Care & Support Public Information Campaign Materials

Care & Support Public Information Campaign Materials

The Department of Health and Public Health England are working to help raise public awareness of the Care and Support reforms being introduced in April 2015 and into 2016.

A public information campaign is underway to help ensure those who are affected by the reforms (existing care and support service users, people approaching the point of need and carers) are aware of the changes, and know where to go for further information.

This page has been developed to host a range of campaign materials for trusted partners to download and cascade through their individual networks.

Significant rise in call-outs for Northamptonshire’s ambulance service

Significant rise in call-outs for Northamptonshire’s ambulance service

The number of call-outs for the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) in December rose by more than 5,000 since the same month last year. Evening Telegraph

News story: Ebola case confirmed in Scotland

News story: Ebola case confirmed in Scotland

The Scottish government has confirmed a case of Ebola in an individual in Scotland, who travelled to Glasgow from Sierra Leone.

The patient will be transferred for treatment in isolation at the Royal Free hospital in London.

The UK has well established and practised infection control procedures for dealing with cases of imported infectious disease. These procedures will be strictly followed while the patient is in transit and when receiving treatment at the Royal Free hospital.

The UK government is working closely with the Scottish government to ensure the patient receives the best possible treatment.

The confirmed case of Ebola in Scotland was a healthcare worker returning from Sierra Leone. They had left Sierra Leone on 28 December and had been a passenger on flight AT596 from Freetown to Casablanca, flight AT0800 from Casablanca to London, and transferred at Heathrow to flight BA1478 for onward travel to Glasgow.

Are we too obsessed with NHS targets?

Are we too obsessed with NHS targets?

Are we too obsessed with NHS targets? BBC News

Tiny microscope can take agonising wait out of cancer tests

Tiny microscope can take agonising wait out of cancer tests 

Scientists have developed the world's smallest microscope which is inserted into the body, allowing doctors to 'see' cancer and make an instant, precise diagnosis. Mail

Red meat triggers toxic immune reaction which causes cancer, scientists find

Red meat triggers toxic immune reaction which causes cancer, scientists find

Scientists at the University of California discovered that the human body views red meat as a foreign invader and launches an immune response. Telegraph

Prescription fraud plan criticised

Prescription fraud plan criticised

Pharmacists strongly criticised plans to strengthen checks at the counter for entitlement to free prescriptions in England. BBC News

Many breast cancer patients struggle with aftermath of disease, finds charity

Many breast cancer patients struggle with aftermath of disease, finds charity


Debilitating side-effects and depression among most common issues raised by those calling helpline two years after diagnosis

One in six breast cancer patients are still struggling with the aftermath of the disease and its treatment more than two years on from diagnosis, a charity has found.

Breast Cancer Care said the results of a survey of 1,228 people, who had been diagnosed two or more years previously and had called its helpline, illustrate the importance of the phone line and the need for the public to help keep it going. Guardian

Continue reading...

Lying on Facebook causes paranoia and memory problems

Lying on Facebook causes paranoia and memory problems

Lying on Facebook is common — but doing so could cause paranoia and memory problems. Independent

Jab that can banish allergies in two months: Substance is injected directly into a lymph node in the groin rather than under the skin

Jab that can banish allergies in two months: Substance is injected directly into a lymph node in the groin rather than under the skin

The treatment involves injecting small amounts of an allergen - such as a protein from pet fur - into the patient's body over a period of time, so that the body slowly becomes accustomed. Mail

Diet advice from overweight GPs more likely to be ignored, finds survey

Diet advice from overweight GPs more likely to be ignored, finds survey


Poll suggests need for NHS staff to be role models to help convince public of importance of losing weight, says health body

Britons are much less likely to follow advice from health professionals such as GPs and nurses if the health professionals are overweight or obese, a new survey shows.

Polling commissioned by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) found that 41% of people would be less likely to take advice about adopting a healthy diet from an NHS member of staff who was carrying extra pounds, while just 17% said they would heed it. Guardian

Continue reading...

Press release: Stop the rot: new campaign highlights how cigarettes ‘rot’ the body from the inside

Press release: Stop the rot: new campaign highlights how cigarettes ‘rot’ the body from the inside

Today (29 December 2014), Public Health England (PHE) launches a powerful new campaign to highlight how smoking damages the body and causes a slow and steady decline in a process similar to rotting.

The campaign starts as a new expert review commissioned by Public Health England highlights the multiple impacts that toxic ingredients in cigarettes can have on your body. While many smokers know that smoking causes cancer and harms the lungs and heart, the new report highlights how it also damages:
bones and muscles: smoking has a negative impact on bone mineral density, and causes progressive harm to the musculoskeletal system, including:
25% increased risk of any fracture, and a 40% increase in the risk of hip fractures among men
slower healing after injury
increased risk of back and neck pain, leading to a 79% increase in chronic back pain, and a 114% increase in disabling lower back pain
rheumatoid arthritis, and a reduction in the impact of treatment

brain: current smokers are 53% more likely to develop cognitive impairment than non-smokers, and 59% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease

teeth: smoking increases the likelihood of tooth loss and decay
eyes: smoking damages sight by increasing the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by 78% to 358%, and increasing the risk of age-related cataracts

With New Year’s resolutions approaching and two-thirds of smokers saying they want to quit, new adverts are being used to graphically illustrate the degeneration that smoking causes.

England’s top dementia doctor says “Make cutting back on alcohol your New Year’s resolution”

England’s top dementia doctor says “Make cutting back on alcohol your New Year’s resolution”

NHS England’s top dementia doctor says cutting back on alcohol to protect your mental health is a good 2015 resolution.

