Buildings at three NHS trusts fail fire safety tests

Buildings at three NHS trusts fail fire safety tests Buildings at three NHS trusts in England have failed fire safety tests in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster, NHS Improvement has said.

All NHS trusts and foundation trusts have been asked to carry out urgent fire safety checks following the inferno which has left 80 people dead or missing presumed dead.

Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust is taking steps to remove cladding from one of its buildings following a negative test result.

NHS Improvement said the building is not used for inpatient accommodation and "measures are being put in place to ensure the safety of the building while the cladding is removed".

Cladding from a building at North Middlesex University Hospitals NHS Trust has also failed the test and is being removed. It does not house any inpatients. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Grenfell Tower fire: Three hospitals fail fire safety checks BBC News
• Three NHS buildings fail post-Grenfell fire safety tests The Guardian

As NHS staff retention crisis makes headlines, new ‘joined up’ recruitment initiative launches in Northamptonshire

As NHS staff retention crisis makes headlines, new ‘joined up’ recruitment initiative launches in Northamptonshire While the shortage of doctors and nurses is a national issue, it is one Northamptonshire is determined to tackle. Four healthcare providers are hoping that a groundbreaking recruitment campaign will focus on attracting professionals to their region instead.

Rather than competing for talent, ‘The Best of Both Worlds’ unites the University of Northampton, Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Northampton General Hospital, Kettering General Hospital and St Andrew’s Healthcare, a leading charity providing specialist mental healthcare in a joint bid to address their recruitment needs. This joined-up, trail blazing approach is a model the organisations’ leaders hope will be replicated elsewhere in the NHS. HR News

Report reveals millions of children in England living vulnerable or high risk lives

Report reveals millions of children in England living vulnerable or high risk lives  A new analysis that reveals, for the first time, the scale of vulnerability among children in England. ‘The Children’s Commissioner’s Report on measuring the number of vulnerable children’ brings together a range of information held by various government departments, agencies and others. Its initial analysis reveals a host of shocking statistics about the number of children living in vulnerable situations.

See also:

• 800,000 children suffering mental health problems - watchdog report The Daily Telegraph

NHS under pressure: What is happening to A&E services?

NHS under pressure: What is happening to A&E services? As a fourth hospital in England closes its casualty ward overnight, and with more downgrades likely to follow, are the alternatives for patients sufficient?

Medical director Dr Peter Collins admits it was a difficult decision, but Weston General Hospital, which serves more than 200,000 people in North Somerset, will close its doors at night.

More hospitals are likely to follow. The British Medical Association estimates that in 18 areas, health bosses are considering closing or downgrading their A&E departments. BBC News

See also:

• Under pressure BBC News

Chief medical officer calls for gene testing revolution

Chief medical officer calls for gene testing revolution Cancer patients should be routinely offered DNA tests to help select the best treatments for them, according to England's chief medical officer.

Prof Dame Sally Davies says in her annual report that the NHS must deliver her "genomic dream" within five years.

Over 31,000 NHS patients, including some with cancer, have already had their entire genetic code sequenced.

Dame Sally wants whole genome screening (WGS) to become as standard as blood tests and biopsies. BBC News

See also:

• Independent report: Chief Medical Officer annual report 2016: Generation Genome Department of Health

Senior MPs urge post-Brexit EU drug regulation deal

Senior MPs urge post-Brexit EU drug regulation deal The UK will continue to co-operate with the European Union on medicine testing after it leaves the bloc, two senior ministers have suggested.

Business Secretary Greg Clark and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said such a deal would be "in the interests of public health and safety".

"The UK would like to find a way to continue to collaborate with the EU," they wrote in a Financial Times letter.

There are fears Brexit may cause delays in UK patients getting new drugs.

Currently the London-based European Medicines Agency (EMA) authorises drugs for use across the EU, including the UK. BBC News

GPs to refer patients to libraries under long-term conditions scheme

GPs to refer patients to libraries under long-term conditions scheme GPs will be able to refer patients with long-term conditions to public libraries from this month under a charity-led scheme to promote access to reliable health information. GPonline

Trainees still suffer from heavy workloads

Trainees still suffer from heavy workloads Well over half of doctors in training are still working longer hours than they should, more than one in five are regularly left short of sleep by their working patterns, and roughly three in ten feel that rota gaps affect their training opportunities, according to the General Medical Council. But initial results from its latest training survey show that the proportion of doctors in training who reported heavy workloads has improved slightly since last year’s survey. OnMedica

There is a cure for the NHS: give nurses a pay rise | Janet Davies

There is a cure for the NHS: give nurses a pay rise | Janet Davies As head of the Royal College of Nursing, I can see the haemorrhage of staff continuing until something changes

When money gets tight in the NHS, they go straight for the so-called low-hanging fruit. Politicians and economists who do not understand patient care cut the staffing bill to balance the books. Nurses, as members of one of the largest professions in the NHS, find themselves first in line. Failings at Stafford hospital and other recent scandals have not acted as enough of a deterrent.

Patients on wards feel the difference, but so does the older person waiting for the district nurse at home and those who visit local clinics. The number of trained nurses available to work for the NHS is getting smaller and hospitals have 40,000 fewer nurses than they say they need.

It cannot be repeated enough: a pay 'rise' that is deliberately held below inflation is in fact a pay cut Continue reading... The Guardian

Royal Free breached UK data law in 1.6m patient deal with Google's DeepMind

Royal Free breached UK data law in 1.6m patient deal with Google's DeepMind Information Commissioner’s Office rules record transfer from London hospital to AI company failed to comply with Data Protection Act

London’s Royal Free hospital failed to comply with the Data Protection Act when it handed over personal data of 1.6 million patients to DeepMind, a Google subsidiary, according to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

The data transfer was part of the two organisation’s partnership to create the healthcare app Streams, an alert, diagnosis and detection system for acute kidney injury. The ICO’s ruling was largely based on the fact that the app continued to undergo testing after patient data was transferred. Patients, it said, were not adequately informed that their data would be used as part of the test. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Royal Free - Google DeepMind trial failed to comply with data protection law Information Commissioner’s Office
• Four lessons NHS Trusts can learn from the Royal Free case Information Commissioner’s Office
• Google DeepMind NHS medical trial broke UK privacy law BBC News

Britons are among most at-risk in Europe for alcohol-related cancer

Britons are among most at-risk in Europe for alcohol-related cancer British people consume 2.1 alcoholic drinks every day on average, above the threshold that increases risk of cancer

Britons who have two alcoholic drinks a day are at higher risk of developing two of the most lethal forms of cancer, according to a report that confirms the link between regular alcohol consumption and the disease.

People in the UK drink the eighth most out of the European Union’s 28 member states, a report by medical group United European Gastroenterology (UEG) found. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Alcohol sales should be restricted with minimum prices introduced due to cancer risk, say experts The Independent

Paramedics should be deployed to prescribe says NICE

Paramedics should be deployed to prescribe says NICE Paramedics should be given more training to reduce hospital admissions, according to the London-based National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. This could involve pain relief. The Daily Mail

Health inspectors sent into chaotic councils to ease NHS bed blocking

Health inspectors sent into chaotic councils to ease NHS bed blocking Care Quality Commission inspectors are to be sent into chaotic councils for the first time in a bid to improve faltering social care services.

The health watchdog will target town halls which are failing to provide enough care home spaces and community services as part of an effort to slash bed blocking in NHS hospitals.

The move, announced by Jeremy Hunt in Parliament last night, will be accompanied by the threat of financial sanctions for local authorities which fail to improve. The Daily Telegraph

Drug which triples chance of pregnancy is blocked by NHS

Drug which triples chance of pregnancy is blocked by NHS Thousands of infertile women are being denied a £4 drug which could triple their chance of getting pregnant, new research suggests.

The NHS rationing body has rejected use of the treatment, combined with insemination, for women with unexplained infertility.

Controversial guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence says that couples in this situation should just keep trying for two years, then have IVF.

But new research presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Geneva shows that the drugs - which can cost as little as £4 per cycle - massively increase the chance of pregnancy.

Nice said they now planned to update their guidance in light of the latest research. The Daily Telegraph

Best of the best! Hospital & Outreach Education in Northampton wins honour in Education Awards

Best of the best! Hospital & Outreach Education in Northampton wins honour in Education Awards An education unit that works with children and young people who cannot attend school due to health issues has won an award at the Northamptonshire Education Awards. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Retired miner, 70, dies following botched surgery

Retired miner, 70, dies following botched surgery A retired miner has died after bungling doctors damaged the blood supply to his kidneys during routine surgery.

Gordon Withers, from Northampton, lost his life due to a catalogue of errors after undergoing an operation to treat an aneurysm.

The botched procedure left him with permanent damage to his kidney and bowel, forcing him to rely on a feeding tube to digest vital nutrients.

Northampton General Hospital, where the surgery took place, have since admitted fault - and said his death could have been avoided. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Northampton widower receives £80,000 in compensation after doctors carried out five surgeries to undo botched operation on husband Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Health and social care after the election: what issues still need attention?

Health and social care after the election: what issues still need attention? The political tumult of recent weeks seems to be subsiding. The Queen’s Speech set out plans for a longer (two-year) parliamentary session, and the Conservatives and the Democratic Unionist Party have reached a ‘confidence and supply’ agreement that gives the government a small majority in parliament. A second snap election appears less likely – for now. So, what might the new political environment mean for health and social care?

Writing in the BMJ before the Queen’s Speech, Chris Ham, chief executive of The King’s Fund, said that NHS England will ‘continue to promote evolutionary changes to the organisation of the NHS, including collaboration and in some cases mergers’. Niall Dickson, chief executive of NHS Confederation, suggested that ‘political uncertainty’ may impede service change. The King's Fund

New figures show an increase in numbers of nurses and midwives leaving the professions

New figures show an increase in numbers of nurses and midwives leaving the professions New figures that we’ve published today show an increase in the number of nurses and midwives leaving our register while at the same time, numbers joining have slowed down. This has resulted in an overall reduction in the numbers of nurses and midwives registered to work in the UK.

Recently public attention has focused on the reducing number of EU nurses and midwives joining our register. But today’s figures show that it is mainly UK nurses and midwives who are leaving the register, resulting in the overall downward trend. Nursing and Midwifery Council

See also:

• More UK nurses and midwives leaving than joining profession BBC News
• More nurses and midwives leaving UK profession than joining, figures reveal The Guardian
• More NHS nurses and midwives leaving than joining, new figures show The Independent

Sustainability and transformation plans (STPs): what, why and where next?

Sustainability and transformation plans (STPs): what, why and where next? This report looks at some of the reform solutions that have been identified by STPs, and also sets out the range of challenges that stand in the way of them realising their vision for improved health and efficiency. Institute for Public Policy Research

Why Bulgaria is training UK doctors

Why Bulgaria is training UK doctors Zarina Brady explains why she and others from the UK are heading to Bulgaria to study medicine. BBC News

Vagina surgery 'sought by girls as young as nine'

Vagina surgery 'sought by girls as young as nine' Girls as young as nine are seeking surgery on their genitals because they are distressed by its appearance, the Victoria Derbyshire show has been told.

Dr Naomi Crouch, a leading adolescent gynaecologist, said she was concerned GPs were referring rising numbers of young girls who wanted an operation.

Labiaplasty, as the surgery is known, involves the lips of the vagina being shortened or reshaped.

The NHS says it should not be carried out on girls before they turn 18.

In 2015-16, more than 200 girls under 18 had labiaplasty on the NHS. More than 150 of the girls were under 15. BBC News

See also:

• Vagina surgery 'sought by girls as young as nine' because of pornography, doctors reveal The Daily Telegraph

Organs needed

Organs needed With Scotland set to join Wales in having an "opt-out" system for organ donation, why are England and Northern Ireland not following suit? BBC News

'I fainted quite a bit': what I learned from my nursing placement

'I fainted quite a bit': what I learned from my nursing placement Nurses share their insights into what’s in store for students, from handling the workload to making new friends

You start at the deep end when training to be a nurse: you’ll be expected to take on real responsibilities from your first day on placement. We spoke to students and professionals to find out what’s in store for students. Continue reading... The Guardian

Antibiotic shortage puts patients at risk, doctors fear

Antibiotic shortage puts patients at risk, doctors fear Exclusive: supply problems with one of most widely used drugs mean doctors are being forced to ration its use and switch to less desirable alternatives

A major shortage of one of the most widely used hospital antibiotics is putting patients at risk, doctors have warned.

There is an international shortage of of piperacillin-tazobactam, an antibiotic and antibacterial combination drug known by the trade name Tazocin, which is usually used intravenously in intensive care. It is also used to treat a wide variety of conditions including cystic fibrosis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, diabetic foot infections and neutropenic sepsis – a life-threatening condition that can arise in those receiving anti-cancer treatment. Continue reading... The Guardian

Hospitals should stop asking for cash and focus on getting better

Hospitals should stop asking for cash and focus on getting better Too many NHS hospitals equate more spending with higher quality. Lean, efficient systems deliver better care

Just as sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) and new care models show signs of faltering, a clinician-focused approach to driving costs down and quality up could make a difference.

Delegates at the BMA’s annual meeting have just voted for STPs to be abandoned. While some of the language around the vote was the usual conspiracy theory about it all being a plot to privatise the NHS, it was harder to argue with pleas for STP decisions to be based on robust, publicly-available evidence. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS wastes £70million in a year by prescribing paracetamol

NHS wastes £70million in a year by prescribing paracetamol GPs issued more than 21,740,000 prescriptions of the everyday painkillers last year at a cost of £3.23 per item – when the pills can be bought for as little as 19p in supermarkets. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Providing paracetamol to patients in England cost NHS over £70m last year, official figures show The Independent

Thousands of cancer patients dying in needless agony, new data reveals

Thousands of cancer patients dying in needless agony, new data reveals Thousands of cancer patients are dying in needless pain because of disjointed care for people who have returned home to be with loved ones, experts have warned.

New data reveals one in ten people who die of cancer have inadequate pain relief in their final 48 hours.

Charities have criticised the Office for National Statistics figures as “unacceptable”, and called on the Government to make good on its manifesto pledge to improve the standard of palliative care.

Macmillan Cancer Support, which conducted the analysis, said fears of uncontrollable pain were cancer patients’ top concern as they approached the end of life. The Daily Telegraph

Big pharma cash and hospitality to doctors rises as one in three refuses to reveal earnings

Big pharma cash and hospitality to doctors rises as one in three refuses to reveal earnings Cash and hospitality given by the pharmaceutical industry to doctors has increased to more than £116 million a year, despite a drive to make the practice more transparent.

Campaigners have described as “ridiculous” new figures revealing that at least one in three clinicians taking money or treats from drug companies are still refusing to publicly disclose their earnings.

Experts on Friday called for a change in the law to bring Britain in line with the US where doctors are forced to publish all potential conflicts of interest. The Daily Telegraph

Will the capped expenditure process help keep a lid on NHS finances?

Will the capped expenditure process help keep a lid on NHS finances? It’s not surprising that NHS finances continue to hit the headlines. NHS providers of hospital, ambulance, community and mental health services ended 2016/17 with a deficit of £791 million and are currently planning for a £500 million deficit in 2017/18. The challenging financial situation is also increasingly spreading to the commissioning sector, with several CCGs expecting to overspend their allocated budgets. The King's Fund

Where’s policy action needed for a healthier population? Learning from international experience

Where’s policy action needed for a healthier population? Learning from international experience If you were to choose a Government department you would run for a day to improve the health of the population, which would it be?

You might instinctively choose the department of health. But since access to healthcare accounts for as little as 10% of a population’s health and wellbeing, it is unlikely to be your best choice. Instead, because it is the conditions in which we are born, grow, live, work and age that contribute in large part to our prospects of a healthy life, you might be better off with HM Treasury, the department for education, or the department for work and pensions, perhaps.

Yet there is a lot less attention on the policy action needed outside the health sector to create better health and wellbeing by influencing the social determinants of health – for example, our access to adequate income, good education and work, decent homes and strong social relationships. The Health Foundation

See also:

• Infographic: what makes us healthy? The Health Foundation

A trade in people: the inpatient healthcare economy for people with learning disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder

A trade in people: the inpatient healthcare economy for people with learning disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder This report analysis the market for inpatient services for people with learning disabilities in England. The analysis finds that approximately half of these services are run by the independent sector, services which are valued at over a quarter of a billion pounds per year.

The report calls for greater scrutiny and accountability for the independent sector to ensure high quality of care and patient safety. Centre for Disability Research

Air pollution: outdoor air quality and health NICE guideline NG70

Air pollution: outdoor air quality and health NICE guideline NG70 This guideline covers road-traffic-related air pollution and its links to ill health. It aims to improve air quality and so prevent a range of health conditions and deaths.

This guideline recommends taking a number of actions in combination, because multiple interventions, each producing a small benefit, are likely to act cumulatively to produce significant change. National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence

See also:

• 'Ban parents from leaving engines on', says guidance BBC News
• NICE: Drivers to face fines for leaving engine running The Daily Mail
• Create more ‘no idling’ zones to curb air pollution, councils urged OnMedica

No-show women at cervical screening 'unaware of test'

No-show women at cervical screening 'unaware of test' Nearly a quarter of women who don't make cervical screening appointments are unaware that the process even exists, according to a UK survey.

University College London researchers said more creative ways of reaching them were needed, like using social media instead of sending letters.

Women who miss out tend to be younger from poorer families or non-native English speakers, the research found.

Cervical cancer screening has been falling in the UK since 2011. BBC News

See also:

• Understanding the heterogeneity of cervical cancer screening non-participants: Data from a national sample of British women European Journal of Cancer

GP pleas to help vulnerable patients ignored by ‘disintegrating’ social services

GP pleas to help vulnerable patients ignored by ‘disintegrating’ social services GPs are referring more vulnerable children and adults than ever for protection against abuse or neglect, but Pulse can reveal that their concerns are often going unheard.

A Pulse investigation reveals a 15% increase in primary care referrals about safeguarding concerns to child and adult social services after new guidance came in following the infamous case of Baby P.

But a Pulse survey of over 800 GP readers found a third say they are unable to access social services support and 42% experience unacceptable delays when referring vulnerable adults and children. GPs told Pulse that they were unable to get hold of social workers and this is leaving vulnerable members of society at risk.

See also:

• Soaring abuse of elderly amid warnings care system 'disintegrating' The Daily Telegraph

Taking a child away from their mother isn't easy – but sometimes it's necessary

Taking a child away from their mother isn't easy – but sometimes it's necessary As a nurse, sometimes I have to confront the fact that parents can do terrible things to their children

I watch as my staff nurse colleague hands a two-year-old child into the waiting arms of the social worker who has just returned from court. He’s being taken into temporary foster care under an interim care order. It’s a decision we’ve been working towards for months, which I believe to be right. It should feel like a victory but it really doesn’t.

I’m on the children’s ward surrounded by carrier bags containing this boy’s belongings. I’m hoping his mother has left him some familiar item of comfort for later on tonight; a cuddly toy or a special blanket, perhaps. He’s been on the ward for weeks and the staff have grown fond of him. We’re sorry to see him go, but hoping that it’ll be for the best. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS chiefs soften 'brutal' cost-cutting plan after huge backlash

NHS chiefs soften 'brutal' cost-cutting plan after huge backlash Health service’s financial regulator waters down proposal for 14 areas in England after warnings that patient care would suffer

NHS bosses have been forced to backtrack on controversial plans to impose “brutal” cost-cutting measures that involved delaying operations, denying patients treatment and closing hospital wards.

NHS Improvement (NHSI), the service’s financial regulator, has watered down proposals it drew up alongside NHS England after doctors, health charities and senior NHS staff in the 14 affected areas of England reacted with anger, amazement and warnings that patients would suffer. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS prescribed record number of antidepressants last year

NHS prescribed record number of antidepressants last year Data prompts debate about whether rise shows drugs are handed out too freely or whether more people are getting help

The NHS prescribed a record number of antidepressants last year, fuelling an upward trend that has seen the number of pills given to patients more than double over the last decade.

The figures raised questions over whether the rise shows doctors are handing out the drugs out too freely or whether it means more people are getting help to tackle their anxiety, depression and panic attacks. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Antidepressants were the area with largest increase in prescription items in 2016 NHS Digital
• Antidepressant figures could indicate reduced mental health stigma in society, says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners

More than 50,000 Britons with 'metal on metal' hips recalled for X-rays and blood tests over toxic fears

More than 50,000 Britons with 'metal on metal' hips recalled for X-rays and blood tests over toxic fears More than 50,000 patients with “metal on metal” hips are being told to undergo X-rays and blood tests after watchdogs found they are far more toxic than was thought.

Every person fitted with the devices is being advised to have checks, in a safety alert issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

Concerns have been repeatedly raised about the devices, with watchdogs previously recommending patients with particular types of implant, or troublesome symptoms, to undergo tests. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• All types of metal-on-metal hip implants need regular review Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency
• More than 50,000 with 'toxic' metal hip implants at risk The Daily Mail

Kettering General Hospital 'filtered' data to remove waiting list patients

Kettering General Hospital 'filtered' data to remove waiting list patients A hospital accused of "fiddling" its waiting lists to meet targets has admitted it "filtered data".

Whistleblower David Phelan claimed patients were removed from lists at Kettering General Hospital because national targets were being missed.

The hospital said it used data filtering to get a "true picture of the size of its waiting list" but the practice had stopped in December 2015.

It said its data management had been "well intended, if misguided". BBC Northampton

See also:

• KGH apologises for waiting list handling errors – but report finds no evidence of fraud Northamptonshire Telegraph

KGH buildings deemed safe after post-Grenfell Tower check

KGH buildings deemed safe after post-Grenfell Tower check All clinical and non-clinical buildings at KGH have been found to be safe after a review of potential fire risks.

Organisations up and down the country have been checking their buildings after the Grenfell Tower disaster, which claimed the lives of at least 80 people.

KGH says all clinical and non-clinical buildings have passed the review, although one staff building was found to have potentially flammable insulation. That building will no longer be used - although a KGH spokesman stressed that the decision was not because of the fire risk. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Best of Both Worlds campaign to get doctors and nurses to work in Northamptonshire

Best of Both Worlds campaign to get doctors and nurses to work in Northamptonshire Four Northamptonshire-based NHS healthcare providers and the University of Northampton have joined forces to launch a recruitment campaign.

The campaign is aimed at enticing doctors and nurses to relocate and work in the county. Recruiter

A Mile in My Shoes

A Mile in My Shoes In 2016, the Health Foundation teamed up with the Empathy Museum to develop a collection of stories from people working in, and using, health and social care in the UK. A Mile in My Shoes, invites you to step into someone else’s shoes and embark on a mile-long physical, emotional and imaginative journey to see the world through their eyes. This collection of stories showcases the remarkable contribution and challenges faced by those working in, and using, our health and social care system.

Report on transition of care between childhood and adulthood for people with diabetes

Report on transition of care between childhood and adulthood for people with diabetes A new report that charts the care of young people with Type-1 diabetes as they move from paediatric to adult services has been published for the first time today by NHS Digital.

The National Diabetes Transition Audit (NDTA) links datasets from the adult and paediatric national diabetes audits and examines whether the transition between childhood and adulthood has an effect on care.

The report includes figures on the percentage of people who are receiving the nine NICE recommended care processes, as well as the percentage of people who have met the NICE treatment targets for diabetes care.

The defibrillator drone that can beat ambulance times

The defibrillator drone that can beat ambulance times A drone which could deliver a defibrillator to a person suffering from a cardiac arrest is being tested by the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.

Trial flights have the shown the drones can arrive at a destination four times faster than an ambulance.

After cardiac arrest, the chances of survival decrease by 10% for every minute that an individual goes without cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or defibrillation. BBC News

Government fails to track mental health in UK prisons amid soaring suicide and self-harm rates, finds report

Government fails to track mental health in UK prisons amid soaring suicide and self-harm rates, finds report The Government does not know how many people in prisons have a mental health illness, a report has warned, prompting calls for “urgent” action amid soaring suicide rates and self-harm incidents among inmates.

Prison authorities’ response to rising suicide and self-harming rates in British jails has been “poor”, according to research by the National Audit Office (NAO).

Her Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS), NHS England and Public Health England have set ambitious objectives for providing mental health services, but they are failing to collect enough data on inmate’s wellbeing, the report states. The Independent

See also:

• Mental health in prisons National Audit Office

'Without this, I would have killed myself': gardening helps heal refugees' trauma

'Without this, I would have killed myself': gardening helps heal refugees' trauma An NHS-run therapeutic gardening project in London is helping to alleviate symptoms of severe mental health problems

It was around a year after Fatu Mangeh* arrived in the UK that she considered taking her own life.

In 2002 she fled the civil war in Sierra Leone where she had been raped and tortured – scars are still visible on her hands 15 years later. Her parents were killed and the only family she had left was her two-year-old daughter. She was lured to the UK by a man who promised to marry her but abandoned her, leaving her destitute and with no support. Wandering the streets, she came across a woman from Sierra Leone who offered to help; she took her to the Home Office to claim asylum and registered her with a GP. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS staff taking more sick days than ever

NHS staff taking more sick days than ever As the NHS comes under increasing strain, the number of staff taking time off has risen, with mental health conditions among the main reasons

NHS staff are taking more time off work because of illness, with the total now close to 17m days a year. Continue reading... The Guardian

Thousands with long-term conditions skipping treatments

Thousands with long-term conditions skipping treatments Thousands of people with long-term health conditions are skipping medications because of prescription costs, charities have claimed.

Research for the Prescription Charges Coalition suggests 30 per cent of people who have conditions such as asthma and arthritis, and are not eligible for free prescriptions, sometimes skip their drugs or reduce their dose because of cost.

Of those, 43 per cent cite the cost of their prescription as a reason for doing so, and 59 per cent admit skipping doses has had a negative impact on their health.

Some 34 per cent of those who have missed or reduced their dose have required extra medical treatment - such as GP or hospital appointments - as a result. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Still paying the price: Prescription charges and people with long term conditions Prescription Charges Coalition
• Call for free prescriptions for long-term ill BBC News

GPs allowed to close their doors when they get busy

GPs allowed to close their doors when they get busy Up to 250 doctors voted in favour of the policy, similar to that of a 'black alert' used by hospitals, at the British Medical Association's annual conference in Bournemouth. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Sicknote Britain: One in four visits to a GP is avoidable BBC News
• BMA to develop GP 'black alert' system for practices facing unsafe workload GPonline

Scotland to introduce 'soft' opt-out organ donation system

Scotland to introduce 'soft' opt-out organ donation system Scots will have to actively opt out of donating their organs after death under a controversial new system that aims to increase donation rates.

Aileen Campbell, the Scottish Public Health Minister, said legislation would be tabled to introduce a “soft” opt-out system whereby people will have deemed to have consented to the removal of their organs unless they say otherwise. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Scotland to introduce soft opt-out system for organ donation The Guardian

Senior KGH midwife struck off for series of serious failings

Senior KGH midwife struck off for series of serious failings A senior midwife who put the health of mothers and babies at KGH at risk through a series of failings has been banned from the profession. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northamptonshire's patient transport service handed to company lambasted in every area by latest inspection

Northamptonshire's patient transport service handed to company lambasted in every area by latest inspection A service that transports Northamptonshire's sick and elderly patients to appointments has been given to an organisation that inspectors recently found operated with dirty ambulances with "poor infection control". Northamptonshire Telegraph

Championing quality and seizing improvement opportunities – are we getting it right?

Championing quality and seizing improvement opportunities – are we getting it right? Our new report on the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme describes the efforts that leading orthopaedic surgeons made to improve care in their specialty – with impressive results. It reminds me of an early clinical encounter that shaped my own interest in health and care improvement. The King's Fund

Winter warning: managing risk in health and care this winter

Winter warning: managing risk in health and care this winter This report highlights concerns from NHS leaders around the ability of the health system to respond to mounting pressures next winter. It argues that the extra £1bn social care funding committed to easing delayed transfers of care will not be sufficient with 91 per cent of trusts reporting a lack of capacity in social care. The report calls for a funding injection of £350m to ensure that there is enough capacity across the system and to ensure adequate resourcing. NHS Providers

See also:

• NHS - planning for winter already BBC News

News story: Secondary school staff get mental health 'first aid' training

News story: Secondary school staff get mental health 'first aid' training From June 2017, teachers in secondary schools around the country will take part in a new training programme to help them identify and respond to early signs of mental health issues in children.

The programme, backed by £200,000 government funding, and delivered by the charity Mental Health First Aid, will eventually cover every secondary school in England, as part of a government commitment to improve support for children and young people.

Teachers and other school staff will receive practical advice on how to recognise issues including depression and anxiety, self-harm, and eating disorders.

They will also be invited to become ‘first aid champions’, sharing their knowledge and experiences across schools and communities to raise awareness and break down stigma and discrimination. Department of Health

A&E cuts will hit 23m people, British Medical Association says

A&E cuts will hit 23m people, British Medical Association says Nearly 23 million people in England - more than 40% of the population - could be affected by proposed cuts to A&E departments, doctors are warning.

The analysis of NHS plans by the British Medical Association also warned the changes were being rushed through without the evidence they will work.

The proposals have been put forward by local managers seeking to make savings under the direction of NHS England.

Bosses have argued services in the community will be boosted in return. BBC News

See also:

• Delivery costs extra: Can STPs survive without the funding they need? (download) British Medical Association
• Millions of patients affected by STPs as new health managers receive ‘eye watering’ salaries British Medical Association
• Doctors ‘horrified’ by STP staff costs British Medical Association
• STPs are 'vehicles for cuts' and must be scrapped, warns BMA GPonline

Vulnerable told to expect cuts to council care

Vulnerable told to expect cuts to council care The elderly and disabled in England are being told to expect cuts to care services and rises in charges after council chiefs unveiled spending plans.

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services said £20.8bn was expected to be spent on care this year, a cash rise of 5% since last year.

It follows a £1bn cash injection announced in the Budget which ministers said would relieve the pressures.

But ADASS said £824m of savings were still having to be made.

The group, which represents social care directors, said rising demand meant cuts were inevitable given the current funding levels. BBC News

Charlie Gard parents lose court appeal

Charlie Gard parents lose court appeal Judges at the European Court of Human Rights have rejected a plea from the parents of terminally-ill baby Charlie Gard to intervene in his case.

Chris Gard and Connie Yates lost their final legal bid to take their son to the US for treatment.

Specialists at Great Ormond Street Hospital believe Charlie has no chance of survival.

The court agreed, concluding that further treatment would "continue to cause Charlie significant harm".

Charlie is thought to be one of 16 children in the world to have mitochondrial depletion syndrome, a condition which causes progressive muscle weakness and brain damage. BBC News

Abortion should not be crime, says doctors' union

Abortion should not be crime, says doctors' union Doctors have backed decriminalising abortion, as momentum gathers to overhaul the 1967 Abortion Act.

Currently women in England and Wales have to prove to a doctor that carrying on with the pregnancy is detrimental to health or wellbeing to get permission for a termination.

Without permission, abortion is a criminal offence.

But medics at the British Medical Association's annual conference voted to scrap that rule. BBC News

NHS staff and teachers could receive pay rise as MPs vote on public sector pay cap

NHS staff and teachers could receive pay rise as MPs vote on public sector pay cap A cap on public sector pay that has frozen salaries below inflation for seven years could be lifted as MPs vote on the policy during the Queen’s Speech debate.

Parliament will vote on whether to end the austerity policy, introduced in 2010 by George Osborne, on Wednesday following a debate about health, security and social care.

The amendment to the Queen’s Speech, tabled by Labour's front bench, calls for a "fair pay rise" for emergency and public sector workers including teachers, doctors and police officers. The Independent

See also:

• Queen's Speech: Labour to force vote on public pay cap BBC News
• UK support is rising for higher taxes to fund NHS, schools and police The Guardian
• NHS nurses protest outside Health Department over low pay: ‘Without nurses, the NHS will fall’ The Independent

Jeremy Hunt accused of 'sleeping at the wheel' during NHS data loss scandal

Jeremy Hunt accused of 'sleeping at the wheel' during NHS data loss scandal Health secretary forced to respond to urgent Commons question after withering NAO report on loss of 700,000 health documents

Jeremy Hunt has been accused of being “asleep at the wheel” while a private firm co-owned by the Department of Health built up a backlog of over 700,000 pieces of medical correspondence it never delivered to GPs.

The health secretary was summoned to the House of Commons to answer questions from MPs after a damning National Audit Office report found that the scandal may have harmed the health of at least 1,788 patients and had so far cost £6.6m. Continue reading... The Guardian

Give the NHS more money – or it will face trouble this winter

Give the NHS more money – or it will face trouble this winter Without investment, there is a serious possibility of wider failures than last winter with the safety of more patients at risk

It may seem odd to issue a winter warning when we have just been through an early summer heatwave. But the forecast from the NHS frontline is clear: unless we do something now to manage the risk for winter, there is trouble ahead.

Last winter, NHS staff responded heroically to extraordinary pressures. But safety and standards of care were compromised in too many places. As demand increased, so did pressure on beds, staff and the whole health and care sector. That meant delays in A&E and more patients waiting on trolleys for a bed. This had knock-on effects for ambulance response times and there were similar pressures in mental health and community services. Continue reading... The Guardian

Video link GP service deemed UNSAFE by inspectors

Video link GP service deemed UNSAFE by inspectors The first digital GP service allowing patients to have private appointments via video link has been deemed unsafe by inspectors.

Push Doctor, which charges users £25 for a ten-minute webcam consultation with a doctor, received a scolding Care Quality Commission (CQC) report.

Its seven day a week service, reliant on NHS doctors keen to earn some extra money, was found to not be safe, effective, or well-led.

Patients were being dangerously prescribed drugs they may not have needed due to a lack of essential tests, a damning report said. The Daily Mail

Heart disease deaths drop by 20% since indoor smoking ban

Heart disease deaths drop by 20% since indoor smoking ban Public Health England statistics show the number of smokers dying from heart attacks has dropped by over 20 per cent since the 2007 ban, while deaths from stroke have dropped by 14 per cent. The Daily Mail

NHS alert as fire chiefs warn 38 hospitals are 'as dangerous as Grenfell Tower'

NHS alert as fire chiefs warn 38 hospitals are 'as dangerous as Grenfell Tower' Up to 38 hospital sites may be as dangerous as Grenfell Tower, with nine identified as at greatest risk, fire chiefs have warned.

The alert came as more than 17,000 care homes and private hospitals were ordered to undertake their own safety reviews, in the wake of the disaster.

Theresa May has ordered a major national investigation into the use of potentially flammable cladding on high-rise towers across the country.

It follows checks on cladding from residential tower blocks, with all 95 samples submitted by councils so far failing fire safety tests. The Daily Telegraph

NHS 'lost sight that GP was a human being' before she committed suicide

NHS 'lost sight that GP was a human being' before she committed suicide The NHS has been criticised for suspending a GP with bipolar disorder by a coroner who warned that services “lost sight she was a human being”.

Dr Wendy Potts was suspended by her surgery, after a patient read her blog about her mental health condition and complained about her fitness to work.

Weeks later the mother of two, 46, was found hanged at her home after telling her partner "How can I have been so stupid?"

Derbyshire's Assistant Coroner James Newman concluded that Mrs Potts committed suicide on November 24, 2015. He criticised the way the matter was handled and the manner in which the NHS deals with doctors suffering mental health issues. The Daily Telegraph

Major review finds failings at Northampton hospital caused woman to die from un-diagnosed broken back

Major review finds failings at Northampton hospital caused woman to die from un-diagnosed broken back A major review enacted after a 57-year-old woman's broken back went unnoticed has called for raft of improvements to be made to a Northampton hospital ward branded as 'medieval' by a grieving family. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Corby MP to keep ‘close eye’ on Urgent Care Centre tender process

Corby MP to keep ‘close eye’ on Urgent Care Centre tender process The newly-elected MP for Corby says he will be keeping close tabs on the tender process at the town’s Urgent Care Centre. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Investigation: clinical correspondence handling at NHS Shared Business Services

Investigation: clinical correspondence handling at NHS Shared Business Services  The findings from an investigation into how NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) handled unprocessed clinical correspondence. In March 2016 NHS SBS informed NHS England and the Department of Health (the Department) that it had discovered a backlog of approximately 435,000 items of unprocessed clinical and other correspondence. NHS SBS accepts it had a contractual responsibility to process misdirected clinical and other correspondence. National Audit Office

See also:

• More than 1,700 patients at risk over NHS mail blunder BBC News
• NHS data loss could have delayed treatment for thousands The Daily Mail
• NHS data loss scandal left at least 1,788 patients facing potential harm GPonline
• Hundreds of patients potentially harmed by undelivered NHS mail The Guardian

Far from home, far from hope

Far from home, far from hope An investigation has discovered a rise in the number of adult mental health patients placed in out-of-area beds. Keith Cooper examines the impact on patients, their families and the doctors who care for them. British Medical Association

See also:

• Out of area beds: a new low? British Medical Association
• Mental health patients are being sent 600 miles away The Daily Mail
• Almost 6,000 mental health patients sent out of area for care last year The Guardian
• Number of mental health patients treated miles from home surges by 40% The Independent

Government ‘reneging on promise to fund 10,000 extra nursing places’

Government ‘reneging on promise to fund 10,000 extra nursing places’ Scrapping nursing bursaries was supposed to expand training places – but that pledge has been quietly dropped, universities say

Universities are warning that the government is quietly reneging on its promise to provide 10,000 new nursing degree places, intended to relieve pressure on the NHS.

Student nurses must spend 50% of their degree working under supervision, usually in a hospital. But universities have told Education Guardian that not a single extra nursing training place has been funded or allocated for the future. It would cost £15m over five years to fund training placements for 10,000 new nurses, according to the Council of Deans of Health, the body that represents university faculties of nursing. Continue reading... The Guardian

£1bn bedblocking fund not being spent properly, say 40% of hospitals

£1bn bedblocking fund not being spent properly, say 40% of hospitals Hospital bosses say local councils are failing to properly boost social care provision so that more patients can be discharged

More than 40% of British hospitals say they cannot guarantee patients will receive safe care next winter because a sum of £1bn earmarked to reduce “bedblocking” is not being spent properly.

Hospital bosses claim that many local councils are failing to put the emergency funding into schemes to help patients get home quicker by improving social care support for them. Continue reading... The Guardian

Millions wasted on 'rubbish' homeopathic remedies on NHS

Millions wasted on 'rubbish' homeopathic remedies on NHS Homeopathic therapies have costed the NHS £577,529 in the last five years. But the true bill could be ten times more. England's chief medical officer says they're no better than placebos. The Daily Mail

Patients are being 'belittled and bewildered' by the NHS

Patients are being 'belittled and bewildered' by the NHS Mark Porter, chair of the British Medical Association, said that 'too many' patients are being failed by the NHS 'too often' at its annual conference in Bournemouth. The Daily Mail

See also:

• The doctor won't see you now! The Daily Mail

Government is deliberately creating a health crisis to privatise the NHS, doctors claim

Government is deliberately creating a health crisis to privatise the NHS, doctors claim Doctors leaders have accused the Government of a conspiracy to create a crisis in hospitals in order to usher in the back-door privatisation of the NHS.

The British Medical Association passed a motion claiming ministers are using plans launched last year, ostensibly as a means to reform over-spending facilities, as a front for selling off the health service.

They fuelled the row by also accusing political leaders of “scapegoating” doctors as a means of “distracting the public from and under-funded service”.  The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Politicians 'duck and dodge' NHS deficit British Medical Association
• BMA quarterly survey British Medical Association
• Head of doctors' union claims crisis caused by government The Daily Mail
• BMA attacks 'political choice' to underfund NHS as public concern grows GPonline

Too many children are sun tanned because parents are increasingly abandoning sun cream, NHS England warns

Too many children are sun tanned because parents are increasingly abandoning sun cream, NHS England warns The image of a sun-kissed child on a summer's day may strike most parents as the picture of health.

But health experts claim that a golden glow may be more harmful than it appears as they warn that too many children are becoming sun tanned because parents are increasingly abandoning sun cream.

The warning comes as research from NHS England and the Met Office found almost two fifths of parents mistakenly believe that suntans are a sign of good health.

NHS England said the findings showed a "worryingly relaxed attitude" towards sun care among the parents of young children, highlighting the fact that one in ten parents of children aged 2-7 admitting they have encouraged them to sunbathe.

The study, of 1,000 parents with children aged 11 and under, found that more than a fifth do not apply any sunscreen on their child until they are visibly starting to burn. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Suntans on children 'are not healthy' BBC News

'This will be the final straw': Northampton General Hospital volunteers asked to pay to park

'This will be the final straw': Northampton General Hospital volunteers asked to pay to park A number of NGH volunteers are considering resigning as a result of an 'unwarranted' parking charge at the hospital. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Corby Urgent Care Centre operators say they won’t bid for new contract

Corby Urgent Care Centre operators say they won’t bid for new contract The operators of Corby’s Urgent Care Centre say they will not bid for a new contract to run the service unless they are given more money.

Lakeside+ Limited has run the centre since 2012 but became embroiled in a funding row in March, which led to fears over the centre’s future.

Corby CCG insisted that the centre would remain open and a tender process has opened for a new one-year contract, which would begin on October 1.

But Lakeside+ says it will not bid to run the centre unless the CCG meets NHS national tariffs and stops capping the sums it will pay. Northamptonshire Telegraph

NHS England announces new sites to redesign mental health services and cut out of area placements

NHS England announces new sites to redesign mental health services and cut out of area placements NHS England has announced a new tranche of sites to test new approaches to delivering mental health services – cutting the number of people travelling long distances for care.

Eleven new sites will be tasked with bringing down the number of people who receive in-patient hospital treatment and for those who do need more intensive care, that this is available closer to home.

The pilot sites, made up of NHS mental health trusts, independent sector and charitable organisations will work together, sharing a local budget, to effectively reorganise services in their area to provide the best care for patients.

Local managers and clinicians will take charge of managing budgets and providing inpatient and specialised mental health services, tailoring them to their area’s individual needs.

Enabling change through communities of practice

Enabling change through communities of practice In June 2014, National Voices set out to explore and test how communities of practice could facilitate the spread of large-scale change across England’s voluntary sector working for health and wellbeing. This report shares reflections on this project, and in the spirit of communities of practice, aims to share reflections in order that others can use the learning. National Voices

A Mental Health Act fit for tomorrow

A Mental Health Act fit for tomorrow Last summer, Rethink Mental Illness, along with members of the Mental Health Alliance, conducted the largest survey into the 34 year old Act. The message from the research was clear: the Act is no longer fit for purpose and there is a growing need for it to be reformed.

The research, the first of its kind, includes the views of over 8000 people who use mental health services, carers, and professionals working in the field. Half of those who responded did not think that people are treated with dignity and respect under the Mental Health Act.

See also:

• We Need A Mental Health Act That Is Fit For Tomorrow Huffington Post UK

BMA chief: NHS is 'running on fumes'

BMA chief: NHS is 'running on fumes' The NHS in England is "running on fumes", the leader of the British Medical Association is warning.

Dr Mark Porter hit out at the government at the start of the union's annual conference.

He accused ministers of putting patients at risk and "picking the pockets" of NHS staff because of the squeeze on wages.

But ministers rejected the criticisms, saying they were putting more money into the health service. BBC News

See also:

• Public dissatisfaction with the NHS has doubled, polling for BMA finds The Daily Telegraph
• BMA to debate whether NHS crisis 'consciously created' by government GPonline
• UK public are more dissatisfied than ever with NHS, poll shows The Guardian

Wait for justice

Wait for justice Patients taking out private health insurance expect to get the best treatment, but what happens if things go wrong? While the NHS has paid out millions to the patients of disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson, his private patients are still seeking compensation. Why? BBC News

NHS hernia mesh repairs 'leaving patients in chronic pain'

NHS hernia mesh repairs 'leaving patients in chronic pain' NHS England is using mesh to repair hernias which leaves many patients in chronic pain, surgeons have told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme.

The concerns come after it emerged that more than 800 women are taking legal action against the NHS over the use of vaginal mesh implants.

One woman said she was left "screaming on all fours from the agonising pain".

NHS England said mesh implants had been successfully used to treat hernias for several decades.

The material is its "recommended method" for treating the condition. It is used on tens of thousands of patients every year. BBC News

See also:

• NHS hernia mesh felt like 'scratching from inside' BBC News

NHS doctors turning to substance abuse amid rising levels of stress and burnout

NHS doctors turning to substance abuse amid rising levels of stress and burnout The number of GPs seeking specialist help for substance abuse and mental health problems is “increasing day on day”, the medical director of a new NHS support service for doctors has warned.

Referrals to the GP Health Service have surpassed expectations since its launch in late January, while medics in all fields are seeking help “in escalating numbers”, said Clare Gerada, former chair of the Royal College of GPs. Dr Gerada told The Independent stress and burn-out faced by family doctors with increasingly heavy workloads is contributing to the number of GPs developing severe depression and anxiety, with some turning to alcohol and substance misuse to cope with the pressure. The Independent

Difficulty of NHS language test ‘worsens nurse crisis’, say recruiters

Difficulty of NHS language test ‘worsens nurse crisis’, say recruiters Even native English speakers with degrees struggle to pass exams, as number of applicants from EU falls to 46 in April from 1,304 last July

Language tests introduced by the government to restrict immigration are stopping the NHS from recruiting foreign nurses – including highly qualified native English speakers.

Growing nursing shortages mean that the NHS has major gaps in its workforce, but this is being added to by Australians and other English-speaking nurses being turned down because they cannot pass the English tests. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS and police failings led to brutal murder of grandmother – report

NHS and police failings led to brutal murder of grandmother – report Nicola Edgington, who had previously murdered her own mother, killed Sally Hodkin after series of failings

A series of failings by the NHS and police led to a psychiatric patient brutally murdering a grandmother, a report has concluded.

Nicola Edgington almost decapitated Sally Hodkin, 58, with a butcher’s knife in Bexleyheath, south-east London, in 2011, six years after killing her own mother. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• CCTV shows killer walking calmly out of mental health unit before murdering grandmother, as report lists the failures that led to death The Daily Telegraph

Soaring obesity could see millenials die at younger age than their parents

Soaring obesity could see millenials die at younger age than their parents Four in ten young adults in Britain are overweight or obese, according to new figures released by the NHS.

Nearly three million 16- to 24-year-olds weigh too much - a million more than two decades ago, the statistics reveal.

Doctors said the generation risked dying at a younger age than their parents, despite a host of medical breakthroughs in recent decades.

The figures from NHS Digital, show 39 per cent of 16- to 24-year-olds are overweight or obese, up from 27 per cent in 1993.

Soaring numbers have dangerously large waist sizes, the statistics reveal.

In total, 17 per cent of young men have a waist of at least 40 inches, compared with 4 per cent in 1993. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Figures reveal nearly half of young people are overweight The Daily Mail
• Couch potato teens ‘as sedentary as 60-year-olds’ Northamptonshire Telegraph

1,000 more psychiatrists needed to tackle 'unacceptable failings' in care

1,000 more psychiatrists needed to tackle 'unacceptable failings' in care At least 1,000 more psychiatrists are needed to tackle “unacceptable” failings in treatment of the mentally ill, the head of the profession has said.

Sir Simon Wessely, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, called for urgent action to tackle widespread shortages of doctors, warning that he was “absolutely terrified” that the crisis would deepen as a result of Brexit.

Too many vulnerable patients were being sent for treatment hundreds of miles from home, because of shortages of specialists he said, with “scandalous” failings in some services.

In his final interview as president, he called for an overhaul of medical training, to plug widespread shortages of doctors which he fears will worsen if the supply of medics from Europe falls. The Daily Telegraph

Radical plans to ease NHS 999 targets amid mounting pressures

Radical plans to ease NHS 999 targets amid mounting pressures Ambulances are set to be given far longer to reach 999 calls in a controversial bid to ease spiralling pressures on emergency services.

Handlers could be given four times as long to assess calls after a study of 10 million calls found too many cases being counted as hitting official targets, without patients getting the help they need.

Current rules state that 75 per cent of calls classed as life-threatening are supposed to receive a response within eight minutes. Before the clock starts, handlers have just 60 seconds to gather information - meaning they often send a response before crucial details have been established. The Daily Telegraph

Careless smoker causes fire at Corby Urgent Care Centre

Careless smoker causes fire at Corby Urgent Care Centre Firefighters were called to Corby's Urgent Care Centre on Wednesday after a careless smoker set a plant alight. The incident took place outside the health centre in Cottingham Road at about 4.15am.

Lorna Garner, general manager at Lakeside Plus which runs the centre, says it could have been a lot worse and urged people not to smoke outside. Northamptonshire Telegraph

What should the new government prioritise for health and social care?

What should the new government prioritise for health and social care? The new government’s in tray is unusually full of pressing challenges, but what should it do on health and social care in England in this parliament?

No surprise that health didn’t feature prominently in today’s Queen Speech. Commitments were made to reform mental health legislation, as well as a framework to help improve patient safety. And the government is to press ahead with at least a consultation on improving social care.

Clearly preparations for Brexit and the cooling economic situation are rightly major preoccupations, and the legislative schedule will be pretty jammed with the former. In the meantime, the NHS has a Five Year Forward View and needs to get on with it without new priorities or distracting political interventions. The Health Foundation

Adult weight management: guidance for commissioners and providers

Adult weight management: guidance for commissioners and providers This collection of guidance, interventions and datasets aims to support commissioners and providers of tier two adult weight management services. The guidance outlines findings from qualitiative research providing insight into patient experience of weight management services, evidence to support commissioning, and further information on evidence-based behaviour change techniques. Public Health England

Review of two decades of social care policy

Review of two decades of social care policy This House of Commons Library briefing considers the policy proposals of successive Governments since 1997 for how individuals should pay for their social care.

What on earth is a vanguard?

What on earth is a vanguard? Cutting through modern-day NHS jargon is no mean feat, but one up-and-coming TV broadcaster has succeeded where the Jeremy Paxmans of this world have failed… meet Healthwatch Harriet. The tenacious 10-year-old has turned her sights on the NHS England new care models programme. NHS England

'Remarkable' drop in new HIV cases among men

'Remarkable' drop in new HIV cases among men For the first time, new diagnoses of HIV have fallen among men who have sex with men in England, according to data from Public Health England.

They have decreased from 2,060 in 2014-15 to 1,700 in 2015-16, while in London there was an even steeper drop.

PHE said increased testing, fast treatment with HIV therapy and the use of preventative drug Prep have all contributed to the trend.

New HIV diagnoses among heterosexuals have remained stable.

While huge advances have been made in treating HIV/Aids, there has been frustration at a lack of progress in reducing the number of men being diagnosed each year.

New infections in the UK had been stuck at about 3,000 every year in the five years up to 2015. BBC News

See also:

• Fall in HIV among gay men could spell end for Britain's epidemic, say experts The Guardian

Danger map reveals health threat zone

Danger map reveals health threat zone South America is a hotbed of potential viruses that could be the next major threat to the world's health, according to "danger maps".

The EcoHealth Alliance in New York looked at mammals, the viruses they harbour and how they come into contact with people.

It revealed bats carry more potential threats than other mammals.

The researchers hope the knowledge could be used to prevent the next HIV, Ebola or flu.

Some of the most worrying infections have made the jump from animals to people - the world's largest Ebola outbreak seemed to start in bats, while HIV came from chimpanzees. BBC News

Cost of NHS negligence claims likely to double by 2023, says study

Cost of NHS negligence claims likely to double by 2023, says study Medical society calls for legal changes, saying spiralling £1.5bn annual bill diverts significant funding from frontline care.

The annual cost to the NHS in England of settling clinical negligence claims is equivalent to training 6,500 doctors and is expected to double by 2023, according to the Medical Protection Society.

Further increases in the £1.5bn bill will render such payments unsustainable and divert significant amounts of funding away from frontline patient care, the organisation has warned in a report. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Clinical negligence costs at tipping point - urgent reform needed Medical Protection Society
• Soaring NHS negligence bill could have paid for 6500 more doctors The Daily Telegraph
• Legal overhaul needed to fix unsustainable GP indemnity costs, experts warn GPonline

My friend's suicide, bureaucracy and cuts: why I quit as an NHS manager

My friend's suicide, bureaucracy and cuts: why I quit as an NHS manager I was driven to the brink by the poor care my friend received. I finally left over pointless tasks

The first time I thought I should leave the NHS and never return was at my friend’s inquest. After struggling with mental health issues for many years he had taken his own life. At his inquest, I learnt that in the period leading up to his suicide his mental health appointments had all been with support workers and he had not once seen a qualified mental health nurse. I also discovered that his last five appointments had been with four different members of staff. The coroner asked about the level of the service he had received. The manager of the service cited difficulties with a large geographical patch and described the service he received as usual practice. As an NHS manager myself, I could see it may have been usual practice, but it was far from good enough.

As I drove home from the inquest my head was spinning with dissonant thoughts and questions. I was angry and upset. I was concerned for the service manager. I was furious with government cuts. I was worrying about the service I managed. I needed the noise in my head to stop. I found myself contemplating killing myself. I did not sleep that night. I knew I was unwell and so the next day I saw my GP. I needed three months off work for severe depression and anxiety. I had excellent talking therapy via my GP surgery and my counsellor continued to support me through and beyond my return to work. Continue reading... The Guardian

Award for mental health professional who shared her own struggle with depression

Award for mental health professional who shared her own struggle with depression A former NHS mental health director has won an award for speaking out about her own breakdown.

Mandy Stevens told her story to Bryony Gordon on the Telegraph’s Mad World podcast, recalling a bout of depression so severe that she spent three months being treated as an in-patient.

She has received the Special Achievement Award from the Cavell Nurses’ Trust in recognition of her work de-stigmatising mental health. The Daily Telegraph