Employee engagement, sickness absence and agency spend in NHS trusts

Employee engagement, sickness absence and agency spend in NHS trusts This report, commissioned by NHS England and produced by The King’s Fund, describes an analysis of the links between employee engagement, sickness absence and spend on agency staff in NHS trusts in England in 2016/17.

See also:

• It’s not about the money: staff engagement comes first The King's Fund

England’s top nurse announces major new recruitment and retention campaign to coincide with 70th anniversary of NHS

England’s top nurse announces major new recruitment and retention campaign to coincide with 70th anniversary of NHS England’s top nurse to announce a major new recruitment and retention campaign for the profession today as part of plans to mark the NHS’s landmark 70th year.

The new campaign will spotlight the enormous contribution of nurses and midwives in the NHS now and over the last seven decades, and look at the wide ranging career opportunities in the 21st century NHS in a drive to recruit and retain more nurses and midwives into the profession. NHS England

Five patients made 8,303 emergency calls in a year

Five patients made 8,303 emergency calls in a year Ambulances and emergency response vehicles were deployed more than 1,500 times to five patients in 12 months, the BBC has learned.

A total of 8,303 emergency calls were made by the five most frequent UK callers.

An NHS spokesman said the calls were often related to mental health, chronic pain and alcohol or drug dependence.

Vicki Nash from mental health charity Mind said the figures show that individuals' needs were not being met.

The figures were released after a Freedom of Information request to the UK's 14 ambulance trusts. BBC News

RCGP demands NHS Digital U-turn over data sharing deal with Home Office

RCGP demands NHS Digital U-turn over data sharing deal with Home Office NHS Digital's decision to continue sharing data from GP patient records with the Home Office undermines confidentiality and could put vulnerable patients at risk, the RCGP has warned. GPonline

See also:

• RCGP condemns NHS Digital decision to ignore recommendations to suspend MOU with Home Office Royal College of General Practitioners

Energy drinks: MPs investigate popularity among young people

Energy drinks: MPs investigate popularity among young people Concerns have been raised about potential health impact of consuming high-caffeine drinks

MPs have launched an investigation into energy drinks and their popularity with young people in the UK, amid growing concerns about negative health outcomes due to their high caffeine and sugar content.

The Commons science and technology committee will question why, when most UK supermarkets have introduced a voluntary ban on their sale to under-16s, there are no similar restrictions in many convenience stores, newsagents and smaller retailers.Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS intensive care units sending patients elsewhere due to lack of beds

NHS intensive care units sending patients elsewhere due to lack of beds Exclusive: Doctors say 80% of units sending patients to other hospitals amid chronic shortages

Patients whose lives are at risk are being turned away from their local hospitals because of a lack of intensive care beds, doctors who work in those units have revealed.

Four in five intensive care units (ICUs) are having to send patients to other hospitals as a result of chronic bed and staff shortages. Continue reading... The Guardian

Flu jab only worked in quarter of cases, new figures show

Flu jab only worked in quarter of cases, new figures show The flu jab worked in just a quarter of cases this winter, new figures reveal.

Health officials said they were “hostage to fortune” because decisions on the make-up of vaccinations are taken long before winter starts, making it impossible to adjust jabs to best match the threat

Next winter a new boosted jab will be offered to all elderly people, following concern about low effectiveness of the vaccines offered to the elderly in recent years.

Health officials told a meeting of the Commons Science and Technology Select Committee that the jab could not have been offered earlier, because it was only licensed last summer, months after the World Health Organisation (WHO) makes its recommendations. The Daily Telegraph

NHS spends £25million on acupuncture each year

NHS spends £25million on acupuncture each year Taxpayers are funding an estimated £25million of NHS acupuncture every year despite a lack of evidence it works, experts have warned.

Doctors should stop recommending acupuncture for pain because there is ‘insufficient evidence it is clinically worthwhile’, two scientists wrote in the British Medical Journal.

Even in China – the country that invented the practice, which usually involves putting needles in the skin – it was ‘considered irrational and superstitious’ as far back as 1700, they said. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Head To Head: Should doctors recommend acupuncture for pain? (open access) The BMJ

KGH: Don’t visit A&E unless absolutely essential

KGH: Don’t visit A&E unless absolutely essential Kettering General Hospital has pleaded with the public not to visit A&E unless they absolutely have to.

The hospital is extremely busy and is currently seeing a lot of seriously unwell older patients.

 Anyone attending who is not a very urgent case is likely to wait longer than normal to be seen.

A KGH spokesman said: “If there is any way you can avoid using A&E by accessing other NHS services please do so.  Northamptonshire Telegraph

NHS Staff Survey 2017 results are “challenging"

NHS Staff Survey 2017 results are “challenging”  The results of NHS England’s latest Staff Survey 2017 are “challenging”, show that staff cannot absorb further work pressures, and show that investment is needed in health and social care services, according to NHS Employers chief executive Danny Mortimer.

See also:

• 2017 survey results NHS Survey Coordination Centre
• NHS England publishes latest NHS staff survey results NHS England
• 'Woeful' pay rises have taken their toll on NHS staff The Daily Mail

Leeds hospital ward killings revealed in report

Leeds hospital ward killings revealed in report Two men died after being attacked on a hospital ward by a fellow patient with paranoid schizophrenia whose drugs had been stopped, it has emerged.

Roger Lamb, 79, and Ken Godward, 76, were beaten by 70-year-old Harry Bosomworth at St James's University Hospital, Leeds, in 2015.

A report, leaked to the Health Service Journal (HSJ), found nurses on the ward had little mental health care training.

Two trusts have admitted failings and said they were working on improvements. BBC News

See also:

• Two elderly patients killed on acute hospital ward, investigation reveals The Daily Telegraph
• NHS trusts accused of cover-up over attack on hospital ward The Guardian

Alzheimer's researchers win brain prize

Alzheimer's researchers win brain prize Four dementia scientists have shared this year's 1m Euro brain prize for pivotal work that has changed our understanding of Alzheimer's disease.

Profs John Hardy, Bart De Strooper, Michael Goedert, based in the UK, and Prof Christian Haass, from Germany, unpicked key protein changes that lead to this most common type of dementia.

On getting the award, Prof Hardy said he hoped new treatments could be found.

He is donating some of his prize money to care for Alzheimer's patients. BBC News

Exclusive: GPs face growing risk from violent patients, poll suggests

Exclusive: GPs face growing risk from violent patients, poll suggests One in three GPs have felt threatened by a patient and one in six say they or a colleague have been attacked in their practice in the past year, GPonline can reveal.

Nursing associates: will they become a cheap substitute for nurses?

Nursing associates: will they become a cheap substitute for nurses? As the first cohort of trainees prepare for this new NHS role, there are fears it could be exploited and become a dead-end job

Hilda Alexis has always wanted to be a nurse. But lack of educational opportunity and raising a family meant that being a healthcare assistant was the closest she thought she would ever get. Now, mid-career, she has a chance to realise her dream.

