TTIP: Jeremy Corbyn, Nigel Farage, Nicola Sturgeon and Natalie Bennett sign appeal to exempt NHS from trade deal

TTIP: Jeremy Corbyn, Nigel Farage, Nicola Sturgeon and Natalie Bennett sign appeal to exempt NHS from trade deal The organisers, from Unite, say that they approached the Conservatives asking for support but were refused. The Independent

Health campaigners to lobby south Northamptonshire MP over trade deal which they claim threatens NHS

Health campaigners to lobby south Northamptonshire MP over trade deal which they claim threatens NHS Campaigners in south Northamptonshire are calling for action from their MP over a trade deal that they say threatens the NHS. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Two CCGs set to rank GP practices based on A&E attendances

Two CCGs set to rank GP practices based on A&E attendances GP practices across one area of England will be ranked internally based on the number of patients on their list who attend A&E.

NHS Nene CCG and NHS Corby CCG plan to list the top 20 GP practices across Northampton that have the highest number of ‘frequent’ A&E users.

Once identified, the practices will be ‘supported in managing those patients proactively’, board papers revealed. Pulse

Mental Health Act: detentions rise by almost ten per cent on previous year

Mental Health Act: detentions rise by almost ten per cent on previous year Detentions under the Mental Health Act rose by 9.8 per cent (5,220) to 58,4003 in 2014/15 compared to the previous year, according to official statistics published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre

See also:

• Inpatients Formally Detained in Hospitals Under the Mental Health Act 1983 and Patients Subject to Supervised Community Treatment, England - 2014-2015, Annual figures Health and Social Care Information Centre
• Mental health detentions up by 10% BBC News
• England's mental health crisis: Patients sectioned rises by 10% The Daily Mail
• Mental Health Act detentions rise 10% The Guardian
• Rise in mental health detentions shows 'services are struggling' The Guardian
• Mental Health Act Detentions Rise By Nearly 10 Percent, HSCIC Figures Show The Huffington Post UK
• Sharp rise in Mental Health Act detainments shows need for urgent investment National Health Executive
• More people are being detained under the Mental Health Act OnMedica

Community mental health patient experience scores

Community mental health patient experience scores The latest statistical information on patients’ experience of mental health services in the NHS.

This is an update to include results from the 2015 Community Mental Health Survey. NHS England

Hospital trusts productivity in the English NHS: uncovering possible drivers of productivity variations

Hospital trusts productivity in the English NHS: uncovering possible drivers of productivity variations This study looks at how NHS trusts perform in terms of how much they produce given the resources (doctors, nurses, medicines and premises) they use. It finds that on these criteria there is a lot of variation between trusts and that the best and worst performers stay the same over time. It is not possible to explain away the variation in terms of the kinds of patients that are treated. These results suggest that there may be scope for making substantial savings by ensuring that all trusts perform as well as the best ones. Centre for Health Economics

Majority of emergency service staff suffer alcohol fuelled abuse

Majority of emergency service staff suffer alcohol fuelled abuse A new report, Alcohol’s Impact on Emergency Services, reveals the full extent of the toll alcohol takes on emergency services in England.

The report presents an extensive survey of police officers, ambulance and paramedic staff, accident and emergency department consultants and fire officers. It outlines both the financial burden on the emergency services and the human cost to frontline staff. The report also recommends a set of evidence-based policy measures to address this issue. Institute of Alcohol Studies

See also:

• Alcohol's impact on emergency services (full report) Institute of Alcohol Studies
• Alcohol's impact on emergency services (summary) Institute of Alcohol Studies
• Alcohol's impact on emergency services (video) Institute of Alcohol Studies
• A&E paramedics and police spend a quarter of their time dealing with drunks The Daily Mail
• Police call for end to 24-hour licensing over alcohol-related violence The Guardian

Paramedics 'baffled' by legal highs

Paramedics 'baffled' by legal highs The complex chemical make-up of legal highs is leaving ambulance services dangerously uncertain about how to treat casualties, a senior paramedic claims. BBC News

Chancellor urged to scrap health cuts

Chancellor urged to scrap health cuts Medical groups are asking George Osborne to reverse planned cuts to vital health services in England. BBC News

See also:

• Letter to Treasury Public Health Funding Cuts Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
• Health organisations call on Chancellor to reverse public health cuts Royal College of Nursing
• George Osborne broke Government pledge to protect NHS budget, say doctors and council leaders The Independent
• Joint plea to protect public health services OnMedica

GPs demand end to 'scandalous' waste of 14m appointments from repeat hospital referrals

GPs demand end to 'scandalous' waste of 14m appointments from repeat hospital referrals GP leaders are calling on NHS commissioners to stop hospitals dumping unnecessary workload on practices by forcing them to re-refer patients who miss appointments. GP Online

NHS medical director coy on 'weekend effect' of hospital deaths

NHS medical director coy on 'weekend effect' of hospital deaths Prof Sir Bruce Keogh did not confirm Jeremy Hunt’s claim that 11,000 patients die annually due to understaffed hospitals

The NHS’s medical director has distanced himself from Jeremy Hunt’s controversial claim that understaffing of hospitals at weekends causes the death of 11,000 patients a year.

Prof Sir Bruce Keogh has reiterated his view that it is not possible to say for sure how many die avoidably as a result of “the weekend effect”, which he and other experts have found. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS and social care must share a budget, says former health secretary

NHS and social care must share a budget, says former health secretary New NHS Confederation chair Stephen Dorrell says it makes no sense to ringfence health budget while cutting social care.

Health and social care should become one joined-up system with a single budget, former health secretary Stephen Dorrell has said.

