Floss or not?

Floss or not? An investigation into flossing finds years of dental recommendations are backed up by "unreliable" research, so should you floss or not? BBC News

Two-year tariff ‘can help stabilise NHS planning’

Two-year tariff ‘can help stabilise NHS planning’ CCGs invited to comment on potential impact of NHS improvement’s proposals. OnMedica

What can the UK learn from New York's approach to mental health?

What can the UK learn from New York's approach to mental health? New York’s mayor has thrown his weight behind a mental health programme focusing on prevention and recovery – the UK should take notice

New York mayor Bill de Blasio’s new programme of mental health spending is impressive in its scale, leadership and depth of resources, and could provide a lesson for central and local government leaders in the UK.

The programme, Thrive, comes with a mental health roadmap [pdf] for the city that states its ambitious aims: “It is our goal to not only reduce the toll of mental illness, but also promote mental health and protect New Yorkers’ resiliency, self-esteem, family strength and joy.” Continue reading... The Guardian

Anger after NHS warns PrEP HIV drug could put other treatments at risk

Anger after NHS warns PrEP HIV drug could put other treatments at risk NHS England says funding preventive pill may mean it cannot pay to treat conditions such as cystic fibrosis after court ruling

A warning from NHS England that it cannot confirm funding for drugs to treat rare conditions including cystic fibrosis in children if it is to pay for an HIV prevention pill has been criticised by Aids campaigners.

The high court ruled on Wednesday that NHS England can fund pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication that cuts the risk of HIV infection by almost 90% and is aimed particularly at men who have unprotected sex with multiple male partners. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• August update on the commissioning and provision of Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PREP) for HIV prevention NHS England
• HIV is back on the front pages The King's Fund
• NHS cut raft of new treatments after HIV drug High Court ruling The Daily Mail
• The Daily Mail’s PrEP story was like going back to the dark old days of the 80s The Guardian
• PrEP HIV drugs: fight for limited NHS funds takes unedifying turn The Guardian

More than half of supermarket discounts are for unhealthy options

More than half of supermarket discounts are for unhealthy options Only a third of fruit and vegetables were discounted, compared to 52 per cent of confectionery, according to analysis of supermarket offers by consumer group Which? The Daily Mail

See also:

• Call for supermarket price offers on healthy food BBC News
• Supermarkets accused of promoting obesity by allowing 'special offers' on seven out of 10 fizzy drinks The Daily Telegraph
• Supermarkets urged to cut prices on healthy food OnMedica

British abuse of prescription drugs some of the worst in Europe

British abuse of prescription drugs some of the worst in Europe Endemic misuse of prescription drugs has traditionally been thought of as a US affliction, but new research suggests European habits are catching up, with Britain one of the worst offenders.

A new study, based on surveys of more than 20,000 people, indicates UK adults are the most likely in Europe to abuse stimulant prescription drugs such as Ritalin and types of amphetamine.

Almost one in 10 British people aged 18 or older admitted to a lifetime pattern of stimulant abuse, ahead of Spain on 6.8 per cent and Sweden on 6.1. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Nonmedical use of prescription drugs in the European Union (open access) BMC Psychiatry 

Spending on diabetes prescriptions doubles to £1 billion in ten years

Spending on diabetes prescriptions doubles to £1 billion in ten years The escalating diabetes crisis is now costing the NHS almost £1 billion a year in prescriptions to treat and manage the disease.

Total spending spiralled by £88 million over the last financial year and now makes up 10.6 per cent of the total cost of all prescribing in GP surgeries and other primary care.

The £956.7 million cost for 2015-16 is almost double the £513.9 million spent in 2005-06, when diabetes drugs accounted for 6.6 per cent of the overall spend.

It means the taxpayer in England is spending around £2.6 million each day on drugs for all cases of the disease, of which a significant proportion are linked to obesity and unhealthy lifestyles. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Rising cost of drugs for diabetes approaches £1 billion per year NHS Digital
• The soaring cost of diabetes: NHS spending nearly DOUBLES in a decade thanks to the nation's bulging waistline The Daily Mail
• Diabetes drugs cost NHS nearly £1bn a year The Guardian
• Diabetes drugs costs NHS England nearly £1bn a year OnMedica

Local tobacco control profiles for England: August 2016 data update

Local tobacco control profiles for England: August 2016 data update The Local Tobacco Control Profiles The data is presented in an interactive tool that allows users to view it in a user-friendly format. The profiles provide a snapshot of the extent of tobacco use, tobacco related harm, and measures being taken to reduce this harm at a local level. These profiles have been designed to help local government and health services to assess the effect of tobacco use on their local populations. Public Health England

See also:

•  Health Profiles: August 2016 data update Public Health England

Helping in hospitals: a guide to high impact volunteering in hospitals

Helping in hospitals: a guide to high impact volunteering in hospitals The Helping in Hospitals programme was founded on the belief that much more can be achieved through well-designed and implemented volunteering in hospital settings - that we are only scratching the surface of what volunteering can do for hospital life. With funding from the Cabinet Office and the Department of Health, Helping in Hospitals worked with ten hospital trusts from 2014 to 2016 to help them build significant impact volunteering programmes. This included increasing both the scale and scope of impact volunteering in hospitals. This guide provides further details on how the hospital trusts developed their volunteering programmes. Nesta

Aligning Incentives for Value: The Internal Performance Framework at Partners HealthCare

Aligning Incentives for Value: The Internal Performance Framework at Partners HealthCare The authors describe how how Partners HealthCare, an integrated delivery system in Massachusetts, developed a system wide approach to accountable care and translated it to physicians on the front lines. The Commonwealth Fund

HIV campaigners win NHS drug battle

HIV campaigners win NHS drug battle The High Court has told the NHS in England it can fund a drug that can prevent HIV - after health bosses argued it was not their responsibility.

NHS England previously said councils should provide the pre-exposure prophylaxis (Prep) drug as they are in charge of preventative health.

This stance was successfully challenged by the National Aids Trust (NAT).

