KGH staff pick up awards for outstanding service

KGH staff pick up awards for outstanding service A consultant and an administrator at Kettering General Hospital have won awards for the outstanding service they have provided to medical students who are training to become the next generation of NHS doctors. Northamptonshire Telegraph

NHS planning guidance: an opportunity for collaboration across places?

NHS planning guidance: an opportunity for collaboration across places? The new NHS planning guidance arrived just in time for Christmas. As well as asking NHS organisations to produce their own operational plans for the coming year, it also asks them to work together to make joint plans for their local health and care services – a ‘sustainability and transformation plan’. The focus for NHS policy-makers is shifting from organisations to places. But how will sustainability and transformation plans work in practice? The King's Fund

Fix dementia care hospitals

Fix dementia care hospitals This report into the quality and variation in hospital care for people with dementia has found that too many people with dementia are falling while in hospital, being discharged at night or being marooned in hospital despite their medical treatment having finished. The report launches a campaign to introduce annual statements of dementia care from each hospital, including feedback from patients with dementia, helping to raise standards of care across the country. It also calls for regulators such as Monitor and Care Quality Commission to include standards of dementia care in their assessments. Alzheimer's Society

Hidden voices of maternity: parents with learning disabilities speak out

Hidden voices of maternity: parents with learning disabilities speak out This research aims to capture the experience of a seldom-heard group and it offers recommendations for service improvements to support care to become more person- and family-centred. It found that support group and buddy schemes, community midwifery services and advocacy services were identified as positive aspects of service provision. However, the respondents identified staff attitudes, conflicting information and lack of support for breast feeding and when babies are taken away were the key negative experiences for parents with learning disabilities. Picker Institute Europe

Why hasn't the mystery of Gulf War Syndrome been solved?

Why hasn't the mystery of Gulf War Syndrome been solved? The Royal British Legion is urging the UK government to fund more research into Gulf War Syndrome, a condition reported to have affected thousands of British and US veterans. But why has no one ever properly explained it? BBC News

EU nurses face English language checks

EU nurses face English language checks Nurses and midwives coming to Britain from the EU will now need to prove they are fluent in English under new rules. BBC News

Breast surgeon charged with wounding

Breast surgeon charged with wounding A breast surgeon appears in court charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding 11 patients. BBC News

Junior doctors hit out at column blaming the 'feminisation' of NHS for causing out-of-hours crisis

Junior doctors hit out at column blaming the 'feminisation' of NHS for causing out-of-hours crisis Hundreds of female and male doctors criticised Dominic Lawson's column in the Sunday Times saying women were too obsessed with their families to work long hours. The Independent

NHS chief demands political consensus on funding elderly and social care

NHS chief demands political consensus on funding elderly and social care Simon Stevens says key to tackling the challenge of paying for care of ageing population is ‘intergenerational fairness’

Britain urgently needs a new political consensus on paying for elderly and social care, and the funding debate should consider the value of pensions and homes, the boss of the NHS has said.

Simon Stevens said one of the main questions in tackling the huge challenge of how to pay for and look after an ageing population was “intergenerational fairness”.Continue reading...  The Guardian

Will Self: the NHS is a power that can jolt even the most despairing back to life

Will Self: the NHS is a power that can jolt even the most despairing back to life My Christmas night in A&E accompanying someone on a vodka bender brought home the reality of what we ask of our guardian angel health service.

I spent much of Christmas night in A&E at St Thomas’ hospital in London, right opposite the Houses of Parliament. It was a fitting end to the year – it would be a fitting end to any year. Hell, it would – and most probably will be – a fitting end to my life. One of my sons was born in St Tom’s; my wife had cancer surgery there. That it stands in the nexus of buildings where the nation’s powers, spiritual and temporal, are arraigned seems only just − for what is free-at-the-point-of-demand healthcare in contemporary Britain if not the alpha and omega of our civil society?

We don’t simply revere the NHS − we worship it. Why wouldn’t we, given it’s a nationwide public institution with branch offices in every town and hamlet; and a mechanism for the redistribution of the most precious resource known to us: the preservation of life itself? It goes further, though, because the NHS is for many of us what takes religion’s place when it comes to contemplating our end – for, if there’s one thing we devoutly wish, it’s to cease upon the midnight hour cosseted and with no pain whatsoever. The terminal is of the essence when it comes to healthcare anyway, given the vast majority of spending on any individual takes place in the last six weeks of their life.

We’re suckers for medical science’s promise of yet more heroic − nay, Frankensteinian − interventions Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS patient survey finds sharp rise in backing for Sunday opening for GP surgeries

NHS patient survey finds sharp rise in backing for Sunday opening for GP surgeries Survey of 800,000 patients in England finds record 18.1% had to wait week or more to see doctor, leading to rise in support for Sunday opening

Record numbers of patients in England are waiting more than a week to see their GPs, prompting the proportion of those backing Sunday opening for doctors’ surgeries to top 40% for the first time.

