NHS plans could see patients banned from A&E

NHS plans could see patients banned from A&E Controversial plans to ban patients from attending crowded A&E departments to slash soaring waiting times are being considered by the NHS.

Experts have reacted in fury to the scheme, which will demand patients to seek a referral from their GP or 111 before they step foot through the doors.

Dr Helen Thomas, national medical adviser for integrated urgent care at NHS England, said they 'may well pilot' such plans to slash A&E waiting times.

She told delegates at a conference addressing the demand on the NHS of the unprecedented idea, and reiterated the claims to Pulse magazine. In a nod towards the controversy such a plan will provoke, she admitted it is a 'hot potato'. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Revealed: NHS's plans to bar patients from attending A&E without a referral Pulse
• NHS officials float idea of banning patients from going to A&E without prior permission The Daily Telegraph
• Jeremy Hunt considers barring walk-in patients from A&E The Guardian

Accountable care: policy fad or step forward on the journey towards integrated care?

Accountable care: policy fad or step forward on the journey towards integrated care? Accountable care is under discussion almost everywhere in the NHS. Groups of NHS providers (sometimes with the local commissioner) are exploring how they can work more closely together to take on the responsibility for the health and care of a given population within a given budget. Currently, we are seeing emerging accountable care arrangements adopting various forms according to local needs and preferences: in some areas the focus is on creating a single organisation; in others, organisations are keen to use the words ‘system’ or ‘partnership’ – to reinforce the notion of working together. The King's Fund

Falling number of nurses in the NHS paints a worrying picture

Falling number of nurses in the NHS paints a worrying picture Pressures on nursing staff and the potential impact on patients are again in the news just as Jeremy Hunt promises more nursing training places – for good reason as the latest NHS workforce statistics show.

The number of nurses employed in the NHS follows a stable seasonal pattern. Numbers rise in the autumn as newly qualified staff complete their training and then decline again until the following summer as some staff resign or retire, before beginning the cycle once more as another year’s newly qualified staff arrive.  The King's Fund

Sustainability and transformation partnerships: developing robust governance arrangements

Sustainability and transformation partnerships: developing robust governance arrangements This briefing includes a diagnostic tool to assess the status of governance arrangements arising from ‘at scale’ working. Completing the tool will provide a basis for discussion by the board/ governing body and/ or audit committee of an NHS body when seeking assurance about developing governance arrangements. Healthcare Financial Management Association

Of primary importance: commissioning mental health services in primary care

Of primary importance: commissioning mental health services in primary care This report showcases programmes that are embedding mental health in primary care and draws out advice from the commissioners and practitioners involved in their development and delivery. It highlights projects where CCGs and their partners are delivering better care for patients, working across the boundaries between physical and mental health, as well as health and social care, while at the same time reducing pressure on GPs and hospitals. NHS Clinical Commissioners

Antibiotics 'may be lost' through overuse, says chief medical officer

Antibiotics 'may be lost' through overuse, says chief medical officer Antibiotics 'may be lost' through overuse, says chief medical officer.


England's chief medical officer is urging global leaders to tackle the growing threat of antibiotic resistance.

Medical experts say these drugs are being used too much, and that 25,000 people die across Europe each year because of drug-resistant infections. BBC News

See also:

• Britain could face 'post-antibiotic apocalypse' warns top doctor The Daily Telegraph
• World leaders urged to act on 'post-antibiotic apocalypse' by Chief Medical Officer The Independent

Norfolk and Suffolk mental health trust back in special measures

Norfolk and Suffolk mental health trust back in special measures A mental health trust has been put back in special measures after its board "failed" to address serious concerns raised since 2014, a report says.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), which rated the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) as inadequate, has called for a host of improvements.

It is the only such trust in England to be put in special measures and only came out in October last year.

The NSFT said it was "disappointed" by the report. BBC News

Jeremy Hunt: Is government on track with more GPs promise?

Jeremy Hunt: Is government on track with more GPs promise? Addressing a room full of doctors, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt reminded the audience of his promise in 2015 that there would be 5,000 more general practitioners working in the NHS in England by 2020.

We're halfway to Mr Hunt's deadline - so how is the government doing at meeting this target?

In 2015, there were about 34,500 GPs working in the NHS in England. The government wants there to be about 39,500 by 2020. BBC News

NHS urges 1.4m staff to have flu jab to reduce risk of epidemic

NHS urges 1.4m staff to have flu jab to reduce risk of epidemic Bosses write to workers saying they should get vaccinated as soon as possible – and must give a reason for refusing to do so.

NHS bosses are writing to all 1.4 million staff to say they must have the winter flu jab as soon as possible to reduce the risk of them infecting patients who might die. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NHS leaders unveil action to boost flu vaccination and manage winter pressures NHS England
• PHE urges those at highest risk of flu to get vaccinated Public Health England
• Flu jabs for at risk groups vital protection as we approach winter says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
• NHS staff urged to get flu jabs to protect patients BBC News
• NHS doctors have a 'professional duty' to get the flu jab The Daily Mail
• NHS 'more scared than ever', amid fears flu jab may not protect the old The Daily Telegraph

‘Some see crying in front of patients as unprofessional. Most see it as being human’

‘Some see crying in front of patients as unprofessional. Most see it as being human’ A sense of shared sorrow or a weakness? An NHS chief executive, a paramedic, doctors and nurses weigh in on whether tears are a good thing or not

Working in healthcare can be emotionally fraught. Not only are staff working under increasing pressure but they are faced with humanity at its most vulnerable. They encounter death and witness in a week more than what most people might see over a lifetime.

Compassion is also a key part of any role in healthcare. It’s only natural that staff should need an emotional release under such circumstances. But is crying in front of patients a good idea? Does it detract from their grief or does it help professionals seem more human? Six healthcare professionals share their experiences.

The emotion of the moment ​​shouldn’t be about the doctor – it’s about the patient ​and their family Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS surgery waiting lists highest level in almost a decade

NHS surgery waiting lists highest level in almost a decade The number of patients waiting too long for routine operations is at its highest level in almost a decade, NHS figures reveal.

More than 400,000 patients have been waiting at least 18 weeks for procedures including hip and knee replacements and cataract surgery.

This is the highest number since September 2008 and prompting experts to warn that hospitals were going backwards.

Under the NHS Constitution, its rulebook, patients have a right to have an operation or procedure within 18 weeks of being referred by their consultant.

But figures for August show that 1 in 10 patients were waiting longer - only 89.4 per cent were treated within this 18 week target. The Daily Mail

Dementia stays as the leading cause of death

Dementia stays as the leading cause of death For the second-year running, the neurological disorder has claimed more lives than heart disease in England and Wales. It was responsible for 62,948 deaths registered in 2016. The Daily Mail

Air pollution kills over 500,000 Europeans a year

Air pollution kills over 500,000 Europeans a year Air pollution causes more than 500,000 premature deaths across Europe each year despite 'slowly' improving air quality on the continent, the EU's environment authority.

