Bone marrow drug could treat alopecia

Bone marrow drug could treat alopecia “Alopecia sufferers given new treatment hope with repurposed drug,” The Guardian reports.

Alopecia is a type of autoimmune condition where the body’s own immune cells start to attack the hair follicles for an unknown reason, leading to hair loss.

This new research actually involved two phases, one involving mice and one involving humans.

The researchers identified the specific type of immune cell (CD8+NKG2D+ T cells) that is involved in this autoimmune process, and identified the signalling pathways that stimulate the activity of these cells.

The researchers then demonstrated that using molecular treatments to block these signalling pathways was effective in preventing and reversing the disease process in mice genetically engineered to develop alopecia.

These findings in mice were followed by promising results in three people with moderate to severe alopecia. These people were treated with ruxolitinib, which is currently licensed in the UK to treat certain bone marrow disorders. All three patients demonstrated “near-complete hair regrowth” after three to five months of treatment.

Child mental health bed boost

Child mental health bed boost NHS England to make more beds available following sustained criticism of child mental health services. OnMedica

Antibiotics wrongly prescribed by many GPs, survey finds

Antibiotics wrongly prescribed by many GPs, survey finds Doctors giving out antibacterial medication, even when unnecessary, to satisfy patients or cover uncertain diagnosis

Almost half of British GPs have admitted prescribing antibiotics even though they know they will not treat the patients condition, a survey shows.

Ninety per cent of doctors who responded to a recent questionnaire said they felt pressure from patients to hand out the antibacterial medication. Continue reading... The Guardian

'Red flag' death symptom missed

'Red flag' death symptom missed A doctor missed a "red flag symptom" as he assessed a toddler who died three days later, a disciplinary panel finds. BBC Northamptonshire

Compensation payouts to Northampton General Hospital patients total almost £24m

Compensation payouts to Northampton General Hospital patients total almost £24m Compensation payments to Northampton General Hospital patients totalled £23.9 million over five years, latest figures showed. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

One in five arriving at Northampton General Hospital’s A&E could not see a GP

One in five arriving at Northampton General Hospital’s A&E could not see a GP One in five people who arrive at Northampton General Hospital’s A&E do so because they cannot see a GP, an independent survey suggests. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Work underway on two more A&E units at Northampton General Hospital

Work underway on two more A&E units at Northampton General Hospital Work has started on more improvements to Northampton General Hospital’s emergency department as the new dedicated children’s treatment rooms are completed. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

New model process flowchart for raising concerns

New model process flowchart for raising concerns We have developed a model process flowchart for raising concerns which you can freely download and adopt to reflect your local policy and process. NHS Employers

Developing a high-performance support workforce in acute care: innovation, evaluation and engagement

Developing a high-performance support workforce in acute care: innovation, evaluation and engagement This study aimed to identify and facilitate the development of innovative practice as it relates to support worker roles in an acute health-care setting; evaluate various acute trust policies and practices designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of stakeholder interaction with support worker roles; and to secure the engagement of various stakeholders in sharing knowledge, practice and learning on support worker roles. National Institute for Health Research

Salmonella outbreak investigated

Salmonella outbreak investigated Public Health England is investigating a Salmonella outbreak which has affected more than 150 people in England over the past few months. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: Is it Salmonella or a tummy bug? BBC News
• Almost 160 people infected by salmonella poisoning in national outbreak as experts believe cases 'could be linked' Daily Mail
• Three victims of salmonella outbreak die in hospital Daily Telegraph

GP trainees shun traditional employment

GP trainees shun traditional employment Survey shows just 15% interested in a conventional partnership work. OnMedica

Half of voters happy to pay more tax to fund NHS poll

Half of voters happy to pay more tax to fund NHS poll Public's willingness to pay extra tax to help the NHS reaches highest level in over a decade.

Almost half of voters say they would be happy to pay more income tax as long as the money went directly to the NHS, which is facing a £30bn gap in its finances by 2020.

Polling firm ComRes found that 49% of people would be prepared to pay more tax to help fund the health service, one in three (33%) people said they would not be ready to do so, and 18% did not know either way. Continue reading... The Guardian

Cancer death rates drop by a third

Cancer death rates drop by a third Combined death rates for breast, bowel, lung and prostate cancer, which account for half of all cancer deaths in UK, have dropped. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Postcode lottery 'is killing 6,000 cancer patients every year' Daily Mail
• Deaths from most common cancers fall by a third in past 20 years: Research, innovative drugs and advances in surgery help to boost survival Daily Mail

Millions needlessly clogging up A&E

Millions needlessly clogging up A&E Millions of people are needlessly attending overstretched A&E units, investigation finds, as new figures reveal 70 per cent of people who attend hospital casualty units in many areas leave with just advice. The Daily Telegraph

Ebola outbreak: College campuses on alert as new term begins

Ebola outbreak: College campuses on alert as new term begins Universities in the UK have been put on alert to be ready for a potential outbreak of the Ebola virus when the new term starts in September. The Independent

See also:

• Ebola virus disease: clinical management and guidance Public Health England
• Ebola crisis 'vastly underestimated' BBC News
• Ebola 'to last at least six months' BBC News

Can CCGs become accountable care organisations?

Can CCGs become accountable care organisations? 'We need clinical commissioning groups to become accountable care organisations' – that’s what Jeremy Hunt said recently in parliament and during a speech at the Commissioning Show.

Jeremy Hunt is not the only one saying this kind of thing. I’ve heard representatives from acute hospitals, GP federations and CCGs all make the same claim: they want to become an accountable care organisation (ACO).

But what does this really mean? The basic concept of an ACO is that a group of providers agrees to take responsibility for all care for a given population for a defined period of time under a contractual arrangement with a commissioner.

