Smoking could help cause psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia, say scientists

Smoking could help cause psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia, say scientists Scientists have suggested that smoking may be a risk factor for developing psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia. The Independent

See also:

• Rethinking cigarette smoking, cannabis use, and psychosis Lancet Psychiatry (OpenAthens password required)
• Smoking 'may play schizophrenia role' BBC News

Northamptonshire hospital pays out £7m over medical negligence claim

Northamptonshire hospital pays out £7m over medical negligence claim Kettering General Hospital has agreed to pay out more than £7m to the family of a baby who was the victim of medical negligence. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Better value in the NHS: the role of changes in clinical practice

Better value in the NHS: the role of changes in clinical practice In a time of severe financial constraint, the NHS is being asked to make productivity savings of £22 billion by 2020/21. However, this report argues that, rather than looking at efficiency and costs, the NHS should be focusing on getting better value from its budget. The report looks at trends in NHS productivity in three areas – generic prescribing, length of stay and day case surgery – in which the NHS has made significant and sustained gains in productivity over a number of years, allowing more (and often better) care to be delivered within the same budget. It then outlines a number of areas where the NHS has opportunities to improve value in the future, focusing in particular on changes in clinical practice. The King's Fund

• Report
• Summary

NHS Protect calls for consistent lone worker protection after survey highlights gaps

NHS Protect calls for consistent lone worker protection after survey highlights gaps As NHS workers become more mobile and provide more services out in the community, NHS Protect has completed a comprehensive survey of lone worker protection across the NHS in England, and found wide variance in provision by employers.

“We needed a comprehensive overview of the full range of lone worker protection systems and user groups out there in the NHS. This refreshes our understanding of the fast-changing lone worker services market and will inform important decisions in the years ahead,” said Sue Frith, managing director of NHS Protect.

Heart attack, stroke and diabetes 'can shorten life by 23 years'

Heart attack, stroke and diabetes 'can shorten life by 23 years' "Suffering from heart disease, stroke and type two diabetes could knock 23 years off life," The Daily Telegraph reports, covering the stark conclusion of a major new UK study. The good news is many chronic diseases, such as stroke, are preventable.

As The Guardian reports, having a history of both heart attack and type 2 diabetes – increasingly common chronic conditions – can shorten life by around a decade.

Researchers looked at more than 130,000 deaths over 50 years. They then estimated the life-shortening effects of different diseases alone and in combination, and found these big three conditions significantly shortened lifespan.

The researchers used a large group and long timespan to make their estimates, giving us confidence in their main conclusions. But they are based on averages.

BMA slams chancellor's 'disregard for NHS staff' after pay freeze extended

BMA slams chancellor's 'disregard for NHS staff' after pay freeze extended Doctors' leaders have accused the chancellor of having a 'cynical disregard' for NHS staff after he announced a 1% cap on pay rises for the next four years. GP Online

See also:

• The Budget: funding cuts and pay freeze British Medical Association
• NHS Employers responds to the Budget NHS Employers
• NHS nurses' pay increases capped at one per cent Royal College of Nursing

The danger of online diagnosis: Millions of emergencies are MISSED through symptom checker websites, study warns

The danger of online diagnosis: Millions of emergencies are MISSED through symptom checker websites, study warns Scientists at Harvard Medical School in the US have warned one in eight emergencies are missed by the NHS Choices symptom checker website, casting doubt on the safety of the internet to spot illnesses. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Fifty million people use computerised self triage (editorial) BMJ
• Evaluation of symptom checkers for self diagnosis and triage: audit study BMJ

Can the NHS realise David Cameron's ambitions for seven-day services?

Can the NHS realise David Cameron's ambitions for seven-day services? A shortage of staff and money mean the prime minister’s dream of a seven-day NHS may remain in the pages of his election manifesto

It is an inconvenient truth that people get sick at the weekend. Yet the NHS has for too long tried to manage its workload like any other industry: by consigning the majority of its work to weekdays, allowing GPs to shut up shop and hospitals to switch to standby mode over the weekend. As a result, you are 16% more likely to die if admitted to a hospital in England over the weekend than on a weekday. That was the finding of a 2012 study of over 14 million hospital admissions; other, more restricted, studies have reinforced the point. Continue reading... The Guardian

Corby patients urged to dial 111 for out of hours GP help

Corby patients urged to dial 111 for out of hours GP help GPs in Corby are urging patients to dial 111 if they need to see a doctor during the night, at weekends and on bank holidays. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Band launches album after touring mental health wards

Band launches album after touring mental health wards A city band who took gigs and workshops on a "tour" across mental health wards have now recorded an EP.

Moving InWards is a collaboration between the acoustic band Refuge and the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, responsible for community and mental health services.

So far the band has performed on 10 wards in Leicestershire. Proceeds from the event and album sales will be ploughed back into the project. Leicester Mercury 

Prescription items increase by over 50 per cent since 2004

Prescription items increase by over 50 per cent since 2004 Over 1.06 billion items were prescribed in 2014, an increase of 3.3 per cent (34.5 m items) on 2013,

The 2014 figure also represents an increase of 55.2 per cent on 2004 (378.5 million items).

The overall Net Ingredient Cost (NIC) of prescriptions in 2014 however stood at £8.85 billion, an increase of 2.6 per cent (£227.5 million) from 2013. Since 2004 this figure has increased by 9.6 per cent (£773.0 million).

