Children paralysed in polio outbreak

Children paralysed in polio outbreak Two children have been paralysed in the first outbreak of polio in Europe for five years, the World Health Organization says. BBC News

Clinic leaks patients' HIV status

Clinic leaks patients' HIV status A sexual health clinic in Soho mistakenly leaked the HIV positive status of nearly 800 patients, bosses admit. BBC News

See also:

• Patient's fears over HIV details leak BBC News
• Hundreds of HIV-positive patients have their identities revealed after email blunder at NHS clinic The Daily Mail
• Sexual health clinic 'reveals HIV positive status of nearly 800 patients' The Daily Telegraph
• London HIV clinic accidentally reveals hundreds of patients' identities The Guardian
• HIV status of nearly 800 patients accidentally disclosed by NHS clinic The Independent

On the journey to becoming a dementia friendly organisation - sharing the learning for employers and organisations

On the journey to becoming a dementia friendly organisation - sharing the learning for employers and organisations . In 2013 the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust committed to becoming a more dementia-friendly organisation and employer. This paper shares the lessons that have been learnt.

Shambolic care at night and weekends must end, says NHS boss - who admits patients face confusion over whether to call 111, out-of-hours or got to A&E

Shambolic care at night and weekends must end, says NHS boss - who admits patients face confusion over whether to call 111, out-of-hours or got to A&E Simon Stevens said tthe offer to the public has to be streamlined - and also waded into a row over seven-day GP working and freeing up appointments for those who work. The Daily Mail

Nursing chief: ‘Nurse shortages are life-threatening’ | Hélène Mulholland

Nursing chief: ‘Nurse shortages are life-threatening’ | Hélène Mulholland Head of the Royal College of Nursing, Janet Davies, on how pay, staffing problems and a heavy workload are hurting the NHS

Nurses are increasingly turning to food banks and payday lenders to make ends meet as a result of years of public sector pay restraint, according to Janet Davies, new general secretary and chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). She warns that absence of “light at the end of the tunnel” on pay is leaving nurses feeling undervalued and could push some to walk away from the profession altogether. “We can’t afford for any to leave,” she says.

The nursing union says its members are accessing food banks or becoming victims of payday loans to cope Continue reading... the Guardian

Department of Health spends £1.2bn bailing out NHS providers

Department of Health spends £1.2bn bailing out NHS providers Double last year’s amount paid to cover wages, debts and deficit reduction, says Health Service Journal.

More than 50 NHS institutions were paid a total of £1.2bn in bailouts in the last year, about double the amount spent to prop up providers a year earlier, an investigation has found.

The Department of Health paid out in cash and loans to cover wages, debts, replacements for ageing equipment and deficit reduction in 2014-2015, according to the Health Service Journal. Continue reading... The Guardian

Doctors voice concerns over plan for greater patient access to medical records

Doctors voice concerns over plan for greater patient access to medical records Misgivings about safety and confidentiality over Jeremy Hunt’s plans to enable patients to access GP record via smartphone and to add information themselves

The health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has announced plans to give patients in England access to their entire medical record by 2018, and to let them read and add to their GP record using their smartphone within a year.

The announcement at NHS England’s annual conference in Manchester prompted fears of a repeat of last year’s row over care.data, a programme in which patient records were shared outside the NHS without their consent. The opposition forced NHS England to halt the scheme temporarily while it addressed the concerns. Continue reading... The Guardian

Elderly people put at risk as watchdog fails to act on warnings of 'fatally negligent' care homes

Elderly people put at risk as watchdog fails to act on warnings of 'fatally negligent' care homes The lives of vulnerable care home residents were put at risk because England’s healthcare regulator failed to act promptly on official warnings about fatally negligent standards, an investigation for The Independent reveals.

See also:

• 'She was shouting with pain and said she wanted to die': Why the son of a woman who died as a result of care home neglect is still angry The Independent

GPs should commit to weekend appointments for the sake of poorer patients, says NHS chief

GPs should commit to weekend appointments for the sake of poorer patients, says NHS chief GPs should commit to weekend appointments for the sake of poorer patients who could lose pay if they attend on a weekday, the chief executive of the NHS in England has told doctors. The Independent

Summer house and iRobot cleaner among treatments paid for by NHS in Northamptonshire

Summer house and iRobot cleaner among treatments paid for by NHS in Northamptonshire A satnav and a summer house were among the things the NHS spent money on in order to treat Northamptonshire patients. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• What’s wrong with a pedalo ride if it makes you well? The Guardian

Simon Stevens announces major drive to improve health in NHS workplace

Simon Stevens announces major drive to improve health in NHS workplace NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens will today (Wednesday 2 September) kick-start a major drive to improve the health and wellbeing of 1.3m health service staff, in a bid to benefit both staff and taxpayers. NHS England

See also:

• RCGP response to Simon Stevens' speech on occupational health services for GPs Royal College of General Practitioners
• NHS staff offered Zumba to keep well BBC News
• Junk food retailers banned from NHS hospitals The Daily Telegraph
• NHS workers to be offered health checks and yoga classes The Guardian
• GP occupational health scheme to be rolled out across England from 2016 GP Online
• NHS staff to be encouraged to take up Zumba to set 'national example' of healthy lifestyles The Independent

Cutting reliance on paper will make patients safer

Cutting reliance on paper will make patients safer The NHS will urge health and social care leaders to end the unnecessary reliance on paper in the treatment of patients and make services safer, more effective and efficient.

