Prenatal depression soars 50 per cent in a generation, new study finds

Prenatal depression soars 50 per cent in a generation, new study finds Depression during pregnancy is on the rise due to an an increase in women in work combined with pressure from social media, experts have said.

A new study reveals an “alarming” 50 per cent rise in levels of prenatal depression in a single generation. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Prevalence of Prenatal Depression Symptoms Among 2 Generations of Pregnant Mothers: The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (open access) JAMA Network Open
• Depression during pregnancy rises in a generation University of Bristol
• Millennial women more likely to suffer depression during pregnancy The Daily Mail

Northamptonshire: CQC publishes its review of how local health and social care systems work together

Northamptonshire: CQC publishes its review of how local health and social care systems work together The Care Quality Commission has published its findings following a review of health and social care services in Northamptonshire.

This report is one of 20 targeted local system reviews looking specifically at how older people move through the health and social care system, with a focus on how services work together. The reviews look at how hospitals, community health services, GP practices, care homes and homecare agencies work together to provide seamless care for people aged 65 and over living in a local area.

The review found there was a system-wide commitment to serving the people of Northamptonshire but that services had not always worked effectively together. It highlighted a number of areas where improvements are needed to ensure those responsible for providing health and social care services work better together.

See also:

• Northamptonshire healthcare systems 'not working well together'. BBC Northampton

The NHS 10-year plan: how should the extra funding be spent?

The NHS 10-year plan: how should the extra funding be spent? The government has announced increases in NHS funding and has asked the NHS to come up with a 10-year plan for how this funding will be used. After eight years of austerity, there is now an opportunity to tackle the issues that matter most to patients and communities and to improve health and care. Our new long read explores the priorities and opportunities for the NHS and social care. The King's Fund

Safe medical staffing

Safe medical staffing The RCP's Guidance on safe medical staffing working party report aims to help those planning and organising core hospital medical services to answer the question: ‘How many doctors or their alternatives, with what capabilities, do we need to provide safe, timely and effective care for patients with medical problems?'. Royal College of Physicians

See also:

• NHS 'hasn't got a clue' how many doctors it needs, say experts launching safe staffing plan The Independent

Removing the student nurse bursary has been a disaster

Removing the student nurse bursary has been a disaster Two years on from the removal of the NHS student bursary, applications to nursing degree courses have plummeted by a third in England.

Numbers applying to begin training in September 2018 have dropped 12% compared to the same time last year, resulting in a total decline of 16,580 since March 2016, the last year students received financial support through the bursary.

The fall in mature student numbers has been even more extreme, with a 16% drop by the June application deadline compared to the same point last year, and a total decline of 40% since June 2016. Royal College of Nursing

See also:

• Nursing applicants at the 30 June deadline UCAS 
• 12% fall in England’s nurse training applications in past year OnMedica

Learning from deaths: guidance for NHS trusts on working with bereaved families and carers

Learning from deaths: guidance for NHS trusts on working with bereaved families and carers This guidance advises trusts on how they should support, communicate and engage with families following a death of someone in their care. It sets out different stages following a death and calls on trusts to involve families throughout by providing bereavement support, signposting families to advice and advocacy support along with examples of how trusts are working with families and good practice guidance on specific subjects. NHS England

In good health: a report following the All Party Pharmacy Group's 2018 inquiry into long term conditions

In good health: a report following the All Party Pharmacy Group's 2018 inquiry into long term conditions This report highlights the opportunities for community pharmacies to deliver and improve care for patients with long-term conditions. It outlines four key actions that would enable long-term conditions to be managed in a community setting and argues that these actions should be implemented by 2020. All-Party Pharmacy Group

Public health approaches to reducing family violence

Public health approaches to reducing family violence This report provides an introduction to the subject of family violence and looks at the evidence on using a public health approach to reducing family violence. It examines the evidence on what a public health approach tells us about family violence and which public health interventions are effective in reducing violence. Local Government Association

A sustainable adult social care and support system for the long term: moving the conversation on

A sustainable adult social care and support system for the long term: moving the conversation on Ahead of the green paper on the future of adult social care, this paper outlines the view of sector experts on issues at the heart of the debate to help define what a system fit for future generations might look like. Local Government Association

Polypharmacy: getting our medicines right

Polypharmacy: getting our medicines right This draft guidance outlines the size of the challenge of problematic polypharmacy and highlights the work being done to address it. It makes clear recommendations to organisations and individuals involved with medicines as part of the care of the people they serve. Views are being sought on this draft guidance and responses will be accepted until 28 August 2018. Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Over 400 GPs at risk of deportation as NHS is unable to sponsor their visas

Over 400 GPs at risk of deportation as NHS is unable to sponsor their visas NHS England has reached out to GP practices in an 'urgent' bid to find sponsors for 400 international GPs due to complete their training this month.

It had hoped to be able to act as a ‘proxy sponsor’ itself to secure the visas for the newly-qualified GPs but an email seen by Pulse said NHS England was ‘unlikely’ to be able to do so.

According to the email, there are more than 400 non-EEA students in the GP training system due to qualify at the end of July. Pulse

See also:

• College ‘disappointed’ by reports that plans to cut red-tape on GP recruitment have fallen through Royal College of General Practitioners
• More than 400 overseas trainee GPs could be thrown out of England The Daily Mail

Don't dismiss tech solutions to mental health problems

Don't dismiss tech solutions to mental health problems The words “mental health” and “crisis” now appear to be yoked together. About a quarter of us will suffer from a clinical psychological disorder over the next year, but most people will receive no help at all. The question is no longer about whether we have a problem, but what we are going to do about it.

We don’t lack high-quality, evidence-based psychological treatments for many mental health problems. These treatments have been verified by dozens of clinical trials. What we are short of is the skilled clinicians to deliver them. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• 'Virtual reality cured my fear of heights' BBC News

Sharp rise in under-19s being treated by NHS mental health services

Sharp rise in under-19s being treated by NHS mental health services There were a record 389,727 ‘active referrals’ in England in April, NHS figures show

Almost 400,000 children and young people a year in England are being treated for mental health problems, the highest number ever, NHS figures show.

There were a total of 389,727 “active referrals” for people aged 18 or younger in April, a third higher than the same month two years ago, according to the latest statistics published by NHS Digital. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS Trust puts up posters reminding surgeons to check identity of patients before operating

NHS Trust puts up posters reminding surgeons to check identity of patients before operating Two hospitals have put up posters in operating theatres reminding surgeons to make sure they have got the right patients.

