Care homes shutting at rate of one a month in Northamptonshire due ‘as council payments too low’

Care homes shutting at rate of one a month in Northamptonshire due ‘as council payments too low’ Care homes have shut at a rate of more than one a month in the last two years, new figures suggest. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Your RPS Pilot sites for pharmacists in A&E scheme revealed

Your RPS Pilot sites for pharmacists in A&E scheme revealed Health Education England confirms NHS trusts where pharmacists will be drafted into A&E units as part of a national pilot, which includes Northampton General Hospital. Pharmaceutical Journal

Are we suffering from ‘information underload’ when it comes to quality of care?

Are we suffering from ‘information underload’ when it comes to quality of care? With only seven weeks to go until the general election, political parties are each going to need to attempt to answer the question of how the NHS is performing, and, critically, is it better or worse than five years ago? asks Natalie Berry. The Health Foundation

NHS England launch a new Workforce Race Equality Standard

NHS England launch a new Workforce Race Equality Standard Coming into effect on 1 April this year, the Workforce Race Equality Standard requires NHS organisations to demonstrate progress against a number of indicators of workforce equality. NHS Employers

Vital signs: taking the temperature of health and care services for people living with long term conditions

Vital signs: taking the temperature of health and care services for people living with long term conditions This report analyses the quality of health and care services from the users’ perspective. It shows that there are some worrying gaps in long term conditions care which lead to many preventable problems. Too often people are not supported to look after themselves, and their emotional and practical needs, and those of their carers, are frequently ignored. This not only leads to distress and complications for people living with long term conditions, but also means that avoidable pressures on the NHS are increasing. Richmond group of Charities

• Report
• Infographic

See also:

• The vital signs of patient care The King's Fund

Hospital staff 'act above pay grade'

Hospital staff 'act above pay grade' A BBC investigation finds hospital healthcare assistants are working without proper training or supervision, putting patients at risk. BBC News

Mental health budgets 'cut by 8%'

Mental health budgets 'cut by 8%' Mental health trusts in England have had their budgets cut by more than 8% in real terms over the course of this parliament, research suggests. BBC News

See also:

• Mental health trust funding down 8% from 2010 despite coalition’s drive for parity of esteem  Community Care

NHS finances – a likely headache

NHS finances – a likely headache As the post-Budget debate on the extent of future austerity rages on, there has been a sobering reminder of the financial needs of the NHS next year and beyond.

Whichever of the main parties is in power will be looking for more spending cuts across Whitehall. There will be a continued drive to squeeze budgets. But that task could become even more challenging because of the demands of the health service in England. BBC News

Most health leaders doubt NHS efficiencies possible

Most health leaders doubt NHS efficiencies possible Three quarters of health and social care leaders including GPs are not convinced that the NHS will be able to make the efficiency savings expected of it over the next five years OnMedica

See also:

• Health Leaders Panel Survey Four: Looking forward Nuffield Trust
• Trusts predicted to end year with £800m deficit OnMedica

Hurry up with meningitis vaccine deal, government told

Hurry up with meningitis vaccine deal, government told Charity urges Department of Health to bring negotiation over price of Bexsero MenB vaccine, begun last August, to a conclusion.

A meningitis vaccine that is currently the subject of price negotiations should be introduced as soon as possible “to save lives”, a charity has warned.

It is now a year since the body that advises the Department of Health on immunisation recommended the Bexsero MenB vaccine should be made available to children. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Campaigners make Men B vaccine plea BBC News

Virgin Care among firms with lucrative NHS deals and a tax haven status

Virgin Care among firms with lucrative NHS deals and a tax haven status Richard Branson’s group is one of 10 private health providers that have tax havens as part of their corporate structure

Virgin Care, which has been handed contracts worth hundreds of millions of pounds to run more than 230 NHS and social care services, is one of at least 10 private health firms seeking state-funded contracts whose company structures include tax havens, it can be revealed.

An analysis by Richard Murphy, a chartered accountant at Tax Research UK, has found 13 holding companies, some of them offshore, between Virgin Care and its ultimate parent company, based in the British Virgin Islands. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS feels the strain as hospital bed-blocking by elderly patients hits record levels

NHS feels the strain as hospital bed-blocking by elderly patients hits record levels Bed-blocking is causing a huge strain on the NHS, with more than one million hospital bed days lost because of delayed discharges in the past year, new figures revealed last night. The Independent

See also:

• Bed-blocking has reached record levels with thousands of healthy people filling much-needed space on hospital wards The Daily Mail

Ebola outbreak: The world has eased up too soon on the battle with the virus, says professor who helped discover it

Ebola outbreak: The world has eased up too soon on the battle with the virus, says professor who helped discover it The end of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa may still be some way off, and the world must prepare for future outbreaks, Professor Peter Piot, the co-discoverer of the virus, has said. The Independent

See also:

• Early call for Ebola help 'ignored' BBC News
• How Ebola changed the world BBC News
• News story: Two Ebola vaccines are being tested in Liberia and Guinea Department of Health

Integrated care: the end of the hospital as we know it?

