Opioids don’t work well for chronic pain. So why do we prescribe them?

Opioids don’t work well for chronic pain. So why do we prescribe them? | Mariam Alexander There’s a temptation to offer desperate patients a solution in a medicine bottle. But long-lasting pain has complex causes

One of the key principles you learn in medical school is that doctors should “do no harm”. But what should doctors do when our patients insist that we do things that we know are harmful? This is the dilemma that thousands of doctors face on a daily basis when tasked with helping patients with chronic pain.

Pain is a universal human experience that alerts us to bodily harm. Most pain is transient and requires no specific intervention other than the passage of time. For more severe acute pain (pain that lasts hours, days or weeks) and cancer pain at the end of life, modern medicine has several very effective treatments – pills, injections and the like. But chronic pain (which persists for months or years) is a very different entity.

Patients who have complex health needs fall between the cracks of services which are designed with policy in mind rather than pathology... The Guardian

Doctors share image to show we are losing the '10-year challenge' against antibiotic resistance

Doctors share image to show we are losing the '10-year challenge' against antibiotic resistance Compared to their 2009 10-year challenge photo, antibiotics don't look so good too good.

Several doctors are trying to harness the power of the #10YearChallenge trend on social media to draw attention to the growing, worldwide public health crisis of antibiotic resistance.

They are re-tweeting side-by-side photos of what appear to be petri dishes full of bacteria with antibiotics sitting in them - one from 2009 and one from 2019.

'This is genius and incredibly depressing at the same time,' tweeted Dr Kate Flavin, an internist in the UK. The Daily Mail

Number of visits to England’s A&E departments by homeless people ‘has more than TREBLED since 2011’

Number of visits to England’s A&E departments by homeless people ‘has more than TREBLED since 2011’ The British Medical Association found nearly 32,000 homeless people visited A&E departments in England last year. They blame rising admissions on Government cuts and drugs. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Streets of shame: Homelessness and the NHS – a tome of tragedies British Medical Association
• A&E attendances by homeless people tripled under Conservative-led governments, investigation finds The Independent

Bed blocking drops in Northamptonshire but still worst performer in region

Bed blocking drops in Northamptonshire but still worst performer in region The number of patients stranded in NHS hospital beds in Northamptonshire is at its lowest level for two years – but the county is still the worst performing in the region. NHS figures released this week show that social care bed-blocking in the county has reduced to the lowest levels since July 2016.

In November, the collective number of days that patients were held in Kettering General Hospital and Northampton General Hospital due to a delayed transfer of care (DTOC) was 808, 49 per cent lower than October (1,585) and 48 per cent lower than November 2017 (1,544). Northamptonshire Telegraph

Mind and body: inseparable twins

Mind and body: inseparable twins The past five years have seen much discussion about the effect of societal changes on the health of the population in the UK. This has been prompted by a stalling growth in healthy life expectancy since 2010 and a growing gap in levels of health and disability between the most and least deprived populations. For example, one recent study showed that age-standardised rates of years of life lost were twice as high in Blackpool as in Wokingham. The Health Foundation

Rural and remote health services lose out on NHS funding

Rural and remote health services lose out on NHS funding The way the NHS distributes funding between local health services is unclear, unfair and fails to fully compensate remote and rural areas for the extra costs they face, an evidence review conducted by the Nuffield Trust for the National Centre for Rural Health and Care, concludes today.

The financial position of remote hospitals is so precarious that six of England’s smallest and most remote hospital trusts account for nearly a quarter of the £1 billion deficit carried by NHS organisations in England.

The factors used to decide how funding is allocated transfer at least £1.3 billion away from rural areas.

See also:

• Rural health care: A rapid review of the impact of rurality on the costs of delivering health care Nuffield Trust
• Patients living in the country get a raw deal from the NHS, study finds The Daily Telegraph

Two dead after pigeon dropping infection at hospital

Two dead after pigeon dropping infection at hospital Two patients have died after contracting a fungal infection caused by pigeon droppings at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said an elderly patient died but from an unrelated cause.

Another infected patient has also died but the factors contributing to the death are still being investigated.

A non-public room, thought to contain machinery, was identified as a likely source. An investigation is under way. BBC News

Differences in GP access across England 'shocking'

Differences in GP access across England 'shocking' The variation in the availability of GPs in different parts of England is shocking, doctors' leaders say.

A BBC analysis has found close to a threefold difference between the areas with the most and fewest doctors.

In one area - Swale in Kent - there is only one GP for every 3,300 patients, while in Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire it is just under one for every 1,200.

The Royal College of GPs said the shortages put care at risk, but NHS chiefs said issues were being tackled. BBC News

Thousands Of People With Learning Disabilities Are Stuck Living In Hospital – Despite Promises From The NHS

Thousands Of People With Learning Disabilities Are Stuck Living In Hospital – Despite Promises From The NHS “The care Stephen received was inhumane. It has to stop.”

Stephen Andrade-Martinez, who has learning disabilities and autism, is 23. He has already spent almost six years living in inpatient wards – a quarter of his life. One of the placements was 80 miles away from his family.

“Stephen finally came home in December, but the long-term impact of being kept in a hospital unnecessarily is apparent everyday,” his mum, Leo, said. “He is self-harming, hitting and biting himself.

“He says he wants to sleep on the floor as that is what he did in the assessment treatment unit,” she continued, adding that he is suffering from “huge panic attacks”. Huffington Post UK

Superdrug to run mental health checks for patients seeking Botox and lip fillers

Superdrug to run mental health checks for patients seeking Botox and lip fillers Superdrug will offer mental health screening to customers who come in for cosmetic procedures such as lip fillers and Botox, in a move NHS officials hope will set a “higher bar” for the sector.

Customers seeking treatment will now be asked to complete a questionnaire developed by psychologists working in the field, and where issues are raised they will be directed to a GP or mental health groups.

The move is intended to help identify people who may have body dysmorphic disorder or other anxieties that experts say are flourishing on social media and driving more people to seek cosmetic procedures. The Independent

See also:

• NHS top doctor prompts stronger mental health safeguards on high street botox NHS England

Pharmacies will not run out of medicine after Brexit, says NHS

Pharmacies will not run out of medicine after Brexit, says NHS Alternative transport routes will be implemented and medicines prioritised in event of no deal

Plans have been drawn up for the use of alternative transport routes and prioritisation of medicines as part of contingency planning for a no deal Brexit, pharmacists have been told by the NHS.

