Health at a Glance: Europe 2016

Health at a Glance: Europe 2016 This fourth edition of Health at a Glance: Europe presents key indicators of health and health systems in the 28 EU countries, 5 candidate countries to the EU and 3 EFTA countries. This 2016 edition contains two main new features: two thematic chapters analyse the links between population health and labour market outcomes, and the important challenge of strengthening primary care systems in European countries; and a new chapter on the resilience, efficiency and sustainability of health systems in Europe, in order to align the content of this publication more closely with the 2014 European Commission Communication on effective, accessible and resilient health systems. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

See also:

• Britain has the shortest maternity stays and the fewest hospital beds in the EU The Daily Mail
• Warnings that NHS 'teetering on precipice' amid bed shortages The Daily Telegraph
• The UK is a hotspot for gonorrhoea and cocaine, researchers say The Daily Telegraph

Changing risk behaviours and promoting cognitive health in older adults

Changing risk behaviours and promoting cognitive health in older adults This resource is intended for local authority and clinical commissioning groups to identify what types of interventions they should focus on to help the uptake and maintenance of healthy behaviours and promote cognitive health among older adults living in the community.

It is also intended for providers of lifestyle behaviour change programmes to support the development of evidence-informed prevention packages for older adults.

It is produced in a way that makes it accessible to public health managers and practitioners working in the public, private and third sector. Public Health England

Testing times to come? an evaluation of pathology capacity across the UK

Testing times to come? an evaluation of pathology capacity across the UK This report finds that pathology services in the UK are struggling to cope with the increasing number of patient samples that need to be tested. A growing and ageing UK population means that more people than ever before are being referred for cancer tests including biopsies and blood tests. However, pathology staff numbers are not growing to meet the rising demand for tests, resulting in a lack of capacity for pathology services. Cancer Research UK

'Concern' as study highlights aneurysm death rate

'Concern' as study highlights aneurysm death rate The death rate from abdominal aortic aneurysms is more than three times higher in England than in the US, analysis of official data shows.

The weakening and swelling of the main blood vessel from the heart is normally fatal if it bursts.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, raised "concern" that English surgeons may be performing preventative operations less often.

Experts say the issue should be investigated further. BBC News

Air pollution 'causes 467,000 premature deaths a year in Europe'

Air pollution 'causes 467,000 premature deaths a year in Europe' Toxic air is causing almost half a million premature deaths in Europe every year, a new report says. BBC News

See also:

• Stronger measures needed to tackle harm from air pollution European Environment Agency
• Air quality in Europe — 2016 report European Environment Agency

Winter deaths 'halve to 24,000'

Winter deaths 'halve to 24,000' There were 24,300 extra deaths in England and Wales last winter - about half the number of 2014-15. BBC News

Autumn statement 'missed opportunity' for health and social care

Autumn statement 'missed opportunity' for health and social care Health and care leaders have criticised the government's autumn statement as a missed opportunity after it failed to announce any new funding for health or social care. GP Online

See also:

• The King's Fund responds to the Autumn Statement The King's Fund
• Autumn Statement 2016 - the impact on employers NHS Employers
• Autumn Statement: Row as care funding omitted from measures BBC News
• Autumn Statement: Missed opportunity for NHS? BBC News
• Labour pours scorn over autumn statement for ignoring sick and old The Guardian
• NHS completely absent from 72-page Autumn Statement document The Independent

Official guidance may be delaying mouth cancer diagnosis

Official guidance may be delaying mouth cancer diagnosis Oral facial surgeons have raised concerns that new NICE guidance may be introducing delays for GP referrals of patients with suspected oral cancer for treatment.

A study has been published today in the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (BJOMS), which suggests that updated guidance for oral cancer is causing delays in diagnosis and treatment.

Since the introduction of the two-week wait referral pathway for suspected cancer in 2000, diagnosis of lesions in the head and neck has been below 10%. OnMedica

With Men Less Likely To Seek Help With Their Mental Health, Access Must Be Made Easier

With Men Less Likely To Seek Help With Their Mental Health, Access Must Be Made Easier It is a stark and tragic fact that the biggest cause of death among young men in the UK is now suicide. And in the majority of cases, people who lose their life through suicide have not been in contact with mental health services prior to their death.

The mental health of men and boys is the subject of growing concern as a result of the realisation that poor mental health is now a leading cause of ill health and dramatically poorer prospects throughout life. And with evidence that men are less likely to seek help for their mental health, and that only a third of people with a mental health problem get any treatment, the need to improve access to support has become clear. Huffington Post UK

'Poor decisions and lack of compassion' reported at NHS trust

'Poor decisions and lack of compassion' reported at NHS trust Incidents found in secret review of Pennine Acute trust include a premature baby left to die alone in a sluice room

A secret medical review showed mothers and babies died at an NHS trust plagued by clinical errors, bad staff attitudes and chronic shortages.

The review, carried out by new maternity director Deborah Carter at Pennine Acute Hospital NHS Trust which operates North Manchester General and the Royal Oldham hospitals, outlines a string of avoidable deaths and long-term injuries caused by failures over many years. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Premature baby left to die alone in sluice room, report reveals BBC News
• Mothers and babies died at nhs trust plagued by errors - review The Daily Mail 
• Premature baby ‘left to die alone in sluice room’ at failing NHS hospital The Independent

Promising drug expected to become the first to slow down dementia found to not work

Promising drug expected to become the first to slow down dementia found to not work US pharma giant Eli Lilly announced a trial of 2,000 people had shown solanezumab showed no benefit for people with mild Alzheimer's, causing their share prices to take a tumble. The Daily Mail

Just 1 in 5 of adults really mean it when they tell other people that they are 'fine'

Just 1 in 5 of adults really mean it when they tell other people that they are 'fine' Almost a third of 2,000 Britons polled said they often lie about how they are feeling to other people. While one in ten said they always lie about how they are feeling emotionally, a survey found. The Daily Mail

See also:

• I'm fine The Mental Health Foundation

Premature baby dies after an outbreak of superbug MRSA at a neonatal intensive care unit

Premature baby dies after an outbreak of superbug MRSA at a neonatal intensive care unit Nine newborns were found to be carrying the deadly superbug at the Rosie Hospital, Cambridge, during an outbreak of MRSA in August. The Daily Mail

Northampton knitters called on to help keep dementia patients' hands warm with 'twiddlemuffs'

Northampton knitters called on to help keep dementia patients' hands warm with 'twiddlemuffs' Northampton General Hospital is calling on local knitters and knitting groups to support its latest dementia initiative. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Self care nation: self care attitudes and behaviours in the UK

