Jeremy Hunt admits Brexit could mean the end of free medical treatment for travellers to the EU

Jeremy Hunt admits Brexit could mean the end of free medical treatment for travellers to the EU British citizens may lose their right to free or subsidised medical treatment when they visit the EU after Brexit, the Health Secretary has admitted.

Jeremy Hunt told MPs he could give no guarantees that the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will survive EU withdrawal.

Giving evidence to a Commons committee, Mr Hunt agreed that the card was “a very positive thing” but warned any decision on its future must await the final Brexit deal. The Independent

Mentally ill patients face 'double whammy' of poor hospital care

Mentally ill patients face 'double whammy' of poor hospital care Most people with mental health issues do not receive good treatment at A&E, leading to repeated visits, report finds

More than half of people with mental health problems receive a “double whammy” of poor care in general hospitals which increases patients’ risk of dying, according to a major new NHS inquiry.

Only 46% of patients with serious mental health conditions were well looked after when they attended hospital with a physical ailment such as heart trouble, a group of independent experts found. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Mental Health in General Hospitals: Treat as One National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death

Jeremy Hunt's hospital food revolution has failed, campaigners say

Jeremy Hunt's hospital food revolution has failed, campaigners say Department of Health study shows almost half of hospitals in England have not implemented key improvements

Jeremy Hunt has been accused of failing to deliver his promised revolution in hospital food after the health secretary’s own department found that many hospitals have still not improved patient catering.

A Department of Health study shows that almost half of hospitals in England have failed to implement key improvements almost two and a half years after Hunt’s crackdown. Continue reading... The Guardian

Disabled people are to be ‘warehoused’. We should be livid

Disabled people are to be ‘warehoused’. We should be lividNew rules could see 13,000 people with disabilities and long-term health needs forced into care homes. This is treating people as objects to be stored

The inescapable logic of austerity is looking likely, once again, to reduce people with disabilities to objects – and in doing so to reduce their independence, options and enjoyment of life. According to the Health Service Journal, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests from campaign group Disability United found that 37 NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in England were introducing rules about ongoing care that could force up to 13,000 people with health conditions into care homes. The CCGs will essentially begin saying to people with disabilities and long-term health needs: if you haven’t got the cash for homecare, then it’s off to a care home for you.

As a country we have been brutalised into accepting that each year the porridge pot gets smaller and our belts tighter Continue reading... The Guardian

How St Andrew's want to make Northampton the mental health care capital of the world

How St Andrew's want to make Northampton the mental health care capital of the world The new FitzRoy House, at St Andrew's Hospital, is now the largest adolescent mental health facility in Europe. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

'Nurse bank' campaign shortlisted for healthcare efficiency award

'Nurse bank' campaign shortlisted for healthcare efficiency award A campaign to recruit nurses onto its staff bank has seen Northampton General Hospital shortlisted for a communications award in the health sector. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Defining and measuring unmet need to guide healthcare funding: identifying and filling the gaps

Defining and measuring unmet need to guide healthcare funding: identifying and filling the gaps Budget allocations to CCGs include adjustments for meeting unmet health care needs and tackling health inequalities. This literature review aims to identify and understand the available evidence regarding unmet health need. The study found that whilst there was evidence to support identifying unmet health need, there was a gap in the evidence on how budget allocations are best used to reduce unmet need. Centre for Health Economics

Obesity and the public purse: weighing up the true cost to the taxpayer

Obesity and the public purse: weighing up the true cost to the taxpayer This report analyses the cost of obesity to public services and estimates that the net cost is less than £2.5 billion a year or 0.3 per cent of government spending. The report argues that the economic burden of obesity has been exaggerated and that the health care costs of an ageing population should be the focus for public service efficiency savings. Institute of Economic Affairs

Bed-blocking patient evicted after two years 'did not want to stay'

Bed-blocking patient evicted after two years 'did not want to stay' A patient who was evicted from a hospital after spending more than two years in a bed said he did not want to stay and "tried to get out of there".

Adriano Guedes, 63, who suffers paralysis after a stroke in 2008, was admitted to the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston, Norfolk, in 2014.

The hospital obtained a court order and evicted him two weeks ago, saying he had occupied the bed "unnecessarily".

"I didn't want to stay, and they forced me to stay," Mr Guedes told the BBC.

"It's very bad to occupy a place which should be used by someone in need, but I didn't cause the situation. On the contrary - I tried to get out of there." BBC News

See also:

• 'I was forced to stay': Man hits back after eviction The Daily Mail
• 'Bed blocker' evicted after two years says he begged to leave hospital The Daily Telegraph
• Patient who spent two years in hospital evicted under court order The Guardian

Compensation payouts for poor out-of-hours care top £30m

Compensation payouts for poor out-of-hours care top £30m A doctor's indemnity organisation has paid out well over £30 million in compensation and legal costs on behalf of GPs working in out-of-hours and unscheduled care settings over a three-year period. This included a number of high value cases settled for over £1 million.

The Medical Defence Union (MDU) said the most common reason for a claim was a delay or failure to diagnose a condition, which accounted for almost three quarters of cases (71%). In 18% of cases, there were allegations about a failure to make a referral or an incorrect referral. OnMedica

More help needed for people with learning disability and dementia

More help needed for people with learning disability and dementia A partnership of voluntary sector organisations has today launched a new report* calling for the needs of people with learning disabilities, who have also developed dementia, to be better addressed.

People with learning disabilities are five times more likely than those in the general population to develop dementia, according to the largest ever study** into the health and care of people with learning disabilities, by NHS Digital, published in December. OnMedica

Cervical cancer screening attendance hits 19 year low

Cervical cancer screening attendance hits 19 year low Cervical screening tests are a vital method of preventing cancer through the detection and treatment of abnormalities in the cervix, but new research shows that the number of women using this service has dropped to a 19 year low.

Charity Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust has found that the number of women attending potentially life-saving cervical screening tests in England is falling.

The research, obtained by a series of Freedom of Information requests sent to every local authority in England, found that over 1.12 million women did not attend a cervical screening test in the last year. The Independent

NHS hands over patient records to Home Office for immigration crackdown

NHS hands over patient records to Home Office for immigration crackdown Number of government requests to access confidential non-clinical details rises threefold since 2014 in drive to track down immigration offenders

The confidential patient records of more than 8,000 people have been handed over by the NHS to the Home Office in the past year as part of its drive to track down immigration offenders.