The government has been reviewing transport routes for all medicines “to maximise the ability for supply to continue unimpeded” after 29 March, according to a letter seen by the Guardian that was was sent out in recent days (17 January). The Guardian

See also:

• Revealed: UK patients stockpile drugs in fear of no-deal Brexit The Guardian

New GPs sign up to poorest areas after £20,000 incentives

New GPs sign up to poorest areas after £20,000 incentives More than 500 trainee doctors join practices in deprived communities since ‘golden hellos’ two years ago

Record numbers of GPs are working in some of England’s most deprived communities after being given £20,000 “golden hellos” to tackle the under-doctoring of poorer areas.

More than 500 trainee family doctors have begun working in places such as Hull, Blackpool and Cumbria since 2016 in a move NHS bosses hope will tackle stark health inequalities. The Guardian

See also:

• Patients blocked from leaving GP practice across whole town amid national workforce crisis The Independent
• CCG bans patients from leaving hospital-managed GP practice amid exodus Pulse 

It's not too late to have flu jab, pleads country's top doctor

It's not too late to have flu jab, pleads country's top doctor Flu jab take-up is too low, the chief medical officer has warned, amid concerns that the failure of last year's vaccine has put people off.

Prof Dame Sally Davies urged those eligible to come forward, amid rising levels of flu across the country as winter deepens.

Last year winter deaths hit a 42-year high, after the flu jab failed to work in the vast majority of cases.

Officials stressed that this year’s vaccination is a good match - but fear some patients may have been deterred by the failings last winter. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Chief medical officer launches push for flu jab drive OnMedica

Lack of resources for mental health in Northampton 'failed' my son, says mother at 21-year-old's inquest

Lack of resources for mental health in Northampton 'failed' my son, says mother at 21-year-old's inquest A mother says her 21-year-old son was 'failed' by the lack of resources for mental health in Northampton after he took his own life last year.

The young man from Northampton was found dead in a wooded area near his home on June 8, 2018.

But at his inquest yesterday (January 16), his mother told the coroner she believed her son 'reached out for help and never received it in time' and claimed there is not enough help in Northampton for people suffering from mental health issues. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

New app shows waiting times at NGH, KGH and Corby Urgent Care Centre

New app shows waiting times at NGH, KGH and Corby Urgent Care Centre Those seeking medical attention at KGH and Corby Urgent Care Centre can now see how long the wait is on a smartphone app.

The app, called WaitLess, enables those in need of urgent but not life-threatening care to see waiting times at the two sites, as well as at Northampton General Hospital.

It will also factor in journey times using live traffic and travel information to help them choose the most appropriate location to have their condition or injury seen to. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Northamptonshire child service's boss Victoria Perry removed

Northamptonshire child service's boss Victoria Perry removed A councillor overseeing a troubled children's services department has been asked to step down.

Victoria Perry was removed from her position as Northamptonshire County Council cabinet member for children's services by council leader Matt Golby.

Ms Perry said the move came out of the blue. No replacement has yet been announced.

Mr Golby praised Ms Perry's time in the post and thanked her on behalf of the council. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Northamptonshire councillor in charge of children's services given the chop Northamptonshire Telegraph

Are patients benefitting from better integrated care?

Are patients benefitting from better integrated care? As QualityWatch publishes a scrolling data story investigating whether the drive in recent years to integrate services more closely has resulted in any tangible improvements for patients, Sarah Scobie puts the study in context and explains the findings. Nuffield Trust

NHS financial sustainability

NHS financial sustainability In its annual report on the financial sustainability of the NHS, the NAO concludes that the existence of substantial deficits in some parts of the system, offset by surpluses elsewhere coupled with growing waiting lists and year-on-year increases in waiting times, does not paint a picture that is sustainable. The recent NHS long-term plan sets out a prudent approach to achieving the priorities and tests set by the government in return for its long-term funding settlement but a number of risks remain to the delivery of the plan.

The long-term funding settlement equates to a 3.4% average real-terms increase in funding, from 2019-20 to 2023-24 and applies only to the budget for NHS England and not to the Department’s entire budget. Consequently, it does not cover some key areas of health spending such as education, public health and capital investment that could affect the NHS’s ability to deliver the priorities of the long-term plan. In addition, without a long-term funding settlement for social care, local NHS bodies are concerned that it will be very difficult to make the NHS sustainable. National Audit Office

See also:

• The NHS has a new long-term plan but this is not 'job done' The Health Foundation
• The King’s Fund responds to the National Audit Office (NAO) report on NHS sustainability The King's Fund
• NHS hospitals overspend by up to £141m a year The Guardian
• NHS not sustainable and Theresa May’s £20.5bn funding pledge won’t fix it, NAO warns The Independent

Pharmacists warn of a 'surge' in shortage of common medicines

Pharmacists warn of a 'surge' in shortage of common medicines Pharmacists say they are struggling to obtain many common medicines and paying "vastly increased" prices for them.

This is leaving patients complaining of delays in getting hold of drugs such as painkillers, anti-depressants and blood pressure medication.

The BBC has found there has been a big rise in the number of drugs on the "shortage of supply" list for England.

There are 80 medicines in such short supply that the Department of Health has agreed to pay a premium for them.

This is up from 45 in October. BBC News

See also:

• Pharmacists facing 'massive shortages' in common medicines across UK, experts warn The Independent

NHS must tackle 'systemic racism' as report shows staff discrimination on the rise

NHS must tackle 'systemic racism' as report shows staff discrimination on the rise The NHS has been urged to tackle its “systemic racism” as new figures reveal that black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds remain “grossly underrepresented” and discrimination is on the rise.

The number of BME staff who reported experiencing discrimination in the last 12 months has risen to 15% according to data published by NHS England in a new workforce race quality standard report. National Health Executive

See also:

• NHS commits to long term support for race equality NHS England
• Workforce Race Equality Standard 2018 report NHS England

UK asthma sufferers experience three times more attacks than previously suggested, charity warns

UK asthma sufferers experience three times more attacks than previously suggested, charity warns The number of potentially life-threatening asthma attacks suffered in the UK each year is more than three-times higher than previously thought, according to new data.

The Asthma UK charity surveyed more than 10,000 people with asthma and found each had an attack on average twice a year.

