancer after hospital doctors told her to cure a lump on her breast with primrose oil ointment

Samina Chaudhry, 33, went back several times to Northampton General Hospital to say the primrose oil treatment was not working. Daily Mail

Northampton General Hospital staff vote for a strike on pay cuts

Northampton General Hospital staff vote for a strike on pay cuts

Forty-eight pathologists working for Northampton General Hospital have voted in favour of strike action over plans that would see each potentially earn £6,000 a year less, a union has said. Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Inquiry into the future of patient care

Inquiry into the future of patient care


An independent inquiry has been set up by RCGP to look at how the NHS can best provide care for patients at a time of constrained resources, to meet the needs of the rapidly increasing number of patients with multiple long term conditions. The inquiry is calling for written evidence from interested organisations and individuals, to help inform the proceedings, to be submitted by 16th July 2014. Kingsfund Blog
Further information and details

Poll: NHS decisions should be left to doctors, say majority of Britons

Poll: NHS decisions should be left to doctors, say majority of Britons

Ipsos Mori survey of 2,000 across UK finds that 65% believe NHS should manage itself without involvement of politicians

The majority of British people believe the NHS has become a political football used cynically to win votes and should be trusted to professionals who understand how best to provide healthcare, according to an opinion poll carried out for the British Medical Association.

The Ipsos Mori survey, released on the first day of the BMA's annual representatives meeting, also found that a third of people were in favour of parliament setting targets for the NHS, compared with 42% who were opposed. The union said the findings supported its insistence that decisions on patient care should be free from political interference and left to doctors. Guardian

Continue reading...

• Parties 'using NHS to win votes'  BBC News

Lib Dems to demand emergency £2bn bailout for the NHS - reports

Lib Dems to demand emergency £2bn bailout for the NHS - reports


Senior party figures reported to be demanding boost as leading doctor attacks squeeze on funding

An emergency bailout of £2bn is needed to plug a black hole in NHS funding, Liberal Democrat sources claim, as a leading doctor called the Government's plans for extended seven-day care as "just bonkers".

Senior Lib Dem figures are planning to approach party leader Nick Clegg to demand the extra funding for the health service ahead of the Government's autumn statement, the Times reported. Guardian

Continue reading...

How stress damages the heart

How stress damages the heart

For the first time scientists have found a direct biological link between stress and inflammation of blood vessels which can lead to heart attacks. Daily Telegraph

Patients 'put at risk' by plans to allow medical students to treat patients

Patients 'put at risk' by plans to allow medical students to treat patients

Patients will be put at risk by plans to allow medical students to treat people as soon as they leave university instead of doing a year's work under supervision, medical leaders have warned. Daily Telegraph

Accident and Emergency showing further signs of strain after record attendances this month

Accident and Emergency showing further signs of strain after record attendances this month

More people are attending hospital accident and emergency departments than at any time since records began, new NHS figures have revealed. Independent

The 'super jab' that is a breath of fresh air for allergy sufferers

The 'super jab' that is a breath of fresh air for allergy sufferers

A once-a-week jab for severe asthma and eczema is being hailed as ‘life-changing’ – eradicating attacks in patients who do not respond to inhalers. Daily Mail

Anti-bacterial bag-for-life could prevent rise in food poisoning when 5p plastic bag charge comes into force

Anti-bacterial bag-for-life could prevent rise in food poisoning when 5p plastic bag charge comes into force

A bag-for-life that slows the growth of bacteria which cause food poisoning could be in the supermarkets within months. Independent

Plans to relax licensing laws lambasted by doctors and alcohol groups

Plans to relax licensing laws lambasted by doctors and alcohol groups

BMA among those to warn changes under bill due to be heard in the Lords are wrong given the damage alcohol already causes

Ministers are under fire because of plans to let the Women's Institute, bed and breakfasts and charities start selling alcohol, which doctors and local councils warn could worsen Britain's drink problem.