Dorrell, who was named this month as chair of the NHS Confederation, said it made “no sense” to ringfence the NHS budget while cutting social care funding. He added: “If we mean what we say about joined-up health and social care, that has to be around one budget and one budget-planning process.” Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Social care is on the cusp of a crisis The Guardian
• Health and social care still live in parallel universes | Stephen Dorrell The Guardian

Patients waiting more than 12 hours in A&E rises 10-fold in three years

Patients waiting more than 12 hours in A&E rises 10-fold in three years Exclusive: Senior doctors reveal the number of patients waiting on trolleys has surged to an "unacceptable" level. The Daily Telegraph

NHS spends millions on larger equipment for obese people

NHS spends millions on larger equipment for obese people At least £7 million has been spent on adapting equipment and services. The Independent

See also:

• NHS spending millions on larger equipment for obese patients The Guardian

NHS to rank top 20 GP practices in Northamptonshire for sending people to A&E

NHS to rank top 20 GP practices in Northamptonshire for sending people to A&E GP practices in Northamptonshire are to be ranked for numbers of frequent A&E patients. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Special ambulance for frail Northamptonshire falls victims to be withdrawn by NHS

Special ambulance for frail Northamptonshire falls victims to be withdrawn by NHS A non-emergency ambulance service for frail people who have fallen is to be axed in Northamptonshire. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Social care budget cuts damaging the NHS, latest quarterly monitoring report finds

Social care budget cuts damaging the NHS, latest quarterly monitoring report finds This report examines the views of finance directors on the productivity challenge they face, as well as some key NHS performance data to see how the NHS is performing. Cuts in local authority social care budgets are adversely affecting health services, according to nearly 9 out of 10 (88 per cent) of NHS trust finance directors and 8 out of 10 (80 per cent) of clinical commissioning group finance leads surveyed for the report. The King's Fund

See also:

• Are we supporting or sacrificing NHS staff? The King's Fund
• Cutting social care budgets ‘devastating for individuals and puts more pressure on health services’ – RCN responds to King’s Fund quarterly report Royal College of Nursing
• Local authority cuts damaging NHS services, say CCGs GP Online

Report on selected summaries of investigations by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: February and March 2015

Report on selected summaries of investigations by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: February and March 2015 A new report has revealed the devastating impact that public service failures can have on individuals and how its investigations have resulted in the organisations putting things right for people.

The report is a snapshot of 192 case summaries of the 1,075 investigations of unresolved complaints the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) completed investigating in February and March 2015.

It includes cases about delayed asylum claims, nursing home patients being wrongly charged thousands of pounds for their nursing home care, delays in diagnosis which meant that one woman was left with unrelenting facial pain for more than a decade, poor end of life care and poor treatment of sepsis, commonly referred to as blood poisoning.

See also:

• It's just lady pains': Are doctors not taking women's agony seriously enough? The Daily Telegraph
• How an NHS hospital missed my broken back The Daily Telegraph
• Woman left in 'unrelenting pain' for 15 years after NHS failed to carry out simple scan The Daily Telegraph

Rapid Diagnostics: stopping unnecessary use of antibiotics

Rapid Diagnostics: stopping unnecessary use of antibiotics provides an overview of how diagnostics can play an important role in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, by reducing unnecessary use. It then looks at the problems with low uptake of diagnostics and how increase innovation. Review on Antimicrobial Resistance

See also:

• Rapid tests 'would cut antibiotic use' BBC News
• GPs hand out two thirds of antibiotics in error, Jim O'Neill finds The Daily Mail

Zero hours employment contracts - new guidance for employers

Zero hours employment contracts - new guidance for employers Read the latest government guidance for employers on zero hours employment contracts. NHS Employers

Latest statistics show a drop in sickness absence across the NHS

Latest statistics show a drop in sickness absence across the NHS The latest figures released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) show that NHS staff sickness absence has fallen for the first time in a year, from June 2014 where it was 3.95 per cent, to 3.94 per cent in June 2015. NHS Employers

Care pathways: guidance on appraising sustainability

Care pathways: guidance on appraising sustainability New guidance to enable sustainability to be considered when designing new models of care. The suite of documents will allow users to consistently appraise environmental impacts of health care pathways and can also be used when redesigning existing models or investigating the benefits of prevention. Sustainable Development Unit

• Guidance
• Summary
• Healthcare activity modules

First trial to prevent Alzheimer's

First trial to prevent Alzheimer's Most research into dementia is about finding treatments for people who are already affected by symptoms.

But a trial is under way in London which aims to prevent Alzheimer's in people at high risk, before they show any physical signs of the disease. BBC News

See also:

• Virtual reality 'predicts Alzheimer's' BBC News

NHS England backs 50,000-patient 'primary care home' pilots

NHS England backs 50,000-patient 'primary care home' pilots NHS England has endorsed a pilot programme to deliver care for populations of 30,000 to 50,000 patients under the 'primary care home' model championed by the National Association of Primary Care (NAPC). GP Online

League table reveals increase in NHS clinical research

League table reveals increase in NHS clinical research The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network has published its annual league table, revealing an increase in clinical research activity across the NHS in England.

The league table, now in its fifth year, details the number of clinical research studies undertaken by each individual trust, and the number of participants recruited into those studies. Continue reading... The Guardian

Radical action on childhood obesity will require political courage

Radical action on childhood obesity will require political courage PHE’s bold blueprint is a potential game-changer but past experience suggests the government’s response will be inadequate

Public Health England’s blueprint on how to get us all to eat less sugar is an important, detailed and necessarily bold document that could – if ministers act on it – change and extend lives. Having sifted the available international evidence on what works, its authors conclude that only truly radical action will make any real difference to the unfolding health disaster of our time.