But the High Court ruling does not make funding of Prep automatic and the NHS is set to appeal. BBC News

See also:

• August update on the commissioning and provision of Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PREP) for HIV prevention NHS England
• Dr Dan Poulter: NHS HIV drug decision 'extraordinary' BBC News
• HIV drug row: A very modern dilemma for the NHS BBC News
• HIV wonder drug 'pre-exposure prophylaxis' is given the green light The Dail Mail
• Aids charity wins battle over funding for HIV preventative treatment The Daily Telegraph
• PrEP rationing is symptomatic of NHS bid to cut costs, at all costs The Guardian
• Users of HIV prevention PrEP urge NHS to fund 'life-changing' medicine The Guardian
• NHS can fund 'game-changing' PrEP HIV drug, court says The Guardian
• The NHS must show it cares about gay men’s lives – and roll out PrEP HIV drugs The Guardian
• High Court rules NHS England can legally fund new HIV prevention drug PrEP after charity wins case The Independent
• High Court rules NHS England must fund HIV drug OnMedica

Eating disorders: Patients with 'wrong weight' refused care

Eating disorders: Patients with 'wrong weight' refused care A BBC Breakfast investigation has found some eating disorder patients are being refused mental health treatment because their BMI is either too high or too low.

Distressing sexual problems 'for tenth of young UK men'

Distressing sexual problems 'for tenth of young UK men' At least one in 10 of UK 16-21 year-olds questioned in a survey admits to having a "distressing sexual problem" in the past year.

Researchers analysed data from 1,875 sexually active and 517 sexually inactive people aged 16 to 21.

The findings have been published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Climaxing, erectile dysfunction and lack of interest in sex are some of the main issues for which people are seeking professional help.

The survey is being described as "largest scientific study" of sexual health lifestyles in Britain.

It concluded that around one in 10 men and one in eight women aged 16 to 21 in Britain who are sexually active have experienced a "distressing" sexual problem lasting at least three months in the past year. BBC News

See also:

• Sexual Function in 16- to 21-Year-Olds in Britain (open access) Journal of Adolescent Health

Life as a young carer: 'People rely on you more'

Life as a young carer: 'People rely on you more' Saskia speaks about her experience of life as a young carer looking after her father and how family life is adjusting to the situation. BBC News

Scientists came to a fascinating conclusion after looking at the DNA of thousands of people with depression

Scientists came to a fascinating conclusion after looking at the DNA of thousands of people with depression A team of scientists pinpointed 17 genetic tweaks, or SNPs (pronounced "snips"), that appear to be tied to MDD. The Independent

See also:

• Identification of 15 genetic loci associated with risk of major depression in individuals of European descent (abstract) Nature Genetics
• Are you BORN with depression? Landmark gene scan finds 'more than a dozen genes that fuel the disorder' The Daily Mail
• Genetic clues may unlock causes of depression OnMedica

How can health and social care employers help staff development?

How can health and social care employers help staff development? Continuous learning is vital for those working in health and social care, but quality training resources and study time are hard to find. Is e-learning the answer?

Professional learning and development are essential parts of any career in health and social care, and leaders across both sectors want to create a culture of lifelong learning among their staff.

Despite this, 57% of health and social care staff don’t feel they have opportunities to take training to further their career and just over two-thirds (68%) don’t feel they have enough training to do their job, according to the results of a recent Guardian survey. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS chief on record £60,000 a month as numbers 'off payroll' soar

NHS chief on record £60,000 a month as numbers 'off payroll' soar A cash-strapped NHS trust has paid a temporary manager at rates of £60,000 a month – the highest in the history of the health service.

The payment is revealed in a Telegraph investigation which shows soaring numbers of health service bureaucrats are being paid “off payroll” - despite repeated Government pledges to clamp down on the practice.

Ministers promised to act amid concerns that the schemes were helping some managers to minimise tax liabilities and hiding “excessive and indefensible” payments. The Daily Telegraph

EMAS sets up frequent callers team after one man rings for ambulance 500 times in 12 months

EMAS sets up frequent callers team after one man rings for ambulance 500 times in 12 months One man called the East Midlands Ambulance Service a staggering 500 times last year.

Now a dedicated team has been set up to deal with the more than 10,000 repeat calls EMAS received in 2015.

A small number of patients called more than 100 times, with one man having made a staggering 514 callouts in 12 months. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northampton hospital seeking staff and nurses for Europe’s biggest mental health unit for adolescents

Northampton hospital seeking staff and nurses for Europe’s biggest mental health unit for adolescents Recruitment has begun for Europe’s largest adolescent mental health facility in Northampton.

FitzRoy House at St Andrew’s Hospital is seeking 50 nurses and support staff for ground-breaking new care facility.

FitzRoy is set to welcome young people in early 2017, when it will support up to 110 young people with some of the most complex mental health needs in the UK. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Mental health and general practice: intertwined futures

Mental health and general practice: intertwined futures Many in the mental health sector had been eagerly awaiting NHS England’s implementation planproposing how the Mental Health Taskforce report, The five year forward view for mental health,will be put into practice. If successful, the significance of the plan could extend well beyond the mental health sector: some of the most important opportunities relate to the way in which people with mental health problems could be supported in general acute hospitals and in general practice. The King's Fund

Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust uses online platform to engage with all staff

Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust uses online platform to engage with all staff Find out how Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust introduced an online engagement platform to reach out to all staff within its large geography. NHS Employers

Hospital or home? Report sheds light on number of people with learning disabilities receiving inpatient care

Hospital or home? Report sheds light on number of people with learning disabilities receiving inpatient care This report provides an overview of the number of people with learning disabilities and/or autism receiving inpatient care in hospital.

The Learning Disabilities Statistics Annual Overview is the first annual report of its kind from NHS Digital (Health and Social Care Information Centre). It brings together various sources of statistics to produce robust data on the number of people with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder.

Hospital acquired foot ulcers reduced by 50 per cent since diabetes inpatient audit launched

Hospital acquired foot ulcers reduced by 50 per cent since diabetes inpatient audit launched Only 1.1 per cent of inpatients with diabetes developed a new foot lesion during their admission to hospital, a significant decrease from 2.2 per cent when inpatient auditing began in 2010.

However, more than two thirds (67.0 per cent) of inpatients included in the 2015 audit did not have a specific diabetic foot risk examination during their hospital stay and 31 per cent of hospital sites still do not have a multi-disciplinary diabetic foot care team, despite being highlighted as important in each audit round. Addressing these could further impact on this devastating and costly preventable complication. NHS Digital (Health & Social Care Information Centre)

NICE wants GPs to prevent 8,000 strokes a year

NICE wants GPs to prevent 8,000 strokes a year NICE wants GPs and CCGs to follow new guidance that could help to prevent around 8,000 strokes per year from happening.