Although data from the Copenhagen-based European Environment Agency (EEA) reveals some encouraging signs, in large part the result of new technologies, air pollution remains the leading environmental cause of premature death in the region.

In its latest report, the EAA said 520,400 premature deaths in 41 European countries were caused by air pollutants generated by the burning of fossil fuels in 2014, compared with 550,000 in 2013. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Air quality in europe 2017 European Environment Agency

Northampton's A&E is bursting at the seems weeks before winter has set in, health bosses warn

Northampton's A&E is bursting at the seems weeks before winter has set in, health bosses warn Accident and emergency admissions in Northampton are at "winter levels" already, hospital bosses have warned, even though a cold snap is not due to hit the UK for several weeks.

Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has urged would-be patients to consider calling the 111 NHS advice line, to visit their GP or see a pharmacist before presenting at Northampton General Hospital's stretched accident and emergency department.

The CCG says some of those presenting at A and E recently required hospital admission because they had "delayed seeking help" and had become acutely unwell as a result. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

How Kettering’s Cransley Hospice helps hundreds of people every year

How Kettering’s Cransley Hospice helps hundreds of people every year When someone says the word ‘hospice’, many assume it’s a place that people go to just before they die.

For some, that’s true.

But 50 per cent of patients who visit Kettering’s Cransley Hospice inpatient unit, tucked away in the grounds of St Mary’s Hospital in London Road, return home.

With National Hospice Care Week taking place this week (October 9 to 15), staff nurse Kim Rowbotham says it’s a common myth that should be dispelled. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Comprehensive quality improvement: not ‘why should we do it?’ but ‘when will we start?’

Comprehensive quality improvement: not ‘why should we do it?’ but ‘when will we start?’ As a chief executive in the NHS over the past 10 years, I have seen the benefits of quality improvement at first hand. Now, The King’s Fund and The Health Foundation are making a powerful case for quality improvement techniques to be applied consistently and systematically across the NHS. Leaders and their boards know the value it can bring – helping to drive quality, finance and access improvements as well as enhancing staff experience – so why hasn’t the NHS been able to embed quality improvement comprehensively across the service? Why aren’t all our patients and staff benefitting from what works so well in patches? The King's Fund

Loneliness can be as bad for health as a chronic long-term condition, says GP leader

Loneliness can be as bad for health as a chronic long-term condition, says GP leader Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, will talk about the older patients who are seeing their GP because they are lonely and want human contact or someone to talk to.

In her opening speech to the College’s Annual Primary Care Conference – her first as Chair - Professor Stokes-Lampard will look at the impact of social isolation on individual patients and its inevitable toll on the entire NHS. Royal College of General Practitioners

Reconfiguration of NHS services (England)

Reconfiguration of NHS services (England) This briefing on reconfiguration of NHS services includes recent policy developments, information on consultation and scrutiny powers, and drivers of major service changes. House of Commons Library

Jeremy Hunt to pledge £20,000 'golden hello' for rural GPs

Jeremy Hunt to pledge £20,000 'golden hello' for rural GPs Newly-qualified GPs are to be offered a one-off payment of £20,000 if they start their careers in areas that struggle to attract family doctors.

The £4m scheme, to be announced by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, aims to boost the numbers of doctors in rural and coastal areas of England.

Mr Hunt said it will help "reduce the pressure" on practices in those areas.

The Royal College of GPs backed the plan, saying there was a "serious shortage" of family doctors.

The one-off payment will be offered to 200 GPs from 2018.

As of September 2016, there were 41,985 GPs in England. BBC News

Number of NHS nurses falls for first time since 2013 after 'significant drop' in EU staff

Number of NHS nurses falls for first time since 2013 after 'significant drop' in EU staff The number of nurses employed by the NHS has fallen for the first time since April 2013, figures have revealed, following a steep drop in EU nationals registering as nurses since the Brexit vote

Analysis of data by the King’s Fund shows that there were fewer NHS nurses in post this summer than the previous summer, with 316,725 nurses in post in June 2017 – 703 fewer than the same month last year.

A “significant” reduction in EU nurses joining the UK register since the EU referendum has been a key factor in the fall, as well as an increasing number of EU staff leaving the NHS and changes to language testing requirements, according to the analysis. The Independent

Philip Hammond admits Brexit 'no deal' will mean less money for NHS and social care

Philip Hammond admits Brexit 'no deal' will mean less money for NHS and social care A “no deal” Brexit will mean less money for the struggling NHS and for cash-starved social care, the Chancellor has admitted.The Independent

Jeremy Hunt admits false claims over mental health

Jeremy Hunt admits false claims over mental health The health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has been forced to re-write parliamentary records after making a false claim about mental health.

Speaking on World Mental Health Day, he told MPs: “We’ve got 30,000 more people working in mental health today than we had when [Labour] left office.”

He repeated this again, saying: “We have 30,000 more professionals working in mental health than when my Government came into office.”

But when questioned by FactCheck, the Department for Health admitted that Mr Hunt’s figure includes all professionally qualified clinical NHS staff in England – not just those working in mental health. Channel 4 News

Obese people deserve surgical treatment, too | Richard Welbourn

Obese people deserve surgical treatment, too | Richard Welbourn Britain has the most obese people in western Europe, yet fewer of them get gastric operations than in other countries. We need to stop judging and start treating them• Richard Welbourn is a bariatric surgeon

One in four people in the UK suffer with obesity. Severe and complex obesity is a lifelong condition associated with many major medical problems, the costs of which threaten to bankrupt the NHS. The major ailment caused by obesity – type 2 diabetes – is linked to shorter life expectancy, decreased quality of life and increased socio-economic and psychosocial problems. A new report out this week suggests the global cost of treating obesity will rise to $1.2tn a year from 2025.

Yet in the UK, less than 1% of those who can benefit from it receive bariatric (sometimes called weight-loss) surgery, such as gastric bypass or gastric banding. So why is a safe, cost-effective therapy for a deadly disease so under-utilised? Continue reading... The Guardian

Locked up, locked out – inadequate stats on mental health are failing prisoners

Locked up, locked out – inadequate stats on mental health are failing prisoners The last reliable data on prevalence of offender mental health problems is from 1998, when the prison population was about half what it is today

Prisoners are among the most vulnerable people with mental health problems, yet the government does not collect even basic information on how many inmates have a mental illness, or the total number in need of treatment. This means, according to campaigners, that they are being repeatedly let down by the system.

A National Audit Office (NAO) report highlighted the stark lack of data, triggering serious questions about the government’s commitment to prisoners’ mental healthcare. Continue reading...

NHS operations could be cancelled for months this winter, senior medics warn

NHS operations could be cancelled for months this winter, senior medics warn Thousands of operations could be cancelled for months this winter, leading medics have warned, as the NHS prepares to announce plans to cope with mounting pressures.

The Society for Acute Medicine raised fears that services could be “overwhelmed” by a bad flu season, accusing the Government of doing little more than “crossing fingers” that a crisis can be averted.