Governments claim to want policymaking to be evidence-based. On obesity, and specifically sugar’s contribution to our expanding waistlines, here is the proof. It has been collated by the government’s own experts on public health; not campaigners or academics. As such it should be the roadmap that David Cameron tells the team of ministers and civil servants currently drawing up the government’s promised strategy on childhood obesity to follow. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Sugar reduction: the evidence for action Public Health England
• Sugar tax and offers ban 'would work' BBC News
• It's time for a sugar tax of TWENTY per cent, says official study The Daily Mail
• The Guardian view on obesity: there’s no way to sugar this pill. The UK government must act | Editorial The Guardian
• Public Health England obesity report: the key points The Guardian

Welfare cuts: Cancer patients face losing up to £120 a month in Government support, warns charity

Welfare cuts: Cancer patients face losing up to £120 a month in Government support, warns charity Macmillan's concerns come as George Osborne tells MPs that he is 'comfortable' with controversial tax credit cuts. The Independent

See also:

• At least 120,000 UK cancer patients depend on charity to cope financially in a year Macmillan Cancer Support

Visitors to Northampton General Hospital urged to stay away if family members have ‘flu-like’ symptoms

Visitors to Northampton General Hospital urged to stay away if family members have ‘flu-like’ symptoms Northampton General Hospital is asking anyone planning to visit the hospital to stay away if they or their family members have had diarrhoea, vomiting or ‘flu-like’ symptoms in the last four days. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Building healthier accountable communities

Building healthier accountable communities Over the past few decades England, like other countries, has worked hard to improve the health of its population largely by focusing on health care services – an approach that has not achieved better health for all. At our annual integrated care summit last week we heard from international and national speakers about how they are adopting a more systemic and integrated approach to improving population health. Three important messages emerged from the day. The King's Fund

Prevent, reduce, delay: are councils meeting their new duties to support unpaid carers?

Prevent, reduce, delay: are councils meeting their new duties to support unpaid carers? This research reveals that few councils in England have outlined how they are fulfilling the duties required of them under the Care Act 2014, which came into force this April. Under the Care Act local authorities have a duty to provide services to carers that prevent, reduce or delay them developing a need for support. But just 17 (13 per cent) of the 132 local authorities contacted by Carers Trust stated that they are working to identify carers and, of the 23 councils that mentioned having a prevention strategy in place, few provided details on the support they are providing specifically to help carers. The Carers Trust

Deaths data 'misrepresented by Hunt'

Deaths data 'misrepresented by Hunt' The health secretary has misrepresented a key study used to back the case for more seven-day NHS care, the editor of the British Medical Journal says. BBC News

See also:

• BMJ editor writes to Hunt over misuse of weekend mortality data  The BMJ
• Increased mortality associated with weekend hospital admission: a case for expanded seven day services? The BMJ
• Jeremy Hunt accused of skewing weekend hospital death rates The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt criticised for misrepresenting NHS weekend mortality facts The Independent

Mental health stigma campaign starts

Mental health stigma campaign starts A social media campaign to reduce the stigma around mental health in children has been launched by government. BBC News

Junior doctors to start strike ballot over hated Jeremy Hunt contract

Junior doctors to start strike ballot over hated Jeremy Hunt contract Vote on industrial action in protest at health secretary’s plan will start on Thursday, with strikes likely in December if motion passes

Junior doctors have moved closer to their first strike in decades as they decided to vote on industrial action in protest at Jeremy Hunt’s plan to impose a new contract on them.

The strike ballot will start on Thursday 5 November to see if young medics are prepared to take industrial action to force the health secretary to rethink his plan, which is part of the push for a seven-day NHS service. Continue reading. The Guardian

See also:

• Junior doctors to vote on strike action BBC News
• Junior doctors will vote over proposed strike action early next month: Move follows anger over cuts to pay on Saturdays and evenings  The Daily Mail
• England on brink of mass walkout by doctors, warns GP trainee's letter to MP GP Online

Spending review: the good, the bad and the ugly for the NHS

Spending review: the good, the bad and the ugly for the NHS The health service is getting more money but costs are rising faster and social care services also need help

Within the walls of the Treasury, a mountain of evidence is currently being studied to complete a comprehensive spending review (CSR) by 25 November. This will determine the budgets for each government department between now and 2019/20. To make their job ever-so-slightly easier the Health Foundation, an independent charity, has submitted its evidence highlighting the most critical issues on health and social care. This was necessarily a technical document with extensive use of numbers and supporting evidence. Here is a summary of the most crucial of the critical aspects. Continue reading... The Guardian

Community mental health services 'getting worse' in some areas of England

Community mental health services 'getting worse' in some areas of England Survey of 13,000 people cared for outside hospitals finds that 28% rate their experience 5 or lower on scale of 0-10.

Mental health services outside hospitals in England have shown “no notable improvement” and in some areas are getting worse, a survey of more than 13,000 people treated and cared for in the community has suggested.

Higher proportions than last year of those questioned think they have had a poor experience, that they are not listened to by staff and believe they have not been treated with dignity and respect. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Mental health patients do not always feel they are treated with dignity, CQC report finds The Independent

Doctors fail to co-operate with agency designed to protect public from dangerous criminals

Doctors fail to co-operate with agency designed to protect public from dangerous criminals Independent report shows doctors and other NHS staff failed to show up at meetings, and even refused to help. The Daily Telegraph

Agency nurse attacks Jeremy Hunt for portraying private NHS staff as "greedy scum"

Agency nurse attacks Jeremy Hunt for portraying private NHS staff as "greedy scum" Amy Cope said her salary would not cover the cost of childcare for her two children. The Independent

See also:

• Capping NHS agency fees means punishing nurses like me The Daily Telegraph

NHS spending: squeezed as never before

NHS spending: squeezed as never before Next month the government will set out its plans for public service spending through to 2020. The indications are that the plans will be a rerun of the 2010 Spending Review. The overall aim – as in 2010 – will be to eliminate the public spending deficit and reduce government debt as a proportion of GDP. Once again, large (25–40 per cent) real cuts are expected for most departments. And, as in 2010, NHS spending will be protected.

