Northamptonshire welcomes new nurse associate students

Northamptonshire welcomes new nurse associate students Northamptonshire has welcomed a group of history-making students who are leading the way in shaping the nursing workforce of the future. 38 nurse associate students have been recruited to a landmark pilot scheme, and the group began their studies last week at the University of Northampton. Northampton General Hospital

Health and social care funding explained

Health and social care funding explained The UK currently spends over £140bn a year on public provision of health and over £20bn on social care. But how does that break down and how has spending changed over time? The Health Foundation

Health and social care integration

Health and social care integration The National Audit Office warns that progress with integration of health and social care has, to date, been slower and less successful than envisaged and has not delivered all of the expected benefits for patients, the NHS or local authorities. As a result, the government’s plan for integrated health and social care services across England by 2020 is at significant risk.

In the face of increased demand for care and constrained finances, while the Better Care Fund, the principal integration initiative, has improved joint working, it has not yet achieved its potential. The Fund has not achieved the expected value for money, in terms of savings, outcomes for patients or reduced hospital activity, from the £5.3 billion spent through the Fund in 2015-16.

See also:

• Social care fund 'fails to reduce pressure on hospital beds' BBC News
• How health bosses spent £5bn on NHS plan to treat OAPs The Daily Mail

What's behind delayed transfers of care?

What's behind delayed transfers of care? The NHS is under significant pressure this winter. The new year saw daily newspaper headlines on the winter crisis, while high rates of bed occupancy and cuts to social care are both causing extra pressures to build up across the NHS.

Underlying all of this is the growing number of patients who are ready to leave hospital but can’t do so without extra support. Delayed transfers of care (DTOCs), often (rather insultingly) called ‘bed-blocking’ by the media, have been steadily on the rise in recent years, with the numbers of days patients are delayed reaching record levels month after month. Nuffield Trust

See also:

• Bed-blocking three times worse than NHS figures show – study The Guardian
• When my mum became a ‘bed blocker’, I saw the crisis in care for older people The Guardian

State of maternity services report 2016

State of maternity services report 2016 This annual report examines the statistics and figures around maternity services in order to identify emerging issues and trends. This year's report identifies a demographic change in both patients and workforce. The number of midwives under 50 has fallen and the report highlights concerns around a future shortfall of midwives in the UK's workforce. Royal College of Midwives

Our fight to end Female Genital Mutilation must go on – Professor Jane Cummings

Our fight to end Female Genital Mutilation must go on – Professor Jane Cummings The Chief Nursing Officer for England talks about the efforts of the NHS to tackle FGM. Each year we mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) – but why is this still needed? NHS England

Under pressure: One hospital's struggle to find free beds

Under pressure: One hospital's struggle to find free beds The BBC's Ed Thomas reports from the Royal Blackburn Hospital - where staff struggle daily to find available patient beds. BBC News

See also:

• Doing surgery while answering calls: An NHS surgeon's struggles BBC News

The hospital that helps patients stay at home

The hospital that helps patients stay at home Wakefield Hospital is seen as a pioneer in helping more patients stay at home and saving the NHS money. BBC News

E-cigs far safer than smoking, shows long-term research

E-cigs far safer than smoking, shows long-term research People who swapped their conventional cigarettes for nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or e-cigarettes had lower levels of carcinogens in their bodies after 6 months than those who continued to smoke cigarettes, research published in Annals of Internal Medicine has shown. Experts from Cancer Research UK, which funded the study*, said the findings showed that e-cigarettes could help people quit smoking safely, cutting tobacco-related deaths in the process, as they deliver similar amounts of nicotine to cigarettes with minimal long-term effects on their health. OnMedica

GP consultations too short for complex cases, says doctors' leader

GP consultations too short for complex cases, says doctors' leader Doctors ‘ridiculously overworked’ in UK, where study shows amount of time spent with patients is lowest in developed world

The length of GP consultations is too short for many people with complex health needs because doctors are “ridiculously overworked”, according to the Royal College of GPs.

The average consultation length of 10 minutes in the UK – thought to be the shortest in the developed world – was “crazy” said the RCGP president, Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• RCGP rejects fees for fast-track GP access and demands longer appointments GP Online
• GPs in catch-22 over appointment length and rising demand OnMedica

NHS Hospitals are warned about unannounced spot-checks

NHS Hospitals are warned about unannounced spot-checks Health experts at Oxford University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said hospitals are beefing up cleaning rounds in the run-up to an inspection, and then letting standards slip. The Daily Mail

Extra cash for GPs to identify overseas patients who are not eligible for free NHS treatment

Extra cash for GPs to identify overseas patients who are not eligible for free NHS treatment GPs will be given extra cash to help identify overseas patients as part of a crackdown on “health tourism”.

Family doctors will be required to establish whether or not patients are eligible for free care, and to pass details to hospitals before any treatment is booked, under changes to the GP contract.

The British Medical Association has repeatedly insisted that doctors should not be treated as “border guards”.

Last night the union said new deal agreed with the Government - which asks patients to “self-declare” their residency status - meant GPs would avoid such duties. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Overseas patient checks could damage trust, warns GP leader GP Online

A third of Northamptonshire's elderly have not had flu jab

A third of Northamptonshire's elderly have not had flu jab Nearly a third of over-65s in Northamptonshire are not protected against the flu.

A report by NHS England says nearly 40,000 over-65s in the county did not claim their free winter flu jab by the end of 2016. NHS England is urging the people of the county to make sure older friends and relatives claim their jab and stay protected against flu this winter. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Hospital bosses issue warning over A&E after latest figures are released

Hospital bosses issue warning over A&E after latest figures are released More than 2,000 patients were seen at Northampton General Hospital's A&E department in January, new figures have revealed. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Kettering struggles with radiology backlog after IT deployment

Kettering struggles with radiology backlog after IT deployment A Midlands regional digital radiology service is being blamed for a massive reporting backlog that has harmed at least one patient.

Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust says thousands of reports has been delayed since a new radiology and PACs system was deployed in June, 2016.

In its board papers, the trust said the backlog in CT and MRI scans had led to 68 cases of potential patient harm. So far, the trust had identified one confirmed case where the delay has caused patient harm. Digital Health

The economics of health inequality in the English NHS: the long view

The economics of health inequality in the English NHS: the long view This paper provides a historical overview of health inequality policy in England and how government policy and academic research has evolved over time in response to shifts in socioeconomic inequalities. Centre for Health Economics

'Trapped': Thousands call Childline for mental health help

'Trapped': Thousands call Childline for mental health help More than 50,000 sought mental health advice in 2016 - with girls far likelier to call than boys. BBC News

See also:

• Almost two-thirds of children worry 'all the time' BBC News

Is a 'seven-day NHS' feasible?

Is a 'seven-day NHS' feasible? The "seven-day NHS" was a key pledge of former Prime Minister David Cameron, and has been taken on by Theresa May.

Her government envisages people having access to local GPs seven days a week. It also wants patients to receive the same level of urgent and emergency care in hospitals in England at weekends, as on Mondays to Fridays.

But is this feasible? BBC News

NHS week: Nine in 10 hospitals 'overcrowded' this winter

NHS week: Nine in 10 hospitals 'overcrowded' this winter Analysis shows most hospitals have too many patients on wards, risking infections and delays in care. BBC News

See also:

• NHS gives BBC exclusive access to A&E BBC News
• NHS week: What the NHS does for you BBC News
• NHS week: What's for the chop where you live? BBC News
• NHS Health Check: Which part of the UK is doing the best? BBC News
• NHS week: How the system clogs up BBC News
• NHS Health Check: Voices from the NHS frontline BBC News
• NHS Health Check: 'How NHS changed our lives' BBC News
• Life on an NHS waiting list: Peter's story BBC News
• NHS Health Check: Short GP consultations crazy, say GPs BBC News

NHS treats or discovers Female Genital Mutilation 'every hour'

NHS treats or discovers Female Genital Mutilation 'every hour' A new case of female genital mutilation (FGM) is either discovered or treated at a medical appointment in England every hour, a charity has said.

Plan International UK said statistics provided by NHS Digital showed that between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2016, there were 8,656 attendances where FGM was identified or a procedure for FGM was undertaken. This represents an average of 23.7 attendances per day, or one attendance every 60.7 minutes. OnMedica

Theresa May urged to take ‘tangible action’ on mental health as unexpected deaths rise 50% in three years

Theresa May urged to take ‘tangible action’ on mental health as unexpected deaths rise 50% in three years Theresa May must match her promise to end the stigma around mental health problems with “tangible action”, the head of Labour’s mental health campaign has said.

Calls for the Government to honour its pledges came as it emerged the number of unexpected patient deaths reported by mental health trusts in England has risen by 50 per cent in three years. The Independent

The Guardian view on the NHS: more cash, less dog-whistling needed | Editorial

The Guardian view on the NHS: more cash, less dog-whistling needed | Editorial In launching an ugly offensive on overseas patients, the British government is trying to deflect attention from a funding crisis of its own making

Another week, another dreadful story about patients suffering at the hands of our increasingly cash-strapped NHS and care system. This time it was Iris Sibley, an 89-year-old woman kept isolated on a hospital ward for six months, despite being well enough to be discharged, because of a failure to find a suitable nursing home place. The result: not just huge financial expense for the NHS, but great human cost in distress and anxiety for Iris and her family. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• The NHS requires desperate reform and a Health Secretary who is able to carry it out The Independent

Sobbing teenagers, angry staff and threats: my week in NHS payroll

Sobbing teenagers, angry staff and threats: my week in NHS payroll Being personally responsible for the distribution of millions of pounds of public money brings many challenges

I arrive at my desk just as our manager approaches a colleague suffering from back pain and asks how she’s doing. She replies that she is in a lot of pain. Our manager responds: “I’m not interested; I’m asking if you’re going to meet your deadline. If you don’t complete your work by 10am you can explain to 5,000 people that they haven’t been paid due to your failure to do your job properly.” Continue reading... The Guardian

Maternity crisis looms over tide of retiring staff: Third of midwives are aged over 50 as Royal College say an extra 3,500 are needed to cope

Maternity crisis looms over tide of retiring staff: Third of midwives are aged over 50 as Royal College say an extra 3,500 are needed to cope Maternity services are on the brink of a crisis because so many midwives are approaching retirement, healthcare leaders warn.

A third of midwives in England are over the age of 50, around 7,200 in total, including 1,000 who are over 60.

The Royal College of Midwives also says the country needs an extra 3,500 professionals to cope with the rising birthrate. The Daily Mail

Elderly woman occupied an NHS bed for 6 MONTHS

Elderly woman occupied an NHS bed for 6 MONTHS Iris Sibley, 89, had been taken to Bristol Royal Infirmary last June after she suffered a fall at her care home. It took health officials until January 4 to find her a suitable nursing home. The Daily Mail

See also:

• The long wait BBC News
• Woman, 89, trapped on NHS ward for six months at cost of £80k as place in nursing home could not be found The Daily Telegraph
• Woman, 89, trapped in hospital for six months despite being fit to leave The Guardian
• 'Somebody has to admit the system is broken': The 89-year-old woman who sums up the NHS crisis The Independent

Every NHS trust to charge health tourists 'upfront' under law change

Every NHS trust to charge health tourists 'upfront' under law change Every NHS trust will have to charge foreign patients “upfront” unless they can prove they are eligible for non-urgent care, Jeremy Hunt has announced.