Prevention is something everyone can help with as the NHS tackles the growing issue of dementia, says Professor Alistair Burns, NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Dementia.

He said a number of research studies* showed significant relationships between alcohol and the onset of dementia.

Most studies suggest drinking large amounts of alcohol increases the risk of dementia.

And today he highlighted a guide to avoiding dementia and the signs and symptoms to look out for.

Cutting down on alcohol can reduce people’s chances of developing dementia.

“The New Year is the perfect chance for us all to consider our lifestyles and think if there is anything we can improve or change to increase our healthiness – both physical and mental,” he said.

“While stopping drinking altogether isn’t a reality for many people, cutting down can make a huge difference. However, it can be very easy for one glass to lead to two and then to a bottle and this can seriously increase you risk of developing dementia in later life along with many other health conditions.”

NHS guidelines state that men shouldn’t regularly drink more than three to four units per day and women shouldn’t regularly drink more than two to three units per day. One unit is roughly equivalent to half a beer or a small glass of wine.

Currently 375,000 people in England have a diagnosis of dementia out of the 683,000 estimated to have the condition.

NHS England, in parallel with the Prime Minister’s Challenge on dementia, has an ambition that two thirds of people with dementia will have a diagnosis and post diagnostic support by 2015.

Two thirds is 455,000 which leaves a gap of 80,000 people who need to be identified.

Being a Dementia Friend is not about volunteering or donating money – it is about finding out how to make life a bit better for somebody with dementia. NHS Commissioning

NHS England’s action on obesity

NHS England’s action on obesity

Commenting on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s data in its latest Health At A Glance Europe 2014 report, which shows 24.7 per cent of British adults are obese compared with an average of 16.7 per cent in the rest of Europe, Simon Stevens, the Chief Executive of NHS England, said: “The ghost of Christmases past reminds us that 20 years ago we didn’t have these problems as a nation. The ghost of Christmases future tells us that if we get our act together – as the NHS, as parents, as schools, the food industry – we can get back in shape.

“Rather than recent daft judgements by the European court practically pretending that obesity is inevitable, in England in 2015 we’re going to start proving that it isn’t.

“That’s why the NHS is going to be funding a new national programme, proven to work, that will offer tens of thousands of people at risk of diabetes proper support to get healthier, eat better and exercise more.

“We know that for people at risk, losing just 5-7% of your weight can cut your chance of diabetes by nearly 60%. If this was a pill we’d be popping it – instead its a well designed programme of exercise, eating well and making smart health choices, and we’re going to start making it available free on the NHS.”

Target drunks, A&E boss urges police

Target drunks, A&E boss urges police

Police should crack down on binge drinking to stop hospital staff becoming distracted by disorderly drunks, a leading doctor says. BBC News

NHS cancels 3,000 operations in two December weeks

NHS cancels 3,000 operations in two December weeks


Figures highlighted by Labour show 3,113 elective and 161 urgent operations were cancelled in first part of month


More than 3,000 operations have been cancelled by the NHS in the first two weeks of this month as an “unprecedented demand” takes its toll.

Figures show 3,113 elective operations were cancelled in that period, up by almost half since 2012. Guardian

Continue reading...

Whooping cough virus 'evolving fast'

Whooping cough virus 'evolving fast'

Whooping cough may be evolving to outsmart the currently used vaccine, say researchers. BBC News

Life choices 'behind many cancers'

Life choices 'behind many cancers'

More than four in 10 cancers - 600,000 in the UK alone - could be prevented if people led healthier lives, say experts. BBC News

NHS hampered by poor management structure, Rose report claims

NHS hampered by poor management structure, Rose report claims


Former M&S chief blames ‘hydra-like’ complexity of system and poor training and development for holding back staff

The NHS is being hampered by an over-complex management structure which is quashing initiative within the service, a delayed government report by the former Marks & Spencer chief Sir Stuart Rose is expected to conclude.

The report was due to be published in November but is now expected early in the new year before the general election and amid growing concerns about the pressures being placed on hospital accident and emergency departments. Guardian

Continue reading...

HSCIC issues info code of practice

HSCIC issues info code of practice

The Health and Social Care Information Centre has released a code of practice on confidential information, outlining how NHS organisations should securely collect, analyse and publish health and social care data. EHI News

NHS England promotes IT in 'to do' list

NHS England promotes IT in 'to do' list

NHS England has urged clinical commissioning groups to start working on the 'roadmaps' that will lead to integrated digital care records by 2018. EHI News

Nye: The Political Life of Aneurin Bevan review – lucid account of a flawed hero

Nye: The Political Life of Aneurin Bevan review – lucid account of a flawed hero


As Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds’s warts-and-all biography reveals, the father of the NHS was far from being a team player

In the pantheon of Labour heroes, indeed among 20th-century politicians as a whole, Aneurin Bevan enjoys one of the foremost places. His towering achievement was the creation of the National Health Service, which he drove through in the teeth of bitter opposition from both the medical profession and the Tories. To this day his legacy – a health service available to all, free at the point of use – is the one part of the postwar consensus that has survived more or less intact the ravages of Thatcherism and the global market.