A memorandum of understanding, published for the first time on Tuesday, makes clear that NHS digital is required by law to hand over non-clinical patient details including last known addresses, dates of birth, GP’s details and date registered with doctor. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NHS patient data handed to Home Office in immigration crackdown The Independent

Tackling mental health stigma will require more than just goodwill

Tackling mental health stigma will require more than just goodwill Delivering the PM’s pledge should not rest on the shoulders of overstretched staff, it must be backed with appropriate resources

The prime minister, Theresa May, has pledged to tackle mental health stigma as part of her vision for her “shared society”. May announced plans to transform the way mental illness is dealt with not in our hospitals but in classrooms, at work and in our communities. The initiative has been largely welcomed, although there is concern that this is yet another governmental policy that hinges on goodwill rather than identifiable resource.

Given the stakes, we cannot afford to be sceptical or dismissive about any initiative on stigma. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS could force chronically-ill patients into care

NHS could force chronically-ill patients into care Some British health trusts are refusing to pay for carers to visit patients at home if it works out significantly cheaper to place them in residential care. The Daily Mail

GPs seek rule change to earn private cash from patients in spare time

GPs seek rule change to earn private cash from patients in spare time Family doctors want to change NHS rules so they can earn cash from their patients in their spare time, a leading medic has said.

Currently, GPs are banned from charging their own patients for any services.

The rules were drawn up to avoid conflicts of interest and stop family doctors from denying patients treatment on the NHS, so they could profit from treatment privately.

Now local medical committees are in talks about introducing a new structure, which would allow GPs to charge fees for providing services if they were not covered in their NHS contract. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Now GPs want more cash to do private work on own patients The Daily Mail
• Charges proposed for out-of-hours GP appointments in England The Guardian

Smart TMS Announces rTMS alliance with Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Smart TMS Announces rTMS alliance with Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust London-based Smart TMS has announced that it will be working in partnership with Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) to explore the provision of rTMS treatment for depression. The alliance will see Smart TMS working with NHFT for provision of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for both NHS and private patients in London and Northamptonshire.

rTMS, or Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is an innovative alternative to medication for treating depression. It is a clinically proven, non-invasive treatment which utilises the power of magnetic energy to directly stimulate precisely targeted areas of the brain.

The treatment was approved by NICE in 2015 for treating depression; yet as a new treatment, is not widely available in the UK, with just 3 NHS trusts and a handful of private clinics offering the service.

Northampton nurse who skipped appointments and covered-up failings struck-off

Northampton nurse who skipped appointments and covered-up failings struck-off A Northampton nurse has been struck off after it was proved she lied about treating patients. Stephanie Patricia Chesterman was struck off the nursing register and given an 18-month interim suspension order for misconduct and repeated dishonesty.

She lied about visiting patients, did not provide proper treatment and care, and falsely documented her appointments to cover for her failings, a Nursing and Midwifery Council panel heard. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

The conundrum of children’s and young people’s health: time to address it

The conundrum of children’s and young people’s health: time to address it In the past few years, our focus here at The King’s Fund - on integration, new models of care and, increasingly, place-based population health systems - has been concerned with the physical and mental health of adults, often older people. But we are increasingly aware of some of the trends, issues and conundrums when it comes to the health of children and young people.

Why do I say conundrums? Well for a start, some important trends in children’s and young people’s health have been moving in opposite directions.

Banks face mental health challenge

Banks face mental health challenge Banks must offer basic account options, as given to other vulnerable people, to assist those struggling with mental health conditions, a think tank says.

Mental health problems affected everyday activities such as budgeting and paying bills, the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) said. BBC News

Organ trafficking

Organ trafficking Alert raised after patients from UK, Canada and Australia develop complications following kidney transplants. BBC News

GPs will not be forced into seven-day opening despite PM's comments, officials confirm

GPs will not be forced into seven-day opening despite PM's comments, officials confirm GP practices will not be compelled to open seven days a week or beyond current core hours, despite Downing Street briefings last week, DH and NHS England officials have told GP leaders. GP Online

GP referrals blocked as NHS sees four-fold rise in hospitals on top alert

GP referrals blocked as NHS sees four-fold rise in hospitals on top alert GPs continued to face blocks on routine referrals as the number of NHS hospitals declaring the highest possible level of alert more than quadrupled in the second week of 2017, official data show. GP Online

Dementia patients need more support at diagnosis

Dementia patients need more support at diagnosis A survey of the experiences of patients with dementia and their families reveals that there is a serious shortage of information available regarding services and support following diagnosis.

Patient watchdog group Healthwatch UK spoke to more than 1,000 patients and their families and visited 120 care home to find out more about the experiences of dementia care, from the help provided by GPs, to the support offered through hospitals and social care.

Healthwatch says cases of dementia are on the rise. Around 700,000 people in England have the disease currently, and this figure is expected to increase to over a million by 2025. OnMedica

See also:

• Dementia services - findings from the Healthwatch network Healthwatch

NHS offers paramedics a £10,000 bonus to tackle 999 crisis

NHS offers paramedics a £10,000 bonus to tackle 999 crisis Ambulance trusts across the country are offering paramedics sign-on bonuses of up to £10,000 in a desperate attempt to fill gaping vacancy lists - including 'golden hellos' and relocation expenses. The Daily Mail

Chilling menace of HACKERS holding the NHS to ransom

Chilling menace of HACKERS holding the NHS to ransom Having your operation cancelled because of a bed shortage or an infection on the ward is something patients dread but, these days, have learned to expect.

However, patients in three North Lincolnshire hospitals were recently offered a very different excuse: hackers had brought down the trust's computer system, forcing the cancellation of all appointments for two days.

Even car park barriers were affected, and the hospitals had to resort to pen and paper.

The network had been taken over by a malicious virus which encrypted files: the hackers demanded a ransom to unlock them. The Daily Mail

Hidden generation of mentally ill pensioners suffering in silence, charity boss warns

Hidden generation of mentally ill pensioners suffering in silence, charity boss warns A hidden generation of mentally ill pensioners is suffering in silence because they do not want to be a “burden”, the head of a charity helpline has warned.

Sophie Andrews, chief executive of The Silver Line, said increasing numbers of old people are phoning the charity with problems such as depression, but they refuse to tell their family or their doctor meaning the problems go unrecorded and untreated.