Integrated care: the end of the hospital as we know it? Hospitals are often seen as an impediment to integrated care. The concern frequently voiced is that their dominant role in the health system makes it harder for commissioners to shift resources into the community and to develop more co-ordinated services that cross organisational boundaries.

It is certainly true that an over-reliance on hospital-based care, and the political reluctance to challenge this, has long been a barrier to necessary change in health systems across the world. Jean Rebert, one of the principal architects of the PRISMA integrated care system in Quebec, Canada, has made this case forcefully. Speaking at the World Congress on Integrated Care in Sydney last year, he said that in his experience the greatest obstacle to integrated care is the political attractiveness of prioritising investment in hospitals over other forms of care.

Changes in CAMHS: parity or warm words?

Changes in CAMHS: parity or warm words? Following the budget announcement and a new report from a major government taskforce, is England now on the right track to achieve mental health services on a par with their physical health counterparts? The Health Foundation

Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)

Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) This suite of 12 resources includes short films, reports, at a glance summaries and tools. Some of the resources aim to raise service users’ and mental health staffs’ awareness and understanding of the IMHA role, and address equality of access. Others help advocacy providers, commissioners and mental health trusts to improve access to IMHA, to understand what a good service looks like, and how outcomes can be measured. Social Care Institute of Excellence

Equal measures: equality information report for 2014

Equal measures: equality information report for 2014 This report summarises what the Care Quality Commission have learned about equality and diversity, both across health and social care and internally last year. It finds that while seeing some improvements, there is still too much variation in people’s access, experience and outcomes in many health and social care services. For example, the fact that more ethnic groups seem to use certain hospital services more than other groups suggests that access could be an issue. It also finds that people with dementia have poorer outcomes in hospitals than those without dementia going into hospital for the same health conditions; and, that the needs of people with visual impairment and hearing loss within care homes are sometimes overlooked.

• Report
• Infographic
• Care Quality Commission - press release

Kelsey pushes for free NHS wi-fi

Kelsey pushes for free NHS wi-fi The NHS should install free wireless internet across its entire estate to act "as an instrument of social transformation", NHS England's Tim Kelsey says. E-Health Insider

GPs to lead on improving children’s access to mental health

GPs to lead on improving children’s access to mental health Call for greater GP and CCG involvement in commissioning young people’s mental health. OnMedica

The next parliament needs to stabilise and transform the NHS

The next parliament needs to stabilise and transform the NHS In the lead-up to the general election, cumulative stress is starting to show and health service leaders face tough decisions Continue reading... The Guardian

Benefit cuts for the obese could force people into weight-loss surgery

Benefit cuts for the obese could force people into weight-loss surgery The Prime Minister’s proposal to cut benefits for obese people who refuse treatment could force hundreds to choose between weight loss surgery or losing their welfare payments, leading doctors have said. The Independent

See also:

• David Cameron's plans for obese benefit claimants questionable - Lancet The Guardian

FGM: New NHS rules mean women with genital piercings will be recorded as suffering female genital mutilation

FGM: New NHS rules mean women with genital piercings will be recorded as suffering female genital mutilation Women who have genital piercings will be recorded as having suffered female genital mutilation (FGM) under new NHS rules due to come into force next month. The Independent

See also:

• Got a vaginal piercing? According to the NHS you're a victim of FGM The Daily Telegraph

Cancer patients in Northampton waiting too long for treatment went up 20 per cent in one year

Cancer patients in Northampton waiting too long for treatment went up 20 per cent in one year The number of cancer patients waiting more than 62 days for their first chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other treatment at NGH is on the rise, according to latest figures. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust announce out of hours health visitors advice line

Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust announce out of hours health visitors advice line
Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) is excited to announce their out of hours health visitors advice line.

Following a successful bid to NHS England, NHFT were awarded additional funds to provide an advice line for a three month pilot to help alleviate winter pressures and attendance at A&E. Northamptonshire Herald and Post

Procurement and competition rules Can the NHS be exempted?

Procurement and competition rules Can the NHS be exempted? In this briefing, The King’s Fund seeks to clarify whether a new government could extract the NHS from European Union procurement and competition rules.

See also:

• Tearing up the NHS competition rule book The King’s Fund

Future in mind: promoting, protecting and improving our children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing

Future in mind: promoting, protecting and improving our children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing This report of the work of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Taskforce makes a number of proposals the government wishes to see by 2020. These include tackling stigma and improving attitudes to mental illness; introducing more access and waiting time standards for services; establishing ‘one stop shop’ support services in the community; and improving access for children and young people who are particularly vulnerable. It sets out how much of this can be achieved through better working between the NHS, local authorities, voluntary and community services, schools and other local services. It also makes it clear that many of these changes can be achieved by working differently, rather than needing significant investment. Department of Health

Peer support workers in mental health: Is the NHS ready for this?

Peer support workers in mental health: Is the NHS ready for this? Liz Hughes asks: Is the NHS ready for peer support workers in mental health? A recent qualitative study highlights some of the challenges facing peer supporters and the NHS organisations in which they work. The Mental Elf

Privately-run hospital scheme 'poor'

Privately-run hospital scheme 'poor' Oversight of the contract to run the first privately-managed NHS hospital was "poor and inadequate", a House of Commons committee chairwoman says. BBC News

Could epilepsy drug help treat Alzheimer's disease?