Self care nation: self care attitudes and behaviours in the UK This research explores how people use GP and A&E services and finds that if they understood their own NHS ‘footprint’, 80 per cent would be more likely to seek advice from pharmacists and use over-the-counter remedies for coughs, colds and other self-treatable conditions. It reveals that the majority of people in the UK (92 per cent) acknowledge the importance of taking responsibility for their own health in order to ease the financial burden on the NHS. However, every year there are an estimated 57 million GP consultations and 3.7 million visits to A&E for self-treatable conditions, costing the NHS an estimated £2.3 billion. Proprietary Association of Great Britain

Sorting the plans

Sorting the plans Despite sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) emerging as a good means of addressing the need for financial stability, some strategies drawn up do not include enough substance to prove they are tackling the problems realistically, according to this report. In the report, CIPFA has analysed nine published STPs out of the 44 that are being developed in England to improve services while reducing costs. It found that although the plans set out proposals to close the widening financial gap, which the NHS estimates to be £30bn by 2020, some fail to set out a credible case for the deliverability of their savings plans. Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy

The financial sustainability of the NHS in England

The financial sustainability of the NHS in England This briefing provides background on the current funding settlement for the NHS in England, the financial and operational performance of the health service, and measures being taken to ensure its future sustainability, including Sustainability of Transformation Plans. The briefing also provides background on the Department of Health’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2015/16 and ongoing Select Committee scrutiny of NHS funding. House of Commons Library

STP checklist for governance and engagement

STP checklist for governance and engagement This resource aims to support those delivering change within their Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) footprints to work through key governance and accountability challenges. The document sets out a series of questions that can be asked locally and within boards to support effective discussion and decision-making across a place. The questions cover: governance, scrutiny and accountability; system-wide control totals; public engagement; and partnerships and collaborative working. NHS Clinical Comissioners

NHS cancer testing service 'at breaking point'

NHS cancer testing service 'at breaking point' NHS pathology departments are struggling to meet requests for cancer tests, Cancer Research UK warns. BBC News

See also:

• UK’s pathology services at tipping point Cancer Research UK
• Early cancer diagnosis tests are at risk as the NHS are at 'tipping point' due to a lack of staff and an ageing population The Daily Mail
• Cancer diagnosis drive has pushed NHS testing services to the brink The Daily Telegraph
• NHS 'struggling to cope' with increase in people undergoing cancer tests The Guardian

NHS using Google technology to treat patients

NHS using Google technology to treat patients A London NHS hospital trust has teamed up with tech giant Google to share patient data in the hope of saving lives. BBC News

See also:

• Google wins data deal with the NHS and is handed 1.6m medical records The Daily Mail

Hospital drug costs up 18 times faster than primary care since 2010/11

Hospital drug costs up 18 times faster than primary care since 2010/11 Hospital spending on medicines has almost doubled since 2010/11 while primary care prescribing costs have remained flat, official data show. GP Online

See also:

• Prescribing costs in hospitals and the community NHS Digital

Government scolded by watchdog over NHS funding claims

Government scolded by watchdog over NHS funding claims Watchdog investigating Theresa May’s claim of £10bn for NHS tells government to be clearer when presenting statistics

The watchdog overseeing how ministers use official statistics has told the government to be clearer and more exact in its claims about NHS funding after it investigated Theresa May’s contentious claim that she was giving the health service a £10bn boost.

The UK Statistics Authority looked into the prime minister’s repeated use of the £10bn claim after Labour and the British Medical Association complained that the figure was misleading and wrong. It has asked the Treasury to overhaul how government spending on both the NHS and health more widely is presented in order to minimise the risk of further “confusion” about the size of budget rises Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NHS Funding UK Statistics Authority

The social care system needs a rescue package – to help the NHS survive

The social care system needs a rescue package – to help the NHS survive The chancellor has given no hint that his autumn statement will provide urgent funding to save tottering social care

It speaks volumes about government priorities that the Treasury briefed journalists ahead of Wednesday’s autumn statement that an extra £1.3bn would be spent on roads. Yet we have been kept in the dark over any rescue package for the tottering social care system, on which the chances of the NHS getting through the winter so critically depend.

As it happens, £1.3bn is also the price of a basic rescue for social care. It is the calculation by the Local Government Association (LGA) of the gap between what care providers in England say they need now to sustain threadbare state-funded services for older and disabled people and what councils say they can afford. To meet rising demand, inflation and the costs of the “national living wage” next year would require the same sum again.

Even the Care Quality Commission has stood up and bravely warned of a system almost at tipping point Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Social care cuts take English service to tipping point, regulator warns The Guardian
• The Guardian view on the NHS cash crisis: social care comes first | Editorial The Guardian

Hospitals will be docked NHS funding if they do not try to tackle sepsis

Hospitals will be docked NHS funding if they do not try to tackle sepsis Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, national medical director of NHS England, said 0.25 per cent of each hospital trust’s turnover would be withheld each year unless they made progress. The Daily Mail

Target Ovarian Cancer finds that GPs miss nearly half of ovarian cancer cases

Target Ovarian Cancer finds that GPs miss nearly half of ovarian cancer cases Almost half of women with ovarian cancer were initially misdiagnosed, a charity has found.

And four in ten patients with the cancer said their symptoms were not taken seriously by dismissive GPs.

Research found that women were ‘dying needlessly’ because they were fobbed off by doctors who attributed symptoms to other issues such as digestion problems, the menopause or stress. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Calls for the government to launch a national campaign for ovarian cancer awareness Target Ovarian Cancer
• Pathfinder 2016 Target Ovarian Cancer

Teenage girls with cancer routinely 'not offered' chance to freeze eggs on NHS

Teenage girls with cancer routinely 'not offered' chance to freeze eggs on NHS Teenage girls suffering from cancer are not being offered the same chance to preserve their ability to have children as male patients, a leading fertility expert has said.

While NHS hospitals regularly offer young men facing chemotherapy the chance to freeze their sperm, many routinely fail to remind female patients that they can cryopreserve their eggs. The Daily Telegraph

NHS passport checks have tripled income recouped in first scheme

NHS passport checks have tripled income recouped in first  scheme Passport checks on patients before treatment can almost triple the amount of money the NHS can recoup from health tourists, new figures suggest.

The Health Secretary last night said the findings, from the first such scheme, were “very encouraging” amid furious debate about proposals to extend such measures.

Yesterday Theresa May threw her support behind the plans, saying it was fair that overseas patients should provide “credible evidence” of their eligibility for free healthcare.