Extrapolated across 5.4 million people in the UK currently being treatment for asthma, experts calculated that this averaged one attack every three seconds.

Previous studies have suggested that the rate was closer to one every 10 seconds, the charity said. The Independent

See also:

• 'My son's severe asthma is very distressing' BBC News
• Asthma attacks three times more common than thought, amid warnings over air pollution The Daily Telegraph

Mental capacity changes give care homes too much power, critics say

Mental capacity changes give care homes too much power, critics say Charities, lawyers and Labour warn against government rushing out legislation in England and Wales

Changes to mental capacity safeguards – intended to protect hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people – will hand care home managers and private hospitals far too much power, the government has been warned.

The Law Society, mental health charities and Labour have accused the Department of Health and Social Care (DoH) of rushing through legislation that would remove independent scrutiny of the monitoring process to ensure that residents were not subjected to excessive restrictions. The Guardian

Anti-vaxxers are among the top 'threats to global health' in 2019, WHO declares

Anti-vaxxers are among the top 'threats to global health' in 2019, WHO declares Anti-vaxxers have been named one of the top threats to global health in 2019 by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The anti-vaccine movement joined air pollution and climate change, HIV, and a worldwide influenza pandemic on the list released on Monday.

'Vaccine hesitancy', as the WHO calls it, 'threatens to reverse progress made in tackling vaccine-preventable diseases.'

The organization added in its statement: 'Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective ways of avoiding disease - it currently prevents [two to three] million deaths a year, and a further 1.5 million could be avoided if global coverage of vaccinations improved.' The Daily Mail

See also:

• Ten threats to global health in 2019 World Health Organization
• Anti-vaccine movement 'a top threat to global health in 2019' says WHO The Independent

NHS crisis: Damning figures show ambulance diverts have doubled and 19 out of 20 beds are full

NHS crisis: Damning figures show ambulance diverts have doubled and 19 out of 20 beds are full The number of times hospitals turned ambulances away from their A&E departments soared last week to its highest level this winter.

Accident and emergency performance figures this week show the NHS is feeling the strain, as snow falls across Britain and temperatures plunge to -4C.

One in eight people taken to A&E in an ambulance were forced to wait at least half an hour before being handed over because hospitals were too busy.

And 19 out of 20 overnight hospital beds in the entire country are full – higher than the 'safe operating level' and the busiest they have been all winter. The Daily Mail

See also:

• UK flu levels according to PHE statistics: 2018 to 2019 Public Health England
• Official Statistics: Weekly national flu reports: 2018 to 2019 season Public Health England
• Flu piles pressure on over-stretched NHS hospitals as the outbreak KILLS 26 people in a week The Daily Mail
• Flu pressures on intensive care units now as bad as at height of last year's winter crisis The Daily Telegraph
• Winter pressures on NHS appear to be growing Public Finance

‘We want people to live well, not just live longer’: Northamptonshire director of public health’s mission

‘We want people to live well, not just live longer’: Northamptonshire director of public health’s mission “The county health profile isn’t where I would want it to be” says Northamptonshire’s director of public health Lucy Wightman.

“There are lots of areas where we perform significantly worse than the England average.

“We have road safety issues; we have got above average self harm hospital admissions; alcohol related hospital admissions; excess weight in adults and children can be a challenge, smoking status at the time of delivery, GCSE attainment and violent crime at county level are all a challenge. Those are areas where we are trying to prioritise our spend going forward.” Northampton Chronicle and Echo

More than one in five A&E patients face long delays at Northampton General Hospital

More than one in five A&E patients face long delays at Northampton General Hospital More than one in five A&E patients at Northampton General Hospital trust waited four hours or longer to be admitted, transferred or discharged in December, figures show.

While this was an improvement on December 2017, health bosses warned the worst of this winter could still be to come.

There were 8,918 emergency attendances at Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust in December.

Of those, 1,871 patients waited more than four hours to be admitted, transferred or discharged. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

The age of integration is officially here but how is it going to happen?

The age of integration is officially here but how is it going to happen? With the long-term plan stating that integrated care systems will cover the whole country within two years, Natasha Curry asks some essential questions on what it might mean in practice. Nuffield Trust

New report shows more young people surviving cancer

New report shows more young people surviving cancer A new report - 13-24 year olds with cancer in England: Incidence, mortality and survival - examines the latest trends in the incidence, mortality and five-year survival rates for cancer amongst young people. This is the first time a detailed analysis has been conducted of cancer rates of the 13 to 24-year age group and shows an encouraging increase in survival rates.

The figures, based on an analysis of young people diagnosed in England between 2001 and 2015, were extracted from Public Health England’s National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS). Teenage Cancer Trust

See also:

• Teenage cancer survival 'on the up' in England, report finds BBC News

Safe, sustainable and productive staffing: an improvement resource for the deployment of nursing associates in secondary care

Safe, sustainable and productive staffing: an improvement resource for the deployment of nursing associates in secondary care This resource describes the principles for safe staffing including organisational, managerial and clinical setting factors alongside governance, leadership and reporting to ensure that nursing associates are safely and effectively deployed into the workforce. NHS Improvement 

The diet to save lives, the planet and feed us all?

The diet to save lives, the planet and feed us all? A diet has been developed that promises to save lives, feed 10 billion people and all without causing catastrophic damage to the planet.

Scientists have been trying to figure out how we are going to feed billions more people in the decades to come.

Their answer - "the planetary health diet" - does not completely banish meat and dairy.

But it requires an enormous shift in what we pile on to our plates and turning to foods that we barely eat. BBC News

See also:

• The EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health EAT
• Eating just a quarter of a bacon rasher a day could save the planet and reduce premature deaths The Daily Mail
• Planetary health diet: Developed countries must cut red meat eating by 80% to protect Earth The Independent

Health sector leaders fear no-deal Brexit 'disaster'

Health sector leaders fear no-deal Brexit 'disaster' A no-deal Brexit would be a “real disaster” for the healthcare sector, MPs have heard.

Health group leaders voiced fears to the health and social care select committee yesterday that there would be a drop in funding for the NHS if the EU left the European Union without a deal.

They gave evidence on the day MPs debated and eventually rejected Theresa May’s Brexit deal by 230 votes, which was a historic defeat for a sitting government.