But the protection is relative and the decade since the 2010 Spending Review will be the toughest financially since the inception of the NHS. The King's Fund

See also:

• NHS cash 'to fall as share of GDP by 2020'  BBC News

Mindful Nation UK

Mindful Nation UK The Mindful UK Report, the first policy document of its kind, seeks to address mental health concerns in the areas of education, health, the workplace and the criminal justice system through the application of mindfulness interventions.

The recommendations in this report are evidence-based, sourced directly from experienced implementers, who report notable success in their respective fields and urge policymakers to invest resources in further pilot studies and increase public access to qualified teacher trainers.  Mindfulness All-Party Parliamentary Group (MAPPG)

See also:

• VIDEO: What is mindfulness and should you try it? BBC News
• Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Mindfulness (eBook, OpenAthens password required)

A destructive vicious circle': Damning Age UK report highlights crisis in health and social care for older people

A destructive vicious circle': Damning Age UK report highlights crisis in health and social care for older people A damning report finds that the health and care system for older people in England is under severe stress and is underperforming, leading to higher costs, poorer health outcomes and worse patient and service user experience. Age UK

See also:

• The health and care of older people in England 2015 Age UK
• One million elderly 'struggle alone' BBC News
• More old people in hospital as community care 'starved' Age UK The Guardian

Care in crisis: a survey highlighting the views of people with diabetes and how that relates to the reality of today's NHS

Care in crisis: a survey highlighting the views of people with diabetes and how that relates to the reality of today's NHS Almost 40 per cent of people with diabetes believe the NHS has “worsened” since the £1.1bn health service reforms, according to a new survey.

Around 2.5 million people with the condition have not received high-quality structured education despite the risk of serious complications. This has been shown in a wide-sweeping report laying bare the state of diabetes care in England. InDependent Diabetes Trust

See also:

• The management of adult diabetes services in the NHS: progress review National Audit Office

More than 11 moles on an arm may be 'sign of skin cancer risk'

More than 11 moles on an arm may be 'sign of skin cancer risk'"More than 11 moles on right arm 'could indicate greater skin cancer risk','' The Guardian reports.

A new study found that people with 11 or more moles on their arm were likely to have over 100 moles on their body – a known risk factor for the melanoma type of skin cancer.

Counting the entire number of moles can be time-consuming for clinicians and difficult for an individual to do by themselves. Researchers wanted to see if there was a handy proxy that would predict with a reasonable degree of accuracy a person’s total mole count. NHS Choices

'Postcode lottery for mental health' talking therapies'

'Postcode lottery for mental health' talking therapies' People with anxiety and depression should be offered talking therapies within six weeks, according to new guidelines in England. But while 100% of patients in some areas receive this level of treatment, it is only 5% in others - why does this happen? BBC News

See also:

• Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Report, July 2015 Final, August 2015 Primary and Quarter 1 2015/16 Health and Social Care Information Centre

Hospitals to get own savings targets

Hospitals to get own savings targets Hospitals in England are being given individual savings targets, after a report identified potential savings of £5bn a year in the NHS. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: NHS hospitals to get savings targets BBC News

Junior doctors: 7 in 10 to leave NHS if Hunt pushes through new contract

Junior doctors: 7 in 10 to leave NHS if Hunt pushes through new contract Survey of more than 4,000 young medics shows more than 70% would move abroad, become a locum or change career

Thousands of junior doctors in England will quit the NHS if Jeremy Hunt presses ahead with his threat to impose an unpopular contract on them, a survey shows.

The poll has prompted warnings that such an exodus would leave the NHS unable to function, given young medics’ key role in delivering care. Continue reading... The Guardian

FGM: reporting of cases among children becomes mandatory

FGM: reporting of cases among children becomes mandatory Health professionals, teachers and social workers obliged to report child FGM cases from next week but duty on GPs to record cases among adult women sparks row

A duty on all teachers, doctors, nurses and social workers to report child cases of female genital mutilation (FGM) to the police will come into force next week.

New legislation announced earlier this year make such disclosures mandatory and professionals who fail to report the illegal practice in under-18s could face the sack. Continue reading... The Guardian

Ex-health secretary Andrew Lansley to advise firms on healthcare reforms

Ex-health secretary Andrew Lansley to advise firms on healthcare reforms Tory peer blamed by many for increased privatisation of NHS takes part-time role with Bain & Company ‘leading a discussion on innovation in healthcare’.

Andrew Lansley, the architect of the coalition government’s efforts to privatise parts of the NHS, has taken a job advising corporate clients on healthcare reforms despite David Cameron’s pledge to close the “revolving door” between Whitehall and the private sector.

The management consultants Bain & Company took on Lord Lansley in August. The newly ennobled Conservative peer also plans to become an active associate of a “strategic communications consultancy” set up by his wife and will advise on health and social care. Continue reading... The Guardian

Is this the end of traditional doctors? A third of over 65s use technology to manage their health

Is this the end of traditional doctors? A third of over 65s use technology to manage their health As Brits continue to avoid a visit to their GP, new research reveals a third of over 65s are using technology to keep tabs on their health and wellbeing. The Daily Telegraph

Jeremy Hunt told sugar tax would cut childhood obesity as review Government tried to suppress is published

Jeremy Hunt told sugar tax would cut childhood obesity as review Government tried to suppress is published Jeremy Hunt has been told a sugar tax will help cut childhood obesity, it has emerged, after a senior public health official went public with the contents of a report the Government has refused to publish. The Independent

See also:

• GPs back levy on sugary drinks in battle to curb obesity Royal College of General Practitioners
• Official report backs sugar tax to beat obesity, so why was it buried? The Daily Mail

NHS warns private ambulance firm over loss of local Northampton knowledge in control room

NHS warns private ambulance firm over loss of local Northampton knowledge in control room A company that takes non-emergency patients to hospital has been warned for being late to appointments and closing its Northampton control room. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Supporting doctors with health concerns

Supporting doctors with health concerns The General Medical Council (GMC) has published a report following a roundtable event with healthcare experts and leaders from across the UK.