The NHS’s six-monthly patient survey shows that while the majority are satisfied with their GPs and their access to them, a growing minority report frustration in getting appointments. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• GP practice opening hours are growing problem OnMedica

We must prioritise mental health every day, not just on Blue Monday

We must prioritise mental health every day, not just on Blue Monday Students who are suffering alone from depression and other mental illnesses should know: there is help, and you can get better. The Daily Telegraph

Down's Syndrome people risk 'extinction' at the hands of science, fear and ignorance

Down's Syndrome people risk 'extinction' at the hands of science, fear and ignorance Society doesn't do enough to show women carrying a baby with Down's that the life inside them is precious, intelligent and capable of so much. The Daily Telegraph

Press release: New Permanent Secretary for the Department of Health

Press release: New Permanent Secretary for the Department of Health Chris Wormald has been appointed as the new Permanent Secretary for the Department of Health, following Dame Una O’Brien’s recent announcement that she is to step down from the role. Chris will move across from his current role of Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education. The appointment has been made by the Cabinet Secretary with the approval of the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health. Department of Health

VIDEO: Breakthrough treatment for MS patient

VIDEO: Breakthrough treatment for MS patient Multiple sclerosis patient Steven Storey explains how a new treatment has improved his quality of life. BBC News

See also:

• Cancer treatment for MS patients gives 'remarkable' results BBC News

Dementia 'hospital Russian roulette'

Dementia 'hospital Russian roulette' Dementia patients are playing Russian roulette with their health when they are admitted to hospital in England, a charity is warning. BBC News

French brain-dead drugs trial man dies

French brain-dead drugs trial man dies A man left brain-dead after an experimental drug trial in France has died, French media report. BBC News

See also:

• The troubled history of clinical drug trials The Independent

One in four adults 'has mental illness'

One in four adults 'has mental illness' One in four adults has been diagnosed with a mental illness at some stage during their lifetime, the annual health survey for England suggests. BBC News

See also:

• A quarter of adults diagnosed with a mental illness in their lifetime Health and Social Care Information Centre
• Shocking state of England's mental health: Almost HALF of adults have battled conditions including depression - and it's women who are most likely to suffer The Daily Mail

GP leaders to debate mass resignation from practice contracts

GP leaders to debate mass resignation from practice contracts GP leaders will later this month debate proposals for mass resignation from the NHS unless a rescue package for general practice is secured. GP Online

NHS hospitals to set example for rest of country with their own 'sugar tax'

NHS hospitals to set example for rest of country with their own 'sugar tax' 'All of us working in the NHS have a responsibility, not just to support those who look after patients'. The Independent

See also:

• NHS England 'to impose 20% sugar tax' BBC News
• NHS chief to introduce sugar tax in hospitals to tackle UK obesity crisis The Guardian

A portrait of the National Health Service: 'It's almost like a religion'

A portrait of the National Health Service: 'It's almost like a religion' It employs one in 20 British workers, costs £260,000 a minute to run and deals with almost 5 million patients a week. But who are the people that keep the NHS on its feet? With the service at a crossroads, Jon Henley meets NHS staff and finds passion, dedication – and trepidation about the future Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• This is the NHS: day one of our groundbreaking project – rolling blog The Guardian
• Nye Bevan's dream: a history of the NHS The Guardian
• The National Health Service explained - video The Guardian
• The Guardian view on the NHS: how much is the nation prepared to pay? | Editorial The Guardian

The secret hospital manager's diary: 'There's a bed crisis and staff are off sick'

The secret hospital manager's diary: 'There's a bed crisis and staff are off sick' A manager says there’s no problem too big or small when running a hospital –whether it’s how to recruit more nurses or dealing with a lumpy mattress

I’m walking the dog when my pager goes off. Most people wonder why I carry one when I’m not a doctor. It should be in case of a major incident: fire, flood, power outage or a terrorist attack, where the manager coordinates the response. Today, it’s for the bed crisis. Staff are off sick and I need to sign off the cost of agency staff. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS fined £40,000 after man on mobility scooter fell to his death

NHS fined £40,000 after man on mobility scooter fell to his death Benjamin Withers plunged 12ft onto concrete when temporary barrier on elevated walkway collapsed at Fareham health centre in Hampshire

The NHS has been fined £40,000 after an 82-year-old man riding a mobility scooter fell 12ft (3.7 metres) to his death when a barrier on an elevated walkway collapsed.

Benjamin Withers was visiting Fareham health centre in Hampshire when his scooter collided with a wooden weather screen placed around the main entrance. Continue reading... The Guardian

Jeremy Hunt warns he could impose the new contracts on junior doctors if no deal can be done

Jeremy Hunt warns he could impose the new contracts on junior doctors if no deal can be done The Health Secretary said he "really hopes" he does not have to impose new contracts, which propose changes to hospital doctors' working contracts. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Jeremy Hunt says he is 'busting a gut' to ensure A&E departments will stay open if junior doctors strike again next month The Daily Telegraph
• Hunt revives threat of 'nuclear option' for junior doctors contract The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt: imposing junior doctors' contracts is last resort - video The Guardian
• Junior doctors strike: Jeremy Hunt fails to guarantee patient safety during February A&E walkout The Independent

'Cure' for MS as patients condition 'permanently' reversed

'Cure' for MS as patients condition 'permanently' reversed Wheelchair-bound patients able to walk again after stem-cell therapy. The Daily Telegraph

How will services access the new Sustainability and Transformation Fund?

How will services access the new Sustainability and Transformation Fund? The new NHS shared planning guidance covering the years up to 2020/21 contains much that is new and indeed radical. Already one element that has drawn comment is the new Sustainability and Transformation Fund.

This fund will hold £1.8 billion to support providers in deficit – money that up until now came from the Department of Health. When other funding streams that support transformation are added in, this will create a total fund of £2.1 billion. The King's Fund

Early evidence of impact in new NHS Health Check study

Early evidence of impact in new NHS Health Check study The first major evaluation of the NHS Health Check in England is published today in BMJ Open and provides encouraging evidence about the reach and the impact of the programme.