This still leaves the possibility of the UK leaving the European Union without a deal, the withdrawal date being less than three months away on the 29 March. Public Finance

NHS patient body parts stored unrefrigerated for six months at NHS waste firm, inspection reports reveal

NHS patient body parts stored unrefrigerated for six months at NHS waste firm, inspection reports reveal Human remains from NHS patients were stored in unrefrigerated containers for more than six months by a scandal-hit waste firm, according to inspection reports detailing a “powerful odour of decaying flesh”.

Healthcare Environmental Services made headlines last year after it allowed a stockpile of hundreds of tonnes of clinical waste, including amputated body parts and organs, to build up.

The company had previously denied that any of the waste it had accumulated had been stored inappropriately and blamed a lack of incinerator capacity. The Independent

I introduced fun to the lives of A&E staff. The laughter was infectious

I introduced fun to the lives of A&E staff. The laughter was infectious Emergency departments are challenging places – but if we are to provide good patient care, we must look after ourselves

The emergency department can be a solemn and challenging place: many of the patients we see are scared, vulnerable, upset or frustrated. Demand for the care and treatment we provide has also been rising. I have heard about the impact on colleagues and felt it myself – either in a moment’s frustration or despair during a busy shift, or by reading the research about high burnout rates in emergency medicine.

In 2016, the NHS had a very challenging winter. More people were coming to A&E, and they were sicker and needed more complex care. Working through this led me to ask two simple questions: are our jobs making us sick? And what can I do about it? The Guardian

Patient groups assessing NHS drugs receive undeclared industry funds

Patient groups assessing NHS drugs receive undeclared industry funds Study calls for rules to be tightened over disclosure of money received from drug makers

Most patient groups involved in the appraisal of drugs or medical devices for use in the NHS have received money from the manufacturers that they have not declared, research has found.

Patient groups are asked to give their views when the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) is deciding whether to approve a drug for use in the NHS in England. However, the researchers said Nice did not have stringent enough rules on the disclosure of any and all funds that patient organisations receive from companies. The Guardian

See also:

• Financial interests of patient organisations contributing to technology assessment at England’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence: policy review The BMJ
• Study reveals financial interests of patient organizations assessing NHS treatments Medical Xpress

More than 120,000 babies and young children in England don't have a GP

More than 120,000 babies and young children in England don't have a GP More than 120,000 babies and toddlers in England may not be registered with a doctor, NHS figures have revealed.

A gap in statistics suggests there are four per cent more under-fives than are registered at GP practices.

Experts say the difference is 'deeply concerning' and thousands of children could be missing out on 'life-saving' health checks and vaccinations.

And the doctors organisations' have warned parents to make sure their young children are signed up to see a doctor regularly. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Patients Registered at a GP Practice - January 2019 NHS Digital

New system to improve safe use of medicine at Kettering General Hospital

New system to improve safe use of medicine at Kettering General Hospital Kettering General Hospital has been awarded £820,000 to introduce a new high-tech electronic system that will improve the safe use of medicines for patients. It made a successful bid to NHS Improvement to fund a new Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (EPMA) system. KGH’s chief pharmacist, Duane McLean, said: “We are absolutely delighted our bid has been successful. “Basically it will enable us to start changing the way medicines are prescribed and administered at the hospital." Northamptonshire Telegraph

Primary care should 'direct' community health teams - official review - Health Service Journal

Primary care should 'direct' community health teams - official review Community health teams have not integrated with GP services and should in future be “based in” and “under the clinical and service direction” of primary care networks, the author of a government review of general practice has said.

The review of the GP partnership model, led by Hampshire GP Nigel Watson, was published today. HSJ

See also:

• GP partnership review: final report King's Fund

‘You can’t rehabilitate someone into society when they’re locked away’ | Saba Salman

‘You can’t rehabilitate someone into society when they’re locked away’ | Saba Salman Despite government pledges to halve the use of inpatient units, many learning disabled people are being denied life in the community

When Julie Newcombe visited her learning disabled son, Jamie, he was subdued and nursing a swollen arm.

Staff at the care unit in the south of England where he had been living for a few weeks said that Jamie, 23, who has autism and intermittent mental health issues, became distressed and hit a care worker. The Guardian

Liver transplant 'game changing' treatment approved

Liver transplant 'game changing' treatment approved A new procedure for storing livers donated for transplant has been hailed a "game changer" and approved for use on the NHS.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) say perfusion machines could increase the number of livers that can be safely used for transplantation. BBC News

New set of CPD principles launched by NHS staff representatives - Nursing Times

New set of CPD principles launched by NHS staff representatives Continuing professional development should be each nurse’s responsibility but be “made possible and supported” by their employer, according to new guidance designed to drive forward training.

Professional bodies and unions have launched a new set of principles for continuing professional development (CPD) and lifelong learning in the health and social care workforce. Nursing Times

GPs prescribe more opioid drugs for pain in poorer areas of England - The Guardian

GPs prescribe more opioid drugs for pain in poorer areas of England People living in deprived areas of England are more likely to be prescribed opioid drugs for pain relief than those in wealthier parts of the country, according to research.

A study found GPs in parts of Blackpool and St Helens prescribe the highest levels of opioids in England. Five areas in north-east England and four areas in the north-west were among the top 10 highest prescribers. The Guardian

Health secretary pushes chancellor for NHS pension tax reform - www.professionalpensions.com

Health secretary pushes chancellor for NHS pension tax reform Chancellor Philip Hammond is being pressed to tackle the impact of pensions allowances on the NHS' ability to recruit and retain staff.

GPs and other medical practitioners have consistently raised issues around how the lifetime allowance for pensions tax relief limits their incentive to save into their pension fund, health secretary Matt Hancock said. Professional Pensions

£150 DNA test could tell if you have the genes for a long life

£150 DNA test could tell if you have the genes for a long life A new DNA test could predict whether a person has the genes for a long life. Scientists at the University of Edinburgh were able to identify the 10 per cent of the population who could expect to live five years’ longer than the those scoring in the bottom 10 per cent.

Researchers said saliva tests could become available for as little as £150, for those who wanted to know their genetic life chances. The Telegraph

The ultrasound scan you can do yourself

The ultrasound scan you can do yourself US company Butterfly Networks has produced an ultrasound scanner that plugs into an iPhone and can be bought by anyone for $2,000 (£1,555).