NHS Reserve Forces footprint map launches

NHS Reserve Forces footprint map launches The NHS Reserve Forces footprint map has launched to help employers see their public commitment to the Reserve Forces, and provide available support contact details. NHS Employers

Could anti-inflammatory drugs prevent schizophrenia?

Could anti-inflammatory drugs prevent schizophrenia?"It may be possible to prevent schizophrenia by calming the brain's immune system," BBC News reports after researchers found raised levels of immune activity in people thought to be at high risk of developing schizophrenia.

The research looked at the activity of a type of cell known as microglial cells. These serve as the primary immune cells for the brain and central nervous system, protecting these vital regions of the body against infection. NHS Choices

NHS starts diabetes 'stem cell factory'

NHS starts diabetes 'stem cell factory' The NHS is setting up a stem cell factory to help treat people with diabetes. BBC News

Ebola nurse's condition 'improves'

Ebola nurse's condition 'improves' UK nurse Pauline Cafferkey, who contracted Ebola in West Africa, now in "serious but stable" condition - hospital. BBC News

GMC seeks to overturn decision not to strike off paedophile doctor

GMC seeks to overturn decision not to strike off paedophile doctor It wants the Professional Standards Authority to refer the case to the High Court. OnMedica

The scars of modern slavery: trafficked people with severe mental illness

The scars of modern slavery: trafficked people with severe mental illness Yesterday was #AntiSlaveryDay, so today we are publishing a blog by Mina Fazel who considers the findings of an historical cohort study in the Lancet Psychiatry, which explores the characteristics of trafficked people with severe mental illness. The Mental Elf

It took my patient six years to see me – a dermatologist

It took my patient six years to see me – a dermatologist Dermatology is a microcosm of the challenges facing the health service. It has reached crisis point.

Why am I writing about dermatology? Surely the well-publicised crises in emergency medicine and general practice deserve these column inches. Dermatology is a small specialty where a slightly strange group of doctors choose to dedicate their careers to the treatment of rashes. Yet, dermatology is a microcosm of the challenges facing the NHS; like mental health and sexual health it is a specialty that has suffered progressively through NHS reforms and has now reached crisis point.

Imagine you have a rash or a growth on your skin and your GP does not know what it is or how to treat it. It may be scary – is it a skin cancer? It may be itchy, sore, bleeding, painful or looks awful. You are not alone, you are one of the 13 million people who consulted their GP last year about a skin problem and now you are one of the 750,000 referred on to see a dermatologist. These are big numbers, skin disease is common and the impact of skin disease is similar to epilepsy and chronic kidney disease. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS neonatal crisis: Sick babies aren't being given the care they deserve

NHS neonatal crisis: Sick babies aren't being given the care they deserve Intensive care units are caring for increasing numbers of sick and premature babies. Caroline Davey, CEO of Bliss baby charity, explains how Britain's new borns are being put at risk. The Daily Telegraph

Photo series looks to challenge stigma around mental illness among people of colour

Photo series looks to challenge stigma around mental illness among people of colour Dior Vargas’ People of Colour and Mental Illness Photo Project hopes to combat the stigma of mental illness among BME communities. The Independent

World’s biggest secure mental health building for youngsters being constructed in Northampton

World’s biggest secure mental health building for youngsters being constructed in Northampton A building that will be home to the world’s biggest secure service for mentally ill young people has reached a key milestone in its construction. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS 111 opens new front door to improved urgent care

NHS 111 opens new front door to improved urgent care Delivery of NHS 111 and general practice out of hours services are to be brought closer together to provide patients with a “new front door” to urgent health care services. NHS England

Bringing healthcare to homes

Bringing healthcare to homes Can community health services help the NHS cope in winter? BBC News

Leader of NHS junior doctors urges Jeremy Hunt to reopen negotiations

Leader of NHS junior doctors urges Jeremy Hunt to reopen negotiations At London protest Dr Johann Malawana tells health secretary to stop lambasting junior medics, in bid to stop BMA strike

The leader of NHS junior doctors in England has urged Jeremy Hunt to stop treating them like “the enemy” and instead reopen negotiations in a bid to stop their threatened strike.

Dr Johann Malawana told the health secretary he must stop lambasting junior doctors if he wants to settle a long-running dispute over his threat to introduce new NHS contracts. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• BMA 'misleading' doctors over contract BBC News
• Jeremy Hunt hails 'good deal for doctors' BBC News
• Junior doctors stage contracts protest BBC News
• Junior doctors' protest gets MP's backing BBC News
• Junior doctors protest in London over evenings and weekend work plans The Daily Mail
Junior doctors protest through central London The Daily Telegraph
• Jeremy Hunt: the BMA responsible for anger amongst junior doctors – video The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt: I would protest if I were a 'misled' junior doctor The Guardian
• Junior doctors protest: “We’re here to send a message to Jeremy Hunt” – video The Guardian
• Junior doctors ask PM to step into row with 'polarising' Jeremy Hunt The Guardian
• Doctors on why they're protesting changes to working conditions The Guardian

Half of Britons believe weekend hospital admissions 'more dangerous'

Half of Britons believe weekend hospital admissions 'more dangerous' Amid junior doctor contract row, Observer/Opinium poll shows 35% of adults have delayed seeking medical help at weekend.

Half of British adults believe they would be in greater danger if they were admitted to hospital at the weekend rather than on a weekday, research suggests.