Essentially accountable care organisations, which have emerged from the United States over the past few years, are the next generation of managed care, but with a fundamental difference. While managed care initiatives in the 1980s and 1990s handed over a capitated contract to a network of providers to manage a defined population, they were not accountable for improving care, or even delivering care (networks quickly realised they could save money by restricting access). Learning from the scars of this legacy, these more recent managed care initiatives have included a stipulation to improve quality.

Research and analysis: Review of radiation dose issues from the use of CT in the UK

Research and analysis: Review of radiation dose issues from the use of CT in the UK In this report, COMARE presents a comprehensive review of the radiation dose issues associated with CT scans in the UK. The implications of the increase in the numbers of CT scans in the UK are considered in the report, with focus on the number of younger patients undergoing CT scans, who have greater sensitivity to x-rays. The report provides an update on the radiation protection aspects of justification (balancing risk and benefit) and optimisation (balancing the risk from the radiation dose with the quality of the image). Department of Health

See also:

• Sharp rise in CT scans on children BBC News
• Cancers caused by CT scan cannot be calculated due to lack of data: Comare report The Daily Telegraph

Prostate drug ruling 'a fiasco'

Prostate drug ruling 'a fiasco' Patients say a decision by the NHS in England to reject a treatment for men with prostate cancer is a "fiasco". BBC News

See also:

• Appraisal of earlier treatment with abiraterone for prostate cancer NICE
• Prostate cancer (metastatic, hormone relapsed, not treated with chemotherapy) - abiraterone acetate (with prednisolone) draft guidance NICE
• Prostate cancer drug abiraterone ruled too expensive to use pre-chemotherapy on NHS The Independent
• Prostate cancer patients 'unjustly' denied drug The Daily Telegraph
• Rationing watchdog denies prostate drug that can extend life for men by four months Daily Mail

The front line of the UK's Ebola prevention efforts

The front line of the UK's Ebola prevention efforts Hugh Pym on how Porton Down is helping the UK get ready. BBC News

Failing GPs: A Pandora's Box?

Failing GPs: A Pandora's Box? Tackling failing GPs may be harder than it seems. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: Failing GP practices face closure BBC News
• Practices on CQC 'special measures' could be shut down within six months GP Online
• Unsafe GP surgeries told: improve or be shut down The Guardian

Is UK obesity fuelling an increase in 10 cancers?

Is UK obesity fuelling an increase in 10 cancers? “Being overweight and obese puts people at greater risk of developing 10 of the most common cancers,” reports BBC News.

The news is based on research using information in UK GP records for more than 5 million people, to see whether body mass index (BMI) was associated with 22 types of common cancers.

The researchers found that increasing BMI was associated with increased risk of several types of cancer. Some of these associations weren’t linear, meaning that there wasn’t always a steady increase in cancer risk with increased BMI. Additionally, some of the links seemed to be dependent on individual patient characteristics, such as gender and menopausal status.

The researchers estimated that 41% of uterine and 10% or more of gallbladder, kidney, liver and colon cancers could be attributable to excess weight.

However, increasing BMI was also found to decrease the risk of some types of cancer (such as prostate and premenopausal breast cancer).

The researchers suggest that BMI affects cancer risk through a number of different processes. However, the study was not able to demonstrate that being overweight or obese directly increase or decrease risk of these cancers, nor is it able to show the biological reasons for any of the associations found.

It is also not able to account for all possible factors that contribute to cancer risk, such as genetics and lifestyle factors.

Cancer patients: best and worst places to live for survival revealed

Cancer patients: best and worst places to live for survival revealed Up to 6,000 patients could be dying of cancer early because of variations in care around the country, charity warns. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• 6,000 cancer patients dying needlessly under a year due to postcode lottery Macmillan Cancer Support 
• Cancer patients dying early because of postcode lottery The Guardian

900,000 elderly needing care left to fend for themselves

900,000 elderly needing care left to fend for themselves Age UK estimates that one in three older people in England and Wales who struggle with tasks as basic as washing and dressing get no care. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• 870,000 people do not receive crucial care help Age UK

NHS faces huge bill over private provider’s botched eye operations

NHS faces huge bill over private provider’s botched eye operations Dozens of NHS patients have been left with damage to their eyes, including partial loss of sight, after undergoing routine cataract operations which had been outsourced to a private provider. The Independent

See also:

• NHS faces legal bill as dozens suffer problems after private eye operations The Guardian
• NHS faces huge compensation bill after dozens of patients were left with sight problems when it hired private firm to complete cataract surgery Daily Mail

Widespread support for electronic health record data sharing

Widespread support for electronic health record data sharing Most think it will improve care and curb medical errors, poll indicates. OnMedica

See also:

• Public support wider access to GP record EMIS

New data show rates of common NHS operations and resulting patient benefit

New data show rates of common NHS operations and resulting patient benefit The Health and Social Care Information Centre has published information about four common NHS operations, and patient feedback about the health outcomes of these operations.

Guidance: Mutuals in health: Pathfinder Programme

Guidance: Mutuals in health: Pathfinder Programme Chris Ham, Chief Executive of the King’s Fund, recently published an independent review of staff engagement and empowerment in the NHS. The review recommended that government support a pathfinder programme to help NHS trusts and foundation trusts explore the benefits of the mutual model.

In response to the review’s recommendation, Department of Health and Cabinet Office launched a joint initiative on 15 July 2014 to support health and care organisations explore the potential advantages of mutualising their services. The Pathfinder Programme is designed to support a small number of pioneering trusts, either individually or in partnership. It is open to all foundation trusts and NHS trusts.