Health officials will today launch their annual Stay Well This Winter campaign, urging at-risk groups to be vaccinated against flu. It is part of wider attempts to ease pressures on hospitals, with plans to expand the number of A&E consultants in the long-term. The Daily Telegraph

'A lot of young people struggle': Mental health on the rise in Northampton due to social media, charity says

'A lot of young people struggle': Mental health on the rise in Northampton due to social media, charity says A charity in Northampton has seen a sharp rise in demand for counselling and support services in the past year as a result of social media and expectations on young people.

The Lowdown in Northampton has said they have provided 4,789 support sessions to young people aged between 12-25 in 2016.

Most of the support sessions have been down to social media, including maintaining a 'SnapChat streak', how they look when pictured on Instagram and the constant expectation of answering messages.

Support services manager, Theresa Donaghue said: “The demand is ever-rising as young people struggle to cope with a number of mental health issues. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Work on Kettering hospital’s dementia garden begins

Work on Kettering hospital’s dementia garden begins Work to transform a courtyard at Kettering General Hospital into a garden which can be enjoyed by dementia patients has begun.

In March this year the hospital launched a Forget-Me-Not Appeal to transform a courtyard adjacent to the Lamport and Twywell wards into a dementia-friendly garden where patients can safely be active. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Co-production: everybody's talking about it but am I really doing it?

Co-production: everybody's talking about it but am I really doing it? A conversation with members of the Health Foundation Alumni Mental Health Group (a supportive group of Health Foundation Fellows working in mental health) made me reflect on my experiences with a subject that seems to be on everyone’s lips… co-production.

Co-production has become a buzzword among those commissioning, designing and improving quality in mental health services. And mental health services are ahead of the field in this. With its roots in the civil rights movement, co-production is advocated or supported by commissioners, charities, institutes and government departments. But it should also be at the heart of what doctors do in day-to-day clinical practice. Reflecting on this helps me to remember the radical nature of the concept and keep a critical eye on how ‘co-productive’ I really am. The Health Foundation

New £15 million programme to help train one million in mental health first aid

New £15 million programme to help train one million in mental health first aid A new £15 million programme will see up to 1 million people trained in basic mental health “first aid” skills. The programme will improve personal resilience and help people recognise and respond effectively to signs of mental illness in others.

The campaign, designed and delivered by Public Health England (PHE), will help people assess their own mental wellbeing and learn techniques to reduce stress.

There will be an online learning module designed to improve the public’s knowledge, skills and confidence on mental health. Department of Health

Half of older adults have experienced mental health problems, says Age UK

Half of older adults have experienced mental health problems, says Age UK Half of adults aged 55 and over have experienced common mental health problems, say Age UK.

The charity is joining forces with NHS England to encourage older people to seek help and is calling on GPs to spot the warning signs.

Nearly half of adults (7.7million) aged 55+ say they have experienced depression and around the same number (7.3 million) have suffered with anxiety, according to new YouGov research for the charity Age UK – revealing the scale of the mental health challenge facing older people in the UK today.

The death of loved ones (36 per cent) ill health of themselves (24%) and financial worries (27 per cent) are the most common triggers for mental health problems, yet worryingly more than a third (35%) say they did not know where to go for help and support. This comes as NHS England has published new guidance – ‘Mental health in older people‘ – to help GPs spot the tell-tale signs of anxiety and depression, and identify a range of mental health problems including those which specifically affect older people. NHS England

Capsticks podcast on mental health workforce

Capsticks podcast on mental health workforce Rachael Heenan, senior partner at Capsticks, discusses workforce issues in the mental health sector with Sean Duggan, chief executive of the Mental Health Network at NHS Confederation.

In this podcast, Sean shares his thoughts on building a mental health workforce for the future. NHS Employers

See also:

• The mental health workforce is 'reaching a cliff edge'. What can be done? The Guardian

Child and teen obesity spreading across the globe

Child and teen obesity spreading across the globe Child and teenage obesity levels have risen ten-fold in the last four decades, meaning 124m boys and girls around the globe are too fat, according to new research.

The analysis in the Lancet is the largest of its kind and looks at obesity trends in over 200 countries.

In the UK, one in every 10 young people aged five to 19, is obese.

Obese children are likely to become obese adults, putting them at risk of serious health problems, say experts.

These include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer, such as breast and colon. BBC News

See also:

• More than 4million British children obese or overweight The Daily Mail
• Junk food ads spend 27 times more than health scheme The Daily Mail
• Calls for war on junk food ads as obesity costs set to rise by 60 per cent The Daily Telegraph
• Global cost of obesity-related illness to hit $1.2tn a year from 2025 The Guardian

NHS will be forced to make cuts without emergency bailout, chief executive warns

NHS will be forced to make cuts without emergency bailout, chief executive warns The NHS will be forced to make cuts without an emergency Budget bailout next month, its chief executive has warned.

Simon Stevens urged the Government to recognise that its current funding plans must be “amended” to avoid damaging decisions for patients.

But the warning came as Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt triggered a fresh political row when he hinted the cash-strapped NHS would be required to spend more on pay next year.

Mr Hunt confirmed that the 1 per cent NHS pay cap has been scrapped – but admitted the Treasury had yet to agree to fund the cost of higher pay. The Independent

See also:

• NHS needs extra money to fund staff pay boost, Jeremy Hunt is warned The Daily Telegraph
• NHS won't cope with rise in demand without more money, boss tells MPs The Guardian
• Jeremy Hunt announces NHS pay cap has been 'scrapped' but doesn't reveal if awards will match rising inflation The Independent

'Home first' model aims to stop patients being stranded on hospital wards

'Home first' model aims to stop patients being stranded on hospital wards The quicker older people get out of hospital, the less likely they’ll end up in residential homes or back on a ward

With winter looming, health and care teams are being urged to radically overhaul discharge procedures to prevent patients being left stranded on hospital wards. New approaches are yielding striking results that could help avert a beds crisis – and improve older people’s chances of continuing to live independently.

The latest thinking on hospital discharge is to get people home and then carry out assessment of their support needs and rehabilitation. Hospital trusts and their community health and social care partners are being encouraged to adopt a “discharge-to-assess” (D2A) or “home-first” model. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Hospital to home: people's needs must be central to transfers of care | Paul Burstow The Guardian
• Hospital discharge is not rocket science. Why are patients still being failed? The Guardian

I’ve been sectioned under the Mental Health Act. A review won’t fix the crisis | Clare Allan

I’ve been sectioned under the Mental Health Act. A review won’t fix the crisis | Clare Allan Tory cuts to mental health services have led to increased use of the act to detain people every year since 2007

I can’t help feeling that the review of the Mental Health Act, announced last week by the prime minister, is a bit of a waste of time. Not that the act is unimportant. No one who has had their liberty officially denied them, been wrestled into an ambulance and deposited on a locked ward, could convincingly claim indifference to this piece of 1983 legislation. Most people caught up in the mental health system will be thoroughly familiar with the various sections and the implications of being on each. “What section you on?” “Three. You?” “Two.” It’s one of the things we talk about, along with medication and benefits. I’m joking. But not entirely.

The fact that use of the act to detain people has increased every year since 2007 is certainly cause for concern. In general, the act should only be used if people are unwilling to be admitted voluntarily. The disproportionate detention of people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds is particularly troubling. These are both issues the review is tasked to consider, so why the ambivalence?

Seven in ten trusts saw referrals to crisis teams increase last year, while spending fell by up to 21%. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• How should the government overhaul mental health laws? The Guardian

'Unjust' junior doctor title should be scrapped, says campaign backed by chief medical officer

'Unjust' junior doctor title should be scrapped, says campaign backed by chief medical officer Qualified medics with years of experience should not be called "junior doctors", according to Oxford University academics who are calling to end the use of the "discriminatory and belittling term".

Dame Sally Davies, chief medical officer, is backing the campaign, saying doctors should be given job titles that grant them "the respect they deserve".

Some so-called junior doctors have a decade of experience but their title means they can be mistaken for students by patients. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• I’ve been a doctor for years – why am I still called a ‘junior’? The Guardian
• I’m proud to be called a junior doctor. Titles are the least of our problems The Guardian

Most people are getting good, safe care but future quality is precarious

Most people are getting good, safe care but future quality is precarious This year’s State of Care report – published today – shows that thanks to the efforts of staff and leaders, the quality of health and social care has been maintained despite very real challenges and the majority of people are receiving good, safe care.

However, it also warns that the health and social care system is at full stretch and struggling to meet the more complex needs of today’s population, meaning that maintaining quality in the future is uncertain.

The report sets out analysis of the quality of health and social care across the country based on the first full round of rated inspections covering almost 29,000 services. Care Quality Commission 

See also:

• NHS future precarious, says regulator BBC News
• NHS hospitals and surgeries are 'straining at the seams' The Daily Mail
• NHS straining at the seams year before 70th birthday, finds regulator The Guardian

Prime Minister launches world-leading project on impact of ethnicity on everyday life

Prime Minister launches world-leading project on impact of ethnicity on everyday life The ethnicity facts and figures website brings together information from across government about how ethnicity affects people's everyday lives

The Prime Minister will challenge society to “explain or change” disparities in how people from different backgrounds are treated, as the government publishes the findings of a ground breaking audit of public services.

Launching the new ‘Ethnicity Facts and Figures’ website today (Tuesday 10 October), Theresa May will host a discussion round the Cabinet Table involving key stakeholders at Downing Street.

She will tell them the audit will become an “essential resource in the battle to defeat ethnic injustice” which must be confronted at all levels of society – from central government to local communities.

The new website – a first of its kind in terms of scale, scope and transparency - contains thousands of statistics covering more than 130 topics in areas including health, education, employment and the criminal justice system. The Cabinet Office

New infographic launched on the routes into nursing

New infographic launched on the routes into nursing Previously the routes into nursing have been limited, with the university degree being the main way to train registered nurses. The introduction of the nursing degree apprenticeship gives a new opportunity for employers to train nurses. The creation of the new nursing associate role can also help to be a bridge between healthcare assistants and graduate registered nurses. NHS Employers

Care after miscarriage 'not consistent enough'

Care after miscarriage 'not consistent enough' Women are not being told all the options when deciding how to dispose of pregnancy remains after miscarriage in England, a report suggests.

Corinne Fowler did not realise she could take her baby's remains home - instead they were disposed of with other clinical waste.

Looking back, she says she would have found a special place to bury the child she would never see again.

The Miscarriage Association said better and more consistent care was needed.

The Death Before Birth report, carried out by researchers from the Universities of Birmingham and Bristol, looked at the experiences of women who had gone through early pregnancy loss, such as miscarriage, terminations for foetal anomaly or stillbirth before 24 weeks.

In the UK, one in five pregnancies end in miscarriage and there are around 2,000 terminations following pre-natal screening each year. BBC News

Why mental health services in England are finally receiving attention

Why mental health services in England are finally receiving attention With the promise of an extra £1.3bn a year and reform of legislation on the cards, the mental health sector is getting the political backing it needs

England is witnessing the “biggest expansion of mental health services in Europe”, according to health secretary Jeremy Hunt, who has promised that an extra £1.3bn would be invested annually in mental health services by 2021.

With one in four people expected to suffer from mental illness at some time in their life – whether it’s a new mother struggling with postnatal depression, a teenager with an eating disorder, or an older person isolated and lonely at home – the financial commitment is welcome. Continue reading... The Guardian

Gambling remains a hidden addiction because 'healthcare staff lack training'

Gambling remains a hidden addiction because 'healthcare staff lack training' There are an estimated 400,000 problem gamblers in the UK – most do not access treatment or know how to get help.

Gambling is often described as a hidden addiction. Yet there are an estimated 400,000 problem gamblers in the UK. Dr Henrietta Bowden-Jones, consultant psychiatrist at the National Problem Gambling Clinic – the only one of its kind in the UK – says that a lack of training among healthcare professionals could partly be to blame for the problem flying under the radar.

“For many years while drug and alcohol addictions were being researched and funded in terms of treatment, the issue of gambling wasn’t taught at medical school,” Bowden-Jones says. “Even as an addictions psychiatrist, we weren’t taught about pathological gambling – I came across it by chance.” Continue reading... The Guardian

KGH car parking charges to be reduced

KGH car parking charges to be reduced Visitors staying at KGH for less than four hours will see their parking charge reduced shortly.

The current charge is £5.10 but that will drop with CP Plus taking over management of the hospital’s car parks. Northamptonshire Telegraph

The medico-legal crisis and how to solve it

The medico-legal crisis and how to solve it The author of this report concludes that the NHS' liabilities for medico-legal claims now total £65bn, draining the NHS of much-needed funds and putting patients at risk by driving GPs out of practice. The report puts forward nine recommendations to bring down costs for the NHS and provide better outcomes for patients. Centre for Policy Studies

Assaults on mental health staff up 25% in four years

Assaults on mental health staff up 25% in four years Mental health staff in the UK are working in a "powder keg" environment, as assaults by patients soar, a BBC investigation has revealed.

Figures obtained by 5 live Investigates show there were more than 42,000 reported attacks on staff in 2016-17 in the mental health trusts who responded.

The figure is more than a quarter higher than for the corresponding trusts four years earlier.

Health bosses say violence on NHS staff is "completely unacceptable".

Nearly two-thirds of mental health trusts in the UK provided data under a Freedom of Information request, which revealed assaults increased from 33,620 in 2012-13 to 42,692 last year. BBC News

See also:

• Struggling to cope: mental health staff and services under pressure. UNISON's survey report of mental health staff 2017 UNISON
• Rise in violent attacks by patients on NHS mental health staff The Guardian
• NHS mental health staff dealing with rise in violent incidents iNews

US-style abortion battles loom in UK amid claims of intimidation

US-style abortion battles loom in UK amid claims of intimidation As street tensions increase, pro-choice group says a London council must curb ‘harassment’ of women at Marie Stopes clinic

A London council will decide on Tuesday whether to pursue a public space protection order to prevent the harassment and intimidation of women accessing abortion services at the Marie Stopes clinic in Ealing, west London.

In the first case of its kind, Ealing council will debate the move after a petition from local pro-choice group, Sister Supporter, which demanded action to stop anti-abortion protesters holding vigils six days a week outside the clinic and approaching patients.

The people who frustrate the rights of women in the name of religion using moral blackmail are bullies of the worst kind Continue reading... The Guardian

Warnings on hospital crowding with doubling in legal actions by CQC

Warnings on hospital crowding with doubling in legal actions by CQC A growing crisis in hospital safety is revealed in official figures showing a doubling in the number of legal warnings issued by NHS watchdogs.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) launched 135 “enforcement actions” against hospitals in 2016/17 - a rise from 58 interventions the year before, the records show.

Overcrowding and staff shortages on health service wards were common themes in the notices, which are issued when care is so poor that it falls below legal requirements.

The findings come ahead of CQC’s annual State of Care report, which is expected to raise concerns about the capacity of NHS trusts to cope with rising pressures. The Daily Telegraph

25,000 operations cancelled last year due to NHS crisis

25,000 operations cancelled last year due to NHS crisis Twenty-five thousand operations are cancelled every year because hospitals are so full, an investigation by The Mail on Sunday has found.

A lack of beds is forcing the cancellation of 100 operations every working day across the NHS in England – a figure that has risen 35 per cent in just five years.

Dozens of trusts have seen bed-related cancellations double since 2012, with one soaring seven-fold.

Even urgent heart and cancer ops are being delayed, sometimes repeatedly, due to the shortage. The consequences can be fatal.

See also:

• Winter is coming and the situation in the NHS is desperate The Guardian

NHS patients aren't turning up to their GP appointments

NHS patients aren't turning up to their GP appointments Time-wasting patients are placing more strain on the NHS by not turning up to their GP appointments, damning research suggests.

Frustrated doctors have revealed that around one in 20 of their consultations are 'wasted' by patients who fail to attend.

Around 17 million appointments, which each last for around 10 minutes, are lost on a yearly basis because patients don't turn up, a survey suggests.

Leading medics have branded the figures as 'disappointing', as general practice is already considered to be 'at breaking point'. The Daily Mail

What do child health indicators tell us?

What do child health indicators tell us? Previously I have written about how the government hasn’t yet clearly set out a long-term, cross-departmental strategy for child health and wellbeing, echoing others including Professor Sir Al Aynsley Green, and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. But what is our ‘ask’ of national and local leaders?

To inform this, first we need to understand what’s working well for children and families, and what’s not, and it’s here that the child health indicators can help us. The King's Fund

Can you really link delayed discharge to mortality? The evidence is far from clear

Can you really link delayed discharge to mortality? The evidence is far from clear Newspapers have recently reported that up to 8,000 people die every year in England because of delays in discharging patients home from hospital. But what is the evidence for this claim?

The figures come from research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. In it, the authors analysed two data series: the number of patients experiencing delayed transfers of care in England each month, and the number of people who died in England each month. They found that in months with a greater number of delayed discharges there were a greater number of deaths, and this pattern seemed to be repeated over time.

The research is thought provoking, but by itself cannot be taken as implying delayed transfers are causing deaths. As the authors acknowledge in their paper, there are very significant limitations to their research, and there are other possible explanations for the patterns. The Health Foundation

Britain’s demographic challenge: the implications of the UK’s rapidly increasing population

Britain’s demographic challenge: the implications of the UK’s rapidly increasing population This report looks at the scale of the growing population of the UK, sets it in historical and international context and considers the challenges that it will present. It considers the implications including the need for new hospitals, schools, roads, jobs and leisure facilities. Civitas

Being a male midwife

Being a male midwife It's 40 years since men were first allowed to train as midwives in the UK, but they still only make up a tiny proportion of the profession. So when a teenage boy in Birmingham said he wanted to become a midwife, he found himself swimming against the tide.

Shortly before her due date, Michelle-Grace Osobase arrived on the antenatal ward. It was her third child and she wasn't expecting any surprises. But there was one thing she hadn't anticipated at all.

As she was guided along a spotless turquoise linoleum floor to her bed, Michelle-Grace, 28, noticed that one member of the hospital team stood out from the others. Literally.

This member of the team was 6ft 2in tall, with the broad shoulders of a former rugby player, and unlike 99.6% of registered midwives in the UK, he was a he. BBC News

Why is cancer a taboo in black and Asian communities?

Why is cancer a taboo in black and Asian communities? A BBC reporter who's been diagnosed with breast cancer is trying to persuade more black and Asian women to talk openly about the disease.

Satnam Rana, 40, who's keeping a video diary, said she came from a community that sometimes doesn't like "to face reality". BBC News

Noel Conway: Terminally ill man loses right-to-die case

Noel Conway: Terminally ill man loses right-to-die case A terminally ill man has lost his High Court challenge against the law on assisted dying.

Noel Conway, 67, from Shrewsbury, who has motor neurone disease, wanted a doctor to be allowed to prescribe a lethal dose when his health deteriorates.

Currently any doctor helping him to die would face up to 14 years in prison.

His lawyers had argued he faced a stark choice, which was unfair and the law needed to change. BBC News

NHS England drops plans to peer review all GP referrals, says BMA

NHS England drops plans to peer review all GP referrals, says BMA NHS England appears to have dropped plans to introduce clinical peer review of all GP referrals. GPonline

Child obesity is a 'national emergency'. So what is Jeremy Hunt doing about it?

Child obesity is a 'national emergency'. So what is Jeremy Hunt doing about it? At the Conservative party conference, the health secretary wore a lanyard advertising Tate & Lyle, which manufactures sugar – a leading cause of obesity

Obesity was a factor in more than 525,000 hospital admissions last year, and obesity rates have risen from 15% in 1993 to 27% in 2015.

Child health experts describe the level of childhood obesity in the United Kingdom as a “state of emergency”. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS figures show vasectomies are down 63% in a decade

NHS figures show vasectomies are down 63% in a decade The number of men having vasectomies has fallen by two thirds in 10 years, NHS figures show.

Experts say more men are choosing to preserve their fertility to have children later in life, particularly if their marriage breaks down.

The procedure is also being rationed by some NHS trusts and GPs in certain areas have been ordered to cap the number of referrals.

Figures from NHS Digital show that just 10,880 vasectomies were performed in 2015/16, down from 29,344 in 2005/6.

The biggest drop occurred between 2005/6 and 2014/15, and since then the reduction has started to stabilise slightly. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Sexual and Reproductive Health Services, England - 2016-17

New options for funding the NHS & social care in the UK: what can we learn from international experiences?

New options for funding the NHS & social care in the UK: what can we learn from international experiences? "Health and social care services in the UK are facing a major financial challenge. Demand pressures now outstrip planned funding. The task facing the government is not just to secure resources and deliver service change for the coming 5 years, but also to place health and social care services on strong financial foundations for the long term.

Public and political buy-in on long-term funding arrangements (how the money is raised to pay for care services) needs to be established. Understanding how the public will react to different funding models is as essential for policymakers as identifying the strengths and weaknesses of those models.

The Health Foundation has commissioned research led by RAND Europe to contribute to this evidence base by testing the acceptability among the public of future funding options for health and social care. The first stage of this research examined international experiences across countries that face challenges comparable to those in the UK."

New PHE figures show decline in HIV diagnosis rates

New PHE figures show decline in HIV diagnosis rates The decrease in HIV diagnoses in gay and bisexual men represents the most exciting development in the UK HIV epidemic in the last 20 years, when effective treatment became widely available. Public Health England

Prime Minister announces review to tackle detention of those with mental ill health

Prime Minister announces review to tackle detention of those with mental ill health Prime Minister Theresa May has announced plans for an independent review of mental health legislation and practice to tackle the issue of mental health detention.

There have been concerns that detention rates under the Mental Health Act – passed more than 3 decades ago – are too high. The number of detentions has been rising year on year. Last year on average there were 180 cases a day where people were sectioned under the terms of the act.

The Mental Health Act sets out rights and obligations that govern when and how the state can detain and treat someone in relation to their mental illness. It includes specific provision for individuals in contact with the criminal justice system.

People from black and minority ethnic populations are disproportionately affected, with black people in particular being almost 4 times more likely than white people to be detained.

The review will be chaired by Professor Sir Simon Wessely, a former President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. It will seek to address concerns about how the legislation is currently being used, and give recommendations for improving practice in the future. Department of Health

Recruitment through Social Media

Recruitment through Social Media A new case study on how Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NUTH) developed a social media strategy to engage with a wider audience, improve the quality and quantity of candidates, and target passive job seekers. NHS Employers

Regulating clinical trials

Regulating clinical trials This briefing describes the new EU Clinical Trial Regulation and the timetable for its implementation and examines its likely impact on the regulation of clinical trials in the UK post-Brexit. Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology

Patterns of Collaboration Among Health Care and Social Services Providers in Communities with Lower Health Care Utilization and Costs

Patterns of Collaboration Among Health Care and Social Services Providers in Communities with Lower Health Care Utilization and Costs Commonwealth Fund–supported researchers explored how providers coordinate with local social services organizations and identified attributes common to “high-performing communities” where older adults’ health care use and costs are comparatively low.

England to consider optout organ donation

England to consider optout organ donation A consultation on introducing an optout system for organ donation is to be held in England, ministers say.

Currently anyone who wants to donate their organs after death has to "opt in" through the donor card scheme.

But a new system, whereby it will be presumed an adult's body can be used in transplants in the absence of express permission, will now be considered.

Wales has already introduced an optout system, while Scotland has said it will be following suit. BBC News

See also:

• Government announces consultation on organ donation opt-out system Department of Health
• What is the new opt-out organ donor system? The Daily Mail

Only half of new cancer drugs extend or improve life

Only half of new cancer drugs extend or improve life Barely half of new cancer drug indications approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had evidence that they offered a survival or quality of life gain over existing treatments or placebo, according to a new study published today in The BMJ. Its authors suggest this shows that regulatory evidence standards are failing to meet the needs of patients, clinicians, and healthcare systems. Experts have called for health technology assessment programmes to demand that the pharma industry evaluates survival directly in methodologically rigorous trials, rather than relying on modelling using surrogate markers. OnMedica

Royal Cornwall hospital put in special measures after patient deaths

Royal Cornwall hospital put in special measures after patient deaths People have been dying and going blind waiting for treatment, says CQC report, one of the most critical it has ever published

Cornwall’s main NHS hospital is being put into special measures after inspectors uncovered a catalogue of serious failings, including patients dying and others going blind after waiting too long for treatment.

A Care Quality Commission report on care and safety standards at the Royal Cornwall hospitals NHS trust is one of the most critical the watchdog has ever published. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust inspection report Care Quality Commission
• Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust patients 'died waiting for care' BBC News
• Patients died of heart failure and went blind after operation delays at failing hospital, report reveals The Daily Telegraph

NHS England to face court over patient kept alive by blood transfusions

NHS England to face court over patient kept alive by blood transfusions Mother of woman with eating disorders wants ruling on whether monthly treatment is in daughter’s best interests

NHS England is to be questioned in court about its treatment of a woman with severe eating disorders who is being kept alive by monthly blood transfusions.

The patient, who is in her 30s, is being cared for in a London hospital, the court of protection has been told, but wants to return home to die if she is not given additional psychiatric care. Continue reading... The Guardian

Nine in ten areas to have a shortage of care home places within five years

Nine in ten areas to have a shortage of care home places within five years Nine in ten areas will have a shortage of care home beds within five years, a watchdog has found.

Research by Which? shows that there will be 42,000 fewer care home beds than are needed across the country, and that 87 per cent of areas will be short.

The total shortfall is expected to rise from 9,807 next year to 18,832 in 2019 and 32,593 by 2021.

The report assumes that all local authorities are not currently experiencing a serious shortfall of beds and estimates how this is likely to change over time based on care home closures or new places being added. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Care homes places 'crisis' in five years across England BBC News

One in four NHS prostate cancer units shut

One in four NHS prostate cancer units shut One in four NHS prostate cancer units have closed in the last seven years because they could not afford expensive surgical robots - despite claims the machines are unproven.

A report in the Lancet Oncology journal warns 16 hospitals in England stopped offering prostate surgery because patients want to be treated by a robot instead of a surgeon.

The study found they were losing patients to richer, larger hospitals, usually in big cities, which could afford the latest £1.5million surgical robots.

The researchers, led by experts at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and King's College London, warn there is no evidence these robots actually improve care.

Yet patients are increasingly choosing to travel miles from their home to access the treatment. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Effect of patient choice and hospital competition on service configuration and technology adoption within cancer surgery: a national, population-based study (open access) Lancet Oncology

Deprivation of liberty safeguards

Deprivation of liberty safeguards Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards were introduced into the Mental Capacity Act by the Mental Health Act 2007. This briefing describes recent and proposed changes, including the Law Commission review. House of Commons Library

NHS: Jeremy Hunt wants 5,000 new nursing training places

NHS: Jeremy Hunt wants 5,000 new nursing training places More than 5,000 new places on nursing training courses are to be created each year as part of government efforts to boost the NHS workforce in England.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said more current NHS staff would be able to retrain as nurses through a four-year apprenticeship at local hospitals.

Announcing what he said was a 25% total rise, he told the Tory conference "our NHS is nothing without its nurses".

He also said all NHS staff would be offered flexible working arrangements.

The Royal College of Nursing says there are 40,000 vacant nursing positions in the health service while the Nursing and Midwifery Council warned this summer that the number of people leaving their register was outstripping those joining and the trend was accelerating. BBC News

See also:

• Health Secretary announces nursing workforce reforms Department of Health
• Jeremy Hunt pledges 5,000 extra trainee nurses places The Daily Telegraph
• Jeremy Hunt announces 5,000 more nurse training places OnMedica

Hunt 'confident' EU NHS workers will be allowed to remain post Brexit

Hunt 'confident' EU NHS workers will be allowed to remain post Brexit Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has said he is confident that the 150,000 EU staff who work in the NHS and social care will be allowed to remain in the UK, with the same rights and benefits as they currently have, following Brexit. GPonline

Switch to vaping could prevent millions of premature deaths

Switch to vaping could prevent millions of premature deaths Over 6 million premature deaths could be prevented if smokers switched to e-cigarettes over a ten-year period.

This is the finding of a study published this week in Tobacco Control.

A research team, led by Dr David Levy at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington DC, modelled the impact for public health if large numbers of cigarette smokers switched to e-cigarettes (vaping) under two scenarios – an Optimistic Scenario where smoking prevalence falls to 5% over a ten-year period and a Pessimistic Scenario where it falls to 10%.

For the Optimistic Scenario, the researchers presumed similar patterns of e-cigarette use to now and used published evaluations of likely harm reductions. OnMedica

The NHS needs a digitally savvy workforce to ensure its survival

The NHS needs a digitally savvy workforce to ensure its survival Frontline staff are frustrated they can’t make more use of digital tools and data but a new academy could help by training 300 technology leaders

It was in the early hours of a Saturday morning that I admitted 83-year-old Mrs J, who was brought in feeling unwell and drowsy with a chesty cough.

After carrying out investigations, we treated her for a chest infection with antibiotics and fluids. I was called back an hour later. Mrs J was not well. Her blood pressure was dropping, her lips swelling and she had started to develop a rash. It became evident she was allergic to the antibiotic we had given her. Continue reading... The Guardian

Bill for urgent repairs at NHS hospitals reaches almost £1bn

Bill for urgent repairs at NHS hospitals reaches almost £1bn Report finds crumbling state of hospitals is putting staff and patients at risk and could lead to health and safety prosecutions

Hospitals are at growing risk of “catastrophic failure” because the bill for urgent repairs for problems that threaten staff and patient safety has soared to almost £1bn, an NHS report reveals.

The cost of undertaking urgent “high-risk” maintenance in hospitals jumped last year from £775.5m to £947.1m – a rise of 22% – according to figures published by the NHS’s statistical arm. Continue reading... The Guardian

Half of dentists plan to quit the NHS within five years

Half of dentists plan to quit the NHS within five years Dental services are facing a crisis as more than half of dentists plan to leave the NHS within five years, a study reveals today.

It found that 58 per cent want to go private, move overseas, retire or quit the profession.

Many of those who want to leave the NHS are newly qualified and under the age of 35. The Daily Mail

Fire service scheme helps Northamptonshire people stay safe and independent at home

Fire service scheme helps Northamptonshire people stay safe and independent at home A pilot scheme providing health and wellbeing advice to help vulnerable and older people stay safe and independent at home is being expanded by Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS).


The Safe and Well initiative was developed as a national concept by the Chief Fire Officers’ Association, with guidance from Public Health England, to address the link between fire and health and social care factors.

In Northamptonshire, it has been piloted as an expansion of an existing home safety visit scheme, where firefighters visit homes to provide fire safety advice and is primarily aimed at older people, especially those who live alone. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Sustainability and transformation plans and partnerships

Sustainability and transformation plans and partnerships This House of Commons Library briefing covers the context in which STPs have been developed, their funding and accountability arrangements as well as their progress so far. A key role of these partnerships was the creation of local blueprints for delivering the 5YFV, known as sustainability and transformation plans (STPs). This briefing therefore explores how these plans were developed, as well as research and debate surrounding the content and implementation of these plans.

New Deputy Chief Medical Officer appointed

New Deputy Chief Medical Officer appointed The Department of Health has confirmed the appointment of Professor Jonathan Van-Tam as the new Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England.

Professor Van-Tam will take up the position on 2 October 2017. He replaces Professor John Watson who is retiring after 4 years in the role.

The Deputy Chief Medical Officers are senior public health leaders who support the Chief Medical Officer – the most senior adviser on health and medicine to the UK government.

Professor Van-Tam is an internationally recognised flu, vaccine and respiratory expert. During his 25-year career, he has advised the World Health Organization, the UK Government and The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control on influenza and other respiratory virus infections.

Latest trends in district nurse student numbers

Latest trends in district nurse student numbers The aim of this research is to measure how many nurses are undertaking this specialist education at any one time and how many are likely to graduate in the near future. Some students study full time over the course of one year, whereas others study part time over the course of two years.

The QNI originally began to research the number of District Nurse SPQ students in education, due to concerns that numbers were falling over time and that the quality of patient care would be impacted by this loss of skills in the District Nursing workforce. The Queen's Nursing Institute

Flu vaccine: NHS patients wanted to test 'universal' jab

Flu vaccine: NHS patients wanted to test 'universal' jab Researchers are seeking about 500 NHS patients to try out a new "universal" vaccine against seasonal flu.

The experimental vaccine works differently from the one currently available, which has to be remade each year based on a "best guess" of what type of flu is likely to be about.

The new jab targets part of the virus that does not change each year.

This means the vaccine should work against human, bird and swine flu, say the team at University of Oxford.

It will offer people better protection, they believe. BBC News

Mental health: 10 charts on the scale of the problem

Mental health: 10 charts on the scale of the problem At any one time, a sixth of the population in England aged 16 to 64 have a mental health problem, according to statistics body NHS Digital.

Whether it is family or friends, neighbours or work colleagues, the chances are we all know someone who is affected.

And bearing in mind the figure leaves out less common conditions and is a snapshot in time, you could easily argue it is even more prevalent than that. Indeed many do.

With Prime Minister Theresa May expected to announce plans to improve care next week, these 10 charts show the extent of the challenge. BBC News

NHS privatisation exposed: Scale of treatment for paying patients at NHS hospitals revealed

NHS privatisation exposed: Scale of treatment for paying patients at NHS hospitals revealed An investigation by The Independent has exposed the extent of creeping NHS privatisation, leaving experts warning that state patients risk being sidelined as beds are diverted to private users.

Data obtained under Freedom of Information law shows income from private patients at one of London’s best-known cancer-specialist hospitals doubled in six years as the law was changed to allow NHS trusts to do more paid work.

Statistics quietly released by the Government show the situation is not isolated, with the total amount of income NHS England made from private patients leaping by a third between 2011-12 and 2016-17.

Dementia is a terrible word. Why do people still use it?

Dementia is a terrible word. Why do people still use it? It’s important to get an early diagnosis but the word is offensive and takes power away from people

Dementia is a word with a horrific impact.

I’m talking about the word and its origins, not the disease. I have observed people living well with dementia and this antiquated and negative term belittles the contribution to society that they can make. I am in my third year of a PhD and my research is based in care homes where I get to observe good care that challenges, includes and promotes a sense of purpose for residents with dementia. Before this I worked as a community nurse. Continue reading... The Guardian

Protesters stage London demo against plans for patient ID checks

Protesters stage London demo against plans for patient ID checks Critics fear checks will destroy relationship NHS staff have with patients and create climate of fear that stops people accessing care

Protesters gathered at St Thomas’ hospital in central London on Saturday to voice opposition to the introduction of ID checks at hospitals and up-front charges for patients not eligible for NHS care.

People from overseas are already liable for the cost of treatment, but new rules will require hospitals, community interest companies and charities receiving NHS funds to identify such patients before treatment in order to bill them. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS is not fit for the 21st century hospital chief inspector warns

NHS is not fit for the 21st century hospital chief inspector warns The NHS is not fit for the 21st century, the new chief inspector of hospitals has said - warning all trusts to take urgent steps to make Accident & Emergency departments safe.

Prof Ted Baker said it was “not acceptable” to keep “piling patients into corridors” as he urged hospital leaders to act swiftly to guard the safety of those in their care.

In his first interview as chief inspector, he said too many hospitals had normalised “wholly unsatisfactory” arrangements which endangered patients, as well as denying basic privacy and dignity. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• NHS 'not fit for 21st Century', says chief hospital inspector BBC News
• NHS is not fit for 21st century, says hospital inspector The Daily Mail
• Patients left to die in A&E are a 'tragic' symptom of a failing system The Daily Telegraph
• NHS not fit for the 21st century, says chief inspector of hospitals The Guardian

NHS accused of 'culling the sick' as free transport to dialysis stopped

NHS accused of 'culling the sick' as free transport to dialysis stopped The NHS has been accused of “cullling the sick” after drawing up plans to stop funding transport for dialysis patients.

Under the rationing proposals, patients with kidney failure living in rural areas will be expected to make their own way to treatment, which some say will cost them hundreds of pounds in buses and taxis.

Charities described the plans as “outrageous” - and said they were “extremely worried” that patients - especially the elderly and vulnerable - would die as a result of the changes, planned across the NHS in Cornwall. The Daily Telegraph

Bed-blocking 'is causing 8,000 deaths every year'

Bed-blocking 'is causing 8,000 deaths every year' Up to 8,000 people die every year because of bed-blocking on NHS wards, experts claim.

The toll is the result of so-called delayed discharges, in which there are no beds for those who need surgery because patients who have been treated and are medically fit to go home cannot leave hospital.

This leads to the cancellation of operations, which may not be rescheduled for weeks. Research by experts at the universities of Oxford, Liverpool, York and Glasgow suggests this may lead to thousands of deaths.

Using NHS figures from August 2010 to March 2016, the team found that when delayed discharges rose sharply between 2014 and 2015 the number of deaths in the wider population soared as well. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Could the rise in mortality rates since 2015 be explained by changes in the number of delayed discharges of NHS patients? (open access) Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
• England and Wales death rate rise linked to longer stays in hospital BBC News
• Up to 8,000 deaths a year may be caused by rising bed-blocking The Daily Telegraph
• Delayed hospital transfers may explain rise in population deaths OnMedica

Middle England's £623million bailout for the NHS

Middle England's £623million bailout for the NHS Britain's hard-pressed middle class is being forced to plunder savings and rack up huge debts to pay a staggering £623 million for vital operations that NHS hospitals are struggling to perform.

Record numbers of patients are shelling out up to £15,000 a time, after being told they must wait many months for treatment despite being in extreme pain, according to a hard-hitting report.

They are cashing in ISAs and pensions, taking out loans, borrowing from families and friends, and 'maxing out' credit cards to fund treatment they should have had sooner on the NHS, say experts. The Daily Mail

The King’s Fund warns against further hospital bed cuts

The King’s Fund warns against further hospital bed cuts With hospitals full to capacity, NHS plans in some areas to cut hospital beds are undesirable and unachievable, warns The King’s Fund in a new report.

New analysis for the report finds that the total number of NHS hospital beds in England has more than halved over the past 30 years, from around 299,000 to 142,000, as more people with mental illness and learning disabilities are cared for in the community and medical advances have reduced the time many patients spend in hospital. Although it finds that most advanced nations have reduced hospital bed numbers in recent years, the report shows that the NHS now has fewer acute hospital beds per person than almost any other comparable health system. The King's Fund

See also:

• Hospital bed numbers – can the downward trend continue? The King's Fund
• Number of NHS hospital beds has halved in three decades The Daily Mail
• Number of NHS beds has halved in 30 years, major study warns The Daily Telegraph
• Struggling NHS faces 'unrealistic' bed cuts Sky News

Is investment in GP services increasing?

Is investment in GP services increasing? The government and the national NHS bodies have made attempts to recognise and address the issues facing general practice. In April 2016, NHS England published the General practice forward view, which outlined a range of initiatives and investment for general practice. Among the measures it introduced were a programme to address some of the administrative burdens placed on GPs, initiatives to improve mental health support for GPs and support to deal with rising indemnity costs. Many of the measures focused on recruitment, both through training more GPs and by recruiting from abroad, although figures so far suggest that the government’s target of 5,000 more GPs by 2021 will not be met. The King's Fund

Resilience and recovery: What the NHS can learn from the education and criminal justice sectors

Resilience and recovery: What the NHS can learn from the education and criminal justice sectors Following Mid Staffs and other high-profile failures of NHS care, the Health Foundation commissioned research into what the NHS can learn from other sectors.

A team from the University of Leicester and Cardiff University examined failure, recovery and resilience in the criminal justice system (policing, youth justice, prisons) and education. The research examined the journey to recovery for six previously failing or poorly performing organisations, to identify the key strategic themes and actions that are relevant for health care policy and practice.

Urgent action needed to tackle staffing crisis

Urgent action needed to tackle staffing crisis Hospitals and health care providers must examine whether they have enough staff to deliver safe patient care this winter as the RCN discloses the concerns of frontline nursing staff.

More than 30,000 members responded to a survey seeking to gain a snapshot of their experiences on the last shift they worked.

The results, published in a new RCN report, paint a perturbing picture of staff stretched to the limit and compromised patient care.

Over half said there were less nursing staff on shift than planned and that care quality suffered as a result. Royal College of Nursing

See also:

• NHS staff shortages 'mean patients dying alone' in hospitals BBC News
• Patients are dying ALONE in hospitals, report reveals The Daily Mail
• Nurses so overworked they are forced to leave patients to die alone, survey finds The Daily Telegraph
• NHS nurses are too busy to care for patients properly, research shows The Guardian
• Shortages are compromising patient care, new report warns OnMedica