The NHS will announce new measures to help the patients, the public and clinicians make more use of technology to improve the health of the nation. NHS England

Guidance: Nursing agency rules

Guidance: Nursing agency rules The new rules come into effect on 1 September 2015 and apply to agency spend on registered nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff only; rules on other agency staff will follow shortly. Monitor

See also:

• Press release: New rules launched to reduce agency spend in the NHS Monitor

Learning difficulties 'over-medicated'

Learning difficulties 'over-medicated' People with learning difficulties in the UK are being inappropriately over-medicated, patient records suggest.

A study in the BMJ looked at GP data spanning over a decade and found that more than a quarter of 33,000 adults with learning difficulties had been prescribed antipsychotics, often with no obvious clinical justification. BBC News

See also:

• Mental illness, challenging behaviour, and psychotropic drug prescribing in people with intellectual disability: UK population based cohort study The BMJ

BMA challenges Cameron on seven-day working

BMA challenges Cameron on seven-day working Doctors demand details of PM's seven-day NHS. OnMedica

One in seven medical students has considered suicide during their studies, research says

One in seven medical students has considered suicide during their studies, research says One in seven medical students has considered suicide during the course of their studies, and one in three has experienced a mental health problem, the findings of a new survey suggest. The Independent

See also:

• More than 80% of medical students with mental health issues feel under-supported, says survey Student BMJ

Life expectancy in Britain almost 30 years higher than a century ago

Life expectancy in Britain almost 30 years higher than a century ago Men can now expect to live until 79 while women can hope to enjoy their 83rd birthday, official figures show. The Independent

National sperm bank only has nine donors registered – a year after it launched

National sperm bank only has nine donors registered – a year after it launched The boss of the UK’s national sperm bank has urged men to “prove their worth” and donate, after it was revealed that it has only nine registered donors. The Independent

See also:

• UK sperm bank has just nine donors BBC News

Thousands of pounds of NHS funds 'spent on treats for patients'

Thousands of pounds of NHS funds 'spent on treats for patients' Thousands of pounds of NHS (including Nene and Corby CCGs) cash is being spent on treats for patients, including holidays, aromatherapy, new clothes and a summer house, according to an investigation.

Personal health budgets are being spent on activities such as horse riding, art classes, massage and personal trainers, Pulse magazine found. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• NHS funds 'spent on patient treats' BBC News
• NHS blows a fortune on holidays, a pedalo ride and a summer house The Daily Mail
• NHS buys patient a SUMMER HOUSE as doctors hit out at lavish spending on feel good treats The Daily Mirror 
• New meningitis B jab offered on NHS could save thousands of lives
• NHS funding holidays, games consoles and a pedalo ride The Guardian
• NHS health budgets being spent on 'horse riding, holidays and clothes' for patients The Independent
• NHS money 'spent on treats including holidays, aromatherapy and a summer house' ITV News
• Investigation: The luxury goods purchased with NHS money Pulse

Goth teens 'at increased risk of depression and self-harm'

Goth teens 'at increased risk of depression and self-harm'"Goths are three times more likely to be depressed than other teenagers, with 37% admitting to self-harming," the Daily Mail reports.

A new study looked at mental health outcomes in young people who said they identified with the goth sub-culture. Goths favour black clothes, stark make-up, gloomy music and an interest in the darker side of life.

The study involved 2,000 teens and looked at whether self-identification as a goth at age 15 is linked to depression and self-harm at 18.

After full adjustment for prior mental health and behavioural problems in the child, the study found goths were around a quarter more likely to have depression by 18 and a third more likely to report self-harming.

The obvious question is, does being a goth make you prone to depression, or are people already prone to depression more likely to identify with goth culture?

It's likely the relationship between mental health and self-identity is a complex one that cannot be boiled down to a simple "X leads to Y" statement. NHS Choices

Meningitis jabs start for UK babies

Meningitis jabs start for UK babies Meningitis B vaccination for all newborn babies starts to take place across the UK. BBC  News

See also:

• New meningitis B jab offered on NHS could save thousands of lives The Daily Telegraph

'Pre-suicide behaviour' identified

'Pre-suicide behaviour' identified Depressed people who display "risky behaviour", agitation and impulsivity are at least 50% more likely to attempt suicide, a study finds. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: Study identifies suicide symptoms BBC News

British mental health is in crisis

British mental health is in crisis The headlines about "parity of esteem" between mental and physical health remain just that, warns Benedict Cooper. New Statesman

Number of A&E consultants in hospital halves at weekends, according to report

Number of A&E consultants in hospital halves at weekends, according to report The number of senior doctors on duty at weekends in hospital A&E departments is about half the level of cover during the week, according to a report. The Independent

See also:

• A&E departments have half as many consultants on duty at weekends The Daily Mail