This large study led by Queen Mary University found the NHS Health Check is effectively identifying and supporting people at risk of developing cardiovascular disease. In addition, a conservative estimate based solely on medical treatment received by those at highest risk suggests that over the first five years of the programme, at least 2,500 people would have avoided a heart attack or stroke. NHS England

See also:

• The NHS Health Check in England: an evaluation of the first 4 years (open access) BMJ Open 
• NHS Health Check makes ‘modest’ but successful start OnMedica

Preparing for an ageing workforce - insights from York trust

Preparing for an ageing workforce - insights from York trust Dawn Preece has written the second in a series of blogs detailing how York trust are preparing for their ageing workforce. NHS Employers

Hundreds of families veto organ donation

Hundreds of families veto organ donation Bereaved families have blocked the organ donation of 547 UK registered donors since 2010 - about one in seven cases, figures show. BBC News

See also:

• NHS to prevent bereaved families blocking donation of relatives' organs The Daily Telegraph

Twelve-hour wait for out-of-hours GP

Twelve-hour wait for out-of-hours GP Callers to an out-of-hours GP service faced waits of more than 12 hours, posing a "significant risk to patient safety", a leaked report reveals. BBC News

Overseas nurses denied NHS jobs

Overseas nurses denied NHS jobs Thousands of nurses were denied permission to work in England last year, despite hospital staff shortages, new figures show. BBC News

GP workforce crisis set to undermine palliative care, BMA warns

GP workforce crisis set to undermine palliative care, BMA warns Providing palliative care in the community will become 'even more challenging' if GP workforce shortages and workload pressures are not addressed, the BMA has warned. GP Online

Alcohol abstinence campaigns may do more harm than good

Alcohol abstinence campaigns may do more harm than good Campaigns encouraging people to stop drinking alcohol for a month show little evidence of working and may actually do more harm than good, claims an expert writing in a debate published online today in The BMJ. OnMedica

Jeremy Hunt criticised over junior doctor fiasco – by his own chief negotiator

Jeremy Hunt criticised over junior doctor fiasco – by his own chief negotiator Sir David Dalton said that the strike demonstrated that the BMA could 'land a punch' on the Health Secretary. The Independent

Non-invasive test for Down's syndrome recommended for high-risk women

Non-invasive test for Down's syndrome recommended for high-risk women NHS advisers say that expectant mothers above a certain risk threshold should get new procedure instead of amniocentesis

A new, highly accurate test for Down’s syndrome has been recommended for high-risk women on the NHS.

The simple blood test is used to detect Down’s syndrome and can also pick up two other chromosomal disorders, Patau’s syndrome and Edwards’s syndrome. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Safer Down's test backed for NHS use BBC News
• Hundreds of babies could be saved after Down's Syndrome blood test is approved for NHS The Daily Telegraph

Gonorrhea and syphilis infections jump to five-year high

Gonorrhea and syphilis infections jump to five-year high Sexually transmitted infections are increasing in England, amid concerns over new untreatable disease strains. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Sexually transmitted infections1 and chlamydia screening in England, 2014 Public Health England

Elderly patients are refusing to leave hospital because of care costs, NHS bosses fear

Elderly patients are refusing to leave hospital because of care costs, NHS bosses fear A bed-blocking crisis is gripping NHS hospitals because pensioners do not want to pay for care, senior NHS bosses have warned, as figures show all-time high. The Daily Telegraph

Northampton General Hospital A&E prepared for all-out strike

Northampton General Hospital A&E prepared for all-out strike NGH will be able to handle all life-threatening and urgent cases even if an all-out doctors’ strike goes ahead next month, the hospital has said. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Northamptonshire care homes face crisis following £27m council cut

Northamptonshire care homes face crisis following £27m council cut A huge increase in elderly people and low rates paid by local authorities is leading to a crisis in Northamptonshire, a care home boss has said. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Progress report on strategy for adults with autism

Progress report on strategy for adults with autism This report shows what has been achieved since the publication of ‘Think Autism’, which updated the cross-government autism strategy in April 2014. It also sets 31 new actions to continue to help local areas implement the autism strategy.

The report also outlines work to help people with autism live as full and independent lives as possible. Department of Health

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

End-of-life care and physician-assisted dying: setting the scene

End-of-life care and physician-assisted dying: setting the scene This report outlines how the UK has led the way in the development of comprehensive and holistic care at the end of life, and we are recognised internationally for the standard and quality our healthcare system can provide. It does find that some problems persist, and there is significant scope for improvements to be made. This report sets the scene against which the qualitative research commissioned by the BMA has been conducted, outlining the context in which public, parliamentary, and professional debate has been conducted, and bringing together both peer-reviewed research and surveys of opinion. British Medical Association

• Volume 1: setting the scene
• Volume 2: public dialogue research
• Related information
• BMA - press release

See also:

• Doctors need training on how to tell patients they are dying, report finds The Independent

Talks resuming in junior doctors row

Talks resuming in junior doctors row Talks aimed at avoiding further NHS strikes in England are due to resume later, amid warnings the government could impose its controversial new contract on junior doctors. BBC News

See also:

• Gaza medics back striking English junior doctors BBC News
• Thousands plan to take part in the NHS's first full walk out in history The Daily Mail
• Junior doctors' strike: up to 150,000 operations and appointments at risk The Daily Telegraph
• The junior doctors' strike could easily lose public sympathy The Daily Telegraph
• Junior doctor contract talks reopen this week after strike action GP Online
• Junior doctors' strike puts issue of hours back on negotiating table The Guardian

Significant cuts to stop smoking services identified

Significant cuts to stop smoking services identified 40% of local authorities have cut stop smoking budgets. OnMedica

Doctors warn 7-day service will damage weekday services

Doctors warn 7-day service will damage weekday services 89% of doctors say 24/7 NHS will mean fewer doctors in the week. OnMedica

See also:

• Seven-day general practice: a step too far for overstretched GPs GP Online

Ebola outbreak to be declared officially over, according to the World Health Organisation

Ebola outbreak to be declared officially over, according to the World Health Organisation The UN agency is about to make the announcement, bringing to an end two years of horror — though it does not mean that the disease will not return. The Independent

Transgender people being let down by NHS, say MPs

Transgender people being let down by NHS, say MPs Parliamentary report on transgender equality finds serious deficiencies in health treatment of trans people and gender identity services.