Alexis is one of the first 2,000 trainee nursing associates (NAs) who are part way through preparation for a new role in the NHS in England. The job is seen as a bridge between healthcare assistant and registered nurse (RN), taking on some tasks usually performed by the latter. But it will also offer a route for some NAs to qualify as nurses. Continue reading.. The Guardian

NHS shortfalls affected dozens of mental health patients who later died

NHS shortfalls affected dozens of mental health patients who later died Legal warnings issued to health bodies prompt claims poorly funded services cannot cope

A lack of beds, staff and specialist services affected the care of dozens of mental health patients who later died, the Guardian can reveal. Coroners have identified 45 cases in England and Wales in the last six years in which a patient’s NHS treatment for mental health problems was affected by the issues. Continue reading...

See also:

• The Guardian view on mental health: saving lives requires money and monitoring | Editorial The Guardian

NHS trusts accused of creating ‘dozens of Carillion-style meltdowns’

NHS trusts accused of creating ‘dozens of Carillion-style meltdowns’ Thousands of non-medical staff are being transferred to subsidiary firms in a bid to cut tax bills and reduce salaries and pension payments

Growing numbers of hospital trusts are transferring staff into newly created private subsidiary firms in a move health unions warn will create a “two-tier workforce” in the NHS. Trusts are starting to see subsidiaries as a way of saving money after seven years of below-inflation annual budget increases and mounting financial problems due to an increased demand for healthcare.

Nineteen NHS trusts in England have already established a wholly owned subsidiary and begun transferring thousands of non-medical staff to them. Sixteen other trusts are considering doing the same in a fast-growing change in practice that they insist is intended to save money as employers, especially through paying less VAT. While private firms working for the NHS can claim back any VAT they are charged by the government, an NHS trust cannot, under the terms of the 1994 VAT Act. Continue reading... The Guardian

Trampolining craze is leaving children with broken bones, health bosses warn

Trampolining craze is leaving children with broken bones, health bosses warn A craze for trampolining is leaving children with broken bones, health bosses have warned.

NHS staff attended an average of three injuries a day at indoor trampoline parks in England last year, mainly treating broken bones, sprains, and ligament damage after 1,181 call outs, new figures show.

The number of injuries, the figures indicate, have shot up as indoor trampoline venues in the UK increased dramatically from just three 2014 to around 200 this year. The Daily Telegraph

Safety net: The impact of cyberbullying on children and young people's mental health

Safety net: The impact of cyberbullying on children and young people's mental health Social media companies aren’t doing enough to tackle cyberbullying putting young people’s mental health at risk. Social media is always present making cyberbullying inescapable for thousands of children. Young people want social media companies to get tougher on cyberbullying.

The report of our inquiry with YoungMinds contains recommendations calling on social media companies to take faster and firmer action to stop cyberbullying. The inquiry led by Alex Chalk MP heard from young people, adult industry experts, and social media companies on what more can be done to tackle cyberbullying and promote good mental health. The Children's Society

Plans to cut excess calorie consumption unveiled

Plans to cut excess calorie consumption unveiled Major steps to cut people’s excessive calorie intake have been unveiled by Public Health England (PHE) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), as part of the government’s strategy to cut childhood and adult obesity.

The package includes:

• new evidence highlighting overweight or obese boys and girls consume up to 500 and 290 calories too many each day respectively
• a challenge to the food industry to reduce calories in products consumed by families by 20% by 2024
• the launch of the latest One You campaign, encouraging adults to consume 400 calories at breakfast, and 600 for lunch and dinner. This comes as adults consume 200 to 300 calories in excess each day

Too many children and most adults are overweight or obese, suffering consequences from bullying and low self-esteem in childhood, to type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers as adults. An obese parent is more likely to have an obese child, who in turn is more likely to grow up into an obese adult.

See also:

• Research and analysis: Calorie reduction: the scope and ambition for action Public Health England
• Britain needs to go on a diet, says top health official BBC News
• Public Health England wants us to get into habit of calorie counting The Daily Mail

'Opportunities missed' by trust before Poundland attack

'Opportunities missed' by trust before Poundland attack A coroner has criticised an NHS trust over how it treated a schizophrenic drug addict who stabbed a man to death in a Poundland store.

Trevor Joyce attacked Justin Skrebowski with a knife from the shop in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in December 2015.

Oxfordshire Coroner Darren Salter said important information about Joyce was not passed to police.

Mr Skrebowski's widow said her husband "paid with his life" because of failings in Joyce's care.

In a statement Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust apologised and said it had implemented a number of changes after a review of the case. BBC News

Hundreds of mental health patients dying after NHS care failures

Hundreds of mental health patients dying after NHS care failures Guardian investigation finds 271 highly vulnerable patients died between 2012 and 2017 after 706 failings by health bodies.

At least 271 highly vulnerable mental health patients have died over the last six years after failings in NHS care, a Guardian investigation has found.

Coroners have been so alarmed at the lapses in care that emerged during inquests that they issued legal warnings to 136 NHS bodies, mainly providers of care, between 2012 and 2017. They included mental health trusts, acute hospitals, ambulance services and GP surgeries. Continue reading...

See also:

• How the Guardian investigated mental health patient deaths The Guardian
• ‘My son was left to rot at home’ The Guardian
• ‘She was screaming out for help’ The Guardian

If Hadiza Bawa-Garba worked in the US she would still be a doctor

If Hadiza Bawa-Garba worked in the US she would still be a doctor In the individualistic US medical errors are blamed on systems but in the collectivist NHS individuals are blamed for errors.

When I moved to Philadelphia for training in radiology, three things struck me about the US – the numerous types of bagels, defensive medicine, and the amount of support for trainee doctors. American medicine, though famously litigious, protects its residents (trainees), who work as hard as their British counterparts, and often make critical decisions, sometimes unsupervised, but rarely unsupported.

I’ve trained in both systems, as a surgical senior house officer in Britain and a radiology resident in the US, and the difference between the two systems for trainees is stark. In the US residents must gradually earn their independence; in Britain independence isn’t earned but assumed. I was on call overnight, unsupervised in a busy A&E in London 18 months after qualifying from medical school, with no consultant or registrar on site. This would be unthinkable in the US. I never complained because I enjoyed the independence and felt supported by the nurses. In hindsight, I feel goosebumps knowing that I was only one catastrophic error from facing the same fate as Hadiza Bawa-Garba, the paediatric registrar convicted for manslaughter for missing sepsis. Continue reading... The Guardian

7 million UK women suffer urinary incontinence

7 million UK women suffer urinary incontinence 7 million women suffer incontinence: Now, the UK’s top doctor has revealed her own ordeal to break the most embarrassing taboo of all.

'We women, after we’ve had babies, can be damaged so that we get incontinence and actually — I’ve never gone public about this — after my first child I could only go three yards before I peed my pants.'

These are the words of Dame Sally Davies, England’s chief medical officer, who last week, revealed she’d been virtually housebound for six weeks after the birth of her first daughter Olivia, now 26. The Daily Mail

More than 44,000 patients affected by an IT glitch

More than 44,000 patients affected by an IT glitch More than 44,000 patients have been affected by an IT glitch that means some of their medical data has been lost.

