New tools for helping care for people with Long Term Conditions

New tools for helping care for people with Long Term Conditions Dr Martin McShane has welcomed the publication of three new handbooks aimed at planning services for people with long term conditions.

The handbooks, which can be accessed online, are aimed at supporting commissioners and practitioners in planning services for people with long term conditions (LTCs), in order to achieve more effective, personalised care.

Dr McShane, NHS England’s Director for Patients with Long Term Conditions, explained: “LTCs currently account for £7 of every £10 health and social care spend in England.

“If we are to tackle the demands that long term conditions create for the health and care system then we are going to have to adapt and evolve our approaches to meet the needs of the future rather than the problems of the past. This is clearly articulated in the Five Year Forward View.

“We are going to need to proactively identify people, work with them to create a plan and support professionals to work as a team to deliver the best possible care. The need for more personalised, person centred care which engages with the individual and understand their goals and the support they have from carers and the community they live in is vital, if we are to have a sustainable NHS.”

The guides cover three key areas: identifying people in the population with LTCs that are most vulnerable and at risk of unplanned hospital admissions; planning personalised care and support; and best-practice multi-disciplinary working across professional and organisational boundaries. The handbooks are available on NHS England’s website.

See also:

• Martin McShane’s blog about the handbooks. NHS England

Value based assessment of drugs

Value based assessment of drugs In 2010, the Government proposed moving towards a broader value-based system for assessing and pricing branded drugs. Such an approach aims to ensure that the price the NHS pays for a medicine better reflects its benefits. This briefing outlines recent proposals to change the current assessment methods.The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology

Cigarette package law brought forward

Cigarette package law brought forward The government is to press ahead with the introduction of plain cigarette packaging in England, asking MPs to back the move before May's election. BBC News

See also:

• News story: Government backs standardised packaging of tobacco Department of Health
• Cigarettes will be sold only in plain packages from next year The Daily Mail
• Plain cigarette packs to be introduced in UK before general election The Guardian
• All cigarettes likely to be sold in plain packets by next year The Independent

Call for death certificate changes

Call for death certificate changes It is "incomprehensible" independent monitoring of death certificates has not been introduced, 15 years after Harold Shipman's conviction, says a pathologist. BBC News

Jeremy Hunt in last-ditch effort to stop NHS strikes

Jeremy Hunt in last-ditch effort to stop NHS strikes The Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt will today chair a meeting of the Government's emergency Cobra committee to put in place contingency plans for an NHS strike.

Talks with union leaders aimed at averting the January 29 strike are ongoing. ITV News

See also:

• Talks ongoing over proposed industrial action in the NHS NHS Employers
• NHS strike talks to resume on Friday BBC News
• NHS strike may 'affect patient safety to unacceptable level' The Daily Mail
• Exclusive: NHS England calls for GPs to cover striking ambulance workers in pay dispute GP Online

Patient complaints and staff concerns must be taken seriously

Patient complaints and staff concerns must be taken seriously The RCN has responded to a new Health Select Committee report on complaints and raising concerns. Royal College of Nursing

See also:

• GMC statement in response to the Health Select Committee report on complaints and raising concerns General Medical Council
• Employers welcome Health Select Committee's recognition of improvements in raising concerns NHS Employers

What's the future of NHS mental health services? - video

What's the future of NHS mental health services? - video (15 minutes) Former chief executive of the Sussex Partnership NHS foundation trust Lisa Rodrigues asks an expert panel their thoughts on the future of NHS mental health services. The panel were speaking at a Guardian Live event in London and comprised Dr Mark Porter, British Medical Association chair; Prof Bruce Keogh, NHS England's medical director; Julia Manning, CEO of thinktank 2020health; and Norman Lamb, a Liberal Democrat health minister. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS waiting times for cancer treatment and and routine operations 'will be worse after next election,' says expert

NHS waiting times for cancer treatment and and routine operations 'will be worse after next election,' says expert NHS waiting times for cancer treatment and routine operations will “get worse” and it is almost certain that the health service will need a Government bailout after the election to prevent a further deterioration of services, a leading health expert has warned. The Independent

See also:

• NHS in critical condition as the crisis in A&E spreads The Daily Mail
• NHS creaking at seams as AE delays pressurise other hospital departments The Guardian

SNP prepared to vote on NHS issues in England to protect the service in Scotland in the event of a hung parliament

SNP prepared to vote on NHS issues in England to protect the service in Scotland in the event of a hung parliament Scottish Nationalist MPs would be prepared to vote on matters relating to the NHS in England in the event of another hung parliament after the general election in May, the party's leader has said. The Independent

Boss of Northamptonshire NHS trust quits to set up own firm

Boss of Northamptonshire NHS trust quits to set up own firm The boss of the NHS in Northampton has quit to set up his own private company. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Pharmacists seconded to Northampton General Hospital to help reduce bed blockers

Pharmacists seconded to Northampton General Hospital to help reduce bed blockers Pharmacists have volunteered to work weekends to help relieve pressure on NGH’s emergency department at busy times. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Complaints and Raising Concerns

Complaints and Raising Concerns , While patient safety and the treatment of complaints and concerns have become high profile issues in the last few years, this is only the beginning of a process of change with significant scope for further improvement. The Health Select Committee

See also:

• Treat NHS whistleblowers better - MPs BBC News
• NHS treatment of whistleblowers is inexcusable, say MPs The Guardian

New resources available on care and support planning

New resources available on care and support planning The Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) Partnership publishes new advice for councils on meeting Care Act 2014 requirements to ensure people, families and carers lead development of their own care and support plans. This complements the care and support planning animation published by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) on Friday 16th January and the Coalition for Collaborative Care/NHS England handbook to be published later this week.