The Health Secretary said the law would be changed from April to ensure that overseas patients made a “fair contribution” to healthcare they received.

The move means anyone flying to the UK for non-urgent treatment such as a hip operation or cataract removal could now be turned away unless they agree to pay the NHS bill. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Reality Check: How much could NHS recover from foreign patients? BBC News
• Upfront charges for NHS 'health tourists' in England BBC News
• GPs could be forced to report patients' immigration status in NHS charging scheme GP Online
• BMA says foreign patient crackdown 'unworkable' OnMedica

Baby should be vaccinated against infections that can lead to meningitis despite mother's opposition, judge rules

Baby should be vaccinated against infections that can lead to meningitis despite mother's opposition, judge rules A baby should be vaccinated against infections that can lead to meningitis despite his mother's opposition, a High Court judge has ruled.

The seven-month-old boy's mother said the Haemophilus Influenza Type b (Hib) vaccine and the pneumococcal conjugate (PCV) vaccine could cause adverse reactions.

But social services staff argued the vaccinations were in the youngster's best interests because it would give him the best chance of protection against life-threatening diseases such as bacterial meningitis, pneumonia and septicaemia. The Daily Telegraph

Northampton General Hospital urges people to seek help with GPs at first signs of illness

Northampton General Hospital urges people to seek help with GPs at first signs of illness During January the emergency department at Northampton General Hospital saw and treated more than 2,000 patients every week and there has been no sign of a let-up.  Around 25 per cent of patients attending at the hospital's emergency department during January required admission for further assessment or treatment. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

What is social prescribing?

What is social prescribing? Social prescribing enables GPs, nurses and other primary care professionals to refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services. Our new explainer looks at whether social prescribing works and how it fits in with wider health and care policy. Read our explainer The King's Fund

One in six A&E departments at risk of closure or downgrade

One in six A&E departments at risk of closure or downgrade As many as 33 casualty departments across the UK could be lost by 2021 in an attempt to save £22bn from the NHS’s budget. One in six A&E departments face being closed or downgraded in the next four years, according to an analysis of NHS proposals.
About 33 casualty departments in hospitals in 23 areas of the UK are facing either complete closure or being replaced with minor injuries units. The Guardian

Unexpected mental health deaths up 50% in three years

Unexpected mental health deaths up 50% in three years The number of unexpected patient deaths reported by England's mental health trusts has risen by almost 50% in three years, figures suggest.
The findings, for the BBC's Panorama programme, are based on FOI results from half of mental health trusts. Unexpected deaths include death by suicide, neglect and misadventure.
The Department of Health said the increase was "expected" because of changes to the way deaths were recorded and investigated. BBC News

One in 14 on hospital op waiting list as pressures grow

One in 14 on hospital op waiting list as pressures grow The number of people facing "long waits" for hospital treatment in England has more than doubled in the past four years, figures show. Patients needing routine care such as knee and hip replacements are meant to be treated in 18 weeks under NHS rules.
But the numbers waiting longer than that now top 350,000 - a 163% rise since 2012. There are 3.7 million people in total on the waiting list. BBC News

Former Tory government health adviser joins US firm involved in NHS privatisation

Former Tory government health adviser joins US firm involved in NHS privatisation A former Government health adviser has joined a US firm involved in NHS privatisation – a move campaigners say demonstrates the “wafer-thin partition” between Tory policy makers and the private health industry. Nick Seddon, who was David Cameron’s Special Adviser for Health, became Executive Vice President of Optum just four months after he left his political role in July last year, reported Vice News. On Wednesday, Theresa May told Parliament the NHS “is not for sale and it never will be” in response to concerns the health service could form part of a post-Brexit trade deal between America and Britain. The Independent

NHS hospitals to charge overseas patients for non-urgent care

NHS hospitals to charge overseas patients for non-urgent care Jeremy Hunt announces law to be enacted from April that raises prospect of patients having to produce passports or other ID. Hospitals will be required by law to check whether patients are eligible for free care on the NHS from April onwards, the health secretary has announced.
The rule raises the prospect of patients having to produce their passports and other identity documents before receiving most kinds of treatment as the government aims to claw back £500m a year. Patients from overseas will also be billed in advance for all non-urgent care as part of a government clampdown on the cost of overseas visitors using the service.
Related: I’m a doctor, not a gatekeeper turning ‘health tourists’ away | Rachel Clarke  The Guardian

Private ambulances increasingly used to respond to 999 calls

Private ambulances increasingly used to respond to 999 calls Figures for ambulance trusts in England showing sharp rise in spending on private operators add to concerns over NHS crisis. Ambulance services are increasingly calling in private firms to respond to 999 calls in the latest sign that NHS care providers are struggling to cope with the sharply rising number of patients who need urgent medical attention.
The London ambulance service (LAS) has had the biggest increase among England’s 10 regional ambulance trusts. The amount it spent on private ambulance providers soared from £700,000 in 2011 to £10.1m last year, a thirteen-fold increase. Continue reading...  The Guardian

Record numbers of cancer patients using crowdfunding to pay for private treatment not available on NHS

Record numbers of cancer patients using crowdfunding to pay for private treatment not available on NHS The number of cancer patients turning to crowdfunding to pay for treatments not available on the NHS has soared, online donation platform JustGiving said. Cancer patients and their loved ones launched 2,348 appeals on the website last year compared to 304 in 2015 - a seven-fold increase, the figures obtained by BBC Radio 5 live reveal.
The fundraisers generated £4,670,143 to help pay for private medical treatment at clinics in the UK and abroad, a significant rise from the £530,519 raised in 2015. The Telegraph