But doctors’ unions attacked the idea, saying that the money lost to health tourism was a “pinprick” of a problem for the NHS, while Labour said medics must not be treated as “border guards.” The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Should NHS patients have to show their passport? BBC News
• Passports for NHS access plan: what are the implications? The Guardian
• NHS staff and managers condemn 'passport before treatment' plan The Guardian
• Doctors threaten to boycott plan for patients to show ID at hospitals The Guardian
• I’m a doctor, not a gatekeeper turning ‘health tourists’ away | Rachel Clarke The Guardian
• NHS passport-checking might save a few pence – at the cost of our humanity | Diane Taylor The Guardian
• Proposals to help NHS charge overseas patients ‘go much too far’ OnMedica

Amazon vans are swamping spaces meant for Northampton GP patients

Amazon vans are swamping spaces meant for Northampton GP patients Delivery vans belonging to Amazon are blocking public spaces en masse near its Northampton warehouse, neighbours have complained. The multinational company said it will investigate after people living in Grange Park became weary of vans parking from as early as 5am in spaces intended for supermarket, GP and dental surgeries, shops and a nursery. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Financial sustainability of the NHS

Financial sustainability of the NHS The financial performance of NHS bodies worsened considerably in 2015-16 and this trend is not sustainable, according to the National Audit Office.

In 2015-16, NHS commissioners, NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts reported a combined deficit of £1.85 billion, a greater than three-fold in crease in the deficit position of £574 million reported in 2014-15. Provider trusts’ overall deficit grew by 185% to £2.45 billion, up from £859 million in 2014-15, against total income of £75.97 billion. In addition, two-thirds of NHS trusts (65%) and NHS foundation trusts (66%) reported deficits in 2015-16, up from 44% of NHS trusts and 51% of NHS foundation trusts in the previous financial year. The number of clinical commissioning groups reporting cumulative deficits was 32 in 2015-16, up from 19 in both 2014-15 and 2013-14.

See also:

• NHS accused of making 'pie in the sky' assumptions about finance savings The Daily Telegraph
• NHS financial problems endemic and no longer sustainable, say auditors The Guardian

Older People's Care Survey 2016

Older People's Care Survey 2016 The survey finds that more than 6.4 million people aged 65 and over are living in areas that do not have enough older people’s care to meet demand. Shortages in care are widespread as four in five local authorites in the UK report not having enough care for older people in their area. Most concerning, the biggest shortages are experienced by the most vulnerable older people: just 32% of local authorities report having enough care for older people who need support for dementia as well as physical support needs. Family and Childcare Trust

See also:

• Councils cannot cope with the elderly: Four out of five local authorities claim they do not have the capacity to care for the older generation The Daily Mail

Proof of ID may be needed for NHS care, says health chief

Proof of ID may be needed for NHS care, says health chief Patients could have to show two forms of identification to get some NHS care, the senior civil servant at the Department of Health has said.

Chris Wormald told a Commons committee it was a controversial move but already happened in some NHS trusts.

The NHS has "a lot further to go" in reclaiming money for treating foreign visitors, he said. BBC News

See also:

• DoH's Chris Wormald could enforce passport checks at hospitals to curb health tourism The Daily Mail
• Show your passport if you want to use the NHS, patients could be told The Daily Telegraph
• Hospitals may require patients to show passports for NHS treatment The Guardian 
• NHS patients may be forced to show passports in crackdown on foreign users The Independent

Dementia rates show 'signs of falling'

Dementia rates show 'signs of falling' There is growing evidence that the dementia crisis may not be as bad as first feared, say researchers. BBC News

See also:

• Up or down? BBC News
• Dementia patient: 'Assessors say I'm improving' BBC News

Autumn statement must deliver GP investment, hospital leaders warn

Autumn statement must deliver GP investment, hospital leaders warn Next week's autumn statement must deliver a rise in GP and social care funding to save the NHS from financial meltdown, according to an organisation representing hospitals and other NHS trusts. GP Online

Development of nursing associate role too rushed, say nurse leaders

Development of nursing associate role too rushed, say nurse leaders Nurse leaders fear that the development of the new nursing associate role is being rushed through far too quickly.

Health Education England has only just announced the curriculumfor the role, but test sites are set to get under way in January next year.

“It is entirely right that support staff be offered a route into becoming a registered nurse, and as a bridging role, this position could be positive for the whole clinical team,” said Janet Davies, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).

The curriculum had addressed a key concern of the College by making it clear that role development and allocation of work must always be under the appropriate level of provision.

“However, the RCN remains concerned that with the NHS under so much financial pressure, registered, graduate nurses may be substituted with support staff who do not have the same level of education and experience,” said Janet Davies. OnMedica

Emergency care already facing greater ‘winter pressures’ than last year

Emergency care already facing greater ‘winter pressures’ than last year Emergency care departments are already facing greater winter pressures than last year, despite the fact that winter has barely begun, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine has warned.

The warning comes as it publishes its Winter Flow Report, which analyses performance data collected from over 50 NHS Trusts across the UK, from October 2015 to March 2016, revealing the extent of the problems experienced by emergency departments in the winter season. OnMedica

See also:

• Hospital bed occupancy rates worryingly high across NHS ITV News

I had to quit NHS admin – I felt like a workhorse flogged too hard

I had to quit NHS admin – I felt like a workhorse flogged too hard Time-saving technological advancements have bypassed the health service. I was so overworked and stressed that I left

I had recently resigned from a well-paid job when I started working for the NHS in an administrative role. I was happy to be performing a useful service in the interests of a larger social goal, while no longer being required to write strategy documents or meet financial targets. However, in my seven months as a hospital specialty coordinator (a posh term for medical secretary, invented in order to create a sense of potential job progression), I experienced more stress – of several different kinds – than I have ever experienced.

The NHS is 25 years behind the rest of the country in terms of technology and management techniques Continue reading... The Guardian

Private firms should have bigger role in care says NHS leader

Private firms should have bigger role in care says NHS leader Private sector already treats 10 million patients and could cut waiting lists further says Stephen Dalton of NHS confederation

A senior NHS leader has sparked controversy by urging ministers and health service bosses to let private firms treat more patients in a bid to cut hospital waiting lists.