While mental health problems among the young are increasingly making their way onto the political agenda, the elderly are going largely unnoticed, said Ms Andrews. The Daily Telegraph

Raunds man urges people with mental health issues to speak out

Raunds man urges people with mental health issues to speak out A man who has hidden his mental health issues for 30 years says nobody should suffer in silence.

David Beeney says he hid his anxiety disorder from the rest of the world because he feared being discriminated against, and often played the fool to mask his real feelings.

David, who is now a qualified mental health counsellor, wants to share his story to inspire others to seek help. Northamptonshire Telegraph

My cancelled Northampton General Hospital appointments have cost me £6,000, says pub boss

My cancelled Northampton General Hospital appointments have cost me £6,000, says pub boss A publican who has been unable to work after snapping his wrist bone says series of cancelled operations at Northampton General Hospital has left him in agony... and a £6,000 staff bill. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Inclusive Leadership in the NHS

Inclusive Leadership in the NHS This podcast, the first episode in a series of two, explores the theoretical side of inclusive leadership with leading experts Dan Robertson, Joan Saddler and Michelle Tuckey.

Find out about the benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace for both staff and patients, how values based leadership is key to developing a more diverse workforce, and the importance of inclusive leadership in creating inclusive workplaces. NHS Employers

NHS efficiency map

NHS efficiency map The HFMA and NHS Improvement have worked in partnership to update and revise the NHS efficiency map. The map is a tool that promotes best practice in identifying, delivering and monitoring cost improvement programmes in the NHS. The map contains links to a range of tools and guidance to help NHS bodies improve their efficiency. Healthcare Financial Management Association

NHS at risk unless government takes responsibility for crisis, warns NHS Alliance

NHS at risk unless government takes responsibility for crisis, warns NHS Alliance The NHS 'could be made to fail' if the government blames GPs for the crisis facing the health service rather than taking responsibility for it, the NHS Alliance has warned. GP Online

See also:

• New NHS Alliance responds to Theresa May’s plans for a seven-day GP service – Calls for ‘whole-system-and-wellness’ approach to current NHS pressures NHS Alliance

Record numbers of NHS frontline staff have had flu jab this winter

Record numbers of NHS frontline staff have had flu jab this winter Record numbers of NHS staff have had their flu jab this winter, official figures from Public Health England (PHE) show.

Some 594,700 (61.8%) frontline NHS staff across England were vaccinated against flu between 1 September and 31 December last year. That figure is expected to increase in January and February.

The highest level achieved by the end of February in previous winters was 541,757 (just under 55%) in 2014-15. OnMedica

From NHS Director To Mental Health Inpatient In 10 Days

From NHS Director To Mental Health Inpatient In 10 Days Mental illness will affect 1 in 4 of us during our lifetime and I guess now it’s my turn.

I am recovering from the most terrible depression that ripped the heart and soul out of me. Very unexpectedly an NHS Acute Inpatient ward in Hackney has been my home for the past 12 weeks.

As I have worked in mental health services for 29 years, one would think I would be immune to mental illness. I am a registered mental health nurse with 15 years experience as a clinician and latterly 14 years as a manager and then director. But there is no immunity; mental illness can come out of nowhere and affect anyone at any time. Huffington Post UK

Over-cooked potatoes and burnt toast could cause cancer, new research suggests

Over-cooked potatoes and burnt toast could cause cancer, new research suggests Roasting and frying starchy foods could increase the risk of cancer, a Government body has said.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a public warning over the risks of acrylamide - a chemical compound that forms in some foods when they are cooked at high temperatures (above 120C).

A new campaign tells people how they can cut their risk, including opting for a gold colour - rather than darker brown - when frying, roasting, baking, grilling or toasting.

Acrylamide is found in high levels in a range of foods including breakfast cereals (not porridge), chips, potato products (such as waffles or children's potato shapes), biscuits, crackers, crispbread and crisps. The Independent

See also:

• Families urged to 'Go for Gold' to reduce acrylamide consumption Food Standards Agency
• Is burnt toast a health risk? BBC News
• Browned toast and potatoes are 'potential cancer risk', say food scientists BBC News

Young women are now a ‘high-risk group’ for mental illness

Young women are now a ‘high-risk group’ for mental illness Psychological distress in women aged 16-24 is at an all-time high, with record numbers admitting to harming themselves to relieve their distress, according to an alarming study.

Experts say young women are now a “high-risk group” and point to links between mental illness and violence or sexual abuse, and possible pressures from the rise of social media. This has prompted calls from researchers for more funding to protect the nation’s mental health.

The Adult Psychiatric Morbidity survey of mental health and wellbeing, carried out every seven years across England, reveals soaring rates of mental illness among young women, who are suffering from a range of common mental health problems, including depression and anxiety. Despite going to their GP for help, only 20% received treatment in the last 12 months, according to the study. The Guardian

NHS transformation plans are beset by infighting

NHS transformation plans are beset by infighting Negotiations on reforms must be built on trust, otherwise there is little chance of escaping the relentless cycle of crisis management and short-term fixes

Behind the vision documents and targets, what is really going on inside the sustainability and transformation plan (STP) process?

A clinical commissioner outside one meeting was overheard asking: “How are we going to shaft the acute?” But elsewhere there is a growing recognition that old-style NHS infighting is a big part of the problem. For there to be any chance of ensuring services have a viable future, local leaders are increasingly trying to understand what skills they need to run health and care as a system.

Related: Sustainability and transformation plans are 'least bad option' for NHS

They are thinking, ‘What if we behave as doves and they behave as hawks?’ They are worried they might … be taken advantage of Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• A lethal combination of secrecy and jargon has overshadowed NHS plans The Guardian

The true cost of NHS staff sick days

The true cost of NHS staff sick days Hospital staff calling in sick costs the NHS more than £1 billion a year, shocking new statistics show.

Overworked paramedics, nurses and midwives are being forced to take time off to cope with the current crisis, experts have warned.

Despite having a budget of £116.4 billion, a range of services are constantly being scuppered to help combat its growing deficit.

And this increasing pressure on staff to make up for the slashes is forcing the NHS to waste their own diminished budget on providing sick pay, MailOnline can exclusively reveal. The Daily Mail

Winter crisis deepens despite drop in numbers attending A&E units

Winter crisis deepens despite drop in numbers attending A&E units New figures show a deepening winter crisis across the NHS with 52 Accident & Emergency departments ordering ambulances to be diverted to other hospitals.