The Prescriptions Dispensed in the Community 2004-2014 report looks at prescriptions dispensed in England by community pharmacists, appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and prescriptions for items administered in GP practices. Health and Social Care Information Centre

See also:

• Drug prescriptions rise in England BBC News
• Pill prescriptions up 50% in the past decade as 1 billion handed out a year The Daily Mail
• Erectile dysfunction drug prescription soar by 25% in 12 months The Daily Mail
• Viagra: Number of prescriptions for erectile dysfunction drugs rises by more than a quarter The Independent
• 4 million more prescriptions for Atorvastatin since 2013, figures show OnMedica

Reports that 1 pregnant woman in 3 in UK binge drink unconfirmed

Reports that 1 pregnant woman in 3 in UK binge drink unconfirmed "A third of British women risk doing severe harm to their unborn babies by binge drinking during pregnancy," the Mail Online reports. While a concerning statistic, the evidence behind the headline is perhaps not as clear-cut as the Mail would lead its readers to believe.

This story has been prompted by the publication of a study comparing just over 17,000 women's alcohol consumption before and during pregnancy in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. It also looked at which groups of women were more likely to report drinking alcohol in pregnancy.

While the overall study population was large, an overlooked fact not made clear in the media was that the study only included data from 651 women from the UK. The study also collected this data over a relatively long time – between 2004 and 2011 – and drinking habits may have changed since then.

Out of these 651 women, a third reported binge drinking (defined as drinking six units or more in one sitting) in their first trimester. Reassuringly, in all countries surveyed, this figure dropped dramatically in the second trimester, to around just 1%.

The Treasury, the Budget and the NHS - BBC News

The Treasury, the Budget and the NHS The big decisions on financing the NHS over the next few years are likely to come in the autumn with the departmental spending review.

Beyond a restatement of the commitment to an extra £8 billion in 2020, the Chancellor's Budget is likely to focus on welfare spending rather than the protected departments like health.

But, for what will be one of the most important domestic policy decisions made by this Government, detailed analysis of the financial needs of the NHS in England is underway. BBC News

See also:

• Budget 2015: NHS budget 'will soon run into new difficulties' if preventative care is not protected Politics Home

WHO 'unfit for health emergencies'

WHO 'unfit for health emergencies' The World Health Organization (WHO) lacks the "capacity and culture" to deal with global health emergencies, says the chair of a new independent report on Ebola. BBC News

See also:

• WHO is 'unfit to deal with global emergencies' like the Ebola epidemic, says report The Daily Mail

Jeremy Hunt accused of evasiveness over 5,000 GP pledge

Jeremy Hunt accused of evasiveness over 5,000 GP pledge Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has been accused of being evasive over plans to increase the GP workforce after promising 'around' 5,000 extra GPs by 2020 in an exchange in the House of Commons. GP Online

Weekend effect common in several developed countries’ hospitals

Weekend effect common in several developed countries’ hospitals Not just a problem for England; also evident in Australia, USA, and The Netherlands. OnMedica

See also:

• Can the NHS realise David Cameron's ambitions for seven-day services? The Guardian

GPs offered £15m funding to recruit pharmacists in surgeries

GPs offered £15m funding to recruit pharmacists in surgeries NHS England says funds for pilot scheme, spread over three years, will be offered to practices under greatest pressure

GP practices are being urged to bid for a share of £15m in financial incentives from the NHS to bring pharmacists into their surgeries.

A pilot scheme designed to reduce the impact of continuing shortages of family doctors, improve the management of patients’ long-term conditions and reduce medication errors will start later this year. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• New £15m scheme to give patients pharmacist support in GP surgeries NHS England
• NHS England unveils £15m fund to employ pharmacists in GP practices GP Online
• RCGP welcomes £15m pilot scheme for pharmacist support in GP surgeries Royal College of General Practitioners 

NHS funding: what does the £8bn spending increase actually mean?

NHS funding: what does the £8bn spending increase actually mean? The government’s promise to increase NHS spending by £8bn sounds simple, but there are two possible interpretations of the proposal. So which is correct and what will it mean?

As a health economist, I am often asked the same question: what does the government actually mean by its manifesto commitment to increase “NHS spending in England in real terms by a minimum of £8bn over the next five years”?

It seems simple doesn’t it? But there are two ways this promise could be interpreted, which give very different results. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS should be more like Asda, minister says

NHS should be more like Asda, minister says The NHS should learn from companies which 'hit the panic button' over bullying, and learn from firms like Asda which try to help staff achieve 'pride and joy' in their work, health minister Lord Prior says. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• 'Toxic culture of bullying amongst NHS staff is putting the safety of patients at risk The Daily Mail

Teenagers are increasing their chances of cancer with 'sunburn art' tattoos, doctors say

Teenagers are increasing their chances of cancer with 'sunburn art' tattoos, doctors say The internet trend of sunburn tatoos has been criticised by healthcare professionals who have called the practice 'dangerous' The Independent

KGH scores well in children’s services review

KGH scores well in children’s services review Kettering General Hospital has received a positive review of the services it provides for children in a new report. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and schools link pilot scheme

Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and schools link pilot scheme The pilot schemes will test the impact of joint training of linked staff in school settings and local NHS funded child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to improve care and ensure timely, appropriate referrals. Expressions of interest need to be submitted by 31 July 2015. A national roll-out of the scheme is planned for next year. NHS England

Focus on: international comparisons of healthcare quality - what can the UK learn?