Britain has a long way to go to ensure equality for transgender people, according to the first report on the issue produced by a UK parliamentary committee, which said the NHS is letting down the trans community.

The cross-party parliamentary inquiry on the issue was scathing about the health service, which it said was failing in its legal duty in providing equal access to services. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Women and Equalities Committee calls for equality for trans people Women and Equalities Parliamentry Select Committee
• UK 'long way' from transgender equality BBC News
• GPs poor at treating transgender patients OnMedica

Hospital A&E waiting times in England rise by a third in November

Hospital A&E waiting times in England rise by a third in November NHS England data show more than 157,000 accident and emergency patients are kept beyond four-hour target

The number of people waiting longer than four hours in hospital accident and emergency departments in England rose by a third in November compared with the same period last year, according to official figures.

NHS England data published on Thursday showed that 157,101 were kept waiting beyond the benchmark period in A&E in November, up from 117,644 in the same month in 2014. Attendances rose by 11,115 (0.9%) year-on-year. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NHS still missing many key targets BBC News

Social care is vital to the NHS, but they are further apart than ever

Social care is vital to the NHS, but they are further apart than ever There is still little evidence of joined-up services, even though the deep divide between health and care damages both

There are many pitfalls to predicting what will happen in the future. Peter Drucker, the management guru, puts it like this: “Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window.”

So, mindful that my glimpse into the new year is but a stab in the dark, I think we can still predict with reasonable confidence that 2016 will be every bit as difficult as 2015. Given what we now know about the spending review settlement, my sense is that we failed to convince the Treasury about the vital role of social care and get across the message that social care services are crucial to the effective operation of the NHS. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Social care: the state of the care home market (England) House of Commons Library
• Social care in 2016: ‘Financial prospects could not be worse’  The Guardian
• A major care provider will fail in 2016 The Guardian
• Softening the blow for residents when a care home closes The Guardian

Landmark case puts NHS Trust on trial alongside two doctors it is claimed were underqualified

Landmark case puts NHS Trust on trial alongside two doctors it is claimed were underqualified Court hears two underqualified doctors watched as a previously healthy young woman lay dying without taking the basic steps that could have saved her. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Caesarean death 'wholly avoidable' BBC News
• 'Basic failures led to death of healthy mother after Caesarean birth' The Independent
• Doctor 'failed to protect airway' of mother who died after giving birth, court hears The Independent

Extra £8m to tackle Corby health problems

Extra £8m to tackle Corby health problems Corby doctors are to receive one of the highest budget increases in the country for the next financial year. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northampton General Hospital providing companions to ensure no one dies alone

Northampton General Hospital providing companions to ensure no one dies alone Volunteers at Northampton General Hospital are leading a pilot project to provide companionship and support for patients receiving end-of-life care so that no patient dies alone. Northants Herald and Post

‘Tired doctors will make poor decisions’, say picketing Northampton General Hospital medics

‘Tired doctors will make poor decisions’, say picketing Northampton General Hospital medics Junior doctors have been picketing Northampton General Hospital on the first day of their 24-hour strike. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Nurse at Northampton General Hospital accused of failing to monitor baby properly

Nurse at Northampton General Hospital accused of failing to monitor baby properly A neonatal nurse employed by Northampton General Hospital faces a disciplinary hearing for allegedly failing to record observations of sick baby then trying to cover it up. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Using data to improve dementia care in England

Using data to improve dementia care in England A new Dementia Profile, developed by Public Health England’s (PHE’s) National Dementia Intelligence Network (DIN), presents a major change in the way dementia data will be used locally.

For the first time, the profile will enable bespoke comparison between local authorities and CCG’s in England in one, interactive online platform.

The profile shares key information, such as how many people have dementia broken down by area and age; the number of people who have received an NHS health check; the number of people who have depression; emergency hospital admission numbers; and where people with dementia die.

The launch of this profile will help commissioners fulfil objectives set out in the NHS planning guidance by making information readily available to identify variation, investigate the reasons for any differences and improve outcome. Public Health England

CCG allocations 2016/17 to 2020/21

CCG allocations 2016/17 to 2020/21 Detailed allocations for CCG geographies for programme funding and running costs for 2016/17 to 2020/21. NHS England

Work starts to avert next NHS strike

Work starts to avert next NHS strike Attempts begin to avert a second doctors' strike in England, as hospitals battle to re-arrange the thousands of operations postponed amid the dispute. BBC News

See also:

• Solid support for junior doctor industrial action across England sends clear message to Government as thousands attend pickets British Medical Association
• Junior doctor contract negotiations Department of Health
• Junior doctors' industrial action resources for employers NHS Employers
• Update on industrial action by junior doctors NHS England
• RCGP statement on action by junior doctors Royal College of General Practitioners
• Doctors' strike is unnecessary - Hunt BBC News
• Hospital orders striking doctors to work BBC News
• The moment a striking junior doctor LEAVES his picket line to help a collapsed man The Daily Mail
• NHS junior doctors strike for the first time in 40 years The Daily Mail
• National Health Singers join junior doctors picket line outside Great Ormond Street Hospital The Daily Telegraph
• On the picket line with junior doctors on strike The Daily Telegraph
• Strike all you like, doctors - technology will soon take away your power The Daily Telegraph
• The junior doctors' strike will leave a bitter legacy The Daily Telegraph
• GPs join picket lines as junior doctors strike begins GP Online
• First junior doctors' strike ends amid fresh optimism over deal The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt pressures junior doctors to end strike The Guardian
• Who has come out on top after the first junior doctors' strike in 40 years? The Guardian
• 'We would not be striking if we had any other alternative' - junior doctors speak The Guardian
• Hunt urges BMA to return to talks as junior doctors strike - video The Guardian
• Department of Health adviser 'gagged' in Sky interview on junior doctors' strike The Guardian
• The junior doctors' protest has united my entire profession The Guardian
• Junior doctors' strike: BMA accuses ministers of causing 'fundamental breakdown of trust' The Independent
• Junior doctors' strike: 'We are fighting to save an NHS system we believe in - we think the public understands that' The Independent