Stephen Dalton, the chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn should stop denying that private sector health companies are “a force for good” in the NHS. They are not “bogeymen”, look after patients well and should start treating more than the 10 million patients a year they are already paid for out of the NHS’s budget, he said. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Private money is the NHS’s saviour, not its bogeyman | Stephen Dalton The Guardian

Heart attack and stroke victims could wait 40mins for ambulance as NHS trials slower response times to downgrade calls

Heart attack and stroke victims could wait 40mins for ambulance as NHS trials slower response times to downgrade calls Under the trial, paramedics will no longer be sent immediately if patients are already with a GP or nurse. The pilot is being carried out by Yorkshire Ambulance Service. The Daily Mail

See also:

• GPs are driving the sick to A&E because ambulances arrive too late: Patients are waiting four hours for paramedic to attend life-threatening emergencies The Daily Mail

All hospitals must ban smoking on their entire premises to cut rates of cancer, public health chief warns

All hospitals must ban smoking on their entire premises to cut rates of cancer, public health chief warns As part of a drive to make hospitals lead by example, Duncan Selbie, chief executive of Public Health England, said he wanted 'a tobacco-free NHS' to improve public health. The Daily Mail

Teenagers drink a 'bath full' of sugary drinks a year, research finds

Teenagers drink a 'bath full' of sugary drinks a year, research finds Teenagers are drinking the equivalent of almost a bath full of sugary drinks every year, a charity has warned.

New figures from Cancer Research UK suggest those aged 11 to 18 each drink just over 234 cans of soft drink a year - or one bathtub full.

Those aged between four and 10 are having almost half as much. And even children under the age of three are consuming high levels of sugary drinks - equivalent to almost one third of a bath, the report shows.

In March, the Government announced it will introduce a tax on soft drinks with added sugar. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Teens 'drink enough sugar for cola bath' BBC News
• Cancer Research UK finds 11 to 18-year-old teens consume 234 cans of fizzy drink a year The Daily Mail
• Bathtub of sugary drinks a year: cancer warning over teenage intake The Guardian

Northampton General Hospital asks staff to park considerately after complaints from neighbours

Northampton General Hospital asks staff to park considerately after complaints from neighbours  Neighbours living near to NGH claim they are struggling to park outside their own houses some days as staff use their streets as "a free car park".  Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Family raises concern over new smoking ban for patients at Northampton mental health hospital

Family raises concern over new smoking ban for patients at Northampton mental health hospital A concerned woman, who tends to her brother in a Northampton mental health hospital, is appealing for the institution to revise their policy on a smoking ban for patients.  Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Exploring the case for seven-day services

Exploring the case for seven-day services  A new report from the NHS Confederation looks beyond the headlines to explore the evidence for and against the extension to seven-day services. NHS Employers

Maintaining and improving staff engagment in demanding times

Maintaining and improving staff engagment in demanding times Over the last four years the NHS has secured sustained improvement in staff engagement, our briefing provides different approaches and methods that will help to maintain this improvement in the current context. NHS Employers

Could weaker pound cost the NHS?

Could weaker pound cost the NHS? - BBC News Paul Briddock, policy director of the Health Care Financial Management Association, the professional association for NHS financial staff, tells me he expects there to be a cost to the NHS caused by the increasing costs of imports and imported raw materials.  BBC News

The NHS cannot afford to get another workforce initiative wrong

The NHS cannot afford to get another workforce initiative wrong Rushing through the new nursing associate role during a financial panic risks serious mistakes.
Ultimately, saving money in the NHS means cutting staff costs. The NHS in England spends roughly 40% of its £121bn budget on staff, and as local health economies try to stabilise their finances, options such as slashing agency spending and creating cheaper full-time roles are inevitably part of the mix.
Although clinical staff shortages are a global problem, the NHS exacerbates the difficulties of workforce planning by constant changes in policy. Nursing posts – currently numbering around 300,000 – have borne the brunt of this.  Continue reading...   The Guardian

‘Cyber-bullies, obesity and stress … this is a scary world’ says the new top GP

‘Cyber-bullies, obesity and stress … this is a scary world’ says the new top GP In her first interview as chair of the Royal College of GPs, Helen Stokes-Lampard tells of the challenges facing GPs

‘ This is a scary world,” says Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard, the new leader of the UK’s 49,439 GPs. She is not referring to soaring obesity, or the fact that dementia has replaced heart disease as the nation’s biggest killer, or the truth that everyone’s risk of getting cancer has recently gone from one in three to one in two. She’s talking about social media, its downsides and its contribution to ill-health – mental ill-health specifically – and how more and more of its victims are ending up in GPs’ consulting rooms.

“I wouldn’t want to be a teenager nowadays. The social media pressures are phenomenal. People have become more judgmental about appearance. If I was a chubby teenager, the only people who knew were those around me. But now strangers on the other side of the world have a view on how teenagers look. Can you imagine how awful that must be? Unless you’ve got incredible resilience then that puts you at real risk. It grinds people down. It’s the inexorable pressure to be perfect,” adds Stokes-Lampard, who became the new chair of the Royal College of GPs this weekend.

General practice is closer to the precipice than it’s ever been in living memory  Continue reading...  The Guardian

NHS transformation plans may be used as cover for cuts, says BMA

NHS transformation plans may be used as cover for cuts, says BMA Doctors’ union says 44 regional initiatives amount to £22bn in cuts by 2020-21, with potential to severely affect patient care.
Controversial plans put forward as a way of improving the health service in England and ensuring its sustainability risk being used as a cover for cuts and running down the NHS, the head of the British Medical Association (BMA) has said.
The doctors’ union says the 44 regional sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) amount to £22bn in cuts by 2020-21 to balance the books, which will have a severe impact on patient care.

Continue reading...  The Guardian

NHS trusts overshoot maximum annual deficit in just six months

NHS trusts overshoot maximum annual deficit in just six months Regulator says English trusts set for £648m first-half deficit after £580m was forecast as most that could be overspent this year


NHS trusts in England have overshot their maximum deficit permissible for the financial year after just six months despite a £900m emergency cash injection from the government.

NHS Improvement (NHSI) said financial performance information from providers show they are on track to record a year-to-date deficit of £648m in the first half of the year.

Continue reading...  The Guardian

Two thirds of doctors not consulted on NHS plans to cut A&Es and beds

Two thirds of doctors not consulted on NHS plans to cut A Two in three doctors have not been consulted over NHS plans which could see bed cuts and closures of Accident & Emergency departments, a survey by the British Medical Association has found.
It comes as research shows the proposals, being drawn up across the NHS, will mean at least £22bn in cuts.
The union's head, Dr Mark Porter, said there is a danger the plans are being "used as a cover for delivering cuts, starving services of resource and patients of vital care". The Telegraph

Northampton care home closure is not a done deal claims county council

Northampton care home closure is not a done deal claims county council Relatives of elderly people who attend a Northampton day centre under threat of closure fear the decision has already been made to shut its doors - though the county council claims it’s not a done deal yet. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

A record-breaking start for NHS staff flu vaccinations in 2016

A record-breaking start for NHS staff flu vaccinations in 2016 Official statistics published today (17 November 2016) reveal record levels of NHS staff have been coming forward to get vaccinated at the start of the flu season. NHS Employers

2016 international health policy survey of adults

2016 international health policy survey of adults This survey of eleven countries compares patients' experiences with their country's health care system - comparing access to care, quality and affordability - as well as their self-reported health and wellbeing. The study compared patients from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Commonwealth Fund

The digital patient: transforming primary care?