Focus on: international comparisons of healthcare quality - what can the UK learn? This report explores how quality of care in the UK has changed over time, making comparisons with 14 similar countries. It considers performance against 27 of the OECD’s Health Care Quality Indicators, discussing both what international comparisons can tell us about healthcare in the UK, and the value of such comparisons as a means of assessing performance. Nuffield Trust & the Health Foundation

• Report
• Appendices
• Nuffield Trust - press release

Doctors' life-saving role on 7/7

Doctors' life-saving role on 7/7 Doctors' life-saving role after 7/7 bus bombing. BBC News

See also:

• London bus bomb: GPs reflect 10 years on from 7/7 blast in Tavistock Square GP Online

Up your game or risk erosion of your freedoms, foundation trusts warned

Up your game or risk erosion of your freedoms, foundation trusts warned Performance to be rated on sliding scale for first time, pledges Monitor. OnMedica

Ministers consider shelving personal liability cap for long-term care costs

Ministers consider shelving personal liability cap for long-term care costsSenior figures in the social care sector say the idea of ‘pausing’ cost cap, due to be brought in next April, is being discussed urgently in Whitehall

Ministers are considering shelving the promised introduction of a cap on personal liability for the cost of long-term care, after council leaders asked for the funding set aside for it to be used instead to ease the crisis in day-to-day services for elderly and disabled people.

In a letter to the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, and the chancellor, George Osborne, a copy of which has been seen by the Guardian, the newly Conservative-led Local Government Association says: “It would be deeply damaging to press ahead with a costly and ambitious reform programme if the very foundations of the system we are reforming cannot be sustained.” Continue reading... The Guardian

Elderly care in England is 'unacceptable in a civilised society', says leading charity

Elderly care in England is 'unacceptable in a civilised society', says leading charity The state of elderly care in England is “unacceptable in a civilised society”, the country’s leading charity representing older people said, as figures reveal more than a million now get no help at all for basic care. The Independent

See also:

• Over a million older people struggling to cope at home with zero care Age UK

Budget 2015: George Osborne urged to reverse public health cuts that will leave services 'gutted'

Budget 2015: George Osborne urged to reverse public health cuts that will leave services 'gutted' George Osborne must use Wednesday's Budget to reverse £200m of planned cuts to public health spending that will leave services, “gutted”, the leader of Britain’s doctors’ union has said. The Independent

Nurses warn of “storing up problems for the future” in NHS ahead of Budget

Nurses warn of “storing up problems for the future” in NHS ahead of Budget Ahead of next week’s Budget, the RCN is warning that stealth cuts to funding and short term decision making risk storing up serious problems across the NHS. Royal College of Nursing

Dementia support gaps 'fail patients'

Dementia support gaps 'fail patients' Patchy support for people with dementia is failing patients and their carers, doctors warn. BBC News

See also:

• Dementia care onus falls on families, say GPs Alzheimer's Society
• Dementia 2015: Aiming higher to transform lives Alzheimer's Society
• RCGP response to Alzheimers Society report Royal College of General Practitioners
• VIDEO: Medics voice dementia care concerns BBC News
• Dementia patients being failed by social services, say GPs The Daily Telegraph
• Charity warns of a 'deeply worrying' lack of support for people suffering from dementia The Independent

NHS apologies over data breach

NHS apologies over data breach More than 3,000 patients are sent a letter of apology by the NHS after sensitive personal information is found by a member of the public. BBC News

UK ‘can and should do better’ in many areas of healthcare

UK ‘can and should do better’ in many areas of healthcare Scores worse than similar countries in many areas – but better for flu jabs and antibiotic prescribing. OnMedica

It's a dirty little secret of the NHS, but patients who complain get better care

It's a dirty little secret of the NHS, but patients who complain get better care We deny it to each other, but as soon as a patient complains, a state of complete panic sets in among the ward staff which results in preferential treatment

There’s a fact that’s common knowledge among those of us who work in the NHS. We pretend it doesn’t exist, deny it to each other even, and would certainly never admit it to patients.

The dirty little secret is simple; if you are a patient who makes a complaint, or causes a fuss on the ward, you’ll probably receive better care from those employed to look after you. Continue reading... The Guardian

Private health lobby advised on NHS privatisation review

Private health lobby advised on NHS privatisation review Dalton review into management of hospitals featured Jim Easton of Care UK as one of its experts – and he was representing the main private sector lobby group, an FoI request shows

The authors of a major report on changes to NHS hospitals failed to declare that a lobbying network for the private healthcare industry was on its advisory panel, new documents suggest.