But all great men have their flaws and, as this lucid, well-researched biography concedes, Bevan’s were considerable. Although capable of pragmatism and at times courageous he could also be fractious, disloyal and self-indulgent. Arguably, his 1950 resignation from the government over the issue of charges for false teeth and spectacles contributed to the defeat of 1951 and helped to ignite a civil war that rendered Labour impotent in the early 50s. Bevan, according to one of his close friends, was not a team player. Guardian

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The health drink fad we'll all be trying next year birch tree sap

The health drink fad we'll all be trying next year birch tree sap

Birch tree sap holds many potential health and beauty benefits. The watery liquid is tapped from tree trunks in early spring. Professor Barbara Maher (pictured) explains the trees detoxifying capabilities. Mail

Our case studies on retirement flexibilities within the NHS Pension Scheme are available

Our case studies on retirement flexibilities within the NHS Pension Scheme are available Download our latest case study to help your trust make the most of the retirement flexibilities available within the NHS Penion Scheme. NHS Employers

Planned NHS cash changes spark anger

Planned NHS cash changes spark anger Hospital specialists say proposed NHS England funding changes could lead to people dying unnecessarily if they are implemented. BBC News

See also:

• Patients with cancer and heart disease will suffer 'needless deaths' under NHS plans The Daily Telegraph

Ebola crisis 'likely to last a year'

Ebola crisis 'likely to last a year' West Africa's Ebola crisis is likely to last until the end of 2015, says the head of the World Health Organization body dealing with the epidemic. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: Healthcare workers' Ebola battle BBC News
• Ebola nurse to deliver C4 message BBC News
• Over 70 NHS heroes fighting Ebola this Christmas Department of Health
• Government pays tribute to NHS Ebola volunteers OnMedica

NHS England promotes IT in 'to do' list

NHS England promotes IT in 'to do' list NHS England has urged clinical commissioning groups to start working on the 'roadmaps' that will lead to integrated digital care records by 2018. E-Health Insider

How to read health news

How to read health news If you've just read a health-related headline that has caused you to spit out your morning coffee (“Coffee causes cancer” usually does the trick), it’s always best to follow the Blitz slogan: “Keep Calm and Carry On”. On reading further, you’ll often find the headline has left out something important, such as: “Injecting five rats with really highly concentrated coffee solution caused some changes in cells that might lead to tumours eventually (study funded by The Association of Tea Marketing).”

The most important rule to remember is: don’t automatically believe the headline. It is there to draw you into buying the paper and reading the story. Would you read an article called: “Coffee pretty unlikely to cause cancer, but you never know”? Probably not.

To avoid spraying your newspaper with coffee in the future, you need to analyse the article to see what it says about the research it is reporting on. Bazian (the company I work for) has appraised hundreds of articles for Behind the Headlines on NHS Choices, and we've developed the following questions to help you figure out which articles you’re going to believe and which you’re not. Continue reading... NHS Choices

Practices face February deadline for £200m transformation fund bids

Practices face February deadline for £200m transformation fund bids Practices and NHS organisations have until 2 February to bid for a share of NHS England's £200m transformation fund. GP Online

GPs warn pre-dawn queues at practice reflect widespread pressure on doctors

GPs warn pre-dawn queues at practice reflect widespread pressure on doctors Regulator signals concerns and locals complain of routine queues at Sunbury practice as patients rise from 6,000 to 23,000

GPs’ leaders have warned that problems at a Surrey practice where patients have been forced to queue before dawn to get an appointment are indicative of the strain on services due to lack of investment and rising demand.

A photograph published in the Daily Mail on Tuesday showed people lined up outside Sunbury Health Centre in the dark to get a same-day appointment, raising concerns about pressure on GP services, when they are being asked to relieve pressure on A&E departments. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• The queue that shames Britain: 7.11am and desperate patients wait in the cold and dark outside surgery - just so they can be seen by their GP The Daily Mail

Year in review: ten of the best healthcare stories from 2014

Year in review: ten of the best healthcare stories from 2014 As the year draws to an end, we look back at some of the network’s highlights Continue reading... The Guardian

Compassion, not targets, is the key to basic care

Compassion, not targets, is the key to basic care A handrail fitted now is a fall, and operation, avoided later. The Daily Telegraph

Who's who in health and social care guides 2014

Who's who in health and social care guides 2014 These guides have been updated to include new and current contact information for key figures within local health economies. Each regional guide contains contact information for representatives on health and wellbeing boards, CCGs, Healthwatch, strategic clinical networks and senates, and directors for adult and child social care. Regional Voices

• Guides
• Regional Voices news

Choice in mental health care

Choice in mental health care This guidance aims to help commissioners, GPs and providers support mental health patients exercising their legal rights to choose who provides their care and treatment. This guidance has been updated to reflect suggestions from consultation which highlighted the need for further clarity and it also includes a set of clinical scenarios to illustrate how mental health patients’ legal rights should work in practice. NHS England

• Guidance
• Clinical scenarios

CCG funding allocations 2014/15 and 2015/16

CCG funding allocations 2014/15 and 2015/16 These documents outline the funding allocations that CCGs will receive over the next two years (2014/15 and 2015/16). The allocations reflect the new funding formula which has been adopted for local health commissioners that will more accurately reflect population changes and include a specific deprivation measure. NHS England

• Allocation data
• Supporting note
• Press release

See also:

• CCGs expected to stump up more for ailing mental health services OnMedica

Tackle loneliness to 'shield' A&E

Tackle loneliness to 'shield' AE NHS leaders warn loneliness could cause a major spike in emergency admissions. BBC News

Researchers: your guide to hitting the headlines

Researchers: your guide to hitting the headlines Boffins, are you having trouble communicating the fruits of your labour to a wider audience?