The digital patient: transforming primary care? This report argues that digital technology for patients and staff in primary care holds great potential for the NHS but that the impact of this new digital capability is far from certain. It reviews the evidence on digital technology and its impact on patients and finds that patient-facing technology is already showing promise, particularly for people with long-term conditions. The report warns that policy-makers and politicians should avoid assuming that self-care enabling technology will produce significant savings, at least in the short term. Nuffield Trust

Choice in the presence of experts: the role of general practitioners in patients' hospital care

Choice in the presence of experts: the role of general practitioners in patients' hospital care This paper presents an analysis of patients' hospital choice for elective medical procedures when their choice set is pre-selected by a GP. The study found that patients defer to GPs when assessing hospital quality and tangible attributes such as hospital amenities and that GPs, in turn, as patients' agents present choice options based on quality, but as agents of health authorities also consider their financial implications. Institute for Fiscal Studies

Best practice for perinatal mental health care: the economic case

Best practice for perinatal mental health care: the economic case This report examines the economic case for investing in early interventions that reflect best practice in England. Funded by the Nursing Division under the Nursing Directorate at NHS England, the study included a comparison of the potential costs and consequences associated with such interventions compared with one or more alternative course of action (operationally defined as current practice, and sometimes referred to in studies as the ‘do nothing’ option). Personal Social Services Research Unit

Patients 'will suffer unless NHS budget rises'

Patients 'will suffer unless NHS budget rises' Patients in England will see rising waiting times, rationing and cuts in the number of staff unless the NHS gets more money, health bosses say.

A five-year plan to increase the budget by £8bn a year by 2020 was only set out last year, but now hospital bosses have warned that is not enough.

Chris Hopson, of NHS Providers, said the settlement needed to be redrawn.

However, the Department of Health said "tough economic decisions" had allowed it "to invest in our NHS".

It comes ahead of the Autumn Statement next Wednesday when ministers will set out their spending plans. BBC News

See also:

• NHS is fighting a losing battle without extra funding for neglected areas NHS Providers
• Autumn Statement submission NHS Providers
• Promised £8bn extra for NHS is not enough, says hospitals boss The Guardian

Alcohol-related cancer to kill 135,000 in England by 2035 – study

Alcohol-related cancer to kill 135,000 in England by 2035 – study Cancer Research UK calls for 50p minimum unit price to help reduced alcohol-related deaths and cut healthcare costs by £1.3bn

Alcohol-related cancers will cause about 135,000 deaths and cost the NHS £2bn over the next 20 years in England, unless concerted action is taken to highlight the dangers of drinking, health campaigners have warned.

Cancer Research UK, which commissioned Sheffield University to come up with the figures, said the government urgently needed to counter public ignorance about the link between drinking and cancer and introduce minimum unit pricing (MUP) to prevent the number of deaths reaching 7,100 a year by 2035. Continue reading... The Guardian

My colleague's suicide showed how vulnerable medical professionals can be

My colleague's suicide showed how vulnerable medical professionals can be I knew afterwards that my days working as a nurse in the emergency department were numbered

I stood in front of the ambulance bay door. My badge clutched in my hand, knuckles white, jaw clenched. I questioned my attempt at returning to work on this day. I stood in front of the doors grappling with a burning feeling in the pit of my stomach. I knew then, right there, that my career in the emergency department was over.

A quiet swollen presence of pain ran down every corridor. The night before, we lost a colleague to suicide. Some of us found the body. Some of us carried out the post mortem care. Some of us stood there as family filed in to the room. Some of us made the calls alerting fellow staff. Some of us, all of us, changed forever that night. Continue reading... The Guardian

Inadequate mental health provision is a 'stain on our country', former Health Secretaries warn

Inadequate mental health provision is a 'stain on our country', former Health Secretaries warn Inadequate mental health provision is a "stain on our country", every former Health Secretary from last 20 years has said in an open letter attacking Government's failure to support patients.

The letter has urged Ministers to honour a pledge made by the former Prime Minister David Cameron, to ensure the NHS treats mental and physical health equally.

The signatories said they were "encouraged" by earlier Government statements, but added that they were alarmed to see the same "enduring injustice" continue. The Daily Telegraph

Inquest into death of acting couple's baby halted amid claims NHS tampered with evidence

Inquest into death of acting couple's baby halted amid claims NHS tampered with evidence A coroner has halted an inquest into the death of an actor's baby son amid claims the NHS tampered with evidence which could result in criminal charges.

Benjamin King, son of British TV star Jamie King, died from severe brain damage five days after being born by emergency caesarean section on May 5.

He was starved of oxygen for two hours before his birth at the Royal United Hospital, Bath, Somerset. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Coroner halts baby's inquest over hospital evidence tampering claim The Guardian

Cutting Down: The Reality of Budget Cuts To Local Tobacco Control

Cutting Down: The Reality of Budget Cuts To Local Tobacco Control This report presents the results of the third annual survey of tobacco control leads in local authorities in England, conducted in June 2016. There are 129 local authorities in the sample, 85% of all the local authorities in England with public health responsibilities. Cancer Research UK and Ash

See also:

• Stop Smoking services under threat due to budget cuts OnMedica

Could plans for NHS shake-up collapse?

Could plans for NHS shake-up collapse? As winter approaches, NHS managers in England will be even busier than usual.

Handling the increased volume of emergency admissions to hospitals and juggling demands for beds will be as tough as ever.

On top of that will be a raft of meetings discussing the potentially most radical shake-up of health services in decades.

The sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) being produced in 44 local areas of England are seen as vital ingredients in the redesign of care to cope with increasing patient demand.

The plans will focus on trying to moderate that demand and treat more patients away from hospitals.

But there has been no denying that some of the plans will see closures of accident and emergency units and hospital wards, concentrating services on fewer sites.

The STP process has got off to a difficult start. BBC News

Elderly failed by 'shameful' care system

Elderly failed by 'shameful' care system Frail old people in England are being left to fend for themselves because government-funded care is being scaled back, a review suggests. BBC News

See also:

• 1.2m older people don’t get the social care they need Age UK
• Shocking reality of dementia homecare hidden behind closed doors Alzheimer's Society
• Fix Dementia Care: Homecare report Alzheimer's Society
• Alzheimer’s Society say that neglect of dementia patients is ‘happening behind closed doors’ The Daily Mail
• Dementia sufferers left to starve or live on biscuits, in harrowing cases The Daily Telegraph

'Grossly irresponsible' rush into contract led to catastrophic failure

'Grossly irresponsible' rush into contract led to catastrophic failure A new report warns that services for patients are likely to suffer following the collapse of an £800 million contract to provide older people's and adult community services.

The report describes the handling of the contract between Cambridgeshire and Peterborough clinical commissioning group (the CCG) and UnitingCare Partnership as a catalogue of failures.

It sets out urgent recommendations to address the lack of commercial skills in the NHS and calls on NHS England and NHS Improvement to improve the oversight and supervision of contracting arrangements to "avoid such catastrophic failures in future". Public Accounts Select Committee

See also:

• Private NHS contract 'farmed out to the lowest bidder', Public Accounts Committee finds The Independent
• 'Catalogue of failures' behind collapse of £800m NHS deal ITV News

STPs subject to 'full consultation' with patients, says Jeremy Hunt

STPs subject to 'full consultation' with patients, says Jeremy Hunt Sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) will be subject to 'full consultation' with patient groups, the health secretary suggested yesterday, appearing to go further than commitments in NHS England guidance. GP Online

‘Ban cells as holding places for people in a mental health crisis’

‘Ban cells as holding places for people in a mental health crisis’ The use of police cells as places of safety for people in mental health crisis, should be banned.

This is a message from the mental health charity Mind. The charity is calling on parliament to ban the use of police cells for this purpose, as new data from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Lead for Mental Health shows some forces are still putting people who are unwell in cells on a daily basis.

The Policing and Crime Bill, currently making its way through the House of Lords, will end the use of cells as “places of safety” for under 18s who are suicidal, self-harming or in psychosis, but Mind is calling for this to be extended to adults too.

Mind’s appeal comes hot on the heels of NHS England’s publication of the latest statistical information on patients’ experience of mental health services in the NHS — an update which includes results from the 2016 Community Mental Health Survey. OnMedica

See also:

• Ban use of police cells for people in mental health crisis, MPs told The Guardian

Breast cancer drug approved for NHS use after price cut

Breast cancer drug approved for NHS use after price cut Perjeta can help shrink breast cancer tumours before patients undergo surgery to remove them.

A drug that can help shrink breast cancer tumours before patients undergo surgery to remove them has been approved for use in the NHS, after the manufacturer agreed a substantial discount on the list price.

Perjeta, the brand name of pertuzumab, could be helpful in the treatment of 1,400 women a year who develop a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer, but it was initially turned down by Nice, the National Institute for Healthcare Excellence, because of the high price set by the manufacturer, Roche Continue reading... The Guardian

Psychiatrists attack 'scandal' of child mental health spending

Psychiatrists attack 'scandal' of child mental health spending Royal college analysis says NHS bodies in some areas are spending little more than £2 per child despite surge in illness

NHS bodies are spending as little as £2.01 per child on mental health care for young people, despite the big spike in anxiety, depression and other serious problems among under-18s.

Psychiatrists claim the small sums being spent by GP-led clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in England constitute a national scandal at a time when youth self-harm and suicide are rising Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• The scandal of underfunded child and adolescent mental health services laid bare in new research Royal College of Psychiatrists
• Quarter of young people seeking mental health care 'turned away by specialist services' The Independent
• “Scandal” of £2 per child mental health spending in England i News

Antibiotic-resistant infections have almost DOUBLED in US children in just 10 years, research reveals

Antibiotic-resistant infections have almost DOUBLED in US children in just 10 years, research reveals Highly drug-resistant infections are on the rise among children in the US, a new study warns.

Currently, antibiotics can target and kill Pseidomonas aeruginosa, a bacteria that causes blood infections, pneumonia, and many post-surgery infections - all of them deadly.

But over the last decade, scientists have seen rates of drug resistance almost double in samples of this bacteria collected from children in pediatric wards.

Officials warn the findings should be a red flag that antibiotic resistance could be a not-so-distant reality. The Daily Mail

'Cruel' drug rationing system that makes patients beg for drugs must be ripped up, experts warn

'Cruel' drug rationing system that makes patients beg for drugs must be ripped up, experts warn Professor David Taylor, of University College London, called for the rigid system by which drugs are assessed to be abandoned - and a more flexible approach to be adopted. The Daily Mail

NHS cannot afford to run seven day services for convenience, managers warn on eve of summit

NHS cannot afford to run seven day services for convenience, managers warn on eve of summit The NHS cannot afford to run seven day services simply for the convenience of patients, healthcare leaders have said.

The warning from the NHS Confederation comes as Jeremy Hunt faces medics for the first time since a bitter industrial dispute with junior doctors came to an end.

The symposium today by the British Medical Association (BMA), follows a climb-down from the union, after a long conflict over changes to doctors’ contracts which followed Government pledges to improve levels of medical cover at weekends. The Daily Telegraph

“Use A&E at KGH and NGH wisely”: health leaders’ warning as hospitals experience high demand

“Use A&E at KGH and NGH wisely”: health leaders’ warning as hospitals experience high demand Health leaders are urging people to use services wisely as KGH and NGH are experiencing extremely high numbers of A&E attendees. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

900 people have had a reduction in care fees after Northamptonshire woman’s court case

900 people have had a reduction in care fees after Northamptonshire woman’s court case A court victory by a Northamptonshire woman has so far seen 900 cared-for adults being given full or partial refunds of their County Council fees. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS faces difficult winter as demand for care increases

NHS faces difficult winter as demand for care increases Big rises in demand for health care mean the NHS is heading into winter with its finances under pressure and performance against several key indicators at their worst level for more than a decade, according to the latest quarterly monitoring report (QMR)

The report, which covers the period July to September, shows that the NHS is now treating more patients than ever before. Increasing demand for services is reflected in the number of GP referrals, which increased by about 3 per cent over the past year, while emergency admissions via A&E are 4 per cent higher than in the same quarter last year. The King's Fund

Commensality – or bring back the lunch break

Commensality – or bring back the lunch break Mayo Clinic is widely acknowledged to be a high-performing academic medical centre delivering excellent care to patients. Established more than 150 years ago, it is a not-for-profit system led by doctors and based on multispecialty medical practice. At our annual conference, one of Mayo Clinic’s leaders, Steve Swensen, shared learning and found a receptive audience.

Steve explained that Mayo Clinic appeals to the intrinsic motivation of its 64,000 staff to provide the best possible care to patients. Decisions are made through consensus in a system he described as a democracy, not an autocracy. A key belief is that staff will perform to the best of their abilities if they are valued, supported and encouraged both to carry out their work and improve it. The King's Fund

Community mental health survey 2016

Community mental health survey 2016 Around two thirds of respondents reported a positive experience of their overall care: when asked to evaluate their overall experience on a scale of 0 to 10, 65% rated this with a score of seven or above. The results for some questions asking about contact with staff were also positive.