Do we need more than two genders?

Do we need more than two genders? A growing number of people refuse to be put into male or female categories, either because they do not identify as male or female, or because they are going through transition to the opposite gender. BBC News

Patient deaths trust to be monitored

Patient deaths trust to be monitored An external expert is to assist Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust to improve how it investigates deaths of patients with learning disabilities. BBC News

See also:

• Press release: Southern Health to get expert help to improve investigations into deaths Monitor

Latest inspections rate 75% of GP practices as good

Latest inspections rate 75% of GP practices as good More than 2,000 inspections show most GP services work well. OnMedica

NHS Providers chair says people fear dementia MORE than cancer

NHS Providers chair says people fear dementia MORE than cancer Dementia research lags 25 years behind progress made in cancer, according to Dame Gill Morgan, chair of NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts. The Daily Mail

2016 is make or break time for the NHS

2016 is make or break time for the NHS The health service cannot afford inefficiency or poor productivity, yet too often the focus is on the one-off, short term and tactical

“It’s a new year, it’s a new dawn, it’s a new life for me and I’m feeling good,” to misquote Nina Simone. But sadly not everyone starts the new year with optimism. For the NHS, 2016 really does appear to be make or break time.

The NHS is in a financial maelstrom – more than three-quarters of all providers are in deficit, amounting to a whopping £1.6bn just halfway through the financial year. Last year’s spending review provided upfront funding for the NHS in 2016-17, but this is short lived. Continue reading... The Guardian

DNA-testing kit 23andme: patient-powered healthcare or just confusing?

DNA-testing kit 23andme: patient-powered healthcare or just confusing? The self-testing genetics kit claims to provide affordable information on potential health conditions but critics fear it could have negative implications.

How do you fancy spitting into a tube and finding out about your genes? You can buy one online now and get details of your ancestry, carrier status of various inherited diseases, risk of common conditions and random wacky facts such as whether you’re likely to develop male-pattern baldness. Not bad for £124.99 from Superdrug. Continue reading... The Guardian

Compliments for ambulance crews in Northamptonshire outweigh complaints by 20 to 1, according to trust

Compliments for ambulance crews in Northamptonshire outweigh complaints by 20 to 1, according to trust More people compliment East Midlands Ambulance Service than complain about it, according to new figures published by the trust. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Compassionate care means supporting staff as well as patients

Compassionate care means supporting staff as well as patients One thing I was pleased to tick off the ‘to-do’ list last week was completing The King’s Fund staff satisfaction survey. It’s nice to be asked how you feel about your job and encouragingly here at the Fund, staff have reported relatively high levels of engagement over the past three survey rounds.

In contrast, the results from the NHS Staff Survey published earlier this year showed staff engagement, job satisfaction and motivation scores fell slightly (but not significantly) between 2013 and 2014. Willingness to recommend the NHS as a place to work also fell – and this was a significant drop. There was an increase in staff reporting they felt under pressure at work, a rise in unhappiness over pay and a rise in reported bullying and harassment from colleagues. On a more positive note, there was an increase in the number of staff reporting they were able to make suggestions for improvement and staff reporting they were involved in decision-making with senior management. The King's Fund

Withdrawal of LAT posts in England

Withdrawal of LAT posts in England Information on the withdrawal of specialty locum training posts in England from 1 Jan 2016. NHS Employers

Patients hit by junior doctors' strike

Patients hit by junior doctors' strike Thousands of patients have had treatments cancelled as junior doctors in England prepare to begin a 24-hour strike in a dispute over a new contract. BBC News

See also:

• NHS England statement in advance of industrial action on Tuesday 12 January and Wednesday 13 January NHS England
• Majority support doctor strike - poll BBC News
• VIDEO: Why are junior doctors going on strike? BBC News
• PM asks doctors to call off strike BBC News
• Don't strike tomorrow, David Cameron urges medics: Walkout by junior doctors will be 'damaging and cause real difficulties for patients' The Daily Mail
• True cost of the doctors' strike revealed as 4,000 operations are cancelled The Daily Mail
• Junior doctor strikes will not have major impact on GP services, says GPC GP Online
• Hospitals forced to postpone 4,000 operations due to junior doctors strike The Guardian
• Junior doctors strike in England - live updates The Guardian
• Why are junior doctors going on strike? - video explainer The Guardian
• All NHS staff support the junior doctors’ strike action | Letters The Guardian
• More than 7,000 medical students pledge support for junior doctors ahead of beginning of industrial action in England The Independent
• Junior doctors' strike: Two-thirds of public back action as walkout looms The Independent
• Junior doctors' strike: How the walkout affects you The Independent 
• Chief medical officer calls on junior doctors to suspend strike OnMedica

First child 'DNA diagnoses' in project

First child 'DNA diagnoses' in project The first children with debilitating, "mystery" diseases have finally been given a diagnosis as part of a huge scheme to analyse people's DNA. BBC News