Could epilepsy drug help treat Alzheimer's disease? A drug commonly used to treat epilepsy could help "slow down" the progress of Alzheimer's disease, reports The Daily Express. According to the news story, the drug levetiracetam was shown to "help restore brain function and memory".

The story is based on a study analysing the short-term effect of the drug in 54 people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This is where people have problems with their memory and are at an increased risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.

Dementia is a common condition that affects about 800,000 people in the UK. Most types of dementia cannot be cured.

Researchers found people with the condition showed overactivity in one part of the brain during one memory test involving image recognition.

This overactivity and performance on the test was better when participants had been taking 125mg of levetiracetam twice a day for two weeks, compared with when they had taken inactive "dummy" capsules.

This study was small, short-term and showed improvement on a single memory test. It is not possible to say from this study whether continuing to take the drug would reduce a person's chances of developing dementia.

Exclusive: GPs need tenfold rise in dementia diagnosis to hit NHS target

Exclusive: GPs need tenfold rise in dementia diagnosis to hit NHS target GPs would need to increase dementia diagnosis tenfold in March to hit a controversial target set by NHS England, analysis by GPonline reveals. GP Online

Doctors warned to ensure patients are aware of risks of treatment after Court ruling

Doctors warned to ensure patients are aware of risks of treatment after Court ruling MDU recommends making a record of the information given after Supreme Court says Bolam test is not enough. OnMedica

Closure of small pharmacies threatens to overload GPs and A&E

Closure of small pharmacies threatens to overload GPs and A&E Chemists play a vital role in isolated communities, but their funding will be stopped at the end of the month.

In less than three weeks nearly 100 small yet essential pharmacies across the country will lose their viability top-up payment from NHS England. Yet the majority of owners, like me, are still stuck in negotiations with local area teams. We have no clarity on future funding. Our patients and staff are angry, anxious and confused. Continue reading... The Guardian

Barts NHS Trust in special measures after deaths of newborn and mother

Barts NHS Trust in special measures after deaths of newborn and mother The country’s biggest NHS Trust has been placed in special measures, in the wake of a damning inspection report that catalogued unsafe care caused by staff shortages and a bullying culture at one of its main hospitals. The Independent

See also:

• NHS trust put into special measures BBC News
• Barts in special measures E-Health Insider
• Largest NHS trust put in special measures after damning CQC report The Guardian
• RCN responds to Barts Health NHS Trust being placed in special measures Royal College of Nursing

Nurse from Northamptonshire struck off after stealing elderly resident’s painkillers

Nurse from Northamptonshire struck off after stealing elderly resident’s painkillers A nurse has been struck off after taking money from two people she shared a house with and stealing medication from a Northamptonshire care home resident. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman - labyrinth of bureaucracy

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman - labyrinth of bureaucracy This report is a follow-up on the November 2014 Patients Association report on the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's handling of NHS complaints. It highlights the improvements that are still needed in the complaints handling service. The Patients Association

Child mental health 'faces overhaul'

Child mental health 'faces overhaul' Mental health services for children and young people in England need a "complete overhaul", the government will admit later. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: Child mental health 'needs overhaul' BBC News
• Putting public money into mental health is common sense  The Daily Telegraph

All teens should be vaccinated against rare strain of meningitis

All teens should be vaccinated against rare strain of meningitis "A vaccination for meningitis is to be offered to all 14-18 year-olds in England and Wales, after a spike in a rare strain of the disease," The Guardian reports. The strain – meningitis W (MenW) – is described as rare, but life-threatening.

There has been a year-on-year increase in the number of meningitis cases caused by MenW since 2009, and infection has been associated with particularly severe disease and high fatality rates in teenagers and young adults. The increasing trend looks set to continue unless action is taken, so the government’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the body that advises on vaccination for England and Wales, has advised that immunisation against MenW should be routinely offered to all 14 to 18 year-olds.

Care home residents struggle to get complaints heard

Care home residents struggle to get complaints heard Just one in five councils offer dedicated complaints service for social care and care home users. OnMedica

The biggest privatisation in NHS history: why we had to blow the whistle | Kate Godfrey

The biggest privatisation in NHS history: why we had to blow the whistle | Kate Godfrey Staffordshire was planning a £1.2bn sell-off of cancer and end-of-life care without proper patient consultation. But now a key leaked document reveals all.

I’m not a journalist, but as of this morning I know what it feels like to be part of the biggest leak in NHS history.

Published on openDemocracy, the memorandum of information for the £700m sell-off of Staffordshire cancer services is now available for the 800,000 directly affected and three million indirectly affected patients to read online.