The British Medical Association said relaxing the licensing laws was wrong, given the huge damage alcohol already causes and its heavy burden on the NHS.  Guardian

Continue reading...

Medical staff vote to go on strike

Medical staff vote to go on strike

Hospital scientists vote to strike over proposed contract changes to their hours and payment rates. BBC News

Cash-crisis NHS trust has £41,774 average pay

Cash-crisis NHS trust has £41,774 average pay

An NHS trust ultimately responsible for putting 43 Northamptonshire nurses’ jobs at risk has an average salary of almost £42,000 a year. Chronicle and Echo

NHS death stats can be years out of date and 'pose public health risk'

NHS death stats can be years out of date and 'pose public health risk'

Official statistics on deaths in England and Wales are as much as two and half years out of date, a coalition of doctors, scientists and charities has warned.  Independent

Revolution in mental health information is launched

Revolution in mental health information is launched

The launch of the new Mental Health Dementia and Neurology Intelligence Networks (MHDNIN) represents a “revolution in information”.

That is the view of Dr Geraldine Strathdee, NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Mental Health, who said: “I am absolutely delighted to be part of this launch which marks the culmination of many months of partnership working between the thirteen national agencies that provide mental health information.

“This is just the very start of the mental health information revolution. NHS England strategic clinical networks and academic health science centres are now supporting the testing of the commissioning care pathway profiles in their localities and we will make changes in line with their feedback.

“More than 300 commissioners, clinical and academic experts, service users and quality improvement champions have generously contributed their time to produce this programme, and we are very grateful to them and their employers.”

In collaboration with Public Health England, the launch of the networks consist of four pilots.

Exercise guidelines 'put people off'

Exercise guidelines 'put people off'

How getting off your seat could extend your life. BBC News

PM urges global push on dementia

PM urges global push on dementia

David Cameron has announced more funding for dementia research and urged a global effort to find a cure. BBC News

Modelling, evaluating and implementing cost effective services to reduce the impact of stroke

Modelling, evaluating and implementing cost effective services to reduce the impact of stroke


The objective of this study was to estimate risk of stroke, longer-term needs and outcomes, risk of recurrence, trends and predictors of effective care, to model cost-effective configurations of care, to understand stakeholders’ perspectives of services and to develop proposals to underpin policy.

National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) 
Full report
Scientific summary

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Liver cancer and malignant melanoma rates rise sharply in England

Liver cancer and malignant melanoma rates rise sharply in England


Researchers warn that cancers are strongly linked to lifestyle choices, such as smoking, alcohol consumption and obesity

The number of people diagnosed with liver cancer has risen sharply. An Office for National Statistics study shows the incidence of liver cancer in England increased by 70% for males and 60% for females between 2003 and 2012.

It is now the 18th most common cancer in England, the ONS said. The number of women diagnosed with the disease rose from 889 in 2003 to 1,418 in 2012, while the number of men went up from 1,440 to 2,449 in the same period. Continue reading...

Guardian

Penalise lack of EPRs - report

Penalise lack of EPRs - report

NHS trusts that fail to make proper use of electronic health records should be hit with higher insurance premiums and a reduced Care Quality Commission rating, according to a new report. EHI News

DH plans to establish NIB as priority

DH plans to establish NIB as priority

The Department of Health has released its IT priorities for the next year, with the National Information Board and support for the NIB's informatics strategy mentioned as key projects. EHI News

RCGP launches inquiry into future of patient care at time of soaring demand and constrained NHS resources

RCGP launches inquiry into future of patient care at time of soaring demand and constrained NHS resources

The inquiry is to be chaired by Mike Farrar, the former NHS Confederation Chief Executive and former Head of Primary Care at the Department of Health, and will explore how to find cost effective solutions to the medical, social and financial challenges posed by rising levels of multi-morbidity within society.

The inquiry, hosted by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), will be entitled the Inquiry into Patient-Centred Care in the Twenty-First Century.

