BSI to publish apps standards

BSI to publish apps standards The British Standards Institution is set to publish guidelines on the development of healthcare apps in April this year. E-Health Insider

People with gout have lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease

People with gout have lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease "Gout could help prevent Alzheimer's, research shows," The Independent reports. Researchers think that uric acid, which causes gout, may have a protective effect against Alzheimer's disease.

Uric acid is a waste product that is normally passed out of the body. In cases of gout, the acid builds up around one or more joints, forming tiny crystals. This can then trigger the symptoms of gout, which are typically a sudden severe pain and swelling around the affected joint(s).

Previous research has found that uric acid is also an antioxidant (which helps to protect against cell damage), so researchers wanted to see if uric acid protected against Alzheimer’s.

The researchers used information from a UK database of more than 3.7 million patients. They matched people aged over 40 who developed gout with controls who did not, and followed them, on average, for five years to see how many were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. They took multiple factors into account when analysing the results, such as medication use and age.

They found that 309 out of the 59,224 people with gout (0.5%) developed Alzheimer’s disease, compared to 1,942 out of 238,805 people without gout (0.8%), which translates into a 24% reduction in risk.

The study does not prove that gout is protective against Alzheimer’s, as there could be unmeasured factors that affected the results.

Lancet condemns NHS for creating 'culture of fear' in wake of scandals

Lancet condemns NHS for creating 'culture of fear' in wake of scandals The highly respected Lancet journal has written a highly critical editorial condemning the NHS' response to recent scandals including the disclosures at the mid Staffordshire trust and the crimes of Dr Harold Shipman. The Daily Telegraph

Passing the people test: improving integration of care

Passing the people test: improving integration of care With lots of talk about integration of care on the political agenda, whether care actually becomes more integrated – like whether any aspect of quality improves – rests on those people delivering it, says Richard Taunt. The Health Foundation

Working longer further reading library launched

Working longer further reading library launched The Working Longer Group has launched a library of research, publications and websites to help employers and employees further understand the implications of working to a raised retirement age. NHS Employers

New Health Education England strategies for development of the NHS support workforce

New Health Education England strategies for development of the NHS support workforce HEE has launched its new strategies, Talent for Care and Widening Participation, which recognise Employers as being key to their delivery. Find out more about the frameworks, and how you can support them by further investing in your bands one to four support workforce. Health Education England

Is another NHS scandal brewing?

Is another NHS scandal brewing? Lethal. Shocking. Unacceptable. Dysfunctional. Failures at every level. So said the report into maternity care at Cumbria's Furness General Hospital.

But as was pointed out repeatedly as the inquiry published its findingson Tuesday, the parallels with Stafford Hospital are chillingly similar. In fact, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt went as far as calling it a "second" Stafford Hospital - albeit it on a smaller scale. BBC News

The number of old people in the UK killing themselves has fallen. Why?

The number of old people in the UK killing themselves has fallen. Why? Once elderly people in the UK were the most likely group to take their own lives, but now they are at lower risk than the middle-aged. Why? BBC News

Tech fund 2 money may return - Hunt

Tech fund 2 money may return - Hunt Nearly £200 million slashed from NHS England's technology fund may be reinstated in future as part of a "staged roll-out", health secretary Jeremy Hunt says. E-Health Insider

QOF does not save lives, researchers claim

QOF does not save lives, researchers claim QOF targets should be 'reconsidered and better aligned with evidence', according to UK research that found there was no link between practice scores and patient mortality. GP Online

See also:

• Pay for performance in primary care has not saved lives OnMedica

Poor diabetes education leading to health complications

Poor diabetes education leading to health complications Diabetes education a ‘postcode lottery’ claim MPs. OnMedica

Getting lost in hospitals costs the NHS and patients

Getting lost in hospitals costs the NHS and patients Doctors attribute a significant fraction of the 6.9m missed hospital appointments to navigation problems in hospitals.

Hospitals are difficult to find your way around, with kilometres of near-identical corridors leading to door after door of similarly-named wards and treatment rooms. Strict hygiene requirements mean decor must be kept to a minimum, and evolving needs mean rooms often change purpose at short notice. All of this leads to a navigation nightmare, making hospitals intimidating places for many patients. As hospitals grow and change, it will only get worse.

This is a major problem for both visitors and the patients – data from 2013 suggests that around 6.9m outpatient hospital appointments, each costing an average of £108, are missed each year in the UK. Doctors we've spoken to attribute a significant fraction of these to navigation problems, especially at large hospitals. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS England spent £100m since 2003 resolving legal claims related to cancer

NHS England spent £100m since 2003 resolving legal claims related to cancer Figures obtained by Macmillan Cancer Support highlight claims due to delays, errors or inadequate care.

The NHS in England has spent at least £100m resolving legal claims due to delays, errors or inadequate care related to cancer over the past 11 years, according to figures obtained byMacmillan Cancer Support.