Expressions of Interest (EOI) are open until 4 September 2014. To participate, send your expression of interest form to mutualsinhealth@cabinet-office.gsi.gov.uk.

Drawing on a £1 million fund, trusts participating in the programme will have technical, legal and consultancy support to help them:

• understand what mutualisation means for them
• find solutions to practical barriers to becoming mutual organisations

The details of this support will be developed in partnership with each trust.

If you have any questions about the Pathfinder Programme, contact: mutualsinhealth@cabinet-office.gsi.gov.uk. Department of Health

The engagement cycle

The engagement cycle This model was developed by InHealth Associates to support commissioners aiming to engage with patients and the public throughout the commissioning cycle. It has been updated to align with current statutory guidance, new commissioning arrangements and current healthcare challenges.

Failing GP practices face closure

Failing GP practices face closure Failing GP practices will face closure under plans being unveiled in England by the Care Quality Commission. BBC News

See also:

• CQC's proposals for special measures for GP practices Care Quality Commission
• Dangerous GPs surgeries will be closed by regulator The Daily Telegraph
• GP surgeries face two-strike policy over safety ratings The Guardian

Two-thirds of Britons with depression get no treatment

Two-thirds of Britons with depression get no treatment If these figures related to cancer patients the nation would be in uproar, says new president of Royal College of Psychiatrists

Less than a third of people with common mental health problems get any treatment at all a situation the nation would not tolerate if they had cancer, according to the incoming president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

While the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has pledged to deliver "parity of esteem" for mental and physical health services, the treatment gap is now so huge that it may prove impossible to bridge in the current financial climate, said Professor Simon Wessely of King's College London in his first interview since election to the post. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• What is the state of mental health in England and Wales? The Guardian
• Cuts leave NHS mental health services 'dangerously close to collapse' The Independent 
• Mentally ill lacking help: Only three in ten people with a common condition such as depression receive treatment Daily Mail

Worst-hit GP surgeries to gain bailout as NHS admits reforms strike poor hardest

Worst-hit GP surgeries to gain bailout as NHS admits reforms strike poor hardest The NHS in England has admitted that its new system for funding GP practices may discriminate against poorer patients, as it announced a bailout fund to save surgeries in some of the most deprived parts of the country. The Independent

Ebola outbreak: Graphics reveal how deadly virus spread from two-year-old in Guinea to be international ‘public health emergency’

Ebola outbreak: Graphics reveal how deadly virus spread from two-year-old in Guinea to be international ‘public health emergency’ The world is facing the worst outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus it has ever seen. The Independent

See also:

• VIDEO: How the UK is guarding against Ebola BBC News
• Ebola: Mapping the outbreak BBC News
• Kenya 'at high risk' of deadly Ebola BBC News
• Ebola outbreak: Fears for Lagos - a vast city of 21 million ‘perfect for the virus to spread’ The Independent
• Ebola outbreak: Deaths from malaria and other diseases could soar while Africa’s over-stretched healthcare systems fight the virus The Independent

Crisis response falls team: reducing admissions and repeat falls

Crisis response falls team: reducing admissions and repeat falls A case study looks at how EMAS is tackling demand on hospitals and the potential negative outcomes associated with hospital admission in Northamptonshire. NICE Evidence Services

Staff Friends and Family Test early experiences

Staff Friends and Family Test early experiences A new briefing document has been created following discussions with HR Directors who shared their ideas and emerging lessons about the Staff Friends and Family Test. NHS Employers

2.2 million pounds spent every day on diabetes drugs in primary care

2.2 million pounds spent every day on diabetes drugs in primary care More than 120,000 prescription items dispensed each day. Health and Social Care Information Centre

See also:

• Prescribing for Diabetes, England - 2005-06 to 2013-14 Health & Social Care Information Centre
• Cost of diabetes drugs in primary care tops £2m every day OnMedica
• NHS diabetes treatments in England cost more than £800m last year The Guardian
• Diabetes drugs account for 10% of NHS drugs budget The Independent
• NHS spending more than £2m a day on diabetes medication Daily Mail
• Diabetes drugs cost NHS £2.2m per day The Daily Telegraph

Testing the bed-blocking hypothesis: does higher supply of nursing and care homes reduce delayed hospital discharges?

Testing the bed-blocking hypothesis: does higher supply of nursing and care homes reduce delayed hospital discharges? Hospital bed blocking occurs when hospital patients are ready to be discharged to a nursing home but no place is available, so that hospital care acts as a more costly substitute for long-term care. This paper investigates the extent to which higher supply of nursing home beds or lower prices can reduce hospital bed blocking. It uses new local authority level administrative data from England on hospital delayed discharges in 2010-13. The results suggest that delayed discharges do respond to the availability of care-home beds but the effect is modest: an increase in care-homes bed by 10% (250 additional beds per local authority) would reduce delayed discharges by about 4%-7%. It also finds strong evidence of spillover effects across local authorities: higher availability of care-homes or fewer patients aged over 65 in nearby local authorities are associated with fewer delayed discharges. Centre for Health Economics

Canada to give WHO Ebola vaccine

Canada to give WHO Ebola vaccine Canada says it will donate up to 1,000 doses of an experimental Ebola vaccine to help battle the disease's outbreak in West Africa. BBC News

Council leaders call for overhaul of children's mental health services

Council leaders call for overhaul of children's mental health services Local Government Association says young are falling through gaps caused by funding cuts.

Services for children with mental health problems need a complete overhaul so youngsters and their families are not forced to deal with a complex system at such a difficult time in their lives, council leaders have said.