TLAP’s ‘Delivering Care and Support Planning’ has been developed with people who use services to show what good care and support planning looks like in practice. It is backed up with examples from councils across England who are leading the way in this area. It describes the principles for what people want in a care and support planning process, the elements that need to be in place and recommendations for councils so they can be both Care Act compliant and person-centred in their approach.

The RCGP’s film brings care and support planning to life in a three-minute video animation, narrated by RCGP President ,Professor Mike Pringle. It depicts a typical 10-minute GP consultation with a person who has multiple and complex illnesses and how care and support planning could lead to much better outcomes for everyone involved. The animation demonstrates how doctors can save time and improve health and social outcomes for people with long term conditions, noting the key role that carers, families and the wider community play in ensuring good person-centred care.

The guide & template support plans can be downloaded from the TLAP website here.

The animation can be viewed on the RCGP website or via Youtube. Coalition for Collaborative Care

Better Training Better Care evaluation reports published

Better Training Better Care evaluation reports published The BTBC programme aimed to improve the quality of training and learning for the benefit of patient care by enabling the delivery of the key recommendations from Sir John Temple’s Time for Training and Professor John Collins’ Foundation for Excellence.

Both reports set out what was achieved, the benefits that were realised and opportunities that have arisen, as well as the challenges and lessons learnt. Health Education England and NHS Employers

NHS: The parties' spending plans

NHS: The parties' spending plans What the different parties say they will spend on the NHS. BBC News

'Punishments' for benefits claimants with mental health issues rocket, figures show

'Punishments' for benefits claimants with mental health issues rocket, figures show Benefit claimants with mental health problems are more likely to be punished and have their payments stopped, new figures have revealed. ITV News

See also:

• More than 100 people per day with mental health problems are having their benefits sanctioned The Methodist Church in Britain
• Rethink sanctions infographic The Methodist Church in Britain
• Rethink Sanctions full data set (download) The Methodist Church in Britain
• How benefit sanctions punish people with mental health problems the hardest The Daily Mirror

Does moderate boozing reduce heart failure risk?

Does moderate boozing reduce heart failure risk? "Seven alcoholic drinks a week can help to prevent heart disease," the Daily Mirror reports. A US study suggests alcohol consumption up to this level may have a protective effect against heart failure.

This large US study followed more than 14,000 adults aged 45 and older for 24 years. It found those who drank up to 12 UK units (7 standard US "drinks") per week at the start of the study had a lower risk of developing heart failure than those who never drank alcohol.

The average alcohol consumption in this lower risk group was about 5 UK units a week (around 2.5 low-strength ABV 3.6% pints of lager a week).

At this level of consumption, men were 20% less likely to develop heart failure compared with people who never drank, while for women it was 16%.

The study benefits from its large size and the fact data was collected over a long period of time.

But studying the impact of alcohol on outcomes is fraught with difficulty. These difficulties include people not all having the same idea of what a "drink" or "unit" is.

Health minister calls for party unity on NHS

Health minister calls for party unity on NHS Norman Lamb warns that health service will break up unless agreement allows necessary big decisions to be taken.

The Liberal Democrat health minister, Norman Lamb, has appealed for an end to party political conflict over the future of the NHS, warning that the health service will “break up” in the next parliament unless the necessary “big decisions” are taken.

Predicting that the next five years will be “crunch time” for the NHS, he added there was a major gap between the views of experts and those of the public in terms of understanding what needed to be embarked up to sustain the service into the future. Continue reading... The Guardian

Councils get emergency £25m for social care to tackle hospital blockages

Councils get emergency £25m for social care to tackle hospital blockages Ministerial committee approves funds to be shared between 65 councils where local hospital has the most delayed discharges

Ministers have approved an emergency injection of £25m for social care for older people in areas where hospitals are facing the biggest problems of delayed patient discharges.

The new cash is going to 65 councils in England this week and must be spent by the end of March. The councils will have to show how they have eased pressure on their local hospitals. Continue reading... The Guardian

Five ways to improve mental health care in 2015

Five ways to improve mental health care in 2015 Greater investment, taking a more mainstream approach and a payment system that is fit for purpose could help to raise the profile of mental health Continue reading... The Guardian

Care for elderly in state of 'calamitous decline' amid £1bn of austerity cuts

Care for elderly in state of 'calamitous decline' amid £1bn of austerity cuts Care of the elderly in England is in a state of “calamitous, quite rapid decline” a leading charity boss has warned, with hundreds of thousands fewer people receiving care than five years ago. The Independent

See also:

• Social care spending falls by £1.1billion Age UK
• Care cuts 'leave old high and dry' BBC News

Nurse accused of poisoning hospital patients ‘chose victims at random’

Nurse accused of poisoning hospital patients ‘chose victims at random’ A nurse accused of murdering three patients and injuring 18 others by poisoning them with insulin caused panic at his hospital while choosing his victims “completely at random”, a court has heard. The Independent

New £1m unit to double capacity of Northampton General Hospital's A&E

New £1m unit to double capacity of Northampton General Hospital's A&E A new 10-bed resuscitation unit for seriously ill patients has been opened at Northampton General Hospital (NGH). The £1 million unit allows staff to care for twice as many patients needing intensive medical and nursing care. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• New resuscitation unit for emergency department Northampton General Hospital