Four Seasons funding crisis: thousands of elderly care home residents face uncertainty

Four Seasons funding crisis: thousands of elderly care home residents face uncertainty Frail elderly residents could be rehoused as Britain's biggest operator begins an urgent review of its finances. The Daily Telegraph

Every hospital patient will be given a barcode as part of plan to create a 'paper free' NHS

Every hospital patient will be given a barcode as part of plan to create a 'paper free' NHS Every patient in hospital will be given an individual barcode to ensure they are given the correct drugs and treatment, as part of plans to make the NHS “paper free” by the end of the decade. The Independent

Tractor selfies prove popular in Corby farmer’s fight to raise mental health awareness

Tractor selfies prove popular in Corby farmer’s fight to raise mental health awareness A Corby farmer has started a campaign to get people tweeting selfies with their tractor to raise awareness of mental health issues. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Tractor selfie campaign for mental health goes viral ITV News

New accommodation to be opened in Northampton for doctors of the future

New accommodation to be opened in Northampton for doctors of the future New student accommodation for trainee doctors is being opened by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• News: Local NHS opens new student accommodation Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Students training to be occupational therapists set up singing sessions to help patients with breathing difficulties in Northampton

Students training to be occupational therapists set up singing sessions to help patients with breathing difficulties in Northampton Students from the University of Northampton’s School of Health are working with patients living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) to offer singing sessions – which have been shown to offer both physical and mental benefits. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Will NHS.UK be the next GOV.UK?

Will NHS.UK be the next GOV.UK? When Jon Rouse presented his part of the plans to improve digital services for the health and care sector at the National Information Board meeting in June he focused on just one thing:

"Our number one priority is that we create a single portal. All services [will] start and end with that single portal. Services are developed against consistent standards, with a consistent look and offer, and can be all accessed through that single portal with customers coming in through multiple channels. I haven’t got time to talk about the rest."

In other words, NHS.UK – currently NHS Choices – will be the place we go, not just for information about health and local services, but to book appointments, manage repeat prescriptions and (eventually) access health records and care plans. The King's Fund

Press release: National childhood immunisation programme boosted by MenB vaccine

Press release: National childhood immunisation programme boosted by MenB vaccine From 1 September 2015, the MenB vaccination will be added to the NHS Childhood Immunisation Programme in England. The vaccine will help protect children against this devastating disease which can cause meningitis (an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord) and septicaemia (blood poisoning) which are serious and potentially fatal illnesses.

Babies will be offered the MenB vaccine with the other routine vaccinations at 2 months, 4 months and 12 to 13 months of age. Vaccinating babies at these times helps protect them when they are most at risk of developing MenB disease.

Infants under 1 year of age are most at risk of MenB and the number of cases peak at around 5 or 6 months of age. Public Health England

Independent report: Global Health Security Agenda: pilot assessment of the UK

Independent report: Global Health Security Agenda: pilot assessment of the UK The Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) is a US-led initiative to make progress, through international collaboration, toward a world safe and secure from infectious disease and other health threats. It also aims to promote global health security as an international priority.

The UK volunteered to pilot an assessment tool designed to assess how countries are performing against the national actions and targets set out in 11 action packages spanning prevention, detection and response preparedness.

The main objective was to assess the usefulness of the assessment tool and the GHSA targets, with a view to using the UK experience of applying the tool to make proposals for improving it. The pilot also aimed to use the tool to describe and review structures and functions in the UK which are essential for preventing, detecting and responding to infectious disease and other threats to health. The UK is one of 5 assessment sites across the world.

This report follows a self-assessment and a week-long assessment visit to the UK in June 2015 by a panel of international experts. The report concludes that, overall, the UK has demonstrated a strong baseline position across all areas. One key area of strength was the cross-government and organisational coordination and response to the Ebola crisis. Department of Health

Research and analysis: Abortion on grounds of sex of the foetus

Research and analysis: Abortion on grounds of sex of the foetus The Serious Crime Act 2015 requires an assessment to be carried out into evidence of gender abortions occurring in England, Wales and Scotland. This report responds to that requirement and sets out the actions and evidence that have been considered in carrying out the assessment. The assessment includes updated birth ratio analysis for 2009 to 2013.

The department will continue to monitor this issue closely through annual analysis of birth ratios, and working with other government departments and researchers. Department of Health

High Court rules on disciplinary procedures

High Court rules on disciplinary procedures A recent ruling by the High Court serves as a reminder for NHS trusts to examine their disciplinary procedures carefully. NHS Employers

One in seven mental health patients in ‘out of area’ beds – official figures

One in seven mental health patients in ‘out of area’ beds – official figures Ex-care minister Norman Lamb says he wanted to introduce a target to end 'out of area' placements for non-specialist care by end of 2015. Community Care

How having 'senior moments' may be a good thing

How having 'senior moments' may be a good thing "Senior moments? Only worry if you don't notice them," the Daily Mail reports.

"Senior moments" is a term used to describe a sudden memory lapse, such as forgetting your PIN or a relative’s name. While these types of lapses can affect people of all ages, older people are often more concerned when they happen, in case they could be the initial symptoms of dementia.

