The NHS sets leaders up to fail – and then recruits more in the same mould

The NHS sets leaders up to fail – and then recruits more in the same mould People being hired in management positions don’t have the skills to tackle the health service’s current problems

It’s my job to support and develop senior NHS managers. And I’m deeply worried that we’re setting them up to fail – then recruiting more in the same mould.

I’m a former primary care trust director; I now work as an executive coach, helping NHS executives to improve their skills. Many of my clients lead trusts whose leadership has been deemed “inadequate” or “requires improvement” by the Care Quality Commission – but few of them are genuinely bad leaders. The problem is that they were hired to do one job, and the requirement is now for something quite different. Yet they’re not being helped to change their approach, and when their trusts run into trouble they are being replaced with people likely to encounter exactly the same set of problems.

The characteristics once seen as assets have become liabilities Continue reading... The Guardian

A million patients take anti-depressants 'they don't need'

A million patients take anti-depressants 'they don't need' Patients are left on the drugs for months or years at a time, fuelling a growing epidemic of addiction to prescription medicines. The Daily Mail

No more painkillers and gluten-free food on the NHS as health service head launches cost-cutting drive

No more painkillers and gluten-free food on the NHS as health service head launches cost-cutting drive The NHS will no longer pay for everyday medicines, including painkillers and cough mixture, the head of the health service has said.

Simon Stevens has outlined plans for patients to have to pay for basic items, like hay fever drugs, indigestion pills and gluten-free food, in a money-saving drive.

The cuts are part of new measures to reduce £1 billion of costs in the health service, which is struggling to cope with a surge in demand caused by an expanding population. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• NHS funding review for gluten-free food BBC News
• Dramatic drive to cut NHS costs unveiled The Daily Mail
• NHS draws up list of items to be banned from prescriptions The Guardian
• Travel jabs and gluten-free food may no longer be available on NHS under ‘low-value’ prescription crackdown The Independent
• NHS funding review: What medicines could be affected? ITV News

Government's health chief called in to discuss waiting woes at under-pressure Northampton GP surgery

Government's health chief called in to discuss waiting woes at under-pressure Northampton GP surgery The health secretary has agreed to hold discussions about lengthy waiting times at a Duston surgery - after a number of complaints from those unable to get an appointment. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Teen pregnancy rates in Northants are half of that in 2005 stats show - but more terminate pregnancy

Teen pregnancy rates in Northants are half of that in 2005 stats show - but more terminate pregnancy Teenage pregnancies in Northamptonshire have halved over the past 10 years, latest figures have revealed, though almost half of those led to an abortion. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Compromise offered in funding row over future of Corby Urgent Care Centre

Compromise offered in funding row over future of Corby Urgent Care Centre A compromise has been put forward in the funding row over the future of Corby Urgent Care Centre.

In response to concerns raised by patients, Lakeside+ has offered a ‘major concession’ to keep the centre open with the existing staff after April 1.

The offer suggests that both parties back away from the March 31 deadline and keep the centre open while the legal process carries on to fix how much the centre will be paid for treating NHS patients.

It comes as Lakeside+ has been inundated with both local and national messages of support since news of the situation broke. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Sending shockwaves through the NHS?

Sending shockwaves through the NHS? Taken at face value, Simon Stevens’ recent remarks to the Public Accounts Committee should be sending shockwaves through the NHS. Six to ten sustainability and transformation plan (STP) areas, to be announced in the forthcoming Forward View delivery plan, are set to become ‘accountable care organisations or systems, which will for the first time since 1990 effectively end the purchaser–provider split, bringing about integrated funding and delivery for a given geographical population’. 

It would be hard to overstate the magnitude of such a shift in policy, if that is what we are witnessing. Since the early 1990s, governments have pinned their hopes on purchaser–provider separation as the basis for health care improvement. Simon Stevens’ comments reflect, in large part, a growing perception that the costs of the purchaser–provider split outweigh the benefits of the market it was supposed to create. Transaction costs are high. Meanwhile, the market has delivered, at best, only modest efficiencies. Demographic and epidemiological changes are driving integration, which makes arm’s-length contracting even harder.  The King's Fund

New measures to target inequality in health and social care

New measures to target inequality in health and social care The Care Quality Commission has published ambitious new equality objectives for 2017 to 19. Despite progress on equality, people from some equality groups are still less likely to receive good quality health and social care.

The new objectives for the next two years focus on CQC regulatory role in improving equality. Through its inspections, CQC will check that providers make person-centred care work for everyone, from all equality groups – for example for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people using adult social care or mental health inpatient services.

CQC has set an objective to look at reducing barriers and improving access to primary care for migrants, asylum seekers, Gypsies and Travellers, to help address their poor health outcomes.

Meeting us where we're at: learning from INTEGRATE's work with excluded young people

Meeting us where we're at: learning from INTEGRATE's work with excluded young people This report discusses the approach taken by London-based charity MAC-UK in offering mental health support to young people involved in gangs or at risk of offending. The INTEGRATE approach is characterised by engaging young people through activities that they set up themselves and getting referrals through peers and friends. The evaluation of the INTEGRATE approach found that it brought notable improvements in many of the participants and helped to support young people in finding work. Centre for Mental Health

Jeremy Hunt 'sorry' NHS 111 call did not spot boy's sepsis

Jeremy Hunt 'sorry' NHS 111 call did not spot boy's sepsis  A boy who died aged one after NHS staff failed to identify he had septicaemia was "let down", Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt admitted.

Mr Hunt spoke at a memorial service for William Mead, from Cornwall.

William, from Penryn, died in 2014, after an NHS 111 call did not lead to him being admitted to hospital.

Speaking at the private service in Truro, Mr Hunt said: "I as health secretary, the government, and the NHS let down William." BBC News

Exclusive: Urgent cancer scans blocked for two in five GPs

Exclusive: Urgent cancer scans blocked for two in five GPs Two in five GPs have had referrals on the two-week cancer pathway bounced back or downgraded as less urgent within the last year - with one in four affected patients later found to have cancer - a GPonline survey suggests.

Experts warn new TB drugs’ effectiveness could be lost

Experts warn new TB drugs’ effectiveness could be lost Experts are warning today that the effectiveness of new drugs in treating tuberculosis (TB) could be lost without real efforts to support their introduction.