The Dalton review, a government-commissioned report which last year concluded that private companies could oversee management of NHS hospitals, was advised by a panel of experts that included Jim Easton, the managing director of private health firm Care UK. Continue reading... The Guardian

Aspirin, loo roll and surgery: true cost of the NHS revealed

Aspirin, loo roll and surgery: true cost of the NHS revealed The NHS is the world's fifth biggest employer and spends £1 billion every three days. The Telegraph examines where the money goes. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Taxpayers deserve a more efficient NHS The Daily Telegraph

Quarter of PM's flagship out of hours GPs forced to cutback

Quarter of PM's flagship out of hours GPs forced to cutback Five of twenty of the PM's flagship out of hours GP services have been forced to cut back some of their weeknight and weekend opening due to poor demand. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Most patients happy with GPs – and opening hours OnMedica

NHS patients' religious services should not be paid for by taxpayer, say critics

NHS patients' religious services should not be paid for by taxpayer, say critics NHS Trusts across the UK are spending millions of pounds each year on religious and spiritual services for patients despite objections from the National Secular Society (NSS) that chaplaincy services shouldn’t be billed to taxpayers. The Independent

NHS should help implement 'radical changes' in town planning to keep us fit, says health chief

NHS should help implement 'radical changes' in town planning to keep us fit, says health chief The NHS should help to redesign our towns and cities in order to safeguard the nation’s health, the chief executive of the health service in England has said. The Independent

Public urged to give their views on healthcare services in Northamptonshire

Public urged to give their views on healthcare services in Northamptonshire

People living in Northamptonshire are being given the chance to have their say on how healthcare services should be provided in the county. Evening Telegraph

Northamptonshire’s NHS 111 service praised despite teething problems

Northamptonshire’s NHS 111 service praised despite teething problems

An NHS 111 service which handles urgent calls from patients in our area has scored top marks in an inspection by a health watchdog, two years after it was launched. Evening Telegraph

NHS to reveal missed appointment cost

NHS to reveal missed appointment cost

Patients who miss appointments will be told how much they have cost the NHS, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says. BBC News

Financial problems 'now endemic' in NHS England, says King's Fund

Financial problems 'now endemic' in NHS England, says King's Fund

Leading thinktank’s survey of financial directors finds two-thirds of all NHS trusts are forecasting deficits, even the most prestigious and well-run hospitals

Patients in England face poorer NHS and social care, including longer waiting times, because of the financial “black hole” that looms over hospitals and other services, says a leading thinktank.

The King’s Fund warns that already unprecedented deficits reported by trusts for the last financial year will be much worse in future unless the government stumps up more cash or the Department of Health allows the NHS to overspend its £116.4bn budget for 2015-16. Guardian
Continue reading...

• The King’s Fund issues stark warning ahead of the Budget as new survey shows nine out of ten hospitals forecasting deficits

NHS 'lags behind other nations'

NHS 'lags behind other nations'

The NHS lags behind other countries when it comes to preventing unnecessary hospital admissions and improving survival rates, a report suggests. BBC News

An opportunity to influence ESR developments

An opportunity to influence ESR developments

Find out how you can contribute towards enhancements to the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system. Latest NHS Employers News

More than one in 10 people in England could not get GP or nurse appointment

More than one in 10 people in England could not get GP or nurse appointment


Out of those who obtained an appointment, 17% waited a week or more to see or speak to someone, according to GP patient survey

Just over a quarter of people in England were unable to obtain a GP appointment or waited a week or more to see or speak to someone the last time they tried, according to research.

Compiled using the responses of 858,381 people, the GP patient survey, published on Thursday, found that more than one in 10 could not get an appointment with a GP or nurse. Guardian

Continue reading...

New COPD guidelines lead to misdiagnosis, say experts

New COPD guidelines lead to misdiagnosis, say experts

Up to 13% under new criteria wrongly diagnosed. OnMedica News

Common logo now law for online medicines

Common logo now law for online medicines

EU directive comes into force this week. OnMedica News

Forcing food companies to cut salt levels could save 4,500 lives in the next decade, scientists say

Forcing food companies to cut salt levels could save 4,500 lives in the next decade, scientists say

New laws to enforce low salt content in food would be nine times more successful than improved nutrition labelling and health education. Telegraph

Missed GP appointments in Northamptonshire cost NHS £250,000 per month

Missed GP appointments in Northamptonshire cost NHS £250,000 per month Missed GP appointments cost the NHS in Northamptonshire £250,000 in just one month, new statistics have revealed. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS financial temperature check

NHS financial temperature check This is the third in a series of HFMA briefings setting out finance directors’ views on financial issues facing the NHS. Directors completed the survey during the last two weeks of May 2015. Healthcare Financial Management Association

NHS111 refutes ambulance dispatch claims

NHS111 refutes ambulance dispatch claims NHS111 today refuted suggestions that it refuses to send ambulances to patients who are seriously ill.

In a rebuttal of claims made in a national newspaper, the helpline service said it had an exemplary safety record while dealing with around 38,000 calls a day across the country.

And NHS England defended the service saying it “continues to provide an incredibly robust service in the face of huge demand”.

Both organisations spoke out after claims in the Daily Telegraph after an undercover reporter spent seven weeks working as a call handler at the South Central Ambulance Service’s (SCAS) NHS111 call centre at Bicester in Oxfordshire.

Among its claims, the paper said the service’s Pathways system – which prompts call handlers to ask patients questions about their symptoms before it reaches a decision on the best course of action – had posed more than 30 questions but denied a person an ambulance.

The paper further claimed call centre staff refused to dispatch emergency crews unless approved by a clinician.

Dr Ossie Rawstorne, NHS111 National Medical Advisor, denied the claims saying: “Call handlers are not expected to use their own judgement to determine if an ambulance is required. That would be inappropriate.

“They are guided by the system, called Pathways, in making this assessment.

“Pathways is a decision-making support tool for call handlers that has been safely developed by doctors representing all the Royal Colleges and experienced nurses and paramedics.