GPs at affected practices will have to review their records to ensure information is up-to-date for each of their patients.

Pathology results, vaccine uptake and read codes have been lost at around 2,500 surgeries across England.

It comes at a time when resource-strapped doctors have warned they are overwhelmed by a surge in demand amid the 'worst winter ever'. The Daily Mail

5,000 flu and norovirus patients are still stuck in hospital

5,000 flu and norovirus patients are still stuck in hospital More than 5,000 patients are still stuck in hospital with flu and norovirus – the equivalent of one in 20 NHS beds.

Three times as many people have had to stay in hospital this year after the worst flu season in seven years.

This has combined with a spike in norovirus cases to fill the equivalent of ten acute hospitals with these patients alone, the head of NHS England warned.

Simon Stevens said NHS staff had worked tirelessly to cope with this winter’s pressures. He praised their efforts at reducing so-called bedblocking, adding that the health service had ‘turned the corner’ by working with councils to enable patients to be discharged more quickly. The Daily Mail

Shock figures reveal Corby is the suicide capital of England

Shock figures reveal Corby is the suicide capital of England Death records have revealed the suicide capital of England.

Some of the nation's favourite seaside resorts feature at the top of the list - while Corby had the highest rate in the entire country.

Government statistics, crunched by MailOnline, reveal 17.5 people in every 10,000 commit suicide in the Northamptonshire town.

Corby was hit by the decline of its steel industry in the 1980s which saw thousands of people in the town being made redundant.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show that in the last three years there were a total of 14,277 deaths classified as suicides.

But they also show a huge variation across the country - with some parts of England having three times the suicide rate of others. The Daily Mail

Old, disabled and poor will feel impact of Northants County Council belt-tightening budget

Old, disabled and poor will feel impact of Northants County Council belt-tightening budget The brunt of the of the drastic cuts to Northamptonshire County Council’s budget will be borne by the old, the disabled, the poor and the young.

The council’s own damning analysis of its sweeping cuts is detailed in its Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) written by its own officers. Northampton Chronicle and ECHO

Medication without harm: A challenge for social care as well as the NHS

Medication without harm: A challenge for social care as well as the NHS In March 2017, the World Health Organisation (WHO) launched its third Global Patient Safety Challenge, Medication Without Harm, with the ambitious goal of reducing avoidable medication-related harm by 50% worldwide over the next five years.

This ambitious challenge was taken up last week by Jeremy Hunt, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. Speaking at the World Patient Safety, Science and Technology Summit, he highlighted that an estimated 237 million drug errors occur each year in England, and set out new proposals to tackle what he described as ‘appalling levels of harm and death that are totally avoidable’. The government’s new proposals include accelerating the rollout of electronic prescribing systems in hospitals, decriminalising errors by pharmacists to encourage learning and transparency, and expanding the use of PINCER, an IT tool recently supported by the Health Foundation that identifies patients at risk of hazardous prescribing. 

Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision – our response

Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision – our response In January 2017, Theresa May announced the government’s intention to publish a Green Paper on children and young people’s mental health tackling the burning injustice of poor mental health care. The Green Paper Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision was published at the end of 2017, and a subsequent consultation paper outlines how the government intends to achieve this. The King's Fund

Is it wrong to be blunt about obesity?

Is it wrong to be blunt about obesity? When Cancer Research this week revealed that millennials are set to become the most overweight generation since records began, there was a key message - after smoking, obesity is the second biggest cause of cancer.

It called for a ban on junk food advertising and urged people to eat healthier, more balanced diets.

But not everyone appreciated the tone of the message.

The award-winning Danish comedian Sofie Hagen, who lives in London and has written for the BBC about her social anxiety, took to Twitter to criticise the campaign, which she said was "incredibly damaging". BBC News

Admissions to hospital for drug-related mental health problems soar

Admissions to hospital for drug-related mental health problems soar NHS hospitals in England treating twice as many people with drug-related disorders as they did 10 years ago

Soaring numbers of children, young people and pensioners in England are being taken to hospital after suffering serious mental disorders as a result of taking drugs, NHS figures reveal.

Hospitals are treating more than double the number of people for what the NHS calls “drug-related mental and behavioural disorders” than they did 10 years ago. Continue reading... The Guardian

Britain's contaminated blood scandal: ‘I need them to admit they killed our son’

Britain's contaminated blood scandal: ‘I need them to admit they killed our son’ In the 1970s and 80s, 4,689 British haemophiliacs were treated with contaminated blood products. So far, more than half of them have died. The government knew there were risks involved. The patients didn’t. Will they ever get justice?

It has been called the biggest treatment disaster in the history of the NHS, and a “horrific human tragedy”. But Su Gorman, whose husband has endured years of ill health as a result of haemophilia treatment, does not believe this adequately describes Britain’s contaminated blood scandal. As far as she is concerned, it is simply a crime.

In the 1970s and 80s, 4,689 haemophiliacs became infected with hepatitis C and HIV after they were treated with contaminated blood products supplied by the NHS. Of those infected, 2,883 have since died.

Waiting for the result, I lived in fear. We had friends dying of Aids, so no illusions about what the endgame would be

At every single stage, the truth has been there and people have evaded it, and that must carry a penalty

They told us in the hospital corridor, with kids running past. Just, ‘Oh, by the way, Colin has tested positive for HIV' Continue reading... The Guardian

Hospitals that refuse surgery to smokers and obese patients slammed

Hospitals that refuse surgery to smokers and obese patients slammed NHS hospitals that refuse surgery to smokers and obese patients are ‘draconian and discriminatory’, doctors warned last night.

The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges criticised the policies, which were introduced in some clinical commissioning groups last October.

Professor Derek Alderson, president of the Royal College of Surgeons, said people in need of medical help will be left in pain as they are forced to wait for treatment. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Statement on rationing decisions based on patient lifestyle Academy of Medical Royal Colleges

NHS launches a 'one-stop' service to diagnose prostate cancer

NHS launches a 'one-stop' service to diagnose prostate cancer A ‘one-stop’ service to revolutionise prostate cancer treatment has been launched by the Health Service.

The quick-access programme slashes the time taken for a diagnosis from around six weeks to just days.

Patients have all their tests in one day, rather than several. And doctors use the latest MRI scanners and techniques to search for the disease with far greater accuracy than before.

Doctors hope to test 5,000 men over the next two years in the £1.6million trial.

Campaigners say it is the biggest leap forward in prostate cancer diagnosis for decades. The Daily Mail

'Fantastic work' of maternity teams ranks Northampton hospital as one of best labour wards in country

'Fantastic work' of maternity teams ranks Northampton hospital as one of best labour wards in country New mothers have praised Northampton General Hospital's maternity unit as one of the best in the country.