The current "fragmented" system means children are forced to navigate myriad different mental health organisations to access care, the Local Government Association (LGA) said. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS cancels 16,000 operations at the last minute in just three months: Total postponed for non-medical reasons is highest for nine years

NHS cancels 16,000 operations at the last minute in just three months: Total postponed for non-medical reasons is highest for nine years A staggering 15,661 scheduled operations were cancelled at the last minute for non-medical reasons between April and June, according to official figures. Daily Mail 

Heart patients to be given placebo by paramedics in controversial trial

Heart patients to be given placebo by paramedics in controversial trial Patients whose hearts stop will be given a placebo instead of adrenalin by paramedics during attempts to save their lives in a study branded 'ethically questionable' The Daily Telegraph

Philip Morris International threatens to sue Government if plain packaging introduced

Philip Morris International threatens to sue Government if plain packaging introduced One of the world’s largest tobacco companies is threatening to sue the Government for billions of pounds in compensation if it makes plain cigarette packaging compulsory. The Independent 

Essex GP surgery tells patients not to post critical comments on Facebook and Twitter

Essex GP surgery tells patients not to post critical comments on Facebook and Twitter A GP surgery in Essex has told its patients not to use social media to complain about service on Facebook and Twitter, warning of a “zero tolerance policy”. The Independent

Public invited to have their say on Northamptonshire hospital ahead of inspection

Public invited to have their say on Northamptonshire hospital ahead of inspection Patients are being asked to tell a watchdog their views on Kettering General Hospital ahead of an inspection. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Volunteer groups to get £2m for vulnerable patients this winter

Volunteer groups to get £2m for vulnerable patients this winter The groups, including Age UK, British Red Cross and Royal Voluntary Service, will run local projects that target those people most at risk of admission to hospital and who need extra support when they are discharged, such as older people living alone without a support network. More .... NHS England

Hooper inquiry into how the GMC treats whistleblowers

Hooper inquiry into how the GMC treats whistleblowers Information about the GMC's inquiry into whistleblowing lead by Sir Anthony Hooper NHS Employers

Liberia to receive Ebola trial drug

Liberia to receive Ebola trial drug Liberia will receive an untested experimental drug, Zmapp, to treat people infected with Ebola, the government says following a request to the US. BBC News

See also:

• Ivory Coast travel ban over Ebola BBC News
• Ebola outbreak: ‘Patient zero’ at start of deadly virus spread identified by scientists as a two-year-old toddler in Guinea The Independent
• Ebola outbreak in Africa: what nursing staff need to know Royal College of Nursing

Exercise may cut breast cancer risk, study finds

Exercise may cut breast cancer risk, study finds "Exercise lowers risk of breast cancer after menopause," reports The Independent. This and similar headlines were sparked by a large study of postmenopausal teachers that found increased recreational activity was associated with a 10% decrease in the risk of breast cancer.

The risk reduction eroded among some women who became less active over the years, suggesting keeping up a certain level of activity might be important in maintaining the benefits.

The study used questionnaires to estimate the levels of walking, cycling and sport the women did outside of work.

It found women who did the equivalent of walking at least four hours a week or doing sport for two hours a week had a reduced risk of breast cancer. Factors such as body mass index (BMI) did not change the results.

However, the majority of women in the study had a healthy BMI and were teachers, so the results may not be applicable to all postmenopausal women.

Lack of physical activity and excess body fat have been linked to an increased risk of many cancers, including breast, colon, endometrial (lining of the womb) and prostate cancer, as well as heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

How technology could help monitor and treat mental health conditions

How technology could help monitor and treat mental health conditions Technology has the potential to make significant and cost-effective contributions to mental healthcare

Could digital treatments meet mental health service users' needs?

Mental health care is often described as the Cinderella of medicine overlooked, disparaged, and generally neglected. In the UK, mental healthcare is the single biggest item on the NHS budget (£12.16bn in 2010/11), but in practice this means that only about 11% of the overall spend is allocated to deal with 23% of the disease burden. Recent cuts have also hit mental health care significantly harder than acute hospitals, creating a combination of falling capacity and rising demand. Mental healthcare appears to suffer from the same stigma in policy circles as individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder experience in private life. And just as stigma leads to worse outcomes for individuals with mental health problems, the underfunding of mental health care leads to higher long-term costs for the NHS.

If things look bad at home, they're a lot worse elsewhere. High-income countries such as Britain and America spend an average of £26.71per capita on mental healthcare; by contrast, low-income countries manage only 12p, and spend most of that on inpatient beds rather than more effective community care. Wealthy nations have one psychiatrist for every 11,640 people; the poorest countries barely have one for every two million. Undertreatment of mental health problems is a problem everywhere, but it reaches epic proportions in the poorest countries, where as few as one in 10 sufferers receive treatment. Continue reading... The Guardian

Pay blow 'will hit nurse recruitment and retention'

Pay blow 'will hit nurse recruitment and retention' Nurses leader hits out a decision to deny cost of living pay rise next year. OnMedica

See also:

• Fighting for fair pay and conditions - an update Royal College of Nursing

Senior policeman calls for access to medical records without consent

Senior policeman calls for access to medical records without consent Police dealing with more people with dementia and those with mental health, drug or alcohol problems. OnMedica

See also:

• Police chief calls for records access E-Health Insider

Is this GP showing how to solve the A&E crisis? Steffi's working in Casualty to weed out patients who don't need hospital care

Is this GP showing how to solve the A&E crisis? Steffi's working in Casualty to weed out patients who don't need hospital care Many emergency departments are so overwhelmed they've become like 'war zones', one of the country's most senior A&E doctors warned. Daily Mail

Drunks a problem at A&E but charging them isn't the answer, says BMA

Drunks a problem at A&E but charging them isn't the answer, says BMA Drunk people coming to A&E have made emergency departments “a hostile environment” for many patients – but charging people who have been drinking is not the answer to overcrowding, doctors have said. The Independent