A report* published today in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal to coincide with World TB day today, says that the rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB threatens to derail decades of progress in controlling the disease. OnMedica

Half of £2bn boost for NHS 'spent outside health service'

Half of £2bn boost for NHS 'spent outside health service' Extra £100m spent on external providers in 2015/16 shows NHS cannot cope with rising demand, FT research suggests

Health chiefs spent about half of the £2bn of extra cash allocated in George Osborne’s pre-2015 election autumn statement on buying care from private and other non-NHS providers, an analysis has shown.

The Health Foundation research for the Financial Times showed £901m was spent on buying services from outside the health service in 2015/16 for care provided free at the point of use for NHS patients. It compared with £800m spent on purchasing the same kind of care from NHS trusts. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NHS bosses 'spent half of extra Autumn Statement cash on outside services' BBC News

GPs 'dismissing womb illness as period pain', report says

GPs 'dismissing womb illness as period pain', report says Hundreds of thousands of women with a painful womb condition are left to cope without specialised care and are often dismissed as imagining their symptoms, a report says.

Some 40 per cent of those with endometriosis – a chronic condition suffered by two million in Britain – have to visit their GP ten times before they are referred to a specialist, it reveals.

For 10 per cent of women it takes 15 years of seeking help to receive a diagnosis, according to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Women’s Health. The Daily Mail

See also:

• GPs will always take womens health conditions seriously, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
• Treatment for endometriosis 'unacceptable' BBC News

Cabinet ministers warned social care crisis could exacerbate if UK pensioners return from abroad over Brexit

Cabinet ministers warned social care crisis could exacerbate if UK pensioners return from abroad over Brexit Britain’s social care crisis will escalate after Brexit as tens of thousands of pensioners living in the EU return home, cabinet ministers have been warned.

Failure to secure continued access to healthcare for elderly Britons based on the Continent could trigger many to move back to the UK, ministers were told.

Such a change would pile pressure on the NHS and increase demand on care homes that are already under strain from an aging population. The Daily Telegraph

Council in talks with both parties involved in funding row over Corby Urgent Care Centre

Council in talks with both parties involved in funding row over Corby Urgent Care Centre Corby Council is in talks with both parties about the funding row which has led to fears over the future of Corby’s Urgent Care Centre.

Bosses at the centre issued a warning yesterday (Wednesday) that it will close its doors to patients at 8pm on March 31 as a result of Corby and Nene Clinical Commissioning Groups’ refusing to organise the extension of a contract in line with minimum fees due under the NHS national tariff.

NHS Corby Clinical Commissioning Group issued a statement in response to this, saying the centre is not closing and even if they have to find another provider, the service will continue. Northamptonshire Telegraph

A mixed bag of results from the NHS Staff Survey

A mixed bag of results from the NHS Staff Survey The 2016 NHS Staff Survey results are a mixed bag. Close to a million staff were invited to take part in the survey, more than 400,000 responded, and overall staff engagement has increased incrementally over the past four years.

The survey highlights that there are many organisations with well-motivated and engaged staff who are delivering high-quality care day-after-day. This performance is a testament to the dedication of people in the NHS against a backdrop of many organisations working at the edge of their capacity. We should give these dedicated people our collective thanks because they keep the system going despite being under huge pressure. The King's Fund

NHS commissioning groups restricting weight loss surgery, surgeons warn – at a cost to patients and the public healthcare bill

NHS commissioning groups restricting weight loss surgery, surgeons warn – at a cost to patients and the public healthcare bill A freedom of information (FOI) request made to all NHS commissioning groups (CCGs) shows that several have adopted policies which attempt to ration weight loss surgery to the super-obese, and ignore official advice on who should be eligible for surgery.

This has made it more difficult for overweight and obese people to get effective treatment to help them lose weight despite evidence that it is safe, effective and saves healthcare costs, according to the findings of a joint report from The British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society and the Royal College of Surgeons.

See also:

• Fat people encouraged to become super obese for surgery The Daily Mail

Providing physical activity interventions for people with musculoskeletal conditions report

Providing physical activity interventions for people with musculoskeletal conditions report Physical activity is a key part of a public health approach to musculoskeletal conditions and it has a range of benefits for people with musculoskeletal conditions in terms of improving quality of life and supporting people to be independent. It can reduce joint and back pain by 25% while also improving sleep, managing stress and reducing depression, anxiety and dementia and is therefore beneficial for people who have a musculoskeletal conditions and one or more other long-term health conditions. Arthritis Research UK

The effect of hospital ownership on quality of care: evidence from England

The effect of hospital ownership on quality of care: evidence from England This research investigates whether quality of care differs between public and private hospitals in England with data on 3.8 million publicly-funded patients receiving 133 planned (non-emergency) treatments in 393 public and 190 private hospital sites. The authors found no quality differences between hospitals specialising in planned treatments and other hospitals, nor between for-profit and not-for-profit private hospitals. Centre for Health Economics

Paying for it: the human cost of cut-price care

Paying for it: the human cost of cut-price care Care is being purchased across England at prices that are simply not economically sustainable. In Paying for It, we look at the human side of a care market on the brink of failure with stories from across the care system. And we look at why care is priced so low and how people in the system end up paying for cut-price care. Local Government Information Unit

British scientists in world-first TB breakthrough

British scientists in world-first TB breakthrough British scientists have made a world-first breakthrough in the diagnosis of tuberculosis.

Researchers in Oxford and Birmingham say they can isolate different strains of the disease using a process called genome sequencing.

It means patients who may have waited months to get the right drugs can now be diagnosed in just a few days - so they have a greater chance of recovery.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the breakthrough "will save lives".

Cases of TB in the UK have begun falling recently, but England still has one of the highest rates in Europe. BBC News

Discovery enables 'mass produced blood'

Discovery enables 'mass produced blood' Scientists say they have made a significant leap towards mass-producing red blood cells suitable for donation.

Red blood cells can already be made in the lab, but the problem is scale.

A team at the University of Bristol and NHS Blood and Transplant have developed a method to produce an unlimited supply.

The artificial blood will be far more expensive than conventional donation. So it is likely to be used for people with very rare blood types. BBC News

Exclusive: GPs reject DH vision of switch to 1,500 superhubs

Exclusive: GPs reject DH vision of switch to 1,500 superhubs Four out of five GPs believe the government's vision of primary care migrating from the current system to 1,500 'superhubs' would undermine general practice, a GPonline poll shows.