Northampton is performing better than most hospitals and topped the score in five survey questions in a national survey by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

NGH was picked out as only one of four NHS trusts scoring better than expected across all labour and birth issues, and scored the highest ratings nationally for treating patients with kindness emotional assessment, help from staff about homebirths and attention while in hospital after the birth. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Is transformation in the NHS really transformational?

Is transformation in the NHS really transformational? Transformation – a complete change in the appearance or character of something or someone, especially so that that thing or person is improved – is fast becoming an overused word in the debate around public sector reform. As a result, it is often deemed a euphemism for delivering more with less and is at risk of becoming meaningless. There seems to be a lack of consensus on what it actually means in terms of service reform though it is often presented as a possible panacea for the many and complex challenges facing public sector organisations. The King's Fund

Reducing emergency admissions

Reducing emergency admissions Emergency admissions cost the NHS £13.7 billion in 2015-16 and pose a serious challenge to both the service and financial position of the NHS, according to today’s report by the National Audit Office (NAO). Over the last four years, the NHS has done well to manage the impact on hospitals, despite admitting more people as emergency admissions. While progress has been made in some areas the challenge of managing emergency admissions is far from being under control.

See also:

• NHS England treats too many patients as an emergency, watchdog warns The Guardian
• Government 'acted too late' to prevent crisis this winter, MPs warn after auditors' report The Independent

Inequality in life expectancy widens as improvements reverse among most deprived females

Inequality in life expectancy widens as improvements reverse among most deprived females Data analysed by Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirm statistically significant increases in the inequality in life expectancy in England between the most and least deprived.

For males at birth in England, a 0.3-year increase in the inequality in life expectancy was observed between 2011 to 2013 and 2014 to 2016, and now approaches a decade of life difference at 9.3 years. This increase in the inequality was largely a result of a very small increase of less than a month among the most deprived males, while the least deprived males gained more than four months of life since 2011 to 2013.

For females, the inequality grew slightly more than for males by 0.4 years; the least-deprived females are now living 7.4 years longer than the most-deprived. The change in the inequality for females arose because of a statistically significant fall in life expectancy of more than two months for the most-deprived, while it grew by more than three months for the least deprived since 2011 to 2013.

See also:

• Life expectancy of poorest girls in England falls for first time on record since 1920s, figures show The Independent

Mental health rehabilitation inpatient services

Mental health rehabilitation inpatient services This briefing looks at mental health rehabilitation inpatient services, including ward types, bed numbers and use by clinical commissioning groups and NHS trusts. It voices concerns about the high number of beds situated a long way from the patient’s home. Care Quality Commission

Public at risk from 'daily cocktail of pollution'

Public at risk from 'daily cocktail of pollution' People are being exposed to a daily cocktail of pollution that may be having a significant impact on their health, England's chief medical officer says.

Prof Dame Sally Davies said the impact of air, light and noise pollution was well recognised in the environment.

But she said its role in terms of health was yet to be fully understood.

Dame Sally added there was enough evidence to suggest action had to be taken.

And, in her annual report, she said the NHS could lead the way in cutting pollution levels.

She said one in 20 vehicle journeys was linked to the NHS, either from patients or staff travelling. BBC News

See also:

• Switch off smartphones and computers at bedtime to limit pollution risks says chief doctor The Daily Telegraph
• NHS must lead on tackling national pollution problem causing 'chronic sickness', chief medical officer says The independent

Why the world needs to get ready for more people dying

Why the world needs to get ready for more people dying For decades, lifespans have grown ever longer, delaying the inevitable fact of death. But the coming years will see a sharp rise in the number of people dying, presenting a challenge about how we care for those at the end of life.

We started the 20th Century without penicillin, but now genomic medicine raises the possibility of increasingly sophisticated treatments tailored to an individual's genetics.

In little more than a century, medical and scientific breakthroughs like these have seen life expectancy increase dramatically - by about 30 years, to 79 for men and 83 for women in England, for example. BBC News

High Court grants legal challenge against NHS-Home Office deal to hand over patient data to immigration officials

High Court grants legal challenge against NHS-Home Office deal to hand over patient data to immigration officials The High Court has granted a legal challenge against a NHS-Home Office deal to hand over patient data to immigration officials.

The challenge, put forward by Migrants Rights Net (MRN), a UK charity advocating for the rights of migrants, will now go to a full hearing.

Currently the Home Office makes thousands of requests each year through the deal with NHS Digital and the Department of Health and only a fraction – around 3 per cent – are turned down. The Independent

One day I was director in a mental health trust. The next I was suicidal

One day I was director in a mental health trust. The next I was suicidal Depression sucked the life and soul out of me but I knew from my clinical experience that I could recover

I can now see that depression crept up on me slowly and silently. Despite 30 years’ experience as a registered mental health nurse I didn’t recognise, acknowledge or even notice the range of symptoms I had been experiencing, or how they had been affecting me. It was only when I finally cried at work that I realised something was wrong.

At the time I was working as an executive director in a London mental health NHS trust. There had not been any obvious feeling of being extremely sad, just a slow downhill trundle and loss of enjoyment in life. My symptoms included being overly self-critical and a loss of interest in things I usually enjoy. I was tired but not sleeping, procrastinating and felt I was a failure. Continue reading... The Guardian

Controversial ‘CareBnB’ scheme could be rolled out in Cambridgeshire

Controversial ‘CareBnB’ scheme could be rolled out in Cambridgeshire A controversial Airbnb-like scheme that sees homeowners receive up to £1,000 a month to rent their rooms to hospital patients could be rolled out in Cambridgeshire.

Dubbed 'Carebnb' and described as 'Airbnb for social care', the private start-up CareRooms for those recuperating after treatment is bidding to launch a new trial in the county.

This comes after it was forced to terminate its first pilot with the NHS in Essex last November - despite receiving around 600 applications in three days - after concerns were raised about care being provided by non-professionals.

CareRooms was devised as a radical way to free up hospital space, as bed-blocking rates remain high while the NHS battles a heavy winter.  The Daily Mail

See also:

• 'CareBnB' plan revived by council would see discharged patients stay in private homes The Daily Telegraph

NHS bosses warn 'perfect storm' of freezing weather

NHS bosses warn 'perfect storm' of freezing weather NHS bosses have warned a 'perfect storm' of -16°C blizzards, norovirus and flu is piling pressure on over-stretched hospitals.

Performance statistics show sub-zero temperatures, icy blasts and blizzard-like conditions hit A&E departments across the country hard last week.

Bed occupancies remain worryingly high and show no sign of falling to safe levels amid the 'worst winter ever', with more cold weather expected.

Storm Emma, rolling in from the Atlantic, is meeting the Beast from the East's chilly Russia air - causing further widespread snowfall and bitter temperatures.

Dr Nick Scriven, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said the severe weather is an added burden on top of the recent 'usual' winter. The Daily Mail

Northamptonshire County Council backs £40m budget cuts

Northamptonshire County Council backs £40m budget cuts A financially-troubled council has agreed a budget involving nearly £40m of cuts.

Protesters at the meeting called the Conservative-controlled Northamptonshire County Council a "ship that has hit the iceberg".