See also:

• Alcohol Misuse manifesto 2015 All Party Parliamentary Group on Alcohol 
• Poots 'sees merit' in A&E drunks fee BBC News
• Drunken A&E patients may be charged, says Northern Ireland minister The Guardian

Almost £24m paid out to Northampton General Hospital patients in five years

Almost £24m paid out to Northampton General Hospital patients in five years Compensation payments to Northampton General Hospital patients totalled almost £24 million over five years, latest figures show. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Twenty per cent of surveyed A&E patients were at Northampton General Hospital because of a lack of GP appointments

Twenty per cent of surveyed A&E patients were at Northampton General Hospital because of a lack of GP appointments One in five people who arrive at Northampton General Hospital’s A&E do so because they cannot see a GP, an independent survey suggests. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also: 

• Survey of patients waiting in Accident and Emergency at Northampton General Hospital Healthwatch Northamptonshire

Improvement collaboratives in health care

Improvement collaboratives in health care Quality improvement collaboratives involve groups of professionals coming together, either from within an organisation or across multiple organisations, to learn from and motivate each other to improve the quality of health services. The Health Foundation

Ambulances 'queuing for hours' at A&E

Ambulances 'queuing for hours' at A&E Thousands of patients face long delays in ambulances while waiting to be transferred to accident and emergency care, research by Labour suggests. BBC News

See also:

• A&E patients waiting in ambulances for eight hours as hospitals left 'full to bursting' The Independent
• Patients left stranded in ambulances for 8 hours The Daily Telegraph
• Patients forced to wait in ambulances outside 'too full' A&Es, says Labour The Guardian

Liberia buckles under Ebola strain

Liberia buckles under Ebola strain Liberia's information minister admits that the country's health care system has been overwhelmed by the spread of the deadly Ebola virus. BBC News

See also:

• PHE reaffirms commitment to supporting Ebola outbreak response but risk remains low in England Public Health England
• Guinea shuts borders against Ebola BBC News
• Nigeria declares Ebola emergency BBC News

Exclusive: One in eight trainee GPs plan to work overseas

Exclusive: One in eight trainee GPs plan to work overseas One in eight final-year trainee GPs plan to leave the country within the next 12 months, an LMC poll has revealed. GP Online

Former NHS carers in Doncaster set to intensify strike action over pay

Former NHS carers in Doncaster set to intensify strike action over pay Fifty carers for disabled began action nearly seven weeks ago after firm took over NHS service and reduced pay by up to 35%

Fifty carers for the disabled are staging one of the longest strikes in the history of the health service to secure a living wage for staff working in privatised services formerly run by the NHS.

In a crucial vote on Monday, the support workers are expected to back plans to "extend and intensify" action that has already seen them withdraw their labour and sacrifice their salaries for nearly seven weeks. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS leaders and politicians have yet to convince patients of need for reforms

NHS leaders and politicians have yet to convince patients of need for reforms A big debate is needed ahead of the 2015 general election about how to fund a health service fit for the future.

I know what I think about the NHS, warts and all, but I find it hard to find what patients in general think. A Guardian/ICM poll asked voters about the funding pressures on the NHS. I know that voters may not necessarily be patients, and patients are not necessarily voters, but I found that the poll answered some of my questions. Along the way, it also gave a few clues to health insiders and politicians on how to devise messages for the general election.

A third of respondants quoted the ageing population as the main financial challenge facing the health service. This is good news for us oldies, as it seems that the general public recognises that more funds should be devoted to looking after us. Continue reading... The Guardian

Red Cross called in to fend off an NHS winter crisis

Red Cross called in to fend off an NHS winter crisis Red Cross called in to stave off an NHS winter crisis as waiting lists reach a record high. The Daily Telegraph

Disabled patient takes Health Secretary and the NHS to court

Disabled patient takes Health Secretary and the NHS to court Jeremy Hunt is facing an unprecedented High Court challenge over the potential closure of dozens of GP surgeries in inner-city areas, as the Government comes under increasing criticism for failing to bring down GP waiting times. The Independent

Nurses seek £15m to avert hike in watchdog's annual registration fees

Nurses seek £15m to avert hike in watchdog's annual registration fees Nurses are pushing Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to find up to £15m to fill a black hole in their regulator's accounts. The Independent

Fire rips through hospital site

Fire rips through hospital site A huge blaze at a derelict hospital site in Northampton is tackled by more than 80 firefighters overnight. BBC Northamptonshire

See also:

• ‘Extensive structural damage’ caused during huge blaze at former St Crispin’s Hospital in Northampton Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Hospital blaze in Northampton was ‘inevitable’ after regular vandalism say Duston residents Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Doctor who sent toddler home from hospital three days before he died from dehydration 'failed to properly examine the youngster'

Doctor who sent toddler home from hospital three days before he died from dehydration 'failed to properly examine the youngster' Dr Tasnim Arif should have used more caution in dealing with Harry Connolly at Northampton General Hospital, an expert claimed. Daily Mail

An independent review into creating an open and honest reporting culture in the NHS

An independent review into creating an open and honest reporting culture in the NHS This review was announced on 24 June 2014 by the Secretary of State for Health and is led by Sir Robert Francis QC. Sir Robert wants to hear from as many people as possible who have experiences, both good and bad, of raising concerns in the NHS. It will gather information in a number of ways including an invitation to share experiences and ideas, seminars and research projects. A report containing the findings is planned for November 2014. Freedom To Speak Up

• Research briefing
• How to contribute
• Freedom To Speak Up - full details of the review

See also:

• Sir Robert Francis review of whistleblowing processes NHS Employers

NHS says no to breast cancer drug

NHS says no to breast cancer drug A pioneering new breast cancer treatment will not be routinely available on the NHS in England, the official drugs advisory body is proposing. BBC News

See also:

• Pressure grows on Roche to lower breast cancer drug price NICE
• Breast cancer (HER2 positive, unresectable) - trastuzumab emtansine (after trastuzumab & taxane) NICE draft guideline
• VIDEO: Breast cancer drug 'too expensive' BBC News
• NICE rejects another breast cancer drug that can extend life Daily Mail
• Drugs watchdog condemns Roche for high price of breast cancer therapy The Guardian
• Cancer Drugs Fund seems to help pharmaceuticals giant Roche most The Guardian
• Pharmaceuticals giant Roche blasted for refusing to make breast cancer drug Kadcyla affordable The Independent

Ebola 'an international emergency'

Ebola 'an international emergency' The World Health Organization declares the spread of Ebola in West Africa an international health emergency. BBC News

See also:

• Ebola: Why is it this disease we fear? BBC News
• VIDEO: An Ebola isolation unit in London BBC News
• Ebola virus: British experts urge US and WHO to ‘give Africans cure’ The Independent

Clegg: Mental health 'needs boost'

Clegg: Mental health 'needs boost' Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg calls for mental health research to be given the same attention as physical health - and says a pledge to put £50m into research would feature in the party's next election manifesto. BBC News

Lack of vitamin D may 'raise dementia risk'

Lack of vitamin D may 'raise dementia risk' People lacking in vitamin D have a higher risk of developing dementia report several media outlets, including BBC News and The Independent.

A study found people severely lacking in the sunshine vitamin were twice as likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer's disease compared with people with healthy levels (50nmol/l or more).

The findings are based on a study of more than 1,650 people aged 65 and above who were followed over a period of about six years to see if they developed dementia.

Researchers found the higher the vitamin D deficiency, the higher the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

They found severe vitamin D deficiency (less than 25nmol/l) is associated with approximately twice the risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

Moderately low levels of vitamin D (between 25nmol/l and 50nmol/l) are associated with a 50% increase in risk.

This study was able to show an association between low levels of vitamin D and the risk of developing dementia. But it does not prove that vitamin D deficiency causes the disease.

Plain packs for tobacco would save £500m in first year, says PHE

Plain packs for tobacco would save £500m in first year, says PHE Those in deprived areas have most to gain; no dent in retailers’ profits, suggest new calculations. OnMedica

See also:

• Standardised packaging can save lives and boost local economies Public Health England

Manchester's hospital reform plan has been a failure

Manchester's hospital reform plan has been a failure The baffling Healthier Together proposals will undermine patients' confidence in the NHS

The dos and don'ts of NHS reconfiguration

The backlash over plans to reconfigure hospitals and primary care in Greater Manchester is a warning of what can go wrong if consultations are mishandled.

The plan badged Healthier Together was launched last month by the area's 12 clinical commissioning groups. There are four problems: the consultation document is vague and confusing; they are not being up-front about the need to cut costs; it has provoked a fight between four foundation trusts (FTs); and the proponents of change have alienated local MPs, who have torn into the exercise. Continue reading... The Guardian

Waiting times in NHS at worst for six years

Waiting times in NHS at worst for six years NHS waiting times are at their worst level for six years, official figures show, as 3.2m are waiting for treatment it has been admitted. The Daily Telegraph

Dementia timebomb set to cost £3bn by 2030 as people leave work to care for relatives

Dementia timebomb set to cost £3bn by 2030 as people leave work to care for relatives Dementia will cost English businesses £3bn by 2030, driving thousands out of work to care for their elderly relatives, and cutting the size of the over 65s workforce, economic analysts have warned. The Independent

See also:

• Businesses urged to step up to help dementia crisis The Daily Telegraph

Lonely cancer patients failing to complete treatment, charity claims

Lonely cancer patients failing to complete treatment, charity claims Thousands of cancer patients are missing crucial appointments, failing to take medicine or even refusing treatment altogether, simply because they are lonely, the UK’s leading cancer charity has said. The Independent

See also:

• Lonely cancer patients three times more likely to struggle with treatment Macmillan Cancer Support
• Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review PLoS Medicine
• Lonely cancer patients are more likely to skip and refuse treatment, says Macmillan Cancer Support Daily Mail

Doctor who treated Northampton toddler who later died of dehydration facing misconduct hearing

Doctor who treated Northampton toddler who later died of dehydration facing misconduct hearing A doctor who treated a 19-month-old boy from Northampton who was discharged from hospital three days before he died of dehydration is facing allegations of misconduct at a fitness to practice hearing this week. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Kettering General Hospital wins £12m in Government funding

Kettering General Hospital wins £12m in Government funding Kettering General Hospital’s chief executive has welcomed the announcement of a Government grant of millions of pounds. Northamptonshire Telegraph

New £1.6m fund to boost health and well-being of Northamptonshire people

New £1.6m fund to boost health and well-being of Northamptonshire people A new fund worth £1.6 million has been created to help improve the health and well-being of people in Northamptonshire. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Ambulance service launches investigation after Northampton man forced to wait two hours in torrential rain for paramedics to arrive

Ambulance service launches investigation after Northampton man forced to wait two hours in torrential rain for paramedics to arrive The East Midlands Ambulance Service has launched an investigation after a Northampton man was forced to wait two hours in torrential rain before paramedics arrived to treat him. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Building improvement capability: 5 ways to maximise your chances of success

Building improvement capability: 5 ways to maximise your chances of success How can you maximise your confidence that the investment your organisation makes in capability building will result insignificant improvement? Penny Pereira shares her top learning from a workshop we held with experts in the area. The Health Foundation

Cardiovascular disease profiles

Cardiovascular disease profiles The profiles highlight important facts about these conditions and include information on the leading risk factors such as smoking and obesity.