Shortage of qualified staff forces cottage hospital in Northamptonshire to close

Shortage of qualified staff forces cottage hospital in Northamptonshire to close A cottage hospital in Brackley, Northamptonshire is close due to a shortage of qualified staff, it has been revealed. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Review of health and care powers of entry

Review of health and care powers of entry The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 placed a duty on all secretaries of state to identify and review the powers of entry they are responsible for and to report back to Parliament. The Department of Health had 54 powers of entry. These ranged from the inspection of health and social care premises, to ensuring proper controls for medicines and laboratory equipment, to public health duties around the prevention of harm from disease or radiation. Thirteen have been identified as powers that can be scrapped or revoked. Department of Health

Tackling the causes and effects of obesity

Tackling the causes and effects of obesity This report argues that health problems associated with being overweight or obese cost the country £5 billion per year, with numbers of people with obesity predicted to more than double in the next 40 years. It warns that councils do not have enough money in their public health budgets to properly tackle obesity once mandatory services such as sexual health and drug and alcohol services have been paid for. The report calls for a fifth of existing VAT raised on sweets, crisps, takeaway food and sugary drinks to go to boost council-run grassroots initiatives with a proven track record, such as leisure activities and health awareness campaigns. Local Government Association

VIDEO: Could volunteers help A&E crisis?

VIDEO: Could volunteers help A&E crisis? A group of charities are calling for volunteers to help out in A&E departments in England to reduce pressure on the service. BBC News

First transplant from UK newborn

First transplant from UK newborn Doctors have carried out the first organ transplant from a newborn in the UK, giving a dead baby's kidneys and liver cells to two separate recipients. BBC News

See also:

• Britain's youngest organ donor is girl who died days after being born The Daily Mail
• Doctors perform UK’s first organ donation from a baby The Guardian

Doctor 'performed FGM on new mother'

Doctor 'performed FGM on new mother' A UK doctor performed female genital mutilation on a young mother after she gave birth in hospital, a court has heard, in the first prosecution of its kind in the UK. BBC News

See also:

• Female genital mutilation: NHS doctor becomes first person to stand trial for involvement in the unpopular practice The Independent

Power to the people on: Charlie Hebdo and the NHS

Power to the people on: Charlie Hebdo and the NHS What, if anything, does the Charlie Hebdo massacre have to say to the NHS? More than might appear at first glance. E-Health Insider

Could 'DNA editing' lead to designer babies?

Could 'DNA editing' lead to designer babies? "Rapid progress in genetics is making 'designer babies' more likely and society needs to be prepared," BBC News reports.

The headline is prompted by advances in “DNA editing”, which may eventually lead to genetically modified babies (though that is a very big “may”).

The research in question involved the technique of intacytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), where a mouse sperm cell was injected into a mouse egg cell. At the same time, they injected an enzyme (Cas9) capable of cutting bonds within DNA, alongside “guide” RNA to guide the enzyme to its target location in the genome. This system then “cut out” targeted genes.

So far, the techniques have only been tested in animals and for “cutting out” very specific genes (currently, under UK law, any attempt to modify human DNA is illegal).

GP warning as Lords vote brings assisted dying closer

GP warning as Lords vote brings assisted dying closer Two thirds of peers have voted for the Assisted Dying Bill to become law in a move described as a landmark victory, but GPs warn changing the law could undermine patients' trust in doctors. GP Online

Prof Bruce Keogh: wearable technology plays a crucial part in NHS future

Prof Bruce Keogh: wearable technology plays a crucial part in NHS future NHS’s top doctor believes gadgets that record heart rate and other health information will revolutionise healthcare.

Devices worn on the wrist like the ones that record your heart rate, calorie intake or distance run have a vital part to play in securing the NHS’s future, the service’s medical director says.

Prof Sir Bruce Keogh believes that gadgets similar to fitness trackers, which are growing in popularity, and others resembling games consoles will revolutionise the monitoring of patients’ health, especially those with a serious condition. Continue reading... The Guardian

‘NHS we have at the moment not fit for the future’ warns top doctor

‘NHS we have at the moment not fit for the future’ warns top doctor Prof Sir Bruce Keogh, medical director of NHS England, said without massive changes, service risks becoming unaffordable•

The NHS’s future is in danger because its model of care cannot meet the relentlessly growing demand for treatment caused by the ageing population, the service’s top doctor has warned.

Prof Sir Bruce Keogh, medical director of the NHS in England, said that without massive changes to the way the NHS treats patients, including far less reliance on hospitals, the service risked becoming unaffordable and could see its entirely taxpayer-funded status challenged. Continue reading... The Guardian

Nigel Farage: NHS might have to be replaced by private health insurance

Nigel Farage: NHS might have to be replaced by private health insurance Nigel Farage has suggested that the NHS might have to be replaced by a system of private health insurance within 10 years. The Independent

See also:

• Nigel Farage and the future of the NHS BBC News
• Nigel Farage: NHS debate 'will be needed' on insurance system BBC News
• Nigel Farage says 'ageing population' requires new debate on NHS The Daily Telegraph
• Farage says UK will have to consider NHS funded by private insurance The Guardian

A comparison between GP average list size and local A&E four hour targets

A comparison between GP average list size and local A&E four hour targets A blog piece looking for a correlation between GP numbers, list sizes and A&E problems from a Northamptonshire based GP. Dr H. Moss.com

Hospital discharge a major risk for homeless patients

Hospital discharge a major risk for homeless patients The report follows a survey of 184 community nurses and other health professionals working in this field during autumn 2014. Queens Nursing Institute