Have you spent five thankless years going through stool samples in an attempt to find new treatments for giardiasis only to have your work written up as a single paragraph on page 34 of the Rochdale Observer?

Well, worry no more. Drawing on decades of journalistic experience, the Behind the Headlines team has drawn up the definitive guide to getting your work featured prominently on News at Ten. Simply follow the 10 tips below and before you know it you’ll be talking p-values with Phil and Holly on ITV's This Morning. Continue reading... NHS Choices

Exclusive: Huge variation in GP-patient ratio across England revealed

Exclusive: Huge variation in GP-patient ratio across England revealed GPs in parts of England are dealing with twice as many patients as their counterparts in other areas, an analysis of official data by GP magazine reveals. GP Online

Tory Francis Maude says NHS reforms hinge on inclusion of private firms

Tory Francis Maude says NHS reforms hinge on inclusion of private firms Maude wants private firms to get health service work under £5.3bn Better Care Fund aiming to knit health and social care.

A senior minister has criticised the government’s £5.3bn central policy to save the NHS and claimed it will only work if private firms are given a much bigger role. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Francis Maude: give private firms a bigger role in NHS to combat 'endless process and bureaucracy'; video The Guardian

Children under six being prescribed behavioural drugs against medical guidelines

Children under six being prescribed behavioural drugs against medical guidelines Children under six are being prescribed behavioural drugs against medical guidelines as mental health professionals struggle to cope with a lack of funding and short staffing. The Independent

See also:

• ADHD and preschool children in the news British Psychological Society
• ADHD drugs increasingly prescribed to treat hyperactivity in pre-schoolers The Guardian

Corby one of the winners as whole county gets health funding boost

Corby one of the winners as whole county gets health funding boost The body in charge of healthcare in Corby has been handed one of the biggest funding increases in England. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Paramedics being offered support service to help reduce high levels of work-related stress

Paramedics being offered support service to help reduce high levels of work-related stress Paramedics working for East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) are beng encouraged to join a ‘peer support’ project to help reduce the high levels of work related stress. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Rise in paramedic stress sick leave BBC Northamptonshire

Statutory guidance: The forward view into action: planning for 2015/16

Statutory guidance: The forward view into action: planning for 2015/16 This planning guidance published by Monitor, NHS England, the NHS Trust Development Authority, the Care Quality Commission, Public Health England and Health Education England sets out the steps that foundation trusts and others in the health sector should take during 2015/16 to start delivering the NHS Five Year Forward View.

 See also:

• Health leaders set out new year plan for a sustainable NHS NHS England

Department of Health mid-year report 2014-15

Department of Health mid-year report 2014-15 This document reports on progress made against the Department of Health’s objectives, financial performance, people and major projects from April to September 2014.

Review of Sections 135 and 136 of the Mental Health Act

Review of Sections 135 and 136 of the Mental Health Act This report finds that the use of police powers under the Mental Health Act is a major concern for service users, family carers and professionals alike. It concludes that the use of police powers under the Mental Health Act has to change. In most cases, change could be achieved through better use of existing powers. In all cases, heeding the voices of people who have been detained under these sections is vital to ensure any changes to police powers or their application improve people's experiences. Centre for Mental Health

See also:

• Sections 135 and 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983: literature review Department of Health

Ambulance targets plan revealed

Ambulance targets plan revealed Target times for ambulances to reach some seriously ill patients could be lengthened, a document leaked to the BBC shows. BBC News

See also:

• Controversial plan to delay dispatch of ambulances put on hold after backlash The Guardian
• Ambulances target times for some patients could be lengthened The Guardian

NHS to start era of DNA-medicine

NHS to start era of DNA-medicine The NHS will set up 11 centres to unlock the secrets of DNA and usher in a new era of medicine. BBC News

See also:

• News story: Eleven new centres to lead genomics project Department of Health
• NHS set to deliver world-leading genomics project in fight against cancer and rare diseases NHS England
• NHS England names 100K genome centres E-Health Insider
• £300m bid to find new cancer cures by mapping our DNA: Unlocking genetic code could lead to faster and more accurate diagnosis  The Daily Mail

First UK reservists join Ebola fight

First UK reservists join Ebola fight The first British army reservists along with 100 regular soldiers head to Sierra Leone to help the battle against Ebola in the West African state. BBC News

See also:

• Press release: PHE scientists receive Ebola treatment research funding Public Health England
• Ebola outbreak: Sierra Leone's guardian of the dead is at work again The Independent
• NHS Ebola staff ‘insulted’ by UK travel ban The Guardian

The NHS’s chaotic IT systems show no sign of recovery

The NHS’s chaotic IT systems show no sign of recovery Paperless patient records are a necessity, but a new, US–made system at Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge is a chronic misreading of patient needs.

When you walk into my GP’s surgery, the first thing you see is a screen on the receptionist’s counter. Displayed on it are the words (all in capitals) “TOUCH THE SCREEN TO ARRIVE FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT”. Being pedantic, the first time I saw it I pointed out to the receptionist that I had arrived for my appointment. She grimaced. I then asked if the medical implications of asking every patient to use the same touchscreen during, say, a flu epidemic had been considered. Another grimace. It was, she explained, “a new system”.