Children and young people give their views in unique health survey

Children and young people give their views in unique health survey The first ever survey seeking the views of children and young people on the health services they receive has been published today.

Children and young people aged eight to 15 years have been asked to give their views as part of the survey conducted by the Care Quality Commission.

Children aged nought to seven years are also included in the first National Children’s Inpatient and Day Case Survey 20124 – although their parents only were asked for their views.

The experiences of almost 19,000 children and young people, who stayed in hospital or were seen as day patients, were included in the survey.

They show that 87% of children and young people and 88% of parents or carers rated their overall experience as seven or above out of ten.

General Practice Extraction Service – Investigation

General Practice Extraction Service – Investigation The National Audit Office has today published the findings from its investigation into the General Practice Extraction Service (GPES), an IT system designed to allow NHS organizations to extract data from all GP practice computer systems in England. This data would be used to monitor quality, plan and pay for health services and help medical research.

Public perceptions of the NHS and social care: winter 2014

Public perceptions of the NHS and social care: winter 2014 This report provides the results from an IPSOS Mori survey of public perceptions of the NHS and social care services. The survey is the latest in a series of surveys that have tracked public perceptions and attitudes since spring 2000. Department of Health

CCGs say NHS lacks funding to implement Five-Year Forward View

CCGs say NHS lacks funding to implement Five-Year Forward View Four out of five CCGs say organisations in their area do not have enough funding to implement the Five-Year Forward View, a survey of finance managers has found. GP Online

Experts criticise new mental health staffing framework

Experts criticise new mental health staffing framework Workforce experts have suggested that NHS England’s new safe staffing framework for mental health inpatient care “lacks rigour.” Nursing Times

Positive view of NHS marred by fears over dementia and mental health care

Positive view of NHS marred by fears over dementia and mental health care Survey finds more than two-thirds of people are happy with NHS at national level but 39% think those with mental health problems are not well cared for.

Public perceptions of local NHS care for people with mental health problems and dementia are stubbornly low despite overall pride in England’s healthcare system rising to its highest level in recent years, a government-commissioned survey reveals.

Just over two-thirds of more than 1,000 adults questioned in their own homes last winter were satisfied with the running of the NHS at a national level – a figure that has seen little change – but satisfaction with local services dropped from 78% in 2013 to 74%. Continue reading... The Guardian

Patients to be told price of prescribed drugs in bid to save NHS £300m

Patients to be told price of prescribed drugs in bid to save NHS £300m Patients will be told the price of every drug they are prescribed that costs the NHS more than £20 in a scheme to help reduce waste and encourage patients to complete courses of medicine. The Independent 

See also:

• Prescriptions to display drug cost BBC News
• NHS drugs to be stamped 'Funded by the Taxpayer' to reduce waste The Daily Telegraph
• Price to be written on NHS-prescribed medicine costing more than £20 The Guardian

The NHS five year forward view: lessons from the United States in developing new care models.

The NHS five year forward view: lessons from the United States in developing new care models. All political parties have endorsed NHS plans for greater integration of care in the next parliament. Stephen Shortell and colleagues use US experience to suggest what is needed to make it happen. BMJ (Athens password required)

Special care baby unit at Northampton General Hospital to be temporarily moved for improvement works

Special care baby unit at Northampton General Hospital to be temporarily moved for improvement works The special care baby unit at Northampton General Hospital will be moved to a nearby ward for the remainder of the summer. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS appoints new chief executive at Northamptonshire healthcare commissioning organisation

NHS appoints new chief executive at Northamptonshire healthcare commissioning organisation The organisation that manages the healthcare budget for much of Northamptonshire has appointed a new chief executive. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• NHS Nene CCG appoint new Chief Executive/Accountable Officer NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group

New NHS safe staffing framework for mental health wards published

New NHS safe staffing framework for mental health wards published NHS England has launched a new practical guide to help ensure the right people with the right skills are recruited into the right inpatient mental health settings.

The Mental Health Staffing Framework, which focuses on inpatient care, was commissioned as part of the NHS England’s ‘Compassion in Practice programme’. It was developed by an independent group of directors of nursing who undertook a rigorous review of the available evidence and drew on their extensive experience.

Amongst its objectives is to equip mental health leaders with the skills and knowledge to plan and deliver safe staffing, it will also provide a means of assessing their services against agreed best practice.

Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said: “There is a clear absence of best practice guidance available for mental health staffing at the moment, which is why this newly developed framework is so important.

“Staffing requirements for mental health wards are completely different to a regular inpatient ward. The focus is obviously more on psychological than physical care, but reactive and unplanned interventions are also more common, people stay for longer and higher percentage of people are detained rather than there by choice.

“Developed by nurses for mental health leaders, the framework aims to ensure that mental health inpatient wards have the right staffing level for their specific needs.

“This is just one component of a significant ongoing programme of work that NHS England and its partners are undertaking to ensure the NHS is safely staffed with the right people, with the right skills.”

The focus of the framework is on inpatient staffing, but work is underway on a similar guide for community mental health services. It will feed into the work of the Mental Health Taskforce on establishing the right balance of staff in the many settings treating those with mental illness which is expected to publish at the end of the year.