However, substantial concerns remain about the quality of care some people using community mental health services receive. There has been no notable improvement in survey results in the last year.

The survey results suggest scope for further improvements in a number of areas including: involvement in care, crisis care, care planning and reviews. Care Quality Commission

See also:

• Poor mental health care for one in three patients says Care Quality Commission The Daily Mail

NHS cuts: Why they terrify people in power

NHS cuts: Why they terrify people in power NHS England's handling of the hospital cuts programme seems a fairly ham-fisted way of going about a major review of local health services.

But there are understandable reasons why bosses fell into such a secretive and controlling approach. It is known as the Richard Taylor effect.

In the late 1990s, people in Kidderminster started rallying against plans to downgrade their local hospital. It prompted Richard Taylor, a retired local doctor, to put himself forward to become an MP.

He was successful, taking the Wyre Forest seat in the 2001 election from Labour, as an independent candidate promising to fight the cuts.

His majority was 18,000, in what was the shock result of a fairly routine second election win for Tony Blair.

Since then, those at the top of the NHS and politicians have tried to tread very carefully through the minefield of health service "reconfiguration" (as they like to call it in NHS circles). BBC News

Call for assistant nurse role rethink

Call for assistant nurse role rethink The creation of new nursing assistant posts should be scrapped and money invested in "real nurses", experts say after research suggested the use of lower skilled posts was a risk.

Rollout of the new nursing associate roles starts in England in December.

Research in the BMJ Quality and Safety journal linked the use of junior care roles to higher death rates.

But ministers rejected the criticism, saying the new posts were on top of investment in fully qualified nurses. BBC News

See also:

• Nursing skill mix in European hospitals: cross-sectional study of the association with mortality, patient ratings, and quality of care BMJ Quallity and Safety
• Patients one fifth more likely to die in hospitals with fewer qualified nurses The Daily Telegraph
• NHS nursing assistants could raise risk of death for patients, says study The Guardian
• Government accused of putting patients' lives at risk with one of lowest rates of qualified hospital nurses in Europe The Independent
• Diluting nursing skill mix linked to higher patient mortality risk, finds major study Nursing Times

Breast cancer 'more often advanced' in black women

Breast cancer 'more often advanced' in black women Black women in England are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced breast cancer than white women, figures show. BBC News

One in four women miss 'smear test'

One in four women miss 'smear test' At least one in every four women invited for cervical cancer screening in England last year failed to attend, latest figures show. BBC News

See also:

• Cervical screening coverage falls for second consecutive year NHS Digital
• Cervical cancer checks are at lowest level as GPs are blamed for lack of appointments The Daily Mail

NHS patients being put 'at risk' because of cybersecurity flaws

NHS patients being put 'at risk' because of cybersecurity flaws A Sky News investigation has discovered the NHS trusts putting patients at risk by not protecting their data online.

Seven NHS trusts, serving more than two million people, spent nothing on cybersecurity in 2015.

Sky News worked with security experts to find serious flaws in their cybersecurity, which could be easily exploited by relatively unskilled hackers.

Hacker House was able to find misconfigured email servers, outdated software and security certificates, along with NHS trusts' emails and passwords, through public searches.

It’s time to pay attention to mental health IT

It’s time to pay attention to mental health IT Technology can play a significant role in mental health, but has been largely overlooked by both initiatives and funding. However, things are about to change. Computer Weekly

Testing sore throats at pharmacies won’t solve anything | Margaret McCartney

Testing sore throats at pharmacies won’t solve anything | Margaret McCartney Research has already shown this test does not help beyond normal care. The NHS must stop wasting money on inadequately tested but popular political policies

Are GPs to throw away the traditional box of wooden tongue depressors? People with sore throats are soon to be offered a new service – at the pharmacy. The NHS Innovation Accelerator, an organisation responsible for helping “with the adoption of promising new treatments and technologies”, has approved a new Sore Throat Test and Treat service that NHS England says is “evidence based and cost saving”.

My head is in my hands. This is neither evidence based nor shown to be cost effective, and may actually make pressure on the NHS worse.

Faced with a wait for to see a GP, it means effectively people will be able to access care faster if they pay for it Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Sore throats to be tested by pharmacists instead of GPs under NHS move The Guardian

Biggest problem with NHS is that everyone thinks it's free

Biggest problem with NHS is that everyone thinks it's free What I am about to say is tantamount to heresy in this country — particularly for a doctor. But I’m going to be honest with you: I don’t care about the NHS.

Not in the slavish, dogmatic way most people claim to care about the NHS, anyway.

Let me explain. Nothing matters to me more than that we have the most efficient, equitable healthcare system that delivers the best possible care for everyone — for the lowest amount of money. The Daily Mail

Street protests could halt hospital closures - NHS boss

Street protests could halt hospital closures - NHS boss Hospital closures planned to shore up NHS finances could be derailed if enough people take to the streets in protest, a health service chief has said.

Chris Hopson, leader of England’s hospitals sector, said public unrest and opposition by local MPs could scupper so-called Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs), which are billed as crucial to the long-term viability of the health service.

On Monday the respected think tank The King’s Fund heavily criticised health bosses for trying to organise the sweeping closure of hospitals and NHS units in secret, moves which it said could put lives at risk. The Daily Telegraph

12,000 strokes could be prevented if patients eligible for statins and other drugs were prescribed pills

12,000 strokes could be prevented if patients eligible for statins and other drugs were prescribed pills Half of people who are eligible for statins are not prescribed the drug in a ‘missed opportunity’ which is contributing to 12,000 needless strokes a year, a study has shown.

Around one third of strokes could be prevented in Britain annually if cholesterol busting pills, anti-clotting drugs and medication to lower blood pressure were prescribed as intended.

Current recommendations by the health watchdog Nice suggest that anyone with a 20 per cent risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the next 10 years should take statins. But research by the University of Birmingham found that just 49 per cent of those eligible were prescribed the drugs. The Daily Telegraph

Child mental health money not making frontline - report

Child mental health money not making frontline - report Money earmarked to boost mental health provision for children in England is failing to make it to front-line services, a new report suggests.

The government last year pledged £1.4bn for child mental health by 2020, but a report says millions of pounds is being used to offset NHS cuts elsewhere.

Specialist teams are also turning away up to a quarter of youngsters, it said.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the government was "determined to address" mental health problems. BBC News

Step up efforts to communicate alcohol harms to public, government urged

Step up efforts to communicate alcohol harms to public, government urged The government must step up its efforts, and run mass media campaigns, to help the public understand just what damage alcohol can do to their health, the chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance, has insisted.