See also

• Children suffering mystery illnesses finally diagnosed through gene screening The Daily Telegraph

Women and low earners 'wait longer for brain tumour diagnoses'

Women and low earners 'wait longer for brain tumour diagnoses' The Brain Tumour Charity called the disparity "worrying". The Independent

See also:

• Finding Myself in Your Hands: The Reality of Brain Tumour Treatment and Care The Brain Tumour Charity
• Women and low-income patients 'twice as likely to suffer delays in brain tumour diagnosis' The Guardian
• Women with brain cancer face unacceptable delays in diagnosis OnMedica

Worrying rise of fake paramedics who could put patients in danger

Worrying rise of fake paramedics who could put patients in danger  There's been a rise in the number of cases of people impersonating paramedics, even showing up at accidents to 'treat' patients. The Daily Mail

Why are health chiefs playing petty politics instead of tackling obesity?

Why are health chiefs playing petty politics instead of tackling obesity? The painfully right-on medical establishment is more comfortable defending its own pay or picking on casual drinkers than dealing with real problems. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Lazy patients are crippling the NHS, doctors warn: Weight loss and lifestyle changes are 'more important than extra funding' The Daily Mail

NHS 'paid out more than £90 million in redundancy to staff it then rehired'

NHS 'paid out more than £90 million in redundancy to staff it then rehired' New figures reveal that more than 2,600 staff were laid off and rehired in the three years from April 2012. The Daily Telegraph

How High-Need Patients Experience the Health Care System in Nine Countries

How High-Need Patients Experience the Health Care System in Nine Countries This analysis uses data from the Commonwealth Fund 2014 International Health Policy Survey of Older Adults to investigate health care use, quality, and experiences among high-need patients in nine countries compared with other older adults. The Commonwealth Fund

Junior Doctors Strike - Health leaders urge residents to reduce pressures on county NHS services

Junior Doctors Strike - Health leaders urge residents to reduce pressures on county NHS services NHS Nene and NHS Corby Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are urging residents in Northamptonshire to help reduce pressure on local NHS services following an announcement that junior doctors will take part in a series of strike action this month. Northants Herald and Post

See also:

• Junior Doctors Industrial Action 2016 Kettering General Hospital
• Junior Doctors Strike - Health leaders urge residents to help reduce pressures on local NHS services Nene and Corby CCGs
• Junior doctors' industrial action: information for patients Northampton General Hospital
• NHFT response and preparedness for junior doctors strike activity Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Independent report: Educating health professionals to support vulnerable groups

Independent report: Educating health professionals to support vulnerable groups The Inclusion Health programme aims to improve the health and well-being of homeless people and other vulnerable groups. This report emphasises the need for a combination of clinical and non-clinical skills and knowledge in working with these groups, and identifies possible opportunities for strengthening education and training of health care professionals.

The report reviews:

• the level of skills, awareness and knowledge of health professionals to support vulnerable groups
• the barriers to health and care services faced by these groups
• the current professional guidance on Inclusion Health issues, that is working with and caring for vulnerable groups
• the commitment of education providers to include Inclusion Health issues in wider training, drawing on the views and experience of health professionals

Department of Health

PM pledges extra mental health support

PM pledges extra mental health support David Cameron will call for a "more mature" conversation about mental health as he gives details about how extra money for services in England will be spent. BBC News

See also:

• Press release: Prime Minister pledges a revolution in mental health treatment Department of Health
• NHS to give specialist help to tackle mental strain of childbirth The Guardian
• Pregnant women and new mothers to receive specialist care as part of mental health shake-up The Independent

Junior doctors' strike: Mixed feelings among patients and visitors ahead of walkout

Junior doctors' strike: Mixed feelings among patients and visitors ahead of walkout Those visiting sick family and friends express support for doctors, but some fear the strike might endanger lives. The Independent

See also:

• News story: Junior doctor contract negotiations Department of Health
• Call to suspend junior doctors' strike BBC News
• Junior doctors' strike of 1975 BBC News
• Jeremy Hunt warns junior doctors strike will harm patients The Daily Telegraph
• The BMA must put patients before politics The Daily Telegraph
• Doctors union is 'in the grip of advanced Corbynitis' says Boris The Daily Telegraph
• Fears that strike could tip NHS 'over the edge' as winter pressures mount The Daily Telegraph
• Jeremy Hunt's 'dangerous' battle with doctors condemned by ex-minister The Guardian
• Hunt accuses BMA of using doctors' strike for political point scoring The Guardian
• Linking junior doctors and terror is cheap politics The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt can take on the junior doctors by showing he’s for the NHS The Guardian
• Junior doctors' strike: BMA and Government accuse each other of putting patients at risk as walkout looms The Independent
• Demands for inquiry into Whitehall's sexed-up letter from NHS boss warning of junior doctors strike The Independent
• Sir Bruce Keogh: More than a thousand doctors demand resignation of NHS Medical Director The Independent
• NHS managers warn junior doctors against participating in Tuesday strike Pulse

Cancer patients at risk of losing their homes due to Government cuts, charity warns

Cancer patients at risk of losing their homes due to Government cuts, charity warns Macmillan Cancer Support says cuts to ESA could leave 10% of people with cancer struggling to pay for their home. The Independent

See also:

• Benefits cuts put cancer patients at risk of homelessness Macmillan Cancer Support

GPs 'still being paid to cut cancer test referrals'

GPs 'still being paid to cut cancer test referrals' NHS Lambeth CCG and NHS North East Lincolnshire CCG have argued the tests are costly and can be unnecessary in some cases. But leading doctors called it 'ethically questionable.' The Daily Mail

See also:

• GPs continue to be offered 'questionable' incentives to delay cancer referrals Pulse
• RCGP response to Pulse article on payment for non-referrals Royal College of General Practitioners

Overwhelmed hospitals sent A&E patients away 89 times in five weeks

Overwhelmed hospitals sent A&E patients away 89 times in five weeks NHS England’s winter figures show trusts have declared ‘operational problems’ 141 times and suffered string of ‘black alerts’

Hospitals have had to send patients elsewhere for treatment 89 times over the last five weeks because their own A&E unit was so busy, official NHS figures released on Friday show.