Changes to apprenticeships - what employers need to know

Changes to apprenticeships - what employers need to know A new guide has been developed for employers in the NHS to help them get the most from upcoming changes to apprenticeships. NHS Employers

Sustainable development in the health and care system: health check 2017

Sustainable development in the health and care system: health check 2017 This report is the first in a series of annual publications from the Sustainable Development Unit looking at progress of sustainable development across the health and care system. It finds that overall organisations are cutting their carbon footprint and saving money through reducing energy use, but having less success in addressing water use and the increased costs from waste disposal.
Report
Sustainable Development Unit - publications
Sustainable Development Unit

Producing modelled estimates of the size of the lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) population of England

Producing modelled estimates of the size of the lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) population of England This work provides a population denominator for use in estimating health outcomes by sexual orientation. Being able to compare health outcomes between different population groups is important in assessing health inequality and inequity.
Report
Public Health England - publications
Public Health England

Michael Gove urged to back Brexit Bill amendment over £350m NHS claim

Michael Gove urged to back Brexit Bill amendment over £350m NHS claim  Michael Gove is being urged to “make good on his promise” and back an amendment to the Article 50 Bill demanding the Government publish an analysis of the impact of Brexit on the NHS.
If successful the amendment would compel Downing Street to probe the effects of exiting the EU on the UK’s health service. It would also place pressure on those who claimed the NHS would benefit from £350m extra a week one Britain left the EU. The Independent

Plans afoot for single route onto medical register

Plans afoot for single route onto medical register The General Medical Council is seeking views on creating a single route to the medical register. Consultations opened this week on plans for a Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) that will provide a single route to the medical register for all doctors who wish to practise in the UK.
The proposals aim to address the current variation in arrangements for medical students across the country and those wishing to join the register from outside the UK. OnMedica News

Cancer rates set to increase six times faster in women than men

Cancer rates set to increase six times faster in women than men Obesity partly to blame as cases of ovarian, cervical and oral cancers predicted to rise the most over the next 20 years. Cancer rates will increase nearly six times faster in women than in men over the next 20 years, with obesity partly to blame, experts predict. As several of the obesity-related cancer types only affect women, the growing number of people of both sexes who are severely overweight is likely to have a greater effect on incidence of the disease among women, according to the analysis by Cancer Research UK.Continue reading...  The Guardian

NHS cash crisis in Kent halts non-urgent surgery until April

NHS cash crisis in Kent halts non-urgent surgery until April  West Kent clinical commissioning group is trying to save £3.2m by delaying non-urgent operations until new financial year.
An NHS body has run so short of money that it has banned patients in its area from having non-urgent surgery for up to 102 days in an unprecedented move that doctors have condemned as unfair and damaging.
Around 1,700 patients will be affected by West Kent clinical commissioning group’s (CCG) attempt to save £3.2m by delaying non-urgent operations from 20 December last year until the new financial year starts in April. Continue reading... The Guardian

Most important breast cancer drug in two decades will not get NHS funding

Most important breast cancer drug in two decades will not get NHS funding A new drug described as one of the "most important" advances in treating breast cancer in two decades will not be approved on the NHS, under rationing plans.
Around 6,000 women a year, many with terminal disease, could benefit from palbociclib. The treatment has been found to stall tumours by 10 months - almost twice as long as standard drugs.
But the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said the cost – at around £3,000 a month – was too high, and that clinical trials were unclear about whether the drug improved overall survival. The Telegraph

NHS out-of-hours services have been run without a single doctor in 1 in 10 areas

NHS out-of-hours services have been run without a single doctor in 1 in 10 areas  Four million patients have been left without a GP available at night or weekends at some point in the last year, an investigation has found. One in ten areas did not have a single doctor available to cover the shift, heaping pressures on Accident & Emergency departments, new figures show.
Senior doctors said the findings exposed “worrying” holes in patient safety, which meant patients had to rely on those without medical qualifications or turn to A&E. The Telegraph

NHS staff trigger Google cyber-defences

NHS staff trigger Google cyber-defences The volume of NHS staff using Google's search engine has triggered one of its cybersecurity defences. NHS Digital confirmed so many NHS staff use the search engine that it had started asking them to take a quiz to verify they were "not a robot". BBC News

Diabetes care improving but 'shocking' regional variation remains

Diabetes care improving but 'shocking' regional variation remains The proportion of diabetes patients achieving all three NICE-recommended annual treatment targets has risen in the last six years but 'shocking' regional variation in care persists, a report has warned. GP Online

May pressured NHS to release data to track immigration offenders

May pressured NHS to release data to track immigration offenders  Ex-NHS Digital head says Theresa May’s Home Office wanted him to hand over patient data despite concern over legal basis.The former head of NHS Digital repeatedly clashed with Theresa May’s Home Office over requests to hand over confidential patient data to help trace immigration offenders, he has revealed.
Kingsley Manning has said that the Home Office “put him under immense pressure” to share patient data despite concerns about the legal basis and fears it would undermine claims that NHS Digital was “a safe haven” for personal data. Continue reading... The Guardian

Liam Fox dismisses NHS takeover fears ahead of US trade talks

Liam Fox dismisses NHS takeover fears ahead of US trade talks  Trade secretary says idea of allowing in US healthcare providers is an urban myth and ‘won’t happen on my watch’. Fears of an American takeover of the NHS are an urban myth “on a par with alligators in sewers”, Liam Fox has said as he revealed that US trade talks will begin within days. Continue reading... The Guardian

Seeing the same family doctor cuts the risk of being rushed to hospital

Seeing the same family doctor cuts the risk of being rushed to hospital Allowing patients to continuously see the same GP would slash the number of unnecessary visits to hospital and save the NHS billions, according to a new study.
Research published today in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) suggests that a trusting relationship with a designated family doctor prompts better clinical decisions because patients are more open about their problems.
Previous research has shown that emergency hospital admissions for conditions which are manageable in a local surgery cost the NHS at least £1.42 billion a year. The Telegraph