A new study suggests this may be an unnecessary worry – the real warning sign could be when people "forget that they have forgotten". Being unaware of failing memory could be a warning sign of impending dementia. NHS Choices

Back and neck pain has biggest health impact on UK patients, study finds

Back and neck pain has biggest health impact on UK patients, study finds UK patients lost more 'healthy years' of life to neck and back pain than any other condition in 2013, research has shown, but overall life expectancy has increased over the prior eight years. GP Online

E-cigarette industry funded experts who ruled that vaping is safe

E-cigarette industry funded experts who ruled that vaping is safe Public Health England called last week for electronic ‘nicotine sticks’ to be prescribed on the NHS as part of a ‘game-changing’ review of medical evidence. The Daily Mail

See also:

• E-cigarettes: Public Health England's evidence-based confusion The Lancet
• E-cigarette ‘safety’ study was written by industry funded scientists, Lancet warns The Daily Telegraph

My nervous breakdown as a doctor made me doubt my patients' depression

My nervous breakdown as a doctor made me doubt my patients' depression Going through a major depressive episode made me more resilient but less empathic, and I began to resent patients’ mental health problems

I was 23-years old when I qualified as a doctor, and 26 when I had a nervous breakdown.

The terminology is archaic; nowadays it would be labelled a major depressive episode, but it feels like an appropriate description. This was more than feeling low in mood – I had my backbone torn out from me, and no longer recognised the person I’d become.

I reminded myself continuously that I was a failure, and fantasised over and over about dying

Depression can rip apart your identity and make you dismiss your worth Continue reading... The Guardian

The obesity problem needs action, not analysis

The obesity problem needs action, not analysis Perhaps the way to convert our kids to healthy eating is by conveying the message that junk food, like analogue mobiles, is naff, says Judith Woods. The Daily Telegraph

Northampton MP praises ambulance service after spending a day with paramedics

Northampton MP praises ambulance service after spending a day with paramedics Northampton South MP David Mackintosh has praised the “dedication and professionalism” of the East Midlands Ambulance Service after spending a day with paramedics. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Public hospital spending in England: evidence from National Health Service administrative records

Public hospital spending in England: evidence from National Health Service administrative records This paper describes how costs vary across the lifecycle, and the concentration of spending among people and over time. It finds that costs per person start to increase after age 50 and escalate after age 70. Spending is highly concentrated in a small section of the population: with 32 per cent of all hospital spending accounted for by 1 per cent of the general population, and 18 per cent of spending by 1 per cent of all patients. There is persistence in spending over time with patients with high spending more likely to have spending in subsequent years, and those with zero expenditures more likely to remain out of hospital. Institute for Fiscal Studies

See also:

• New joints: private providers and rising demand in the English National Health Service Institute for Fiscal Studies

We need to talk about boards: Boards, leadership and the NHS

We need to talk about boards: Boards, leadership and the NHS "There is no legal form, structure or system that can completely inoculate NHS provider organisations against failure because organisations are led by people not systems or methodologies, and as in any industry, success is contingent on the cumulative behaviour of individuals. But good corporate governance provides a vehicle for the provision of sound leadership, clear direction and dynamic accountability." NHS Providers

Data on Written Complaints in the NHS - 2014-15

Data on Written Complaints in the NHS - 2014-15 The NHS complaints procedure is the statutorily based mechanism for dealing with complaints about NHS care and treatment and all NHS organisations in England are required to operate the procedure. This annual collection is a count of written complaints made by (or on behalf of) patients, received between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2015 and also includes experimental information on upheld complaints. Health and Social Care Information Centre

See also:

• 562 NHS complaints every day is 'just the tip of the iceberg' experts warn The Daily Mail

Children’s unit closure fears as rota vacancies pose threat to patient safety

Children’s unit closure fears as rota vacancies pose threat to patient safety 77% of respondents in a workforce survey say service is unsustainable

Children’s doctors have called for a shake-up in how hospital services are delivered as more than two thirds of lead paediatricians say they are concerned about how the service is going to cope in the next six months.

The annual ‘Rota Vacancies and Compliance Survey,’ found that vacancies and gaps on middle grade rotas continue to be hard to fill, with evidence suggesting there are not enough appropriate staff to plug current gaps. This has sparked fears over patient safety, trainees’ wellbeing and sustainability of delivering services. Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

See also:

• Rota compliance and vacancies Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
• RCN responds to RCPCH concerns about impact of staff shortages on children’s services Royal College of Nursing
• NHS children's units could be forced to close because so many female doctors are going on maternity leave The Daily Mail
• NHS children's units under threat from rise in female doctors The Daily Telegraph

Mental Health: Thousands Of Vulnerable People Are Not Getting The Support They Need In Police Custody

Mental Health: Thousands Of Vulnerable People Are Not Getting The Support They Need In Police Custody Hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable people in society are being denied the support they need during police interviews, it has been revealed.