The record high comes despite a significant drop in the number of patients arriving at casualty units, following repeated advice to stay away unless need is severe.

The figure is almost twice the 27 recorded in the same week last year.

And 45 per cent of NHS trusts in England declared a major alert last week as services came under pressure.

Sixty-eight trusts out of 152 raised the alarm at least once due to bed shortages and problems managing the flow of patients through A&E. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Bed-blocking: 'Managers ask how long patient will live' BBC News
• Fifty-two NHS hospitals sent patients elsewhere in busiest week yet The Guardian

POLL: Would you be willing to pay extra tax to prop up the NHS in Northamptonshire?

POLL: Would you be willing to pay extra tax to prop up the NHS in Northamptonshire? Health bosses in Northamptonshire need to save £230 million over the next five years to balance the books... but would you be willing to pay extra tax to prop up the NHS? Northampton Chronicle and Echo

‘We want justice for our babies’: Northampton woman’s campaign to see inquests for stillbirths

‘We want justice for our babies’: Northampton woman’s campaign to see inquests for stillbirths A Northampton mother who was forced to enter a four-year legal battle to reveal doctor’s negligence over her baby’s death is calling for a change in the law for other parents - and The Chronicle & Echo wants to help her cause. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

St Andrew's college for young people with mental needs rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted

St Andrew's college for young people with mental needs rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted A school for children and adolescents with mental health needs has earned its second 'outstanding' rating from Ofsted. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Crowd-sourcing the future of the NHS

Crowd-sourcing the future of the NHS As the NHS struggles to meet rising demand amid funding constraints and a growing sense of crisis in social care, it can be difficult to look beyond the immediate pressures and think ahead to the longer term future of health and social care in England.

Last year, in a bid to look beyond the here and now, we started a programme of work to generate new thinking on the future of the NHS – thinking unconstrained by today’s limitations and boundaries. We asked experts both inside and outside the Fund to set free their imaginations on a range of ‘What if…’ scenarios for the future of health and care.

Their essays challenged us to consider scenarios such as a carbon-neutral NHS, an NHS in a world in which antibiotics stopped working and a society in which obesity were eradicated, among others. The King's Fund

Supporting carers: mental health carers’ assessments in policy and practice

Supporting carers: mental health carers’ assessments in policy and practice This briefing outlines the challenges that mental health carers face in accessing carers’ assessments. It looks at the legal context and how the assessments work in practice. Centre for Mental Health

Designing a High-Performing Health Care System for Patients with Complex Needs

Designing a High-Performing Health Care System for Patients with Complex Needs The Commonwealth Fund International Experts Working Group on Patients with Complex Conditions offers recommendations on care for older adults living with frailty, advanced illness, or other complex conditions.

Fewer beds, higher patient demand - NHS pressure mounts

Fewer beds, higher patient demand - NHS pressure mounts With many hospitals close to full in these difficult winter weeks, there has been much debate about the resources available in the health service.

Patient demand is rising faster than the budget increases allocated to the NHS in England.

Yet the number of hospital bed numbers has fallen steadily in recent years. So what is going on?

The total number of overnight hospital beds in England fell from 144,455 at the start of the 2010/11 financial year to 129,458 in the middle of 2016 (the last recorded figures). The number of day beds over that period increased from 11,783 to 12,480.

Looking further back into history reveals a sharper rate of decline.

That current figure of overnight beds compares with almost 300,000 in 1987-88 according to figures from the Nuffield Trust. BBC News

Man evicted from hospital for blocking bed for two years

Man evicted from hospital for blocking bed for two years A hospital applied for a court order to remove a patient who had occupied a bed "unnecessarily" for more than two years.

The man, who cannot be named due to patient confidentiality, had refused to leave the James Paget University Hospital in Norfolk.

The hospital said he had been "fit for discharge" and had been offered appropriate accommodation.

It said the decision to go to court was a last resort and "not taken lightly".

The man, from Suffolk, had been at the hospital in Gorleston, near Great Yarmouth, since August 2014. BBC News

See also:

• Hospital 'takes court action to evict bed-blocker who refused to leave for two years' The Daily Telegraph

'Huge leap' in prostate cancer testing

'Huge leap' in prostate cancer testing The biggest leap in diagnosing prostate cancer "in decades" has been made using new scanning equipment, say doctors and campaigners.

Using advanced MRI nearly doubles the number of aggressive tumours that are caught.

And the trial on 576 men, published in the Lancet, showed more than a quarter could be spared invasive biopsies, which can lead to severe side-effects.

The NHS is already reviewing whether the scans can be introduced widely.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in British men, and yet testing for it is far from perfect. BBC News

Nearly 200 GP practices closed in 2016 alone, NHS data suggest

Nearly 200 GP practices closed in 2016 alone, NHS data suggest Data on GP practice populations released by NHS Digital this month list just 7,532 GP practices - down 181 from the total a year earlier in January 2016.

Part of the drop in GP practice numbers in the NHS Digital data is likely to be driven by mergers, which could mean that some of the practice locations no longer listed in official figures remain open, but under the wing of a larger group.

However, BMA leaders have warned that closures are at 'record levels' and the latest figures suggest that the trend is not slowing down as GPs wait for government pledges of investment through the GP Forward View to take effect. GP Online

Noisy hospitals can accelerate decline in dementia

Noisy hospitals can accelerate decline in dementia Busy noisy hospitals with changing staff can accelerate mental decline in patients with dementia, a study* published in JAMA Psychiatry has shown.

Patients can become acutely confused and disorientated in busy noisy environments such as hospitals, which can prompt delirium. Delirium, which affects a quarter of older patients, may have long-lasting consequences, including accelerating the dementia process, University College London and University of Cambridge researchers have shown. OnMedica

Nurse shifts left unfilled at nearly every hospital in England, figures show

Nurse shifts left unfilled at nearly every hospital in England, figures show Analysis of official data finds 96% of NHS hospital trusts had fewer nurses covering day shifts than they had planned

Almost every hospital in England has fewer nurses on duty than each believes are needed to guarantee safe patient care, research shows.