The new NICE indictors for CCGs are designed to help improve the identification and management of atrial fibrillation (AF), which can increase the risk of stroke.

NICE’s indicators measure the quality of care a person receives and the impact this has on their health, focusing on where improvements can be made.

Stroke is the third largest cause of death in the UK and each year in England around 110,000 people have a stroke with AF thought to be the cause of a fifth of these.

NHS Improvement has calculated that around 8,000 AF related strokes could be prevented if the condition was better managed, also saving the NHS £95 million a year. OnMedica

High Court to rule on whether NHS England should fund new preventative HIV drug PrEP

High Court to rule on whether NHS England should fund new preventative HIV drug PrEP The High Court is due to rule on whether the NHS should fund a“game-changing” preventative treatment for HIV in England.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis, known as PrEP, is an anti-retroviral drug used to stop HIV from becoming established in the event of transmission.

When taken consistently, it has been shown to reduce the risk of infection in people who are at high risk by more than 90 per cent. The Independent

See also:

• Court ruling on HIV 'game-changing' drug BBC News
• 'Confidence to trust' BBC News

Everyone tells me the NHS is in crisis – but that's not what I see

Everyone tells me the NHS is in crisis – but that's not what I see As a soon-to-be mental healthcare professional, I don’t see the bad. I see a health service that needs more support, love and care

It’s no secret that the NHS is fighting a battle. We see it every day in the arguments to and fro, between the NHS and the government.

Every time I log on to Facebook I’m invited to another protest against the junior doctor contracts, or about the NHS student bursaries. At one point every single message in my inbox was a petition, I spent the whole evening signing, sharing and sending them around. I wanted to save the NHS too. Continue reading... The Guardian

GPs should be a gateway to social care and support services

GPs should be a gateway to social care and support services Report champions greater emphasis on community-based support, social prescriptions and prevention

The main role of GPs has always been treating common medical conditions and referring patients to hospitals or other services for urgent and specialist treatment.

But gradually the role of GPs and primary care teams are changing. Driven by the integration agenda – which seeks a greater level of collaboration across frontline services – but also by the changing nature of the population’s health needs and rising demand on the NHS, new kinds of primary care services are being established. Continue reading... The Guardian

'Worst case of chickenpox' sparks call for vaccination rethink

'Worst case of chickenpox' sparks call for vaccination rethink Sarah Allen, whose toddler son spent five days in hospital fighting usually mild illness, urges review of eligibility for immunisation on NHS

A mother whose two-year-old son spent five days in hospital fighting a severe case of chickenpox has called for anyone who wants them to get vaccinations on the NHS against the disease.

Sarah Allen urged ministers to rethink eligibility for immunisation, under which only those looking after children with a weakened immune system, for example because they are undergoing chemotherapy, can receive it. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Toddler spends five days in hospital suffering from 'worst case of chickenpox ever seen' after being denied GP appointment The Daily Telegraph
• What’s the real reason Britons aren't offered the chickenpox vaccine? | Jenny Rohn The Guardian

Nine in ten junior doctors' posts filled despite fears about mass exodus

Nine in ten junior doctors' posts filled despite fears about mass exodus The number of junior doctors taking up new posts this month has exceeded previous years, despite claims there would be a mass exodus following rows over a new contract.

Official figures show that 6,673 junior doctors have just entered specialist training – compared with 6,547 who took up a post last summer.

The “fill rate” of 89.94 per cent marginally exceeds that of last year, when 89.75 per cent of posts were filled. The Daily Telegraph

Northamptonshire County Council could remove £650,000 from ‘bed blocking’ service as part of new cuts to public services

Northamptonshire County Council could remove £650,000 from ‘bed blocking’ service as part of new cuts to public services Hefty cuts planned to Northamptonshire County Council this year are about to change - after the authority revealed it will not be able to meet the £65 million target without reducing more services. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NSPCC figures show there were 45 cases of FGM in Northamptonshire in a one-year period

NSPCC figures show there were 45 cases of FGM in Northamptonshire in a one-year period Northamptonshire families should talk about FGM to end the barbaric practice, a leading child abuse charity has said. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Petition launched to save specialist children’s heart unit at hospital which serves north Northamptonshire families

Petition launched to save specialist children’s heart unit at hospital which serves north Northamptonshire families Parents have been urged to sign a petition to save a specialist children’s heart unit at a hospital which serves many families from the north of the county. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Guidance: Records management code of practice for health and social care

Guidance: Records management code of practice for health and social care The standards also apply to public health functions in local authorities and adult social care where joint care provided within the NHS. Department of Health

Getting To Outcomes: guide for teen pregnancy prevention

Getting To Outcomes: guide for teen pregnancy prevention Getting To Outcomes (GTO) is a ten-step process that guides community organisations through the key tasks needed to make any prevention program a success. This guide offers tools and instructions to help assess the need for and select a teenage pregnancy prevention programme; identify goals and outcomes; use process and outcome evaluation measures; and plan for programme sustainability. The guide is accompanied by an outcome survey and an evaluation data workbook. Rand Corporation

Cancer: Thousands surviving in UK decades after diagnosis

Cancer: Thousands surviving in UK decades after diagnosis More than 170,000 people in the UK who were diagnosed with cancer up to 40 years ago are still alive, although many face lifelong side-effects, a report says. BBC News

See also:

• Cancer: Then and Now Macmillan Cancer Support
• Life after cancer BBC News
• 'I had cancer at seven and again at 30' BBC News
• Cancer patients now TWICE as likely to survive at least 10 years than in the 1970s The Daily Mail
• Quarter of cancer patients diagnosed in 80s still suffering ill-effects The Daily Telegraph
• NHS under pressure from increase in cancer survivors, report warns The Guardian

Poverty costs UK £78bn a year, Joseph Rowntree Foundation says

Poverty costs UK £78bn a year, Joseph Rowntree Foundation says The effects of poverty in the UK cost the average taxpayer £1,200 a year, and the UK £78bn in total, with the NHS bearing the brunt, a report suggests. BBC News

See also:

• Counting the cost of UK poverty Joseph Rowntree Trust
• £78 billion: The cost to the taxpayer of poverty in the UK  The Daily Telegraph

Are commitments for mental health all talk and no action?