Oxford University Trust introduced the posters at John Radcliffe and Churchill hospitals after four patients received the wrong operation from May to June this year. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Two NHS hospitals have put up posters reminding  surgeons to check they have the right patient The Daily Mail

211,000 patients have been waiting 6 MONTHS for treatment

211,000 patients have been waiting 6 MONTHS for treatment Some 4.08 million patients in May were waiting to start treatment - the highest total since 4.19 million in August 2007, according to figures released by NHS England. The Daily Mail

See also:

• NHS operation waiting lists reach 10-year high at 4.3m patients The Guardian
• NHS waits of six months or longer up 50 per cent in a year with hundreds of thousands 'left in pain' The Independent

Study into health and social care needs of Armed Forces veterans published by Northamptonshire Healthcare

Study into health and social care needs of Armed Forces veterans published by Northamptonshire Healthcare A Northamptonshire Healthcare survey into the care needs of Armed Forces veterans has highlighted several recommendations that could shape the future of their treatment in the county.

More than 450 people took part in the study between February and May 2018 and a report on the findings has been published today.

In particular, the report highlights the mental health needs of Armed Forces veterans and their families and some of the difficulties experienced when they leave the Forces and transition back to civilian life. Northamptonshire Telegraph

The NHS 10-year plan: transformation holds the key to sustainability

The NHS 10-year plan: transformation holds the key to sustainability A new analysis by NHS Providers argues that stabilising NHS finances, tackling pressures in mental health and community services, dealing with backlog maintenance, achieving key waiting time standards, and funding other pressing needs would take up much if not most of the additional spending announced by the Prime Minister. In the words of NHS Providers, the NHS 10-year plan ‘will therefore have to make some extremely uncomfortable choices, including over how quickly improvements can realistically be made given the current starting position’. The King's Fund

News story: Measles outbreaks across England

News story: Measles outbreaks across England Public Health England is advising the public to ensure they have had 2 doses of MMR vaccine after outbreaks of measles are confirmed across England.

Supporting line managers to foster engagement

Supporting line managers to foster engagement This briefing explores work that can be done to support and develop line managers to improve staff engagement across NHS organisations. It is based on the issues raised by line managers within the NHS and looks at challenges for staff engagement. It outlines suggestions on how organisations can support line managers to manage in way that supports engagement. NHS Employers

NHS still reliant on 'archaic' fax machines

NHS still reliant on 'archaic' fax machines Hospitals are still reliant on "archaic" fax machines with thousands still in use, a survey shows.

Senior doctors said the continued use of the outdated technology was "ludicrous", and modern forms of communication were urgently needed.

The poll, by the Royal College of Surgeons using freedom of information laws, revealed nearly 9,000 fax machines were in use across England. BBC News

Could artificial intelligence replace doctors?

Could artificial intelligence replace doctors? UK company Babylon Health is testing an artificially intelligent medical chatbot in Rwanda.

A patient's symptoms are entered into the chatbot and it then suggests what needs to be done.

But suggestions that the tech can beat GPs at a medical exam have caused controversy.

BBC Click finds out more.

Anti-NHS think-tank with links to new health secretary Matt Hancock under investigation by charity commission

Anti-NHS think-tank with links to new health secretary Matt Hancock under investigation by charity commission An anti-NHS think tank whose chair has donated thousands of pounds to the new health secretary is being investigated on whether it breached rules on political independence by the Charity Commission.
The Independent
Concerns were brought to the watchdog about the Institute of Economic Affairs which is registered as an educational charity but has ties to the Conservative Party and the Brexit movement.

Matt Hancock, who replaced Jeremy Hunt this week, has received £32,000 since 2010 from the chair of the IEA’s board, Neil Record who has also donated to the government. The Independent

See also:

• Don't be fooled, Matt Hancock will be no better for the NHS than Jeremy Hunt was The Independent

In A&E I see children's terror as they choke from polluted air this summer

In A&E I see children's terror as they choke from polluted air this summer The cocktail of pollution and pollen in London kills people. Politicians should spend a night on the wards to see the harm

Summer nights are supposed to be quiet on the children’s unit in A&E. Kids are normally healthy during the warmer months: the risk of colds and flu is low, and their bodies are invigorated by sunshine and exercise. They might suffer the odd scrape or broken bone from playing outside, but nothing that would land them in hospital in the middle of the night.

Not this summer. Something is different. I spent the first week of July working nights in the A&E of a major central London hospital, and it was full of children. Rushing between the emergency room and the ward, I barely had a moment to myself from 8pm when I started my shift to 10am when I handed over to the day team. It’s not normal. Children aren’t supposed to be this sick. Continue reading... The Guardian

Cases of the 'Victorian' scarlet fever soar to highest levels in 60 years

Cases of the 'Victorian' scarlet fever soar to highest levels in 60 years Public Health England figures show 26,745 have been struck down by scarlet fever already this year, after 27 just weeks. Cases of measles are twice as high as last year. The Daily Mail

Health investment needs long-term thinking

Health investment needs long-term thinking Investing in public health pays off down the line. As the government seeks to restore NHS funding it cannot also ignore this vital policy area.

In the year of its 70th birthday the NHS has quite rightly been made the centre of attention. A government commitment to boost NHS funding is a welcome early present, even if, as Health Foundation analysis has shown, the 3.4% increase promised will at best stem the decline in services. The Health Foundation

Prevention is better than the cure

Prevention is better than the cure In the first of our case study mini series, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust share how they reduced sickness absence and presenteeism at work.

The trust placed staff health and wellbeing at the centre of their strategy by implementing core services and additional interventions staff can call upon. They believe that by helping staff identify stressors and giving them access to immediate and appropriate support helps reduce the amount of absence days. NHS Employers

Homes that help: a personal and professional perspective on home adaptations

Homes that help: a personal and professional perspective on home adaptations This report summarises the findings of a primary research project exploring the lived experiences of individuals who use home adaptations, and practitioners who work alongside them. It shows that people are delaying making vital changes to homes because of the clinical and stigmatising appearance of products like handrails and ramps. Centre for Ageing Better

Emerging sex disease MG 'could become next superbug'

Emerging sex disease MG 'could become next superbug' A little known sexually transmitted infection could become the next superbug unless people become more vigilant, experts are warning.

Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) often has no symptoms but can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which can leave some women infertile.

MG can be missed - and if it is not treated correctly, it can develop resistance to antibiotics.

The British Association of Sexual Health and HIV is launching new advice.