Councillors agreed the budget, which includes plans to shut 21 libraries and freeze staff pay, by 35 votes to 13.

The council is currently facing a government inspection into allegations of financial mismanagement.

It has emergency spending controls in place. BBC Northampton

Row over future of Corby’s Urgent Care Centre continues

Row over future of Corby’s Urgent Care Centre continues Making Corby’s Urgent Care Centre appointment-only should have been consulted on before a decision was taken, according to a campaign group.

The move was approved by Corby CCG’s governing body at the end of January, with the site being renamed the Same Day Access Hub. Official Hansard documents show an assurance was given in Parliament that changes would be consulted on - but the CCG say the plans did not require consultation because ‘no major service change was taking place’.

But Maria Bryan, from the Save Our Urgent Care Centre action group, disagrees. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Vital equipment stolen from ambulance in Corby

Vital equipment stolen from ambulance in Corby Heartless thieves stole equipment from an ambulance in Corby while its crew cared for a patient.

The incident took place between 4.30am and 5am on Weenesday when a satellite navigation system and a mobile data terminal screen, used to send virtual information to clinicians about the location and condition of a patient, were stolen from the ambulance when it was parked in Lincoln Way.

The crew returned to the ambulance to take the patient to hospital only to find all the cupboards in the ambulance open and the electrical equipment missing. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Multiple unhealthy risk factors: why they matter and how practice is changing

Multiple unhealthy risk factors: why they matter and how practice is changing Seven in ten adults in England in 2008 had two or more risk factors of poor diet, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking. Previously, The King’s Fund has looked at the prevalence of multiple unhealthy behaviours, and now we are revisiting this area by looking at how some services are developing a response to the reality that most people experience risk factors in combination. Developing approaches to tackling multiple risk factors is crucial.

The impact of Brexit: patient access to medical research

The impact of Brexit: patient access to medical research This briefing sets out how patients across Europe have benefited from pan-European collaboration on medical research. It outlines what is at stake if this collaboration is set back and how UK and EU decision-makers can mitigate the risks. NHS Confederation

Social care must adapt to funding and policy change

Social care must adapt to funding and policy change Social care providers must adopt new approaches if they are to survive the challenges of funding cuts and policy changes, according to a new publication.

The VODG discussion paper, Challenges can fuel change, outlines what social care providers believe are the future hopes for the sector as well as the barriers that block progress. The publication is a contribution to Civil Society Futures, the national independent inquiry into English civil society. Voluntary Organisations Disability Group

Just under half of all referrals that completed psychological therapy in 2016-17 recovered, new report shows

Just under half of all referrals that completed psychological therapy in 2016-17 recovered, new report shows Just under half (49.3 per cent) of those referrals finishing treatment for anxiety and depression in 2016-17 recovered, according to official statistics published today by NHS Digital.

This is the highest rate of recovery since 2012-13 when figures were first recorded.

Of the 525,000 referrals that finished treatment in the year having started as clinical cases of anxiety or depression3, 259,000 (49.3 per cent) recovered.

Psychological Therapies: Annual Report on the use of IAPT services, England, further analyses on 2016-17, examines activity, waiting times and outcomes for the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme.

It provides a very detailed breakdown by user and service type, including some new analysis on ethnicity.

SACN statement on diet, cognitive impairment and dementia

SACN statement on diet, cognitive impairment and dementia This position statement by Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition provides an overview of the currently available evidence on nutrition and cognitive impairment and dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) in adults. It considers evidence relevant to the prevention - not the treatment - of cognitive impairment or dementia.

The position statement concludes that:

• the evidence base in this area is very limited
• there is no evidence that specific nutrients or food supplements affect the risk of cognitive impairment or dementia
• there is some observational evidence that greater adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern may be associated with reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia

See also:

• There is NOT enough evidence to prove a healthy diet protects against dementia, declare Government advisers The Daily Mail
• No firm proof that a healthy diet protects against dementia, government scientists conclude The Daily Telegraph

NHS: How unhappy is the public?

NHS: How unhappy is the public? Opinion polls can be fickle and hard to read - but for the NHS one carries a fair amount of clout.

The British Social Attitudes Survey has a track record going back to 1983 and so is a fascinating guide to long-term trends.

The latest publication suggests a significant downturn in public satisfaction with the NHS, which had been holding up in recent years

So does this herald a game-changing trend in the debate over the NHS, with important implications for the government and health service leaders?

Is the quality of care now affecting the public perceptions of hospitals and GP surgeries? BBC News

Waist size bigger heart attack risk in women, report says

Waist size bigger heart attack risk in women, report says Women with bigger waists relative to their hips are at more risk of heart attacks than men of a similar "apple shape", research from the George Institute for Global Health says.

The study showed waist-to-hip ratio to be a better heart attack predictor than general obesity - 18% stronger than body mass index in women and 6% in men.

The report found a high BMI was linked to heart disease risk in both sexes.

The researchers interviewed nearly 500,000 UK adults aged 40 to 69. BBC News

See also:

• Sex Differences in the Association Between Measures of General and Central Adiposity and the Risk of Myocardial Infarction: Results From the UK Biobank Journal of the American Heart Association

Mental health patients treated far from home 'less likely to recover'

Mental health patients treated far from home 'less likely to recover' NHS watchdog expresses concern over wellbeing of thousands of patients and cost to NHS of ‘out of area’ care

Thousands of people with serious mental health problems are being locked up in treatment units far away from their homes, and left isolated and less likely to recover, the NHS’s care watchdog has warned.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is concerned that such patients’ chances of making a full recovery are being hit because they are denied regular contact with relatives and friends. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NHS spending £350m a year to send mental health patients miles from home The Independent

Immigration officials to continue to seek NHS England patient data

Immigration officials to continue to seek NHS England patient data Ministers reject calls to suspend practice amid fears it is stopping migrants seeking medical help

Ministers have rejected a call from MPs to immediately suspend the disclosure of confidential NHS patient data to the Home Office to trace potential immigration offenders despite evidence it is deterring migrants in England from seeking medical help.

A joint letter from Home Office and health ministers to the chair of the Commons health select committee discloses that 1,297 requests for non-clinical details of patients, including home addresses, were made in the past three months by immigration officials trying to trace individuals with whom they had lost contact. Continue reading... The Guardian

Video GP services risk fuelling antibiotic resistance, study warns

Video GP services risk fuelling antibiotic resistance, study warns WEBCAM GP services may not be safe and risk fuelling antibiotic resistance, research suggests.

The study by Imperial College London examined the work done by private online GP services, which have sprung up in recent years, offering near-instant appointments often via link-ups such as Skype.

The research found such companies were heavily promoting access to antibiotics, sometimes “in minutes”.

Internet searches for antibiotics also led consumers straight to the GP sites, none of which carried any warnings about over-use of the drugs, the study found. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• The impact of private online video consulting in primary care (open access) Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
• Experts call for more evidence to test impact of GP video consultations MedicalXpress

Number of NHS managers soars while nursing shortage grows

Number of NHS managers soars while nursing shortage grows The number of bureaucrats hired by the NHS has soared, while the number of nurses fell, official figures show.