Up to 280,000 people with learning disabilities, mental illness or autistic spectrum disorders are interviewed every year but only about 45,000 of these involve the use of a Appropriate Adult (AA) who supports them through the process to ensure they are safe, well, and understand everything that happens. Huffington Post UK

See also:

• There to help: Ensuring provision of appropriate adults for mentally vulnerable adults detained or interviewed by police The Home Secretary’s Commission on Appropriate Adults National Appropriate Adult Network
• 'Appropriate adults not being used' for many vulnerable people in custody BBC News
• Appropriate adult not available for many vulnerable people in police custody The Guardian
• It’s time we gave our most vulnerable people proper protection in custody The Guardian

1% public sector pay rise not guaranteed, treasury says

1% public sector pay rise not guaranteed, treasury says Doctors' leaders have slammed an announcement by government that a 1% capped pay rise may not be awarded to all public sector workers. GP Online

See also:

• RCN response to letter to Pay Review Body Royal College of Nursing

Cards and flowers almost twice as expensive in hospital shops than on high street

Cards and flowers almost twice as expensive in hospital shops than on high street WH Smith and Marks & Spencer say it helps to pay higher rents and covering staff wages during longer opening hours. The Daily Telegraph

Legal highs: Cases on the rise, say West Midlands paramedics

Legal highs: Cases on the rise, say West Midlands paramedics The number of patients suffering the effects of 'legal highs' has rapidly increased, paramedics in the West Midlands have said. The Independent

Corby has 40th worst rate for mesothelioma deaths in England and Wales

Corby has 40th worst rate for mesothelioma deaths in England and Wales Campaigners are urging more help for sick and dying workers, with latest figures revealing that 14 people in Corby died from the asbestos-related lung cancer mesothelioma between 2010 and 2014. Northamptonshire Telegraph

‘Health services must improve’ inspectors order Northamptonshire NHS Trust

‘Health services must improve’ inspectors order Northamptonshire NHS Trust NHS services for people with mental health problems require improvement, inspectors have found. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is rated as Requires Improvement Care Quality Commission
• NHFT insepction report Care Quality Commission
• News: Care Quality Commission inspection report results Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Northamptonshire hospital launches country’s first community police surgery

Northamptonshire hospital launches country’s first community police surgery Kettering General Hospital and Northamptonshire Police have joined forces to launch the country’s first hospital-based community hub. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Five million people at high risk of Type 2 diabetes

Five million people at high risk of Type 2 diabetes Five million people in England have blood sugar levels indicating a high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a new report published today by Public Health England.

See also:

• Research and analysis: NHS diabetes prevention programme: non-diabetic hyperglycaemia Public Health England
• Research and analysis: Diabetes prevention programmes: evidence review Public Health England
• Five million 'at risk of diabetes' BBC News
• 5m adults at risk of diabetes as 1 in 9 over-16s have high blood sugar level The Daily Mail
• NHS to provide 'motivational coaches' in war on flab The Daily Telegraph
• Obesity and sedentary lives put 5m Britons at risk of type 2 diabetes The Guardian
• Type 2 diabetes: One in ten UK adults 'at high risk' of developing condition The Independent

People with diabetes suffer 200,000 complications

People with diabetes suffer 200,000 complications People with diabetes suffer 200,000 devastating complications such as amputation, heart attack and stroke, according to new analysis..

The analysis, based on National Diabetes Audit data , shows that in 2012/13 there were 199,537 cases of debilitating diabetes-related complications in England and Wales. Diabetes UK

See also:

• Wide variation in control of diabetes sparks call for improved care GP Online
• GPs should draw up individual targets for type 1 diabetes patients, says NICE GP Online
• Diabetics suffer 200,000 complications per year OnMedica

VIDEO: Civilian amputees 'face discrimination'

VIDEO: Civilian amputees 'face discrimination' Treatment for amputees varies greatly for patients, included injured veterans returning to civilian life, according to charities. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: Army veteran amputee 'wants normal life' BBC News
• VIDEO: 'Why am I less worthy than army amputee?' BBC News

Researchers 'a step closer' to universal flu vaccine

Researchers 'a step closer' to universal flu vaccine "Universal flu vaccine comes closer, scientists say," BBC News reports after two independent teams of researchers each found ways to target multiple strains of the influenza virus – but, as yet, the research has only involved animals.

Because there are many different strains of flu and they constantly change, people need to be vaccinated with a different flu vaccine every flu season. Scientists would like to be able to develop a universal flu vaccine that would be active against all strains of the virus.

The studies developed two different vaccines. Both vaccines were able to protect mice against what would usually be a lethal dose of flu, and one vaccine reduced fever symptoms in monkeys. Both vaccines were based on the principle of attacking specific sites on the virus that are less likely to mutate as new strains come along.

This analysis focuses on the second study, which advanced as far as testing on monkeys, as these results are more likely to apply to humans.

We can't yet be certain that the vaccines will be effective or safe until they are tested on humans, and more animal and lab research will be needed before this can be started. NHS Choices

Fatal heart attacks strike 200 people every week

Fatal heart attacks strike 200 people every week Almost 10,000 working people in the UK had a fatal heart attack last year. OnMedica

UK teenage pregnancies fall to lowest level on record

UK teenage pregnancies fall to lowest level on record The latest teenage pregnancy rate for the three months to June last year stands at 23.3 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 17, down from 47.1 in 1969 when records first began. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Teen pregnancy rate falling BBC News

People would use the NHS less if they knew the true price tags | The Secret Doctor

People would use the NHS less if they knew the true price tags | The Secret DoctorA survey shows people vastly underestimate NHS costs. If they understood the real expenditure, they might use the service more responsibly

I first learned about the value of equipment in my early years at A&E. A woman had a laceration to her hand and I was happily stitching away and moving on to the second pack of kit. A male nurse from Nigeria obligingly brought me what I needed but he politely commented on my liberal use. “Back home we have to make it last – we don’t have enough to waste.” That has stayed with me ever since.

One of the first steps in saving the NHS has got to be increasing patient understanding of the price tag on treatments Continue reading... The  Guardian

Ebola: Did experimental drug used on British patients stop them developing the virus?

Ebola: Did experimental drug used on British patients stop them developing the virus? A drug used to treat British healthcare workers who came into contact with Ebola-infected blood may have protected them from the disease, UK doctors have said, and has the potential to help contain any future outbreaks. The Independent

Tractor selfies for mental health

Tractor selfies for mental health Hundreds of people are posing for selfies with tractors to help raise awareness of mental health issues in the farming community following the suicide of a Northamptonshire man. BBC Northampton

What impact do accountable care organisations have on care quality?

What impact do accountable care organisations have on care quality? Although there are many notable differences between the UK and US health systems, both countries are united in a common purpose: to improve the quality of care and to control its cost. Both systems use similar approaches to achieve this – namely, new care models that bring providers together, offer more co-ordinated and patient-centred care, and incentivise outcomes rather than activity. The King's Fund

National health report 2015

National health report 2015 This report, compiled by mutual health and wellbeing provider Benenden, questioned 4,000 people across the UK asking them to put a cost to some common procedures and treatments - ranging from natural child birth to liver transplants, while at the same time enquiring if they believe some of those treatments should be funded, at least in part, by the individuals on the receiving end. It also explored attitudes and sense of entitlement to those same NHS treatments, uncovering a disparity between what people believe others are entitled to and their own entitlement.

• Report
• Press release

Better knowledge, better care: animations

Better knowledge, better care: animations These animations explore the value of knowledge in health care and they take viewers on a journey explaining key concepts along the way, to build an understanding of what better knowledge means in health and care. They demonstrate that no matter where you work in the system, small changes to capture, store, share and apply knowledge can lead to improved quality of care, outcomes and patient experience. NHS Improving Quality

GMC and MSC seek views on medical professionalism for future doctors

GMC and MSC seek views on medical professionalism for future doctors The General Medical Council and Medical Schools Council have launched a joint consultation on guidelines to help medical students develop into competent and compassionate doctors that meet the expectations of patients and the public.

Many white English and Irish pensioners 'drinking to excess'

Many white English and Irish pensioners 'drinking to excess' "One in five people over 65 who drink is consuming an "unsafe" level of alcohol, say researchers," BBC News reports. Their research also found that "unsafe drinking was far more common among the white British and Irish population".

The study involved nearly 28,000 older adults (aged 65 and over) living in the Lambeth area of London. It found that people were more likely to drink alcohol above safe limits if they were male, aged closer to 65, of Irish ethnicity and higher socioeconomic status. NHS Choices

Quarter of parents feel “cut off” and lonely

Quarter of parents feel “cut off” and lonely A quarter (24%) of British parents feel lonely and isolated, regularly feeling cut off from friends and other sources of support, according to new findings released today by charity Action for Children.

See also:

• VIDEO: The dangers of loneliness as a parent BBC News

VIDEO: Mental health nurses and police team up

VIDEO: Mental health nurses and police team up Teams of mental health nurses and police are giving support on the ground to help keep mental health sufferers out of prison cells. BBC News

Low-cost robot hand wins Dyson prize

Low-cost robot hand wins Dyson prize A budget-priced 3D-printed robotic hand for amputees is the UK winner of 2015's James Dyson Award for engineering design. BBC News

Last Ebola patient discharged

Last Ebola patient discharged Sierra Leone has released its last known Ebola patient, according to the World Health Organization.BBC News

I wish patients would remember that doctors have lives too

I wish patients would remember that doctors have lives too I love my job but I and many of my medical colleagues made personal sacrifices to do it

What are patients thinking of me when I am running late? I often wonder. If our patients knew more about us and the personal sacrifices that we make as doctors, would it reassure them that we genuinely try our best for them?

Since qualifying, my husband, who is also a doctor, and I, have seen our non-medical friends accelerate past us with regards financial security and life stability. During the last 10 years, while working as a trainee surgeon and trainee GP, I have worked in 12 different hospitals and GP practices stretching from Edinburgh to Slough to Melbourne, Australia. The current structure means that junior doctors are constantly planning and applying for their next job. For a single, 24-year-old this is not too problematic, but as a 35-year-old mother, it becomes a logistical nightmare. Continue reading... The Guardian

Fire ambulances: Soaring demand prompts move for firefighters to support NHS crews

Fire ambulances: Soaring demand prompts move for firefighters to support NHS crews Bringing in firefighters to support ambulance crews could help the NHS cope with soaring demand for emergency services, medical and fire chiefs have said, following early signs of success in a pilot of “fire ambulances” in the east Midlands. The Independent

Care and treatment reviews to become ‘business as usual’

Care and treatment reviews to become ‘business as usual’ NHS England has today set out how it intends that reviews of care and treatment arrangements for people with learning disabilities are to be embedded across the health and care system.