Its inventor, Jonathan Rothberg, claims it will have as much impact on healthcare as the stethoscope did 200 years ago. BBC News

Air pollution, obesity and vaccine hesitancy climb WHO list of global health threats

Air pollution, obesity and vaccine hesitancy climb WHO list of global health threats Air pollution, obesity and vaccine hesitancy are three of the global health threats the World Health Organization has pledged to make a priority in 2019.

In a belated set of new year resolutions WHO has listed the 10 greatest health threats the world faces and sets out how it will tackle them over the next 12 months. The Telegraph

Junior doctors repeatedly working past shift end, NHS data shows

Junior doctors repeatedly working past shift end, NHS data shows Tens of thousands of junior doctors are working past the end of their shifts because hospitals are so understaffed, NHS figures show.

Almost 36,000 trainee doctors in England have worked beyond their contracted hours more than 63,000 times since 2015.

The figures, obtained by the Health Service Journal website, show nearly 36,000 junior doctors have filed an “exception report” since 2015. Trainee medics were given the right to do this after their longrunning contract dispute with the government in 2014-16. The Guardian

Brain-damaged Northampton Hospital patient can be allowed to die

Brain-damaged Northampton Hospital patient can be allowed to die A brain-damaged woman is to be allowed to die despite sometimes still smiling at hospital staff, a judge has ruled.

The patient, in her 50s, was injured in 2008 and has received life-support treatment at Northampton General Hospital for a decade. Her family and treating doctors all thought that the woman, who also has a number of physical difficulties, should be allowed to die. The judge said she was satisfied with the evidence provided by doctors. She approved a plan to implement a palliative care regime.

The case was considered at the Court of Protection in London, which rules on behalf of people who do not have the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves. BBC News - Northamptonshire

Concerns about transport of children by a Northamptonshire ambulance service

Concerns about transport of children by a Northamptonshire ambulance service Inspectors have raised several concerns about the NHS non-emergency ambulance service that covers Northamptonshire, including infection control and the transport of children.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) visit was carried out in November at the premises of Thames Ambulance Service Ltd, which transports Northamptonshire patients for free to NHS appointments.

Although an inspection report has still not been published, a paper written for NHS Nene board members has revealed a long list of worries. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Fertility clinics selling £3,500 IVF 'add-ons' including glue that 'helps embryos stick to womb'

Fertility clinics selling £3,500 IVF 'add-ons' including glue that 'helps embryos stick to womb' Fertility clinics selling expensive IVF 'add-on' treatments have been warned they must tell couples there is no evidence that they work.

Almost three-quarters of patients desperate to be parents bought at least one add-on in the past two years, a patient survey found.

They cost up to £3,500 a time and include 'glue' or a painful 'scratch' which is claimed to help an embryo stick to the wall of the womb.

But the fertility regulator has concluded there is 'no conclusive evidence' that any of them boost the chances of falling pregnant. Mail Online

See Also:

• Fertility regulator calls for clinics to be more open about treatment add-ons Human Fertilisation and Embyology Authority (HFEA)

New guidance on instant messaging for the NHS

New guidance on instant messaging for the NHS The NHS has published new guidance to help CCGs and others to decide how and when to use instant messaging in acute clinical settings. NHS Networks

Welcome focus on primary care but NHS plan also raises difficult questions

Welcome focus on primary care but NHS plan also raises difficult questions The NHS Long Term Plan includes a promise of £4.5bn of ring-fenced funding for primary care and community services. Among its bolder ambitions are that integrated care systems (ICS) will cover the country within two years and that all GP practices will be members of primary care networks by this April. NHS Networks

Overstretched 'sandwich carers' trying to help parents and children

Overstretched 'sandwich carers' trying to help parents and children An exhausted, overstretched generation of carers, are in need of emotional support themselves, say researchers.

A report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) says more than a quarter of such "sandwich carers" are suffering from depression or stress. "Sandwich carers" look after their elderly parents and their children.

There are 1.3 million people in the UK with such multi-generational caring responsibilities, say researchers, with many feeling ignored and undervalued. BBC News

What is the right age to lose your virginity?

What is the right age to lose your virginity? Having sex too soon is the biggest regret of young people losing their virginity, a survey of British sexual behaviour suggests. More than a third of women and a quarter of men in their teens and early 20s admitted it had not been "the right time" when they first had sex. People must be 16 or over to legally consent to sex.

The latest National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles poll says many people may not be ready at that age. The Natsal survey, carried out every decade or so, gives a detailed picture of sexual behaviour in the UK.

For this latest work, published in BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine looked at the responses of nearly 3,000 young people who had completed the survey between 2010 and 2012. BBC News - Health

See Also:

• Did YOU have sex too YOUNG? Study reveals 40% of women and 25% of men claim they did not lose their virginity 'at the right time' Mail Online
• Many in UK lose virginity before they are ready – study The Guardian
• Prevalence and correlates of ‘sexual competence’ at first heterosexual intercourse among young people in Britain BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health

Breast cancer risk test 'game changer'

Breast cancer risk test 'game changer' Experts have developed a potentially "game-changing" test to predict a woman's risk of breast cancer. It combines information on family history and hundreds of genetic markers with other factors, such as weight, to give the most comprehensive assessment possible, says Cancer Research UK.

The test is not yet routinely available on the NHS - some GPs and specialists are trialling it first. It is part of a push to spot cancers earlier through tailored screening. BBC News - Health

Investigation by Northamptonshire health care provider after three unexpected deaths

Investigation by Northamptonshire health care provider after three unexpected deaths A Northamptonshire mental health care provider has launched serious incident investigations into three unexpected deaths.

Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust is looking into the care given to three people who had been using its services before they died.

The deaths happened in July, August and September last year and were reported in the trust’s learning from deaths report published in November. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Improving workforce disability equality in the NHS

Improving workforce disability equality in the NHS 2019 will be a key year for workforce disability within the NHS due to the introduction of the Workforce Disability Equality Standard, find out what is happening. NHS Employers

Government promises 'bold new goal' to tackle dirty air

Government promises 'bold new goal' to tackle dirty air Wood burning stoves, open fires and farms all face new restrictions as the government sets out what it calls a "world leading" plan to tackle air pollution.

In their Clean Air Strategy, published today, the government promises to set a "bold new goal" to reduce particulates across much of the country by 2030.

But green groups say the scheme is vague and severely lacking in detail.

They believe the plan proposes nothing new to tackle roadside dirty air. BBC News

Intersex surgeries: Is it right to assign sex to a baby?