Its draft guidelines detail how best to spot and treat MG. BBC News

See also:

• 2018 national guideline for the 2 management of infection with Mycoplasma genitalium consultation document British Association of Sexual Health and HIV 
• Warning to thousands of women over STI that could lead to infertility The Daily Mail
• Rare STI could turn into superbug, doctors warn The Daily Telegraph

Study links pollution to hospital visits

Study links pollution to hospital visits Scientists have found a direct link between air pollution levels and hospital admissions in Tayside.

A team at the University of Dundee studied the medical records of 450 patients with bronchiectasis against 15 years of pollution data for the study.

They discovered that many had sought medical help on days when pollution levels spiked.

They concluded that a "fairly modest" cut in pollution would have prevented nearly 1,000 medical interventions. BBC News

See also:

• The impact of acute air pollution fluctuations on bronchiectasis pulmonary exacerbation. A case-crossover analysis (abstract) European Respiratory Journal

Matt Hancock: Who is the new health secretary and what is he going to do to the NHS?

Matt Hancock: Who is the new health secretary and what is he going to do to the NHS? Amid the carnage of Theresa May’s emergency cabinet reshuffle, the studied art of political-forecasting-by-NHS-badge fell by the wayside and Jeremy Hunt called time on his run as longest-serving health secretary in history to fill a Boris-shaped hole.

The prime minister wasted no time appointing Matt Hancock, 39,as his successor, moving from Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) secretary to head the Department of Health and Social Care. The Independent

See also:

• New leadership, same old problems BBC News
• Twitter reacts to Matt Hancock becoming the new Health Secretary The Daily Mail
• NHS crisis: Five problems Jeremy Hunt has left for his successor to deal with The Independent
• NHS 'slipped backwards' under Jeremy Hunt and departure is 'long overdue', health experts say The Independent

Ditch the pills. We’ve found a better medicine for old age

Ditch the pills. We’ve found a better medicine for old age | Stewart Dakers Social prescribing allows GPs to offer activities and support for older people. They just need to know what’s available

We seem rather short of the older generation.” The remark was made by the chair of a meeting I attended last month of an old people’s network, organised by the county council adult care department, where I was indeed the only representative of the older generation. The other 30 or so people were from agencies and charities engaged with the crumbly generation.

The atmosphere was pungent with well-meaningness. The format was presentations followed by questions, culminating in around the table reports, by which time there was a certain restlessness, which put silent pressure on the final few to be brief. There is clearly an art in seat selection on such occasions if you want a decent hearing. The main item was “social prescription”. It takes its format from medical prescription, where you go to the doctor, explain your symptoms and leave with a piece of paper containing the name of a drug. Its “social” sibling would go through the same process, with care as well as health agencies, the piece of paper prescribes an activity, facility, or support group. In theory, an exciting idea but one which, as a potential client, living and working among existing clients, I felt obliged to challenge. Continue reading... The Guardian

CQC head David Behan: ‘Care has got safer and quality has got better’

CQC head David Behan: ‘Care has got safer and quality has got better’ | Denis Campbell The outgoing chief executive of the health and care regulator defends its tougher regime under his watch

“One of my jobs when I came in was to restore political, professional and public confidence in the Care Quality Commission, says David Behan, chief executive of the CQC. “It was shot when I took over and there’s no point in contending that it was anything else”.

Behan is reflecting on the challenge he faced when he took over at the helm of the regulator of health and social care in England in 2012. He succeeded Cynthia Bower, who was forced to resign amid a scandal over the CQC’s failure to uncover the appalling treatment of people with learning disabilities at Winterbourne View hospital in Bristol and a subsequent Department of Health inquiry. Continue reading... The Guardian

Antibiotics frequently supplied without prescription, global review finds

Antibiotics frequently supplied without prescription, global review finds Antibiotics are being doled out without prescriptions in pharmacies around the world, potentially leading to the development and spread of superbugs, a study has found.

Three in four patient requests for antibiotics and three in five consultations at community pharmacies led to the sale of antibiotics without a prescription - often for conditions not needing the drugs.

For the study, the researchers looked at local or country-level studies from 2000 to 2017 on sales of antibiotics by pharmacies around the world. In all but one of the 24 countries in the study (Thailand), providing antibiotic drugs without a prescription is illegal. The Daily Telegraph

The changing shape of NHS finances

The changing shape of NHS finances The Prime Minister’s announcement of a multi-year funding offer from April 2019 has understandably taken up most of the oxygen in the room recently when it comes to NHS funding and finance. But we still have the 2018/19 financial year to get through before this funding kicks in. It was originally hoped that the NHS provider sector would be financially balanced this year, but four months into 2018/19, and it is still unclear what level of financial deficits the NHS provider sector is actually planning for. Our recent quarterly monitoring report (QMR) survey of NHS trust finance directors suggests the NHS still has a difficult year ahead. The  King's Fund

Burnt out doctors feel exhausted before they start a shift - GMC survey shows

Burnt out doctors feel exhausted before they start a shift - GMC survey shows Nearly a quarter of trainee doctors say their work makes them feel ‘burnt out’, and almost one in three say they are often ‘exhausted’ in the morning at the thought of another shift, according to a General Medical Council (GMC) survey.

The GMC has today (Monday 9 July) published the initial findings from its annual national training surveys, a detailed UK-wide poll of more than 70,000 doctors in training and doctors who act as trainers.

Almost half of trainees reported regularly working beyond their rostered hours, and around one in five say they often feel short of sleep while at work. Forty per cent described the intensity of their work as ‘heavy or very heavy’.

Trainers also reported heavy workloads, with a third of them saying it was hard to find the time they need to fulfil their educational roles.

See also:

• National training surveys initial findings report and training pathways report General Medical Council
• Junior doctors too overworked for essential training, report warns The Daily Telegraph
• Exhausted junior doctors could increase risk of patient mistakes, report warns The Independent
• One in four trainee doctors feel burnt out, GMC survey shows GPonline

HSIB second national investigation report: CAMHS to AMHS

HSIB second national investigation report: CAMHS to AMHS  The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch has published its second full investigation report to support a new learning culture around mistakes in the NHS. The investigation reviewed the transition of care from child and adolescent to adult mental health services to understand how variations in the transition impacts the safe and effective care of young people. As a result of the investigation a number of recommendations have been made to national NHS organisations to make the transition smoother and safer for young people.