Analysis of official data by the Health Service Journal (HSJ) found that 96% of NHS hospital trusts in England had fewer nurses covering day shifts in October than they had planned and 85% did not have the desired number working at night. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Shortage of nurses in almost EVERY hospital in Britain The Daily Mail
• 96 per cent of hospitals have nurse shortages, official figures show The Daily Telegraph
• NHS Hospital wards left with 'dangerously low levels of nurses' The Independent

Hitting the right note: the orchestra helping stroke survivors recover – video

Hitting the right note: the orchestra helping stroke survivors recover – video Strokestra, a pioneering collaboration between the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Hull integrated community stroke service uses group music-making to drive recovery in stroke survivors. Patients try out instruments, listen to and play alongside world-class musicians. With funding from Hull Public Health, the pilot programme involved 50 patients and carers and ran from May to October 2015. This is their story. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Seeing stroke recovery through music reminded me why I love my job The Guardian

Sandwiches and salads off the menu as NHS battles cash crisis

Sandwiches and salads off the menu as NHS battles cash crisis Sandwiches and salads are off the menu at cash-strapped NHS hospitals as trusts attempt to put off paying bills until the new financial year.

Suppliers to hospitals have abandoned contracts after senior managers failed to persuade them to wait months for outstanding payments to be made.

Other NHS trusts are delaying payments in a desperate bid to reduce their deficit by the end of this financial year.

Last year the health service declared the worst deficit in its history - at £2.45bn - and the current winter crisis is fuelling extra spending on agency staff. The Daily Telegraph

KGH outlines plans to reduce car park traffic

KGH outlines plans to reduce car park traffic Car park queues have been the source of many a headache for those visiting Kettering General Hospital in recent years. Northamptonshire Telegraph

‘Waste’ in health care: separating good from bad

‘Waste’ in health care: separating good from bad Last week we hosted a conference jointly with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to launch their new report on wasteful spending on health. The OECD’s report suggests that around one fifth of spending on health makes no or minimal contribution to improved health outcomes. At a time when NHS funding is back in the headlines, the report’s findings repay careful study. The King's Fund

Sustainable development guidance for health and social care organisations

Sustainable development guidance for health and social care organisations The SDU have produced updated Sustainable Development Management Plan guidance with information tailored to be helpful to specific organisation types.

The new version has been brought up to date with the current NHS standard contract and provides more detailed guidance as to which areas are more or less appropriate for large providers, small providers and CCGs.

The guidance is intended to support organisations to understand the key elements that make up a Sustainable Development Management Plan (SDMP). It also provides some advice on how you can develop your organisation’s SDMP. Sustainable Development Unit

NHS staff shortages: Why so persistent?

NHS staff shortages: Why so persistent? NHS staff shortages seem an everyday fact of life - or at least a factor mentioned in several news stories each week. But why do these shortages persist and is there anything that can be done to get rid of them?

In this week's In Business on BBC Radio 4, I spoke to historians, economists, nurses, doctors and other healthcare staff to try to get to the bottom of these questions.

And to pose another one - does the NHS have the right mix of staff with the right mix of skills or could changing traditional roles rather than just boosting numbers help? BBC News

Vaccines for three deadly viruses fast-tracked

Vaccines for three deadly viruses fast-tracked Scientists have named three relatively little-known diseases they think could cause the next global health emergency.

A coalition of governments and charities has committed $460m to speed up vaccine development for Mers, Lassa fever and Nipah virus.

They are asking funders at the World Economic Forum Davos for another $500m.

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (Cepi) aims to have two new experimental vaccines ready for each disease within five years. BBC News

See also:

• Virus lottery: What could be next epidemic? BBC News
• Inside lab where Mers vaccine made BBC News

Financial ties between researchers and drug industry linked to positive trial results

Financial ties between researchers and drug industry linked to positive trial results Financial ties between researchers and the companies that make the drugs they are studying are independently associated with positive trial results, suggesting bias in the evidence base, concludes a study published by The BMJ. OnMedica

EU workers must be guaranteed right to remain in the UK, says BMA

EU workers must be guaranteed right to remain in the UK, says BMA The government must guarantee the rights of EU workers to remain in the UK permanently post Brexit to assure “the stability of the NHS and the future of medical research”, the BMA has warned.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Teresa May outlined some details of her Brexit strategy, which made it clear that there would be future restrictions on EU workers wanting to come to the UK and failed to provide assurance to EU nationals already here that they will be able to remain. OnMedica

A week after Theresa May's speech on mental health, a women's psychiatric ward is closing due to cuts

A week after Theresa May's speech on mental health, a women's psychiatric ward is closing due to cuts After declaring children and adolescent mental health services the 'single biggest area of weakness in NHS provision', Jeremy Hunt pledged an extra £250m a year. However, around half of CCGs in England will spend the extra money allocated for CAMHS on other services. The Independent

Iceland knows how to stop teen substance abuse but the rest of the world isn’t listening

Iceland knows how to stop teen substance abuse but the rest of the world isn’t listening In Iceland, teenage smoking, drinking and drug use have been radically cut in the past 20 years. Emma Young finds out how they did it, and why other countries won’t follow suit. The Independent

Home Office refuses to enforce privacy code on NHS staff using video

Home Office refuses to enforce privacy code on NHS staff using video Surveillance camera commissioner’s advice that trusts be required to comply with code to protect patients is rejected

The government has rejected a request by the surveillance camera watchdog to allow it to monitor the increasing and unregulated use of CCTV and body-worn video cameras in hospitals.

The body cameras, which record sound as well as images, are being increasingly deployed in hospitals in an effort to tackle abuse of frontline health service staff. Continue reading... The Guardian

Cancer could become untreatable because of superbugs

Cancer could become untreatable because of superbugs Professor Dame Sally Davies, the Government's chief medical officer, warned that the increasing prevalence of superbugs could soon make routine operations risky. The Daily Mail

BMA tell Theresa May they won't be scapegoats for NHS

BMA tell Theresa May they won't be scapegoats for NHS The intervention by the British Medical Association follows a warning by the Prime Minister that GPs were partly to blame for the pressure on A&E by closing their surgeries early. The Daily Mail

One in five new drugs could be rationed on the NHS

One in five new drugs could be rationed on the NHS One in five new medicines on the NHS could be rationed under new plans to save the health service money, meaning patients will have to join a queue to get treatment.