Time and time again we have seen Staffordshire used as the proving ground for the 2012 Health and Social Care Act. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NHS agrees largest-ever privatisation deal to tackle backlog The Guardian

'Hidden army' of pharmacists could solve lack of GPs crisis

'Hidden army' of pharmacists could solve lack of GPs crisis Patients visiting their GP surgery with long-term health problems such as asthma and high blood pressure could be given an appointment with an in-house pharmacist instead of a doctor, according to radical proposals to bring down waiting times. Under the new proposals, pharmacists would take on a greater role in running surgeries, and even treating patients. The Independent

See also:

• Pharmacists set to work in GP surgeries in radical move to ease pressures on general practice and improve patient care Royal College of General Practitioners
• English Board campaign promotes joined up working between pharmacists and GPs Royal Pharmaceutical Society
• Pharmacists and general practice: A practical and timely partof solving the primary care workload and workforce crisis (report) Royal Pharmaceutical Society and NHS Alliance
• 'Army of pharmacists' to help GPs BBC News
• VIDEO: Pharmacists 'should support GPs' BBC News
• GPs should employ army of pharmacists to ease pressure, says RCGP GP Online

Cuts to 'portage' services hit children with learning disabilities

Cuts to 'portage' services hit children with learning disabilities Vital services that help prepare children with learning disabilities for nursery and school have fallen victim to council austerity cuts. The Independent

Large number of youngsters say they are affected by depression, stress and anxiety in Northamptonshire

Large number of youngsters say they are affected by depression, stress and anxiety in Northamptonshire About 15 per cent of young people in Northamptonshire feel depressed ‘most of the time’, a study suggests. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Buck passing for failure to prosecute FGM must stop

Buck passing for failure to prosecute FGM must stop The Home Affairs Committee publishes its report, Female genital mutilation: follow-up, on 14 March 2015, following a revisit of the issue of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

See also:

• Designer vaginas: Under 18s should be banned from having the surgery, MPs say The Independent

Social care should be free at the end of life

Social care should be free at the end of life A report that looks at the state of end of life care since the independent Review of the Liverpool Care Pathway, chaired by Baroness Neuberger, and finds great variation in quality and practice across both acute and community settings. It makes a number of recommendations for improvement, and in particular recommends that social care should be free at the end of life. Health Select Committee

See also:

• 'Improve end-of-life care for all' BBC News
• MPs' report calls for 'kinder, cheaper' state-funded end-of-life care The Independent

Press release: Scarlet fever: second year of high activity

Press release: Scarlet fever: second year of high activity Public Health England (PHE) has reported a continued substantial increase in scarlet fever notifications across England. This is the second year in a row of exceptional activity. A total of 754 new cases were reported in England last week (2 to 8 March) and 5746 since the season began in September (week 37 in 2014 to week 10 2015). This compares to 2833 cases for the same period last season. Public Health England

Work and wellbeing in the NHS: why staff health matters to patient care

Work and wellbeing in the NHS: why staff health matters to patient care This report shows that staff health and wellbeing in the NHS is often seen as an optional extra - as less than two thirds of trusts have a staff health and wellbeing plan in place. It says that high quality patient care relies on skilled staff who are not only physically and mentally well enough to do their jobs, but also feel valued, supported and engaged. It also states that good staff health, wellbeing and engagement can reap significant benefits for patient safety including reduced MRSA infection rates and lower patient mortality rates. The Royal College of Physicians

See also:

• The health of NHS staff is increasingly supported, say employers responding to RCP report NHS Employers

Access to hospital care: is the NHS on target?

Access to hospital care: is the NHS on target? This briefing examines how hospital trusts in England are performing against six national targets. The paper argues against the notion that dips in performance can be attributed to a handful of poorly performing hospital trusts, and finds there has been deterioration across the board in some measures. The Nuffield Trust

Mental health 'to get funding boost'

Mental health 'to get funding boost' Mental health services in England will receive extra funding in next week's Budget, Liberal Democrat Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander says. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: Mental health spending boost BBC News
• Nick Clegg: Extra £1.25bn to be spent on mental health services The Daily Telegraph
• Nick Clegg: budget to allocate extra £1.25bn for mental health The Guardian
• Mental health services to get £1.25bn extra funding to treat 110,000 children, Nick Clegg announces The Independent

A&E target missed whole of winter

A&E target missed whole of winter The NHS has missed its A&E waiting time target for every week of winter, figures show. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: Hospitals 'struggling' with A&E targets BBC News
• How bad has this winter been for the NHS? BBC News

RCN launches toolkit to help prevent suicide in LGBT youth

RCN launches toolkit to help prevent suicide in LGBT youth The RCN, in collaboration with Public Health England (PHE), has launched a toolkit to guide nurses and other health professionals in the prevention of suicide in lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender (LGBT) young people. Royal College of Nursing

Do people with depression perceive time differently?

Do people with depression perceive time differently?"How depression affects our sense of time: Hours drag on and even stand still," is the somewhat over-hyped headline from the Mail Online.

As the old saying goes – Time flies when you’re having fun. So does the reverse also ring true? Does feeling depressed slow down your perception of time? Two German researchers tried to find out.

They pooled the results of previous studies, which lead to 433 depressed people being compared with 485 non-depressed people. The results tentatively suggest that some people with depression may perceive time as going more slowly than those without.

No difference was found in their ability to estimate actual time durations in tests (for example, trying to judge when a minute had passed).