New child care standards could cut hospital admissions

New child care standards could cut hospital admissions Experts have published care standards to help deal with growing numbers of children and young adults attending emergency departments and to ensure they are treated appropriately.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s new Standards for Short Stay Paediatric Assessment Units (SSPAUs) were published today.

The college said the number of children and young people (15 years and under) being seen in hospital emergency departments in England rose by 7.6% between 2014-15 and 2015-16 – the equivalent of 4.4 million attendances.

There were now two and a half times more under 15-year-olds at emergency departments than over 80-year-olds in England. OnMedica

Westminster attack medics: 'It was a day London has trained for'

Westminster attack medics: 'It was a day London has trained for' As news of the terror attack broke, the capital’s NHS workers rushed into action

It was a typically busy day in the emergency department at King’s College hospital when Dr Emer Sutherland started receiving text messages from relatives and friends.

They were the first indication of the scale of the horror unfolding just two miles down the road in Westminster. Within minutes, she and her colleagues were on major alert and preparing to receive the first of many critically injured casualties. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• The heroes who helped BBC News
• BMA junior doctors chair among first on scene at Westminster attack GP Online

The most common cause of cancer? Simple bad luck

The most common cause of cancer? Simple bad luck Despite the belief cancer is usually inherited or triggered by lifestyles, two thirds of cases can be put down to DNA errors, experts from Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center claim. The Daily Mail

Bake Off's Prue Leith backs hospital food campaign

Bake Off's Prue Leith backs hospital food campaign The new judge on the Great British Bake Off is demanding legally enforceable minimum nutrition standards for hospital food. The DailyMail

Funding row leads to fears over future of Corby Urgent Care Centre

Funding row leads to fears over future of Corby Urgent Care Centre Patients are being reassured that an urgent care centre is not closing despite a row over funding.

Bosses at Corby Urgent Care Centre (UCC) have warned that it will close its doors to patients at 8pm on Friday, March 31, as a result of Corby and Nene Clinical Commissioning Groups’ refusing to organise the extension of a contract in line with minimum fees due under the NHS national tariff.

However, the NHS Corby Clinical Commissioning Group has said it is not closing. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Health care funding: is the grass greener on the other side?

Health care funding: is the grass greener on the other side? The financial difficulties facing the NHS have given rise to the suggestion from some quarters that the UK would be better off with a different model for funding health care.

Why, it is argued, aren’t we more like the Germans who use social insurance as the main way of paying for care, or the French who take out private insurance to cover part of the costs of their care. Or why don’t we adopt the system used in Australia where almost half the population receives tax breaks to help pay for private insurance, as well as paying taxes to fund the Medicare system that covers the entire population. The assumption behind these questions is that other methods of paying for care would be preferable to our tax-funded model.

Our briefing describes the three principal methods used to fund health care, drawing on international experience. The Kings Fund

The performance of the NHS in England in transforming children’s mental health services

The performance of the NHS in England in transforming children’s mental health services A new report which examines the progress made by the Government in improving children and young people’s mental health services (CAMHS).

The report analyses NHS England’s new ‘Mental Health Five Year Forward View Dashboard’, which tracks the performance of local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). Education Policy Institute

See also:

• Rising number of children with mental health needs left in police cells, report finds iNews
• Three quarters of CCGs miss child mental health target OnMedica

Self-care: everybody's talking about it

Self-care: everybody's talking about it This paper highlights the need to support patients to better manage their own health and the need for greater recognition of the potential for voluntary and community services contribution towards this. The discussion paper outlines the benefits of promoting self-care approaches and the briefing for the voluntary and community sector contains case studies. Regional Voices

Bed-blocking rates unacceptable, government says

Bed-blocking rates unacceptable, government says More than 2,500 hospital beds a day are taken up by patients whose release has been delayed due to problems in the social care system.

Analysis of official so-called "bed-blocking" statistics reveals the areas where the NHS is worst affected.

The Local Government Association said under-funded authorities had placed care providers under "huge pressure".

The government said the difference "of over 20 times between best and worst councils is unacceptable".

Although the NHS is responsible for most delayed transfers, the number attributable to social care has been increasing as well.

Out of 1.87 million delayed days between April 2016 and the end of January 2017, just over 1 million were down to the NHS. There were 635,000 where social care was responsible and 145,000 that were a mixture of both. BBC News

Locum and salaried GPs excluded from NHS planning because of huge data gaps

Locum and salaried GPs excluded from NHS planning because of huge data gaps The lack of data on the sessional GP workforce means they are being excluded from major decisions on future workload and new models of care, the BMA has warned. GP Online

Teenage pregnancy rates hit all-time low after nearly halving in last eight years

Teenage pregnancy rates hit all-time low after nearly halving in last eight years Teenage pregnancy rates in England and Wales have almost halved in the last eight years, plummeting to the lowest level since records began.

In 2015, there were 20,351 conceptions in girls under 18, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) – down 10 per cent from the previous year.

There were 21 pregnancies among every 1,000 girls under 18 in 2015, just under half the 2007 rate of 41.6 per 1,000.

Reasons given for the drop include better sex education, improved access to contraception, a shift in aspirations towards education and increased stigma towards teenage mothers.

When comparable records began in 1969 there were 45,495 conceptions in girls under 18, a rate of 47.1 pregnancies per 1,000 girls under 18. The Independent

See also:

• Teenage pregnancies down to record low BBC News

Less than half of women breastfeed after two months, survey finds

Less than half of women breastfeed after two months, survey finds Poll for Public Health England reveals many feel embarrassed to feed their babies in front of strangers and family members

Almost three-quarters of women in England start breastfeeding after giving birth but less than half are still doing so two months later, according to NHS and Public Health England data.