Care and Treatment Reviews (CTRs) were developed as part of NHS England’s commitment to improving the care of people with learning disabilities or autism. They aim to reduce unnecessary admissions and lengthy stays in specialist hospitals, and have been rolling out since October 2014; over 1,400 people had their care reviewed up to March this year, with hundreds more since.

They bring those responsible for the care of those who are in, or at risk of being admitted to, specialist hospitals around the table with the individual themselves and their families, as well as independent clinicians and experts by experience, to ensure that the care needs of that individual are being met.

Care and Treatment Review: Policy and Guidance (also available in easy read) has been produced by building on the learning from the reviews which have taken place so far, including extensive engagement with people with learning disabilities, their representatives and their families.

The NHS: Busting the myths

The NHS: Busting the myths The NHS Confederation is publishing a series of myth busters, which challenge common misconceptions and enrich the debates on topical, sometimes controversial, issues regarding our health and care." These are the first three:

• Primary care in the NHS
• Competition in the NHS
• NHS Managers

School nurses essential to solve child health crisis

School nurses essential to solve child health crisis The RCN is warning of an escalating health crisis among children and young people because of insufficient investment in school nursing. Royal College of Nursing

Hospital shop prices 'exploitation'

Hospital shop prices 'exploitation' An MP says it is "fundamentally wrong" for shops in hospitals to charge higher prices than their high street branches for some items. BBC News

Ministers 'failing on mental health'

Ministers 'failing on mental health' A row over spending on mental health in England breaks out after Labour accuses the government of failing to honour promises to boost funding. BBC News

NHS constitution has barely achieved anything since it was introduced

NHS constitution has barely achieved anything since it was introduced The constitution is characterised by a lack of awareness among patients and staff, narrow vision and low enforcability that call into question its validity

While Britain celebrates the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, a much less heralded contract with the English people is about to assume its latest iteration – the NHS constitution. Introduced as part of the Health Act 2009, and commencing in 2010, it claimed to “set out rights to which patients, public and staff are entitled” by bringing together “the principles, values, rights and responsibilities that underpin the NHS”.

What do we have to show after five years? The problems are mostly well known: Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS competition could waste millions says Labour, after Care UK complains

NHS competition could waste millions says Labour, after Care UK complains UK’s biggest private healthcare provider demands investigation into decision by GPs to remove elective care contract and award it to local NHS health trust

Labour has warned that the NHS could be forced to spend millions on competition lawyers after the UK’s biggest private healthcare provider demanded an immediate investigation into a decision to award an elective care contract to a local health trust.

Care UK has been branded a bad loser after lodging a complaint with the NHS watchdog Monitor over the management of a contract by commissioners in north London. Continue reading... The Guardian

Thousands of new doctors opting for a better life abroad

Thousands of new doctors opting for a better life abroad Disillusioned medics are quitting the NHS and heading for countries such as Australia

Doctors who are newly qualified form a growing proportion of the thousands of British medics seeking jobs abroad each year, triggering concerns that the NHS is heading for a staffing crisis.

Specialist recruitment agencies and GPs’ leaders say doctors, many of whom have just finished their training, are becoming disillusioned with the state of their profession and seeking fresh starts in countries such as Australia, where they can earn double what they are paid in Britain. Figures given to the Observer by the General Medical Council show that an average of 2,852 certificates enabling British doctors to work abroad were issued annually between 2008 and 2014 – a total of 19,522. Continue reading... The Guardian

'Britain's girls are at crisis point': The truth about teen mental health

'Britain's girls are at crisis point': The truth about teen mental health New research shows almost half of British girls aged 17 to 21 have suffered with mental health problems. Emma Gees explains why. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Parents 'miss pressures on girls' BBC News
• Almost half of British girls seek help for mental health problems The Daily Telegraph
• Teenage girls' mental health overlooked by parents, survey finds The Guardian
• Survey reveals 'fragile' state of girls wellbeing OnMedica

Jeremy Hunt: NHS bosses face jail over links to drug firms

Jeremy Hunt: NHS bosses face jail over links to drug firms Hospitals and GP groups will be required to keep a register of hospitality and gifts from pharmaceutical firms to health service staff in a major crackdown on corruption in the NHS. The Daily Telegraph

Northampton hospital paid out £500 compensation after wrongfully supervising visits by patient’s partner

Northampton hospital paid out £500 compensation after wrongfully supervising visits by patient’s partner

The partner of a man with brain injuries was paid £500 in compensation after Northampton hospital staff wrongfully supervised her visits. Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Dementia epidemic predictions in the UK may have been exaggerated, scientists say

Dementia epidemic predictions in the UK may have been exaggerated, scientists say

Predictions that Britain and other Western nations will experience a dementia epidemic as the population grows older may have been overblown, scientists have said. Independent

• Dementia levels 'are stabilising'  BBC News

10 million responses to the NHS Friends and Family Test

10 million responses to the NHS Friends and Family Test

The NHS Friends and Family Test (FFT) has reached a memorable milestone today by achieving its ten millionth piece of feedback from patients.