Following the recommendations of the cardiovascular disease outcomes strategy to treat coronary heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and stroke as a single family of conditions, the profiles bring together information about each of these. Public Health England

Four hour strike proposed as the start of potential industrial action in the NHS

Four hour strike proposed as the start of potential industrial action in the NHS UNISON have revealed more detail about their ballot process for the proposed industrial action in the NHS over the pay dispute and provided a description of the action they are likely to ask members to take. NHS Employers

Survey reveals more needs to be done on choice for patients

Survey reveals more needs to be done on choice for patients More than half of patients (51 per cent) were aware of their legal right to choose a hospital or clinic for an outpatient appointment, and a similar proportion (53 per cent) referred for an outpatient appointment first had a discussion with their GP about where to receive treatment.

Fewer than two fifths of patients, however, said they were offered a choice of hospital by their GP when being referred for an outpatient appointment.

These are some of the findings of a survey being published today of over 2,700 patients conducted for NHS England and the health regulator Monitor, which looked at the number of patients being offered a choice by their GPs.

Liberia declares Ebola emergency

Liberia declares Ebola emergency Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf declares a state of emergency as the country grapples with an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus. BBC News

See also:

• 'Ebola victim' dies in Saudi Arabia BBC News
• VIDEO: Ebola drug 'poses ethics questions' BBC News
• WHO starts emergency talks on Ebola BBC News
• Ebola virus: British experts urge US and WHO to ‘give Africans experimental cure’ The Independent
• Experimental drug given to two US aid workers infected with Ebola virus OnMedica

Daily aspirin 'reduces cancer risk,' study finds

Daily aspirin 'reduces cancer risk,' study finds Taking aspirin every day could cut your risk of developing cancer, report BBC News and The Daily Telegraph among other news outlets, after the publication of a large-scale review of the evidence.

People aged between 50 and 65 who take aspirin every day for 10 years could cut their risk of bowel cancer by 30% and cancers of the throat and stomach by 25%, according to the study published in the Annals of Oncology.

Over 20 years, an aspirin a day would reduce people's risk of heart attacks by 7%, stroke by 9%, and dying prematurely by about 4%.

Aspirin is an antiplatelet, which means it reduces the risk of clots forming in your blood. Platelets may also protect cancer cells in the body, and it has been suggested aspirin's effect on them may hinder this process. However, the exact mechanism is not well understood and more research is needed.

Taking aspirin every day comes with a serious health warning as it can cause serious side effects such as ulcers and bleeding from the stomach, particularly in elderly people.

However, the researchers argue the benefits of taking the drug need to be balanced against the harms.

While the findings of this study show promise, it is not clear whether the methods used in compiling it were systematic, so the results may not be entirely reliable.

Anyone thinking of taking aspirin for prevention should talk to their GP first.

Save Our Surgeries campaigners hand 20,000-name petition to Downing Street

Save Our Surgeries campaigners hand 20,000-name petition to Downing Street GPs, patients and supporters from one of the most deprived parts of England took their grassroots campaign against practice funding cuts to the heart of government today. GP Online

See also:

• Patients in peril due to threat of GP practice closures says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
• GPs take campaign to Downing Street BBC News
• It's not safe for you here, GP surgery tells patients The Daily Telegraph
• It's not safe for you here, overwhelmed GP surgery tells patients: Letter sent to 10,000 people tells them they will be turned away unless illness is deemed an emergency... Daily Mail

Junior doctors worry about quality of care and long working hours

Junior doctors worry about quality of care and long working hours Many still afraid to voice concerns and concerned by too little time to care for patients properly. OnMedica

See also:

• Junior doctors 'under pressure' BBC News

Privatisation is ripping the NHS from our hands

Privatisation is ripping the NHS from our hands The notion that competition promotes excellence and market forces breed efficiency is a myth

Last year, a majority of new contracts to provide NHS services went to private companies. Most of these private companies hide behind the NHS logo but siphon off a profit. Collectively, such providers received more than £10bn from the public coffers in 2013. And according to the Financial Times, around £5.8bn of NHS work is currently being advertised to the private sector, a 14% increase on a year earlier.

Clinical commissioning group (CCG) leaders do not consider that privatisation is their main agenda. They do admit, however, that they face difficult decisions regarding the need to tender which, in a nutshell, is a tool for commissioners to facilitate competition. Promoters of the concept of Any Qualified Provider who indulge in marketisation do so under the false belief that this achieves better health outcomes, which flies in the face of both the theory as well as overwhelming evidence that equity, efficiency and equilibrium of the NHS are adversely affected. Continue reading... The Guardian

Rise in care home fees outstrips earnings by 54 per cent

Rise in care home fees outstrips earnings by 54 per cent Figures disclose 'cavernous' gap between care home costs and pensioners' incomes. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Councils raise care funding concerns BBC News

Prostate cancer screening could save 20 per cent of sufferers

Prostate cancer screening could save 20 per cent of sufferers A national screening programme for prostate cancer could eventually save one in five sufferers – but would also lead to over-diagnosis and a huge rise in dangerous side-effects to treatment, a major study has concluded. The Independent

Caring for High-Need, High-Cost Patients: What Makes for a Successful Care Management Program?

Caring for High-Need, High-Cost Patients: What Makes for a Successful Care Management Program? In this study the authors compare the operational approaches of 18 successful complex care management programs in order to offer guidance to providers, payers, and policymakers on best practices for complex care management. The Commonwealth Fund

Aspirin should be taken by all over 50s to cut thousands of cancer deaths: study

Aspirin should be taken by all over 50s to cut thousands of cancer deaths: study

Every middle aged person should take aspirin daily for ten years, experts have said, as a comprehensive study has found it could save 6,000 lives a year by preventing cancer and heart disease. Telegraph

• Daily aspirin 'cuts cancer deaths'  BBC News
• An aspirin a day can keep cancer at bay, study suggests  Independent

Blood app 'can detect diseases'

Blood app 'can detect diseases'

A team has developed an app and small lens add-on that allows blood-cell analysis via your smartphone, which it says can detect diseases such as malaria in seconds. BBC News

Guidance: Adult social care efficiency tool

Guidance: Adult social care efficiency tool

The adult social care efficiency tool identifies similar areas (or ‘statistical neighbours’) for adult social care delivery for older people and working age adults with learning disabilities. These are the two largest groups who receive adult social care. The comparable indicators include spending per head, quality of services and access to services.

The tool provides a basis for comparing spending and outcomes between councils and helps directors of adult social services and local authority financial leads to find new opportunities for improving adult social care efficiency.

It is for use by councils to assess their own performance, and to identify where different approaches in comparable local authorities may provide examples to learn from. It cannot be used to make judgements about the relative performance of councils in delivering adult social care services, nor can it provide answers as to what the ‘correct’ price is for care.

This tool is designed to work best with Excel version 2010 or later. If you need a version optimised for Excel 97-2003 please email panos.zerdevas@dh.gsi.gov.uk Department of Health

Special measures: one year on

Special measures: one year on

This document gives an update on progress made at 11 NHS trusts and foundation trusts that were put into special measures in July 2013. Practical measures that have led to significant changes at some of the trusts include: recruiting extra staff, using better systems to manage the way patients are moved throughout their stay from admission to discharge (known as ‘patient flow’), better managing patients with life threatening conditions and placing renewed emphasis on the quality of care provided. Monitor
Report
Monitor news

Centralised stroke care saves more lives, says study

Centralised stroke care saves more lives, says study

Radical reorganisation of stroke care in London compares favourably with compromise arrangement in Manchester

The centralisation of stroke services in London, which involved the controversial closure of five hospital units, saves nearly 100 lives a year, according to research.

A study published in the British Medical Journal contrasts the radical reorganisation of stroke care which took place in London with a compromise arrangement in Manchester, where there were no unpopular hospital closures. There was also no reduction in mortality. Guardian

Continue reading...

• Super units 'needed for stroke care'  BBC News

Focus on historical sexual abuse ignores today's harsh mental health cuts | Clare Allan

Focus on historical sexual abuse ignores today's harsh mental health cuts | Clare Allan

Survivors of abuse need good mental health services now, otherwise they are simply being failed all over again

There is a sense of national outrage at the seemingly endless stream of revelations concerning thesexual abuse of children by people in the public eye. While such outrage is understandable, I can't help being struck by the simultaneous lack of concern about the cuts to the services and support many survivors of sexual abuse depend on.

Mental health problems are a very common consequence of sexual abuse. An overview of research in this area, conducted by Anne Lazenbatt for the NSPCC suggests that as many as 80% of young adults who have been sexually or physically abused, or both, are found to meet the diagnostic criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder by the time they are 21. By the time they reach their late 20s, they are twice as likely to have attempted suicide as someone who has never been abused. Guardian

Continue reading...

Black men face inequalities in cancer care

Black men face inequalities in cancer care

Report highlights that black men are more likely to get cancer at a younger age and calls for action to improve screening and detection
What 12 Years a Slave tells us about 21st century black mental health

I recently had a PSA test, a blood test that can detect the early signs of prostate cancer. It came back negative and I felt relieved. It led me, however, to discuss with my GP the merits and validity of the test, especially for African and Caribbean men.

The report Hear Me Now launched by David Lammy in parliament earlier this year highlights the issue of prostate cancer and black men. It provides analysis along with case studies and a number of key recommendations for GPs, primary care professionals and commissioners. There is now a growing body of evidence of inequality and disparity between black men and the rest of the population that shows they are more likely to get cancer at a younger age. Guardian

Continue reading...

Supporting NHS providers considering transactions and mergers

Supporting NHS providers considering transactions and mergers

NHS providers considering a merger are urged to contact Monitor early in their planning to ensure proposals work well for patients. These guidance documents will help NHS providers navigate their way through a transaction such as a merger or acquisition. Monitor
Guidance
Monitor news

Could HIV drugs help treat multiple sclerosis?

Could HIV drugs help treat multiple sclerosis?

"Could MS patients be treated with HIV drugs?" ask the Mail Online and The Independent, after a new study discovered people with HIV were almost two-thirds less likely (62%) to develop multiple sclerosis (MS) than those who did not have the virus.
The study was prompted by the case of a patient who had HIV and MS, but stayed clear of any MS symptoms for more than 12 years.
Data from the medical records of about 21,000 people with HIV in the UK was analysed to see how many developed the condition, which affects the brain and spinal cord.
Researchers suggest the HIV infection itself and the antiretroviral drugs used to treat it may protect the body's immune system from developing MS.
Their two theories are:
immunodeficiency caused by HIV may stop the body attacking itself
antiretroviral therapy may suppress other viruses in the body, such as those suggested as being responsible for causing MS
This is a well-conducted study, with a large sample size and very large number of controls. But as it is a cohort study, it can only show an association and cannot prove cause and effect.
The authors acknowledge their findings "should be regarded as speculative rather than definitive".
Overall, this interesting study paves the way for clinical trials to be conducted on the use of antiretroviral medication for people with MS.