Clegg backs plan to reduce suicides

Clegg backs plan to reduce suicides The government is calling for a fundamental overhaul of how the NHS tackles suicides, inspired by a programme from the US. BBC News

See also:

• Press release: Nick Clegg calls for zero suicides across the NHS Department of Health
• Miliband pledges mental health push BBC News
• Nick Clegg calls on NHS to commit to 'zero suicides' ITV News
• Lib Dems announce campaign for NHS to set ‘zero suicide’ goal The Guardian
• Nick Clegg has let down mental health patients after failing to meet targets The Mirror

Dentists 'not clear about costs'

Dentists 'not clear about costs' People could be paying too much for dental treatment because dentists are not being clear about their prices, research by Which? has found. BBC News

See also:

• Dentists breach NHS rules with unclear pricing and guidance The Independent

Nurses at breaking point as number off work with stress soars

Nurses at breaking point as number off work with stress soars Health unions say more demanding and longer shifts are ratcheting up the pressure caused by understaffing.

The number of nurses taking time off due to stress has soared as the NHS has struggled to cope with rising demand for care. Responses to freedom of information requests submitted to NHS organisations by the Observer show that both the number of nurses on stress-related leave and the amount of time taken off are up significantly in the past three years in London, Scotland and Wales.

The figures have prompted claims by health unions that the NHS’s 400,000 nurses are being stretched to breaking point as a result of having to work more demanding and longer shifts at a time when understaffing and the increasing complexity of illnesses add to pressures. Continue reading... The Guardian

Ambulance staff told to leave patients at A&E departments if they have not been admitted after 45 minutes

Ambulance staff told to leave patients at A&E departments if they have not been admitted after 45 minutes Ambulance staff in some areas have been told to leave emergency patients at accident and emergency departments if they have not been admitted after 45 minutes, according to a report. The Independent

See also:

• A&Es miss four-hour waiting time for 15th week running as health bosses warn the 'unprecedented' pressure on the NHS shows no signs of abating The Daily Mail
• A&E crisis: Hospitals again fail to meet waiting time target The Daily Telegraph
• NHS hospital waiting times in England still failing to meet target The Guardian

NHS to extend 999 call time limits to ease pressure on strained services

NHS to extend 999 call time limits to ease pressure on strained services The NHS is to allow 999 call handlers three times as long to decide whether to dispatch an ambulance, in an attempt to ease pressure on stretched emergency services. The Independent

See also:

• Statement to Parliament: Ambulance service in England Department of Health
• New pilots to improve speed and medical accuracy of ambulance calls NHS England
• Ambulance response times WILL be lengthened to three minutes The Daily Mail
• NHS to give ambulances longer to get to calls to try and hit targets The Daily Telegraph
• Ambulance services to trial new system to cut response times The Guardian
• Pilots will give 999 call handlers longer triage time OnMedica

Patient has tested negative for Ebola

Patient has tested negative for Ebola Public Health England have confirmed that the patient admitted to NGH on the evening of Wednesday 14th January 2015 has tested negative following precautionary testing for Ebola. Northampton General Hospital

See also:

• Ebola test negative for Northampton hospital patient BBC News
• Ebola test results negative for woman in Northampton The Daily Telegraph
• Scientists confirm Northampton General Hospital patient did not have Ebola Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• EBOLA: Northampton General Hospital staff praised by MP Michael Ellis after patient tests negative for killer virus Northants Herald and Post

KGH nurse worked for Leicester and Harborough hospitals while on sick leave

KGH nurse worked for Leicester and Harborough hospitals while on sick leave A Kettering General Hospital nurse has been cautioned by regulators after admitting working agency shifts while on sick leave. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Funds for Northamptonshire hospitals are £77 per person below promised levels

Funds for Northamptonshire hospitals are £77 per person below promised levels NHS funding for Northamptonshire hospitals are seven per cent under the Government’s promised amount. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Parking charges for students at Northampton General Hospital labelled “disgusting”

Parking charges for students at Northampton General Hospital labelled “disgusting” Parking charges imposed on trainee staff at Northampton General Hospital (NGH) have been labelled “disgusting and deplorable” after they were raised from £1 a day to £10. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

New Code of practice: Mental Health Act 1983

New Code of practice: Mental Health Act 1983 As well as providing guidance for professionals, the revised code of practice also guides patients, their families and carers on their rights.

The code was revised to take account of stakeholders’ views during our consultation, and reflects changes in legislation, case law, policy and professional practice since its last revision in 2008.

The code of practice will come into force on 1 April 2015, depending on Parliamentary approval. It has been prepared in accordance with section 118 of the Mental Health Act 1983. Department of Health

See also:

• New Mental Health Act code of practice published  Community Care
• News story: New Mental Health Act code of practice Department of Health

NICE sets out draft safe staffing guidance for A&Es

NICE sets out draft safe staffing guidance for A&Es NICE has outlined draft guidance to help A&E departments ensure there are enough nursing staff available to provide safe care at all times to patients. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

See also:

• A&Es given safe nurse staffing rules BBC News

Memorandum of Understanding on Conversion Therapy

Memorandum of Understanding on Conversion Therapy Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people seeking therapy will be better protected from harmful ‘gay cures’ following commitments made today by NHS England, and leading medical and psychological professional groups.