NHS Employers welcomes GMC consultation on a single Medical Licensing Assessment

NHS Employers welcomes GMC consultation on a single Medical Licensing Assessment The assessment would help provide employers, and patients, with clearer assurance that all doctors practicing in the UK are working to the same standards of knowledge, skills and preparedness, says Danny Mortimer. NHS Employers

Minister's social care ideas ignore the million childless over-65s | Kirsty Woodard

Minister's social care ideas ignore the million childless over-65s | Kirsty Woodard

The idea that older people may not have family members who are able to help, or may have no family at all, seems not to have occurred to the government

This year, for the first time, more older people need care and support than there is family to provide it. In the UK, there are already 1 million people aged over 65 who do not have adult children. This figure will double by 2030, as one in five people over the age of 50 do not have children.The Guardian

Down and anxious

Down and anxious As a new national commission for loneliness is launched, two women share their experiences. BBC News

• Why loneliness is so bad for you Daily Mail

Worcestershire hospitals trust ordered to urgently improve patient safety

Worcestershire hospitals trust ordered to urgently improve patient safety

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust given six weeks to improve, after the deaths of two patients forced to endure long waits for care

The NHS watchdog has ordered a troubled hospital trust to urgently overhaul patient safety or face sanctions weeks after two patients died after enduring long waits on trolleys in a corridor.

The Care Quality Commission has given Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust six weeks to make significant improvements at the three hospitals it runs in Worcester, Redditch and Kidderminster. The Guardian

Progress is being made on GP Forward View - but much more must be done urgently to support frontline GPs and patients

Progress is being made on GP Forward View - but much more must be done urgently to support frontline GPs and patients

That is the verdict of the Royal College of GPs, nine months on from the launch of NHS England’s ‘lifeline’ for general practice.

In its interim assessment of the GP Forward View published today, the College says that on crucial issues such as practice resilience, local implementation has been far too slow.

The 44 Sustainability and Transformation Plans – intended to shape the NHS at a local level – also come in for criticism for prioritising NHS hospital trusts over general practice, and in some cases even planning to reduce GP numbers. Royal College of General Practitioners

• Warning of cuts to family doctors in NHS overhaul The Telegraph

Sudden death warning over faulty heart gene

Sudden death warning over faulty heart gene A charity estimates 620,000 people carry a faulty gene that affects the heart - and most are unaware. BBC News

• Call to screen for silent killer sudden death gene Daily Mail

Queer in the head: Do LGB people in the UK have poorer mental health? #LGBTHM17

Queer in the head: Do LGB people in the UK have poorer mental health? #LGBTHM17 At the start of LGBT History Month, Sarah Carr presents some recent research into sexual orientation and symptoms of common mental disorder or low wellbeing. National Elf Service: Mental Elf

NHS should charge health tourists 'upfront' instead of chaotic debt chase

NHS should charge health tourists 'upfront' instead of chaotic debt chase

NHS hospitals should charge foreign patients “upfront” unless the case is an emergency, the government has said - as a damning report warns Britain is failing to recoup hundreds of millions of pounds.

MPs said “chaotic” systems and a lack of sanctions for hospitals which failed to recover debts meant legitimate patients were being starved of vital resources. The Telegraph

• 'Health tourists': Action urged to recover NHS costs BBC News
• MPs warn health tourism 'chaos' is draining the NHS Daily Mail
• NHS ID scheme could deter eligible patients, say MPs The Guardian

Device could help people with 'locked-in' syndrome

Device could help people with 'locked-in' syndrome To help people with locked-in syndrome to communicate, researchers at the Wyss Centre for Bio and Neuroengineering in Geneva created a new brain-computer interface. Daily Mail

• Completely 'locked-in' patients can communicate BBC News Health

Treat as one: bridging the gap between mental and physical healthcare in general hospitals

Treat as one: bridging the gap between mental and physical healthcare in general hospitals This report from the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death highlights concerns around the lack of progress on integration of physical and mental health care in general hospitals. NHS Networks

Staying put: developing dementia-friendly care and support for people with a learning disability

Staying put: developing dementia-friendly care and support for people with a learning disability A report from several voluntary sector organisations calls for an improvement in the way that the needs of people with learning disabilities and dementia are addressed. NHS Networks

Evidence review on drug misuse treatment

Evidence review on drug misuse treatment  Public Health England (PHE) has published a comprehensive review of the evidence on the drug misuse treatment system in England. NHS Networks

Take care of your elderly mothers and fathers, says Tory minister

Take care of your elderly mothers and fathers, says Tory minister David Mowat speaks out during House of Commons committee session on tackling the care crisis. People have just as much of a duty to look after their elderly parents as they do to care for their own children, a health minister has said.
David Mowat made the comments alongside an admission that the government had no “final answer” on how it was going to cope with the rising costs of social care. Continue reading...  The Guardian

Burning injustice: reducing tobacco-driven harm and inequality

Burning injustice: reducing tobacco-driven harm and inequality The All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health (APPGSH) launched this inquiry to review current action on tobacco control in response to concerns that funding is being reduced or not used effectively for work on tobacco control. The report provides evidence-based recommendations to the government, local authorities and the NHS for effective action to further reduce smoking prevalence at a time of austerity. The King's Fund

More patients placed in mixed-sex wards in England

More patients placed in mixed-sex wards in England The number of patients placed in mixed-sex wards in England has risen by almost 70% in the last year.
Statistics from NHS England show 7,163 patients were put in the wards in 2016, up from 4,248 in 2015.
In April 2011, fines were introduced to try to eradicate the problem, leading to a fall from thousands per month to hundreds. The Patients Association said the rise was "concerning" and that the wards should be scrapped. BBC News