The Observer/Opinium poll, which found significant numbers of patients had delayed trips to the doctors on a Saturday and Sunday, was published on Saturday as thousands of junior doctors protested against government proposals to reform weekend working. Continue reading... The Guardian

Overstretched neonatal services put babies lives at risk, research says

Overstretched neonatal services put babies lives at risk, research says 'Grim' report reveals that almost two-thirds of units in England do not have enough nurses. The Independent

See also:

• Services for England’s sickest babies are hanging in the balance Bliss (Neonatal charity)
• Premature babies' care 'understaffed' BBC News
• NHS neonatal intensive care units 'stretched to breaking point' The Guardian

Disabled drivers charged for hospital parking as NHS moves to plug deficit

Disabled drivers charged for hospital parking as NHS moves to plug deficit Parking charges are worth around £200m a year, vital money with the NHS expecting a £2bn deficit. The Independent

The Role of Governance in Implementing Task-Shifting from Physicians to Nurses in Advanced Roles in Europe, U.S., Canada, New Zealand, and Australia

The Role of Governance in Implementing Task-Shifting from Physicians to Nurses in Advanced Roles in Europe, U.S., Canada, New Zealand, and Australia An examination of how “task-shifting” from physicians to nurses with advanced training is managed in different countries and assessed the implications of various governance models on patient safety and clarity of clinician roles. The Commonwealth Fund

Pensioner fell out of wheelchair in Northampton and waited seven hours for ambulance crew

Pensioner fell out of wheelchair in Northampton and waited seven hours for ambulance crew A disabled man who fell from his wheelchair at his Northamptonshire home waited seven hours for an ambulance crew to pick him up. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Restrictions on nurse recruitment from overseas changed

Restrictions on nurse recruitment from overseas changed Nurses will be added to the government’s shortage occupation list on an interim basis. This means that nurses from outside the EEA that apply to work in the UK will have their applications for nursing posts prioritised. The independent Migration Advisory Committee will review the change and present further evidence to the government by February 2016.

The move is designed to ease pressure on the NHS at a time when the government is introducing tough new controls on costly agency spending. It will help the NHS improve continuity of care for patients, invest in the frontline and maintain safe staffing levels. Department of Health

See also:

• Nursing included on the shortage occupation list NHS Employers
• Our response to announcement that nurses are to be added to Shortage Occupation List Nursing and Midwifery Council
• ‘A real victory for nurses, the health service and patients’ - RCN responds to news that nursing will be placed on Shortage Occupation List Royal College of Nursing
• Overseas nursing restrictions eased BBC News
• Hospitals to hire more foreign nurses after Government U-turn on immigration The Daily Mail
• Overseas NHS nurses: Restrictions lifted amid widespread shortages The Daily Telegraph
• UK lifts restrictions on recruiting nurses from overseas The Guardian
• NHS staffing shortages: Restrictions on recruiting nurses from overseas to be temporarily lifted The Independent
• Nursing added to shortage occupation list OnMedica

Guidance: Cold weather plan (CWP) for England

Guidance: Cold weather plan (CWP) for England The cold weather plan gives advice to help prevent the major avoidable effects on health during periods of cold weather in England. Public Health England

Launch of the largest flu vaccination programme marks the start of NHS “Stay Well This Winter” campaign

Launch of the largest flu vaccination programme marks the start of NHS “Stay Well This Winter” campaign A major drive to help people stay well this winter is being launched today (Thursday) by Public Health England and NHS England.

It kicks off with a national flu vaccination programme for children, which this year seeks to help over three million 2-6 year olds, as the programme is extended to children in school years 1 and 2.

For the first time, all our youngest primary school children will be eligible to receive the free nasal spray vaccine, making this the largest school-based vaccination programme in England involving children in 17,000 schools.

As in previous years, the adult flu vaccine will also be offered for free to those in groups at particular risk of infection and complications from flu. The groups being offered the adult flu vaccine are:

• Pregnant women
• Those aged 65 or over
• Those aged under 65 with long-term conditions
• Carers

As well as protecting against flu, the NHS Stay Well This Winter campaign will urge people over 65 or those with long-term health conditions, such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease or respiratory illness, to prepare for winter with advice on how to ward off common illnesses. NHS England

Open consultation: National price caps for agency staff working in the NHS

Open consultation: National price caps for agency staff working in the NHS Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority (NHS TDA) propose to introduce caps on the total amount NHS providers can pay per hour for an agency worker.
The proposed hourly price caps would apply to:

• all staff groups employed by NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts: nursing, medical, all other clinical and other non-clinical staff
• all agency staff and bank staff

The price caps would not apply to substantive/permanent staff or staff employed by ambulance trusts.
Next steps

Monitor and the TDA will consider all responses to the consultation and decide whether, when and how to implement the price caps. Subject to that process, the aim is to introduce the price caps on 23 November 2015.

If you have questions relating to the consultation or proposed rules, please email agencyrules@monitor.gov.uk.

Assessing the health of people who are homeless

Assessing the health of people who are homeless This guidance is for community nurses to help them assess the health of homeless people. The resource features a template health assessment including general physical health, presence of long term conditions, substance use, mental health, sexual health and housing. It also incorporates template care plans for use by nurses and patients. The guidance is designed to promote the best possible standard of care that meets national guidelines, including existing NICE standards, Public Health England outcomes on homeless health, and the standards for commissioners and service providers by the Faculty for Homeless and Inclusion Health. The Queen's Nursing Institute

Fears grow over antibiotic resistance

Fears grow over antibiotic resistance More than 6,000 deaths a year could be caused by a continued fall in the effectiveness of antibiotics in the US, a report in The Lancet says. BBC News

See also:

• Potential burden of antibiotic resistance on surgery and cancer chemotherapy antibiotic prophylaxis in the USA: a literature review and modelling study  Lancet Infectious Diseases
• Antibiotic-resistant bugs may soon make routine operations 'impossible' The Daily Mail

Charges over Stafford patient deaths

Charges over Stafford patient deaths The trust which ran Stafford Hospital is to face criminal charges in connection with the deaths of four patients, the BBC learns. BBC News

See also:

• Mid Staffs NHS trust charged over deaths of four patients The Guardian
• Mid Staffs charged over four criminal deaths OnMedica

Are three-quarters of English hospitals really unsafe?