Gay conversion therapy (sometimes referred to as ‘gay cure’ or ‘reparative’ therapy) is the umbrella term for a type of talking therapy which attempts to change sexual orientation or reduce attraction to others of the same sex. There is no good evidence this works and instead it is potentially harmful. UK Council for Psychotherapy

 See also:

• General Medical Council supports Memorandum on conversion therapy in the UK GMC

Advancing women in medicine: how can we move from rhetoric to action?

Advancing women in medicine: how can we move from rhetoric to action? ‘In no nation are women equal to their men.’ The words of Aparna Mehrotra of UN Women stirred many at our recent summit aimed at advancing women in medicine. Like many in our mostly female audience, my thoughts ran to the number of injustices perpetrated against women globally, including violence, denial of access to education and the freedom to choose.

But gender inequality can take more subtle forms. Women in medicine, for instance, are still facing professional and personal barriers to taking up senior roles – despite women accounting for 77 per cent of employees in the NHS. Only 24 per cent of trust medical directors are women, and in some surgical specialties only one in ten are women. The King's Fund

Compassion in Practice: two years on

Compassion in Practice: two years on Compassion in Practice, the national strategy for nurses, midwives and care staff, was launched in December 2012. This report talks about the value of the 6Cs (care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment), how they are spreading across health and social care and informing the commissioning process, along with the role care makers play in bringing the vision to life. NHS Employers

Fit for frailty - part 2: developing, commissioning and managing services for people living with frailty in community settings

Fit for frailty - part 2: developing, commissioning and managing services for people living with frailty in community settings This document provides advice and guidance on the development, commissioning and management of services for people living with frailty in community settings. It also considers training and education needs to maximise the sharing of skills. It is aimed at GPs, geriatricians, health service managers, social service managers and commissioners of services. British Geriatrics Society

Learning for the NHS on procurement and supply chain management: a rapid evidence assessment

Learning for the NHS on procurement and supply chain management: a rapid evidence assessment This study aimed to describe approaches to procurement and supply chain management (SCM) in selected areas and to identify best practices that may inform procurement and SCM in the NHS. NHS National Institute for Health Research

• Full report
• Summary report

Dementia screening for all over 65s ruled out

Dementia screening for all over 65s ruled out The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has advised against screening all over 65s for dementia, following an 'extensive review' of current evidence. GP Online

See also:

• Recommendation against national dementia screening Public Health England

NHS chief: 'More cancer cuts likely'

NHS chief: 'More cancer cuts likely' The head of a special NHS fund for cancer medicines in England has said there will need to be further cuts to the treatments it funds. BBC News

Ebola cases declining in West Africa

Ebola cases declining in West Africa New Ebola cases in the three West African countries worst affected by the deadly outbreak of the virus are declining, weekly UN figures show. BBC News

More action needed on IG - Caldicott

More action needed on IG - Caldicott Dame Fiona Caldicott has warned that the "cultural change" that she called for in her second review of information governance in the NHS "has only emerged in parts of the system." E-Health Insider

Inactivity 'twice as deadly' as obesity

Inactivity 'twice as deadly' as obesity “Lack of exercise is twice as deadly as obesity,” The Daily Telegraph reports. The headline is prompted by a Europe-wide study on obesity, exercise and health outcomes.

Researchers wanted to see how many deaths could theoretically be avoided if inactive people became more active, compared to how many would be avoided if obese people lost weight.

Researchers calculated that if activity levels were increased so that no-one was classed as inactive, then this could reduce early deaths by more than 7%. This compares to avoiding obesity, which could reduce deaths by nearly 4%. In 2008, say the researchers, 676,000 deaths were attributable to physical inactivity, compared with 337,000 deaths attributable to obesity.

This large study also found that among inactive individuals, even small increases in activity may be of benefit, whatever their weight or waist size.

Child health services require major shake-up, census reveals

Child health services require major shake-up, census reveals A radical shake-up in the delivery of child health services is required, according to a new workforce census published this week as paediatricians say pressures are ‘unsustainable’. OnMedica

Legal challenge on contaminated blood pay-outs

Legal challenge on contaminated blood pay-outs Motion in Parliament calls for new review. OnMedica

Poor flow of patient information puts vulnerable people at risk – report

Poor flow of patient information puts vulnerable people at risk – report ‘Extremely troubling’ evidence that records vital to continuity of care of patients discharged from hospital lost or misplaced, report finds

The safety of vulnerable people is being put at risk because they are discharged from hospital without proper information about their condition and future needs, the state-funded “consumer champion” Healthwatch England has found.

Scan and test results, consultants’ notes and other information vital to the continuity of care are lost or misplaced, it says, following a special inquiry into people’s experiences after they have returned home or been sent to other care settings. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS postpone breakthrough £660-a-day hepatitis C drug over cost fears

NHS postpone breakthrough £660-a-day hepatitis C drug over cost fears The NHS has faced criticism for intervening to delay the introduction of a costly but highly effective drug to combat hepatitis C. The Telegraph

See also:

• Hepatitis C drug delayed by NHS due to high cost The Guardian

Care home residents five times more likely to be left thirsty, study reveals

Care home residents five times more likely to be left thirsty, study reveals Too many elderly people are being left thirsty in care homes, doctors have said, after a study revealed five times as many patients who live in homes are admitted to hospital dehydrated as those who live at their own residence. The Independent

See also:

• Care home staff may leave pensioners dehydrated to stop incontinence, Oxford University warns The Daily Telegraph

The mystery of shellshock solved: Scientists identify the unique brain injury caused by war

The mystery of shellshock solved: Scientists identify the unique brain injury caused by war When the war poet Wilfred Owen wrote of “men whose minds the Dead have ravished” he was attempting to describe the mysterious effects of shellshock which started appearing during the First World War and of which he himself was a sufferer. The Independent 

Low risk of suspected Ebola case at Northampton General Hospital

Low risk of suspected Ebola case at Northampton General Hospital A patient with a suspected case of Ebola was admitted to NGH on Wednesday 14 January 2015.