This system was provided by Epic Systems, a US corporation based in Wisconsin, which may explain why its software designers seem unfamiliar with the verb “to arrive”. It’s one of eight major vendors of healthcare information systems, all of which are based in the US, and it got its foot in the NHS door quite a long time ago. My doctor’s surgery has been using it for a while. At the beginning, the system’s user-interface was abysmal and dysfunctional. Now, several years on, it’s merely ugly. But at least it works. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS staff threaten new year strikes as pay dispute escalates

NHS staff threaten new year strikes as pay dispute escalates Doctors and health leaders say services ‘running just to stand still’ as they struggle to cope with winter spike in patient numbers.

NHS leaders in England say the problems caused by the funding squeeze are greater than ever, with hospitals struggling to cope with record levels of emergency admissions and unions threatening fresh strike action in the new year over pay curbs.

There were more than 111,000 emergency admissions to hospitals in the last week and A&E departments saw 440,428 patients, up more than 24,000 on the same week last year, despite relatively low levels of flu and winter vomiting. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NHS staff to strike in new year BBC News
• NHS and ambulance staff to strike The Daily Telegraph
• Health unions announce new round of industrial action early next year OnMedica

'The more research active an organisation is, the better the outcomes for patients' - video

'The more research active an organisation is, the better the outcomes for patients' - video Greta Westwood, deputy director of research at Portsmouth hospitals NHS trust, which won the Health Services Journal award for clinical research impact, explains how staff are supported to develop their own research and how the culture benefits patients. The Guardian

Decent care is a fundamental human right

Decent care is a fundamental human right Telegraph View: Fresh evidence suggests that some care homes are not up to scratch. Britain's ageing population deserves much better. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Bullying care worker jailed after attacking dementia patients The Daily Telegraph
• Dozens of carers in two months but no one knew whether mum liked tea or coffee The Daily Telegraph

Parents' mental health helpline loses its grant

Parents' mental health helpline loses its grant A vital helpline offered by the UK's leading children's mental health charity is facing closure after the Government cut its budget. The Independent

English A&Es reach breaking point after worst-ever week

English A&Es reach breaking point after worst-ever week England’s A&Es have recorded their worst ever week, as health unions declared the NHS was at "breaking point" and announced a new wave of strike action for the New Year. The Independent

See also:

• Weekend was busier than last New Year, ambulance service for Northamptonshire says Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Busy night for ambulance service Northamptonshire Telegraph
• Paramedics called 100 times an hour BBC Northamptonshire
• Evolving expectations of GP services Citizen's Advice Bureau
• A&E has 'worst week' in England BBC News
• NHS 'in crisis': Hospitals at breaking point after record number of admissions this week - despite the public being urged to stay away The Daily Mail
• Young Britons turning backs on GPs and heading straight to A&E The Daily Mail
• A&E's worst week in history with record number of emergencies admitted The Daily Telegraph
• NHS 'buckling under strain' as Christmas approaches The Daily Telegraph
• Viewpoint: Investment would be best Christmas gift for NHS, says Dr Kailash Chand GP Online
• Hospitals in England admitting record number of emergency patients The Guardian
• NHS crisis grows as young Britons turn their backs on family doctors The Guardian
• A&E winter pressures reach record levels in England Royal College of Nursing

A transformation fund for the NHS

A transformation fund for the NHS We and The King’s Fund have both called for a properly resourced ’transformation fund’ to support change in the NHS. Over the coming months, we'll be working together to explore the concept in more detail, including what resource is required and alternative sources of funding. The Health Foundation

See also:

• A transformation fund for the NHS The King's Fund

GMC to review its treatment of vulnerable doctors under fitness to practise investigation

GMC to review its treatment of vulnerable doctors under fitness to practise investigation The General Medical Council (GMC) is committed to reviewing the way it treats vulnerable doctors under fitness to practise investigations following the publication of an independent review it commissioned.

See also:

• Doctors who commit suicide while under GMC fitness to practise investigation: Internal review General Medical Council
• 'Support vulnerable doctors' call BBC News

Press release: PHE figures confirm flu season has started

Press release: PHE figures confirm flu season has started Following Public Health England (PHE) advice, the Chief Medical Officer has this week issued guidance to all GPs in England about using antiviral drugs, for people presenting with flu-like illness who are at higher risk of developing complications. Although flu is starting to circulate, flu levels currently remain relatively low.

Integrating personal budgets for people with mental health problems

Integrating personal budgets for people with mental health problems This resource aims to support staff who are working with mental health personal budgets. The guide gives an overview of the terminology and current policy background; it also examines the key areas that need to be tackled for integration to become a reality; and it makes recommendations for implementing integrated personal budgets in mental health. Social Care Institute for Excellence

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) systems map: overview of the factors influencing the development of AMR and the interactions between them

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) systems map: overview of the factors influencing the development of AMR and the interactions between them The aim of producing an AMR systems map is to provide a broad overview of the factors influencing the development of antimicrobial resistance and the interactions between them rather than detailed consideration of individual factors or infectious agents. It is hoped that this will increase awareness of the diverse factors that influence AMR, aid research groups in identifying issues for investigation and aid in policy development. Department of Health

Care.data review raises questions

Care.data review raises questions An independent review on the first stage of NHS England's controversial care.data programme says a wide range of "unresolved" questions must be answered before it can proceed. E-Health Insider

See also:

• Independent report: IIGOP report on care.data Department of Health

Shift workers more likely to report poor health

Shift workers more likely to report poor health "Higher rates of obesity and ill-health have been found in shift workers than the general population," BBC News reports.

These are the key findings of a survey into health trends among shift workers; defined as any working pattern outside of the normal fixed eight-hour working day (though start and finish times may vary).