See also:

• Investigation into the transition from child and adolescent mental health services to adult mental health services final report and summary Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch
• Chief Investigator's statement - CAMHS to AMHS Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch
• Mental health: Children failed at vulnerable point BBC News

Financial sustainability of local authorities

Financial sustainability of local authorities This report finds that after seven years of government funding reductions totalling nearly 50 per cent and rising demand for services, local authorities are under real strain. Key services that support vulnerable people, such as social care and housing, are now under enormous pressure. The harsh reality is that more and more local authorities are now showing signs of financial stress such as overspending on services. They now face a period of greater uncertainty as their funding framework beyond 2019–20 is unclear. The report notes that recent announcement about additional money for the NHS did not include anything for social care. Given that social care is the other half of the equation, it is vital that there is a long-term solution. Public Accounts Committee 

Immediate stop to NHS mesh operations

Immediate stop to NHS mesh operations NHS England is putting an immediate curb on mesh operations after safety concerns.

It has accepted the advice of a new review looking at harm reported by women who received the treatment for stress urinary incontinence.

The review's chair, Baroness Julia Cumberlege, said she was "appalled at the seriousness and scale of the tragic stories" that her team had heard.

Many women say the implants caused them agony by cutting into tissue.

Some say they have been left with life-changing injuries. BBC News

Brexit: UK trade deal with US could trigger 'break-up' of NHS, leading expert warns

Brexit: UK trade deal with US could trigger 'break-up' of NHS, leading expert warns Britain leaving the European Union could lead to the “break-up” of the NHS, one of the world’s leading Brexit experts has told The Independent.

Professor Alex de Ruyter, director of the Centre for Brexit Studies at Birmingham City University (BCU), warned any future trade deal with the US would mean American pharmaceutical companies looking to access the health service.

His warning comes just months after Theresa May stoked fears of an NHS “for sale” in a future trade deal with the US, after she refused to say it would be excluded from talks. The Independent

Matt Hancock is new health secretary following Jeremy Hunt's appointment as foreign secretary

Matt Hancock is new health secretary following Jeremy Hunt's appointment as foreign secretary Theresa May has appointed Matt Hancock as the new health secretary following Jeremy Hunt's promotion to foreign secretary.

The changes to Ms May's cabinet were forced upon the prime minister after cabinet Eurosceptics Boris Johnson and David Davis both dramatically resigned in protest at the government's new Brexit strategy.

Mr Hancock was only appointed as culture secretary six months ago but he threw himself into the role with aplomb, posting videos of himself learning how to moonwalk and doing parkour, as well as becoming the first MP to create his own smartphone app - called "Matt Hancock". The Independent

See also:

• Jeremy Hunt replaces Boris Johnson amid Brexit turmoil BBC News
• Matt Hancock: What do we know about the new health secretary? GPonline
• The Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP biography Gov.UK
• Jeremy Hunt becomes new Foreign Secretary following resignation of Boris Johnson The Independent
• Jeremy Hunt out, Matt Hancock in as Health Secretary iNews
• Who is the new Health Secretary Matt Hancock? ITV News
• What we know about new health secretary Matt Hancock Pulse

The NHS relies on its BME staff – so why do they still face discrimination?

The NHS relies on its BME staff – so why do they still face discrimination? | Kailash Chand I arrived from India in 1978 – and became part of a rich history of BME staff in the NHS. Yet so many still face prejudice

The NHS depends on black and minority ethnic staff to provide high quality, reliable and safe care to patients – and has done since its inception in 1948. They enrich the NHS with their skills, enthusiasm and diverse perspectives.

I would often compete for jobs with UK graduates who had less experience, but I would still lose out to them Continue reading... The Guardian

'The right care at the right time': the team helping patients leave hospital

'The right care at the right time': the team helping patients leave hospital Health staff are working with colleagues in social care and the voluntary sector to tackle the problem of delayed discharges

“From the minute a patient comes through the door – be that via A&E or one of our admission wards – we’re starting to think about how we can get [them] home,” says Rachel Blackmore, an operational manager at University hospital of North Tees in the north-east of England.

It’s making a difference to patients as it provides joined up care Continue reading... The Guardian

Sex addiction could be treated on NHS after health chiefs recognise it as mental health condition

Sex addiction could be treated on NHS after health chiefs recognise it as mental health condition Sex addicts may be given treatment on the NHS after global health chiefs formally recognised the addiction as a mental health condition.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said people who suffer from the disorder for at least six months and experience substantial distress should be entitled to medical treatment.

Up to four per cent of people in the UK are believed to suffer from sex addiction, however the NHS currently does not recognise it as an illness. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• ICD-11: Classifying disease to map the way we live and die World Health Organization

Prestigious medical journal retracts 2 papers

Prestigious medical journal retracts 2 papers The Lancet - considered one of the most-well known journals - made the rare step of taking down both studies authored by the 59-year-old Italian Paolo Macchiarini. The Daily Mail

See also:

• The final verdict on Paolo Macchiarini: guilty of misconduct The Lancet

The NHS funding settlement: recovering lost ground

The NHS funding settlement: recovering lost ground Following the prime minister's announcement of more funding for the NHS, this new report gives an assessment of the likely costs of getting the NHS back on track. NHS Providers

See also:

• NHS 'birthday present' will only make up 'lost ground', bosses say The Daily Telegraph

Every Nurse an E-nurse: Insights from a consultation on the digital future of nursing

Every Nurse an E-nurse: Insights from a consultation on the digital future of nursing This publication presents the detailed findings of a consultation, led by the RCN, into the digital future of nursing. The consultation took place over January and February 2018. The consultation explored 1) ideas for a shared vision of a digitally enabled health and social care service 2) the barriers and enablers to the vision becoming a reality and 3) examples of how data, information, knowledge and technology are already bringing that vision to life. Royal College of Nursing

An economic analysis of flu vaccination

An economic analysis of flu vaccination This report presents findings from a new economic model of the costs and benefits from flu vaccination in England using recent efficacy data. It introduces a conservative, static model which provides a partial cost-benefit analysis of vaccination under various scenarios. It also produces estimates of vaccination costs per death averted to enable comparison with the wider literature. International Longevity Centre UK

Carseview patients 'pinned to the floor' and 'bullied'

Carseview patients 'pinned to the floor' and 'bullied' Patients at a mental health unit have told the BBC they were pinned to the floor in agony and bullied on wards where illegal drugs were rife.

Former patients at the Carseview Centre in Dundee claimed staff had used face-down restraint violently and repeatedly over the past five years.

They said the practice was used for prolonged periods and patients were also mocked and shouted at by staff.

NHS Tayside said it would investigate the claims in full and "will act". BBC News

How hospices care for the terminally ill

How hospices care for the terminally ill The BBC met some of the patients and staff at St Ann's in Manchester, where people with terminal illnesses receive care, comfort and support as they reach the end of their lives. BBC News

More than 200 new ambulances to be bought with government funding

More than 200 new ambulances to be bought with government funding More than 200 new ambulances will be added to fleets around England with a £36.3m government investment.