The study has a number of limitations, meaning we should be cautious in assuming that the findings are reliable. Their statistical methods, for example, made it more likely to find a statistically significant result by chance and they noted that using other methods would have wiped out any differences between the groups.

GPs could be asked to vaccinate 3.3m teenagers against meningitis strain

GPs could be asked to vaccinate 3.3m teenagers against meningitis strain GPs could be asked to vaccinate all 14- 18-year-olds in England against a strain of meningococcal disease, under a programme announced by Public Health England (PHE). GP Online

See also:

• Vaccine plan for meningitis rise BBC News

How patients can help we GPs make the NHS run better

How patients can help we GPs make the NHS run better If the health service is going to thrive, patients must use the system more efficiently by keeping their scheduled appointments. Continue reading... The Guardian

Over a quarter of board members on new bodies commissioning NHS care have links to the private health sector

Over a quarter of board members on new bodies commissioning NHS care have links to the private health sector More than a quarter of board members on the new bodies charged with commissioning care for the NHS have links to the private health sector, new analysis shows. The Independent

PM steps in after NHS whistleblower is pursued for £100,000 in costs after losing her case on legal technicality

PM steps in after NHS whistleblower is pursued for £100,000 in costs after losing her case on legal technicality David Cameron has asked Jeremy Hunt, the Secretary of State for Health, to investigate why a whistleblower at one of the country’s largest mental health trusts is being pursued for almost £100,000 in costs after losing her case on a legal technicality. The Independent

More than 1,300 Northamptonshire women smoke while pregnant each year, latest statistics show

More than 1,300 Northamptonshire women smoke while pregnant each year, latest statistics show The proportion of women in Northamptonshire who still hadn't given up smoking when they gave birth is 16 per cent, according to latest figures. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

The great health debate – is there more consensus between the left and right than we’d assume?

The great health debate – is there more consensus between the left and right than we’d assume? At a pre-election debate on health care featuring panellists from across the political spectrum, was the amount of consensus on some issues surprising, asks Emma Spencelayh. The Health Foundation

New Agenda for Change pay circulars published

New Agenda for Change pay circulars published Download the new Agenda for Change pay circulars following the trade unions' acceptance of the Government pay offer. NHS Employers

Raising the bar: The Shape of Care review report

Raising the bar: The Shape of Care review report This report makes 34 recommendations for the future education and training of registered nurses and care assistants. It covers themes such as enhancing co-production and the voice of the patient, assuring flexibility in nursing and funding and commissioning levers. Health Education England

See also:

• Shape of Caring Review Twitter Chat: 23 March 2015 Health Education England
• Interview with Lord Willis, chair of the review (video) Health Education England
• Shape of Caring report is an opportunity to bridge the gap between care assistants and nurses NHS Employers
• Shape of Caring review publishes final recommendations Nursing and Midwifery Council
• RCN responds to Shape of Caring Review Royal College of Nursing

NHS governance review 2015: unchartered waters

NHS governance review 2015: unchartered waters This review considers current governance-related challenges and opportunities facing the NHS, especially in the context of the recently published ‘NHS Five Year Forward View’ report. It concludes that as the NHS enters uncharted waters, its governance and risk management arrangements need to be more agile. Grant Thornton

Whole in one: achieving equality of status, access and resources for people with depression

Whole in one: achieving equality of status, access and resources for people with depression This report focuses on depression in adults, with particular emphasis on access to NHS services and treatment, the funding of services, depression in the workplace, and the role of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. 2020Health

Best hospitals 'now struggling'

Best hospitals 'now struggling' Pressures in the NHS are so great that even the best hospitals in England are seeing patients wait longer for key services, an analysis shows. BBC News

The NHS - a powerhouse for new medicines?

The NHS - a powerhouse for new medicines? Could the NHS pioneer digital healthcare? BBC News

Ultrasound 'breakthrough' in treating Alzheimer's - in mice

Ultrasound 'breakthrough' in treating Alzheimer's - in mice "Alzheimer's breakthrough as ultrasound successfully treats disease in mice," The Guardian reports.

New research found high-energy sound waves helped remove abnormal clumps of proteins from the brains of mice, and also improved their memory.

The mice used in this study were genetically engineered to produce amyloid plaques – abnormal clumps of protein fragment amyloid-β typically found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.

There was a 50% reduction in plaques in mice whose brains were exposed to ultrasound once a week for five to seven weeks.

Memory also improved to the extent that the mice were able to negotiate a maze as well as healthy mice after the treatment. They were also better able to avoid a section of a spinning wheel that would give them an electric shock.

While the treated mice appeared to be unharmed, with no obvious tissue damage, human brains are much more complex. Ultrasound could damage brain function in ways that we cannot predict.

Prescription charge to rise to £8.20

Prescription charge to rise to £8.20 New NHS charges to help with doubled spend on medicines since 2000. OnMedica

Melanoma drug is first to be fast tracked under NHS early access scheme

Melanoma drug is first to be fast tracked under NHS early access scheme Previously unlicensed drug would only have been available to patients in clinical trials. OnMedica

'Chronic underfunding' of social care increases burden on NHS, say GPs

'Chronic underfunding' of social care increases burden on NHS, say GPs A new poll of 830 doctors in England suggests service reduction sends desperate patients to A&E or keeps them in hospital longer than necessary

Nine out of 10 GPs believe deep cuts to social care under the coalition have added to the growing overcrowding at both their own surgeries and hospital A&E units.