Intersex surgeries: Is it right to assign sex to a baby? The UN says as many as 1.7% of the world have intersex traits - that's the same as the number of people with red hair. All over the world, children with intersex traits are being operated on to be sex assigned at birth - sometimes with devastating consequences. BBC News

Private mental health group faces multimillion fine after death of NHS-funded girl in its care

Private mental health group faces multimillion fine after death of NHS-funded girl in its care A private mental health group is facing a multimillion-pound fine for breaching health and safety laws after a 14-year old with a history of suicide attempts died in its care.

Amy El-Keria was treated at the Priory Group’s Ticehurst House psychiatric hospital in East Sussex and was deemed high-risk, but three months after she was admitted she died in the trust’s care, Brighton Magistrates’ Court heard.

The private mental health group indicated a guilty plea at the hearing after being charged under health and safety laws after a criminal investigation was launched by the Health and Safety Executive into the death. National Health Executive

Artificial intelligence used to detect women with deadliest ovarian cancer

Artificial intelligence used to detect women with deadliest ovarian cancer The deadliest forms of ovarian cancer have been detected using AI, offering hope for more precise life-saving treatments.

Scientists have created a tool that seeks out clusters of tumour cells with unusually shaped nuclei – the control centres at the heart of each cell.

More than 7,000 new cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed every year in the UK, and it has one of the worst survival rates of all cancers. The Independent

NHS long-term plan: patients and staff hold the keys to better care

NHS long-term plan: patients and staff hold the keys to better care | Richard Vize Scientific breakthroughs are vital, but new blueprint will fail unless people get more power and responsibility

The newly-unveiled NHS long-term plan reveals an extraordinary breadth of ambition for improving healthcare over the coming decade. While it includes exciting developments in cutting-edge technology, such as gene therapy and artificial intelligence, the greatest improvements in care and outcomes will come not from scientific breakthroughs but from people: by harnessing the power and talents of patients and NHS staff. The Guardian

NHS staff being advised to ignore parents' wishes if children self-declare as different gender, guidance shows

NHS staff being advised to ignore parents' wishes if children self-declare as different gender, guidance shows NHS staff are being advised to ignore parents’ wishes if they conflict with those of a child who identifies as transgender - even if the child is not considered to have the understanding and intelligence to consent.

A Telegraph investigation has found that one NHS trust is even willing to allow adolescents to share sleeping space with members of the opposite sex upon admission to single sex wards.

It comes after the Telegraph revealed hospitals are routinely allowing male patients to share women’s wards if they self-identify as transgender, despite the government's commitment to eliminating mixed-sex wards. The Daily Telegraph

GPs could get more generous pensions to stop so many leaving the NHS

GPs could get more generous pensions to stop so many leaving the NHS Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock admitted the British Government has failed to fulfil his predecessor's promise to recruit an extra 5,000 NHS GPs between 2015 and 2020. The Daily Mail

See also:

• No target date for recruiting 5000 extra GPs, says health secretary Pulse

Missed appointments cost Northampton General Hospital almost £4 million

Missed appointments cost Northampton General Hospital almost £4 million Northampton General Hospital trust has lost almost £4 million in a year due to thousands of patients not turning up to appointments, figures show.

Data from NHS England shows that in the 12 months to September 2018, 34,584 people either did not show up for an outpatient appointment at the trust, or arrived too late to be seen.

With the NHS struggling for funds amid budget cuts and increased demand, the British Medical Association said it was crucial appointments are not wasted while the health service is “under incredible stress”. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Combined NHS Performance Summary: November – December 2018

Combined NHS Performance Summary: November – December 2018 Today, NHS England published its Combined Performance Summary, which provides data on key performance measures for November and December of last year. SitRep data for the first week of 2019 was also released, giving a more up-to-date analysis of how the NHS is coping this winter.

Here we show some of these statistics and how they compare with previous years. Nuffield Trust

See also:

• NHS coping under pressure so far this winter The Health Foundation

Mental health: poor NHS provision is failing young people

Mental health: poor NHS provision is failing young people In 2017-18 only three in ten children and young people with a mental health condition received NHS-funded treatment, and many more faced unacceptably long waits for treatment.

The government has committed to providing ‘parity of esteem’ between mental and physical health services, but it is still unclear what it means by this in practice.

It also has no comprehensive, long-term plan for how it will fulfil its commitment to implement Future in Mind, which set out a cross-sector vision for how to support children and young people’s mental health. House of Commons Public Accounts Committee 

See also:

• Too many children 'not being treated for mental health problems' BBC News
• Young people 'turned away' from NHS mental health support left to hit crisis point, MPs warn The Independent
• Poor provision on mental health is failing young people OnMedica
• NHS 'failing' pupils on mental health, say MPs TES News

Skill and dedication of NHS staff praised as health service productivity outstrips the rest of the economy

Skill and dedication of NHS staff praised as health service productivity outstrips the rest of the economy Hardworking NHS staff boosted productivity by 3% in a single year, dramatically outstripping productivity growth in the rest of the economy new figures have revealed today.

Data released today by the Office for National Statistics shows that NHS productivity for the financial year ending 2017 grew by 3% in England, more than treble the 0.8% achieved across wider the UK economy in 2016/17.

Health service productivity in England also outpaced that achieved in health services elsewhere in the UK, with a combined UK health service figure of 2.5% in 2016. NHS England

Unmet needs: improper social care assessments for older people in England

Unmet needs: improper social care assessments for older people in England The authors of this report spoke with older people and their relatives in twelve cities and towns across England. Some said that assessors appeared not to understand their disabilities and support needs. In other cases, before beginning an assessment, assessors announced that services would be cut regardless of an individual’s actual need. And in some cases services were denied or cut significantly, affecting older people’s health and wellbeing. The report concludes that older people in England are at risk of not getting adequate assistance to live independent, dignified lives due to uneven assessments for social services. Human Rights Watch

Are Andrew Lansley's NHS reforms being binned?

Are Andrew Lansley's NHS reforms being binned? Consider this, it is just over three years since the last piece of the jigsaw in Andrew Lansley's controversial NHS reforms was put into place.

In 2015, health visitors moved into local government to complete the transfer of public health from the NHS to councils.