Farrar will lead a panel of twelve experts in NHS care, from organisations including the National Association for Patient Participation, Royal College of Physicians, NHS Confederation, LloydsPharmacy, and the RCGP. It will look at the role of general practice within the context of primary, community and social care services.

KGH suffers from cost of bed blockers

KGH suffers from cost of bed blockers Bed blockers at Kettering General Hospital are causing “vast” expense, according to a report to a health body. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Knowledge strategy: harnessing the power of information to improve the public’s health

Knowledge strategy: harnessing the power of information to improve the public’s health This document describes the strategic approach to information and knowledge that the public health system needs to take in order to improve and protect public health and reduce inequalities. The knowledge strategy was developed following an extended and open consultation process and incorporates responses from local government, national organisations and key partners. Public Health England

Dementia progress 'achingly slow'

Dementia progress 'achingly slow' Progress on new research and treatments for dementia has been "achingly slow", the man appointed as global envoy for the disease says. BBC News

See also:

• Press release: UK commits to new action to find breakthrough on dementia Department of Health
• David Cameron pledges new drive on Alzheimer’s research The Independent
• Dementia patients should be given the best drugs, says David Cameron The Daily Telegraph

England NHS 'faces funding gap'

England NHS 'faces funding gap' The NHS in England faces a funding gap of up to £2bn for the next financial year, with growing costs set to outstrip income, the BBC understands. BBC News

See also:

• RCGP response to NHS facing £2 billion funding gap story Royal College of General Practitioners 

Viewpoint: International study backs NHS as GP role under threat

Viewpoint: International study backs NHS as GP role under threat With the NHS under siege from overwhelming pressures and short-term policy gimmicks from politicians from all sides, the latest report from the Commonwealth Fund is a welcome relief, writes BMA deputy chairman Dr Kailash Chand. GP Online

Jeremy Hunt calls for end to cosmetic surgery on NHS

Jeremy Hunt calls for end to cosmetic surgery on NHS Health secretary says public money should not be spent to improve someone's looks

Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, has expressed his strong opposition to the NHS funding cosmetic surgery at a time when it is under heavy financial pressure.

Hunt said all decisions must be taken on "clinical need", and public money must not be used to pay for surgery just to improve someone's looks. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Plastic surgery is not only about looks people's wellbeing is at stake The Guardian
• Cosmetic surgery on the NHS: No more breast enlargements, tummy tucks and nose jobs, says Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt The Daily Telegraph

Nearly half of patients do not understand medical language

Nearly half of patients do not understand medical language The Royal College of GPs found that nearly one half of patients struggle to understand the advice given to them by their doctor or know how to properly take their medication. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Doctors told to dispense with confusing medical jargon The Guardian

Nurses reject plans to make patients pay £10 for a GP appointment

Nurses reject plans to make patients pay £10 for a GP appointment The UK’s largest nursing union has overwhelmingly voted against plans to introduce £10 charges every time someone goes to see their GP, in what bosses described as an affirmation of the belief the NHS should be free at point of delivery. The Independent

See also:

• RCN members reaffirm their belief that NHS should be free at the point of delivery Royal College of Nursing 
• Nurses vote against fee for GP services The Guardian

Hospital wrong to put ‘do not resuscitate’ note in patient’s file

Hospital wrong to put ‘do not resuscitate’ note in patient’s file Doctors have a legal duty to tell patients if a “do not resuscitate” order has been placed in their medical records, the Court of Appeal in England has ruled. The Independent

Waiting list of 148 people for life-saving organs in Northamptonshire

Waiting list of 148 people for life-saving organs in Northamptonshire There are 148 people in Northamptonshire waiting for a life-saving organ. However, only 11 people in the county received a transplant in the whole of last year. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Nene Clinical Commissioning Group issue its first annual report

Nene Clinical Commissioning Group issue its first annual report The first annual report for Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has now been published. Northampton Herald and Post