In a poll of 830 family doctors in England, 92% did not think that enough social care is available to stop patients ending up in emergency departments or to avoid them having to stay in hospital despite being medically fit to leave. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• The coalition government’s record on social care The King's Fund
• Misguided to think cuts to one sector do not impact on others, says RCGP Chair Royal College of General Practitioners

Ebola: Infected British military health worker arrives in London

Ebola: Infected British military health worker arrives in London A British military healthcare worker who contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone has been admitted to the Royal Free Hospital in London, after being evacuated from the country by RAF jet. The Independent

Northampton man launches petition to rescue funding for life-saving cancer medication

Northampton man launches petition to rescue funding for life-saving cancer medication A Northampton man who began a petition to stop his life-saving cancer medication being cut from the NHS is more than halfway to having the issue potentially debated heard in Parliament. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Progress in improving cancer services and outcomes in England report

Progress in improving cancer services and outcomes in England report The Department and NHS England have allowed a loss of momentum in the drive to improve cancer services according to the Public Accounts Committee's report

See also:

• MPs criticise England cancer services BBC News
• Britain's triple cancer failure revealed in string of reports The Daily Mail
• Cancer care slipping under coalition government, MPs warn GP Online

Major bid to prevent illness with launch of national diabetes prevention drive

Major bid to prevent illness with launch of national diabetes prevention drive The NHS and Public Health in England will today (Thursday) start a major national initiative to prevent illness by unveiling the first ever at-scale National NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme.

Simon Stevens, NHS England’s Chief Executive, will announce the move in a major speech at the Diabetes UK conference in London.

The programme, which is a joint initiative between NHS England, Public Health England (PHE) and Diabetes UK, aims to significantly reduce the four million people in England otherwise expected to have Type 2 diabetes by 2025.

It is estimated that a big proportion of Type 2 diabetes could be prevented, and England will be the first country to implement a national evidence-based diabetes prevention programme at scale, delivering on the commitment set out in the NHS Forward View and PHE’s Evidence into Action last year.

Well-designed randomised controlled trials in Finland, the USA, Japan, China and India show 30-60 per cent reductions in Type 2 diabetes incidence over three years in adults at high risk through intensive lifestyle change programme interventions.

If the national programme could replicate this success, it could save tens of thousands of lives in the future and millions of pounds for the NHS. NHS England

See also:

• Press release: National NHS Diabetes initiative launched in major bid to prevent illness Public Health England
• RCGP response to NHS England announcement on diabetes prevention Royal College of General Practitioners
• NHS to offer free cookery classes in war on obesity The Daily Telegraph
• Free slimming classes to be offered to overweight NHS staff  The Independent

Guidance: NHS foundation trust governors: representing the interests of members and the public

Guidance: NHS foundation trust governors: representing the interests of members and the public To get public engagement right, governors need to understand their role well. With understanding comes the confidence to engage with local communities, helping to improve our NHS for patients and staff.

This guide:

• gives the context for governors’ work
• gives examples of what governors could do to promote communication between foundation trusts, their members and the public
• includes case studies of the practical experiences of foundation trusts and governors

People who are involved in helping governors to fulfil their duties may find this guide useful. Chairs and other members of foundation trust boards, membership managers and trust secretaries may wish to refer to it.

Who produced the guide?

This guide has been developed jointly by Monitor and GovernWell in association with our partners the Care Quality Commission, the Department of Health, NHS Providers and the Independent Panel for Advising Governors.

Further information for governors

Monitor has published several further guidance documents for governors and members. TheGovernWell website also includes a resource library for governors.

Why not introduce more NHS charges?

Why not introduce more NHS charges? Why not introduce more NHS charges, asks BBC's Nick Triggle

VIDEO: Lucas questions NHS spending priorities

VIDEO: Lucas questions NHS spending priorities Caroline Lucas says NHS market structures cost more than £10bn a year and this could be better spent on patient care. BBC News

Nursing tech fund 2 awards announced

Nursing tech fund 2 awards announced Electronic observations and mobile access projects are the big winners from the second round of NHS England's Nursing Technology Fund, with 62 organisations splitting £35 million in funding. E-Health Insider

New GMC report highlights factors that affect progression of doctors in training

New GMC report highlights factors that affect progression of doctors in training New data reports for the first time on examination results and recruitment outcomes for different groups of doctors across the UK. The General Medical Council

See also:

• Interactive reports to investigate factors that affect progression of doctors in training (Briefing) The General Medical Council
• Black and minority ethnic doctors less likely to be offered GP training places GP Online

Exclusive: Health check target to be missed as uptake drops

Exclusive: Health check target to be missed as uptake drops Public Health England (PHE) is set to miss its target to increase uptake of the NHS health check to 66% this financial year, GP can reveal, as official figures show uptake may instead drop. GP Online

See also:

• Infographic: Is the £300m health check programme working? GP Online

MPs vote to introduce standardised cigarette packs

MPs vote to introduce standardised cigarette packs Plan is for standardised tobacco packaging to be introduced from 20th May 2016 OnMedica

See also:

• MPs back standardised cigarette packs BBC News
• Britain to become second country in the world to pass law on plain cigarette packets to deter a new generation of smokers The Daily Mail
• RCN responds to introduction of plain packaging for tobacco products Royal College of Nursing

Number of NHS patients waiting too long for crucial medical tests hits RECORD high

Number of NHS patients waiting too long for crucial medical tests hits RECORD high Some 18,740 patients had to wait longer than six weeks to take cancer and other tests in January – more than five times higher than in May 2010 when the Coalition took over. The Daily Mail

NHS agrees largest-ever privatisation deal to tackle backlog

NHS agrees largest-ever privatisation deal to tackle backlog Plan by NHS Supply Chain to deal with backlog of patients waiting for surgery and tests will see 11 companies paid £780m to diagnose and treat patients

The NHS has agreed the biggest-ever privatisation of its services in a deal worth up to £780m intended to help hospitals tackle the growing backlogs of patients waiting for surgery and tests.

The deal will see 11 private firms paid by the NHS to carry out heart, joint and other types of operations and perform scans, X-rays and other diagnostic tests on patients. Continue reading... The Guardian

'Homeopathy is no more effective than placebo for almost every illness,' says health council

'Homeopathy is no more effective than placebo for almost every illness,' says health council Homeopathic remedies are “no more effective than placebo” in treating health problems, new research shows. The Independent

See also:

• Homeopathy's lack of effectiveness is no surprise The Guardian

Plans submitted to turn St Edmund’s hospital site into a multi-million pound elderly care facility

Plans submitted to turn St Edmund’s hospital site into a multi-million pound elderly care facility Multi-million pound plans to convert the eyesore former St Edmund’s Hospital into a specialised care facility for the elderly have been unveiled – only hours after a fire at the site. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Derelict hospital to be care complex BBC Northamptonshire

Five million patients to benefit from new era of patient care

Five million patients to benefit from new era of patient care The NHS has chosen the first 29 ‘vanguard’ geographies that will take the national lead on transforming care for patients in towns, cities and counties across England.

269 groups of nurses, doctors and other health and social care staff from across the country put forward their ideas for how they want to redesign care in their areas, and then helped choose thefirst 29 of the most innovative plans.

Drawing on a new £200 million transformation fund and tailored national support, from April the vanguards will develop local health and care services to keep people well, and bring home care, mental health and community nursing, GP services and hospitals together for the first time since 1948.

For patients, this will lead to a significant improvement in their experience of health services. It is estimated more than five million patients will benefit, just from this first wave. For example, this could mean: fewer trips to hospitals as cancer and dementia specialists and GPs work in new teams; a single point of access for family doctors, community nurses, social and mental health services; and access to tests, dialysis or chemotherapy much closer to home.

Public mental health leadership and workforce development framework

Public mental health leadership and workforce development framework The purpose of this framework is to help develop public health leadership and workforce capability in mental health.

It identifies six key ambitions, as well as some core principles for the workforce. Each ambition outlines current priorities and suggests key competencies that we need to expand and grow if mental health is to genuinely be addressed with the same energy and given the same priority as physical health, recognising that it underpins our quality of life. Public Health England

• Framework
• Executive summary
• Associated documents

Cigarette plain packaging vote due

Cigarette plain packaging vote due MPs are expected to approve the introduction of standardised packaging for cigarettes later. BBC News

The cost of the cuts: the impact on local government and poorer communities

The cost of the cuts: the impact on local government and poorer communities How are austerity measures affecting local government and communities?

Cuts to local authority budgets are having a profound effect on the services people receive. The poorest communities and residents are being hardest hit and those least able to cope with service withdrawal are bearing the brunt. Joseph Rowntree Foundation

HRT review finds increased risk of blood clots and stroke

HRT review finds increased risk of blood clots and stroke "Women on HRT pills should be aware that there is a small chance of an increased risk of blood clots and possibly stroke," BBC News reports.

This story is based on an update of a review on the effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on the risk of heart and blood vessel diseases (cardiovascular diseases).

The updated results supported their previous findings that HRT did not reduce the risk of deaths from any cause or from cardiovascular causes during follow-up. However, it did increase the risk of stroke and blood clots (for example deep vein thrombosis – DVT).

Researchers estimated that for every 1,000 women taking HRT, an extra six would experience stroke and an extra eight would experience a blood clot.

The review is robust and the trials of good quality. Still, there are some important points to note. The trials did include different doses and types of oral HRT given over different time periods, but results may not be representative of each of these individually. Also, the women were, on average, about 60 years old at the start of the trials, so results may not be representative of women who start taking HRT at a younger age.

20 NHS bosses award themselves higher salary than PM

20 NHS bosses award themselves higher salary than PM Some 70 executives of new regional bodies earn more than the £125,000 maximum recommended by the NHS, with one boss taking home £280,000 - double the Prime Minister. The Daily Mail

See also:

• More than half of CCG leaders paid above recommended levels GP Online

NHS Change Day: the 10 best campaigns

NHS Change Day: the 10 best campaigns Raising awareness of sepsis and helping women through the menopause are just two of the grassroots projects championed on NHS Change Day. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• How NHS Change Day will benefit patients The Guardian
• How NHS Change Day became the biggest movement in the health service's history The Guardian

Parity in progress? The All Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health’s inquiry into parity of esteem for mental health

Parity in progress? The All Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health’s inquiry into parity of esteem for mental health This report calls for an end to the ‘institutional bias’ against mental health in the NHS. The APPG Mental Health report also asks that the next government accelerates its efforts to bring mental health services up to the standard of physical health services. All Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health

Survey of in-patient admissions for children and young people with mental health problems: Young people stuck in the gap between community and in-patient care

Survey of in-patient admissions for children and young people with mental health problems: Young people stuck in the gap between community and in-patient care Delays accessing beds have put mentally unwell children at risk, with some attempting to take their own lives while they waited for hospital care. Royal College of Psychiatrists

See also:

• Safeguarding fears over children's mental health bed shortage  Community Care

True integration must bridge the divide between services and the people they serve – Luke O’Shea

True integration must bridge the divide between services and the people they serve – Luke O’Shea Today marks the start of a radical integration programme, the first of its kind in the world, called Integrated Personal Commissioning (IPC).

The most radical part of IPC isn’t the integration of health and social care, or the entirely new financial incentives, or the central role of the voluntary sector. These elements of the programme are vital, but are being tried at scale in programmes around the world. The really radical part, the controversial part, the uncomfortable part, is to hand real power over to people and, if they choose to take it, to allow them spend their own budgets according to their needs and priorities – ‘what matters most’.

Huge relief as pay agreement ends NHS strike threat

Huge relief as pay agreement ends NHS strike threat There was huge relief today as unions decided to call off NHS industrial action in England and agree to the Government’s pay proposal made in January. NHS Employers

NHS £75m privatisation plan halted

NHS £75m privatisation plan halted A plan to privatise about £75m of NHS services in Cornwall is abandoned after bosses decided it would not deliver the right results. BBC News

New care models explained: How the NHS can successfully integrate care

New care models explained: How the NHS can successfully integrate care New models at the heart of the NHS Five Year Forward View. Health Service Journal

Is education the best form of teen contraception?

Is education the best form of teen contraception? "Getting a good education could be the best form of contraception for teenagers," The Independent reports after a study of recent data from England found an association between improved GCSE results and lower rates of teenage pregnancy.

Researchers looked at data from England on teenage pregnancy rates between 2004 and 2012. They were particularly interested in whether the increasing use of long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARCs), such as implants or injections, was associated with reduced teen pregnancy rates. It didn't.

What they did find is a link between educational achievement – specifically, more teenagers getting at least five GCSEs and reduced rates of teenage pregnancy. The reason for the link between higher educational attainment and reduced pregnancies was not specifically assessed.

How the system is failing to care for the mentally ill

How the system is failing to care for the mentally ill Police called in to deal with mentally ill people due to "lack of appropriate mental health provision", says police watchdog. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Vulnerable children 'unnecessarily held in police cells' BBC News
• Child arrests by police 'unnecessary', says watchdog The Daily Telegraph

What the healthcare sector wants from the next government

What the healthcare sector wants from the next government After the Health and Social Care Act was labelled ‘a huge waste of money’, priorities must now be public health and integration

The Health and Social Care Act, which came into force two years ago, probably represents the biggest shake-up of the NHS since its inception. The debate sparked by the act has led to the future of the NHS becoming one of the most hotly-discussed topics in the run-up to this year’s election. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS embraces wearable health devices such as the Apple Watch to improve care

NHS embraces wearable health devices such as the Apple Watch to improve care Monitoring activity could help patients take better care of their health and allow doctors and nurses to keep abreast of changes without several appointments.

Wearable devices to monitor our health and vital signs are being enthusiastically embraced by the top brass of the NHS. There is not a trace of old-fashioned fustiness or scepticism in their attitude to new gadgetry. NHS England’s chief executive Simon Stevens and its medical director Sir Bruce Keogh are both keen to explore what technology can do for us and for those who take care of us when we are sick. No surprise there – the truth is the NHS needs all the help it can get.

What will help most is if patients take better care of their own health and avoid getting ill in the first place. That’s where the Apple Watch comes in. Like a number of other devices on the market, it monitors a user’s activity levels, counts calorie expenditure, and registers heart rate – a personal trainer strapped to your wrist. The built-in incentives and the shame factor of knowing you have hardly moved from your chair all day will undoubtedly work for some, but it is those most motivated to be fit and healthy who are likely to be the ones who will buy it. If you don’t really want to take more exercise, it’s fairly unlikely you will fork out the cash. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS calculator which can predict when you might suffer heart attack launched

NHS calculator which can predict when you might suffer heart attack launched The NHS has launched a new online app that predicts your chances of a heart attack. The Independent

See also:

• Check your heart age NHS Choices