There is an interactive guide that goes into the detail of this framework. The guide is also available from the Health Education West Midlands’ website. NHS England

Making it better together: a call to action on the future of health and wellbeing boards

Making it better together: a call to action on the future of health and wellbeing boards This call to action outlines a set of proposals to local system leaders and the government to strengthen the impact and leadership of health and wellbeing boards across the country. It also outlines the LGA and NHS Clinical Commissioners shared commitment to support boards to reach their full potential as system leaders driving forward changes that will improve the health of their communities. Local Government Association 

Creating a better care system: setting out key considerations for a reformed, sustainable health, wellbeing and care system of the future

Creating a better care system: setting out key considerations for a reformed, sustainable health, wellbeing and care system of the future This report, by Ernst and Young and commissioned by the LGA, is based on the sector's views and proposes the establishment of a £1.3 billion a year transformation fund until 2019/20 to develop a new health and social care system. Supported by a pooled health and social care budget, devolved powers for health, and reformed incentives, the fund should focus on keeping people independent and preventing complex and long-term conditions. Local Government Association

Sugary drinks killing 'hundreds of thousands', study estimates

Sugary drinks killing 'hundreds of thousands', study estimates “Sugary drinks are killing 184,000 adults around the world every year, says study,” The Independent reports. This is the alarming claim of researchers who created a model of sugary drink-related deaths based on global consumption rates.

They defined sugary drinks as any sugar-sweetened fizzy drinks, fruit drinks (not pure fruit juice), sweetened iced teas, sports or energy drinks, or homemade sugary drinks. The model used a large amount of data on the consumption of sugary drinks from national surveys, and on the effect of sugary drink consumption on body mass index (BMI) and risk of diabetes, and the knock-on effect of BMI on heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

It estimated that sugary drinks caused around 133,000 deaths in adults per year globally from diabetes, with 45,000 from heart disease and 6,450 from cancer. In the UK, it estimated that 1,316 deaths per year were caused by sugary drinks – equivalent to about 30 people per one million adults.

As with any modelling study, results are based on the data available and some assumptions, which may or may not be correct. Therefore, these figures should be viewed as estimates, rather than exact numbers.

Female lung cancer cases top 20,000

Female lung cancer cases top 20,000 Cases of lung cancer in women have reached 20,000 a year in the UK for the first time since records began. BBC News

See also:

• Record numbers of women have lung cancer after adverts lured them into smoking The Daily Mail

Ebola back in Liberia with new case

Ebola back in Liberia with new case The body of a dead Liberian man tests positive for Ebola - the country's first reported case since it was declared free of the disease. BBC News

ILF: What will change?

ILF: What will change? The Independent Living Fund is closing. What will change? BBC News

Point-of-care CRP tests could save NHS millions

Point-of-care CRP tests could save NHS millions A multidisciplinary panel of leading of experts has today called for an effective and efficient means to implement point of care (POC) C-reactive protein (CRP) testing in the NHS. OnMedica

See also:

• ‘Straight to the Point - Ensuring the Rational Use of Antibiotics in Primary Care’  Alere International

Equality at work is still a pipedream for people with mental health problems

Equality at work is still a pipedream for people with mental health problems People who have spent time in mental health institutions have valuable experiences and skills that they feel they have to hide from prospective employers. The Guardian

Cuba named first country to end mother-to-child HIV transmission

Cuba named first country to end mother-to-child HIV transmission The World Health Organization hailed ‘one of the greatest public health achievements possible’, adding that it was ‘an important step towards having an Aids-free generation’. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Cuba stamps out mother-to-child HIV BBC News

What the NHS can learn from healthcare innovations around the world

What the NHS can learn from healthcare innovations around the world Successful innovations, such as Zambia’s mobile phone project for HIV results, can result in widespread use and improved health outcomes.

The Five Year Forward View – the vision for the future of the NHS in England – will require radical change at every level of the healthcare system. We must take advantage of innovative ways of working, engage patients in their own care and implement new treatments and technologies. But the time lag between innovation and system-wide transformation is often too long.

Recent research by the Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI) has sought to identify the factors that can facilitate rapid change. The IGHI examined eight organisations in seven countries that successfully introduced and rapidly spread an innovation that resulted in improved health outcomes.
Continue reading... The Guardian

Legal highs: could this finally be the end of the road?

Legal highs: could this finally be the end of the road? With a blanket ban on legal highs soon to come into force, Joe Shute visits the high security Government drugs laboratory on the frontline. The Daily Telegraph

How NHS 111 helpline refuses to send out ambulances

How NHS 111 helpline refuses to send out ambulances Exclusive special report: Having a heart attack? Don't call NHS 111. Our reporter went undercover. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• NHS 111 investigation: 10 things we've learned The Daily Telegraph
• NHS 111 investigation: Handling life-or-death calls at the National Health's non-emergency call centre The Daily Telegraph
• CQC releases NHS 111 inspection reports E-Health Insider
• NHS 111 comes under inspection OnMedica

Jeremy Hunt calls for national debate about caring for the elderly

Jeremy Hunt calls for national debate about caring for the elderly Many people in Britain now lead such “atomised lives” that they do not have “any idea” when their elderly relatives are ill or dying, the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, will warn. The Independent

See also:

• Thousands are dying alone and unloved, Jeremy Hunt warns The Daily Telegraph
• Invite lonely elderly strangers into your home, urges Jeremy Hunt The Guardian

Midwife ‘slept on duty’ at Northampton General Hospital, tribunal alleges

Midwife ‘slept on duty’ at Northampton General Hospital, tribunal alleges An agency midwife is to face a tribunal following allegations that she slept on duty while working at Northampton General Hospital. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Brain injuries nurse suspended for sleeping while in charge of vulnerable Northamptonshire patient