Are three-quarters of English hospitals really unsafe? The majority of hospitals in England are not really unsafe - of course not. That would be a staggering situation to find in the 21st century NHS.

But the way the Care Quality Commission has presented its evidence has allowed that idea to form. BBC News

See also:

• RCGP response to Care Quality Commission report on the State of Health and Social Care in England 2014/15 Royal College of General Practitioners
• Staffing and leadership crucial to care – RCN response to CQC annual report Royal College of Nursing

Departing NHS Alliance chair warns too many health staff 'out to protect status quo'

Departing NHS Alliance chair warns too many health staff 'out to protect status quo' Devon GP Dr Michael Dixon, who will stand down at the end of 2015 after 18 years as chairman of the NHS Alliance, has aimed a parting broadside at health service staff whose prime concern is to 'protect their own interests and the status quo'. GP Online

Walk the talk on inpatient falls prevention, hospitals told

Walk the talk on inpatient falls prevention, hospitals told Mismatch between stated policies and care provided; but prevention often simple and cheap. OnMedica

See also:

• National audit of inpatient falls: audit report 2015 Royal College of Physicians

Embattled NHS can learn from other health systems around the world

Embattled NHS can learn from other health systems around the world The health service is the jewel in our crown, but there are things other countries could teach us, both on outcomes and on costs.

Today, only 40% of all countries globally provide their citizens with universal healthcare. The NHS offered inspiration to many countries when it established universal healthcare in 1948. Indeed, a national poll conducted at the Olympic Games in 2012 ranked the NHS as the institution that made people “most proud to be British”, beating even the Royal Family. I have never seen such a symbiotic relationship between a country’s health system and its national identity. It runs very deep and every politician knows it.

However, our continental neighbours can boast better health outcomes in some cases, such as cancer. Survival rates in England are around 10% lower than the EU average, particularly for colon, ovarian and lung tumours. We are catching up in some areas, including breast and stomach cancer but too many people are still being diagnosed too late.

A single, or dominant, funder offers our best hope for improved population health, patient care and taxpayer Continue reading... The Guardian

Community services are vital to the NHS, they must speak out on its future

Community services are vital to the NHS, they must speak out on its future Transforming care outside hospitals is Jeremy Hunt’s ‘biggest priority’ but community services are held back by a failure to make themselves heard

Community services should be at the centre of debate about the future of the NHS. Patient focused, cost-effective and at the forefront of prevention and early intervention, they are crucial to making the health service sustainable in the face of rising demand. Health secretary Jeremy Hunt even described transforming care outside hospitals as his “biggest priority”. But community services are being held back by the relentless focus on hospitals and their own failure to make themselves heard.

There is a huge spectrum of community services, from children’s care to re-ablement, mental health support, falls prevention, podiatry, speech and language therapy, wound care, continence, dementia care and palliative care. It includes community nurses, therapists, pharmacists, and sometimes social workers. Most of it takes place in people’s homes. Continue reading... The Guardian

Doctors ask Cabinet Office to investigate Jeremy Hunt's patient deaths comments

Doctors ask Cabinet Office to investigate Jeremy Hunt's patient deaths comments Medics say health secretary breached ministerial code of conduct with claim that 11,000 patients a year die after being admitted to hospital at weekends.

Doctors have asked a Whitehall watchdog to investigate Jeremy Hunt’s claim that 11,000 patients a year die after being admitted to hospital at the weekend because too few medics are on duty. Continue reading... The Guardian

Police chiefs slams panel for failing to strike paedophile doctor off

Police chiefs slams panel for failing to strike paedophile doctor off Dr Steve Burn downloaded indecent images of children on his work computer but the Medical Practitioner's Tribunal Service only suspended him for 12 months after he begged for another chance. The Daily Telegraph

Simon Stevens’ vision for the NHS: welcome but challenging to deliver

Simon Stevens’ vision for the NHS: welcome but challenging to deliver In his keynote address at our annual integrated care summit, Simon Stevens gave what was arguably his most important speech since he took up post. His speech contained three big messages. The King's Fund

State of Care report launched

State of Care report launched Today marks the launch of the State of Care report, an annual overview of health and adult social care in England.

Analysis shows that, despite increasingly challenging circumstances, many services have managed to either improve or maintain quality. More than 80 per cent of GP practices and six out of ten of adult social care services inspected  have been rated as good or outstanding. Of the hospitals rated, 38 per cent were also found to be good or outstanding.

However, alongside these encouraging findings, there remains significant variation in quality and an unacceptable level of poor care. Up to 31 May 2015, 7 per cent of acute, primary medical and adult social care services had been rated as inadequate.