Prioritising person-centred care: the evidence

Prioritising person-centred care: the evidence These resources have been designed to make it easy for commissioners and providers to access, understand and make use of the best evidence for various approaches to involving people in their health and healthcare. The booklets draw on information from 779 systematic reviews worldwide. They offer practical ways forward based on accurate evidence so commissioners, health professionals and service-user groups can see what works best and how to invest resources. National Voices

• Supporting self-management
• Shared decision making
• Enhancing experience
• Improving information
• Promoting prevention

Facing the future: smaller acute providers

Facing the future: smaller acute providers This report finds that small district general hospitals can thrive but the way services are provided to local patients must change to guarantee quality care. The research found that no clear evidence that smaller acute hospitals performed any worse clinically than larger counterparts. However, the analysis showed that there is evidence that smaller providers may be starting to face greater financial challenges, with performance worsening more than the sector as a whole in the last 2 years. Monitor

Hospital wards 'too noisy at night'

Hospital wards 'too noisy at night' Hospitals need to do more to ensure patients get a good night's sleep, nurses say. BBC News

'10,000' NHS patients in data breach

'10,000' NHS patients in data breach As many as 10,000 NHS patients may have been affected by data protection breaches by a private firm, a BBC investigation reveals. BBC News

Avon calling

Avon calling Getting an NHS trust to share data with a local authority is a challenge. Getting 13 health and social care organisations to share data, with the appropriate governance arrangements in place might, to some, seem almost impossible. E-Health Insider

Warning issued over washing raw chicken

Warning issued over washing raw chicken "Don't wash chicken before cooking it, warns Food Standards Agency," The Guardian reports. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued the advice as many people do not realise that washing raw poultry can spread bacteria, leading to an increased risk of food poisoning.

The bacteria in question, campylobacter, is the most common cause of food poisoning in the world and affects about 280,000 people in the UK each year.

New guidance is intended to remind people that washing raw chicken before cooking increases the likelihood of infection through splashing the bacteria on to work surfaces, clothing and cooking equipment. This is known as cross-contamination.

Washing is therefore not recommended – it is also unnecessary as thorough cooking will kill any bacteria.

The NHS must learn from its mistakes

The NHS must learn from its mistakes Sharing knowledge and spreading expertise will improve patient safety

Maurice Murphy died after a nasogastric tube was passed through his nose into his lung instead of into his stomach. Murphy, the principal trumpet of the London Symphony Orchestra for 30 years, was being treated in an NHS hospital in London for a liver complaint. A junior nurse who queried whether the tube was in the right place was told by the doctor in charge: "You don't have the brain to remember that I told you to start the feed. The tube is in the right position."

Murphy, who died in 2011, was a victim of a "never event" errors so called because they should never happen. His case was recalled by Prof Sir Liam Donaldson, former chief medical officer, who told a group of NHS experts this month that never events do still happen at the rate of 300 a year in England. They include (from last year) a woman who had her fallopian tube removed instead of her appendix and 123 cases in which swabs, instruments or other items were left inside patients after surgery. Continue reading... The Guardian

How NHS hospitals spent £5 million on obese patients

How NHS hospitals spent £5 million on obese patients Hospitals are spending thousands widening corridors, buying fridges to store bodies of overweight patients and strengthening operating tables as Britain's obesity crisis continues. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Hospital costs are small part of debt of obesity crisis The Daily Telegraph
• Rising obesity levels force NHS to spend extra £5.5m on adapting hospitals The Daily Mail

District nurses could be a thing of the past in 10 years without urgent action, warns Royal College of Nurses

District nurses could be a thing of the past in 10 years without urgent action, warns Royal College of Nurses

There could be no more district nurses in the England within a decade, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has said, in an unprecedented warning over the future of the profession. The Independent

See also:

• RCN warns that district nurses face 'extinction' in 2025 Royal College of Nursing
• Survey of district and community nurses in 2013 Royal College of Nursing
• District nurses will disappear by 2025, says union The Guardian

Five NHS falls deaths in Northamptonshire in less than a year

Five NHS falls deaths in Northamptonshire in less than a year The NHS trust responsible for Northamptonshire mental health has seen five deaths of patients from falls in 10 months. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Delivering innovations in the care of older people: an opportunity to brag, steal, learn and deliver?