Tests have now shown that the patient is malaria negative and Ebola is considered unlikely. Further testing is being done as a precaution, as is usual practice in these circumstances.

We are confident that all appropriate actions are being taken to protect the public’s health and ensure there is no risk to patients or staff. Northampton General Hospital

See also:

• Woman treated for suspected Ebola BBC News
• Northampton General Hospital confirms suspected Ebola patient The Daily Mail
• Ebola in the UK: Hospital confirms it is treating a woman with suspected case of the virus The Independent
• Northampton General Hospital says “Ebola is unlikely” but tests are being done as a precaution Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Ebola test results on Northampton General Hospital patient expected this afternoon Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• EBOLA SCARE: Woman being treated for suspected ebola at Northampton General Hospital Northants Herald and Post
• Patient tested as a precaution at Northamptonshire hospital but Ebola ‘unlikely’ Northamptonshire Telegraph

John Prescott: 'Angels at Northampton General Hospital saved my sister's life'

John Prescott: 'Angels at Northampton General Hospital saved my sister's life' Former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has praised under pressure staff at Northampton General Hospital for saving his elderly sister's life - twice. Northants Herald and Post

Human factors in health care – what’s new and what next?

Human factors in health care – what’s new and what next? We will see human factors firmly embedded in health care across the world, but it won't happen without a great deal of thoughtful work by those at the front line and, importantly, those who hold the system reins, says Martin Bromiley. The Health Foundation

Guidance: Sexual and reproductive health in England: local and national data

Guidance: Sexual and reproductive health in England: local and national data Guidance to help health professionals including local government, service providers and commissioners understand the sexual health data that is available across England and how the data can be accessed. It includes data collected by Public Health England (PHE) and other organisations.

This information provides an overview of the information available on sexually transmitted infection (STIs), HIV, contraception, conception and abortion and where to access it. It is divided into indicators (used for tracking progress), detailed local information (collation and interpretation of local intelligence) and national resources (tables and reports). Public Health England

News story: Monitor guidance to help patients receive more joined-up care

News story: Monitor guidance to help patients receive more joined-up care Monitor believes that greater integration of health and care services can bring many benefits to patients. The regulator is consulting on draft guidance that makes clear Monitor can take action if providers block efforts to deliver joined-up care for patients.

This is the first time the regulator has produced guidance to help providers comply with the integrated care condition of the NHS provider licence. The licence is Monitor’s main tool for regulating NHS providers and contains a specific condition requiring providers not to block the delivery of integrated care when it can benefit patients.

Monitor’s new guidance sets out core principles - such as working effectively with other health and social care organisations locally in order to identify and improve ways of delivering person-centred, coordinated care for patients.

The guidance also gives examples of situations which might lead to action from the regulator. These include:

• failing to work with commissioners to identify how local services can be better coordinated
• refusing to discuss with other providers the use of shared care plans for patients who need to be treated by more than 1 NHS provider
• allowing unnecessary delays in the handover of patient records when a patient moves from one provider to another

Monitor is now seeking feedback on the guidance from providers, commissioners, patients and others.

Progress in improving cancer services and outcomes in England

Progress in improving cancer services and outcomes in England The Department of Health, its arms length bodies and the NHS have made progress in improving cancer services since 2010, according to the National Audit Office. However, significant variations in outcomes and access to services persist across England, indicating that there is considerable scope for further improvement.

Since the NAO last reported on cancer services, in 2010, overall outcomes for cancer patients have continued to improve. For example, the proportion of people surviving for one year and five years after diagnosis has increased to 69% (for those diagnosed in 2012) and 49% (for those diagnosed in 2008) respectively. However, data on 5-year survival rates published in 2013 (for those diagnosed between 2000 and 2007) showed that survival rates remained about 10% lower than the European average.

Quality first: Managing workload to deliver safe patient care: Guidance for GPs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Quality first: Managing workload to deliver safe patient care Guidance for GPs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland The aim of this guidance is to help practices to manage their workload and work
efficiently within safe and competent limits. British Medical Association

See also:

• GP workload is getting worse, says BMA British Medical Association
• BMA guidance tells GPs how to refuse unfunded work GP Online

The Invisible Patients Revealing the state of neurology services January 2015

The Invisible Patients Revealing the state of neurology services January 2015 A report of NHS neurological services shows a wide variation across the country and "an alarming lack of understanding" around neurological patients and their needs. The Neurological Alliance

See also:

• Neurology care varies across the country OnMedica

Right from the start: what we want from the new government

Right from the start: what we want from the new government This report outlines some of the challenges disabled children, young people and their families face. It calls for the next government to address these issues and highlights integrated care and respite care as key actions to be taken to improve the lives of disabled children and their families. Every Disabled Child Matters