NHS health service for GPs opens across England

NHS health service for GPs opens across England GPs seeking help with depression, addiction, stress and other mental health issues can now access support from the GP Health Service, following its launch on Monday 30 January. GP Online

Prison crisis affecting health services for inmates, says GP

Prison crisis affecting health services for inmates, says GP Rising tension and staff shortages in prisons are affecting decisions about how to manage urgent medical care for inmates, a senior prison GP has warned. GP Online

MPs to debate call to remove 1% nurse pay cap

MPs to debate call to remove 1% nurse pay cap MPs will today debate a call for the lifting of the 1% pay cap on public sector workers.
Catherine McKinnell, MP for Newcastle North, will lead the debate, which resulted from a petition started by Royal College of Nursing member Danielle Tiplady and signed by over 100,000 people.
At 4.30pm today members will debate the motion: “That this House has considered e-petition 168127 relating to pay restraint for Agenda for Change NHS staff.” OnMedica

Councils may cut social care provision due to underfunding, LGA says

Councils may cut social care provision due to underfunding, LGA says  Association says some of its 370 councils are struggling to meet legal requirement so badly they could face high court challenge.
Older and vulnerable people could stop receiving vital help to get out of bed, washed and dressed, because the underfunding of social care has become so severe, councils have warned.
Leaders of 370 local authorities in England and Wales fear that some councils are finding it so hard to provide the right level of support they could face a high court legal challenge for breaking the law.Continue reading...  The Guardian

No improvement in heart failure death rates since 1990s

No improvement in heart failure death rates since 1990s Heart failure still kills the same number of middle-aged Britons as it did nearly two decades ago, a new study warned.
While medical advances has slashed the number of Britons dying from cancer, the same has not happened for those suffering from heart failure.
The University of Oxford led study found between 1998 and 2012, survival rates for people aged over 45 with heart failure showed no improvement. The Telegraph

The NHS at mid-winter

The NHS at mid-winter With December and half of January behind us, how is the NHS faring this winter? According to the British Red Cross, the service is facing a ‘humanitarian crisis’, whereas according to the Prime Minister the current situation is ‘not unusual’, with much of the media coverage perhaps closer in tone to the British Red Cross than to the PM.
However, with performance data on A&E now published several weeks after events take place, it is less easy to tell how far undoubted signs of real stress in some trusts are a local issue, or are replicated across the rest of the country. Equally, even where national data is available on the state of the service (mainly through winter situation reports or SitReps) this does not necessarily tell us what has caused any problems and there are, in any case, data quality issues with SitReps that should be taken as a caveat on the numbers presented here. King's Fund

Cancer drugs price rise 'costing NHS millions'

Cancer drugs price rise 'costing NHS millions' Some cancer drugs that are no longer under patent are rising in price when they should be falling. UK prices for generic cancer drugs have risen sharply in the past five years, restricting their use in treating NHS patients, research from the European Cancer Congress has found. Drugs such as tamoxifen and bulsufan are now 10 times more expensive despite no longer being under patent. BBC News

NHS spending per person will be cut next year, ministers confirm

NHS spending per person will be cut next year, ministers confirm The Government will cut the National Health Service’s budget per person in real terms next year, ministers have admitted in official figures for the first time. Numbers released by ministers show NHS England will face a sharp reduction of 0.6 per cent in real terms of per head in the financial year 2018-19.
The numbers corroborate claims by NHS chief Simon Stevens earlier this month that “in 2018-19, real-terms NHS spending per person in England is going to go down”. The figures also fly in the face of the Government’s public insistence that it is investing more in the health service, with Jeremy Hunt and Theresa May repeating the mantra of an extra £10bn for the NHS. The Independent

Ensure GPs fully support hospitals over winter pressures

Ensure GPs fully support hospitals over winter pressures NHS Improvement and NHS England should “ensure that social care and GPs fully support hospitals and ambulance services” in an urgent review of how the NHS manages winter pressures, NHS Providers insisted this morning. It said this review should also consider how the NHS prepared for this winter, whether or not the NHS should have dedicated winter funding, and the impact of staff shortages.
NHS Providers, which represents NHS acute, ambulance, community and mental health services, argued that as the current approach places most of the burden of winter pressures on trusts, they should be given the opportunity to say what has and hasn’t worked, and what must change. It said a review led by NHS Improvement and NHS England, with input from trusts, should be conducted rapidly so that it can be concluded by this April and its findings made public. OnMedica

NHS intensive care 'at its limits' because of staff shortages

NHS intensive care 'at its limits' because of staff shortages  Units are so overwhelmed that life-saving operations are having to be delayed, warn senior doctors.
The NHS’s network of intensive care units is “at its limits” because they are overwhelmed by staff shortages and the sheer number of patients needing life-or-death care, senior doctors are warning in an unprecedented intervention.
Intensive care units (ICUs) are becoming so full that patient safety is increasingly at risk because life-saving operations – including heart, abdominal and neurosurgery – are having to be delayed, the leaders of the specialist doctors who staff the units have told the Guardian.Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS commissioners risk losing sight of human cost of their decisions

NHS commissioners risk losing sight of human cost of their decisions Vulnerable patients are being shunted into care homes to make easy savings.
The revelation that thousands of people could be forced out of their homes into residential care raises serious questions about the judgment of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).
According to the Health Service Journal story, based on information gathered by campaign group Disability United, at least 37 CCGs have imposed restrictions on access to NHS continuing healthcare funding, which provides ongoing care for adults with a “primary health need”. Continue reading...  The Guardian