In addition, hospital trusts in England have run into “operational problems” no fewer than 141 times as they have struggled to cope with increased demand for care since the NHS’s winter pressures reporting system began collecting data on 30 November. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• A&E already in crisis as patients are turned away and operations cancelled by hospitals on 'black alert' The Daily Mail

Student nurses and midwives protest over NHS bursary plans

Student nurses and midwives protest over NHS bursary plans March to Downing Street in London in response to chancellor’s plan to replace bursaries with loans.

Student nurses and midwives marched through central London in protest against government plans to axe the NHS student bursary. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Student nurse grants cut protest BBC News
• Student nurses and midwives march through London in protest The Daily Mail
• Student nurses protest over bursary changes The Daily Telegraph
• Student nurses and midwives vow to 'defend our NHS' as health workers prepare to march on Downing Street following bursary scrap The Independent

Northampton General Hospital submits plan for extension to include second MRI suite and more beds

Northampton General Hospital submits plan for extension to include second MRI suite and more beds Plans for a three-story extension to part of Northampton General Hospital to allow a second MRI scanner to be installed has been submitted to the borough council. Northants Herald and Post

Wellingborough Council to continue using controversial weedkiller despite global cancer risk concerns

Wellingborough Council to continue using controversial weedkiller despite global cancer risk concerns Wellingborough Council is set to continue using a controversial weedkiller despite it being branded a cancer risk by global health bosses. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Understanding the whole person: What are the common concepts for recovery and desistance across the fields of mental health, substance misuse and criminology?

Understanding the whole person: What are the common concepts for recovery and desistance across the fields of mental health, substance misuse and criminology? This review finds that people facing complex needs and disadvantaged lives will see many common steps across their recovery journeys. Revolving Doors

PHE confirms flu is now circulating

PHE confirms flu is now circulating Latest figures indicate flu is now circulating in the community, with increases seen for several indicators in particular influenza confirmed hospitalisations amongst younger adults.

Based on this advice, the Department of Health (DH) is issuing guidance on the use of antiviral drugs in primary care for the management of people presenting with flu-like illness in England who are at higher risk of developing complications from flu.

Virus surveillance from the UK and elsewhere in Europe shows the strain A(H1N1)pdm09 is now the main seasonal flu virus.

The viruses characterised so far this season are well-matched to the vaccine strain. Public Health England

New alcohol guidelines show increased risk of cancer

New alcohol guidelines show increased risk of cancer New guidelines for alcohol consumption, produced by the UK Chief Medical Officers, warn that drinking any level of alcohol increases the risk of a range of cancers. This is supported by a new review from the Committee on Carcinogenicity (CoC) on alcohol and cancer risk .

This review also found that the benefits of alcohol for heart health only apply for women aged 55 and over. The greatest benefit is seen when these women limit their intake to around 5 units a week, the equivalent of around 2 standard glasses of wine. The group concluded that there is no justification for drinking for health reasons.

These issues prompted changes to alcohol guidelines for men. Men should not drink more than 14 units of alcohol each week, the same level as for women. This equals 6 pints of average strength beer a week, which would mean a low risk of illnesses such as liver disease or cancer. The previous guidelines were 21 units for men and 14 units for women per week.

The guidelines for pregnant women have also been updated to clarify that no level of alcohol is safe to drink in pregnancy. The previous advice for pregnant women to limit themselves to no more than 1 to 2 units of alcohol once or twice per week has been removed to provide greater clarity as a precaution. Department of Health

See also

• Guidance: Consumption of alcoholic beverages and risk of cancer Department of Health
• Alcohol limits cut to reduce risks BBC News
• The truth about alcohol BBC News
• VIDEO: Do you drink more than you think? BBC News
• Alcohol guidelines shake-up set to rubbish Red Wine's health benefits The Daily Mail
• The new drinking guidelines are hyperbolic and puritan The Daily Telegraph
• Health chiefs attacked over 'nanny state' alcohol guide The Daily Telegraph
• Three pints of beer a night considered for 'binge drink' limit The Daily Telegraph
• Cancer risk 'increased' by drinking more than one glass of wine or pint of beer per day, experts warn The Independent
• Red wine is not good for you after all, chief medical officer says The Independent

CQC appoints first National Guardian for the freedom to speak up in the NHS

CQC appoints first National Guardian for the freedom to speak up in the NHS The CQC has the appointment of Dame Eileen Sills, the Chief Nurse at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, as the first National Guardian for speaking up safely in the NHS. Care Quality Commission 

Contracted-out health and disability assessments

Contracted-out health and disability assessments The Department for Work and Pensions has strengthened its oversight and management of contracted-out health and disability assessments, but it has not yet achieved value for money according to a new report.

The Department uses health and disability assessments to help decide if people are eligible for benefits or to help those on long-term sick leave back into work. Between April 2015 and March 2018, the Department expects to carry out around 7 million assessments which it estimates will cost a total of £1.6 billion.

Today’s report found that the cost of providing assessments is rising and providers are still struggling to meet expected performance standards. National Audit Office

Tipping the scales: why preventing obesity makes economic sense

Tipping the scales: why preventing obesity makes economic sense This report, written with Cancer Research UK, finds that rising rates of obesity and overweight could lead to 700,000 new cancer cases in the UK, as well as millions of new cases of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke. This would cost the NHS an additional £2.5 billion a year by 2035 over and above what is already spent on obesity related disease. However, the study shows that small changes can have dramatic impacts - for example, a one per cent reduction in the number of overweight or obese people every year could prevent more than 64,000 cancer cases over the next 20 years and save the NHS £300 million in 2035 alone. UK Health Forum

Exclusive: Officials set to announce seven-day GP service roll out within weeks

Exclusive: Officials set to announce seven-day GP service roll out within weeks The government and NHS England are preparing to announce the latest stage in the roll-out of seven-day GP services across England, GP Online can reveal.

BMA faces threat of legal action after official calls for other unions to join junior doctors' strike

BMA faces threat of legal action after official calls for other unions to join junior doctors' strike Dr Yannis Gourtsoyannis calls for 'activists and trade unionists' across country to 'turn up on the days of action'. The Independent

See also:

• British Medical Association accused of issuing a 'call to arms' ahead of strikes The Daily Telegraph
• Jeremy Hunt accused of politicising Paris attacks in doctors dispute The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt’s war on junior doctors leaves them little choice | Letters The Guardian
• Junior doctors: Whitehall edited letter from 'independent' medic to build 'hard-edged' case against strike The Independent
• Sir Bruce Keogh: The respected doctor exploited for political gains The Independent

Dementia charity warned to take action over data protection failings

Dementia charity warned to take action over data protection failings An investigation found that Alzheimer's Society used their personal email addresses to share information about people who used the charity. The Daily Telegraph

Northamptonshire finance chief says £7.5m government cut is ‘biggest battle’ county council has ever faced

Northamptonshire finance chief says £7.5m government cut is ‘biggest battle’ county council has ever faced The finance chief at Northamptonshire County Council says a £7.5 million cut in its government funding shows Westminster “just doesn't understand the pressures” the authority is under. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Should patients pay to see the GP?

Should patients pay to see the GP? Copayments could raise much needed funds for the health system, thinks David Jones, but Nancy Loader worries about increased overall cost and harms to patients BMJ editorial (open access).

See also:

• RCGP response to BMJ Editorial on charging patients for GP consultations Royal College of General Practitioners

Over 10,000 nursing vacancies in London

Over 10,000 nursing vacancies in London More than 10,000 vacancies for nursing posts in London were unfilled in 2015, new figures from the Royal College of Nursing show. BBC News

Obesity 'linked to cancer rise'

Obesity 'linked to cancer rise' Rising levels of obesity could be linked to an additional 670,000 cases of cancer in the next 20 years, a report by Cancer Research UK predicts. BBC News

See also:

• Being overweight or obese could cause around 700,000 new UK cancers by 2035 Cancer Research UK
• Obesity will fuel 700,000 cancer cases in 20 years costing NHS £7.5bn The Daily Mail
• Sugar reduction in fizzy drinks and fruit juice 'would stop 1.5m Britons becoming obese' The Daily Mail
• Obesity could lead to 700,000 more cancer cases in next 20 years The Guardian

Scheme to cut bed blocking saw 69% rise

Scheme to cut bed blocking saw 69% rise A new health scheme designed to reduce the rate of hospital bed blocking instead seen figures soar by 69%. BBC News

NHS reorganisation causing GP retention crisis, study suggests

NHS reorganisation causing GP retention crisis, study suggests Many doctors are leaving general practice early because of rising bureaucracy and reduced time for patient care

The reorganisation of the NHS and increased workload pressures are causing a crisis in the retention of GPs, a study suggests.

Many doctors are leaving general practice early because of rising bureaucracy and reduced time for patient care. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Lost to the NHS: a mixed methods study of why GPs leave practice early in England (open access) British Journal of General Practice
• RCGP response to research linking bureaucracy in general practice to GPs leaving the profession Royal College of General Practitioners
• GPs forced out of profession by workload and NHS reorganisation, study shows GP Online

Will 2016 push the NHS over the edge of chaos?

Will 2016 push the NHS over the edge of chaos? The health service could tumble into a zone where organisations do not innovate, but instead disintegrate.

Complexity theorists point to the importance of system environment on organisational performance – at one end of the spectrum there is a stable and low change setting, at the other an unstable and high change setting. Since 2010 the NHS has been anything but stable, and the NHS community must be desperate for a spell of stability in 2016. Unfortunately, it is likely to get the opposite – turbulence bordering on chaos.

First, there is the ongoing financial turbulence. The pledges of protection for the NHS budget during the 2015 general election have swiftly unravelled. The widely promised extra £8bn would have been delayed by the Treasury but for the calculated intervention of NHS England boss, Simon Stevens, who managed to get some frontloaded concessions. Even so, the settlements anticipated between 2018 and 2020 are historically low and the £22bn of efficiency savings are still expected to materialise. On top of this, public health spending is being cut, social care continues to be financially crucified and calls for transformation funding to ease the process of change are going unheeded. Meanwhile, patients and service users continue to turn up in their droves and carers quietly buckle under the strain of unsupported care. Continue reading... The Guardian

GP surgeries in UK reach 'breaking point' and close doors to new patients

GP surgeries in UK reach 'breaking point' and close doors to new patients Practices are struggling to cope with rising demands. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• RCGP response to BBC analysis of GP patient lists Royal College of General Practitioners
• Hundreds of GP surgeries stop taking on new patients over fears staff shortages are risking practice safety The Daily Mail
• GPs surgeries in England close their lists OnMedica