The 256 vehicles will be funded by the Department for Health and Social Care, with more than half available for use this winter. BBC News

Why improving housing leads to fewer hospital admissions

Why improving housing leads to fewer hospital admissions The poor state of Britain’s homes can be a health hazard, with four in 10 not meeting basic wellbeing criteria. New research has uncovered how home improvements have real health benefits.

Britain has a housing crisis, not just in terms of a shortage of homes and sky-high prices, but in terms of the poor state of existing homes. Four in 10 British homes don’t meet the basic criteria to secure occupants’ wellbeing, according to a recent survey. The Independent

When I went to practice medicine in Australia from the UK, I had no idea what I was getting myself into

When I went to practice medicine in Australia from the UK, I had no idea what I was getting myself into I saw crystal meth decimate Australian hospitals; an epidemic here could stun the NHS

The first time you see someone high on crystal meth, it’s quite a sight. Nobody had really warned me that it was a problem. It was in my first week as an emergency department doctor in one of Australia’s busiest urban hospitals. I saw the young man hurling himself against the walls of the main ward area, sweating gallons, screaming his paranoia to a divided audience of fearful patients and seen-it-all-before A&E staff. The Independent

A million older people 'badly let down' by lack of social care funding

A million older people 'badly let down' by lack of social care funding Analysis by AgeUK finds one in seven older people in England left to get by on their own

The number of older people in England without social care support has hit a record high, with one in seven now being left to get by on their own, figures reveal.

A record total of 1.4 million people over 65 now have some level of unmet need with tasks such as getting up, washed and dressed, according to an analysis of official statistics by AgeUK. Continue reading... The Guardian

Fears of future strain on NHS as councils slash health programmes

Fears of future strain on NHS as councils slash health programmes Anti-drug and stop-smoking programmes are being cut despite May’s promise of £20bn extra on health

Hospitals will bear the brunt of “incredibly shortsighted” cuts to public health initiatives that will lead to more people having a heart attack or getting cancer, experts are warning.

New research reveals that, by next year, spending per head in England on programmes to tackle smoking, poor diet and alcohol abuse will have fallen by 23.5% over five years. Continue reading... The Guardian

Britain needs to get fit. But warnings and advice alone aren’t enough

Britain needs to get fit. But warnings and advice alone aren’t enough | Mike Kelly It’s taken an integrated strategy to reduce smoking. We need a similar policy to change the way we look at fitness

This week Public Health England told us that along with doing aerobic exercise we should be doing muscle and bone strengthening and balance activities. It recommends ball games, racket sports, dancing, Nordic walking and various forms of resistance training. The benefits of physical activity include reduced risks from certain cancers and heart disease, better mobility, better sleep and mental health and, as we get older, the prevention of falls.

But will this make the slightest bit of difference? In short, no it won’t. Putting information into the public domain as a strategy for getting people to change their behaviour is simply not effective. Continue reading... The Guardian

Facebook has young people in an 'insidious grip', warns head of NHS England

Facebook has young people in an 'insidious grip', warns head of NHS England Social media giants like Facebook should be forced to release their “insidious grip” on young people, the head of the NHShas said.

Backing The Telegraph’s campaign for a “duty of care” to web users, Simon Stevens said such firms should face up to their responsiblities, fuelling pressures on today’s children.

Last month the chief executive of NHS England promised a “major ramp-up” of mental health services, in order to deal with the fallout for an explosion of social media. The Daily Telegraph

NHS Trusts buying whiteboard markers at near double the price of high street shops

NHS Trusts buying whiteboard markers at near double the price of high street shops NHS Trusts are buying whiteboard markers at near double the price of high street shops, new figures reveal.

Last year packs of four whiteboard markers were bough for between £1.32 and £2.10, the exclusive data obtained by The Telegraph reveals, despite similar items being available for just £1.25 from office supplier Staples.

Such discrepancies have been described as "baffling" by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

The health service spends £55.6 billion each year on general supplies and medical equipment, however bulk buying is not resulting in the best deals, as the new figures reveal. The Daily Telegraph

British doctors fit patients with pacemakers that let them track their heart rates on smartphones

British doctors fit patients with pacemakers that let them track their heart rates on smartphones British doctors have become the first in the world to fit heart patients with pacemakers connected to their smartphones.

The medical breakthrough means patients can track their heart rate and exercise levels through the device in their chest and check how much battery life it has left wherever they are.

The smart pacemakers send the information via Bluetooth straight to a smartphone app. The Daily Mail

Video shows how NGH £12m emergency assessment unit will look upon completition

Video shows how NGH £12m emergency assessment unit will look upon completion Work is three-months away from completion on a new £12m A&E assessment unit at Northampton General Hospital.

Last year workers started building a new £12 million two-storey assessment unit at Northampton General Hospital, adjacent to A&E, with a link into the existing hospital via a bridge. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

NHS staff and volunteers mark 70 years of NHS at Northampton General Hospital

NHS staff and volunteers mark 70 years of NHS at Northampton General Hospital As the NHS turns 70 the Chronicle & Echo celebrates some of Northampton General Hospital's longest-serving employees.

With a combined length of service of 124 years, workers and volunteers at NGH, Andrew Beswick, Celia Penn, Tony O’Donovan and Caroline Paviour, tell of how much NGH has changed since they started their careers and voluntary roles, and how they envisage life at the NHS in another 10 years’ time.  Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Is our love for the NHS bad for our health?

Is our love for the NHS bad for our health? In the run-up to the 70th anniversary of the NHS, we’ve been talking with the public to better understand their relationship with and expectations of the service and their views on who is responsible for keeping people healthy.

It almost goes without saying that there is huge support for the NHS, with the vast majority of people supporting the founding principles of a service free at the point of delivery, available to all and funded largely by taxation. As one participant at our recent discussion events said, ‘I do have a love for the NHS, it’s part of our heritage.’  The King's Fund

‘Co-production isn’t a one-night stand’

‘Co-production isn’t a one-night stand’ To mark SCIE’s Co-Production Week, #coproweek, which runs 2 July to 6 July 2018, Mandy Rudczenko, member of C4CC’s own co-production group has written this blog post on the importance of co-production being a long-term relationship. Centre for Collaborative Care

See also:

• Embedding co-production at all levels of care Centre for Collaborative Care

Evidence-based interventions: consultation document

Evidence-based interventions: consultation document This consultation seeks views on the design principles of a programme to reduce the delivery of clinically ineffective interventions. The proposals aim to reduce avoidable harm to patients, save precious professional time, help clinicians maintain their professional practice in line with the changing evidence base, create headroom for innovation and maximise value and avoid waste for patients and taxpayers. The closing date for comments is 28 September 2018. NHS England

• Consultation
• Response form

'I never thought I'd be alive to pay back my huge debt'

'I never thought I'd be alive to pay back my huge debt' Chris Lynch, 41, was a hard-drinking student when his debts began to build up and his life started to spiral out of control.

At one point he was was £35,000 in debt - and that's when anxiety and depression took hold.

"I didn't think I'd be alive long enough to pay if off. I could easily have ended up homeless or ending my life," he says.

The charity Mental Health UK says Chris's experience is not unusual - up to four million people could be at risk of poor mental health brought on by money problems. BBC News

GP vacancies rise to record levels despite recruitment pledge, survey suggests

GP vacancies rise to record levels despite recruitment pledge, survey suggests Long patient waits and unsafe, rushed appointments are unlikely to end any time soon as vacancies have risen from 9.1 per cent to 15.3 per cent since the government pledged 5,000 more doctors

A record 15.3 per cent of GP posts in the UK are unfilled, suggesting government pledges to address soaring waiting times for GP appointments by recruiting more thousands more doctors have fallen flat.

In England, which has 33,574 full-time GPs as of March 2018 according to NHS statistics, the figures show a vacancy rate of 15.8 per cent suggesting more than 6,000 full-time GP posts advertised and currently unfilled. The Independent

See also:

• Revealed: GP vacancy rates rocket with one in six roles unfilled Pulse

Lucy Letby: Newborn deaths doubled at hospital where nurse arrested on suspicion of babies' murders worked

Lucy Letby: Newborn deaths doubled at hospital where nurse arrested on suspicion of babies' murders worked Audit data shows how in a single year neonatal mortality at Countess of Chester Hospital went from unremarkable to among highest in UK

Between 2014 and 2015 the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital (CoCH) in Cheshire saw the number of babies that died on its wards double, without any apparent explanation.

There were nine neonatal deaths in 2015, compared to four in 2014, according to data published by the Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries (MBRRACE-UK) research group. The Independent

See also:

• Lucy Letby: Police dig in garden of nurse arrested over deaths of babies at Cheshire hospital The Independent

The robots helping NHS surgeons perform better, faster – and for longer

The robots helping NHS surgeons perform better, faster – and for longer Surgical robots such as Versius cut training time down from 80 sessions to 30 minutes

It is the most exacting of surgical skills: tying a knot deep inside a patient’s abdomen, pivoting long graspers through keyhole incisions with no direct view of the thread.

Trainee surgeons typically require 60 to 80 hours of practice, but in a mock-up operating theatre outside Cambridge, a non-medic with just a few hours of experience is expertly wielding a hook-shaped needle – in this case stitching a square of pink sponge rather than an artery or appendix. Continue reading... The Guardian

NHS hailed as 'unifying ideal' on 70th anniversary

NHS hailed as 'unifying ideal' on 70th anniversary Politicians, staff and patients pay tribute to health service at Westminster Abbey ceremony

The boss of the NHS has lauded the service as an enduring “unifying ideal” for people across Britain, as politicians, staff and patients queued up to pay tribute to the health service on its 70th birthday.

At a service of celebration at Westminster Abbey for 2,200 NHS staff, Simon Stevens, the NHS England chief executive, quoted the archbishop of Canterbury’s view that the NHS was “the most powerful and visible expression of our Christian heritage” because it “sprang out of a concern that the poor should be able to be treated as well as the rich”. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Simon Stevens’ NHS 70 address to Westminster Abbey NHS England
• What the NHS means in one word BBC News
• NHS at 70: Who was health service founder Aneurin Bevan? BBC News

Apps which diagnose skin cancer are UNRELIABLE and are not a substitute for going to the doctor

Apps which diagnose skin cancer are UNRELIABLE and are not a substitute for going to the doctor Mobile apps which claim to detect skin cancer could be endangering the public because they are not regulated, scientists claim.

The apps do not notice all 'red flag' symptoms of skin cancer, according to researchers, and are not a replacement for going to see a doctor.

People should also take the apps' recommendations with a pinch of salt, experts say, and always go to a doctor if they suspect something is wrong.

Researchers worry the technology is not tested thoroughly to make sure they work, may not have expert advice when they are being made, and the software which identifies problems might be flawed. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Untested skin cancer apps endangering the public British Association of Dermatologists

Week of celebrations for Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Week of celebrations for Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust As the NHS celebrates its 70th birthday, Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust (NHFT) is taking the opportunity to thank those who contribute to the on-going work of the trust.

The week of celebrations includes NHFT staff attending the Royal College of Nursing Awards (Wednesday) and Health Service Journal Patient Safety awards next week (July 9). There will also be a recruitment event on Saturday (July 7).

Chief executive Angela Hillery said: “Without the dedicated staff and clinicians and the valuable input of patients, carers, governors and members we would not be able to deliver the outstanding care we are so proud of.” Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Happy 70th birthday NHS Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

The NHS at 70: A timeline in pictures

The NHS at 70: A timeline in pictures On 5 July 1948, 70 years ago on Thursday, the National Health Service (NHS) was born.

We look at seven decades of the development of the NHS, alongside medical advancements, highlighting events that have been documented with archive photography. BBC News

See also:

• Young volunteers, long-serving domestic assistant and ‘virtual surgeon’ among winners of NHS birthday awards NHS England
• NHS: A Bevan family business BBC News
• NHS at 70: Early patient pays tribute to life saving treatment BBC News
• NHS at 70: Aneira Thomas the first NHS baby BBC News
• NHS Street: Voices from Aneurin Bevan's Tredegar BBC News
• The NHS at 70: How can we help it survive? BBC News
• NHS at 70: the charts that show how the health service has changed since 1948 The Daily Telegraph
• NHS heroes: doctors, nurses, porters, therapists on the service at 70 The Guardian
• What does the NHS need to survive for another 70 years? | Richard Horton, Clare Gerada, and others The Guardian
• The birth of the NHS - in pictures The Guardian
• How the NHS inspired 60 years of heart-stopping TV drama The Guardian
• NHS at 70: How it took nearly a century for the health service to be formed The Independent
• NHS at 70: The scientific breakthroughs that revolutionised the service The Independent
• I've watched the deterioration of the NHS at first hand. Trust me when I say as a political reporter, this is our country's biggest issue The Independent

Majority of public willing to pay more tax for NHS

Majority of public willing to pay more tax for NHS The vast majority of people say they would be happy to pay more tax for a NHS that was “improved a great deal”, according to results of a poll released today by the NHS Confederation.