Cancer, diabetes and asthma patients are all likely to be hit by the plans, which will affect even drugs that have been ruled cost-effective by medics.

Currently people suffering from illness have the right to be treated with drugs that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) says are good value for money. But new affordability criteria will mean that drugs which cost the NHS more than £20 million in total each year could be subject to extra delays or restrictions. The Daily Telegraph

One in 16 people in Northamptonshire has type 2 diabetes, says NHS

One in 16 people in Northamptonshire has type 2 diabetes, says NHS One in 16 people across Northamptonshire has Type 2 diabetes, new figures have revealed. During the past 12 months, figures show that 1,547 people have been diagnosed – an increase of 4.4 per cent on last year. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Taking back control: Integrated Personal Commissioning

Taking back control: Integrated Personal Commissioning It’s easy to dismiss those who say people ’have had enough of experts’, particularly if you work for a think tank. But in health and care, we’ve long known that expertise is not the sole territory of the professional.

The Care Quality Commission now involves ‘experts by experience’ – people who have first-hand experience of health and/or social care services – in its inspections, in training inspectors and in the broader shaping of the organisation. Utilising the 'renewable energy' of patient expertise was one of the central pillars of the NHS five year forward view (Forward View), now more than two years old. The King's Fund

Why the NHS is performing miracles

Why the NHS is performing miraclesIt has been a remarkable few weeks for the health service hasn't it? The worst waiting times in A&E for over a decade. Patients left for hours on trolleys. Vital cancer operations being cancelled. Hospitals across the country declaring major alerts. A humanitarian crisis in the making, says the Red Cross.

But amid all this what we haven't heard is just how well the health service is coping. Given what it is facing, the NHS and, in particular, hospitals are performing miracles. BBC News

Addenbrooke's out of special measures thanks to staff 'dedication'

Addenbrooke's out of special measures thanks to staff 'dedication' The "dedication and skill" of hospital staff has helped one of the UK's largest NHS Trusts emerge from special measures, a report has revealed.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has enhanced the rating for Cambridge University Hospitals Trust from "inadequate" to "good".

It follows a visit by inspectors in September 2016. BBC News

PM ‘scapegoating’ GPs for endangering patients

PM ‘scapegoating’ GPs for endangering patients Doctors’ leaders have written to the Prime Minister in fury at her blaming general practice for the pressures on A&E while underplaying the extent of the NHS crisis, and claiming that the NHS is fully funded. The BMA told Theresa May this morning that her position appears to be a deliberate distraction from the reality of the NHS.

In his letter, BMA chair Dr Mark Porter urged her to address the system-wide crisis that has resulted from years of underfunding, rather than attempting to scapegoat GPs. He wrote: “I have been horrified to see the position which you have taken in responding to the current crisis in the NHS in England. In playing down what is happening in hospitals up and down the country – with beds at full capacity, daily breaches in A&E, and critical operations being cancelled – and in then seeking to lay the blame on general practice, your government appears to be seeking deliberately to distract from what is really happening in the NHS.” OnMedica

The NHS no longer has the resources to care for our sick population

The NHS no longer has the resources to care for our sick population The government is in denial - the chronic underfunding of the health service is bad for patients and staff

Hospitals and GP surgeries have always had a symbiotic relationship and the hospital crisis this winter has had a significant impact on the way that we are able to offer care to patients in the community.

In our practice, demand has not changed significantly as far as minor illnesses are concerned. We had an expectation of winter pressures and planned for more urgent appointments across all days of the week (including a Saturday shared rota with a hub of other local practices). But what we have seen is a significant rise in the complexity of cases – even when compared with a year ago. Continue reading... The Guardian

Mental health needs good deeds more than good speeches

Mental health needs good deeds more than good speeches The landscape is not changing quickly enough – it’s time resources followed the rhetoric

In less than 12 months, two prime ministers have chosen to start their year with major speeches about mental health, committing themselves and their governments to a transformation of the mental health landscape. But as so many of the statistics and personal stories bear witness; the landscape is not changing fast enough.

In her speech earlier this month, Theresa May talked about the critical importance of relationships and the role of government to “encourage and nurture” them. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS 111 helpline is harming children and causing deaths

NHS 111 helpline is harming children and causing deaths Preventable mistakes in treating children led to 12 deaths, 41 cases of severe harm and 658 cases of minor harm in England and Wales, a new report by Cardiff University found. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Patient Safety Incidents Involving Sick Children in Primary Care in England and Wales: A Mixed Methods Analysis (open access) PLOS Medicine
• Medical mistakes at GPs' surgeries and pharmacies 'led to 12 child deaths in nine years' The Independent

Financial watchdog warns UK facing £30 billion bill every decade to pay for NHS as population ages

Financial watchdog warns UK facing £30 billion bill every decade to pay for NHS as population ages Britain's ageing population will cost the UK £30 billion every decade in increased NHS, pensions and social care costs over the next 50 years and put pressure on the Chancellor's pledge to cut the deficit, a report has warned.

The Office for Budget Responsibility found that spending on healthcare and pensions will grow faster than the British economy by 2066 leaving the UK with a gap of £156 billion unless taxes are increased and spending cut to pay for it. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Fiscal sustainability report – January 2017 Office for Budget Responsibility
• NHS will need £88bn extra by 2067, says OBR forecast The Guardian

Couple fails in Court of Appeal challenge over change to assisted dying policy

Couple fails in Court of Appeal challenge over change to assisted dying policy Disability rights campaigners have failed in a bid to challenge the Director of Public Prosecution’s policy on assisted dying which they fear leaves vulnerable people “at risk from dodgy doctors”.

The Court of Appeal today told Nikki and Merv Kenward it was “futile” to allow them permission to appeal against an earlier High Court ruling that Alison Saunders’s updated advice does not breach the Suicide Act. The Daily Telegraph

Plea to donate your favourite book to Northampton General Hospital

Plea to donate your favourite book to Northampton General Hospital A campaign to create a library of town's favourite books was launched by Northampton General Hopspital this morning. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

County council to charge some adults in need of care £50 under new assessment proposals

County council to charge some adults in need of care £50 under new assessment proposals Adults in need of care who earn more than £23,250 per year in savings and capital investments will need to pay for their own care services, Northamptonshire County Council papers reveal. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Allied Health Professions into Action: Using Allied Health Professionals to transform health, care and wellbeing

A new online resource from allied health professionals ‘AHPs into Action’ is a product for leaders and decision makers, to inform and inspire the system about how AHPs can be best utilised to support future health, care and wellbeing service delivery. It offers examples of innovative AHP practice and a framework to develop a plan of delivery. ‘AHPs into Action’ defines how AHPs can support STPs implement the triple aim set out in the Five Year Forward View; driving improvements in health and wellbeing, restoring and maintaining financial balance and delivering core quality standards. NHS England

See also:

• A new online resource from allied health professionals NHS Employers

Eating disorders can strike in mid-life

Eating disorders can strike in mid-life Eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia, affect a small but substantial number of women in their 40s and 50s, UK research suggests.