Are commitments for mental health all talk and no action? The scale of the mental health challenge is huge – but it’s not clear that promises of more funding and cultural change are being upheld

Promises, platitudes and plans are piling up for mental health, but how much is going to be delivered?

Mental health accounts for roughly £12bn of the NHS budget. In parliamentary terms the current support for mental health is unprecedented – parity of esteem with physical health services is enshrined in the Health and Social Care Act 2012, plus last year’s spending review made explicit reference to improving quality, choice and outcomes in mental health.

The scale of the task is ​becoming clearer, but it is daunting. Continue reading... The Guardian

There needs to be more clarity in transgender healthcare

There needs to be more clarity in transgender healthcare From hormones for under-16s to ‘bridging’ prescriptions, the guidance from both public and private providers lets trans people down. It’s incoherent

Imagine this: you’re the parent of a transgender 14-year-old. When they were born you thought your child was a girl, but it has been very clear for many years that they identify completely as a boy. He’s been known by a male name in your house for years and would be revolted if anyone used a female pronoun for him or referred to him as a girl.

You have been to see your GP, who has referred your son to the Tavistock clinic in London, the gender identity service for under-18s in England and Wales. But because of an unprecedented increase in the number of referrals over the past year, Tavistock has said it will be eight months before your child can be seen. He has just begun female puberty and is starting to panic about growing breasts, changing shape and getting a period. He is desperate not just to be put on hormone-blockers, which will prevent his female puberty, but also to be put on male hormones, so he can start male puberty, which the Tavistock clinic will not prescribe until he is 16 and has spent a year on hormone-blockers.

Trans people shouldn’t have to have some sort of NHS Rosetta Stone to work out what treatment they are entitled to Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• The Transgender Umbrella: Not a Mental Health Issue Huffington Post UK

Patients condemned to die by NHS ban on leukaemia lifeline

Patients condemned to die by NHS ban on leukaemia lifeline UK patients suffering a leukaemia relapse have been ‘handed a death sentence’ by an NHS decision to deny funding for a second lifesaving stem cell transplant if their first one fails. The Daily Mail

Sex change men 'on brink' of having babies following NHS treatment

Sex change men 'on brink' of having babies following NHS treatment Women having sex changes on the NHS are being given free fertility treatment so they can have children after becoming men.

At least three British men who were born female are “on the brink” of becoming parents using fertility techniques, a leading expert has said.

In most cases, eggs are being frozen at NHS clinics before surgery or hormone therapy, so they can later be implanted into a surrogate mother.

But in rare circumstances the man could become pregnant and give birth, if they kept their female reproductive organs, as happened in 2008, in Honolulu. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Women having sex changes on the NHS are also receiving free IVF The Daily Mail

Zika outbreak in Florida prompts travel warning for pregnant women

Zika outbreak in Florida prompts travel warning for pregnant women Pregnant women are being advised to consider postponing non-essential trips to Florida after an outbreak of the Zika virus.

Public Health England issued the warning after authorities in the southern US state confirmed four cases of the disease, thought to have been transmitted by mosquitoes.

More than 1,650 cases of Zika have been diagnosed in the US, but this is understood to be the first time the disease has been spread by local insects, rather than as a result of foreign travel or sexual contact. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Florida Zika cases prompt UK advice for pregnant travellers BBC News
• More UK cases of Zika: Three patients test positive for virus in West Yorkshire after returning from overseas The Daily Mail
• Zika virus outbreak in Florida leads to 'sex ban' for British tourists The Daily Mail
• Zika virus in America as Florida governor confirms 4 cases came from local mosquitoes The Daily Mail
• Zika in the UK: Three cases of virus reported in Yorkshire The Independent
• Zika virus: Florida cases transmitted by US mosquitoes, governor says The Independent

Almost 20,000 medical appointments wasted by Corby patients who fail to turn up

Almost 20,000 medical appointments wasted by Corby patients who fail to turn up Close to 20,000 medical appointments in Corby were wasted last year after patients didn’t turn up to them. Northamptonshire Telegraph

KGH rated country’s best for equality and fairness

KGH rated country’s best for equality and fairness Kettering General Hospital has been nationally recognised for the work it does to provide fair and equitable services for the diverse communities it serves. Northamptonshire Telegraph

The consequences of living within your means

The consequences of living within your means The technicality (or ‘administrative error’ as the National Audit Office described it) that enabled the Department of Health to avoid breaching expenditure controls set by parliament may have spared it from the full wrath of the National Audit Office, MPs and the Public Accounts Committee; but it did little to hide the bottom line – a serious financial crisis engulfing the NHS.

In 2015/16, NHS providers overspent by an eye-watering £2.8 billion (reduced to £2.5 billion by one-off measures). Although a commissioning underspend of £700 million helped to offset this figure, the NHS (commissioners and providers in aggregate) still ended 2015/16 with the largest deficit in its history. The King's Fund

Annual hepatitis C in the UK report

Annual hepatitis C in the UK report The annual hepatitis C 2016 report has been published with latest figures suggesting improved access to treatments may be having a positive impact.

Treatment rates saw an increase of around 40% in 2015, up to 8,970 from an average of 6,400 in previous years. This is likely to be the result of access to new hepatitis C drugs that came online in 2014 to 2015, and offer improved cure rates, fewer side effects, and are easier to administer. Public Health England

Listen to the end-of-life care webinar

Listen to the end-of-life care webinar Listen to our end-of-life care webinar which shares best practice examples of how organisations are improving end-of-life care for patients through the education and training of staff. NHS Employers

Hospital admissions for poisoning by illicit drugs up by more than 50 per cent in a decade

Hospital admissions for poisoning by illicit drugs up by more than 50 per cent in a decade There were 14,280 hospital admissions with a primary diagnosis of poisoning by illicit drugs in 2014/15 - a rise of 57 per cent since 2004-05. Health and Social Care Information Centre

See also:

• Drug deaths at their highest EVER: Number of people poisoned by illegal substances soars by 57% with nearly half of victims aged 16 to 34 The Daily Mail
• Huge rise in hospital admissions for illicit drug poisoning OnMedica

'We want women to feel safe'

'We want women to feel safe' The UK's first maternity service for victims of rape and sexual abuse, which opens today at the Royal London Hospital. BBC News

Southern Health NHS Trust 'paid millions' to Katrina Percy's associates

Southern Health NHS Trust 'paid millions' to Katrina Percy's associates A troubled NHS trust has paid millions of pounds to companies owned by previous associates of its embattled chief executive, BBC News has learned.