The representative poll of 1,003 adults across England, Scotland and Wales carried out by Ipsos MORI for the NHS Confederation asked people about their willingness for tax rises designed to boost funding of the health service. OnMedica

Fair shares for mental health has to be the NHS’s priority

Fair shares for mental health has to be the NHS’s priority | Wendy Burn The achievements of our health service are justly lauded, but a crucial part of it is unacceptably underfunded and neglected

The added disability from which our health system suffers is the isolation of mental health from the rest of the health services.” So said Nye Bevan, the founder of the NHS, in 1946, two years before the creation of what is now the world’s largest publicly funded health service. It’s still true. Mental health services, the poor relation of the NHS, are often delivered on remote sites in dilapidated buildings. My clinic room is a windowless cupboard. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• A safe space: NHS unit on frontline of child mental health crisis The Guardian

The only way to protect our NHS? Fund social care

The only way to protect our NHS? Fund social care | Sonia Sodha The founding principles of the health service must be extended to social care. Otherwise the NHS will be run into the ground

There’s so much of modern life we take for granted, but not the NHS. It has a special place in British hearts, outranking the armed forces and the royal family in what makes us proud to be British. But the NHS is facing two existential tests on its 70th birthday, both of which exert big cost pressures.

Back in the 50s, much of its work involved doling out treatment for one-off illnesses such as pneumonia and tuberculosis. Today, those serious infections are less common and the greatest demands on the NHS come from chronic conditions that people can live with for decades – diabetes, cancer, dementia – some associated with unhealthy lifestyles. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Radical reform of social care is the key to saving Bevan's NHS dream The Independent

Getting results: why NHS clinical trials are the envy of the world

Getting results: why NHS clinical trials are the envy of the world From cancer to dementia, UK patients are benefiting from a democratised system of research
NHS at 70: all our anniversary coverage in one place

It started with a lump on Cathy Perkins’ index finger. The viola player didn’t know what it was; nor did her GP. The eventual diagnosis in 2008 from the Christie cancer hospital in Manchester was melanoma – skin cancer – but after treatment all seemed well. Then in 2013, a routine scan showed it had come back and spread to her lungs.

“They came back with this really bad diagnosis of just a few weeks to live,” said Perkins. “I burst into tears. I packed in work on the spot. I just remember being incredibly angry that my planned retirement had gone pear-shaped.” Continue reading... The Guardian

Second hospital investigating nurse Lucy Letby after arrest on suspicion of murdering eight babies

Second hospital investigating nurse Lucy Letby after arrest on suspicion of murdering eight babies A second hospital has launched an investigation after it emerged that a nurse arrested on suspicion of the murder of eight babies had spent time training there.

Lucy Letby, 28, who is also accused of the attempted murder of another six newborns, is in custody while police search her home in connection with the deaths at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Liverpool Women's Hospital on Merseyside announced on Wednesday that it was involved in the police investigation and was reviewing patients who attended the hospital during Ms Letby's placement there. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Liverpool hospital announces review of care after nurse arrested on suspicion of murdering eight babies The Independent

270,000 people gave up smoking last year in the UK, official figures show

270,000 people gave up smoking last year in the UK, official figures show Government data today reveals 14.9 per cent of adults across England smoked in 2017 - the equivalent of 6.1 million people. This is down from the 15.5 per cent recorded in 2016. The Daily Mail

Learning by doing: integrating health and care in Scotland

Learning by doing: integrating health and care in Scotland Imagine a place where you could debate and refine policy on integrating health and social care for three years, leading up to legislation. And then, organisations and staff could take a full year to learn new ways of working together in shadow form, with unwavering political support, before becoming accountable for bringing services together to improve health, care quality and value. There’s no need to imagine; that’s what is currently happening in Scotland. The King's Fund

The health and social care interface

The health and social care interface  A report assessing the challenges preventing health and social care from working together effectively. In a move to encourage the government to create a long-term plan for a sustainable, joined-up care sector, the head of the NAO, Amyas Morse, is urging further and faster progress towards a service that centres on the needs of individuals, meets growing demands for care and delivers value to the taxpayer. National Audit Office

Over two million children in England are growing up in families where there are serious risks

Over two million children in England are growing up in families where there are serious risks The report, “The Children’s Commissioner’s 2018 Report into Childhood Vulnerability”, estimates that 2.1 million of England’s 11.8 million children – one in six – are living in families with risks so serious that they need some level of help. The study also warns that for 1.6 million of those vulnerable children, the support is effectively ‘invisible’ – we don’t know if they are actually getting any coordinated help, despite the difficulties they are growing up with. Some of the risks these children face include parents with mental health problems or parents who are alcoholics or have substance abuse problems. Children's Commissioner

See also:

• 1.6 million children in serious risk households left to ‘fend for themselves’, finds report The Independent

Woman arrested in Countess of Chester Hospital baby deaths probe

Woman arrested in Countess of Chester Hospital baby deaths probe A healthcare professional has been arrested on suspicion of murdering eight babies and attempting to kill six others at a hospital.

Cheshire Police said the woman's arrest was a significant step forward in an investigation into deaths at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Officers have been investigating the deaths of 17 newborns at the neonatal unit between March 2015 and July 2016.

A spokesman said the probe also covered 15 "non-fatal collapses".

The cases being investigated involve families from the Cheshire and north Wales area. BBC News

See also:

• Female health worker arrested on suspicion of murdering eight babies at Chester hospital The Daily Telegraph
• Healthcare worker arrested on suspicion of murdering eight babies and attempted murder of further six at Cheshire hospital The Independent
• Lucy Letby: Police search home of nurse after arresting healthcare worker on suspicion of murdering eight babies The Independent

The challenges faced by doctors with disabilities

The challenges faced by doctors with disabilities The regulatory body which oversees the education and training of doctors says there are “unacceptable barriers” in recruiting and educating disabled medics.

Around one in five of the UK population has a disability, yet the General Medical Council estimates only 3% of medics and doctors have a declared disability.

It’s now calling for universities and employers to provide equal access and has launched new guidance to try and improve recruitment and retention.

Hannah and Kelly are two doctors with the same disability but very different experiences of life in medicine. BBC News

Jeremy Hunt answers young people's questions on mental health

Jeremy Hunt answers young people's questions on mental health "It's an actual illness - you would never say to someone who has a broken leg, oh just deal with it, it'll be fine."