PHE recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, as does the World Health Organisation, because it boosts a baby’s ability to fight illness and infection. But a comparison of initial breastfeeding rates and those after six to eight weeks in the final quarter of 2015 found that they were 40% lower for the latter (44% compared with 73%). Continue reading... The Guardian

Having weekend surgery DOESN’T make you more likely to die

Having weekend surgery DOESN’T make you more likely to die Researchers from Edinburgh University analysed more than 50,000 emergency operations over a three year period, starting in 2005. They were tracked until 2012. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Effect of day of the week on short- and long-term mortality after emergency general surgery British Journal of Surgery

Access to health and social care services for Northamptonshire’s homeless and vulnerably housed population: The views of homeless people and professionals

Access to health and social care services for Northamptonshire’s homeless and vulnerably housed population: The views of homeless people and professionals In late 2016 Healthwatch Northamptonshire undertook a piece of work to find out more about the views and experiences of Northamptonshire’s homeless and vulnerably housed population, a seldom heard group. We were particularly interested in finding out about the barriers homeless people face when accessing and using local services. We spoke to five organisations working with homeless people across the county and 25 homeless people or people who had been recently homeless in Northampton, Rushden and Wellingborough.

We heard about some good support for homeless people in Northampton and other towns, particularly that provided by homeless charities, but the support available across the county appears to be variable. Access to GP practices was not a big problem although in some parts of the county people had to register at GP practices some distance away. We also learnt that homeless people often distrust GPs and health professionals, feeling they do not understand their lives and the issues they face, or that they do not need to register with these services if they are not ill or in pain. Rather than wanting better access to services such as GPs and dentists, the homeless people we spoke to prioritised their more immediate needs, such as having somewhere to sleep, dry feet and podiatry services, and access to good, hot food. We also learnt about alcohol use and how this can be a barrier to people accessing mental health services and other support. Many homeless people experience mental health issues and access to psychiatrists and Community Psychiatric Nurses was difficult for some, particularly outside of Northampton.

See also:

• The barriers between Northampton's homeless and the health care they need examined in new report Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Radio presenter tours Northamptonshire for annual healthcheck campaign

Radio presenter tours Northamptonshire for annual healthcheck campaign BBC Northampton's Helen Blaby is taking to the road next month urging listeners to get a health check. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Policy paper: NHS mandate 2017 to 2018

Policy paper: NHS mandate 2017 to 2018 NHS England is responsible for arranging the provision of health services in England. The government’s mandate to NHS England sets direction for the NHS, and helps to ensure that the NHS is accountable to Parliament and the public.

This mandate reaffirms the government’s commitment to an NHS that provides the best care and support to today’s patients, and also safeguards the service for future generations.

Building on the previous multi-year mandate, which came into effect on 1 April 2016 and set long term objectives and goals to 2020, this mandate focuses on the same 7 high-level objectives. It sets out the main aims in each area for the financial year 2017 to 2018 to achieve the 2020 goals.

The financial directions accompanying this mandate set out certain additional expenditure controls to which NHS England must adhere. These stem from budgetary controls that HM Treasury applies to the Department of Health.

Mission impossible? the task for NHS providers in 2017/18

Mission impossible? the task for NHS providers in 2017/18 A detailed analysis by NHS Providers shows that what is currently being asked of NHS trusts in the coming financial year is well beyond reach. The report sets out how greater realism, flexibility and support are needed if trusts are to deliver in 2017/18.

The report, Mission impossible? The task for NHS providers in 2017/18, presents a detailed assessment of the demands that are being placed on NHS trusts through the NHS planning guidance. These are compared against next year’s significantly lower funding increases, revealing a currently unbridgeable gap.

Online care home bed booking system aims to cut hospital bed blocking

Online care home bed booking system aims to cut hospital bed blocking An online system is aiming to reduce hospital bed blocking by allowing real time bookings of care home beds.

Bed Finder is being used by Hertfordshire County Council and is thought to be the first system of its kind to streamline referral processes and make searching for and booking beds more efficient. BBC News

Pressure increases on CCGs to meet GP access targets

Pressure increases on CCGs to meet GP access targets The Government has stepped up the pressure on clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to meet its targets for GP access in England, particularly for patients aged 75 and over who need same-day appointments. It also said that, in 2017-18, a total of 40% of the population must have access to enhanced GP services, including evening and weekend access. And it has insisted that care home residents at risk of hospital admission should first be seen by a GP or ambulance ‘see and treat’ model. OnMedica

Why do clinicians and managers struggle to work together?

Why do clinicians and managers struggle to work together? We asked NHS staff to share their personal experiences of this fragile relationship. The results are surprising

With an army of more than 1.5 million staff, a £116bn budget and millions of patients to look after, it’s crucial that the NHS is well managed. But three years ago the landmark Francis report warned of serious problems. “Clinicians must be engaged to a far greater degree of engagement in leadership and management roles,” it said. “The gulf between clinicians and management needs to be closed.”

Has the relationship between clinical and managerial staff improved since then? Last year, research by the Nuffield Trust suggested financial pressure was compounding the problem, with many staff worried that “relationships are likely to deteriorate over the coming year”. The report concluded: “There is a long way to go.” We asked clinicians and managers to share their personal experiences of this fragile relationship. Continue reading... The Guardian

To stop doctors ending their lives, we need to hear from those suffering

To stop doctors ending their lives, we need to hear from those suffering The revelation that four junior doctors have taken their own lives in recent months obliges us to look at why doctors with mental illnesses don’t speak up

The ceilings soar impressively high, the stained-glass windows are exquisite, and the satin-adorned pews stretch majestically to the dignified altar. Amid the silence punctuated by the barest of sobs, I spot doctors whom I have long lost track of. And row upon row of nurses, still tight years later. As we wait for the service to begin, we imagine we are all silently interrogating our memories about each other. Time parted us for decades before we have gathered in such dreadful circumstances.

“I wanted you to hear it from me,” a colleague had said, audibly upset on the phone. I nearly collided with the pavement when I heard. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS delays leave thousands facing long wait for wheelchairs

NHS delays leave thousands facing long wait for wheelchairs Campaigners call for equality of access for disabled people as first official figures point to ‘postcode lottery’ in provisions

Thousands of disabled people face long delays to receive an NHS wheelchair, the first official figures on the subject show. Continue reading... The Guardian

The rotten truth about kids' teeth

The rotten truth about kids' teeth Hospital extractions among pre-school children have soared by 24 per cent in ten years as dentists blame sugar in fruit and a lack of time to supervise children's brushing for dental decay. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Shocking 24% increase in tooth extractions performed on children aged 0-4 in last decade Royal College of Surgeons 

Security breach fears over 26 million NHS patients

Security breach fears over 26 million NHS patients The medical records of 26 million patients are embroiled in a major security breach amid warnings that the IT system used by thousands of GPs is not secure.

The Information Commissioner is investigating concerns that records held by 2,700 practices - one in three of those in England - can be accessed by hundreds of thousands of strangers.

Privacy campaigners last night said the breach was “truly devastating” with millions of patients having no idea if their records had been compromised.

GP leaders said the breach had “potentially huge implications” and could see family doctors flooded with complaints.

The investigation centres on one of the most popular computer systems used by GPs. The Daily Telegraph

Hospitals break cap on locum doctors' pay hundreds of thousands of times in just three months

Hospitals break cap on locum doctors' pay hundreds of thousands of times in just three months Hospitals have flouted caps on temporary doctors' pay hundreds of thousands of times in a matter of months, new figures show.

A crackdown on the amount the health service can spend on agency staff wages was introduced in an effort to curb spiralling costs.

NHS Improvement said 241,195 pay cap breaches by hospitals in England took place between July and September last year.

A report from the watchdog recently said employers had to break the limit to win a "bidding war" with neighbouring trusts where there was a limited supply of agency staff in the area. The Daily Telegraph

Courts could challenge Parliament's decision not to legalise assisted dying

Courts could challenge Parliament's decision not to legalise assisted dying The courts could overrule a Parliamentary decision not to legalise assisted dying after a terminally ill man mounted a new bid to change the law.

Noel Conway, 67, from Shrewsbury, who has motor neurone disease, has applied for permission to mount a judicial review.

The basis of the case is that the Suicide Act 1961 interferes with Mr Conway's human right to private life, including the right to decide the manner of his death.

A previous case brought by Tony Nicklinson, who was paralysed following a stroke, failed in the High Court in August 2012. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Right-to-die case: I face unbearable death BBC News

We need to talk about tax and spending

We need to talk about tax and spending The Spring Budget brought good news and bad news for the NHS and social care. The good news is that around £2 billion of extra funding will be made available for social care in the next three years alongside additional capital for the NHS to accelerate implementation of the most advanced sustainability and transformation plans. The bad news is that the government’s U-turn on raising National Insurance contributions (NICs) to pay for public spending increases makes it much less likely that the NHS will receive additional funding needed to meet rising demand for care during this parliament. The King's Fund

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 (CIPs) in the NHS. The map contains links to a range of tools and guidance to help NHS bodies improve their efficiency.
The national focus on improving efficiency and productivity will mean taking local action to deliver savings remains a priority for all NHS organisations. Aimed at NHS finance directors and their teams and other NHS staff with an interest in the delivery of CIPs, the purpose of the NHS efficiency map is to highlight existing resources on eliminating waste, increasing efficiency and at the same time improving quality and safety. NHS Networks

NHS trust triples injury payout to £9.3m under controversial new rules

NHS trust triples injury payout to £9.3m under controversial new rules Compensation for 10-year-old girl left with cerebral palsy will cause shockwaves in health service and insurance companies. The first case settled under controversial new compensation rules for serious injuries has seen an NHS trust forced to nearly triple its payout to a 10-year-old girl left with cerebral palsy from £3.8m to £9.3m.
The case, involving East Lancashire Hospitals NHS trust, will send fresh shockwaves through the NHS and insurance companies, which have been braced for big increases in claims since the new “Ogden” formula was announced last month. The Guardian

Tooth extractions rise among under-fours

Tooth extractions rise among under-fours Surge in dental surgery on young children triggers call for action on oral health education and sugar intake. The number of tooth extractions on children aged four and under in English hospitals has risen by almost a quarter over the past decade.
NHS data obtained by the faculty of dental surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) shows there were 9,206 extractions within the age group in 2015-16 compared with 7,444 in 2006-07 – a 24% rise. The Guardian

Patients missing waiting time targets for NHS operations to 'double next year'

Patients missing waiting time targets for NHS operations to 'double next year' The number of patients forced to wait longer than four months for routine operations will more than double next year, hospital leaders have said.
NHS Providers have warned that squeezed budgets combined with increasing patient demand means parts of the health service will no longer be capable of safe and timely treatment. Daily Telegraph

Health secretary backs 'easier' medicines access system

Health secretary backs 'easier' medicines access system The way decisions are made on prescribing medicines not deemed cost-effective will be simpler in future, according to the health secretary. BBC News

Special report: Children tucking into lunchboxes with double their daily sugar intake Children are tucking into lunchboxes containing more than double their daily sugar intake, a study has found. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Whistleblowers 'to be protected' if they apply for NHS job The health secretary says he wants to stop discrimination against those raising safety concerns. BBC News - Health

Hospital food: 'Intolerable' delays improving patient meals Delays in implementing measures to improve patient nutrition are dubbed "intolerable" by an assembly committee. BBC News - Health

Private care contracts for councils 'being cancelled' Private home care companies say councils are not paying enough to cover staff wages and other costs. BBC News - Health

Record numbers of EU nurses quit NHS Staffing crisis worsens as workers fear being unwelcome after Brexit. The number of EU nationals registering as nurses in England has dropped by 92% since the Brexit referendum in June, and a record number are quitting the NHS, it can be revealed.

The shock figures have prompted warnings that Theresa May’s failure to offer assurances to foreigners living in the UK is exacerbating a staffing crisis in the health service. The Guardian

Government accused of 'kicking NHS when it's down' with high interest loans
NHS trusts with the deepest levels of debt are being charged high interest rates on Government loans, an investigation has found.

Financial experts last night likened the Department of Health policy to “kicking someone when they’re down” and said it would make it even harder for cash-strapped trusts to recover. The Telegraph

Few foods on track to meet salt reduction targets, survey reveals

Few foods on track to meet salt reduction targets, survey reveals Research by Consensus Action on Salt and Health finds bread and rolls are the only foodstuffs likely to meet 2017 targets

Bread rolls are the only manufactured foodstuff likely to meet stringent 2017 salt-reduction targets, research has revealed.

The food industry will miss almost every salt target set to lower the amount of the “hidden killer” in processed food. The Guardian

NHS facing 'mission impossible next year' - BBC News

NHS facing 'mission impossible next year' - BBC News NHS services in England are facing a "mission impossible" to meet the standards required by the government, health bosses say. The warning has been made by NHS Providers, which represents hospital, mental health and ambulance trusts. BBC News - Health

• NHS services face 'impossible' budget crisis, health trusts warn The Guardian

Tackling culture change to transform mental health services

Tackling culture change to transform mental health services I work as a consultant in the leadership and organisational development team at The King’s Fund, and for the past eight months have been on secondment at Forward Thinking Birmingham – an innovative mental health partnership seeking to transform mental health provision for young people. My role has involved supporting the organisation with team integration and culture change.

Traditionally, mental health services are delivered by Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) up until the age of 16 or 18 – or when a young person leaves school or college – at which point they’re expected to transition to adult mental health services. It’s long been recognised that this is a poor boundary for service transition, often having a further detrimental effect on mental health.

Enhancing junior doctors' lives

Enhancing junior doctors' lives A comprehensive report highlighting the progress made by Health Education England to enhance juniors doctors’ working lives. Health Education England

Information and digital technologies: clinical requirements 2020

Information and digital technologies: clinical requirements 2020 This report looks at the use of data and technology in healthcare and concludes that uptake has been slow. It finds that there is now an increasing focus on learning how to use technologies to improve delivery of care for patients. This document aims to ensure that clinical priorities are met and reflected at a national level. Academy of Medical Royal Colleges

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

Estimating the economic burden of respiratory illness in the UK

Estimating the economic burden of respiratory illness in the UK This report finds that lung disease costs the economy £11 billion every year. Of this, almost £10 billion is spent on direct costs to the NHS: GP appointments, time in hospital, treatments and medication. It calls for the government to support the first ever taskforce for lung health. British Lung Foundation

Should the NHS have its own tax?

Should the NHS have its own tax? The NHS in England is under financial pressure. There is an intensifying debate about whether more money is needed and if so how much.

Among the options being suggested is a dedicated tax for the health service - transparent, easily understandable and less prone to political interference, or so the theory goes. So how realistic might it be?

The ring-fencing of tax for a specific purpose is known as hypothecation. One example, though not technically a tax, is the television licence fee, which is a levy specifically to fund the BBC.

The idea of a hypothecated tax for health has been knocked back and forth between economists for many years. BBC News

Suicide rescue

Suicide rescue How are local communities helping to prevent suicides?

The eight miles of coastline in Brighton and Hove can be a treacherous place and Roger De Casanove and his seafront team are usually the first to identify someone in distress.

Equipped with quad bikes and a patrol vehicle, complete with basic medical kit, they can be anywhere on the seafront in less than eight minutes - much faster than an ambulance.

Roger has done the job for just a year but admits he has been "astounded" by how much of his time is spent preventing and dealing with suicides.

"Seeing someone in a state of hopelessness and despair is very hard.

"But, for me, it is being able to provide a service that can make a real difference to people in crisis," he says.

The seafront officers, who are responsible for everyone's safety along the coastline, have been trained specifically to respond quickly in these kinds of situations. BBC News

All Southern Health non-executive directors resign

All Southern Health non-executive directors resign All the non-executive directors of an NHS trust criticised for failing to properly investigate hundreds of deaths have resigned.

The four board members stood down ahead of a review of services at Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, which is due to be published next week.

The trust came under fire after Connor Sparrowhawk drowned at its Slade House facility in Oxford.

Its boss Katrina Percy resigned in October amid public pressure.

Previous interim chairman Tim Smart also stood down after he was criticised for creating a new job for Ms Percy. BBC News

Prescriptions to rise by 20p in England

Prescriptions to rise by 20p in England The cost of an NHS prescription in England will increase by 20p to £8.60 from the start of April, the government has announced.

Health minister Philip Dunne said prescription charges were expected to rise "broadly in line with inflation".

In other parts of the UK, prescriptions are free.

The price of dental care will also increase, with the lowest-cost band one treatment rising by 90p and band three treatment increasing by £10.60. BBC News

See also:

• Statement to Parliament: NHS prescription charges from April 2017 Department of Health

Lack of skin specialists causes delays for acne patients, says dermatologist

Lack of skin specialists causes delays for acne patients, says dermatologist A leading dermatologist says a lack of trained skin specialists is having a huge impact on acne patients. BBC News

Google's Deepmind NHS deal 'inexcusable', says academic paper

Google's Deepmind NHS deal 'inexcusable', says academic paper Google’s DeepMind and the Royal Free London NHS deal to use patient data without explicit consent was "inexcusable", an academic paper has concluded in a damning report today.

In 2016, DeepMind announced its first major health project: a collaboration with the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust – a large UK hospital organization – to assist in the management of acute kidney injury.

Initially received with great enthusiasm, the collaboration has suffered from a lack of clarity and openness, with issues of privacy and power emerging as potent challenges as the project has unfolded, noted the paper. The Register

See also:

• Google DeepMind and healthcare in an age of algorithms Health and Technology

Money earmarked for mental health diverted to balance NHS books

Money earmarked for mental health diverted to balance NHS books Letter from finance chief Paul Baumann says contingency of £800m will be used to offset hospital overspends

Ministers have been accused of breaking their promises on mental health after £800m earmarked to improve services was diverted to shore up hospitals’ finances. Continue reading... The Guardian 

See also:

• Yet again, vital funding for general practice being used to shore up hospitals, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
• £800m care fund used to bail out debt-ridden hospitals The Daily Mail

I hate restraining mental health patients but often it's the only option

I hate restraining mental health patients but often it's the only option Sarah needed medication but could not see that she was unwell. Restraint in her case was planned and not some awful mistake

People imagine mental health nurses like me as kind and gentle, as mother figures in uniform. What they don’t see is the harm we do to our patients: we lock them away, we restrain them and we take away their freedom. We do this in line with the law and we firmly believe we are doing the right thing. We are not “nice”, but when I look at my colleagues, I see strong, selfless, determined heroes.

I wish I could offer service users something better: a peaceful outdoor space, their own room, something less clinical than easy wipe armchairs. Most of them do not even agree that they are unwell and this deeply felt sense of injustice permeates the ward. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• End humiliating restraint of mentally ill people, say charities The Guardian

Constant restructuring of NHS is demoralising staff, survey finds

Constant restructuring of NHS is demoralising staff, survey finds Nonstop changes – including new STPs from April – partly responsible for difficulty in retaining hospital and clinic workers

The number of NHS reorganisations in recent years is a key reason for the health service’s struggle to retain staff, a poll has found.

The NHS has been struggling to meet rising demand with a chronic shortage of staff and the results of a survey, published on Friday, suggest that a feeling of constant upheaval is at least partially to blame. Continue reading... The Guardian

Wellcome Trust announces winners of its 2017 Image Awards

Wellcome Trust announces winners of its 2017 Image Awards The London-based Wellcome Trust has announced the winners of its Image Awards. The winning image shows a skeleton and depicts the experience of Crohn's disease. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Wellcome Image Awards 2017 Wellcome Trust

Number of patients forced to endure mixed sex wards rises 50 per cent

Number of patients forced to endure mixed sex wards rises 50 per cent The number of patients forced to endure mixed-sex wards has risen by 50 per cent in a year, despite Government manifesto pledges to end the practice, official statistics show.

Hospitals breached rules which are supposed to put men and women on separate wards on 1,750 occasions in January and February - compared to 1,164 breaches in the same period last year.

The official figures follow manifesto pledges in 2010 and 2015 which pledged to eliminate the practice.

Labour accused ministers of presiding over a “catastrophic collapse” of patient standards.

The statistics suggest record levels of hospital crowding in recent months have forced hospitals to place men and women in beds near each other. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Manifesto vows broken again and again as numbers surge The Daily Mail

Government's suicide prevention strategy needs greater focus on implementation

Government's suicide prevention strategy needs greater focus on implementation The Government has published a progress report on its suicide prevention strategy but it must take tangible action to ensure effective implementation. So says the Health Select Committee in its final report on suicide prevention.

See also:

• How suicidal patients are being failed by GPs The Daily Mail
• Suicide prevention services stalling due to lack of funding, parliamentary inquiry warns The Independent

News story: NHS-funded nursing care rate for 2017 to 2018

News story: NHS-funded nursing care rate for 2017 to 2018 The reduction follows a review of agency costs by Mazars LLP in 2017

Registered nursing care for eligible nursing home residents is funded by the NHS, with the standard weekly rate per patient currently set at £156.25. This was a 40% increase on the 2015 to 2016 rate following an earlier review of the overall rate by Mazars in 2016.

In announcing the 40% increase last year, the government committed to further review the contribution of agency staff costs to the rate. In line with Mazars’ latest evidence on agency costs, the government will now reduce the agency cost component of the rate by £3.29 to allow for lower agency costs. This reduction is partially offset by an uplift in the remainder of the rate by 1.7% to reflect overall nursing wage pressures. Department of Health

Sickle cell and thalassaemia: checks and audits to improve quality and reduce risks

Sickle cell and thalassaemia: checks and audits to improve quality and reduce risks Each NHS screening programme has a defined pathway(s). The pathways show how the individual undergoing screening moves form one stage of the pathway to the next. Checks are needed at each stage to ensure the individual moves seamlessly and safely through the pathway unless they chose not to. If these checks are not in place there is risk that an individual does not complete the pathway or the pathway is delayed unnecessarily. Public Health England

Schools must do more on mental health, say School Reporters

Schools must do more on mental health, say School Reporters Grace, 16, has been bullied for the past nine years, has moved schools twice, struggled with suicidal thoughts and taken medication for anxiety and depression.

At one point, she says, "there was no-one to turn to in the school and I felt so low I didn't want to go on".

According to research for BBC School Report, half of teenagers with mental wellbeing issues try to cope alone.

And a third said they were not confident enough to speak to a teacher.

At her lowest point, Grace made a "suicide video", which she posted on YouTube.

"I'd get beaten up every week," she says.

"Teachers wouldn't do anything. I even heard the teachers talking about me behind my back." BBC News

Four-hour accident and emergency waits rise 300% at some hospitals

Four-hour accident and emergency waits rise 300% at some hospitals The number of patients waiting four or more hours at A&E has risen more than 300% at some hospitals, it has emerged.

In total, 2.2 million patients were not seen within the target time in 2015-16 - more than double the one million figure in 2013-2014.

The Royal College for Emergency Medicine (RCEM) says there is a "large and systemic problem" caused by a lack of hospital beds.

NHS England said hospitals were under pressure but continuing to cope. BBC News

See also:

• Doctors warn of increasing safety risks amid hospital overcrowding The Daily Telegraph

GP practices could merge into 1,500 'super hubs' under NHS reforms

GP practices could merge into 1,500 'super hubs' under NHS reforms Thousands of GP practices across England could be closed as general practice provision shifts into 1,500 super hubs delivering care for populations of around 40,000 patients, a health minister has suggested. GP Online

Not enough GPs for A&E triage plans, says Wollaston

Not enough GPs for A&E triage plans, says Wollaston Government plans to put GPs in every A&E by this winter are not possible with the current primary care workforce, the chair of the House of Commons health select committee has said. GP Online

Greater overdose risk when opioids combined with benzodiazepines

Greater overdose risk when opioids combined with benzodiazepines Taking pain-relieving opioid drugs together with benzodiazepines for anxiety or sleep problems is associated with greater risk of opioid overdose, a study published in The BMJ had found. OnMedica

NHS patients could face wait to access life-saving drugs

NHS patients could face wait to access life-saving drugs New rules mean health bosses in England can delay rollout of expensive treatments after approval by Nice

Patients could face delays accessing drugs on the NHS after health bosses agreed that the most expensive treatments can be stalled.

Even when a drug has been approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) – which already has strict rules on affordability – bosses at NHS England can now slow down its delivery to patients. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NICE gets go-ahead to fast-track more drug approvals National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
• NHS to introduce £20m cap on new drugs BBC News
• Patients could face three-year wait for new drugs on NHS The Daily Mail
• Drugs costing 8p a day could be  hit by 'devastating' NHS rationing plan The Daily Telegraph

Depression reported in almost half of NHS psychotherapists

Depression reported in almost half of NHS psychotherapists Almost half of all NHS psychotherapists feel depressed, a shocking new survey reveals.

Known to be suffering from one of its worst winters in decades, the ongoing crisis is taking its toll on staff.

Cuts to services, a lack of respect and poor career progression were among the most popular causes. The Daily Mail

See also:

• New Savoy survey shows increasing mental health problems in NHS psychotherapists British Psychological Society

Doctors missed 11 chances to treat chess champion before he died of chronic asthma, inquest hears

Doctors missed 11 chances to treat chess champion before he died of chronic asthma, inquest hears Doctors missed 11 opportunities to treat a nine-year-old chesschampion in the months before he died of chronic asthma, an inquest heard.

Michael Uriely, who was one of the UK's brightest prospects in the game, was taken to the Royal Free Hospital in London twice in the days before his death after he suffered violent coughing and vomiting fits which left him struggling to breathe.

The national chess champion, from St John's Wood, north-west London, died on August 25 2015, five days after being discharged from the hospital for the second time.

In the months before his death the Westminster Under School pupil was also seen by NHS GPs, as well as having private doctor appointments. The Daily Telegraph

Guidance: Social work: essential to integration

Guidance: Social work: essential to integration The document should be used to support and inform local and regional health and social care integration initiatives. It explains:

• the critical contribution that social workers make to integrated services
• how social work is essential to the whole system
• the necessity of support to ensure integration succeeds in providing the services people need

It also includes ‘top tips’ for directors of adult social services and for principal social workers to assist in progressing the integration agenda.

It was developed in collaboration with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, the Principal Social Workers’ Network and the Department of Health.

Public health working with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector: new opportunities and sustainable change

Public health working with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector: new opportunities and sustainable change The case studies in this report show how public health and the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) are working together to make a real difference to people's health and wellbeing. The case studies demonstrate how harnessing the skills, enthusiasm and expertise of VCSE organisations and volunteers can help to improve population health and reduce health inequalities. Local Government Association

Charities' plea over Personal Independence Payments

Charities' plea over Personal Independence Payments The chief executives of more than 30 charities have written to ministers urging them not to restrict access to a disability benefit.

The rules around Personal Independence Payments, which help with the extra costs of a long-term health condition or disability, will change on Thursday.

The charities claim people will be left without vital financial support.

Ministers said they were forced to act after two court judgements made the benefit more generous.

The Disability Benefits Consortium (DBC) said about 160,000 recipients of Personal Independence Payments would be affected if the changes go ahead. BBC News

See also:

• DWP 'tells disability benefits assessors to discriminate against people with mental health conditions' The Independent

Superbug drug launched to fight growing threat of antibiotic resistance

Superbug drug launched to fight growing threat of antibiotic resistance A new antibiotic designed to fight drug-resistant ‘superbugs’ has become available to patients in the UK.

Doctors are “running out of options” for treating common infections caused by bacteria which mutate to resist regular antibiotics, said microbiologist Matthew Dryden.

“Resistance is increasing, almost exponentially. It's a problem facing every emergency department in this country,” he told The Independent.

But innovative new drugs like Zavicefta, which combines a traditional antibiotic in the same class as penicillin with a brand new drug that attacks resistance mechanisms, are being introduced to tackle the growing threat of antibiotic resistance.

If we hide our mental health issues, we make it easier for society to ignore us

If we hide our mental health issues, we make it easier for society to ignore us People with mental health issues are being expected to “prove it” as never before. Whether, as individuals, being assessed for disability benefits or, collectively, campaigning for services and adequate welfare provision, the pressure to demonstrate genuine need, to prove that one is “really disabled”, to quote the Tory MP George Freeman, is greater than ever. Continue reading... The Guardian

Public sector workers first to face cut in real pay, says thinktank

Public sector workers first to face cut in real pay, says thinktank Public sector workers have become the first group to suffer a cut in real wages since the recovery of 2014 as forecasters predicted that the rest of the working population would follow suit later this year.

The Resolution Foundation said the situation for 5.4 million public sector workersis expected to worsen over the rest of the decade as pay restraint and high inflation eat into their take-home pay and living standards.

The independent thinktank forecast that median real pay for the average public sector worker would fall below 2004-05 levels by the end of the current parliament in 2020.

UK social care sector in crisis due to staff hortages

On current trends, the average pay of public sector workers will be £1,700 lower in 2020 than its peak in 2010, it said. Continue reading... The Guardian

'Lots of nurses have already left': EU workers head for exit

'Lots of nurses have already left': EU workers head for exit How is the prospect of Brexit affecting different sectors? We asked you whether many EU workers were leaving or had plans to leave. Here are your stories

Since news of the UK’s looming departure from the European Union hit, lots of industries have spoken out about fears of losing European workers. On Monday academics from Oxford University said staff would go if they were not reassured about their future. It comes amid news that EU citizens working in the NHS are thinking of leaving in the next five years.

We asked you about how the loss of European workers may affect, or is already affecting, your sector. We heard from a variety of people, including professors and doctors, who expressed concern that workers are already leaving. Here are a selection of your stories.

European people working for the NHS feel utterly disappointed and disillusioned.

Since then I’ve been taking fewer UK clients knowing I will leave. I just feel sadly unwelcome now.Continue reading... The Guardian

Mental health hospital declared unsafe in damning report

Mental health hospital declared unsafe in damning report Britain's leading private rehab hospital The Priory has been declared unsafe in a damning inspection report.

Patients on suicide watch are not properly monitored and there are not enough staff to provide safe care, the Care Quality Commission said.

Children and teenagers with eating disorders are at particular risk, with 95 incidents recorded among this group in the last six months alone, at least some of them during understaffed shifts, inspectors reported.

The private facility in south west London was ordered to make urgent improvements, with inspectors rating the safety of care as 'inadequate' - the lowest possible ranking.

Overall, the hospital was given a grade of 'requires improvement'. The Daily Mail

Australia to ban children who have not been vaccinated from childcare centres

Australia to ban children who have not been vaccinated from childcare centres Australia plans to ban children who have not been vaccinated from attending preschools and childcare centres following concerns about the influence of the so-called “anti-vax movement”.

In a move that received strong backing from medical experts, Malcolm Turnbull, Australia’s prime minister, said he will push for all states and territories to adopt “no jab, no play” laws.

The laws, which have been adopted in recent years in the states of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, ban the enrollment of unvaccinated children in childcare facilities unless they have a medical exemption. The Daily Telegraph