It completed what former NHS chief executive Sir David Nicholson once described as a reform programme so big it could be seen from space. BBC News

PrEP: Postcode lottery of anti-HIV drug trial

PrEP: Postcode lottery of anti-HIV drug trial A game-changer in the fight against HIV, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective drug that reduces the risk of acquiring the condition. But as the NHS trials PrEP across England, many at high risk have struggled to get hold of the drug.

The Impact trial was launched in England in October 2017 with an initial 10,000 places at sexual health clinics for people at high risk of contracting HIV.

But there has been great demand for the drug, with sexual health charities inundated with stories of people being turned away due to a lack of places.

Responding to a request for comment for this article, NHS England said it was planning to fund 13,000 more places on the trial. BBC News

Mental health patients missing GP appointments 'at risk'

Mental health patients missing GP appointments 'at risk' Mental health patients who miss two or more GP appointments within the space of a year are eight times more likely to die in the subsequent 18 months than those who miss none, a study suggests.

The University of Glasgow study looked at 274,547 patients with long-term mental health conditions, at surgeries across Scotland between 2013 and 2016. BBC News

Thousands of NHS hospital consultants intend to quit years before retirement, survey finds

Thousands of NHS hospital consultants intend to quit years before retirement, survey finds Thousands of senior hospital doctors are planning to leave the NHS years early, according to a survey.

Six out of 10 consultants intend to retire before or at the age of 60 to cut back their working hours, the research found.

The British Medical Association, which questioned more than 4,000 consultants for the survey, said so many experienced doctors leaving would be “potentially disastrous”.

More than two-thirds (69.7 per cent) of those surveyed were hoping to achieve a better work-life balance. The Independent

See also:

• Pension rules force consultants to retire early British Medical Association
• BMA findings on hospital consultants leaving NHS early are ‘highly concerning,’ NHS Employers

Waiting times for NHS cancer treatment are at worst ever level

Waiting times for NHS cancer treatment are at worst ever level Record 20,000 patients a month are suffering delays in seeing a consultant or starting therapies

Record numbers of patients are not getting vital cancer care on time because NHS England performance against waiting time targets has fallen to its lowest ever level, according to official figures.

Hospitals are increasingly having to force patients to wait for care because they cannot keep up with the growing numbers being referred by GPs who fear they have the disease. The Guardian

See also:

• Number of NHS patients waiting longer than 18 weeks for treatment rises to half a million -Channel 4 News

Health department signs two contracts to store drugs under ‘no-deal’ Brexit

Health department signs two contracts to store drugs under ‘no-deal’ Brexit Officials hope third contract for warehousing will be signed shortly, with total cost of £10m

The government has signed two contracts to secure warehouse space for the storage of drugs as part of ‘no-deal’ Brexit planning but officials are still working to secure a third with just 11 weeks to go before the UK leaves the EU.

Details of the Department of Health’s work on one of the most sensitive areas of Brexit planning emerged as the government comes under intensive pressure to say which firms it is working with following controversy over a £13.8m contract given to a ‘start-up’ freight company to operate ferries in the case of no deal, and questions about the way it was allocated. The Guardian

Social care is ageist – and the new NHS plan doesn’t even try to fix it

Social care is ageist – and the new NHS plan doesn’t even try to fix it | Frances Ryan The 10-year plan must address the damaging generational divide, foster fair funding and devise a way to share the burden

“We are taking a big step to secure the future of the NHS for our children and their children,” Theresa May told an audience in Liverpool on Monday as she launched the NHS 10-year plan. May’s emphasis on generations of NHS users may be cliched political rhetoric – the children, as they say, are our future – but by pitching public services as a deal between the generations, she quite unintentionally landed on something important.

This country’s health and care system is currently riddled with a damaging generational divide, one that manifests itself in anything from a deficit in joined up services to outright bad feeling. The Guardian

NHS trans row as men get access to women's wards if they identify as female

NHS trans row as men get access to women's wards if they identify as female Hospitals routinely allow male patients to share female wards if they self-identify as women, an investigation by The Telegraph has found.

Despite official guidance intended to eliminate mixed sex wards, none of the NHS trusts in England require a patient to have begun transition for them to be treated as their preferred sex, according to responses to more than 100 Freedom of Information requests. The Daily Telegraph

NHS crisis: 12,000 patients were left waiting in the back of ambulances outside A&E last week

NHS crisis: 12,000 patients were left waiting in the back of ambulances outside A&E last week Thousands of NHS patients were kept waiting in the backs of ambulances for half an hour or more last week, official figures have revealed.

Hospitals across England are buckling under the strain of winter, as data shows the the first week of January was the worst so far this season.

The number of patients waiting at least 30 minutes to be handed over into A&E from ambulances was 26 per cent higher than in the previous week.

Nearly 3,000 patients were forced to wait an hour or more to be taken into busy casualty units, with more than 9,000 waiting between 30 to 60 minutes. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Man died 'in agony' after stroke amid ambulance delays BBC News
• Wife was told it would take an HOUR for an ambulance to arrive when her husband had a stroke The Daily Mail

Shocking new pictures from HES site in Newcastle lay bare scale of NHS body parts scandal

Shocking new pictures from HES site in Newcastle lay bare scale of NHS body parts scandal Shocking new images showing mountains of clinical waste stockpiled in a disposal site reveal the true scale of the NHS body parts scandal.

Tonnes of fluorescent orange and yellow bags stuffed with infectious waste were pictured spilling out of overflowing bins at Healthcare Environmental Services' (HES) base in Benton, North Tyneside. The Daily Mail

Abandoned Northampton office block to become flats for nurses, police and teachers

Abandoned Northampton office block to become flats for nurses, police and teachers An office block that has stood empty for years in Northampton town centre is to become flats in a partnership between the borough council and Legal & General.

Belgrave House, in Greyfriars, is owned by the company behind the Grosvenor Centre, Legal and General, which has struggled to generate interest from tenants or buyers.

Now, in order to create affordable town centre housing for key workers - such as people working in the emergency services, health or education - Northampton Borough Council intends to convert the building into 120 flats. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Insight report: High intensity users of A&E departments

Insight report: High intensity users of A&E departments Dr Foster has carried out a detailed analysis of accident and emergency (A&E) attendances nationally with the aim of uncovering common characteristics of high intensity users (HIUs) - people who attended 10 or more times in a 12-month period - and patterns in HIU attendances to provide valuable insight and a better understanding of the reasons they attend with such high frequency.