More than 400,000 extra A&E visits

More than 400,000 extra A&E visits The number of A&E visits in England has soared by more than 400,000 so far this financial year, doctors tell MPs. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: More than 400,000 extra A&E visits BBC News
• AUDIO: Three days in a hospital stock room BBC News
• It could take FIVE YEARS to solve problems causing A&E crisis despite an extra 400,000 emergency visits in eight months The Daily Mail
• 92-year-old RAF veteran forced to wait more than 26 HOURS in A&E The Daily Mail
• A&E crisis caused by NHS 111 phoneline, senior medic suggests The Daily Telegraph
• Labour calls for more GPs in emergency departments GP Online
• A&E nurse: am I on the road to burnout and destruction? The Guardian
• A&E pressures: NHS director faces grilling from MPs The Guardian
• NHS staff are working unpaid to help avert a winter A&E crisis The Independent
• NHS England’s response to media coverage on NHS 111 NHS England

No news is not good news

No news is not good news NHS England's technology funds were supposed to "catalyse" a "technological revolution." But continued delays to the announcement of the outcome of the second fund are leading to disillusion and concern about the future of hard-worked plans. E-Health Insider

Under-80 cancer deaths 'eliminated by 2050' claim

Under-80 cancer deaths 'eliminated by 2050' claim “Cancer deaths will be eliminated for all under 80 by 2050,” The Independent reports. This is the optimistic prediction contained in a paper written by specialists in pharmacy from University College London (UCL).

The paper is an opinion piece (PDF, 2.1Mb) that points out that deaths from the most common cancers have fallen by nearly a third in the last two decades. This is due to factors such as the decline in smoking, more effective early diagnosis, and better drug and surgical treatments. However, it argues that a further reduction in death rates requires more advances in areas such as screening, genetic testing, cancer awareness programmes and innovative treatments.

It claims that further advances in prevention are needed, including the use of aspirin to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and more effective treatment for late-stage cancers, so that people with advanced diseases can continue to live fulfilling lives.

In particular, it says that "winning the cancer war" depends on reforming a healthcare culture that discourages the reporting of "minor" symptoms that can indicate a serious disease, since all cancers are most effectively treated at an early stage.

NHS to improve opportunities for black and minority ethnic staff

NHS to improve opportunities for black and minority ethnic staff Workforce race equality standard in response to evidence that BME staff under-represented in NHS leadership and over-represented in disciplinary hearings

Whereas 17% of all NHS staff identify as non-white, only 8% on higher grades do so. The proportion is lower still in very senior management and at board level. Around 20% of NHS nurses but only 3% of nursing directors are from black or minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds.

Last year my company, Public World, published Discrimination by appointment, which drew upon data from 30 NHS trusts showing that, in all but one of them, over a 12-month period the percentage of BME appointments was lower than the percentage shortlisted, which in turn was lower than the percentage of BME applicants. Continue reading... The Guardian

Ambulance crew who left body on floor ‘thought it was normal practice’

Ambulance crew who left body on floor ‘thought it was normal practice’ Inquest hears that East of England ambulance crews failed to take bodies directly to hospital on seven previous occasions

Ambulance staff who left the dead body of a man on the floor so they could finish their shift on time understood it was common practice to do so, an inquest was told on Wednesday.

James Harrison, who collapsed and died on the street in Littleport, Cambridgeshire, was left in a local ambulance station for another crew to take to the mortuary at Addenbrooke’s hospital, Cambridge. Continue reading The Guardian

See also:

• Ambulance crew left man's dead body 'on floor' to finish their shift The Daily Mail

GPs to be offered £1bn in new funds if they improve access and elderly care

GPs to be offered £1bn in new funds if they improve access and elderly care NHS England makes £250m-a-year infrastructure cash available for renovating doctors’ surgeries, subject to targets being met

Family doctors will have to increase the number of appointments they offer and improve their care of older patients in order to share in a new £1bn NHS fund to overhaul crumbling GP surgeries.

NHS bosses have decided that England’s 8,500 GP practices must offer patients more time with doctors and expand the services they offer in return for receiving some of the money. Continue reading... The Guardian

Lack of exercise is twice as deadly as obesity, Cambridge University finds

Lack of exercise is twice as deadly as obesity, Cambridge University finds Even a small amount of exercise, such as brisk daily 20 minute walk, reduces the risk of premature death. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Inactivity 'kills more than obesity' BBC News
• Walk 20 minutes to live longer: Huge study reveals benefit of daily exercise (and how a lack of it kills twice as many people as obesity)  The Daily Mail
• Physical inactivity kills twice as many as obesity, new study claims The Independent

Former deputy Prime Minister shocked by conditions at Northampton General Hospital

Former deputy Prime Minister shocked by conditions at Northampton General Hospital Former deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said he was left shocked by the conditions at Northampton General Hospital (NGH) during a visit to see his ill sister. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• ''Nurses treated patients in blocked corridors'' John Prescott shocked by NHS mayhem on hospital visit The Sunday Mirror
• Former deputy Prime Minister John Prescott shocked by conditions at Northampton General Hospital Northants Herald and Post

MPs renew cross-party bid for extra Kettering General Hospital funding

MPs renew cross-party bid for extra Kettering General Hospital funding Our three MPs have put party allegiances aside to present a united front in the battle for more funding for Kettering General Hospital. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Are we destined for a Korean health care system as Labour suggests?

Are we destined for a Korean health care system as Labour suggests? There can be no doubt that election season has well and truly started, with the NHS as one of its central issues. Emma Spencelayh looks at Labour's document 'The NHS as you know it cannot survive five more years of David Cameron' and analyses the content. The Health Foundation

‘Unsocial hours’ pay arrangements need to be restructured in support of seven-day NHS service improvements

‘Unsocial hours’ pay arrangements need to be restructured in support of seven-day NHS service improvements Unsocial hours payments in the NHS need to be restructured, along with a range of other inhibitors to change, to help provide a better, safer and more responsive service for patients. NHS Employers.