Quitting EU regulator 'would leave UK waiting longer' for new drugs

Quitting EU regulator 'would leave UK waiting longer' for new drugs Drug firms say leaving EMA could mean Britons having to wait a year longer than EU citizens for newly-developed medicines.
Ministers are coming under growing pressure to scrap plans to quit Europe’s medicines regulator as part of Brexit, with drug firms saying doing so could force Britons to wait a year longer than patients in the EU to access new drugs.
Labour and leaders of the UK’s pharmaceutical industry fear that patients and the NHS will lose out if Britain gives up its membership of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, told MPs last week that he did not expect the UK to continue as a member once it left the EU.Continue reading...  The Guardian

Northamptonshire carers honoured for outstanding work

Northamptonshire carers honoured for outstanding work Carers from Northamptonshire were honoured for the outstanding work they do for others at the annual Jane Roebuck Carers Awards at Barton Hall in Kettering. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Kettering baby’s catastrophic injuries could have been prevented had fractures been spotted

Kettering baby’s catastrophic injuries could have been prevented had fractures been spotted Catastrophic injuries which a Kettering baby suffered at the hands of her parents could have been prevented had earlier rib fractures been noticed, a case review has found. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Child N - Serious Case Review Northamptonshire Children Safeguarding Board
• Chances to stop 'sickening' assaults on baby missed BBC Northampton
• KGH: “We profoundly regret the missed opportunities to escalate safeguarding concerns” Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Kettering baby abuse case one of the most serious I’ve dealt with, says safeguarding board chairman Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Quality improvement: learning from innovations in the vanguards

Quality improvement: learning from innovations in the vanguards I have recently returned from an exciting, whirlwind tour of another set of new care models sites. This was my fourth such tour. My goal for these visits, which I make as an International Visiting Fellow for The King’s Fund, is to attempt to understand what the vanguard organisations are trying to do, how well they are faring, and how they might progress even better and faster. On this trip, the additional question was: ‘How can these lessons and models be spread more widely across the NHS?’

Let me recount a few of the many highlights, and then summarise some general conclusions about the new care models investment. The King's Fund

Research and analysis: Drug misuse treatment in England: evidence review of outcomes

Research and analysis: Drug misuse treatment in England: evidence review of outcomes This review gives policy makers and local areas an objective assessment of what drug treatment outcomes are achievable, and compares outcomes in England to the evidence and to other drug treatment systems

It reviews the impact of housing problems, unemployment and social deprivation on treatment engagement and outcomes. The review also considers how drug treatment will need to be configured to meet future need and recommends an appropriate set of measures or indicator for treatment evaluation.

It was commissioned by the Department of Health and was based partly on 3 rapid evidence assessments commissioned from independent academics. Public Health England

Building on the industrial strategy: briefing for the NHS

Building on the industrial strategy: briefing for the NHS The government published its long-awaited industrial strategy green paper on 23 January 2017. The forthcoming departure from the EU has given the industrial strategy added importance, with the 2016 referendum vote highlighting regional disparities in economic prosperity.

This briefing focuses on the implications and opportunities for NHS organisations arising from the industrial strategy. NHS Confederation

New confidentiality guidance published by the GMC

New confidentiality guidance published by the GMC The General Medical Council (GMC) has published revised, expanded and reorganised guidance on confidentiality for all doctors practising in the UK.

Outcome-focused integrated care: lessons from experience

Outcome-focused integrated care: lessons from experience This paper captures some of the learning and experience from work on developing integrated practice. It aims to offer guidance to those embarking on a significant period of change on what they may need to consider. It draws on IPC’s practice-based experience of integration across a range of different organisational set-ups and cultures. Institute of Public Care

NHS equality boss and Devon CEO faces jail for fraud

NHS equality boss and Devon CEO faces jail for fraud A former NHS equality boss has been warned she could face jail for swindling £11,000 by diverting funds to her husband.

Paula Vasco-Knight, 53, broke down as she changed her plea on the second day of her trial at Exeter Crown Court.

She used £11,072 of NHS cash to pay her husband Stephen, 46, for work on an equality and diversity publication called Transform, which never existed.

Her husband also changed his plea to admit fraud. BBC News

Health professionals vary hugely in disability assessments

Health professionals vary hugely in disability assessments Healthcare professionals vary hugely in how they assess people’s eligibility for disability benefits, even the same claimant, international research has revealed. The researchers behind the ‘disconcerting’ review,* published online today by The BMJ, found there was better reproducibility when experts used a standardised evaluation procedure, and they have called for substantial and urgent investment in research to improve assessment of disability. OnMedica

FGM clinic hailed as 'life-changing' to close after losing funding

FGM clinic hailed as 'life-changing' to close after losing funding A “life changing” clinic which helps women and girls subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM) could be forced to close in March after losing its council funding.

The Acton FGM Community Clinic in West London – where FGM figures are the highest in the country - is the only facility in the country to offer reversal of the practice.

Ealing Council and Imperial NHS Trust have funded the service for the past decade, but the council is withdrawing money for rent of the space and other costs - and health commissioners have refused to plug the gap. The Independent

Royal College of Surgeons slam plans to cut back on hip and knee replacements

Royal College of Surgeons slam plans to cut back on hip and knee replacements Three clinical commissioning groups propose only operating on patients that have such severe levels of pain they cannot sleep or carry out daily tasks

The Royal College of Surgeons has hit out at cost-cutting plans to ration who can receive hip and knee replacements.