Delivering innovations in the care of older people: an opportunity to brag, steal, learn and deliver? Older people, especially those who are frail or live with dementia or complex chronic conditions, are becoming the ‘core business’ of health and social care. This trend will only increase: by 2030, one in five people in England will be over 65, and those over 80 are the fastest growing demographic. Living longer is a cause for celebration, but it can present challenges for the health and social care system.

Our recent paper, Making our health and care systems fit for an ageing population, set out a framework and tools to help local service leaders improve the care they provide for older people across nine key components.

Guidance for taking responsibility: accountable clinicians and informed patients

Guidance for taking responsibility: accountable clinicians and informed patients Following recommendations in the Francis Inquiry report that there is a need for a named accountable clinician for a patient's care whilst in hospital, AoMRC was asked by the Secretary of State to see how this could be taken forward. This guidance was developed following discussion and consultation with medical royal colleges, regulatory bodies and professional bodies. Academy of Medical Royal Colleges

Older HIV patients 'need support'

Older HIV patients 'need support' The "silent generation" of around 25,000 older people with HIV need better support to keep them well, nurses say. BBC News

See also:

• Britons with HIV need more 'medical, emotional and financial support,' says RCN The Independent

NHS scan and test delays 'worrying'

NHS scan and test delays 'worrying' Health charities call for urgent action to tackle delays in access to diagnostic tests in England, although NHS England says most patients are investigated promptly. BBC News

Hip replacement cement linked with deaths

Hip replacement cement linked with deaths "Toxic NHS hip implants blamed for more than 40 deaths," The Daily Telegraph reports. Other media sources similarly report how surgical "cement" used in some hip replacements has been linked to the deaths.

This news is based on a study looking at risk of death or severe harm associated with partial hip replacements involving cement for people with a fracture at the top of the thigh bone (fractured neck of femur).

The practice of using cement to attach the replacement "ball" joint to the "socket" is a clinical decision made by surgeons based on their experience and the patient's characteristics.

In 2009, the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) alerted health professionals to the risk of bone cement implantation syndrome (BCIS), which can happen when cement is used.

Change service provision to guarantee quality, small district general hospitals urged

Change service provision to guarantee quality, small district general hospitals urged These hospitals can ‘survive and thrive’ but performance has dipped over past two years, says Monitor. OnMedica

GP numbers tumble in England as recruitment crisis bites

GP numbers tumble in England as recruitment crisis bites Take-up of family doctor training is at its lowest level since 2007, sparking fears there may soon be not enough GPs to cope

The government is facing a GP recruitment crisis with new figures showing a fall in the number of family doctors since the coalition came to power amid warnings that the take-up of training places is the worst since 2007.

Official data analysed by the House of Commons Library shows that at a time of ever increasing demand for their services, the number of GPs has dropped by 356 compared with its level in 2009/10. The proportion of family doctors serving every 100,000 people has also dropped, from 70 in 2009/10 to 66.5 now. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Patient care at risk as third of GP training posts unfilled in parts of England GP Online

NHS bosses’ pay rises four times faster than nurses’

NHS bosses’ pay rises four times faster than nurses’ Pay and rewards for NHS managers have risen at four times the rate of nurses’ salaries in the past two years, a new report has revealed, as frontline staff accused the Government of “double standards” over pay. The Independent

See also:

• ‘All in it together? The Executive pay bill in England’s NHS’ Royal College of Nursing
• Nurses' anger over 'unfair' pay deal BBC News
• NHS chiefs' pay rises condemned as 'double standards' by nurses The Guardian

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.