According to the survey (The Health Survey for England 2013), shift workers were more likely to report general ill-health, have a higher body mass index (BMI) and increased incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes.

Exclusive: GP funding hit as CCGs denied £180m in quality payments

Exclusive: GP funding hit as CCGs denied £180m in quality payments CCGs have missed out on more than £180m of funding that many had earmarked for primary care, official data reveal. GP Online

NHS managers 'delaying cancer tests to meet targets and avoid fines' are putting lives at 'serious risk'

NHS managers 'delaying cancer tests to meet targets and avoid fines' are putting lives at 'serious risk'  NHS guidelines say that 93 per cent of patients given an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer should be seen by a specialist in hospital within two weeks, who will then send them for tests. The Daily Mail

People with learning disabilities should not have to call a hospital home

People with learning disabilities should not have to call a hospital home Care Quality Commission report into Calderstone’s NHS trust is sharp reminder why urgent action is needed.

The report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) that was announced yesterday paints a sickening picture of what was found within inpatient units for people with a learning disability run by Calderstones NHS trust.

The CQC found serious deficiencies in the quality of care, including dirty and unsafe wards and seclusion rooms, inadequate staffing, frequent use of physical restraint and seclusion – including face-down restraint – and failures in relation to the Mental Health Act. The CQC report also reveals that 40% of patients at Calderstones have been there for five years or more, mostly detained under the Mental Health Act, many subject to Ministry of Justice restrictions. Continue reading... The Guardian

How NHS organisations should use social media

How NHS organisations should use social media New report analyses top NHS social media users and recommends top tips for engagement and building presence

• Why one NHS trust is experimenting with social media
• Using social media should be encouraged – but be aware of the risks

With the dust settling over the chancellor’s £2bn “down payment” on NHS England’s Five Year Forward View, it’s becoming clear that its implementation will impact on all NHS and social care providers.

Applications are due by the end of January to become one of the new care models envisioned. NHS chief executive Simon Stevens has emphasised that radical change is both required and expected, a view reinforced by last week’s Dalton Report to NHS England on future care models. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Social media blurs doctor patient relationship, warn experts OnMedica

A&E waiting times won't be published so staff can have a break, says Hunt

A&E waiting times won't be published so staff can have a break, says Hunt Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt denies 'news blackout' on publishing A&E figures over the festive period and insists staff "deserve" a break. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• VIDEO: Hunt: NHS getting record funds BBC News
• Labour attacks NHS England’s Christmas ‘news blackout’ The Guardian

Norovirus closes wards in nine hospital amid fears of winter NHS crisis

Norovirus closes wards in nine hospital amid fears of winter NHS crisis Nine hospitals have been forced to close wards because of outbreaks of the norovirus, according to a report. The Independent

Obesity could be considered a disability after landmark EU ruling on workplace discrimination

Obesity could be considered a disability after landmark EU ruling on workplace discrimination Being severely overweight – classified as having a body mass index of more than 30 – could be considered a disability if it affects an employee’s ability to work, European judges have ruled. The Independent

See also:

• Obesity 'is a disability' - courts BBC News
• Obesity IS a DISABILITY, rules highest EU court after 25st Danish childminder was 'sacked for being too fat to perform his job properly' The Daily Mail

Flu revealed to be cause of death in one in 11 pregnant women in UK as Northamptonshire health experts issue warning

Flu revealed to be cause of death in one in 11 pregnant women in UK as Northamptonshire health experts issue warning Expectant mothers in Northamptonshire are being urged to get a flu jab after the virus was revealed to be the cause of death in one in 11 pregnant women across the UK. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Stroke treatment in England varies widely by location

Stroke treatment in England varies widely by location New figures released today show that the treatment of stroke patients in England varies widely depending on where patients live.

Of the 68,8003 patients admitted to hospital with stroke during 2013-14, 41,200 (60 per cent) were admitted to an acute stroke unit within four hours of arrival at hospital. This figure varied by clinical commissioning group (CCG). Health and Social Care Information Centre

See also:

• Postcode lottery in stroke care laid bare The Daily Telegraph

VIDEO: Visiting the doctor via the internet

VIDEO: Visiting the doctor via the internet A state-of-the-art clinic in Denmark is set to make dramatic changes to the relationship between doctor and patient. BBC News

Ill teenagers not to be held in cells

Ill teenagers not to be held in cells Teenagers experiencing mental health problems will no longer be detained in police cells as a "place of safety", Home Secretary Theresa May is to announce later. BBC News

Astonishing over-reliance on overseas nurses

Astonishing over-reliance on overseas nurses Dr Peter Carter, RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary, responds to latest figures from the Health Service Journal showing the number of overseas nurses being recruited in the UK. Royal College of Nursing

See also:

• VIDEO: Fewer or more nurses in NHS today? BBC News
• 80,000 UK students are told they can't train as a nurse The Daily Mail

E-cigarettes could help some smokers quit

E-cigarettes could help some smokers quit “E-cigarettes can help smokers quit or cut down heavily,” The Guardian reports. An international review of the evidence, carried out by the well-respected Cochrane Collaboration, found evidence that they can help some smokers quit.

However, the available body of evidence was slim – just two randomised controlled trials (RCTs), involving around 950 participants.

The two studies found that 9% of people using e-cigarettes with nicotine quit smoking for at least six months, compared to 4% of people using placebo e-cigarettes. However, the results on quitting were only significant when the trials were added together, because so few people managed to quit. The individual trials found no difference in the number of people who quit smoking by at least six months when using e-cigarettes with nicotine compared to placebo e-cigarettes or nicotine patches. The researchers say that the pooled results should therefore be treated with caution.