Brain injuries nurse suspended for sleeping while in charge of vulnerable Northamptonshire patient A nurse working at a brain injuries unit in Northamptonshire has been suspended from all practice after she was seen sleeping while she should have been monitoring a vulnerable patient. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

New standard to improve the care of people with personality disorders

New standard to improve the care of people with personality disorders Borderline and antisocial personality disorders are two distinctive conditions that affect people differently and have different care pathways. Both conditions affect a person's thoughts, emotions and behaviour, and are associated with poor health and increased risk of death. More... NICE

New safeguards for patients from rogue healthcare professionals

New safeguards for patients from rogue healthcare professionals EU to operate a warning system to alert each other when a healthcare professional is banned from working in its country. NHS Employers

GP receptionists 'could help prevent stroke deaths'

GP receptionists 'could help prevent stroke deaths' "Teaching doctors' receptionists to spot the warning signs of strokes could save thousands of lives a year," the Daily Mail reports.

Educating staff about the warning signs of a stroke, such as a droopy face and speaking difficulties, could lead to improved outcomes, a new pilot study concluded.

The study looked at a large sample of GP practices in one region of the UK. Researchers asked receptionists to take a series of unannounced calls where actors with various stroke symptoms asked for advice.

In about two-thirds of calls the receptionist acted appropriately, either passing them on to a GP or telling them to contact the emergency services.

Generally, the receptionists were more likely to refer on if more common symptoms were described – a drooping face or mouth, a weak arm or slurred speech – and with the greater number of these symptoms given.

These results are likely to give a good indication of how receptionists would respond if a patient called with stroke symptoms and asked for advice. As the researchers suggest, extra receptionist training about stroke, as well as other life-threatening conditions, could help.

Bowel surgery death rate 'too high'

Bowel surgery death rate 'too high' Too many patients are dying following emergency bowel surgery, experts who have done a comprehensive audit warn. BBC News

See also:

• Failure in care means bowel surgery patients are dying unnecessarily The Guardian

DH requests NPfIT exit plans

DH requests NPfIT exit plans The Department of Health has written to trusts in the North, Midlands and East of England requesting planned exit dates for the end of their national IT contracts in July 2016. E-Health Insider

High profile IT projects 'unachievable'

High profile IT projects 'unachievable' The successful delivery of care.data, NHS.uk and N4 "appears to be unachievable", according to a report published by the government's Major Projects Authority. E-Health Insider

Paperless NHS: How to transform hospital IT

Paperless NHS: How to transform hospital IT Progress towards the goal for a paperless NHS by 2020 has been too slow in the acute sector. Shaun O’Hanlon looks at the challenges and solutions for transforming hospital IT. HSJ

Employers urged to create conditions which encourage doctors, nurses and midwives to admit mistakes

Employers urged to create conditions which encourage doctors, nurses and midwives to admit mistakes When things go wrong patients should expect a face to face explanation and apology from doctors, nurses and midwives according to new guidance from the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

But the regulators have also made clear that professionals need to have the support of an open and honest working environment where they are able to learn from mistakes and feel comfortable reporting incidents that have led to harm. Nursing and Midwifery Council 

Deprivation of liberty ruling contributing to ‘unprecedented pressure’ on Approved Mental Health Professionals

Deprivation of liberty ruling contributing to ‘unprecedented pressure’ on Approved Mental Health Professionals The fallout from a landmark Supreme Court ruling on deprivation of liberty is putting Approved Mental Health Professional services under ‘unprecedented pressure’, according to new research.

A report published by The College of Social Work’s AMHP network reveals that the March 2014 Supreme Court ruling, known as the ‘Cheshire West’ ruling, has triggered a surge in requests for Mental Health Act assessments at some local authorities. The ruling has also provoked anxieties among some practitioners over the interface between the Mental Capacity Act and Mental Health Act and when each framework should be applied for deprivation of liberty cases on psychiatric wards, the report found. Community Care

We're overlooked and often abused but emergency call takers save lives

We're overlooked and often abused but emergency call takers save lives I’ve stopped a man from ending his life and helped a mother deliver CPR to her child. It’s upsetting when people say, ‘Shut up, you’re just a call taker’

“My life’s not worth living … No one will care if I’m no longer here. I’m going to end it all,” cries the man on the other end of the phone.

It is 3.44am on a Thursday morning and I am more than just an emergency call taker – I am a reassuring voice, a friend. I am silently willing the paramedics to race around the corner, even though I know that they are still four minutes away. I am the only person in the world who can stop this stranger from ending his life. It’s a daunting task to have someone’s life in your hands and only your voice to save them. Somehow, I manage to calm him down until the paramedics arrive. Continue reading... The Guardian

Should not the NHS stop 'thinking' and start 'doing'?

Should not the NHS stop 'thinking' and start 'doing'? Strategy reviews take up precious time and cost a fortune - are they really necessary? Why not focus on more practical ways to help people, such as the newly launched Help and Information Service. The Daily Telegraph

Sugary drinks are killing 184,000 adults around the world every year, says study

Sugary drinks are killing 184,000 adults around the world every year, says study Sugary drinks are killing 184,000 adults around the world every year, and should be eliminated from people’s diets, medical experts have warned. The global death toll from sugar-laden drinks – ranging from soft drinks to fruit smoothies – has been revealed in a new paper published in the American Heart Association’s Circulation journal. The Independent

NHS drive for action to tackle trans inequalities

NHS drive for action to tackle trans inequalities Health leaders urged to work together to tackle issues faced by transgender and non-binary people across NHS services.