Those are the words of one young woman on her experience of child and adolescent mental health services, or CAMHS, speaking as part of the latest episode of Radio 4's series Storm and Stress.

A number of young people recorded their frustrations anonymously - delays, sudden switch to adult services at 18 and lack of support in schools, for example - for the programme.

So how does the man in charge of health and social care in England, Jeremy Hunt, respond to them? BBC News

Medical cannabis: Doctors 'should be able to prescribe drug', says UK's chief adviser

Medical cannabis: Doctors 'should be able to prescribe drug', says UK's chief adviser Medicinal cannabis has proven therapeutic benefits and doctors should be able to prescribe it, the government’s chief medical adviser has said.

In the first part of an evidence review ordered by the home secretary, Sajid Javid, Professor Dame Sally Davies recommended medicinal cannabis should be moved out of schedule one – a group of drugs considered to have no medical purposes that cannot be legally possessed or prescribed. The Independent

See also:

• Cannabis scheduling review part 1: the therapeutic and medicinal benefits of cannabis-based products Department of Health and Social Care
• Decision on medical cannabis within weeks BBC News

'It's going to create a revolution': how AI is transforming the NHS

'It's going to create a revolution': how AI is transforming the NHS Technology is making impressive inroads into cancer treatment – saving lives and money.

The tumour is hard to miss on the scan. The size of a golf ball, it sits bold and white on the brain stem, a part of the organ that sends messages back and forth between body and brain. In many ways it is the master controller: from the top of the spinal cord, the brain stem conducts every heartbeat, every swallow, every breath.

For this young man, the cancer came to light in dramatic fashion. The growing tumour blocked fluid draining from his brain, triggering a huge seizure. Now doctors must work out the best way to treat him.

It could enable a new way of treating cancer that is faster and a lot less burdensome Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• From apps to artificial wombs: the smart tech transforming NHS care The Guardian

Routine DNA tests will put NHS at the 'forefront of medicine'

Routine DNA tests will put NHS at the 'forefront of medicine' From 1 October new cancer patients will have tumours screened for key mutations.

People in England will have access to DNA tests on an unprecedented scale from the autumn when the NHS becomes the first health service in the world to routinely offer genomic medicine.

From 1 October, hospitals across England will be connected to specialist centres that read, analyse and interpret patient DNA to help diagnose rare diseases, match patients to the most effective treatments, and reduce adverse drug reactions. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NHS future: Why genome mapping could be good news BBC News

Who profits when private providers take over health services?

Who profits when private providers take over health services? As the NHS turns 70, many campaigners are worried about its increasing privatisation

Last weekend tens of thousands of NHS staff, patients and campaigners marched to Westminster in protest against the underfunding of the NHS and the privatisation of many health services in England. The government may have pledged to invest another £20bn in the NHS over the next four years, but there are concerns that much of this could find its way into the hands of private companies. Addressing the crowds, the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, called for an end to privatisation, the closure of the internal market and for staff to no longer be subcontracted to private companies, “the profits of which could and sometimes do, end up in tax havens around the world. I don’t pay my taxes for someone to rip off the public and squirrel the profits away,” he stated. Continue reading... The Guardian

People not getting enough exercise from long walks – report

People not getting enough exercise from long walks – report Strengthening and balance activities are vital for future wellbeing, says Public Health England

Walking is just not enough, according to a new review of the evidence from Public Health England, which reveals a major disconnect between the exercise people need and what they actually do.

Those who thought 10,000 steps a day or a brisk daily trudge from a further bus stop meant they were doing enough to stay fit and healthy have got it wrong. People should also all be doing tai chi, weight lifting or ballroom dancing – although carrying home heavy shopping bags might do the trick. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• Major health benefits from strengthening and balance activity Public Health England
• Everybody active, every day: framework for physical activity Public Health England
• Give your bones a workout, public told BBC News

Poor rural broadband means elderly people in the countryside will miss out on the healthcare revolution

Poor rural broadband means elderly people in the countryside will miss out on the healthcare revolution Poor rural broadband means elderly people living in the countryside will miss out on the healthcare revolution, local authorities have warned.

Technology has been touted as the answer to social care shortfalls, but those most in need could be unable to access crucial at-home help - because rural internet is too slow.

In a report about rural England the Local Government Association predicted that in non-city areas there would be 53 people aged 65 or over for every 100 working people aged 16 to 64 by 2039.

It said people living outside cities were still struggling with slow internet, which could prevent them using smart devices which can monitor someone's activity and alert family or carers if something goes wrong. The Daily Telegraph

First death linked to air pollution as government asthma advisor finds 'striking association' with girl’s fatality

First death linked to air pollution as government asthma advisor finds 'striking association' with girl’s fatality  A nine year-old girl's fatal asthma attack is the first death to be linked directly to air pollution.

A government health advisor said there was a “striking association” between the times young Ella Kissi-Debrah was admitted to hospital in an emergency, and spikes of nitrogen dioxide and PM10s, the most noxious pollutants, near her home.

Ella lived just 80ft from London's South Circular Road - a pollution "hotspot" in the city - and in the three years before her death in February 2013 she went to hospital 27 times. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Illegal levels of air pollution linked to child's death BBC News

Britain is lagging behind other major countries in offering IVF

Britain is lagging behind other major countries in offering IVF Some clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in England pay more than four times as much as others for just one IVF treatment cycle, according to experts. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Calls for NHS to ban painful and dubious IVF 'scratch' The Daily Telegraph

Is the problem of excessive winter deaths unique to the UK?

Is the problem of excessive winter deaths unique to the UK? Several commentators have reported on how improvements in life expectancy in the UK have stalled since 2010, with the most recent analysis showing that long-term mortality improvement has stalled in males and females, and at younger and older ages. Views about the causes of this disturbing trend vary widely. We have previously commented on issues that need to be considered in this debate, including whether or not these trends are unique to the UK. Given that some of this slowing has been caused by higher than the normal excess seen in winter deaths, and that data for the recent 2017–18 winter is now available, it is timely to see whether it brings more of the same. The King's Fund

Ten steps towards a new plan for the NHS in England

Ten steps towards a new plan for the NHS in England The NHS Confederation is calling for a national conversation about what we want and can expect from the health service in England over the next ten years. Crucially this needs to involve those who use and those who work for the service. They propose ten actions which would underpin specific priorities for a new plan. The plan itself would set clear outcomes for patients and for the NHS over the next decade.