One firm received more than £5m despite winning a contract valued at less than £300,000, while another was paid more than £500,000 without bidding at all.

Both are owned by former acquaintances of Southern Health NHS Trust's chief executive Katrina Percy.

The trust said it took its financial responsibilities "very seriously". BBC News

Stepping Hill Hospital cuts jobs as it loses £75 a minute

Stepping Hill Hospital cuts jobs as it loses £75 a minute A hospital losing £75 a minute is to close a ward and axe 350 full time posts, an NHS trust reveals. BBC News

NHS England announces 'immediate action' to fund rises in GP indemnity costs

NHS England announces 'immediate action' to fund rises in GP indemnity costs NHS England will introduce new funding 'to fully offset the rising cost of GP indemnity' in the short term while it works on wider plans to reform current indemnity arrangements, it has announced. GP Online

See also:

• NHS England takes action to ease pressures on general practice and provide joined-up care NHS England
• First wave of £40m GP resilience fund to be released this week, says NHS England GP Online
• GP indemnity crisis will not be solved by short-term funding fix, warn MDOs GP Online

Creeping privatisation of healthcare is damaging the NHS, study finds

Creeping privatisation of healthcare is damaging the NHS, study finds The creeping privatisation of healthcare under the guise of "patient choice" could be damaging a central concept of the NHS, leading to worse treatment for the old, the poor and the sick, a new study suggests.

Researchers warned that the Government’s sudden shift to the widespread use of private healthcare firms in England was a “radical” experiment that could go “catastrophically wrong”. The Independent

See also:

• Patient choice and private provision decreased public provision and increased inequalities in Scotland: a case study of elective hip arthroplasty (abstract) Journal of Public Health
• Study finds private hip operation policy failed to boost rates BBC News
• The impact of private sector contracts on NHS provision and treatment inequalities EurekAlert!

Women's prison suicide rate soars as charity warns of 'horrifying' self-harm

Women's prison suicide rate soars as charity warns of 'horrifying' self-harm The number of women killing themselves in prison has “risen alarmingly”, new government figures have revealed - prompting warnings from top charity leaders over unsafe jail conditions.

Statistics published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) show the total number of deaths classed as “self-inflicted” rose by 28 per cent over the past 12 months compared with the previous year. The Independent

Can the NHS really not afford second transplants for cancer patients like me?

Can the NHS really not afford second transplants for cancer patients like me? | Hannah Partos NHS England has stopped funding stem cell transplants for relapsed blood cancer patients. Experts have condemned the decision and it’s left me reeling.

If I had not been given a stem cell transplant, I would be dead by now. At 22, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, an aggressive form of blood cancer. Doctors told me a transplant of healthy stem cells from an unrelated donor was my only hope. Last month, I was thrilled to celebrate three years in remission. I hope the cancer never returns, but if it does, my only chance of survival will be another transplant. Except this time around, I might not be given that chance.

Two weeks ago, NHS England announced it would stop routinely funding second stem cell transplants for patients who have relapsed more than a year after their first transplant. NHS England, the body which oversees the budget for commissioning NHS services, has ruled that the treatment is “not currently affordable”, even though it was widely available in England before 2013, and is routinely given to patients in Europe and the US. Continue reading... The Guardian

From ketamine to cupboard therapy: the future of mental health treatment

From ketamine to cupboard therapy: the future of mental health treatment Once upon a time, the future of mental health treatment was drugs. The advent of Prozac and whole class of similar medication in the 1990s gavedoctors an easy option and big pharma easy money.

But 20 years on, the problems have not gone away. In fact, mental illness is much more pervasive, with depression now the world’s second biggest cause of disability.

Moreover, a dramatic reduction in drug research and development suggests pills will not be the only – or even the primary – answer to mental health problems in the long term.

But what will be? Continue reading... The Guardian

Cancer sufferers risk losing access to effective drugs, says support group

Cancer sufferers risk losing access to effective drugs, says support group Medicine regulator Nice will act as gatekeeper for new treatments, leading to fears NHS patients may be denied them on cost grounds

Cancer patients in the UK will miss out on drugs available in other countries under new arrangements for deciding which expensive medicines the NHS will pay for, according to a charity.

Breast Cancer Now has criticised the relaunched Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF), which was originally a pot of money to pay for costly new medicines not considered cost effective or not yet assessed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice). Continue reading... The Guardian

Three in four NHS trusts deny life-changing cataract surgery finds Mail probe

Three in four NHS trusts deny life-changing cataract surgery finds Mail probe The life-transforming procedure costs less than £1,000 per eye – yet it is being rationed by NHS managers in the UK so that even those in direst need are being subjected to humiliating tests. The Daily Mail

Britain 'grinds to a halt' with average person walking half a mile a day

Britain 'grinds to a halt' with average person walking half a mile a day Britons are being urged to take to their feet after official data showed walking levels have fallen by more than a third in three decades.

Jeremy Hunt last night called on the public to make lifestyle changes to stop Britain from “grinding to a halt” after statistics showed the average person walks less than half a mile a day.

The Health Secretary - who wears a fitness tracker, in a bid to ensure he manages 10,000 steps daily – said small changes could help people dramatically boost their health. The Daily Telegraph

Brain tumour patient assaulted by pregnant woman and mum in Northampton hospital car park

Brain tumour patient assaulted by pregnant woman and mum in Northampton hospital car park A brain tumour patient was left with a black eye after an angry driver and her pregnant daughter assaulted her in the car park of Northampton General Hospital during a road rage incident. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

The state of maternity services in England

The state of maternity services in England This policy briefing focuses on the meaning of maternity care and analyses the main characteristics of maternity services in England. It outlines the broader implications of changing quality in maternity care settings and includes suggestions for further actions and policy measures needed to improve the quality of care in English maternity services. Picker Institute Europe

Antibiotic resistance: 'Snot wars' study heralds new class of drugs

Antibiotic resistance: 'Snot wars' study heralds new class of drugs A new class of antibiotics has been discovered by analysing the bacterial warfare taking place up people's noses, scientists report. BBC News

See also:

• Human commensals producing a novel antibiotic impair pathogen colonization (abstract) Nature

Drug 'may slow' Alzheimer's brain death

Drug 'may slow' Alzheimer's brain death A drug appears to slow the death of the brain and preserve mental function in patients with Alzheimer's disease, a study shows. BBC News

Mental health research 'being short-changed', academics claim

Mental health research 'being short-changed', academics claim Universities will lose out on tens of millions of pounds as a result of a change to the way mental health research is funded, researchers have claimed.

Campaigners say that the move by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) “flies in the face” of a growing emphasis on mental health by politicians and the public.

The row stems from a decision not to fund clinical and bioscience mental health research at the same level as similarly expensive research into physical health. Times Higher Education

How sexist stereotypes mean doctors ignore women's pain

How sexist stereotypes mean doctors ignore women's pain Research shows hospital staff take women's pain less seriously, spent less time treating them and are more likely to wrongly diagnose physical pain as 'just emotional' The Independent

NHS 'abandoning' thousands by rationing hepatitis C drugs

NHS 'abandoning' thousands by rationing hepatitis C drugs Addaction says NHS England decision to treat just 10,000 people a year with costly drugs is ‘potential death sentence’

NHS England has been accused by a charity of “abandoning” thousands of people to a potential death sentence by rationing drugs that can cure hepatitis C.

An estimated 215,000 people in the UK have chronic hepatitis C infection (160,000 in England), which new but costly drugs can cure. Addaction, a charity that helps people overcome drug and alcohol abuse, says the decision to treat 10,000 people a year is “manifestly unfair”. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• WHO experts urge fairer pricing of 'unaffordable' hepatitis C cure The Guardian
• NHS England tried to sabotage hepatitis C drugs release because it couldn't afford them, doctors claim  The Independent

NHS spends £87m on paracetamol at 20 TIMES the high street cost

NHS spends £87m on paracetamol at 20 TIMES the high street cost The price per prescription of £3.83 - compared to just 25p a packet from the supermarket - cost tax payers a staggering £87,600,000 last year as GPs in England wrote 22,900,000 for patients. The Daily Mail

Pensioner who broke her pelvis while protesting about local A&E closure is taken to ANOTHER unit 15 miles away for treatment

Pensioner who broke her pelvis while protesting about local A&E closure is taken to ANOTHER unit 15 miles away for treatment Joan Carpenter, 82, was protesting outside Chorley A&E when she fell. Instead of being taken inside, she was driven 15 miles to Royal Preston Hospital. Her son said this was 'absurd'. The Daily Mail

Nuisance caller cost the taxpayer £78,000 by making 408 calls to the ambulance service in two years

Nuisance caller cost the taxpayer £78,000 by making 408 calls to the ambulance service in two years A woman who cost the taxpayer £78,000 by phoning ambulance service more than 400 times in two years has been jailed.

Mariette Mcharg, 54, also cost the health service a further £94,611 in unscheduled care.

She was sentenced to six months in jail for a number of offences including the assault of an officer and the assault of two nurses. The Daily Telegraph

Alarming dirty air figures prompt campaign to map Northampton’s air pollution hotspots

Alarming dirty air figures prompt campaign to map Northampton’s air pollution hotspots After shock figures revealed Northampton topped the country’s air pollution charts last week, the Green Party is calling on the public’s help to draw up a map of the town’s worst affected places. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS grants case studies

NHS grants case studies These three case studies show how innovative use of NHS grants to voluntary organisations can help respond to the needs of patients and the public, and also target health inequalities. The case studies illustrate examples of the NHS and the voluntary sector working together effectively to improve people's health and wellbeing in their local community. Regional Voices

NHS consultant paid £375,000 in overtime

NHS consultant paid £375,000 in overtime Growing pressures are leading UK hospitals to increasingly rely on premium overtime pay to get consultants to do extra work, with one paid £375,000 last year. BBC News

See also:

• NHS Employers comments on the BBC's FOI about consultants' overtime NHS Employers
• NHS consultants: Overworked or overpaid? BBC News

Judge approves judicial review against Hunt's junior doctor contract imposition

Judge approves judicial review against Hunt's junior doctor contract imposition A judicial review into the 'imposition' of the junior doctors' contract will be held in September after a campaign group successfully argued the case was in the public interest and raised more than £150,000 to cover costs. GP Online

Government urged to save jobs of over 33,000 EU nurses

Government urged to save jobs of over 33,000 EU nurses Nursing leaders have called for safeguards on the future of European Union health workers as new research reveals that over 33,000 EU trained nurses work in the UK.

The figures obtained by the Royal College of Nursing from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) show that there are currently over 33,000 EU trained nurses registered to work in the UK as a whole, with over 9,000 joining the register in 2015/16 – a 21% increase on 2014/15. OnMedica

'I fell asleep at the wheel': the dangers of doctors driving home

'I fell asleep at the wheel': the dangers of doctors driving home As new research finds that two in five have dropped off at the wheel, doctors speak out about the need for change

Steven Best was on his way home from work when he crashed and wrote off his car.

The GP, who at the time was a junior doctor working in obstetrics, had just finished his shift at 5pm after starting work at 9am the day before. He was in the fast lane of the dual carriageway when a car in the slow lane crossed into his line of vision and he hit it. Continue reading... The Guardian

Sepsis campaign aims to save thousands of lives

Sepsis campaign aims to save thousands of lives Mum whose son died ‘delighted’ at project to raise awareness of blood poisoning that kills nearly 50,000 people annually

Thousands of lives could be saved by urging unwell patients and their loved ones to ask doctors to check for sepsis, experts said as they announced a new campaign to raise awareness of the devastating condition.

Every year, sepsis, or blood poisoning, kills nearly a third of the 150,000 people it affects. But campaigners say better care could save 13,500 lives, as well as up to £314m from NHS budgets. Continue reading... The Guardian

Dementia missed in men, because memory is more often spared

Dementia missed in men, because memory  is more often spared Dementia is more likely to be missed in men because they are less likely to lose their memory, a major study has found.

Research on 1,600 patients found that male dementia sufferers were more likely to have suffered from “atypical” symptoms which are more difficult to spot.

The findings were revealed as scientists said simple eye tests could soon be used to spot early signs of Alzheimer’s disease long before symptoms emerge. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Opticians could offer early warning tests for dementia, studies suggest The Daily Telegraph

Foxhill Manor care home: Did CQC rating mean it had to close?

Foxhill Manor care home: Did CQC rating mean it had to close? Shut in 2014 following a damning Care Quality Commission report, Foxhill Manor offered "placements of last resort" to dementia and mental health patients. Could it have been saved and what does the Foxhill story tell us about the state of modern care? BBC Northampton

Clinical network develops tool for better children’s services

Clinical network develops tool for better children’s services A toolkit for providers and guidance for commissioners to improve care and outcomes for children, young people and their families. Children and young people across the region were involved in development of the resource. Yorkshire and Humber Clinical Networks

English language requirements for public sector workers published

English language requirements for public sector workers published The Immigration Act 2016 creates a duty for employers to ensure that all public sector staff working in customer-facing roles speak English to an appropriate standard. To support employers to meet their obligations the government has published an early draft of the code of practice. NHS Employers

Working with epilepsy and homelessness: guidance for community nurses

Working with epilepsy and homelessness: guidance for community nurses This guidance is aimed at community nurses and it provides advice on how to support people who are homeless and who have epilepsy. It covers the specific risks and needs of people who are homeless and includes useful advice nurses to enable nurses to support patients with epilepsy and give practical advice for coordinating their care. The Queen's Nursing Institute

Local empowerment: how to achieve a sustainable health service

Local empowerment: how to achieve a sustainable health service This report, sponsored by KPMG, recommends that local areas should negotiate health devolution deals directly with the government to empower local leaders to drive integration, transformation and financial sustainability in their local health and care economies. . It argues that much more NHS funding should be raised and controlled locally with local NHS and local government leaders devolved total control of their entire local health budget. Correspondingly local areas should be increasingly free of central government control and direction, with greater local flexibilities. Localis

NHS faces 'compensation time bomb' as clinical negligence liabilities double

NHS faces 'compensation time bomb' as clinical negligence liabilities double Medico-legal organisations have warned of a ticking time bomb on medical indemnity after the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) announced clinical negligence liability for hospitals almost doubled to £56bn last year. GP Online

See also:

• Annual Report and Accounts NHS Litigation Authority 

Week-long waiting times to see a GP could rise sharply

Week-long waiting times to see a GP could rise sharply Numbers of patients who will have to wait more than one week to see their GP could rise by 40% over the next few years if the government fails to implement its promises to increase support for general practice, claims the RCGP.

The college released details of its analysis at the weekend which concluded that the number of occasions when patients will have to wait longer than a week to see their GP could increase from the 69 million occasions it happened in 2015-16 to 98 million in 2020-21.

The analysis was carried out into NHS England’s GP Patient survey published earlier this month. OnMedica

See also:

• RCGP predicts one-week wait for 100m GP appointments by 2020 GP Online

Spain reports first case of baby born with microcephaly after mother contracts Zika virus

Spain reports first case of baby born with microcephaly after mother contracts Zika virus Spain has recorded the first European case of a baby born with Zika-related birth defects.

Though dozens of people across the continent are known to have contracted the virus, usually after having travelled in the affected South American countries, but this is the first time a baby has been in born to a mother carrying the virus in Europe. The Independent

See also:

• Detailed guide: Zika virus: travel advice Public Health England
• Detailed guide: Zika virus: country specific risk Public Health England
• Spain registers first Zika microcephaly birth in Europe BBC News

Kate Granger inspired all of us in the NHS to be more compassionate

Kate Granger inspired all of us in the NHS to be more compassionate With her #hellomynameis campaign, Kate reminded me that if I lose my humanity, I am a shadow of the doctor I should be

He’d been rushed the day before to our surgical emergency unit. An elderly man, crying out in pain, he’d looked haggard, gaunt and frightened as we wheeled him straight to the CT scanner. Now, stripped of his clothes and draped in a gown, he stared up in trepidation as my consultant surgeon, impatient to be done with his morning ward round, stopped by the bedside. Without so much as an introduction, this experienced doctor broke the news to the patient of his terminal illness by turning to the bedside entourage and muttering, perfectly audibly: “Get a palliative care nurse to come and see him.” No one had even told “him” he had cancer.

As panic began to rise in my patient’s face, I remember catching the ward sister’s eye to see her cringing alongside me. The ward round had already swept on. I felt sick, complicit in something barbaric. But, as an inexperienced house officer barely qualified as a doctor, I scuttled dutifully after my boss, leaving someone else to pick up the pieces. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• I want my legacy to be that the NHS treats all patients with compassion The Guardian

Children 'going blind and risk dying from cancer' as doctors overlook crucial NF1 signs

Children 'going blind and risk dying from cancer' as doctors overlook crucial NF1 signs Despite being more common than cystic fibrosis and being linked to a number of serious complications, the incurable condition neurofibromatosis (NF1) is not checked for in infancy. The Daily Mail

NHS chief launched cover-up after surgeon operated on wrong finger because he 'did not know his right from his left', tribunal hears

NHS chief launched cover-up after surgeon operated on wrong finger because he 'did not know his right from his left', tribunal hears An NHS chief staged a cover-up after a surgeon operated on the wrong finger of a patient because he “did not know his right from his left”, a tribunal heard.

Rachel Sansbury, head of nursing for the surgical division at Lancashire Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, is said to have told a member of staff that revealing that the surgeon had a condition affecting his co-ordination could stop him operating, lengthening waiting lists.

Mrs Sansbury, who faces six charges relating to dishonestly asking colleagues to conceal or misrepresent the performance of the trust, allegedly also told staff who raised concerns about incidents going unreported not to “open that can of worms”. The Daily Telegraph

Mother claims she has to restrain mentally-ill son, 24, with handcuffs due to 'lack of support from NHS'

Mother claims she has to restrain mentally-ill son, 24, with handcuffs due to 'lack of support from NHS' A mother claims she has to put her mentally-ill son in handcuffs at home because of a lack of support from mental health services.

Joely Hignett alleges she has to physically restrain 24-year-old son Kyle Hignett - who has a borderline personality disorder and suffers from psychosis - to stop him from harming himself or others.

The 44-year-old mother of two, from Warrington, Cheshire, has released "distressing" footage of Kyle sobbing and screaming to raise awareness of his condition and said she feels "let down" by the mental health system. The Daily Telegraph

Severely disabled baby should be allowed to die, judge rules

Severely disabled baby should be allowed to die, judge rules A severely disabled baby who has been on a ventilator since he was 18 minutes old should be allowed to die, a high court judge has ruled.