The statistics show a seven per cent rise in the number of senior managers on the NHS payroll in one year, at a time of growing nurse shortages.

The total number of managers rose to 32,000, the statistics show, a rise of almost one quarter in four years.

The sharpest rise was among senior managers, whose pay normally starts at £65,000 a year.

The seven per cent rise in one year saw their total numbers reach 10,300, the figures from NHS Digital show. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Statistics show change in NHS workforce over time NHS Digital
• NHS hires 1,300 more penpushers The Daily Mail

Dogs introduced on wards at Northampton General Hospital to help provide comfort to patients

Dogs introduced on wards at Northampton General Hospital to help provide comfort to patients A cocker spaniel and great dane have been headhunted to work on the wards at Northampton General Hospital to provide familiarity and comfort to poorly patients.

Indie the cocker spaniel and Anya the Great Dane were recruited as part of The Pets as Therapy (PAT) scheme at Northampton General Hospital, which aims to bring joy and companionship to patients through volunteer visitors and their pets. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Social services on the brink as backlog of vulnerable Northamptonshire adults awaiting a social worker hits 2,000

Social services on the brink as backlog of vulnerable Northamptonshire adults awaiting a social worker hits 2,000 The extent of underfunding at Northamptonshire County Council means some 2,000 vulnerable adults have not yet been assigned a social worker.

Yesterday, Northamptonshire County Council's cabinet approved a set of proposals aimed at saving £9.9 million in next year's budget. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Northamptonshire County Council cuts: Adult services 'at edge of being unsafe' BBC Northamptonshire

Public satisfaction with the NHS and social care in 2017: Results and trends from the British Social Attitudes survey

Public satisfaction with the NHS and social care in 2017: Results and trends from the British Social Attitudes survey Nuffield Trust and The King's Fund present results and analysis from the annual British Social Attitudes survey. This year's results show a sharp, alarming drop in public satisfaction with the NHS.

See also:

• Public satisfaction with GP services drops to lowest level in 35 years The King's Fund 
• Sharp drop in public satisfaction with the NHS, new analysis shows Nuffield Trust
• Politics and satisfaction with the NHS Nuffield Trust
• Royal College of GPs respond to British Social Attitudes survey into public perception of health and social care Royal College of General Practitioners
• Government must give more money to healthcare, says professor BBC News
• Satisfaction with GP services at record low BBC News
• Satisfaction with GPs at lowest level for 30 years, survey finds The Guardian

New national data opt-out

New national data opt-out A new, national data opt-out system will be introduced in May 2018. This will give patients a clear choice on how their identifiable health and care information is used for purposes beyond their individual care. NHS Digital

Improving care for people with diabetes and a learning disability

Improving care for people with diabetes and a learning disability This set of resources and tools aims to support providers and services improve care for people with diabetes and a learning disability. The resources focus on improving the diagnosis of diabetes and learning disabilities, making reasonable adjustments to services and communicating with people with learning disabilities. Diabetes UK

Monitoring the Mental Health Act in 2016/17

Monitoring the Mental Health Act in 2016/17 This annual report uses data from monitoring and inspection visits undertaken during 2016/17 and finds limited or no improvement in the key concerns that have been raised in the previous years. It concludes that mental health services are not doing enough to ensure that people whose liberty has been restricted under the Mental Health Act are able to exercise their rights; and that this situation is not improving. Care Quality Commission

Most UK cannabis 'super strength skunk'

Most UK cannabis 'super strength skunk' Most cannabis being sold illegally in the UK is super-strength skunk linked to a higher risk of psychotic mental health episodes, an analysis of 995 samples seized by the police suggests.

In 2016, 94% of police seizures were high-potency marijuana, compared to 85% in 2008 and 51% in 2005.

The drug contains more of the psychoactive ingredient THC than some other types of cannabis, such as hash.

Researchers from King's College London say users should be warned of this. BBC News

'I prayed to die' after FGM aged six, says victim

'I prayed to die' after FGM aged six, says victim A victim of female genital mutilation (FGM) says she "prayed to die" after the procedure was carried out on her aged six.

Ahead of an international conference in Bristol aimed to promote zero tolerance of the practice, Hibo Wadere said she wouldn't wish it "on her worst enemy".

Some 137,000 girls and women are currently affected by FGM in England and Wales, the NSPCC says. BBC News

GP practices given cash back for not sending patients to hospital

GP practices given cash back for not sending patients to hospital GP practices are being given “cash back” for preventing patients from going to hospital, under “profit-share” agreements, which were last night condemned by patients’ groups.

An investigation reveals that one in four NHS authorities has introduced financial incentives for GP practices which reduce the number of patients referred to hospital.

They include schemes which mean practices can keep up to half of all savings generated, if they stop any rise in the numbers going to hospital, despite an ageing population. Others receive an extra £5 for every patient kept out of hospital, if referrals are cut by 10 per cent, under a £1.4m scheme. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• No place for cash incentives to reduce referrals in the NHS, says College Royal College of General Practitioners
• GPs offered cash to refer fewer people to hospital The Guardian
• NHS GP practices offered cash rewards to not send patients to hospital The Independent

Diabetes is fastest modern health crisis as cases double

Diabetes is fastest modern health crisis as cases double The number of diabetes cases in Britain has doubled in just 20 years, making it the fastest growing modern health crisis.

Almost 3.7million people have been diagnosed with the condition, according to Diabetes UK.

Soaring obesity levels are being blamed for a spike in Type 2 diabetes patients, up by 1.9 million since 1998. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Doubling of diabetes cases could reflect better early diagnosis, but is still 'dramatic and disappointing', says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners

Nurse at Northampton General Hospital suspended for 12 months after binning patient notes

Nurse at Northampton General Hospital suspended for 12 months after binning patient notes A senior nurse at Northampton General Hospital has been suspended by a national watchdog after she threw her patient's notes in a bin, hearing papers say.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) received a referral from Northampton General Hospital about Victoria Susan Butcher who, between March and April 2015, is charged with destroying a patient's notes by putting them in the bin and attempting to conceal her errors in respect of the care she had given to a patient. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

KGH is improving, say health inspectors

KGH is improving, say health inspectors Kettering General Hospital is no longer inadequate, inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have said.

The hospital was placed into special measures after a highly critical inspection report last year.

It will remain in special measures for the time being to access specialist support but has now been given the higher grade of ‘requires improvment’ in a new report. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Kettering General Hospital Care Quality Commission
• Kettering General Hospital to stay in special measures BBC Northampton

A Mixed Picture: An Inquiry into Geographical Inequalities and Breast Cancer

 A Mixed Picture: An Inquiry into Geographical Inequalities and Breast Cancer Although we know that overall outcomes for breast cancer patients are good and have improved over recent years, breast cancer treatment, care and support varies across the country.