The study, involving more than 5,000 women, found just over 3% reported having an eating disorder.

Some said they had experienced it since their teens, others developed it for the first time in their middle age. BBC News

GPs back stand against conversion therapy

GPs back stand against conversion therapy Doctors have added their support to a joint statement issued today which rejects the use of conversion therapy on people due to their sexual orientation or gender identity issues.

Major UK organisations have been working against conversion therapy for many years and published a Memorandum of Understanding against the practice in 2015 as well as updating the document to warn against conversion therapy in relation to gender identity and sexual orientation (including asexuality).

Several organisations including the RCGP, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, GLADD – The Association of LGBT Doctors and Dentists, NHS Scotland, the National Counselling Society, Stonewall, and The British Psychological Society have issued a new statement. OnMedica

Patients’ champion accuses ombudsman of poor service

Patients’ champion accuses ombudsman of poor service Some patients are receiving a poor service from the ombudsman in a complaints system that is overly complex, lacking in compassion and unresponsive, according to charity the Patients Association.

The Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), however, has rejected the accusations saying that it handles the vast majority of cases thoroughly and fairly, but said it always wanted to improve its service.

In a report* published today by the Patients Association, it said a significant number of patients and family members who submitted complaints to the PHSO felt that they received a poor quality service. OnMedica

See also:

• Follow-up report to the March 2015 Patients Association publication on the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman The Patients Association

Frances Cappuccini: Hospital blamed for death of young mother just hours after having baby

Frances Cappuccini: Hospital blamed for death of young mother just hours after having baby The death of a young mother just hours after she gave birth to her second son was a result of “failures, inadequate diagnosis and treatment” at the hospital caring for her, a coroner has said.

Frances Cappuccini, 30, died at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Pembury, Kent, shortly after giving birth to her son, Giacomo, by Caesarean section.

The school teacher suffered heavy bleeding and was anaesthetised, but went into cardiac arrest and died at 4.20pm on 9 October, 2012. The Independent

See also:

• Frances Cappuccini Caesarean death caused by hospital failures BBC News
• Hospital failures caused death of mother hours after caesarean birth, coroner rules The Daily Telegraph

NHS crisis: the one act of self-sacrifice that could rescue our health service

NHS crisis: the one act of self-sacrifice that could rescue our health service Major alerts, cancer operations cancelled, patients dying, yet Theresa May still won’t listen. But maybe there’s a tipping point that could force a response

From every previous NHS crisis, the tipping point should have come last week. Prime ministers crumple when people die – as they have in the Royal Worcester’s corridors. When opinion polls send concern about the NHS soaring above everything else at 61%, above immigration at 41% and Brexit at 36%, sirens should wail inside No 10. But no, not yet.

When the Royal College of Surgeons protests at cancer operations cancelled, is that a tipping point? When nearly half of all hospitals declare major alerts for lack of beds, that’s an emergency. There’s no winter flu, no Arctic weather, just pressure from underfunding, like an aneurysm about to burst. But the prime minister is not for turning, not yet. Continue reading... The Guardian

Private health insurance sales surge amid NHS crisis

Private health insurance sales surge amid NHS crisis Ongoing crisis in public healthcare and economic recovery may have triggered first rise in seven years, but impeding Brexit means future is uncertain

The number of people in Britain taking out private medical insurance has risen significantly for the first time since 2008, amid fears about the ongoing crisis gripping the NHS.

After falling steeply between 2008 and 2011 and then staying flat, demand for private medical insurance cover in Britain rose by 2.1% in 2015 with just over 4 million people insured. Continue reading... The Guardian

Sale of prescription drugs on eBay costing NHS thousands

Sale of prescription drugs on eBay costing NHS thousands The black market in prescription drugs is costing the NHS thousands of pounds - and one man was caught trying to flog an arthritis medication he no longer needed for £250 a box. The Daily Mail

NHS patients harmed as doctors prescribe WRONG meds

NHS patients harmed as doctors prescribe WRONG meds Philippa Gillespie from Haverfordwest and Robert Welch from Grimsby are just two of the victims of medication errors in NHS hospitals whose stories have emerged in the past 18 months alone. The Daily Mail

Show your passport and fuel bill to get NHS maternity care

Show your passport and fuel bill to get NHS maternity care Patients will be told to show a utility bill and passport before routine operations as part of a new crackdown on health tourism, with 20 British hospital trusts carrying out the ID checks. The Daily Mail

Half of women in labour experience 'red flag' maternity risks, report finds

Half of women in labour experience 'red flag' maternity risks, report finds Half of women in childbirth are being put in danger, with many saying they are made to feel like “cattle” in understaffed maternity wards, a major report warns.

New mothers said they had been left alone in labour, with long delays for pain relief, stitches and even to be washed after giving birth.

The study by the National Childbirth Trust and the National Federation of Women's Institutes (NFWI) found 50 per cent of new mothers had experienced “red flag” events during labour. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• NCT launches new report on maternity services National Childbirth Trust
• Support Overdue: Women’s experiences of maternity services 2017 National Childbirth Trust
• Mothers-to-be 'treated like cattle' in hospitals The Daily Mail
• UK midwife shortage leaves women feeling like cattle, report finds The Guardian
• Midwife shortage makes women in labour feel like 'cattle', report warns The Independent

Don't blame the elderly: only one in five A&E patients are pensioners, says former Health Secretary

Don't blame the elderly: only one in five A&E patients are pensioners, says former Health Secretary Winter gridlock in NHS hospitals is not being caused by elderly patients, but by working-age people with “nowhere else to go”, a former Conservative health secretary has said.

Stephen Dorrell’s comments came as new figures revealed just one fifth of patients attending A&E last year were over 65.