NHS England is spearheading a collective drive to improve the experience of transgender and non-binary people when accessing health and care services.

The body has called an urgent symposium for 30 June, bringing partners from across the health and social care system together with patients to establish a commitment to tackle a series of serious issues faced by these patients.

Press release: Regulator sets up team to tackle billion pound agency black hole

Press release: Regulator sets up team to tackle billion pound agency black hole Monitor figures show spending on temporary staff in the NHS rose by 29% to £2.4 billion in 2013-14. A recent report to Monitor’s board suggested that foundation trusts spent over double (£1.8 billion versus £766 million) what they had originally planned on contract and agency staff.

The team has been set up to run an initial three-month trial at 3 foundation trusts. Support will include action planning that will help foundation trusts deliver savings, and a diagnostic tool that will identify weaknesses in how trusts are managing their staffing. There are also a series of workshops designed to spread best practice within the NHS.

If the trial is successful (by the end of August 2015) the regulator will consider the appointment of a team of experts on a permanent basis.

This announcement follows the establishment of Monitor’s Provider Sustainability Directorate which aims to develop a pool of expertise to support foundation trusts. This includes bringing in-house much of the work currently done for the regulator by external suppliers in the fields of provider sustainability and solutions development (also known as contingency planning).

Antidepressant use in menopause linked to broken bones

Antidepressant use in menopause linked to broken bones "Taking antidepressants like Prozac to counter mood changes in menopause 'raises risk of broken bones'," the Daily Mail reports. A new study suggests that using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during the menopause may increase the risk of bone fracture by around 76%.

While this may sound alarming, the baseline risk of bone fracture is relatively small so the 76% figure represents a small, if statistically significant, increase in risk.

The study in the spotlight looked at the risk of bone fractures in women taking SSRIs compared with women taking common stomach ulcer drugs.

SSRIs are primarily used to treat symptoms such as depression and anxiety, but they are also used when treating the hot flushes that can come with the menopause. While not licensed for this use in the UK, consultants can prescribe them at their own discretion for women unable or unwilling to use hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Researchers found that risk difference was statistically significant only after the second year. This suggests SSRIs may need several months to produce clinically meaningful effects on bone mineral density.

Importantly, the study results may not be directly applicable to women taking SSRIs for mental health reasons. So while it is possible that use may be associated with a small increase in fracture risk for menopausal women, this small risk must be balanced against the benefit of taking them for the prescribed reason.

VIDEO: Fears as Independent Living fund closes

VIDEO: Fears as Independent Living fund closes Thousands of disabled people in England face an uncertain future as the Independent Living Fund closes, with responsibility for funding moved to local authorities. BBC News

NHS wants negligence legal costs capped

NHS wants negligence legal costs capped Strict caps should be put in place to limit the "excessive fees" lawyers claim against the NHS in medical negligence cases, the Department of Health in England says. BBC News

See also:

• Clampdown on lawyers overcharging NHS in clinical negligence cases The Guardian

New E-Referral Service still has issues

New E-Referral Service still has issues Users of the new NHS e-Referral Service are still experiencing significant slowdown and other issues nearly two weeks after the system went live. E-Health Insider

Doctors say public health cuts will hurt NHS

Doctors say public health cuts will hurt NHS Vote to campaign against £200m cuts. OnMedica

NHS staff told to say 'I am sorry' to patients for medical blunders

NHS staff told to say 'I am sorry' to patients for medical blunders New guidance says doctors, nurses and midwives must now offer prompt apology and explanation to those injured by mistakes during treatment

Doctors, nurses and midwives will have to offer patients face-to-face apologies and say they are personally sorry about medical blunders under tough new rules designed to make the NHS more honest.

The 920,000 members of those three professions must now offer a prompt and heartfelt apology and explanation to the patient when things go wrong under new guidance being published on Monday. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• VIDEO: NHS staff told 'to be open and honest' BBC News

NHS patient data plans unachievable, review finds

NHS patient data plans unachievable, review finds Major Projects Authority says care.data and NHS Choices schemes have ‘major issues’ with schedule, budget and project definition

The government’s ambitious plans to provide online access to medical records and to suck up and store all patient data are unachievable, an official review has concluded.

In a damning assessment, the Major Projects Authority said both care.data – a plan to link and store all patient data in a single database – and NHS Choices – the website supposed to allow users to log in and access medical services – had “major issues with project definition, schedule, budget, quality and/or benefits delivery, which at this stage do not appear to be manageable or resolvable”. Continue reading... The Guardian

Let elderly die 'surrounded by love' at home - not in hospitals, says minister

Let elderly die 'surrounded by love' at home - not in hospitals, says minister Lord Prior of Brampton said it was "preferable" for dying patients to pass away "in their own home with their loved ones" rather than alone in hospital. The Daily Telegraph

Chief of NHS mental health trust that controls Broadmoor quits amid string of controversies

Chief of NHS mental health trust that controls Broadmoor quits amid string of controversies The chief executive of the country’s largest mental health trust is leaving his post amid a series of controversies. The Independent