Doctor and two nurses charged with manslaughter after boy, six, with Down's Syndrome died in hospital

Doctor and two nurses charged with manslaughter after boy, six, with Down's Syndrome died in hospital Jack Adcock, who had Down’s syndrome and other pre-existing health problems, died of pneumonia at Leicester Royal Infirmary almost five years ago. The Daily Mail

Healthcare revolution must emphasise community care

Healthcare revolution must emphasise community care The future of the NHS depends on it taking a radical approach to health services. Can it shift away from a hospital-based model to focus on individual independence?

Our society’s dependence on acute-care hospitals, which are often not the best places for healthcare issues to be dealt with, must be reduced dramatically over the next few years. That was the general agreement at a recent Guardian roundtable, sponsored by Optum, that looked at the role community services will play in the future of the NHS. The direction for the NHS is towards devolved services, and there are a host of positive reasons for developing them in that way, experts from NHS England, healthcare providers and charities were told at the event.

The problem with hospitals is that they are geared up for acute care and tend to follow narrow pathways focusing in on a particular problem, the roundtable heard, when a more holistic approach to health is what is needed.

“For generations, we've gone to ask the doctor for the answers to our health problems,” said Madeleine Starr of Carers UK. Continue reading... The Guardian

Nick Clegg attempts to calm NHS worries over EU-US trade deal

Nick Clegg attempts to calm NHS worries over EU-US trade deal Deputy PM tells debate the TTIP agreement would not be endorsed without assuring sovereign right to run public services

Nick Clegg has moved to calm campaigners worried about the proposed EU-US trade deal – the transatlantic trade and investment partnership (TTIP) – saying the government would secure written guarantees that it would not threaten the NHS.

The deputy prime minister said he would ensure the UK maintains its sovereign right to run the NHS, amid fears the deal could allow private US health corporations the ability to mount legal challenges over the right to bid for contracts. Continue reading... The Guardian

Smoking banned in cars when children are present

Smoking banned in cars when children are present From October 2015 anyone who smokes in a car where a child is present will be fined £50. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• News story: Protecting children from secondhand smoke and nicotine addiction Department of Health
• Car smoke ban 'to start in October' BBC News
• VIDEO: Smoking in cars 'harmful for children' BBC News

NHS services cut in Nottingham after doctors quit rather than work for private firm

NHS services cut in Nottingham after doctors quit rather than work for private firm An NHS hospital has been forced to scrap highly rated services for patients with severe skin conditions including skin cancer following an “exodus” of senior doctors reluctant to work for a private sector subcontractor. The Independent

Northamptonshire hospitals urge patients to avoid going to A&E as numbers rise by 20 per cent

Northamptonshire hospitals urge patients to avoid going to A&E as numbers rise by 20 per cent Northamptonshire hospitals are urging the public to avoid attending unless “absolutely necessary” and to use other NHS services where possible. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Hospitals’ plea to public as they struggle to cope with demand Northamptonshire Telegraph 

The public’s view of which treatments should be available on the NHS

The public’s view of which treatments should be available on the NHS NHS England’s favoured future funding option suggests that nearly three-quarters of the £30 billion funding-needs gap that will exist by 2020/21 is to be filled by increased productivity. Even if the ‘down payment’ pledges of extra money for the NHS from the three main political parties eventually swell to meet the £8 billion NHS England are asking for by 2020/21, the productivity challenge remains substantial.

Being more productive does not just involve producing more of the same for each health care pound to meet growing demands. It also means improving the quality of the product – for example, not just more hip replacements, but hip replacements with reduced recovery times, using hips that last longer and produce bigger improvements in patients’ self-assessed health status.

In short, improving productivity means generating greater value for patients. This, in essence, is at the heart of the difficult task – not only for the new productivity challenge over the next few years, but for NICE too: making better use of the resources it is given means the NHS providing better quality (or more effective) care at the lowest cost.

QI methods: the essentials of good clinical management?

QI methods: the essentials of good clinical management? What should be the function of a central improvement entity? There seems to be consensus that the role of the centre isn't to deliver programmes but there is yet to be recognition of the critical role a central function needs to play, says Jo Bibby. The Health Foundation

Address gaps in mental health care for new mothers

Address gaps in mental health care for new mothers Women who have experience of, or are at risk of mental health problems, should get extra support before, during and after their pregnancy, says NICE

See also:

• Antenatal and postnatal mental health: clinical management and service guidance NICE
• Mental health support for mothers BBC News
• Pregnant women at risk of mental health issues will receive extra support after tragic deaths of mother and four-day old daughter  The Daily Mail

Public Health England’s grant to local authorities

Public Health England’s grant to local authorities The new public health agency Public Health England (PHE) has made a good start in supporting local authorities with their new responsibilities for public health. The National Audit Office considers, however, that it is too soon to tell whether the agency’s approach is achieving value for money.

PHE was set up in April 2013 to be the nation’s expert agency on public health. It gives local authorities advice and evidence on what works, and gives them a ring-fenced grant to carry out their new public health responsibilities – £2.7 billion in 2013-14. The agency has, however, encountered some problems with the accuracy of how local authorities record what has been spent on public health.

The priorities of the NHS met in second annual Workforce Plan for England

The priorities of the NHS met in second annual Workforce Plan for England Today we publish our second Workforce Plan for England, which sets out the £5bn investment we will make in education and training programmes for 2015/16.