He told the Telegraph the new data showed it was wrong to blame pensioners for the crisis.

Meanwhile Age UK said it was often the elderly who suffered worst in jam-packed emergency departments, where cases of older patients languishing on trolleys for more than 12 hours has tripled in the last two years. The Daily Telegraph

Husband died at Northampton General Hospital after delays in blood vessel surgery

Husband died at Northampton General Hospital after delays in blood vessel surgery A Northamptonshire woman wants to highlight the signs of her husband's fatal condition to stop others suffering the same fate. Bryan McKim, 65, underwent successful surgery on a swelling of the aorta in 2012, but was taken unwell again in February, 2013 after bringing up blood. Mr McKim was rushed to Kettering General Hospital on February 7, 2013 for diagnosis and but was referred immediately to vascular specialists at Northampton General Hospital (NGH) for urgent surgery. However, despite KGH's assessment, the operation never happened and Mr McKim died the following morning after a “catalogue of errors.” Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Majority support raising National Insurance to support struggling NHS

Majority support raising National Insurance to support struggling NHS Twice as many support raising National Insurance to boost NHS funding than oppose it. YouGov

See also:

• Majority support raising tax to support struggling NHS Northampton Chronicle and Echo

National guardian publishes her ‘first 100 days’ report

National guardian publishes her ‘first 100 days’ report Dr Henrietta Hughes, national guardian for speaking up freely and safely in the NHS has published a new report, which outlines the progress made since her appointment in October 2016.

Over the last 100 days, Dr Hughes has set up the national office and established a national network of Freedom to Speak Up guardians. NHS Employers

Transfer of care delays threaten to capsize the NHS

Transfer of care delays threaten to capsize the NHS Doctors face a struggle every day and everywhere in England: the fight to secure social care for patients well enough to leave hospital.

Even officially it worsens month by month, increasing harm to patients and financial strain on the NHS, at a time when it’s least needed.

The latest figures, aiming to size up the problem, broke records in October. Patients spent 200,000 days in beds they did not need that month, a rise of 25 per cent on the same month in 2015.

Known as ‘delayed transfers of care’, the NAO (National Audit Office) estimated that, in the case of older patients in England, the unnecessary days in hospital cost more than £800m last year.

As bad as it is, this official tally of costly and unnecessary hospital stays undercounts the problem ‘significantly’, the NAO admits in a study this year, by a factor of almost three. British Medical Association

Referral centres cause 'dangerous' NHS delays, BMA warns

Referral centres cause 'dangerous' NHS delays, BMA warns NHS patients face "dangerous" treatment delays due to a 10-fold increase in "crude, expensive" referral management centres, doctors have warned.

The centres, sometimes run by private firms, vet GP referrals and decide if patients should receive hospital care.

The British Medical Association (BMA) called them "inefficient" and a "block between the GP and patient treatment".

NHS Clinical Commissioners said "in many cases" the centres "provide a useful and effective role". BBC News

NHS patient caught selling his drugs in undercover film

NHS patient caught selling his drugs in undercover film A patient has been caught in an undercover BBC film illegally selling prescription drugs which cost the NHS £10,000 a year. BBC News

How the ‘humanitarian’ crisis in the NHS is paving the way for private healthcare

How the ‘humanitarian’ crisis in the NHS is paving the way for private healthcare It has been a calamitous winter inside the NHS. Last week, three people tragically died at Worcestershire Royal hospital with a women dying of a heart attack after waiting for 35 hours on a trolley. A similar picture has developed across the country with patients on trolleys due to lack of beds, many hospital trusts on red alert and ambulances missing targets for life-threatening emergencies. The British Red Cross declared a humanitarian crisis in the NHS. The Independent

Hospitals across UK cancelling 'urgent' cancer operations as NHS winter crisis worsens

Hospitals across UK cancelling 'urgent' cancer operations as NHS winter crisis worsens Hospitals across the UK are cancelling "urgent" cancer operations as the NHS winter crisis worsens.

Some patients have reportedly been told with just a day's notice that their surgery has been postponed, with a leading surgeon saying it was "extremely worrying" that hospitals had resorted to the decisions.

Cancer operations have previously held a protected status but the demand for beds and lack of social care capacity has encroached on that. The Independent

See also:

• Doctors warn over cancer op cancellations amid NHS "pressure" BBC News
• Cancer operations now being cancelled amid NHS crisis, surgeons' leader warns The Daily Telegraph
• 193,000 NHS patients a month waiting beyond target time for surgery The Guardian
• NHS in crisis as cancer operations cancelled due to lack of beds The Guardian

Number of NHS bureaucrats on MORE than PM's £150k salary doubles in three years

Number of NHS bureaucrats on MORE than PM's £150k salary doubles in three years The number of NHS bureaucrats earning more than the Prime Minister has doubled in three years.

Ninety-three officials took home more than Theresa May's £149,440 salary last year – up from 48 in 2013.

Seven of those on the list, which was published by the Cabinet Office, earned more than £200,000. The official figures came after Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, told MPs the Health Service was underfunded. The Daily Mail

A&E crisis: Four in 10 NHS hospitals declared a major alert in their A&E departments amid mounting pressure

A&E crisis: Four in 10 NHS hospitals declared a major alert in their A&E departments amid mounting pressure Overall, NHS hospitals issued 226 serious alerts in the first week of 2017, saying they were experiencing major pressures in their A&E departments. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Major alerts 'at half of hospitals' BBC News
• Turmoil inflames tensions at top of NHS BBC News
• A&E crisis deepens with 66 hospital trusts issuing emergency alerts The Daily Telegraph
• A&E needs total system overhaul if it's to cope, says hospital which revolutionised its emergency care The Daily Telegraph 
• Theresa May's choice: give the NHS more money, or tell voters to expect worse care The Daily Telegraph
• Crisis, what NHS crisis? Theresa May must stop this denial The Guardian
• It is clear to anyone in the NHS that we cannot carry on as we are The Guardian
• NHS crisis: more money must be linked to reform The Guardian
• Tory health committee chair defends NHS chief in funding row with PM The Guardian
• NHS crisis: 'My frail mum was forced to wait on the floor for eight hours' The Guardian
• Winter pressures were already hitting last autumn OnMedica
• Theresa May is wrong to suggest the NHS needs reform rather than money – it needs both The Independent