Hospital bosses had asked for permission to withdraw life-sustaining treatment. The three-and-a-half-month-old boy’s parents had objected.

Bosses at the Northampton General hospital NHS trust had asked for a ruling on what was in the baby’s best interests. The Guardian

See also:

• Severely disabled baby boy 'should be allowed to die', judge rules ITV News

Four in every five patients with early inflammatory arthritis at risk of long-term disability and reduced life expectancy due to delays in NHS treatment

Four in every five patients with early inflammatory arthritis at risk of long-term disability and reduced life expectancy due to delays in NHS treatment Up to a million Britons are at risk of preventable, long-term disability and reduced life expectancy due to delays in referrals to specialist advice and treatment services, according to the most comprehensive audit of rheumatology services carried out across England and Wales.

The first weeks and months following the onset of rheumatic disease symptoms are known as the 'window of opportunity', and it is crucial that patients get appropriate treatment in that time period to maximise their chances of avoiding lasting complications. Early referral to, and assessment by rheumatology services is therefore vital and the report reveals that for four out of five patients in England and Wales, this does not happen. The British Society for Rheumatology 

See also:

• Arthritis patients experience referral delays, audit finds BBC News

Getting a whole system view of mental health services – Debra Gilderdale

Getting a whole system view of mental health services – Debra Gilderdale In the latest of a series of blogs about the Mental Health Implementation Plan launched earlier this week, the Deputy Director of Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust discusses the development of its First Response service to deliver 24/7 support and tackle its out of area beds crisis. NHS England

Mapping STPs with your local leaders of growth

Mapping STPs with your local leaders of growth This interactive map plots sustainability and transformation plan (STP) footprints against local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) and, where appropriate, combined authorities. It enables STP leads to establish closer links with their respective leaders of growth, helping NHS organisations to bring in long-term external funding, exert more influence over strategic decision-making and improve services locally. NHS Confederation

Patients to wait more than one week to see GP on 100m occasions by 2020 - endangering the health of thousands of patients

Patients to wait more than one week to see GP on 100m occasions by 2020 - endangering the health of thousands of patients The new analysis published today by the Royal College of GPs show that, if recent trends continue, the number of occasions when patients will have to wait longer than a week to see their GP will increase by more than 28m occasions from 2015/16, when patients had to wait to see a GP on just over 69m occasions, to 98m in 2020/21.

The analysis also indicates that by 2020/21 waiting times will be so bad that patients will be unable to get an appointment with their GP at all on 52m occasions. In response, the College is calling for government promises of increased investment and an expansion in general practice staff numbers, outlined in NHS England’s GP Forward View, to be implemented as a matter of urgency in order to avoid this and ensure patient safety. RCGP analysis also reveals that on 9.4m occasions last year, patients didn’t seek healthcare elsewhere having been unable to secure an appointment to see their GP. If this situation does not improve, patients will fail to secure any healthcare at all, having been unable to see their GP for their condition, on a total of 46.8m occasions between now and the end of 2020/21. The RCGP believes these shocking figures pose a grave risk to the health of thousands of patients across the country. Royal College of General Practitioners

Loss of EU funding 'could cost children's lives' warns hospital

Loss of EU funding 'could cost children's lives' warns hospital The loss of European funding for medical research could cost the lives of some vulnerable children, Great Ormond Street Hospital says. BBC News

CQC: Too many mental health trusts rated ‘requires improvement’

CQC: Too many mental health trusts rated ‘requires improvement’ The inspection programme for mental health trusts in England is due to be completed shortly, but nearly two-thirds of trusts have been rated ‘requires improvement’ so far.

The CQC said that it has completed its inspection of all 56 trusts and will publish all its results shortly.

However, of the 47 inspected so far, 29 (62%) are rated ‘requires improvement’, 17 are rated ‘good’ and none are rated ‘outstanding’. One trust, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS FT, was rated ‘inadequate’ and is currently in special measures. National Health Executive

Why your NHS surgeon could be a robot in the future

Why your NHS surgeon could be a robot in the future Day-to-day interactions between humans and machines may well become commonplace in hospitals within a decade

Long waiting times, staff shortages, exorbitant agency fees, doctors’ working hours: it’s no secret that the NHS is facing a labour crisis. Post-Brexit it could very well get worse, with the NHS Confederation now warning of a reluctance by EU doctors and nurses to come and work in the UK.

Difficult times call for radical measures. So, with an estimated staff shortfall of 50,000 for the NHS in England, is it time to start thinking seriously about the mass adoption of robotics and other automated technologies in the health service?

Working with automated technology can improve efficiency and thus allow personnel to use their skills to greater effect Continue reading... The Guardian

Veteran condemned to die by the NHS on 'death pathway' at Hammersmith Hospital

Veteran condemned to die by the NHS on 'death pathway' at Hammersmith Hospital Great-grandfather Josef Boberek was admitted to Hammersmith Hospital in West London with a chest infection, but died days later after doctors incorrectly told his family he was at death's door. The Daily Mail

NHS Trusts don't have enough nurses in 93% of their areas

NHS Trusts don't have enough nurses in 93% of their areas More than 93 per cent of 137 NHS Trusts don't have enough nurses, according to the latest figures. Here, nurse Helen Cowan reveals why she believes there is a staffing crisis. The Daily Mail

Inspirational #hellomynameis doctor Kate Granger dies

Inspirational #hellomynameis doctor Kate Granger dies An inspirational doctor who spent five years campaigning to transform public attitudes to death and doctors’ approaches to patients while herself battling terminal cancer has died.

Dr Kate Granger, 34, who started a global campaign to encourage medical staff to get to know their patients as people, died just three days after reaching a personal £250,000 fundraising target for cancer care. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• A tribute to Dr Kate Granger – Natalie Silvey NHS England
• Dr Kate Granger who raised £250,000 for cancer charities dies aged 34 The Daily Mail

Two senior consultants investigated after NHS pays £1m bill for cancer patients they treated at ​their private clinic

Two senior consultants investigated after NHS pays £1m bill for cancer patients they treated at ​their private clinic A hospital trust has launched an investigation after patients of two senior consultants wer​e referred ​to their private clinic for treatment, costing the NHS up to £1million.

Steve Pandey and Stephen Lake, clinical directors at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust, after facing the independent probe after it emerged the health service had paid for some cancer patients to be treated at Worcestershire Bowel Clinic. The Daily Telegraph