Three clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in the West Midlands have proposed slashing the number of people who qualify for hip replacements by 12% and introducing a 19% cut over who is eligible for knee replacements. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NHS denies hip or knee operations for those who can sleep The Daily Mail
• Hip operations only for those in so much pain they can't sleep under new NHS rationing plans The Daily Mail

We are rightly proud that our NHS is free. Let’s keep it that way

We are rightly proud that our NHS is free. Let’s keep it that way A group of GPs has suggested that some treatments could be paid for. But the profit motive would taint the precious trust between patient and doctor

Imagine you have a big, greasy, warty growth on your back. It’s embarrassing, catches on your clothes and means you avoid swimming or exposing your back on holiday. Your GP confirms that it’s not cancer and says it’s a seborrhoeic wart. That’s great, but you’d like it removed. Your GP says you can’t be referred for removal on the NHS because it’s a cosmetic problem. Continue reading... The Guardian

SPECIAL REPORT: Council leader says Northamptonshire will not have Surrey-style 15 per cent council tax hike vote

SPECIAL REPORT: Council leader says Northamptonshire will not have Surrey-style 15 per cent council tax hike vote A shock referendum posed by an affluent county in the south of England may well set off a chain reaction of referenda across the country as authorities seek to plug their ailing adult social care budgets. But Northamptonshire won’t be following suit. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Lenehan review into care of children with learning disabilities

Lenehan review into care of children with learning disabilities Dame Christine Lenehan was asked by the Department of Health to take a strategic overview and recommend what practical action can be taken to co-ordinate care, support and treatment for children and young people with complex needs (and behaviour that challenges) involving mental health problems and learning disabilities and/or autism.

Dame Christine has spoken to many different organisations and individuals, including young people and their families. Her report makes 11 recommendations for government departments and partners at a national level on how to improve the system. Department of Health

Mental health problems: statistics on prevalence and services

Mental health problems: statistics on prevalence and services This briefing addresses frequently asked questions about mental health, including: how common are mental health problems? How long do people wait to access talking therapies? How much is spent on mental health services? House of Commons Library

NHS Ambulance Services

NHS Ambulance Services Ambulance services are finding it increasingly difficult to cope with rising demand for urgent and emergency services, according to the National Audit Office.

Demand for ambulance services continues to grow rapidly. Contributing factors may include the increasing numbers of elderly patients with multiple conditions, an increasing number of alcohol- and mental health-driven issues, the availability of primary care services in the community and how patients seek help. Between 2009-10 and 2015-16, the number of ambulance calls and NHS 111 transfers increased from 7.9 million to 10.7 million. Increased funding for these services has not matched rising demand, and future settlements are likely to be tougher.

See also:

• Ambulance services 'not coping' as demand rises BBC News
• Target for life or death ambulance calls is relaxed The Daily Mail
• Paramedics spend 500,000 hours outside busy A&Es, say auditors The Guardian

National Lung Cancer Audit annual report 2016 (for the audit period 2015)

National Lung Cancer Audit annual report 2016 (for the audit period 2015) This report shows a seven per cent increase in the number of people diagnosed with lung cancer surviving for longer than one year, compared with results from 2010. It also reveals that 60 per cent of lung cancer patients received anti-cancer treatment such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery, meeting the target set out in the 2015 annual audit report. Royal College of Physicians

NMC agrees to regulate new nursing associate role

NMC agrees to regulate new nursing associate role The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has today formally agreed to a request from the Department of Health to be the regulator for the new nursing associate role.

Child health in UK 'lagging behind' due to poverty

Child health in UK 'lagging behind' due to poverty Child health in the UK is lagging behind that of most other European countries, a major report has said.

It raises particular concerns over rates of obesity, mental health issues and mortality among the young.

The in-depth report, from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, emphasised that poverty was at the root of many child health problems.

UK health ministers said money was being invested in services to help tackle health inequalities. BBC News

See also:

• State of child health: The report in a glance Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
• State of Child Health report 2017 Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
• RCPCH launches landmark State of Child Health report (press release) Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

Prison suicides rise to record level

Prison suicides rise to record level A record number of people killed themselves in prisons in England and Wales in 2016, figures show.

The Ministry of Justice says there were 119 self-inflicted deaths - 29 more than the previous year and the highest number since records began in 1978. BBC News

Artificial intelligence 'as good as cancer doctors'

Artificial intelligence 'as good as cancer doctors' Artificial intelligence can identify skin cancer in photographs with the same accuracy as trained doctors, say scientists.

The Stanford University team said the findings were "incredibly exciting" and would now be tested in clinics.

Eventually, they believe using AI could revolutionise healthcare by turning anyone's smartphone into a cancer scanner.

Cancer Research UK said it could become a useful tool for doctors. BBC News

Half the public back a national NHS tax

Half the public back a national NHS tax Half the public would be willing to pay an additional ‘NHS tariff’ through national insurance to support the health service, with only a quarter opposing the idea, according to consultants PwC.

A poll of more than 2,000 UK adults found twice as many people supported a national tax as opposed it, while 31% of the public would be supportive of a local tax for their local services.

The survey also found a majority of the public (76%) think clinical quality should take precedence over balancing the books – an increase from 68% in April 2016 - challenging some fundamental policy commitments, including the Department of Health’s drive to wring £22bn in efficiency savings from the NHS. Pulse

See also:

• Chron readers debate whether we should be made to pay a special NHS tax Northampton Chronicle and Echo

GP full-time workforce numbers dropped last year

GP full-time workforce numbers dropped last year The number of full-time equivalent GPs working in England last year fell by almost 100, according to new statistics released today by NHS Digital.

The figures show the full-time equivalent number dropped by 96* (0.3%) from 34,592 in September 2015 to 34,495 in September 2016.

Over the same period, the headcount decreased by 12 from 41,877 to 41,865.

Although this represented a small decline, it is exactly the reverse trend that the government is keen on under its plans in the General Practice Forward View to have 5,000 more GPs in place by 2020. OnMedica

See also:

• Everything that can be done must be done to reverse GP workforce trends, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners