Simon Stevens told to 'calm down' NHS furore or risk his future

Simon Stevens told to 'calm down' NHS furore or risk his future The head of the NHS could risk his job unless he “calms” things down following his row about healthcare funding with Theresa May, senior Government sources say.

The remarks will increase pressure on Simon Stevens, who technically does not have to report to ministers as chief executive of the NHS in England.

Mr Stevens is at loggerheads with the Prime Minister amid a mounting crisis in Accident & Emergency units. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• NHS chief Simon Stevens refuses to buckle under No 10 pressure The Guardian
• Ministers can’t silence NHS concerns because people can see it unravelling The Guardian
• The Guardian view on NHS politics: a truce is necessary but not inevitable | Editorial The Guardian
• Struggling hospitals brace for further spike in demand during cold snap The Guardian
• More than 20 NHS hospitals on 'black alert’ amid reports of patients left in ambulances The Independent

NHS bed-blocking rises 42% in a year, new figures show

NHS bed-blocking rises 42% in a year, new figures show Bed-blocking has risen more than 40 per cent in a year as hospitals continue to be overwhelmed with people needing care, figures showed on Thursday.

New data from November shows a health system under strain as it got ready to enter its busiest time ever over Christmas.

It follows warnings from the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Nursing that the NHS is now experiencing its worst ever winter crisis.

The research for England highlights acute problems with delayed discharges - where patients are medically fit to leave hospital but are stuck in beds due to problems arranging care in the community.

It follows calls from the head of the NHS for extra funding for social care. The Daily Telegraph

US woman killed by superbug resistant to every available antibiotic

US woman killed by superbug resistant to every available antibiotic A woman in Nevada has been killed by a superbug that proved resistant to every antibiotic available in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said.

The woman’s condition was deemed incurable, and 26 different antibiotics were tested in vain before she died in September.

She was in her 70s, and had recently returned to the US after an extended visit to India, according to the CDC’s Morbitity and Mortality Weekly Report. She had been hospitalised there multiple times before returning to the US and being admitted to an acute care hospital in Nevada in mid-August.

One week later local health authorities were notified that every possible medication had been tried without success. The CDC later determined that no drug currently on the market would have stopped the bacteria’s spread. The Daily Telegraph

Cover needed as KGH’s acting chief executive announces she’s leaving

Cover needed as KGH’s acting chief executive announces she’s leaving Hospital bosses are working on arrangements for when the acting chief executive leaves in March. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Tackling wasteful spending on health

Tackling wasteful spending on health This report finds that across OECD countries a significant share of health care system spending and activities are wasteful at best, and harm our health at worst and that one in ten patients in OECD countries is unnecessarily harmed at the point of care. It also finds that more than 10 per cent of hospital expenditure is spent on correcting preventable medical mistakes or infections that people catch in hospitals. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Swimming together or sinking alone: health, care and the art of systems leadership

Swimming together or sinking alone: health, care and the art of systems leadership This report is based on interviews with senior leaders in health and local government on what is happening as managers grapple with the Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) process. It aims to help leaders understand the values, culture and skills they need to survive and thrive as the NHS tries to change from organisations working in silos to local health and care networks focused on the needs of patients. Institute of Healthcare Management

NHS England chief contradicts May over spending

NHS England chief contradicts May over spending The chief executive of NHS England has contradicted government claims that the health service is getting more funding than it asked for.

Simon Stevens told MPs this was "stretching it" and there were "clearly substantial funding pressures".

And, in clashes with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, the PM called claims of a "humanitarian crisis" in the NHS "irresponsible" and "overblown".

But Mr Corbyn said Theresa May was "in denial" over the situation.

There have been several warnings in recent days about the pressure on the health service in England. BBC News

See also:

• Financial sustainability of the NHS examined Commons Public Accounts Committee
• Theresa May and NHS chief Simon Stevens clash overgrowing crisis in health service The Daily Mail
• Former Tory health minister defends Simon Stevens over NHS winter crisis The Daily Telegraph
• Doctors' leaders slam Theresa May's 'wilful ignorance' of NHS crisis GP Online
• NHS England chief hits back at Theresa May on health service funding The Guardian
• NHS's Simon Stevens defended by MPs in health funding row The Guardian
• Former Tory health minister defends Simon Stevens over NHS winter crisis The Guardian
• NHS chief clashes with Downing Street over funding ITV News

Retired British expats 'outstrip European pensioners using NHS'

Retired British expats 'outstrip European pensioners using NHS' Many more expat UK pensioners rely on European healthcare under reciprocal healthcare agreements than UK-based European pensioners rely on the NHS.

While 70,000 retired Brits use Spain's health system, 81 Spanish pensioners are registered as covered by the NHS.

Across the European Economic Area (EEA) there are 145,000 UK expat pensioners registered, compared with 4,000 EEA pensioners registered to use the NHS.

The figures were obtained after a BBC Freedom of Information request. BBC News

Mental health care: 'The system is broken'

Mental health care: 'The system is broken' Theresa May has unveiled plans to do more to help those, particularly young people, with mental health conditions.

In her speech at the Charity Commission, the prime minister announced a number of pledges including training at every secondary school, training for employers and organisations, and the appointment of a mental health campaigner.

Here, people have been sharing their experiences of mental health services. BBC News

Everyone the Conservative government has blamed for NHS crisis

Everyone the Conservative government has blamed for NHS crisis Theresa May has defended the Government’s handling of NHS pressures in response to doctors' warnings of a dangerous crisis in the health service.

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) joined the British Medical Association and other medical authorities to demand an urgent boost to health and social care funding after the British Red Cross warned of a “humanitarian crisis” in NHS hospitals.

But the Prime Minister and Jeremy Hunt have said health funding is already at record levels and have instead suggested steps be taken to reform the NHS – blaming a number of different factors for the problems faced by the service. The Independent

More than 20 NHS hospitals on 'black alert’ amid reports of patients left in ambulances

More than 20 NHS hospitals on 'black alert’ amid reports of patients left in ambulances Overcrowding in NHS hospitals has become so severe that last week more than 20 trusts issued ‘black alerts’, meaning they are unable to guarantee life-saving emergency care.

The top-level alert, considered a “serious incident” by NHS England, can result in scheduled operations being cancelled and patients being diverted to other hospitals as overflowing A&E departments struggle to cope. The Independent

See also:

• Surgeon: Lethal NHS failings BBC News
• NHS crisis: 20 hospitals declare black alert as patient safety no longer assured The Guardian

NHS hospitals in England face £322m tax bill increase from April

NHS hospitals in England face £322m tax bill increase from April Changes to business rates system mean NHS trusts face 21% rise in property tax bill over next five years – but some are fighting for charitable exemption

Cash-strapped hospitals in England face a £322m tax rise from April which threatens to increase the strain on the under-pressure NHS.

Changes to the business rates system mean that the 1,249 NHS hospitals liable for the property tax will see their bill increase by 21% over the next five years, according to research conducted for the Guardian by property consultant CVS. Continue reading... The Guardian

Care home closures set to rise as funding crisis bites

Care home closures set to rise as funding crisis bites Insolvencies among care home operators are at a record high and likely to continue without government action

Care home operators, trade unions and charities have been telling Theresa May for months that the care home industry is in crisis and needs help.

Last week, May got her sternest warning yet – the chairs of three influential Commons committees urged the prime minister to deal with the “immense challenge” of paying for health and social care in the future. Continue reading... The Guardian

BBC doc shows NHS doctors forced to decide between saving cancer patient or pensioner

BBC doc shows NHS doctors forced to decide between saving cancer patient or pensioner A new BBC2 documentary revealing the true crisis the NHS is currently in has left viewers heartbroken.

Doctors were forced to decide between saving a cancer patient or a pensioner bleeding to death during the first episode of Hospital last night.

A woman, known only as Janice, was rushed to the A&E department at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington after suffering from a ruptured blood vessel.

But hospital staff had already prepared Simon, who suffers from cancer in his oesophagus, for life-saving surgery. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Hospital episode 1 BBC iPlayer
• Hospital review – shining a light on an NHS at breaking point The Guardian

If you want to kill yourself, the NHS won't stop you. A kinder system could save lives

If you want to kill yourself, the NHS won't stop you. A kinder system could save lives In Theresa May’s speech on Monday, she announced her intention to improve mental health provision and reduce the number of people who die by suicide. She said that there will be more focus on community care.

In the NHS, this is currently provided by crisis resolution and home treatment teams. But too many people are dying under its care: indeed, three times as many as in psychiatric hospitals, according to a national inquiry.

I run a charity which also provides crisis care. So far, no client has died under our care – so we know it is possible to achieve this in a non-residential setting. We have done this with very limited funds; I set up the Suicide Crisis Centre in Cheltenham after experiencing suicidal crisis myself in 2012, and finding that the NHS's approach and methods did not work for me. The Daily Telegraph

NHS to recruit hundreds of GPs from Poland, Lithuania and Greece

NHS to recruit hundreds of GPs from Poland, Lithuania and Greece The health service is to recruit hundreds of GPs from countries such as Poland, Lithuania, Greece with promises of £90,000 salaries and “generous relocation packages” in a bid to tackle a spiralling NHS crisis.

The new scheme run by NHS England will see doctors from across the EU undergoing 12 weeks training in Poland before they start work in Britain.

Health officials are trawling EU countries for medical staff in a bid to plug shortages of family doctors, amid warnings that long waits to see GPs are fuelling the Accident & Emergency (A&E) crisis.

Medics from Croatia, Lithuania, Greece, Spain and Poland have now been recruited, as part of plans which aim to bring 500 doctors in from the EU ahead of Brexit. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Why vanishing GPs are to blame for this NHS hospital crisis The Daily Mail
• Mail Online names and shames some of the thousands of GP surgeries shutting up The Daily Mail
• Exclusive: Demand soars for GP out-of-hours care as winter crisis bites GP Online

Improving patient access to general practice

Improving patient access to general practice The National Audit Office has found that the Department of Health and NHS England have a high-level vision for improving patient access to general practice and have increased the funding available, but are seeking to extend access despite failing to provide consistent value for money from existing services.

The Department has set objectives such as providing evening and weekend access for all patients and 5,000 extra doctors in general practice, both by 2020. However, they have not evaluated the cost-effectiveness and consequences of their objectives. The NAO’s analysis suggests the minimum additional capacity required by the new commitment equates to £230 per appointment hour per 1,000 registered patients. In core contract hours the cost is an estimated £154. NHS England intends that the additional funding will be used to also cover transformation costs and deliver wider improvements in access, but has not currently set out how it will take assurance that the additional funding provides good value for money.

See also:

• Improving patient access to general practice (full report) National Audit Office
• NAO fails to understand intense pressures GPs face everyday, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
• Are part-time GPs fuelling the meltdown in casualty? Fifth shut their doors for at least one afternoon a week The Daily Mail
• GP opening hours are fuelling A&E pressures, NAO report suggests The Daily Telegraph
• GP access report shows plans for seven-day service 'in disarray' GP Online
• Plans for seven-day GPs not thought out, says spending watchdog The Guardian

NHS conditions worst ever, say leading nurses

NHS conditions worst ever, say leading nurses Nurses say conditions in the NHS are the worst they have experienced, the Royal College of Nursing has said.

In a separate move, 50 leading doctors have warned the prime minster in a letter that lives are being put at risk due to mounting pressures on the NHS.

Charities working with elderly people said long-term solutions were needed, with a similar call from a group of Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem MPs.

Health officials said they were investing more in care. BBC News

See also:

• 'Quality of patient care threatened' physicians tell PM Royal College of Physicians
• Letter to the Prime Minister Royal College of Physicians
• Annual A&E statistics published NHS Digital
• NHS trolley waits hit record high BBC News
• Long waiting time at A&E? There's an app to find that BBC News
• Top doctors tell Jeremy Hunt to tackle A&E crisis The Daily Mail
• NHS Digital data shows record number of over 70s are enduring 12 hour waits in A&E The Daily Mail
• 'Lives at risk' as hospitals become paralysed by spiralling demand The Daily Telegraph
• GPC rejects Jeremy Hunt's NHS crisis plan for GPs to support urgent care GP Online
• NHS 'will fail' this winter without cash injection, doctors tell Theresa May The Guardian
• Our NHS trust is close to a tipping point – and we are not alone The Guardian
• More than 2m people wait over four hours in A&E, figures show The Guardian
• Two million wait more than four hours in A&E amid huge increase in 12-hour waits for elderly The Independent
• NHS crisis 'putting lives at risk', warns Royal College of Physicians The Independent

Steep rise in A&E psychiatric patients

Steep rise in A&E psychiatric patients There has been a steep rise in the number of people arriving at A&E departments in England with mental health problems, figures show.

Experts say a lack of early support means patients are reaching crisis.

Data compiled for the BBC by NHS Digital showed that between 2011-12 and 2015-16 the number of patients attending A&E units with psychiatric problems rose by nearly 50% to 165,000.

For the under 18s alone the numbers almost doubled to nearly 22,000.

These figures represent a small minority of overall A&E attendances - just over 1% in total.

But the Royal College of Emergency Medicine said that was likely to be the "tip of the iceberg" as these figures just included cases where the primary diagnosis was a psychiatric condition. BBC News

GP practices begin processing backlog of over 100,000 patient letters

GP practices begin processing backlog of over 100,000 patient letters GP practices across England have begun to receive their share of a huge backlog of patient data that a former provider of primary care support services left by mistake in a warehouse. GP Online

Social care does need more funds, but there are also savings to be made

Social care does need more funds, but there are also savings to be made Social and health care should be integrated, but as that is unlikely to happen, care reforms already tested could make significant savings

Ministers last week stepped in with an extra cash boost for social care. On top of a funding increase announced three months ago, they unveiled a further rise to help meet payroll costs and to help professionalise the workforce. Council leaders “warmly welcomed” the move and the emphasis on preventive support for older and disabled people.

You may have guessed this wasn’t in England. It was in Wales, where, as the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) observes, the policy position is “very different”. True, the sums involved are not huge. After a £25m grant increase for social care in 2017-18 set out last October, the Welsh government last week found a further £10m and raised the individual cap on homecare costs – a feature of the system not replicated in England – from £60 a week to £70, which should give councils another £4m for the year from April. Continue reading... The Guardian

Child 'sugar scourge': thousands having teeth removed in hospital

Child 'sugar scourge': thousands having teeth removed in hospital Experts say annual figures for England obtained by LGA show need for tougher curbs on sugar in children’s diets

More than 40,000 children and young people a year are having rotten teeth removed in hospital in further evidence of what doctors call the “costly scourge of sugar”.

New NHS figures obtained by the Local Government Association (LGA) show that 40,800 under-18s in England had at least one tooth taken out last year under general anaesthetic because of decay. Performing the procedures cost £35.6m. Continue reading... The Guardian

British heart attack patients are abandoned without receiving life-saving aftercare

British heart attack patients are abandoned without receiving life-saving aftercare Tens of thousands of British cardiac patients are abandoned to cope without the essential care they need after a heart attack, a major audit reveals.

An astonishing 69 per cent of NHS cardiac rehabilitation services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are failing to hit minimum standards, a damning report revealed.

All heart patients should be offered rehabilitation care in the aftermath of an attack, which has been shown to reduce the risk of death by 18 per cent in the next year, and cut readmissions by 31 per cent.

Yet 66,000 of 132,000 eligible patients are missing out on cardiac rehabilitation each year, the National Audit of Cardiac Rehabilitation revealed. The Daily Mail

See also:

• National Audit of Cardiac Rehabilitation Annual Statistical Report 2016 British Heart Foundation

Saline bags tampered with at hospital as police called in to investigate

Saline bags tampered with at hospital as police called in to investigate Police have launched an urgent investigation at a hospital in Cumbria after a member of staff discovered that saline bags – used for IV drips and other medical procedures had been tampered with.

North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust said security measures had been increased across Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle after the tampering was discovered last Wednesday.

Following the discovery, senior clinicians were alerted and the hospital immediately launched its serious incident procedure protocol to ensure the safety of patients. The Daily Telegraph

CCTV released of man over theft from Northampton General Hospital

CCTV released of man over theft from Northampton General Hospital Police would like to speak to the man in the attached images who may have information about the theft of a handbag from NGH. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Taking the right approach to community-based health services

Taking the right approach to community-based health services On Boxing Day, Professor Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer at NHS England, wrote a letter to The Telegraph reflecting on what – on the surface – seemed to be a fairly standard NHS policy position, that the NHS should shift care closer to home and invest in community-based health care rather than hospital buildings.

Nothing new there, it's been a key component of much health policy for the past decade or more. But I started looking at readers’ comments on articles where her letter was discussed, and was taken aback by the strength of feeling from those commenters that the policy was wrong. The King's Fund

Support after a suicide: a guide to providing local services

Support after a suicide: a guide to providing local services This practical guidance helps commissioners understand why and how they can deliver support after suicide (also known as postvention support) in their local areas. Public Health England

Policy paper: Five Year Forward View for Mental Health: government response

Policy paper: Five Year Forward View for Mental Health: government response This report sets out the government’s response to the work of the Mental Health Taskforce. The taskforce report to NHS England, the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, is an independent and far-reaching overview of what modern mental health services should be.

The government will accept the taskforce report’s recommendations in full. This report provides full responses to each of the 58 recommendations made to government.

All of the recommendations, whether for NHS England or for government, will be taken forward. NHS England’s response to their recommendations can be found in Implementing the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health. Department of Health

Theresa May promises mental health care overhaul

Theresa May promises mental health care overhaul Plans to "transform" attitudes to mental health, with a focus on children and young people, have been announced by Theresa May.

Additional training for teachers, an extra £15m for community care, and improved support in the workplace were among measures announced by the PM.

Mental health experts said more funding was needed to improve services.

Mrs May's speech comes as she outlined her plans to use the state to create a "shared society".

The government says one in four people has a mental disorder at some point in their life, with an annual cost of £105bn.

Figures show young people are affected disproportionately with over half of mental health problems starting by the age of 14 and 75% by 18.

The prime minister said mental health had been "dangerously disregarded" as secondary to physical health and changing that would go "right to the heart of our humanity". BBC News

See also:

• Press release: Prime Minister unveils plans to transform mental health support Department of Health
• Mental health problems are everyone’s problem: article by Theresa May Department of Health
• Statement to Parliament: Mental health and NHS performance Department of Health
• Funds for mental health must reach the front line if Prime Minister’s vision is to be realised The King's Fund
• Prime Minister unveils plans to 'transform' mental health support Mind
• Professor Sir Simon Wessley, President of the RCPsych responds to the PM's speech Royal College of Psychiatrists
• Urgent action needed to make aspirations for mental health care a reality, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
• 'Nobody is immune' to mental health problems BBC News
• Theresa May vows to tackle the 'huge stigma' around poor mental health as part of her 'shared society' vision - and No 10 says it's NOT the same as David Cameron's 'big society' The Daily Mail
• Theresa May vows to make her Government a 'force for good' in new plan to tackle mental health The Daily Telegraph
• Theresa May is right to talk about mental health, both morally and economically The Daily Telegraph
• Every secondary school in Britain offered mental health training in bid to end 'stigma' and help children The Daily Telegraph
• Using children's mental health funding to plug NHS gaps is 'like theft', says former health minister The Independent
• 2 charts that show what has happened to mental health under the Conservatives The Independent
• Theresa May pledges to tackle 'stigma' of mental health but dismisses call for extra funding The Independent
• Theresa May's mental health pledge should start with fair funding The New Statesman

Jeremy Hunt sets out the measures to relieve 'distressed' A&Es

Jeremy Hunt sets out the measures to relieve 'distressed' A&Es The Health Secretary has told the Commons how hospital trusts can relieve their 'distressed' emergency departments on a temporary basis.

Jeremy Hunt was also responding to claims from the Red Cross that the NHS was facing a 'humanitarian crisis'. BBC News

See also:

• Statement to Parliament: Mental health and NHS performance Department of Health
• Hunt casts doubt over A&E target BBC News
• Jeremy Hunt says one in three of us shouldn't be in casualty as ops are axed The Daily Mail
• Jeremy Hunt makes emergency statement on NHS The Daily Telegraph
• GP referrals blocked as Hunt says seven-day service can end NHS 'humanitarian crisis' GP Online
• GPs could be drafted in to support struggling urgent care services, says Hunt GP Online
• This isn’t a freak day – this is winter in the NHS The Guardian
• The Guardian view on the NHS crisis: Theresa May is in denial | Editorial The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt accused of watering down four-hour A&E waiting target The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt: up to 30% of people using A&E departments do not need emergency care – video The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt rejects Red Cross claim of NHS 'humanitarian crisis' – video The Guardian
• Red Cross NHS remark touches nerve with Conservatives The Guardian
• Chart highlights NHS hospital bed shortage crisis in comparison to other European countries The Independent
• NHS crisis: Intensive care bed shortages are forcing doctors to choose who lives and dies The Independent
• Senior A&E doctor declares working in NHS emergency medicine 'sucks you in and spits you out' The Independent
• When to go to A&E: Patients urged to consider other options amid NHS hospital crisis The Independent
• Hunt: 'Unprecedented demand' on NHS after A&E visits surge ITV News

Two die in NHS every day of thirst and starvation

Two die in NHS every day of thirst and starvation Hunger or thirst were responsible for 1,022 registered deaths in 2015, the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show. Experts believe it may be due to increasing demands on the NHS. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Deaths registered in England and Wales: 2015 Office of National Statistics
• Starving patients BBC News
• Two patients die from starvation or thirst each day in UK hospitals and care homes, say statistics The Independent

'Doctors are too busy for more than one problem per appointment'

'Doctors are too busy for more than one problem per appointment' Those with multiple illnesses are being banned from booking 20-minute consultations – instead being told to book a standard ten-minute appointment for each condition. The Daily Mail

Around 16,000 people still receiving 'flying visits' by carers, despite Government's minimum standard

Around 16,000 people still receiving 'flying visits' by carers, despite Government's minimum standard More than a fifth of councils in England are still commissioning 15-minute social care visits, despite the Government agreeing half an hour should be the minimum standard, it was reported.

Around 16,000 people are still receiving "flying visits" by carers for needs such as washing, dressing and eating, an investigation by ITV News and the charity Leonard Cheshire Disability found.

Ninety-five of the 152 councils in England responded to a Freedom of Information request, of whom 34 admitted they were still commissioning 15-minute visits for personal care, ITV News said. The Daily Telegraph

Largest mental health facility for young people in Europe opens its doors in Northampton

Largest mental health facility for young people in Europe opens its doors in Northampton One of the world's largest adolescent mental health facilities has opened its doors in Northampton, supporting 110 young people with complex conditions. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Northampton woman diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease aged just 36

Northampton woman diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease aged just 36 It is a condition associated with the elderly. But Carla Brammall has become one of the UK's youngest Alzheimer's patients - after being diagnosed with a rare mutation of the disease aged 36. The Daily Mail

Research and analysis: Sexually transmitted infections: East Midlands 2015 data

Research and analysis: Sexually transmitted infections: East Midlands 2015 data This report provides a summary of the 2015 data for STIs in the East of England area, along with charts, tables and map. It also explains the data sources used. Public Health England

News story: Children given sports prostheses to help them get active

News story: Children given sports prostheses to help them get active Children across England are being given specialised sports prostheses from the NHS to help them run, swim and play sport, and even become the next Paralympians.

This follows the creation of a £1.5 million fund by the Department of Health, announced by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt during last summer’s Paralympic Games in Rio.

The money has been split between funding for NHS limb centres to fund requests for prostheses and investment in a Child Prostheses Research Collaboration, bringing the latest technology into the NHS. It will also help more children to benefit from sports prostheses that are tailored to their needs and the sports they want to play. Department of Health

No one should have no one: working to end loneliness amongst older people

No one should have no one: working to end loneliness amongst older people This report warns that loneliness leads to an increased demand on health services, partly because isolated people are more likely to develop health conditions, such as heart problems, depression and dementia. The report also outlines the early findings of a pilot programme that takes a community-based approach to tackling loneliness. Age UK

NHS rejects claims of 'humanitarian crisis' in England's hospitals

NHS rejects claims of 'humanitarian crisis' in England's hospitals Theresa May has rejected claims from the Red Cross that there is a "humanitarian crisis" in the NHS.

The prime minister acknowledged there were "huge pressures" on the health service and said No 10 had provided the funding requested.

Mrs May told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme that funding was "now at record levels for the NHS".