Launched in April 2013 and now fully rolled out across the NHS, the FFT has allowed millions of patients to give invaluable feedback on their experiences of care and treatment in services throughout the NHS.

It has quickly grown into the biggest ever collection of patient opinion in any health service anywhere in the world and gives staff the ability to react promptly and make swift and lasting improvements to care provided.

Fire service to check on older people

Fire service to check on older people

A new partnership has been established between NHS England and the fire and rescue services to carry out health checks on elderly people and patients with complex conditions. NHS Networks

Half of adults failing to go to the dentist

Half of adults failing to go to the dentist

New figures released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre reveal a drop in the number of people seen by an NHS dentist amid a rise in patient apathy. Telegraph

New report looks at NHS vacancies advertised online

New report looks at NHS vacancies advertised online

A new report released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) looks at NHS vacancies based on adverts placed through NHS Jobs. NHS Networks

CQC takes first steps towards closing practices in special measures

CQC takes first steps towards closing practices in special measures

GP practices placed in 'special measures' by the CQC could soon find themselves facing closure as the watchdog begins to re-inspect the first practices rated 'inadequate' under its four-point rating system. GP Online

Report on selected summaries of investigations by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: December 2014 and January 2015

Report on selected summaries of investigations by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: December 2014 and January 2015

This report contains 121 summaries of complaints which are a snapshot of those investigated between December 2014 and January 2015 about the NHS in England and UK government departments and their agencies. It illustrates the impact public service failures and poor complaint handling in the NHS in England and UK government departments can have on the public. Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Report

Press release

NHS nurse weighed over 17 stone before a patient shamed her into losing weight

NHS nurse weighed over 17 stone before a patient shamed her into losing weight

Nurse Carole Crocker, pictured, from the West Country, weighed 17 stone before a patient told her she needed to lose weight. She explains why NHS staff need to take their own advice about nutrition. Daily Mail

Shoppers are still forking out nearly TEN TIMES more for branded medicines and supplements that are identical to shop's own brands

Shoppers are still forking out nearly TEN TIMES more for branded medicines and supplements that are identical to shop's own brands

A packet of market-leading painkiller Nurofen costs £2.01 for 16 tablets, while generic alternatives can be bought in supermarkets for as little as 30p, a study by Voucherbox found. Daily Mail

Stroke 'more likely' with long hours

Stroke 'more likely' with long hours

People working more than 40 hours a week are more likely to have a stroke, a study suggests. BBC News

Probe pinpoints blood clot locations

Probe pinpoints blood clot locations

A new probe sticks to blood clots so they "light up" in a PET scan, and could eventually save time during treatment of stroke and related conditions. BBC News

Vaccine for Mers 'looks promising'

Vaccine for Mers 'looks promising'

A prototype vaccine against the lung infection MERS coronavirus shows promising results, scientists say. BBC News

4 Things to Know About Keeping Personal Health Information Safe

4 Things to Know About Keeping Personal Health Information Safe

Given the large number of breaches of personal health information in recent years, more steps need to be taken to ensure security. Commonwealth Fund

National cover for ‘fit for work’ GP referral process

National cover for ‘fit for work’ GP referral process

The rollout of the ‘fit for work’ scheme is progressing across Great Britain with GPs now being able to refer working patients to the scheme across the whole of England, Wales and Scotland. NHS Networks

Is the NHS delivering enough of the right things?

Is the NHS delivering enough of the right things?

Last week I wrote a blog about the problem of overuse in the NHS: where people get services they don’t want or need, which can lead to unnecessary harm and wasted resources. But this is only part of the story. The flipside is that the NHS faces the problem of underuse too.

Underuse happens when effective care isn’t delivered when it’s needed. It can lead to people needing more complex care as their conditions get worse – for example, if they end up in hospital because their condition isn’t managed properly at home. This means that tackling underuse can sometimes save money for the NHS, by keeping people well and reducing use of costly services. In other cases, reversing the problem of underuse is more likely to increase costs – particularly in the short term – as a result of investment in new services or improved access. In either case, tackling underuse is fundamentally about improving care for people who need it.

So, where might the NHS not be delivering enough of the right things?

Injection which could cure obesity developed at Harvard and MIT

Injection which could cure obesity developed at Harvard and MIT

A cure for obesity could be just an injection away after scientists at Harvard and MIT discovered that a tiny DNA tweak causes the metabolism to burn up excess fat. Telegraph

Changes in vision in older people: causes and impact

Changes in vision in older people: causes and impact

This publication summarises findings from research commissioned by Thomas Pocklington Trust that uses the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) to look at the links between development of visual impairment and older peoples’ social and economic position, and the impact of both deteriorating and improving sight on key aspects of their lives. Thomas Pocklington Trust 

Briefing

Press release