Based on where they live in England, a woman with breast cancer may be:

• More than twice as likely to die from breast cancer under the age of 75 than a woman treated in a different area,
• A third less likely to have attended breast cancer screening in the last three years compared to a woman living in another part of the country.

Where a woman lives may also influence her access to medicines and services to support her fertility, recovery and mental health.

This year-long inquiry has shone a light on where and why these inequalities exist and what the possible solutions could be. All-Party Parliamentary Group on Breast Cancer

See also:

• 'Alarming' failings in cancer care fuel premature breast cancer deaths The Daily Telegraph

Links between NHS staff experience and patient satisfaction: analysis of surveys from 2015 and 2015

Links between NHS staff experience and patient satisfaction: analysis of surveys from 2015 and 2015 Using NHS staff and inpatient survey data, this report identifies the most important aspects of staff experience in predicting inpatient satisfaction. It also examines the experiences of staff and patients from a black and minority ethnic background, examining the extent to which treatment of these staff are linked with patient experience. NHS England

Choice in mental health care

Choice in mental health care This guidance provides advice for commissioners, GPs and providers on how to implement patients’ legal rights to choose their care provider and the team they see for their mental health care. NHS England

Results of the national audit of intermediate care

Results of the national audit of intermediate care The national audit of intermediate care 2017 is now complete and a summary report is available. The audit highlights key progress in intermediate care with more than 91% of service users maintaining or reducing their dependency across all services plus reduced average wait times. NHS Benchmarking

Government publishes key vaccine report

Government publishes key vaccine report A long-awaited report into how the government makes decisions about which vaccines to fund has been published.

It follows calls for greater transparency about why a vaccine to protect children against meningitis B was not made more widely available.

Two-year-old Faye Burdett died in 2016 - she was too old to have the vaccine.

An 820,000-signature petition calling for all children to be vaccinated was then submitted, - but the idea was rejected as "not cost effective".

One of the recommendations in the report is lowering the cost-effectiveness threshold for immunisation, potentially making it harder for new vaccines to be approved at current prices. BBC News

See also:

• Cost effectiveness methodology for vaccination programmes Department of Health and Social Care

Girl aged 5 died after GP turned her away for being late

Girl aged 5 died after GP turned her away for being late A five-year-old girl with a history of asthma was turned away from seeing her doctor because she was "late" - and died that night in hospital.

An inquest heard Ellie-May Clark was not seen by Grange Clinic in Newport despite having an emergency appointment because it operated a "10 minute rule".

A chance to "provide potentially life-saving treatment was missed" said the coroner, giving a narrative verdict.

After the hearing in Newport, Ellie-May's family said "she was let down". BBC News

See also:

• Five-year-old girl died after GP turned her away because she was five minutes late for appointment, inquest hears The Daily Telegraph
• Girl with asthma died after doctor turned her away, inquest hears The Guardian

Fifth of prescribed antibiotics are unnecessary, study finds

Fifth of prescribed antibiotics are unnecessary, study finds Family doctors accused of ‘substantial inappropriate antibiotic prescribing’

GPs are fuelling the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance by wrongly giving antibiotics to one in five patients who has a cough or sore throat, a government-funded study has found.

Family doctors are displaying “substantial inappropriate antibiotic prescribing” when dealing with patients who have an infection, according to research published by Public Health England (PHE), the government’s public health advisers. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing in English primary care Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
• Dont blame GPs for high rates of antibiotic use society must play its part says RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
• GPs write 20,000 unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions per day, officials suggest GPonline

I'm an experienced nurse. Why do doctors treat me as their PA?

I'm an experienced nurse. Why do doctors treat me as their PA? Old-fashioned attitudes persist, but advanced nurse practitioners have been credited with improving NHS services

I’d worked as an advanced nurse practitioner (ANP) for a few years when I had a routine meeting with one of the consultant supervisors. He arrived late, thrust a lunchbox into my hands and told me to heat his food in the microwave.

This wasn’t the first time I had been delegated such a task. I’d booked (and cancelled) dinner reservations, called travel agents and moved cars in hospital car parks. I’m a nurse, not a personal assistant. Frustrated, I questioned why this kept happening. Was it because it was traditional for doctors to be served by permissive and obliging nurses who stood to attention by the patient’s bed as they patrolled the ward? Was it because I worked with surgeons, known for their talent and decisiveness, but also for their arrogant and egocentric characters? Or was it simply that they didn’t understand my role? Continue reading... The Guardian

IVF clinics 'should pay NHS if their treatments cause complications'

IVF clinics 'should pay NHS if their treatments cause complications' Fertility expert says the public should not foot bill for problems caused by drug overprescription

A leading British fertility expert is calling for IVF clinics to foot the bill when assisted reproductive treatments result in their patients requiring care in NHS hospitals.

Geeta Nargund said the public sector should not have to shoulder the financial burden of treating women who are hospitalised with severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) or other complications because clinics have used excessive drugs or outdated protocols. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS prescription charges to rise to £8.80 from April

NHS prescription charges to rise to £8.80 from April NHS prescription charges will rise by 2.3 per cent this year, the Government has today announced.

Millions of patients will have to fork out £8.80 for their prescriptions as of April 1 - up from the £8.60 they currently pay.

Campaigners have blasted the 20p jump as 'catastrophic' and warned it will place further strain for people with long-term illnesses on 'already stretched budgets'.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) revealed the news of a price hike this morning, claiming it is in line with inflation. The Daily Mail

BEAST FROM THE EAST: Snow warning for Northamptonshire upgraded to Amber ‘be prepared’ as Highways England advise motorists to stay home

BEAST FROM THE EAST: Snow warning for Northamptonshire upgraded to Amber ‘be prepared’ as Highways England advise motorists to stay home The Met Office has increased the weather warning for snow in Northamptonshire from yellow to amber as the country prepares for three days of snow.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for snow in Northamptonshire from 2pm today (Monday) but has now issued an upgraded amber warning, meaning ‘be prepared’ for Tuesday morning. Northamptonshire Chronicle and Echo

Fifteen serious incidents recorded at Northampton General Hospital in two years

Fifteen serious incidents recorded at Northampton General Hospital in two years Fifteen serious incidents were recorded at Northampton General Hospital over a period of two years, the lowest among hospitals of its kind in the East Midlands.

Between April 1, 2015 and 31 March, 2017 28 serious incidents were reported, 15 of which were upheld.

Serious incidents include avoidable or unexpected injury, serious harm or death; abuse; Never Events; events that prevent the hospital from providing acceptable healthcare; and anything leading to widespread public concern about the level of healthcare provided. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Arden and GEM CSU: Families fight for £1m in care costs

Arden and GEM CSU: Families fight for £1m in care costs More than 90 families have launched a challenge against a care assessor to claim back about £1m in care costs, a solicitor has said.

Arden and GEM Commissioning Support Group faces allegations it did not properly assess patients for NHS care and wrongly rejected funding claims.

It works for about 30 clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).