Public awareness of the links between alcohol consumption and serious disease is still low, insists Professor Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alliance and special advisor to the Royal College of Physicians, at the start of this year’s Alcohol Awareness Week. OnMedica

Infective conjunctivitis cases ‘clogging up’ GP appointments system

Infective conjunctivitis cases ‘clogging up’ GP appointments system The practice that many schools and nurseries have of refusing to admit children with infective conjunctivitis unless they have a prescription for antibiotics is unintentionally “clogging up” the GP appointments system, the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has warned.

Around 160,000 GP appointments could be freed up, if schools and nurseries changed their policies, it says.

To mark the beginning of national Self Care Week, the College has written to the schools inspectorate, OFSTED, calling for nursery, pre-schools and childcare providers to re-think their policies. OnMedica

See also:

• Self care for conjunctivitis could save 160,000 GP visits a year, warns RCGP GP Online

The fall-less city and other innovations for a healthier old age

The fall-less city and other innovations for a healthier old age Rapid urbanisation and ageing populations mean that cities must become better for older people to live in. We have the technology to make this happen

The city of Liverpool is aiming to become a “fall-less” city – so that all older adults with limited or reduced mobility can venture forth into the streets, parks and other public places knowing that their chances of falling have been significantly reduced. One-third of older people in the UK experience a fall each year, rising to half the over-80s. Working with the Universities of Liverpool and Cambridge, the city council is implementing falls prevention and mitigation as part of its Age-Friendly City (AFC) initiative.

Promoted by the World Health Organisation, the age-friendly city movement has spread across the globe. With projections that half Europe’s population will be over 50 within a couple of decades and that the world will have more people over 60 than under 16 by 2050, the age-proofing of our environments is high on the agenda. Continue reading... The Guardian

The secret life of an oncologist: witnessing the most painful and intimate moments of life | Anonymous

The secret life of an oncologist: witnessing the most painful and intimate moments of life | Anonymous It’s not all doom and gloom. The best part of the job is when cancer treatment works and patients return to good health. Occasionally there are miracles

People assume that oncology is all doom, gloom and death. To be honest it can be, but thankfully not all of the time, or else nobody could cope with doing it.

Cancer can be a disease of dreadful retrospectives – that lump that was looked at but not biopsied; that mole that was judged to be OK. These patients and their families are justifiably angry. Others have refused to see what was plainly staring them in the face.

Talking to patients and their relatives when there is bad news is definitely the worst part of the job Continue reading... The Guardian

In NHS management being fired means you continue working for more money

In NHS management being fired means you continue working for more money The health service is so short of experienced leaders, it ends up paying some £1,000 a day to plug management gaps

When I had to leave my role as a senior NHS manager, I discovered that the health service has a well-used but little-known system for easing people out of top jobs. And I learned that it doesn’t work well for anyone: trusts, our healthcare system, managers, patients or the taxpayer.

It’s quite common for senior leaders to have to step down, even when there are no performance issues and their actions haven’t risked patient safety. Sometimes, as in any sector, people simply end up in jobs that aren’t right for them. And just as often, managers, keen to support NHS bodies through difficult change projects, take on tasks that prove impossible to accomplish. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS IT blunder sees system clogged after email sent to 1.2 million employees

NHS IT blunder sees system clogged after email sent to 1.2 million employees Large sections of the NHS email system ground to snail's pace this morning after an IT worker sent a message to 840,000 employees due to a bug in the system

Some staff used the email function “reply to all”, flooding servers with extra traffic and making the system unusable for many.

Exasperated doctors and nurses took to social media to complain about the avalanche of emails in their inboxes and begging colleagues to stop replying.

Others complained that they had not been able to log in to their accounts at all.

One health service manager tweeted: “So essentially #nhsmail users have all just carried out a DDoS [distributed denial of service] attack on themselves”. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• NHS Digital statement on NHS Mail service disruption NHS Digital
• NHS send-to-all email causes turmoil BBC News
• '186m needless emails': NHS-wide test message and replies crash system The Guardian

Will STPs deliver the changes we wish see in our health and care services?

Will STPs deliver the changes we wish see in our health and care services? Sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) are based on the notion that collective action is needed to address the significant pressures now facing health and care services in England. Thelogic of this is sound – but developing the plans has been far from easy, and implementing them will require leaders and organisations across a local STP footprint to work together in new ways. In our new report, Sustainability and transformation plans in the NHS, we make a number of recommendations as to how leaders and organisations might do this. The King's Fund

See also:

• Controversial plans right way forward for the NHS The King's Fund
• NHS bosses 'tried to keep cuts secret' BBC News
• Maternity units and A&Es under threat as the NHS tackle a budget crisis The Daily Mail
• 'Secret' plans to close A&E departments could put lives at  risk, leading doctors warn The Daily Telegraph
• STPs 'far from perfect' but NHS has no plan B, warns think tank GP Online
• Patients and staff shut out of NHS transformation plans, says thinktank The Guardian
• NHS plans to close hospitals and A&E departments kept secret from the public, investigation finds The Independent
• NHS cost-cutting plans 'kept secret from public and media' ITV News
• GPs 'least involved' in sweeping plans for NHS change, warns King’s Fund Pulse

Adult social care: market shaping

Adult social care: market shaping This guidance is aimed at people who buy social care services, including local authority and clinical commissioning group commissioners, as well as personal budget holders and people who fund their own care, care service providers and potential investors in the care sector.

The adult social care market refers to independent care sector providers and support organisations – those that provide Care Quality Commission regulated services, such as care and home care, as well as unregulated care, such as personal assistants, volunteers and communities and informal family carers, and wider support services. Department of Health

New case study - improving staff engagement through the workforce development strategy

New case study - improving staff engagement through the workforce development strategy Our new case study from Kettering General Hospital shares their experiences of how they've improved their staff engagement levels through the implementation of a workforce development strategy. NHS Employers

Using data to identify good-quality care for older people

Using data to identify good-quality care for older people This report describes the results of a pilot analysis of the effectiveness of using routine health care data to determine areas that have made quality improvements in the care of frail and older people over time. It focuses on a few indicators that were mainly derived from acute emergency hospital use and applies statistical analyses to them at the local authority area level. It concludes that there is scope to use these methods and approaches not only to track past change, but also as part of real-time monitoring of ongoing interventions. Nuffield Trust

The damage: care in crisis

The damage: care in crisis This report is based on a survey of more than 1000 home care, residential support and day services staff across the UK and it finds that budget cuts are having a direct impact on the quality of care. 63 per cent of staff surveyed report having less time to spend with their users due to staff shortages and 36 per cent said that the rationing of supplies had increased. UNISON