Safety is our biggest concern across all of the services we inspect. Over one in 10 hospitals and a similar proportion of adult social care services have been rated as inadequate for safety, alongside 6 per cent of GP practices and out-of-hours services. Care Quality Commission


See also:

• State of Care 2014/15 report Care Quality Commission
• Safety 'big concern' in NHS and care BBC News
• Three in four NHS hospitals are failing, says watchdog The Daily Telegraph
• David Cameron's historic opportunity to reform the NHS The Daily Telegraph
• Two-thirds of hospitals offering substandard care, says NHS regulator The Guardian

People with mental ill health and hospital use: Exploring disparities in hospital use for physical healthcare

People with mental ill health and hospital use: Exploring disparities in hospital use for physical healthcare The aim for this work is to improve understanding of how people with mental ill health use hospital services differently from those without. The differences observed should help those planning services so that resources are adequately assigned and influence future policies to continue striving towards parity of esteem. Quality Watch

See also:

• Summary report Quality Watch
• Press release Nuffield Trust
• Fivefold increased risk of emergency admission for those with mental ill health OnMedica

NMC introduces new language requirements for EU nurses and midwives

NMC introduces new language requirements for EU nurses and midwives From 18 January 2016, new language requirements come into force for EU nurses and midwives wishing to join the register. What does this mean for your workforce? NHS Employers

Study probes why patients ignore advice

Study probes why patients ignore advice UK researchers are beginning a million pound study to try to find out why many of us do not follow medical advice or stick with treatment. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: Why do people ignore doctors' advice? BBC News

VIDEO: Three years in hospital, miles from home

VIDEO: Three years in hospital, miles from home A boy with learning disabilities and autism who has been kept at a specialist hospital hundreds of miles from his home for three years faces further delays to his release. BBC News

Scottish Ebola nurse 'critically ill'

Scottish Ebola nurse 'critically ill' Scottish nurse Pauline Cafferkey, who is being treated for complications from Ebola, is now "critically ill" after her condition deteriorates. BBC News

See also:

• Ebola lingers in semen for nine months BBC News
• Pauline Cafferkey now CRITICALLY ill due to Ebola complications The Daily Mail
• Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey is now critically ill The Daily Telegraph
• Pauline Cafferkey: The British nurse who survived Ebola and is back in isolation The Independent
• Pauline Cafferkey: Rapid decline of nurse cured of Ebola leaves experts staggered The Independent

GPs urged to refer more via two-week cancer pathway to reduce deaths

GPs urged to refer more via two-week cancer pathway to reduce deaths GP practices have been urged to increase use of the two-week cancer pathway, after a study in the BMJ found that low referral rates through the scheme were linked to higher death rates in patients. GP Online

See also:

• Use of the English urgent referral pathway for suspected cancer and mortality in patients with cancer: cohort study BMJ (open access)
• GPs call for greater access to diagnostics for detecting cancer Royal College of General Practitioners
• Doctors who delay cancer tests 'cause 2,400 deaths a year' The Daily Mail
• Thousands of cancer patients dying because GPs fail to refer for tests The Daily Telegraph
• Cancer fast track scheme could have saved thousands of lives if used properly The Independent

Social care, health and housing rise to the challenge of integration

Social care, health and housing rise to the challenge of integration Changes in the care landscape are benefiting service users as support becomes more holistic

New roles are emerging and new career paths are being developed as social care, health and housing rise to the challenge of integrated services. At the same time, the job specs of existing posts are changing and new core skills are being added as organisations across the sectors, and those working for them, respond to the developing landscape.

In Greenwich, south London, care navigators are being employed to guide service users through the integrated health and care system and, crucially, prevent the need for individuals to repeat their story to other professionals. The new role, which is already being copied elsewhere in the country, is said to have achieved £900,000 savings in domiciliary care costs alone in 2013. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Housing associations bid to ease the pressure on the NHS The Guardian

The medical innovation bill seeks to save lives. In fact it will endanger them | Katherine Murphy

The medical innovation bill seeks to save lives. In fact it will endanger them | Katherine Murphy This bill would remove safeguards that protect patients and entitle them to compensation and allow treatment based on anecdotal evidence

Any medical innovation that saves lives and provides better outcomes for patients has to be a good thing. But a private member’s bill which goes before the Commons on Friday and which purports to make it easier to save lives is an ill-judged, dangerous and unnecessary attempt at legislation in this area.

The basic tenet of the access to medical treatments (innovation) bill is that doctors should be able to try untested drugs and treatments on patients without the fear of medical negligence claims. This fear of litigation, it is argued, stifles innovation, although neither the bill’s author, Conservative MP Chris Heaton-Harris, nor his backers seem able to provide any real evidence to support this claim. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS report into safe staffing levels delayed after talks with Westminster

NHS report into safe staffing levels delayed after talks with Westminster The health watchdog NICE had been told by NHS England to suspend its research on safe staffing levels in June. The Independent

Woman with broken back forced to sit on wooden chair in A&E for four hours

Woman with broken back forced to sit on wooden chair in A&E for four hours Diane King says it's not NHS staff's fault, it's those running it. The Independent

Nurses with no ward experience invited to work shifts at Northampton General Hospital

Nurses with no ward experience invited to work shifts at Northampton General Hospital Hospital bosses in Northampton are encouraging all types of nurses to join its staff ‘bank’ to help reduce it huge agency bill. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• NGH banking on local nurses Northampton General Hospital

Preparing for an ageing workforce - insights from York trust

Preparing for an ageing workforce - insights from York trust Read about what York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust are doing to address the challenges and opportunities an ageing workforce presents for them. NHS Employers

Physical health of mentally ill 'ignored'

Physical health of mentally ill 'ignored' People who have suffered mental health problems in England are five times more likely to be admitted to hospital as an emergency, a study shows. BBC News

Sugar tax evidence 'being withheld'

Sugar tax evidence 'being withheld' The head of Public Health England is being hauled before MPs amid accusations vital evidence is being withheld about the merits of a sugar tax. BBC News

400 NHS fat cats share £1m bonus despite the worst financial crisis in a generation

400 NHS fat cats share £1m bonus despite the worst financial crisis in a generation  One of the NHS's most powerful women, Dame Una O'Brien, pictured, whose role is to ensure the health service runs efficiently, was handed a £17,500 bonus. The Daily Mail