Solicitor Martin Ryan said it was "not fit for purpose" but the group insisted it provided a "professional service". BBC Northamptonshire

Grieving dad urges people to talk about mental health

Grieving dad urges people to talk about mental health The father of a woman who took her life has urged people to "reach out and talk to somebody" about their problems.

Kayley MacLeod, 21, died in 2016 and had been struggling with mental health issues since she was about 15.

Her father Andrew said he hopes her death will help others in her situation to "find a voice". BBC Northamptonshire

RCGP calls for an end to referral management centres that 'prioritise cost-savings over patient care'

RCGP calls for an end to referral management centres that 'prioritise cost-savings over patient care' Referral management centres, which are primarily designed to reduce GP total referral numbers to hospital should not be introduced – and where they already exist, it must be demonstrated that they are safe for patients and cost-effective to the whole NHS, recommends the Royal College of GPs in a new report published today.

The report, Quality patient referrals: Right service, right time cites a 'dearth of evidence' that referral management centres – used by around a quarter of Clinical Commissioning Groups in England – are cost-effective, stating that they are ultimately more expensive to run than other systems designed to improve and maintain the quality of GP referrals. Royal College of General Practitioners

Call to end 'taboo' of talking about death

Call to end 'taboo' of talking about death A charity is calling for a "national conversation" about dying, saying the topic has become "taboo" and a source of anxiety for many. The Sue Ryder charity says people should talk to their loved ones about their final wishes as well as making sure they look after themselves. BBC News

See also:

• New research reveals the biggest concerns people have when a loved one is dying Sue Ryder
• When a loved one is nearing death, what can you expect and what should you do? Sue Ryder 

MPs debate changes to organ donations law

MPs debate changes to organ donations law Plans to change the rules on organ donation consent in England, which it is claimed could save up to 500 lives a year, have been backed by MPs.

A bill requiring people to "opt out" if they do not want their organs used passed its first parliamentary hurdle.

Labour's Julie Elliott, whose daughter is receiving dialysis for a serious kidney disease, said it would give hope to thousands of transplant patients.

The MP said her experience had made her realise how "special" donors were.

Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson's private members' bill, which would bring England into line with Wales which already has an opt-out system for consent, passed its second reading on Friday. BBC News

NHS crisis: Patients face delays for vital treatment amid 'staggering increase' in cancelled operations

NHS crisis: Patients face delays for vital treatment amid 'staggering increase' in cancelled operations Campaigners warn that patients could be put at risk by delays, while Labour accused the Government of presiding over an 'unparalleled winter of discontent'

Patients are facing delays to life-saving treatment amid warnings over a “staggering increase” in cancellations of urgent surgery.

Nearly 1,000 urgent operations have been cut so far this winter for patients with life-threatening illnesses due to pressures on hospital resources, such as beds or staff, according to new analysis of NHS figures.

The total represents a 40 per cent increase in cancellations since 2013-14, when 707 operations were cut, and a surge of 31 per cent since 2010-11 when there were 755 cancellations. The Independent

Millennials will be most overweight generation since records began, cancer experts warn

Millennials will be most overweight generation since records began, cancer experts warn Middle-aged millennials are set to be the most overweight generation since records began, with experts warning they are unwittingly and significantly increasing their risk of cancer.

Analysis by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) shows that on current trends 70 per cent of millennials, those born between the early 1980s to mid-1990s, will be overweight or obese by the age 35 to 45.

However, despite being linked to 800,000 cancer cases a year, the vast majority of people are unaware of the additional risk obesity brings. The Independent

See also:

• Millennials top obesity chart before reaching middle age Cancer Research UK
• Millennials 'set to be fattest generation' BBC News
• Millennials 'will be the fattest generation on record' The Daily Telegraph

Five ways to avoid becoming a victim of prescription drugs errors

Five ways to avoid becoming a victim of prescription drugs errors A study has revealed that mistakes in the writing or dispensing of medicine can cost up to 22,000 people their lives every year. Here’s how to avoid being one of them

Up to 22,000 people could be dying in England every year as a result of mistakes in the writing or dispensing of prescriptions, according to new research. In a speech last week, the health and social services secretary, Jeremy Hunt, demanded fresh measures to tackle the problem, which was identified in a government study carried out at York, Manchester and Sheffield universities. Continue reading... The Guardian

Can the Bawa-Garba case result in a stronger NHS safety culture?

Can the Bawa-Garba case result in a stronger NHS safety culture? There is a frantic scramble to find a coherent response that maintains the confidence of the medical profession and the public

The manslaughter conviction and subsequent erasure from the medical register of paediatrician Hadiza Bawa-Garba has opened up a schism over healthcare safety that will harm patients if it is not resolved quickly.

On one side is the jury, which gave a 10:2 majority verdict for gross negligence manslaughter over the death of six-year-old Jack Adcock in 2011; the General Medical Council (GMC), which wanted Bawa-Garba struck off; and the high court, which backed the GMC. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS could have spent up to £500million unnecessarily by telling doctors to prescribe more expensive drug

NHS could have spent up to £500million unnecessarily by telling doctors to prescribe more expensive drug The NHS could recover up to £500 million from one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies following a lengthy legal battle over the patent for one of its drugs.

The health service took the “unprecedented” step of issuing guidance to all GPs and pharmacists stating that when prescribing the drug pregabalin for neuropathic pain they should stipulate that it must be the brand Lyrica, produced by Pfizer. The Daily Telegraph

Nurses should call doctors by their first names to prevent patient deaths, says Jeremy Hunt

Nurses should call doctors by their first names to prevent patient deaths, says Jeremy Hunt Nurses must be allowed to address senior doctors by their first names in order to prevent fatal medical errors, Jeremy Hunt has said.

The Health Secretary said medicine’s strict hierarchy was stopping junior staff speaking up when they notice disasters unfolding and that doing away with formality in operating theatres and other settings was crucial to saving more lives.

He told an international conference on patient safety that health was one of the last professions yet to fully adopt the use of first names. The Daily Telegraph

Almost all FGM cases in Britain are legal piercings

Almost all FGM cases in Britain are legal piercings Almost all known cases of female genital mutilation carried out in the UK are legal piercings, official figures show.

The Department of Health controversially decided all intimate piercings should be included in new statistics collected by the NHS to record cases of FGM.

But out of 5,391 newly recorded cases of FGM found by GPs and NHS trusts in the year to March 2017, only 57 were performed in the UK of which 50, or 87 per cent, were in the category for piercings, and all the women whose ages were known were over 18.

The figures suggest almost all girls who undergo the shocking FGM procedure, which has been illegal for more than 30 years, are taken abroad. The Daily Mail

Major hospital trust bans women from having caesareans

Major hospital trust bans women from having caesareans A major hospital trust has banned women from having caesareans unless there is a medical reason.

Oxford University Hospitals will not offer them to those who are frightened or have had previous traumatic births.

Some women have had to travel miles to other hospitals to give birth while their families stay in local hotels.

The trust’s policy breaches guidelines from health watchdog Nice, which say women should be allowed a caesarean without a medical reason once the risks and benefits have been explained. The Daily Mail