It is built upon the needs of local employers, commissioners and other stakeholders who, as members of our Local Education Training Boards (LETBs), have shaped the thirteen local plans that are the bedrock of this plan for England. The priorities in the plan are the priorities of the NHS, identified locally and nationally by employers, colleges and other stakeholders.

A&E units 'creaking under pressure'

A&E units 'creaking under pressure' The medical director of NHS England, Sir Bruce Keogh, says the "system is creaking" as winter begins to take hold. BBC News

See also:

• Ambulance service asks for help BBC News
• 'A&E departments already straining from winter demand, NHS' Sir Bruce Keogh admits The Daily Mail
• Overwhelmed London ambulances call for help from other regions after spike in demand The Independent
• Public urged not to call ambulance at Christmas unless a genuine emergency OnMedica

The NHS Frontline - The Reality of Mental Health Services

The NHS Frontline - The Reality of Mental Health Services The challenge of dealing with mental health services as a GP. The Huffington Post

NHS nurse shortage forces health service to recruit overseas

NHS nurse shortage forces health service to recruit overseas Four out of five new nurses in hospitals came from abroad in 2013-14, most from Spain, Portugal and the Philippines.

The NHS is facing such a chronic shortage of homegrown nurses that four out of five new nurses in hospitals have come from abroad, new health service data shows.

Overseas recruitment of nurses has more than quadrupled in a year, underlying the extent of the difficulty hospitals are encountering in their efforts to boost nurse numbers. Continue reading... The Guardian

How a charity is linking with GPs to help those at risk of losing homes

How a charity is linking with GPs to help those at risk of losing homes A Kent charity is helping people with mental health problems by liaising with their GPs and navigating the benefits system

Former teacher Fiona Hood, 45, has had severe anxiety and depression all her adult life. Five years ago she lost both parents within a short space of time, her partner took his life, and then her work as an English language teacher dried up. Hood’s depression began to envelop her. “I felt increasingly cut off from the world,” she explains. “Paralysed with depression, any routines around sleeping and meals, all the structure in my life had gone.”

Hood, who has a degree in linguistics and psychology, was on and off various medication until late last year, when her GP prescribed something different, – a very powerful antidepressant. It was good news, but the downside was that it was going to take a while for Hood to adjust to the new drug. “I felt confused, fuzzy, all over the place,” she recalled. “I couldn’t even make a meal for myself, and I was certainly in no fit state to make appointments to be anywhere. I’d had a major medicine change, and I couldn’t manage it.” Continue reading... The Guardian

Jeremy Hunt: Women make better leaders

Jeremy Hunt: Women make better leaders Health officials call for more "oestrogen to dilute the testosterone" in NHS boardrooms as Health Secretary says women make better leaders than men. The Daily Telegraph

Forty-six people have died in Northamptonshire while waiting for organ transplant, campaign reveals

Forty-six people have died in Northamptonshire while waiting for organ transplant, campaign reveals Seventy-one people in Northamptonshire are on the waiting list for an organ transplant, it has been revealed as the annual organ donor Christmas List campaign is launched. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

To FT or not to FT: that is the question. Or is it?

To FT or not to FT: that is the question. Or is it? What is the role of foundation trusts really an ever changing system? Emma Spencelayh takes a look at the issue, including the controversial decision to prohibit the proposed merger of Poole Hospital NHS and the Royal Bournemouth & Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trusts. The Health Foundation

Contracting for integrated care – what happens once the ink is dry?

Contracting for integrated care – what happens once the ink is dry? A few weeks ago, in our publication Commissioning and contracting for integrated care we described a number of alternative contracting models currently being implemented that encourage and allow providers to work together, within a single budget and/or to an agreed set of outcomes.

In the discussions I had producing this report and afterwards, there was a lot of interest in these contracting models among commissioners, providers and policy-makers. At a national level, theNHS five year forward view clearly describes several different provider models. New integrated provider models are being defined and rolled out, and contracting tools are seen as the vehicle to make these models happen. However, the contract is often seen as an end in itself rather than a tool for encouraging new ways of working.

Hospital referral to community pharmacy

Hospital referral to community pharmacy A toolkit, endorsed by the Royal College of Physicians, providing practical advice on how to set up an electronic referral system from hospitals to community pharmacies to improve patient safety at the point of discharge. Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Doubts over killer nurse conviction

Doubts over killer nurse conviction A nurse who was convicted of being a serial killer could be the victim of a miscarriage of justice. BBC News

Exclusive: GP practices forced to limit services to control workload

Exclusive: GP practices forced to limit services to control workload Two thirds of GP partners and practice managers say their surgery has opted out of part of the QOF or enhanced services because of workload pressure, a GP magazine poll reveals. GP Online

Poor diabetes foot checks increasing risk of amputation

Poor diabetes foot checks increasing risk of amputation Almost a third of patients not informed about their risk of foot problems at annual foot check. OnMedica

Training elderly in social media improves well-being and combats isolation

Training elderly in social media improves well-being and combats isolation Elderly particularly enjoy Skype contact with friends and family. OnMedica

Instead of writing policy and procedure, we in the NHS should learn to listen

Instead of writing policy and procedure, we in the NHS should learn to listen Many of today’s staff know their discipline well but few have been taught how to listen to patients and colleagues. Continue reading... The Guardian

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and a 'creative' use of statistics

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and a 'creative' use of statistics Jeremy Hunt says new information technology will save the NHS billions and that under the Coalition 17,000 more people are surviving cancer. Is he right? The Daily Telegraph