Two-thirds of successful claims were from people who faced issues in getting diagnosed or starting treatment and as a result suffered physical and/or psychological consequences, leading the charity to urge improved early diagnosis. Continue reading... The Guardian

Ministers pledge an end to 15-minute elderly care visits

Ministers pledge an end to 15-minute elderly care visits Ministers promise to eradicate 'flying care visits' within a year as new guidance says short visits should only be used to fulfil basic checks, and not to carry out personal care, such as washing or dressing. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Care workers 'being short changed' BBC News
• Plumbers 'should report cold homes' BBC News
• Plumbers should warn the council if homes are too cold The Daily Telegraph
• Plumbers and heating engineers 'should sound alarm on freezing homes' The Guardian

KGH nurse who doctored sicknote is struck off

KGH nurse who doctored sicknote is struck off A nurse who altered a doctor’s sicknote and forged signatures on her timesheets while working at Kettering General Hospital has been struck off. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Guidance: Helping school nurses to tackle child sexual exploitation

Guidance: Helping school nurses to tackle child sexual exploitationThe child sexual exploitation pathway document from the Department of Health aims to consolidate best practice by:

• helping practitioners to recognise child sexual exploitation and to understand its effects on health and wellbeing
• summarising the evidence base, including the types of child sexual exploitation, its prevalence and consequences
• identifying the school nurse role at different levels of service and outlining a core offer from the school nursing service

Improving postgraduate medical training through the adoption of Better Training Better Care

Improving postgraduate medical training through the adoption of Better Training Better Care This briefing aims to demonstrate to board members how using innovative solutions in medical education can help to improve quality of care and patient safety and can also make cost savings. Employers, educational supervisors and trainees will want to look at the successes of the pilots and consider which of the pilots might be suitable for local adoption, or whether other innovative solutions in education and training could lead to similar successes. NHS Employers

Unison votes to accept NHS pay deal

Unison votes to accept NHS pay deal NHS staff have voted to accept a government pay offer, Unison has announced. BBC News

See also:

• Relief as major health union votes to accept pay offer that can end strikes NHS Employers

Hospital investigation cost £19.5m

Hospital investigation cost £19.5m The costs of sending special administrators into the troubled Mid Staffordshire NHS trust rose to almost £19.5m, a health watchdog reveals. BBC News

Care.data on hold until election

Care.data on hold until election Lingering questions dogging NHS England's controversial care.data programme will hold up progress on its pilot phase until after the May general election, Tim Kelsey has confirmed for the first time. E-Health Insider

Is long-term paracetamol use not as safe as we thought?

Is long-term paracetamol use not as safe as we thought? "Daily paracetamol could raise the risk of heart attacks, stroke and early death," the Mail Online reports.

A new review of previous observational studies found that long-term use of paracetamol was linked with a small increased risk of adverse events such as heart attacks, gastrointestinal bleeds (bleeding inside the digestive system) and impaired kidney function.

It is important to be aware that, as these are observational studies, there is the potential for various sources of bias. The studies were highly variable in their study populations. For example, four studies included female nurses, one male doctor, one person with kidney disease, and other adults prescribed paracetamol (i.e. they weren’t taking it over the counter). They also examined highly variable paracetamol exposures (e.g. days of use per month, grams intake in a lifetime, or number of prescriptions). Overall, this gives quite a mixed group of study designs and results, which may be influenced by many things, including inaccurate estimations of intake and significant health differences between users and non-users of paracetamol.

Nevertheless, the findings that paracetamol could potentially have adverse longer-term effects, particularly when used at higher doses, is important, especially as the drug is used by millions. Therefore, further investigation is needed.

NHS savings plan led to cuts of some ‘low-value’ treatments

NHS savings plan led to cuts of some ‘low-value’ treatments But cuts were inconsistent varying between trusts. OnMedica

Speed up efforts to improve poor mental heath care in NHS, say MPs

Speed up efforts to improve poor mental heath care in NHS, say MPs A report by the all-party parliamentary group on mental health says there is little evidence of progress towards parity with physical health.

Progress in ending “institutional bias” against mental health patients in the NHS is unacceptably slow and must be accelerated in the next parliament, a cross-party group of MPs and peers has said.

Despite pledges to achieve parity of esteem with physical health, a report by the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on mental health says that people with mental health problems receive substandard care that would not be tolerated elsewhere in the NHS. Continue reading... The Guardian

Emergency care fund failing to reach A&E departments, research shows

Emergency care fund failing to reach A&E departments, research shows Report suggests only 1% of £700m fund allocated to improving emergency services ended up directly in A&Es, with some of it used to pay off trust debts

Less than 1% of the £700m allocated by the government for emergency care in England this winter ended up directly in A&E departments, according to a survey of senior clinicians working on the NHS frontline.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine, which commissioned the research, published on Wednesday, said the results suggested the cash was not spent in a way that would improve emergency services, with some of it even being used to pay off trust debts. Continue reading... The Guardian

Report prompts NHS to launch a review into maternity care across England

Report prompts NHS to launch a review into maternity care across England The NHS is to launch a review of maternity services in England in the wake of a damning report that said a “lethal mix” of incompetence and cover-up led to the preventable deaths of 11 babies and one mother at a rural hospital in Cumbria. The Independent

See also:

• NHS England announces national review of maternity care NHS England
• The Report of theMorecambe Bay Investigation Dr Bill Kirkup
• Statement from the General Medical Council following the publication of the Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust Investigation GMC
• NMC welcomes report on investigation into University Hospitals Morecambe Bay Trust NMC
• Parent power prompted midwife review BBC News
• Ex-NHS boss Farrar avoids Morecambe Bay question Channel 4 News
• Eleven babies and one mother died because of catastrophic failures at 'seriously dysfunctional' maternity unit, inquiry finds The Daily Mail
• Morecambe Bay scandal: 'lethal' warring behind deaths of mothers and babies The Daily Telegraph
• Morecambe Bay report exposes 'lethal mix' of failures that led to baby deaths The Guardian
• Morecambe Bay: Labour and Tories call for new checks on hospital deaths The Guardian
• Morecambe Bay hospital report finds 'lethal mix' of failures led to 11 baby deaths The Independent

500% increase in GP practises seeking advice on closure

500% increase in GP practises seeking advice on closure There has been a 500 per cent rise in the number of GP surgeries approaching senior NHS manager for advice about shutting their doors or merging with nearby practises. The Independent

Disabled woman wins care costs case

Disabled woman wins care costs case A disabled woman may have paid more than her fair share to a council because the way it works out charges is legally flawed. BBC Northamptonshire

Every moment counts: a narrative for person centred coordinated care for people near at the end of life

Every moment counts: a narrative for person centred coordinated care for people near at the end of life This report, produced by National Voices and the National Council for Palliative Care in partnership with the national clinical director for end of life care at NHS England, Dr Bee Wee, sets out how good, coordinated – or integrated – care looks to people near the end of life and is written from their point of view.

Patient access to general practice: ideas and challenges from the front line

Patient access to general practice: ideas and challenges from the front line Patients must not be forced to choose between easier access and continuity of care.

RCGP says that reducing waiting times for a GP appointment must be a priority for politicians and the incoming government

Continuity of care for patients must not be compromised in order to improve GP access, according to a new report published by the Royal College of General Practitioners.

Female genital mutilation statistics, January 2015

Female genital mutilation statistics, January 2015 Most of 157 eligible acute trusts in England contributed data to the latest figures. Collecting data on FGM has been mandatory since September 2014. Health and Social Care Information Centre

2015 NHS Pension Scheme regulations published

2015 NHS Pension Scheme regulations published The regulations for the 2015 NHS Pension Scheme are now published. NHS Employers

Military March - new resources for employers

Military March - new resources for employers March sees the launch of our pages for employers of reservists. We have made our information easier to navigate plus have a range of new content. NHS Employers

Another view: mind the gap

Another view: mind the gap Neil Paul wonders why an “implementation gap” so often opens up between a simple idea and actually doing it; whether that’s handing out tablet computers, or providing remote access to records and systems. E-Health Insider

Immune changes found in people with CFS/ME

Immune changes found in people with CFS/ME "Distinct stages to chronic fatigue syndrome identified," reports BBC News online.

People with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), sometimes called myalgic encephalopathy (ME), can have debilitating exhaustion affecting their everyday life that does not go away with sleep or rest.

The authors of this study say there are no laboratory tests to diagnose or manage the condition, despite efforts to find biological markers of the disease.

They aimed to address this by looking for differences in immune system signalling chemicals (cytokines) between people with CFS/ME and healthy controls.

Councils gain new powers over NHS - the key questions

Councils gain new powers over NHS - the key questions Councils in Greater Manchester are to be given a key role in how the NHS budget is spent in the region as English devolution gathers pace. Why is this happening and what will it mean? Channel 4 News

See also:

• GPs not consulted on Manchester health and social care deal, says LMC GP Online
• What Devo Manc could mean for health, social care and wellbeing in Greater Manchester The King's Fund

Dementia leading cause of death in women over 80

Dementia leading cause of death in women over 80 Dementia second leading cause for elderly men. OnMedica

Paramedics spent more than 42,000 HOURS queuing outside A&E departments in just four weeks amid winter NHS crisis

Paramedics spent more than 42,000 HOURS queuing outside A&E departments in just four weeks amid winter NHS crisis NHS ambulance services spent £5 million hiring private ambulance firms and charities to help them cope with winter delays in the last two weeks of December and first fortnight of January. The Daily Mail

Michael Sheen defends NHS against 'bland' politicians

Michael Sheen defends NHS against 'bland' politicians Actor who played Tony Blair on screen delivers passionate St David’s Day speech condemning politicians for damaging the NHS

The actor Michael Sheen, best known for playing Tony Blair in a series of TV dramas and award-winning film, The Queen, has delivered a passionate defence of the NHS against “bland” politicians in thrall to the market from both Conservative and Labour parties.

Speaking at a St David’s Day march to celebrate the NHS and its founder, Aneurin Bevan, on Sunday, Sheen approvingly noted Bevan’s “burning hatred for the Tory party” and attacked Margaret Thatcher’s infamous claim there is no such thing as society. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Full text of Michael Sheen's speech The Guardian

Pharmaceutical marketing to doctors harms our profession and our patients

Pharmaceutical marketing to doctors harms our profession and our patients In a time of phone hacking, expenses scandals and bankers bonuses, doctors have an opportunity to justify their position as the most trusted profession.

There aren’t that many perks to being a doctor. Yes, the pay is good and it can be genuinely rewarding. But we’re made to work long and hard, while overstretched services and reams of paperwork have left us with sagging morale. Even our once beloved pensions are on their way out, replaced by a much less favourable package.

But for all its grievances, the medical profession can always seek solace in that most medical of benefits – the free drug lunch. Continue reading... The Guardian

Child health 'an election issue'

Child health 'an election issue' Measures to protect children's health should be put at the forefront of the general election, say doctors. BBC News

See also:

• Open consultation: Funding for 0 to 5 children’s services: 2016 to 2017 Department of Health
• Children’s healthcare must not suffer at the hands of politicians chasing the ‘grey vote’ | Letter: Dr Hilary Cass and 21 others The Guardian

Drug drivers targeted by new rules

Drug drivers targeted by new rules New regulations aimed at stamping out drug driving, including the first legal limits on cannabis and cocaine, come into force in England and Wales. BBC News

See also:

• Medication could put you over the new drug-drive limit: Motorists suffering from epilepsy, insomnia and anxiety advised to carry their prescriptions with them The Daily Mail

Start date for 'Devo Manc' NHS plan

Start date for 'Devo Manc' NHS plan Greater Manchester will begin taking control of its health budget from April after a devolution agreement is signed by the Chancellor George Osborne. BBC News

See also:

• 'Devo Manc' and the NHS BBC News
• Ministers sign £6bn Manchester health and social care devolution deal GP Online
• Viewpoint: Dr Kailash Chand: Detail needed on devolution of Manchester's £6bn NHS budget GP Online
• Manchester’s plan has implications for the whole NHS The Guardian
• Deal to devolve £6bn NHS and social care budget to Manchester is signed OnMedica

Prescribing rights of allied health professionals to be widened

Prescribing rights of allied health professionals to be widened Many patients having to see a GP just to get a medicine they need, NHS England says. OnMedica

See also:

• Independent and supplementary prescribing by allied health professionals consultation NHS England

500 new cases of female genital mutilation in one month are 'just the tip of the iceberg' warn campaigners

500 new cases of female genital mutilation in one month are 'just the tip of the iceberg' warn campaigners The campaign group Equality Now said figures showing 500 new cases of FGM in England in January are 'just the tip of the iceberg', warning figures will 'increase' as women access health services. The Daily Mail

GP crisis looming as half of family doctors plan to leave profession before 60

GP crisis looming as half of family doctors plan to leave profession before 60 A survey of 1,004 GPs across the UK, for the BBC's Inside Out programme, found that 56 per cent said they expect to retire or leave before they are 60. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• GP shortages put pressure on doctors BBC News
• 40% jump in GPs planing to start a new life abroad: Exodus means surgeries across England are in crisis The Daily Mail
• More than half of GPs expect to leave profession before 60, says survey The Guardian

Lib Dems veto Saatchi's medical innovation bill

Lib Dems veto Saatchi's medical innovation bill Health minister cites ‘risk of unintended consequences’ of law to allow doctors to use innovative treatments when other options are exhausted

The Liberal Democrats have vetoed a proposed law seeking to give doctors legal protection to use innovative treatments on patients when other options have been exhausted.

The Lib Dem health minister, Norman Lamb, said he wanted to avoid “the risk of unintended consequences” of Lord Saatchi’s medical innovation bill, which went unopposed in a third reading by the House of Lords and was set to go to the Commons. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Lord Saatchi's drugs bill has been let down by politics The Daily Telegraph

NHS chief: poor weekend care leaving vulnerable patients feeling unsafe

NHS chief: poor weekend care leaving vulnerable patients feeling unsafe Sir Bruce Keogh says problems of weekend care can only be solved by ending premium rates paid to staff for working weekends

Poor weekend care in NHS hospitals is leaving the most vulnerable patients feeling neglected and unsafe, and wasting money on operating theatres, laboratories and diagnostic equipment lying idle, Sir Bruce Keogh, medical director of NHS England has said.

But he warned it can only be tackled by ending premium rates paid to staff for working weekends.

Everybody knows that it’s wrong to start winding down on a Friday afternoon and start cranking up again on a Monday. Continue reading... The Guardian

What does the future hold for the Cancer Drugs Fund?

What does the future hold for the Cancer Drugs Fund? Since 2010, the fund has had £200m a year to spend on drugs and has treated 60,000 patients, but many feel it has outstayed its welcome

When the government created the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) in 2010 to pay for cancer drugs rejected by the National Institute for Care and Health Excellence (Nice), it was intended as a short-term stopgap until a longer-term solution to the problem of evaluating and funding cancer drugs for terminally ill patients could be developed.

The fund, which was given £200m a year to spend on drugs, was set up in a context of media stories about cancer patients being denied life-extending drugs. Since then, 60,000 patients have received drug treatments funded by the CDF. Although initially welcomed by cancer charities, many feel it has outstayed its welcome. Continue reading... The Guardian

Morecambe Bay Trust inquiry: Families braced for delayed report into maternity deaths

Morecambe Bay Trust inquiry: Families braced for delayed report into maternity deaths As many as 80 bereaved families are bringing legal negligence claims in an NHS scandal that is expected to provoke a political storm this week, when an inquiry into failings at three hospitals is published. The Independent

Ambulances in Northamptonshire lose 645 hours in one month to time spent with patients in hospital

Ambulances in Northamptonshire lose 645 hours in one month to time spent with patients in hospital East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) has revealed a total of 645 hours lost in one month by frontline staff in Northamptonshire due to time spent with patients in hospital before they can be handed over to doctors. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Constructive comfort: accelerating change in the NHS

Constructive comfort: accelerating change in the NHS This report identifies key factors needed for successful change and explores why they are not consistently present in the NHS. It sets out how national bodies can help make successful change more likely, in part by boosting the support provided to organisations and focusing on NHS staff leading change. The Health Foundation

• Report
• Supplementary report

It’s all about the people: how national policy makers can better support change in the NHS

It’s all about the people: how national policy makers can better support change in the NHS How can national policy makers support local change? How can those working in Whitehall’s Ivory Towers help, not hinder, those working on the NHS front line? Clare Allcock looks at the findings from our work on this issue. The Health Foundation

What’s important to me. A Review of Choice in End of Life Care

What’s important to me. A Review of Choice in End of Life Care This report identifies the issues people approaching the end of life are currently facing and offers a blueprint for how greater choice in end of life care can be achieved. Our advice is focused around a ‘national choice offer’ – a simple expression of what should be offered to each individual who needs end of life care. The Choice in End of Life Care Programme Board

See also:

• Patients should have right to choose where they die, says care inquiry The Guardian

Themes and lessons learnt from NHS investigations into matters relating to Jimmy Savile

Themes and lessons learnt from NHS investigations into matters relating to Jimmy Savile The Secretary of State for Health asked former barrister Kate Lampard to produce a ‘lessons learned’ report, drawing on the findings from all published investigations and emerging themes.

The report includes 14 recommendations for the NHS, the Department of Health and wider government. Department of Health

See also:

• News story: Joint statement in response to the Jimmy Savile investigations Monitor & The NHS Trust Development Authority
• Savile: Why the risks are real in today's NHS BBC News

The role of prescribed persons

The role of prescribed persons The National Audit Office has today published a report on the role of prescribed persons in whistleblowing. Prescribed persons, as prescribed under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, are independent bodies or individuals that can be approached by whistleblowers where an approach to their employers would not be appropriate. Prescribed persons, which usually have an authoritative relationship with the whistleblowers’ organizations, can be regulatory or legislative bodies, central government departments, arm’s length bodies or charities and include all Members of Parliament.

One of the principle conclusions of today’s NAO investigation is that more needs to be done to reduce the gap between the actions of prescribed persons and whistleblowers’ expectations, whilst recognizing that it is unlikely that the gap will ever be fully closed. Sir Robert Francis, in publishing his recent independent review, noted the challenges in encouraging whistleblowers to speak up. Whistleblowers will on occasion continue to feel let down by the arrangements in place and this does not encourage potential whistleblowers to raise concerns with confidence.

Today’s report calls on the wider government to do more to understand the experience of whistleblowers and to act where whistleblowers suffer detriment.

This is the NAO’s third report on whistleblowing. The first reviewed whistleblowing policies from 39 bodies, including its own, against good practice. The second focused on how organizations provide the best conditions to encourage people to come forward.

ICT service launches whistleblowing tool

ICT service launches whistleblowing tool Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Luton ICT Services has launched a feedback tool that it says provides a simple, anonymous solution for NHS staff and patients to report concerns about the way services are run. E-Health Insider

Workforce supplement: The benefits of specialist nurses

Workforce supplement: The benefits of specialist nurses Six reasons why specialist nurses in advanced practice should be on your agenda. Health Service Journal

Longer sleep linked to stroke

Longer sleep linked to stroke “Too much sleep could kill you,” is the baseless and needlessly alarmist headline on the front cover of today’s Daily Express.

The study it is reporting on actually showed that people who sleep for more than eight hours a night had a 46% increased risk of stroke over the following 10 years, compared with people sleeping six to eight hours.

While these results certainly warrant further investigation, it does not show that the increased sleep caused strokes, let alone death.

Consultation supports stronger GMC sanctions against failing doctors

Consultation supports stronger GMC sanctions against failing doctors Strong support for proposals to improve patient protection and public confidence in doctors. OnMedica

See also:

• GPs face tougher sanctions if they fail to apologise for mistakes GP Online

Government rejected proposals for four-hour waits for mental health emergencies

Government rejected proposals for four-hour waits for mental health emergencies The government rejected proposals to guarantee that NHS mental health teams would respond to emergencies within four hours because it didn't know how much it would cost to make sure services could meet the target. Community Care

Maternity care should be one-to-one, says UK watchdog

Maternity care should be one-to-one, says UK watchdog Institute’s guidelines for the NHS welcomed by Royal College of Midwives as political parties urged to include them in manifestos.

Women giving birth should have one-to-one care with a midwife, a health watchdog has said.

Backed up by the Royal College of Midwives, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence(Nice) has produced a guideline advising the NHS to ensure there is always one midwife to each new mother. Continue reading... The Guardian

George Osborne must protect the social care budget or the NHS will suffer

George Osborne must protect the social care budget or the NHS will suffer The chancellor should invest in the care and support that helps keep people out of hospital.

No one wants to see their elderly mum or dad or sick neighbour suffer but this is exactly what is happening in health and social care. While social care remains chronically underfunded, the support elderly and disabled people rely upon will continue to suffer and deteriorate. Another care crisis, like the one we saw this winter, will become an unavoidable reality all year around, the vulnerable will not get the care they deserve and the NHS will remain under pressure.

This is why it is vital that the chancellor uses next month’s budget to protect social care funding in the same way it is doing with spending on the NHS. We know there is less money in the system for everyone, but council and health leaders all recognise that it’s a false economy to only protect one part of the system – investing money and protecting funding for the NHS while forcing councils to cut already stretched social care budgets. Continue reading... The Guardian

Evidence for leadership in health care

Evidence for leadership in health care The delivery of clinical care is based on careful research to determine the most effective way of providing care for patients. At the same time the NHS spends huge amounts on leadership development without a clear understanding of what kind of leadership and leadership development has most impact on patient outcomes.

I have spent the past two years undertaking a review of the evidence on leadership and outcomes, with a particular focus on what is known about leadership in health care. The findings are published today as Leadership and leadership development in health care: the evidence base.

Public attitudes to the NHS

Public attitudes to the NHS This report analyses the results of a series of questions about the NHS that were included in the 2014 British Social Attitudes Survey, undertaken by NatCen Social Research. The survey took place in late summer/early autumn 2014 and 2,878 adults from across Great Britain were surveyed. The Health Foundation

Guidance: NHS Energy Efficiency Fund report

Guidance: NHS Energy Efficiency Fund report The aim of the NHS Energy Efficiency Fund is to reduce NHS estate operating costs. This is done by investing in selected energy efficiency projects and then reinvesting any savings back into frontline care. Department of Health

NHS and Department of Health investigations into Jimmy Savile

NHS and Department of Health investigations into Jimmy Savile The reports into the activities of Jimmy Savile in relation to hospitals/hospice premises have been published by the relevant hospital trusts - 44 reports have been published: 28 in June 2014 and 16 in February 2015. Department of Health

See also:

• Savile 'abused 63 people at hospital' BBC News
• Hospital staff 'told of Savile abuse' BBC News
• In their own words: Jimmy Savile's victims 'badly let down' by the NHS 
• Jimmy Savile: Stoke Mandeville abuse report to be published The Guardian

Hospital inpatient care: almost 900 more admissions per day compared to previous year

Hospital inpatient care: almost 900 more admissions per day compared to previous year HSCIC releases new detailed data on Admitted Patient Care and Maternity. Health and Social Care Information Centre

'Game changer' HIV drug cuts infection risk by 86%

'Game changer' HIV drug cuts infection risk by 86% "Scientists hail discovery of 'game-changer' that cuts the risk of infection among gay men by 86%," The Independent reports. The drug, Truvada, has proved very successful in a "real-world" trial involving 545 participants.

Truvada is currently used as part of a treatment plan for people with HIV. It stops the virus from replicating, which helps protect the immune system.

Researchers wanted to see if it could also prevent the infection taking hold in the first place and have now presented initial results at a conference.

They recruited gay men, other men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women who were HIV negative and at high risk of HIV infection from 13 sexual health clinics in England. They randomly assigned them to either immediately start taking Truvada each day, or to wait and start taking it 12 months later.

The researchers also wanted to see if taking the medication made people more likely to increase their sexual risk-taking behaviour because they thought they were protected.

It is reported that both groups had the same rate of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), an indication that sexual risk-taking did not change. The incidence of HIV infection in their first year of the study was much smaller in the Truvada group, at three people compared to 19 in the group who had to wait for a year before starting taking Truvada.

Exclusive: NHS England set to miss dementia diagnosis target

Exclusive: NHS England set to miss dementia diagnosis target NHS England is unlikely to meet its 67% target for diagnosing patients with dementia, analysis by GP has found. GP Online

Nearly one third of NHS staff would not feel safe whistleblowing over unsafe care

Nearly one third of NHS staff would not feel safe whistleblowing over unsafe care Meanwhile fewer staff were satisfied enough with standard of care to recommend it to a patient or friend. OnMedica

Strong support for proposals to improve patient protection and public confidence in doctors

Strong support for proposals to improve patient protection and public confidence in doctors A major consultation by the General Medical Council (GMC) has found strong support for proposals to deal with the small number of doctors who put patients at significant risk or cause them harm. General Medical Council

GP shortages don't need to be filled from outside EU, say migration experts

GP shortages don't need to be filled from outside EU, say migration experts Migration committee says medical students should get incentives to become GPs rather than consultants and denies there is shortage of nurses.

Shortages of GPs in Britain do not need to be met by further recruitment of overseas doctors from outside Europe, the government’s official migration advisers have said.

They also rejected claims there is a national shortage of nurses that needs to be met by further overseas recruitment. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• RCGP anger as overseas GP recruitment ruled out despite workforce crisis GP Online
• "Nursing shortage is very real", RCN tells Migration Advisory Committee Royal College of Nursing

How an overlooked workforce is key to rescuing the NHS

How an overlooked workforce is key to rescuing the NHS Allied health professionals are well primed to address key challenges facing health and social care.

Their numbers have grown by a third since 2002 and they now make up about 6% of the NHS workforce. They already deliver the prevention, public health services and integrated out-of-hospital care that NHS England’s Five Year Forward View and the health service financial sustainability agenda are crying out for.

They are the allied health professionals (AHPs): occupational therapists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, paramedics, prosthetists and others – who, according to a landmark investigation by the Nuffield Trust and the Health Foundation, are well primed to address the key challenges facing health and care. Yet, the same research also says, their contribution to the NHS is obscured. Continue reading... The Guardian

Manchester plan for 'joined-up' NHS and social care could go national

Manchester plan for 'joined-up' NHS and social care could go national A ground-breaking plan to devolve the £6bn NHS and social care budget in Greater Manchester to the region’s councils and health bodies could become the model for many parts of England. The Independent

See also:

• Discussions in Greater Manchester around a new partnership for health and social care are underway NHS England
• Our response to the proposed new partnership for health and social care in Greater Manchester The King's Fund
• RCN responds to discussions of devolved health and social care in Greater Manchester Royal College of Nursing
• Greater Manchester: The start of something big? BBC News
Can the city of Manchester save the NHS? The Daily Telegraph
• IT issues for Manchester NHS devolution E-Health Insider
• Council holding health budget for Manchester could mean further reorganisation, GPs warn GP Online
• Manchester CCGs back plans to devolve £6bn NHS budget GP Online 
• Greater Manchester councils to control £6bn of health spending - report The Guardian
• Q&A: NHS budget plans for Greater Manchester The Independent
• Devolution: Now Greater Manchester gets control of its entire £6bn NHS budget Manchester Evening News

Ground-breaking new service empowers public in Northamptonshire to take part in vital dementia research

Ground-breaking new service empowers public in Northamptonshire to take part in vital dementia research A new nationwide online and telephone service that helps people to take part in dementia research studies launches across Northamptonshire today (24 Feb 2015). Join Dementia Research promises to accelerate the pace of dementia research by allowing people with and without dementia to register their interest in studies, helping researchers to find the right participants at the right time. Join Dementia Research is a collaboration between the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer Scotland and has been funded by the Department of Health.

Dementia affects over 850,000 people in the UK, with 25 million of the UK population having a close friend or family member affected. A new national poll has shown that almost two thirds of the general public (62%) would be willing to take part in dementia research, but more than four out of five people (81%) wouldn’t know how to volunteer. Join Dementia Research is designed to overcome these barriers and give everyone the opportunity to play a role in changing the outlook for people with dementia now and in the future.

Widower blames wife’s death on Northampton General Hospital’s failure to pick up hip fracture

Widower blames wife’s death on Northampton General Hospital’s failure to pick up hip fracture A widower believes his wife would have survived had Northampton General Hospital doctors diagnosed her fractured hip sooner in the run up to her death. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Ambulance service for Northamptonshire lost 80,000 hours of service due to staff sickness

Ambulance service for Northamptonshire lost 80,000 hours of service due to staff sickness East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) is discussing ways to cover sickness absence after losing more than 80,000 hours last year due to increased staff illness. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

The battle over NHS reform: many shades of grey

The battle over NHS reform: many shades of grey When we published an audit of the coalition’s health reforms recently, we expected it to generate plenty of interest as health has become such a central and bitterly fought issue in this election – we were not disappointed.

It’s great that our analysis was read and discussed by so many people. But for an organisation that prides itself on objectivity, it was just as important to us that most who commented in public or wrote to us privately felt that the report was fair, accurate and balanced. The main political parties could all find things to complain about and things that they could draw on to support their cause.

The wisdom of the crowd: what do people think about the NHS?

The wisdom of the crowd: what do people think about the NHS? When it comes to the public’s views of the NHS, what do we know, and what’s new? Ben Gershlick investigates. The Health Foundation

Press release: Under 18 conception rate continues to fall in England

Press release: Under 18 conception rate continues to fall in England Public Health England (PHE) welcomes new figures showing the conception rate among under 18 year olds dropped by 12.3% to 24.3 per 1000 in 2013, the lowest since records began. The under 16 conception rate for 2013 is 4.8 per 1000 females aged 13 to 15, a 14.3% reduction from 2012.

Since 1998, the under 18 conception rate has decreased by 47.9% - with reductions of over 60% in some top tier local authorities in England during this period. However, there remain significant variations in the under 18 conception rate across the country with the rate in some areas significantly higher than the England average.

See also:

• Teenage pregnancies hit record low BBC News
• Pregnant at 16? Who’d want that on their CV? The Daily Telegraph

NHS Staff Survey 2014 findings published

NHS Staff Survey 2014 findings published The 2014 NHS Staff Survey findings show growing pressure on those working in the NHS, but also that the vast majority of staff remain positive about their work and the service they provide. NHS Employers

See also:

• 2014 NHS Staff Survey Results Picker Institute
• RCN responds to 2014 NHS staff survey for England Royal College of Nursing

Promoting better integration of health information systems: best practices and challenges

Promoting better integration of health information systems: best practices and challenges This report looks at how to promote better integration of health information systems. To understand what better integration means from a pragmatic perspective, experts from 13 EU member states were interviewed and the results combined with the findings from a literature search. World Health Organisation

The future of out of hours GP care

The future of out of hours GP care This report examines out of hours services contracting and argues that the regulations for awarding contracts should be clarified, and legislative changes made if necessary, to enable practices or groups of practices to take back their out of hours service without having to go through a competitive tender. It also raises concerns that, despite efforts by GPs, patients have a low level of awareness about the availability of their local GP out of hours service. Royal College of General Practitioners

• Report
• Press release

Councils 'to control £6bn NHS budget'

Councils 'to control £6bn NHS budget' The £6bn health and social care budget for Greater Manchester will be taken over by councils under devolved NHS powers, it is understood. BBC News



See also:

• VIDEO: Health devolution for Greater Manchester BBC News

NHS 'must step in' over Avastin row

NHS 'must step in' over Avastin row Doctors call on health ministers and NHS England to intervene to make a drug called Avastin routinely available to patients with a debilitating eye condition known as wet AMD. BBC News

Trusts told of cut tech fund 2 awards

Trusts told of cut tech fund 2 awards NHS England's second technology fund has been cut by nearly £200 million, with only one-fifth of bidders to receive any money, EHI News has exclusively learned. E-Health Insider

Peanut butter for non-allergic babies may reduce later allergies

Peanut butter for non-allergic babies may reduce later allergies "The cure for peanut allergy – peanuts, from the age of four months," says The Guardian.

This is dangerous headline advice, potentially leading parents to think they can simply give peanuts to an allergic child and cure them. This is irresponsible. Parents are also advised not to give peanuts – or any whole nuts – to children under the age of five, because of the risk of choking.

There are ongoing trials to assess whether medically supervised gradual introduction to peanut protein can help children with a peanut allergy – but the study on which the headline is based did not do this. It looked at whether foods containing peanuts, such as peanut butter, may play a role in helping to reduce the risk of children developing a peanut allergy.

Fewer people taking long-term sick leave

Fewer people taking long-term sick leave Mild to moderate mental health issues responsible for more sick leave since ‘fit note’. OnMedica

Future of the NHS workforce: from nail cutters to doctors' assistants

Future of the NHS workforce: from nail cutters to doctors' assistants

UK health service may be one of the world’s biggest employers, but it must adapt to keep pace with the future patient demographic

The NHS employs about 1.6 million people, which puts it on to the list of the world’s top five biggest employers, rubbing shoulders with the US Department of Defence and China’s People’s Liberation Army. In England alone the NHS has 1.3 million staff working in 300 different roles on the payroll of 1,000 different employers. That 1.3 million includes 111,000 hospital doctors, 356,000 nurses, midwives and health visitors, 37,000 managers, 40,000 GPs and a clinical support workforce of 359,000, according to the Health and Social Care Information Centre.

The figures illustrate the challenges the NHS faces in keeping the right number of people with the right skills in the right place to deliver today’s services. But they also highlight the scale of those challenges to ensure that the workforce keeps pace with the future patient demographic, such as an increasing older population, and developments in clinical practice and science, like genomics, which have the potential to revolutionise the way healthcare is delivered. Continue reading... The Guardian

Coalition sneaking out regulations to speed up NHS privatisation, Labour says

Coalition sneaking out regulations to speed up NHS privatisation, Labour says Shadow health secretary says rules forcing NHS contracts worth over £625,000 to be put out to tender were tabled on last day before parliamentary recess

Labour has accused the government of trying to sneak out legislation to accelerate the privatisation of NHS services.

Andy Burnham, the shadow health secretary, said regulations tabled in parliament on 6 February without any government announcement would force all contracts worth more than £625,000 to be put out to tender. Continue reading... The Guardian

Tory MP calls for NHS to use astrology to treat patients and take pressure off doctors

Tory MP calls for NHS to use astrology to treat patients and take pressure off doctors Conservative MP David Tredinnick has called for the NHS to use astrology to help treat patients. The Independent

See also:

• Astrology could help take pressure off NHS doctors, claims Conservative MP The Guardian

University of Northampton and Northampton General Hospital join forces for foot pain research project

University of Northampton and Northampton General Hospital join forces for foot pain research project
A two-year research study into pain in the big toe joint is being carried out by a team from the University of Northampton and Northampton General Hospital. Northants Herald and Post

Going home alone Counting the cost to older people and the NHS

Going home alone Counting the cost to older people and the NHS Royal Voluntary Service’s research found that over a quarter of patients who were readmitted within three months had not felt ready to go home at initial discharge, compared to only 5% of people who had not been readmitted within three months. The research also showed that the number of people saying they had support needs which were not met was higher amongst those who were readmitted.

See also:

• Support fears 'delay' NHS discharges BBC News

Love 'em or loathe 'em, NHS targets are here to stay

Love 'em or loathe 'em, NHS targets are here to stay Targets in some form are likely to be with us for the foreseeable future and we won’t help ourselves if we don’t at least try to learn from past successes and failures in how targets have been approached, says Tim Gardner. The Health Foundation

Population health systems: going beyond integrated care

Population health systems: going beyond integrated care Integrated care has become a key focus of health service reform in England in recent years, as a response to fragmentation within the NHS and social care system. Yet efforts to integrate care services have rarely extended into a concern for the broader health of local populations and the impact of the wider determinants of health. This is a missed opportunity. This paper aims to challenge those involved in integrated care and public health to ‘join up the dots’, seeing integrated care as part of a broader shift away from fragmentation towards an approach focused on improving population health. The King's Fund

VIDEO: The smart bandage treating wounds

VIDEO: The smart bandage treating wounds Dan Simmons looks at the medical devices of the future. BBC News

Hospital 'black alerts' extended

Hospital 'black alerts' extended "Black alerts" in hospitals have been extended across south-west England showing services are overwhelmed by demand, NHS bosses say. BBC News

Many deaths of mentally ill in custody 'avoidable'

Many deaths of mentally ill in custody 'avoidable' “Hundreds of deaths in mental health units ‘were avoidable’,” says a report on the front page of today’s Independent. The Guardian highlights 662 mentally ill detainee deaths from 2010 to 2013.

Both stories follow an inquiry by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) into the deaths of people with mental health conditions while detained in police custody, prisons or psychiatric hospitals.

The inquiry looked at whether people who were detained had been treated correctly according to EHRC guidelines. The inquiry focused on two basic rights: the right to life and the right to non-discrimination.

Over the period 2010 to 2013, there were 367 deaths from non-natural causes of adults with mental health conditions while detained in psychiatric wards and police custody. A further 295 adults died in prison, many of whom had mental health conditions.

The inquiry identified many areas of concern, including a lack of information sharing between professionals, insufficient involvement of family members, inappropriate use of restraint, and failure to learn from past incidents.

Meet the Spanish nurses desperate for a job in the NHS

Meet the Spanish nurses desperate for a job in the NHS

Despite a creaking health system at home, lack of jobs means graduates are flocking to interviews in the UK. But for many, language skills are the highest hurdle

Résumés tightly in hand, the group of young nursing graduates nervously compared their English as they waited to be called for interview. Few had ever left Spain, and only one had been to Britain. But if all went well, they would walk out of the hotel in the centre of Madrid with an NHS nursing job in a hospital near London.

“The situation in Spain is terrible. If you want to work as a nurse, you have to leave the country,” said one candidate, José, who declined to give his surname. He had travelled six hours by train to attend the interviews. “Why not leave? Our future is now other countries.”

I wouldn’t want to work in England without perfect English. What happens when you administer dangerous medications? Continue reading... The Guardian

Revealed: £15bn hidden cost of eating disorders

Revealed: £15bn hidden cost of eating disorders Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia cost the country more than £15bn a year, according to the first analysis of the financial effects of the problems. The Independent


See also:

• The Costs of Eating Disorders - Social, Health and Economic Impacts B-Eat
• Eating disorders cost UK around £15bn per year OnMedica