Labour has called on the PM to appear at the Commons on Monday to discuss the "crisis" in social care and hospitals. BBC News

See also:

• NHS England rejects claims of a 'humanitarian crisis' BBC News
• 'Winter from hell' has arrived - doctor's NHS crisis warning BBC News
• Hospital 'in meltdown' as two patients found dead in over-crowded corridors - one who waited 35 HOURS for a bed The Daily Mail
• Woman dies after 35 hours on hospital trolley amid warnings of NHS 'meltdown  The Daily Telegraph
• 'Humanitarian crisis' in NHS warns British Red Cross as A&Es are overwhelmed by demand The Daily Telegraph
• Theresa May denies 'humanitarian crisis' in Britain's NHS The Guardian
• NHS faces 'humanitarian crisis' as demand rises, British Red Cross warns The Guardian
• Theresa May cannot ignore NHS crisis or brush off critics The Guardian
• 'The worst conditions in memory': NHS doctors describe their week in A&E The Guardian
• Three patients die at Worcestershire hospital amid NHS winter crisis The Guardian
• I'm a junior doctor in the NHS, and I'm terrified for this winter The Guardian
• 'It was manic': patients describe meltdown at Worcestershire hospital The Guardian
• Doctors accuse Theresa May of being ‘in denial’ over NHS hospital crisis The Independent

NHS director Peter Lewis jailed over corrupt hospital contract

NHS director Peter Lewis jailed over corrupt hospital contract An NHS director and a software supplier are jailed over a corrupt hospital IT contract. BBC News

Revealed: How dangerous fake health news conquered Facebook

Revealed: How dangerous fake health news conquered Facebook The widespread circulation of fake health news on social networks is misleading and potentially dangerous, health officials have warned.

Misinformation published by conspiracy sites about serious health conditions is often shared more widely than evidence-based reports from reputable news organisations, according to analysis by The Independent. Of the 20 most-shared articles on Facebook in 2016 with the word “cancer” in the headline, more than half purport claims discredited by doctors and health authorities or – in the case of the year’s top story – directly by the source cited in the article. The Independent

Operations cancelled as Northampton's emergency department remains on 'high alert'

Operations cancelled as Northampton's emergency department remains on 'high alert' Sick and seriously ill people are stranded in A&E as hospitals across Northamptonshire spend another day at critical capacity. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Youth service backs Northamptonshire County Council’s vision for young people’s mental health services

Youth service backs Northamptonshire County Council’s vision for young people’s mental health services A counselling service for children and young people has largely welcomed the goals set out in Northamptonshire County Council’s draft budget and plan. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Safe, sustainable and productive staffing: an improvement resource for adult inpatient wards in acute hospitals

Safe, sustainable and productive staffing: an improvement resource for adult inpatient wards in acute hospitals This guidance aims to help standardise staffing decisions in adult inpatient wards in acute hospitals. This resource is based on the National Quality Board’s expectationsopens in a new window that to ensure safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led care, trusts will employ the right staff with the right skills in the right place and at the right time. The closing date for comments on the draft guidance is 3 February 2017. NHS Improvement

• Improvement resource
• Response survey
• NHS Improvement - consultations

Blocked beds blight mental health care

Blocked beds blight mental health care Delays in discharging people from hospital are rising more rapidly in mental health trusts than other parts of the NHS in England, a study shows.

NHS England data found a 56% rise in the number of bed days lost to delayed discharge in psychiatric trusts in October 2016 compared to November 2015.

There was a comparable rise in acute trusts of 30%.

A spokeswoman said the Department of Health was investing £400m over four years to support people in their homes.

"No-one should face unnecessary delays in being discharged," she said. "The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health will transform services by 2020/21 to make sure urgent improvements are made." BBC News

See also:

• Psychiatric patient Oliver Lang speaks about his delayed discharge BBC News

Hospitals warn over pressure of patient numbers

Hospitals warn over pressure of patient numbers A third of hospital trusts in England issued alerts warning they needed urgent action to cope with the pressure of patient numbers last month.

In the most serious cases - seven of the 50 trusts that issued alerts - the hospitals declared they were unable to give patients comprehensive care.

BBC Radio 4's Today programme has been told operations have been cancelled and patients left waiting on trolleys.

NHS England said tried-and-tested plans were managing the pressures.

Dr Taj Hassan, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said there was an "absolute and urgent need" to help emergency departments. BBC News

MPs urge Theresa May to agree cross-party NHS funding plan

MPs urge Theresa May to agree cross-party NHS funding plan The chairs of three influential House of Commons select committees have urged prime minister Theresa May to agree a cross-party deal to secure the future of health and social care funding. GP Online

See also:

• Letter to the Prime Minister regarding health and social care Health, Public Accounts and Community and Local Government Committee Chairs
• The King’s Fund responds to a letter from the chairs of three Select Committees to the Prime Minister The King's Fund
• Social care funding: MPs urge 'swift' cross-party review BBC News
• Social care crisis: MPs put May under pressure to act fast The Guardian
• Social care spending falling below £554 minimum in most areas The Guardian

General practice could be 'outsourced' to private corporations under MCP deal, warns BMA

General practice could be 'outsourced' to private corporations under MCP deal, warns BMA General practice could be outsourced to private corporations under multispecialty community provider (MCP) contracts set to be rolled out this year, GP leaders have warned. GP Online

Improving NHS services should not feel like a quest in a labyrinth

Improving NHS services should not feel like a quest in a labyrinth Resources are being squandered with teams of people battling an unwieldy health system

The surprise in the health service is not how little collaboration there is across professional and organisational boundaries, but how so many people achieve so much in the face of overwhelming odds.

Ministers and NHS leaders encourage and cajole staff to improve services, but even the most driven transformation zealots find themselves worn down by having to fight the system rather than be supported and encouraged by it.

Improving services should not feel like a quest in a labyrinth Continue reading... The Guardian

A receptionist saved my life and other love letters to healthcare staff

A receptionist saved my life and other love letters to healthcare staff Caring nurses, skilled surgeons and quick thinking midwives. Readers recall health workers who changed their lives

I’d gone to A&E in Derby, where I was staying for Christmas, with the most dreadful headache. I’d been a radiographer at St Thomas’ hospital in London for 18 years and knew something wasn’t right. It was the day after Boxing Day and there had been heavy snow so it was busy with people who had fallen over. Continue reading... The Guardian

Would YOU trust it? NHS to diagnose patients via new smartphone app after criticisms of 'inadequate' 111 helpline

Would YOU trust it? NHS to diagnose patients via new smartphone app after criticisms of 'inadequate' 111 helpline The NHS will roadtest new smartphone technology in a bid to diagnose patients. Starting at the end of January, more than a million residents of north London will trial the triage app. The Daily Mail

See also:

• NHS trials artificial intelligence app as alternative to 111 helpline The Daily Telegraph
• Babylon Health to power NHS 111 with AI triage bot Digital Health
• NHS to trial medical advice smartphone app The Guardian

People urged to stay away with Kettering General Hospital on ‘black alert’

People urged to stay away with Kettering General Hospital on ‘black alert’ People are being urged to avoid going to A&E and find alternative care as Kettering General Hospital struggles to find beds for its patients. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Changes in the behaviour and health of 40 to 60 year olds

Changes in the behaviour and health of 40 to 60 year olds These two reports present the results of analysis of health-related questions on obesity, smoking, drinking and general health conditions from the Health Survey for England. The reports show how the behaviour and health of people aged between 40 and 60 has changed over the last 20 years. Public Health England

NHS screening plan for type 2 diabetes 'inaccurate'

NHS screening plan for type 2 diabetes 'inaccurate' The NHS programme for screening those at high risk of type 2 diabetes is unlikely to have much impact, an Oxford University study in the BMJ suggests.

It concluded that inaccurate blood tests would give too many people an incorrect diagnosis, while lifestyle changes had a low success rate.

But the director of the NHS programme said its approach was based on "robust evidence". BBC News

See also:

• Efficacy and effectiveness of screen and treat policies in prevention of type 2 diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis of screening tests and interventions The BMJ
• Screen and intervene to prevent diabetes? (editorial) The BMJ

Dementia rates 'higher near busy roads'

Dementia rates 'higher near busy roads' People who live near major roads have higher rates of dementia, research published in the Lancet suggests.

As many as 11% of dementia cases in people living within 50m of a major road could be down to traffic, the study suggests.

The researchers, who followed nearly 2m people in Canada over 11 years, say air pollution or noisy traffic could be contributing to the brain's decline.

UK dementia experts said the findings needed probing but were "plausible". BBC News

New organ named in digestive system

New organ named in digestive system A part of the digestive system is reclassified as an organ, called the mesentery. BBC News

Exclusive: Loss of control and time dominate GP fears over working at scale

Exclusive: Loss of control and time dominate GP fears over working at scale Loss of independence, not having enough time to develop a network or federation and concerns over funding are the top three issues GPs say are putting them off working at scale, a poll reveals. GP Online

Second doctors’ union will participate in national contract negotiations

Second doctors’ union will participate in national contract negotiations Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association will join the BMA in future national contract negotiations. OnMedica

NHS groups 'paying millions to private firms that block GP referrals'

NHS groups 'paying millions to private firms that block GP referrals' Referral management centres being used by some NHS bodies to scrutinise patient referrals to hospitals, BMJ inquiry finds

NHS organisations are paying millions of pounds to private firms that stop patients being referred to hospital by their GPs, an investigation has found.

Controversial referral management centres are used by some clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to scrutinise patient referrals to hospitals by family doctors. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Referral management schemes: good for whom? The BMJ
• It is vital CCGs spend their budgets to provide better support for local GPs, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
• How hospital chiefs spend millions to STOP you being treated: Four in ten trusts are sifting through GPs letters and sending back any deemed unnecessary The Daily Mail 
• NHS spends millions on private companies that block GP referrals, investigation finds The Independent
• The BMJ reveals private firms run one-third of CCGs' schemes to screen GP referrals MedicalXpress

2016 was the worst year in NHS history – we must fight for its survival

2016 was the worst year in NHS history – we must fight for its survival The NHS is under unprecedented pressure after its annus horribilis. We must demand a rethink on its current trajectory before it’s too late

The last 12 months have been the worst in the history of the NHS. Our health system is under pressure like never before. The moment of crisis many warned of has arrived, and it is not clear that the NHS can be retrieved from this state of affairs.

We used to say that flailing A&Es represented an early warning sign that the health service was under pressure. And so that has proven to be. England’s major A&Es are under record strain with black alerts being regularly sounded, and in some instances wards turning patients away. Last year the A&E crisis spread to other sectors. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• What does 2017 hold for public services? The Guardian
• The social care crisis is pulling NHS trusts further underwater The Guardian

Scientists identify rogue proteins behind Alzheimer's disease

Scientists identify rogue proteins behind Alzheimer's disease The treatment of Alzheimer's Disease could be revolutionised after a breakthrough discovery by US scientists. The Daily Mail

Priorities for the NHS and social care in 2017

Priorities for the NHS and social care in 2017 2017 promises to be another challenging year for the health and care system, with demand for care increasing faster than the supply of resources.

A system already stretched to its limits will have to work even harder to maintain current standards of care and to balance budgets. This requires a continuing focus on operational performance and renewed efforts to transform the delivery of care at a time when frontline staff are working under intense pressure.

The NHS five year forward view (Forward View) will be tested to its limits as leaders work to improve performance and transform care. The NHS locally has to deliver £15 billion of the £22 billion efficiency improvements required under the Forward View, with the remaining £7 billion to be delivered nationally. It also has to provide evidence that new care models are delivering benefits. Failure to do so will raise serious questions about the assumptions on which the Forward View was based and on the ability of leaders to deliver their plans.

Against this background, we have identified five main priorities for 2017. The King's Fund

Extended hours in primary care linked to reductions in minor A&E attendances

Extended hours in primary care linked to reductions in minor A&E attendances This briefing summarises the findings of a study that found that practices that offered additional appointments showed a reduction in the number of their patients attending emergency departments for minor conditions but that there was no overall reduction in emergency visits. Costs were reduced for emergency departments but by less than the cost of the additional appointments. These findings suggest additional appointments may help reduce minor A&E visits but may be more costly overall. National Institute for Health Research

NHS machines: the utilisation of high-value capital equipment at NHS trusts

NHS machines: the utilisation of high-value capital equipment at NHS trusts This report examines the utilisation of five different types of machines in NHS trusts in England to assess how greater and more efficient use of existing resources can be encouraged. The Tax Payers' Alliance

Asthma patients 'missing out on basic care'

Asthma patients 'missing out on basic care' Millions of asthma patients in the UK are not getting basic care they need to manage their condition, a charity says.

Asthma UK, which questioned more than 4,500 patients, said two-thirds miss out on yearly check-ups, tailored advice and lessons in how to use their asthma inhalers.

It says it is a slight improvement on a year ago but remains a bleak picture.

In 2015 in the UK, 1,468 people died from an asthma attack - the highest level in a decade. BBC News

See also:

• Annual Asthma Survey Athma UK
• New NICE guideline to help people take control of their asthma could save the NHS millions NICE
• Millions of UK asthma sufferers 'not receiving basic levels of care' The Guardian

Private Ambulance Service: Staff 'lack training'

Private Ambulance Service: Staff 'lack training' Some staff at a private ambulance firm say they had an hour's training to drive under blue lights. BBC News

Terrorism 'first-aid training needed'

Terrorism 'first-aid training needed' People need to learn lifesaving skills in case they are caught up in a terror attack in the UK, a team of senior military and civilian medics has said.

They say people need to know how to help each other because it could take some time before it is deemed safe for paramedics to arrive on the scene.

Their app, called CitizenAID, offers step-by-step advice.

The idea is supported by counter-terrorism police. Security services say a UK terror attack is highly likely. BBC News

More GPs in A&E could push patients to hospital faster, warns RCGP

More GPs in A&E could push patients to hospital faster, warns RCGP Increasing the number of GPs working in A&E departments could encourage more patients to go to hospital as the first port of call for treatment, the RCGP has warned. GP Online

The physician associate will see you now - new role to assist patients in primary care

The physician associate will see you now - new role to assist patients in primary care By 2020 there could be as many as 1,000 physician associates working in primary care, but regulation of the profession is seen as crucial in the development of this new role

Chris Deane’s day starts like any other at the busy Warwickshire practice where he works. First he triages calls from patients, decides those who will need a home visit later in the day, and books others into free slots in his morning or afternoon surgeries.

Like his GP colleagues, he deals with around 60 patients a day, but unlike them he is not a family doctor. Instead, Deane is a qualified physician associate – a new breed of healthcare professional taking pressure off hard-pressed doctors and providing patients, especially those with long-term conditions, the continuity of care they need. Continue reading... The Guardian

Doctors warn of detox dangers after woman is hospitalised with 'life-threatening' problems

Doctors warn of detox dangers after woman is hospitalised with 'life-threatening' problems Health professionals have issues a warning to people embarking on New Year detoxes - after a woman was hospitalised in Milton Keynes with side-effects of the popular process. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Acute severe hyponatraemia secondary to polydipsia and associated herbal remedy use BMJ Case Reports
• TheTruth About Detox Diets NHS Choices
• Doctors issue new-year detox health warning BBC News
• Healthy woman's New Year 'detox' gives her life-threatening illness The Independent

Thousands forced to wait outside swamped hospitals as cold spell hits

Thousands forced to wait outside swamped hospitals as cold spell hits Heaving A&E departments are forcing thousands of patients to wait for hours in ambulances outside hospitals as freezing conditions hit the UK.

Health chiefs were forced to apologise yesterday after spiraling waiting times in one hospital caused a queue of 20 ambulances unable to offload patients.

In London alone, the winter crisis means more than 6,000 patients each week are being left in the back of emergency vehicles because A&E departments are too busy to admit them, new figures reveal.

The crisis in hospitals means that ambulance services are then unable to respond to subsequent 999 calls. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Sharp rise in number of patients turned away from A&E The Guardian

East Midlands Ambulance Service has busiest 48 hours

East Midlands Ambulance Service has busiest 48 hours An ambulance service has its busiest ever 48 hours, taking 1,000 more calls on New Year's Day than normal. BBC Northampton

Patients no more at risk of death on weekends than during week

Patients no more at risk of death on weekends than during week Patients are not a greater risk of dying on weekends than at any other times, a British academic argued.

Professor Dr Nick Black warned politicians needed “to avoid unjustified claims about an increased risk of death among patients” because of the so-called weekend effect.

This was the justification used by Jeremy Hunt to implement a seven day a week NHS and impose new contracts on junior doctors leading to the first ever strike when they refused to provide emergency cover.

The Professor of Health Services Research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said past studies had incorrectly estimated mortality at up to a sixth higher for weekend admissions. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Do women make better doctors?

Do women make better doctors? A US study claims that female physicians kill fewer patients than their male counterparts - study author Dr Ashish Jha and surgeon Dr Scarlett McNally discuss. BBC News

NHS faces 'the worst January' in scramble for beds

NHS faces 'the worst January' in scramble for beds The NHS faces "potentially the worst January" ever as it struggles to cope with the backlog of patients taking up beds over Christmas, with a leading doctor warning it is like a "credit card bill from hell".

Dr Mark Holland, president of the Society for Acute Medicine (SAM), said hospitals had already seen "record numbers" of elderly patients over the Christmas period, and that the health service is on the brink of a major crisis. ITV News

See also:

• NHS could face its worst January as it struggles with festive backlog, warns doctor The Guardian

Children eat half of daily sugar intake before 9am

Children eat half of daily sugar intake before 9am Sugar-laden breakfasts mean that the nation's children are consuming half of their daily sugar allowance before they even start school, health officials have warned.

The average English child eats the equivalent of three cubes of sugar (11g) every morning for breakfast, Public Health England (PHE) said.

Sugary cereals, fruit juice and some spreads are to blame, according to the health body's new Change4Life campaign.

By the end of the day, children are consuming three times more than their recommended daily allowance of sugar, according to information gathered from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey. The Independent

One in four UK babies miss out on health visitor checks

One in four UK babies miss out on health visitor checks The Social Mobility Commission raises concern over figures, and Labour accuses Tories of failing to invest in early years support

One in four babies born in the UK are not receiving mandatory checkups from health visitors during the first two years of their life.

A fifth of babies do not receive the recommended reviews after they turn one, and one in four miss out at the age of two, according to the government’s commission on social mobility. Continue reading... The Guardian

Serious mistakes in NHS patient care are on the rise, figures reveal

Serious mistakes in NHS patient care are on the rise, figures reveal Fears grow that unprecedented strain on hospitals is causing increase in surgical, diagnostic and care errors

Serious mistakes by hospital staff that put patients at risk are on the rise, despite the government’s drive since the Mid Staffs scandal to make care safer, official NHS figures reveal.

The last few years have seen more cases of delayed diagnosis, staff failure to act on patients’ test results, poor care of seriously ill patients and blunders during surgery. Continue reading... The Guardian

Seven-day NHS plan puts weekday surgeries at risk, warns top GP

Seven-day NHS plan puts weekday surgeries at risk, warns top GP Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard says government’s pledge to guarantee access to family doctors at weekends is unrealistic

Britain’s top GP has said surgeries will have to stop seeing patients during the week unless ministers abandon their drive to guarantee access to family doctors at weekends.

Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard condemned the policy, a key Conservative pledge, as unrealistic and said it was ignoring the lack of demand among patients to see GPs at weekends and a serious shortage of family doctors. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Seven day GP service could not be achieved without 'serious impact' on weekday services, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
• Jeremy Hunt accused of compromising weekday hospital care The Guardian
• Lengthy waits to see GPs may pose serious risk to patients, says top doctor The Guardian
• Seven-day working for GPs costs more and doesn’t get results | Zara Aziz The Guardian

Cut out the cake culture at work, say top dentists

Cut out the cake culture at work, say top dentists Eating biscuits and cakes in the office is contributing to the nation's obesity epidemic and poor oral health, according to the British Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS). The Daily Mail

'Jet-in' carers fly from Benidorm to Britain amid 'massive' care crisis

'Jet-in' carers fly from Benidorm to Britain amid 'massive' care crisis Builders, barmaids and bankrupt businessmen are flying into Britain from Spanish holiday spots to earn lucrative sums as care workers for the elderly, amid a spiralling crisis in social care.

A Telegraph investigation reveals that thousands of expats are funding lifestyles in the sun by jetting in for fortnightly placements to take sole charge of the vulnerable, with, in many cases, just a few days’ training. The Daily Telegraph

NHS rationing: hip-replacement patients needlessly suffering in pain on operation waiting lists

NHS rationing: hip-replacement patients needlessly suffering in pain on operation waiting lists Hundreds of thousands of elderly people are needlessly suffering in pain while they wait for hip operations because care is being rationed by the NHS, leading doctors have warned.

The waiting list for hip, knee and other orthopaedic operations has risen by a quarter over the past eight years to more than half a million in 2016.

One in 10 people have to wait more than 18 weeks for surgery amid rising concern that NHS is deliberately delaying treatment because it is not seen as life threatening. The Daily Telegraph

Northampton General Hospital awarded funding for project to save babies' lives

Northampton General Hospital awarded funding for project to save babies' lives Northampton General Hospital has been awarded a share of £250,000 in government funding to invest in a project that will benefit mothers and their newborn babies. The announcement follows Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt inviting NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts to submit bids for a share of the Maternity Safety Innovation Fund back in October, as part of a major drive to improve safety on maternity wards across the country. Northampton General Hospital News

Barcode technology helping to improve patient safety

Barcode technology helping to improve patient safety Barcodes are being used to trace NHS patients and their treatments, manage medical supplies and monitor the effectiveness of equipment. NHS Networks

NHS England publishes updated guidance to country’s paediatric intensive care units

NHS England publishes updated guidance to country’s paediatric intensive care units NHS England has today published updated guidance for managing seasonal pressures in paediatric intensive care. The Paediatric Intensive Care Surge Standard Operating Procedure sets out instructions for managing unplanned peaks in demand for critical care beds, across the country’s 29 paediatric intensive care units (PICUs). Every year at around this time, the numbers of very sick children requiring treatment in PICUs increases, as levels of respiratory infection rise. The demand for critical care beds is exacerbated by wider pressures across the NHS system and social care, as winter starts to bite. NHS England

NHS hospitals break parking fees record

NHS hospitals break parking fees record - BBC News NHS hospitals appear to be making more money than ever from parking fees. A report from the Press Association says hospitals in England collected more than £120m last year - up by 5%. Many trusts defended the charges, saying the money was put back into patient care or maintaining car parks.  BBC News

Chief nurse: 'Cut hospital beds to increase care at home'

Chief nurse: 'Cut hospital beds to increase care at home' NHS England's chief nursing officer supports scrapping hospital beds and using the money on home-based care. BBC Health News

NHS part of £250m China health trade mission

NHS part of £250m China health trade mission British organisations including an NHS hospital trust have signed deals worth more than £250 million during the largest ever healthcare trade mission to China, the Department of Health has announced.
In Shanghai, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt witnessed the signing of 11 agreements on healthcare between UK and Chinese companies which will see benefits for health services in both nations. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital and a Shanghai company have signed a contract to bring the world’s first 100,000 crystal PET-CT scanner to the UK. The machine will be housed within the hospital's new Northern Imaging Foundation Centre to provide both research and clinical benefit to the NHS. OnMedica

NHS mental health services failing young people, say psychiatrists

NHS mental health services failing young people, say psychiatrists Seven in 10 psychiatrists deem Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to be inadequate at best, Guardian survey finds. NHS services for the soaring numbers of children who have self-harmed, tried to end their life or are having a breakdown are woefully substandard and risk prolonging their suffering, according to their psychiatrists.
More than seven out of 10 (72%) consultant psychiatrists who specialise in treating children and adolescents say that NHS care for under-18s experiencing a crisis in their mental health is either inadequate (58%) or very inadequate (14%), according to a survey undertaken for the Guardian. Only 19% said NHS services were adequate and just 9% said they were good. Continue reading... Guardian

Ambulance services face paramedic shortage this winter, NHS data shows

Ambulance services face paramedic shortage this winter, NHS data shows Services in England are short of 873 paramedics, with some plugging gaps with recruits from Poland, Finland and Australia.
Ambulance services are facing serious shortages of paramedics just as 999 calls hit new peaks and hospitals gear up for a potential winter crisis, new official NHS figures reveal.
The 10 regional ambulance services in England are short of 873 paramedics, data shows, and some are recruiting paramedics from Poland, Finland and Australia to plug gaps in winter services. Continue reading...  Guardian

Labour calls for OBR-style watchdog to assess NHS finances

Labour calls for OBR-style watchdog to assess NHS finances Independent body would help ensure NHS receives proper funding and avoid political rows, says Jonathan Ashworth. A Labour government could boost the NHS by committing a specified proportion of national wealth to fund it and setting up a new independent body to ensure ministers give it the money it needs, the shadow health secretary has said.
Jonathan Ashworth said a watchdog modelled on the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) would help ensure the NHS received proper funding and avoid rows like the one over Theresa May’s claim that her administration is giving the NHS more money than it asked for. Continue reading...  Guardian

Record level of cancelled urgent operations for NHS England

Record level of cancelled urgent operations for NHS England Overstretched hospitals were forced to cancel more life-saving operations last month than at any time since official records began, new data reveals. Almost double the number of urgent procedures such as heart surgery were delayed in November than during the same month the year before. Telegraph