Assessment of NHS foundation trusts’ 5-year strategic plans

Assessment of NHS foundation trusts’ 5-year strategic plans This document summarises NHS trusts' 5-year strategic plans as part of Monitor's planning round for 2014-15.

Poor state of diabetes care “costing lives and money”

Poor state of diabetes care “costing lives and money” The poor state of diabetes healthcare in England is leading to avoidable deaths, record rates of complications and huge costs to the NHS, according to a report published by Diabetes UK

See also:

• Poor diabetes care 'costing lives' BBC News

Ebola care centre for pregnant women

Ebola care centre for pregnant women First treatment centre specialising in care for pregnant women opens. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: CDC Director optimistic on Ebola BBC News

NHS staff lose N3 internet access

NHS staff lose N3 internet access Internet access through the NHS National Network, the secure broadband network for the NHS in England, was unavailable to many health service staff for several hours today in a major failure. E-Health Insider

GPs are failing to properly treat obesity, study finds

GPs are failing to properly treat obesity, study finds Records reveal lack of intervention and follow-up. OnMedica

Ambulances held back from terminally ill patients to save money

Ambulances held back from terminally ill patients to save money Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said thousands of 999 calls had been downgraded by ambulance bosses – meaning they turned up late to 57 patients who died. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Downgrading of emergency 999 calls requires full investigation, says Labour The Guardian

How cancer death rates have dropped since 1991

How cancer death rates have dropped since 1991 Cancer death rates are dropping, but what are the reasons? The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Under-80s cancer deaths 'eradicated within 30 years': Death rates from most common cancers will continue to drop, report claims The Daily Mail
• By 2050 no one under 80 will be dying from cancer, study says The Daily Telegraph
• Cancer deaths will be eliminated for all except the over-80s by 2050, new research predicts The Independent

NHS bed blocking doubles, costing public purse £640m

NHS bed blocking doubles, costing public purse £640m The number of healthy hospital patients who have concluded treatment but cannot be discharged has almost doubled with an expected cost to the public of £640 million. The Daily Telegraph

Students working for free at Northampton General Hospital face court action after refusing to pay £10 a day for parking

Students working for free at Northampton General Hospital face court action after refusing to pay £10 a day for parking Students who work in Northampton General Hospital (NGH) without pay are facing court action after failing to pay parking charges which were raised from £1 to £10 per day. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS increases budget for cancer drugs fund from £280 million in 2015/15 to an expected £340 million in 2015/16

NHS increases budget for cancer drugs fund from £280 million in 2015/15 to an expected £340 million in 2015/16 The NHS Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) published the outcome of its review of drugs included in the Fund.

The budget for the CDF will grow from £200 million in 2013/14, to £280 million in 2014/15, and an estimated £340 million from April 2015. This represents a total increase of 70 per cent since August 2014.

The CDF review announced today also will create projected savings of approximately £80 million through a combination of negotiated price reductions and improved clinical effectiveness. If action had not been taken to review the CDF drugs list, the Fund is projected to have grown to around £420 million next year, necessitating offsetting cuts in other aspects of cancer treatment such as radiotherapy, cancer diagnoses, cancer surgery, and other important NHS services for other patient groups.

Dozens died during 999 downgrade

Dozens died during 999 downgrade Dozens of patients whose 999 calls were downgraded by an ambulance emergency centre later died, a report reveals. BBC News

Ebola nurse no longer critically ill

Ebola nurse no longer critically ill UK nurse Pauline Cafferkey is no longer critically ill with Ebola, London's Royal Free Hospital says. BBC News

Circle's withdrawal from Hinchingbrooke hospital is no cause for celebration

Circle's withdrawal from Hinchingbrooke hospital is no cause for celebration The failing privately-run NHS hospital is back in public hands, but those celebrating another outsourcing fiasco are missing a larger problem

The announcement that Circle has withdrawn from its contract to run Hinchingbrooke hospital after the Care Quality Commission put it into “special measures” has predictably delighted those who are against outsourcing NHS services to the private sector.

But patients and the public should not rejoice at Circle’s decision. The hospital was in a financial mess and faced with closure when Circle took it over three years ago. Its debts were £39m on a turnover of £73m and Circle agreed to eliminate the debt and leave the NHS with several million pounds to spare. It planned to achieve this by reducing running costs by 5% a year, a total saving of £311m over the 10-year contract. Continue reading... The Guardian

Charities offer to help out in A&E to relieve pressure on staff

Charities offer to help out in A&E to relieve pressure on staff Some of Britain’s leading charities will urge the Government to let them make a “radical intervention” at accident and emergency (A&E) departments in a bid to relieve crippling pressure on medical staff. The Independent

See also:

• Why the A&E crisis is a tribute to the health service's success The Daily Telegraph
• A&E crisis exposed: the real pressures facing the NHS and the valiant doctors and nurses trying to keep it on track The Daily Telegraph

Fall in life expectancy raises alarm amid fears that cuts and pressure on NHS may be to blame for earlier deaths

Fall in life expectancy raises alarm amid fears that cuts and pressure on NHS may be to blame for earlier deaths Health officials are investigating a “statistically significant, sustained” decline in life expectancy among elderly people in some parts of England, amid warnings that cuts to social care and pressures on the NHS may be contributing to earlier deaths. The Independent

Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital will share services

Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital will share services Health bosses have named four hospital departments which currently exist at both NGH and KGH, that may in future be provided from only one county hospital. Northampton Chronicle and Echo