See also:

• Ten NHS patients visited A&Es more than 200 TIMES in the last year The Daily Mail
• Patient who went to A&E 400 times in one year among 'frequent flyer' list The Daily Telegraph

Two cases of resistant gonorrhoea diagnosed in the UK

Two cases of resistant gonorrhoea diagnosed in the UK Public Health England is reminding people of the importance of practising safer sex and seeking help if they are worried they may have an STI.

Public Health England (PHE) is investigating 2 cases of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in heterosexual females with similar resistance patterns to the antibiotics (ceftriaxone and azithromycin) that are used as the first line treatment for gonorrhoea. While this type of resistance is unusual, there have been cases in other countries. Both cases were successfully treated and we are following up sexual contacts to minimise the risk of any onward transmission.

One of these cases appears to have been acquired in Europe and the other has links to Europe but was acquired in the UK.

See also:

• Super-gonorrhoea spread causes 'deep concern' BBC News
• Safe sex warning after two women infected with super-gonorrhoea The Independent

Local auditor reporting in England 2018

Local auditor reporting in England 2018 The number of NHS and local government bodies with significant weaknesses in their arrangements for delivering value for money for taxpayers is unacceptably high and increasing, according to today’s report by the National Audit Office (NAO).

In 2017-18, 495 local authorities, local police and local fire bodies were responsible for around £54 billion of net revenue spending and 442 local NHS bodies received funding of approximately £100 billion. Each year, local auditors give an opinion on whether these bodies produce financial statements that comply with reporting requirements and if they have arrangements to properly manage their business and finances. Auditors can draw attention to weaknesses by ‘qualifying’ their opinion and issuing a ‘non-standard’ report. Local bodies should take any issues raised seriously and address them appropriately.

See also:

• Four in ten NHS organisations do not have a grip on their spending The Daily Telegraph

Cheap common drugs may help mental illness

Cheap common drugs may help mental illness Cheap and widely used drugs for diabetes and heart health have potential for treating severe mental illness, a study hints.

It showed the number of times patients needed hospital treatment fell by up to a fifth when they took the drugs.

The researchers at University College London say their findings have "enormous potential".

But they, and independent experts, say the results now need to be tested in clinical trials. BBC News

See also:

• Association of Hydroxylmethyl Glutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase Inhibitors, L-Type Calcium Channel Antagonists, and Biguanides With Rates of Psychiatric Hospitalization and Self-Harm in Individuals With Serious Mental Illness JAMA Psychiatry

The NHS 10-year plan has cleared a path for total privatisation of our health service

The NHS 10-year plan has cleared a path for total privatisation of our health service The latest strategy for Britain’s National Health Service has made some bold projections and headline-grabbing commitments. The endgame though is a corporate NHS.

The 1990s internal market introduced competition into the NHS. The NHS Plan 2000 ramped up outsourcing and public-private partnerships, and gave us the disastrous legacy of private finance initiatives, or PFI.

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 doubled private sector outsourcing to 8 per cent of the budget. It also enabled foundation trust hospitals to make up to half their income from private patients. There is a thread running through: a narrative of marketisation and privatisation. The Independent

The Priory faces multi-million pound fine following death of 14-year-old girl with a history of suicide attempts

The Priory faces multi-million pound fine following death of 14-year-old girl with a history of suicide attempts A private mental health care group is facing a fine of millions of pounds for breaching health and safety laws after a 14-year-old girl with a history of suicide attempts died in its care.

A criminal investigation was launched by the Health and Safety Executive into The Priory after the death of Amy El-Keria, who was treated at its Ticehurst House psychiatric hospital in 2012, Brighton Magistrates' Court heard.

The London-based company indicated a guilty plea after being charged under health and safety laws with being an employer failing to discharge its duty to ensure people were not exposed to risk, in what is thought to be the first prosecution of its kind. The Daily Telegraph

Writing complaints against NHS doctors 'could lead them to suicide', leading expert warns

Writing complaints against NHS doctors 'could lead them to suicide', leading expert warns Complaints about NHS doctors could lead them to depression and even trigger suicide, an expert has warned.

Dr Clare Gerada, the medical director of the NHS Practitioner Health Programme (PHP), said the number of complaints against NHS staff is rising.

But they can cause a spiral of events which can harm the doctor's mental health, their colleagues and future patients, she warned. The Daily Mail

'Traditional masculinity' is harmful, top psychologists say in new guidelines

'Traditional masculinity' is harmful, top psychologists say in new guidelines 'Traditional masculinity' is harmful, damaging the men who ascribe to it and everyone around them, according America's top psychologists.

The warning was issued in a 36-page document by the American Psychological Association, its first set of guidelines on male mental health in 127 years.

Experts said the traditional ideology of what makes a man 'a man' constrains men.

It also can drive them to feel or act aggressively towards other groups who are not masculine, fueling misogyny, sexism, sexual assault, bullying and homophobia. The Daily Mail

See also:

• APA Guidelines for the Psychological Practicewith Boys and Men American Psychological Association

Overspend reduced at county council but concerns persist over remaining £11m savings

Overspend reduced at county council but concerns persist over remaining £11m savings Northamptonshire County Council’s overspend has reduced by £19million in the past five months, but questions remain over the deliverability of some of its remaining £11million savings.

The latest finance monitoring report, which will be discussed by cabinet next Tuesday (January 15), shows that the forecast year-end position is currently an overspend of £11m. It’s down from the £30m overspend forecast in July, when the council issued a second section 114 notice banning new expenditure. And it’s a further improvement on the £15.6million position reported last month. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

International comparison of women’s health

International comparison of women’s health A briefing from the Commonwealth Fund compares the health status and availability of health care for women in the United States with the situation for women in 10 other high-income countries, including the UK.

GP premises: the patient perspective

GP premises: the patient perspective Poor confidentiality at reception desks, issues with access for disabled people and dated waiting rooms are some of the biggest problems highlighted by patients in a new report published by the Patients Association of people’s views of their local GP surgery’s buildings.

The report has found that patients are concerned about various internal and external aspects of their local GP practice premises. The report outlines patients’ views based on an online survey and four focus groups aiming to establish the importance of the physical environment in shaping people’s experiences of primary care.

Confidentiality emerged as a key issue raised by patients, particularly the risk of being overheard at the reception desk or when telephoning practices. Of the 720 respondents to the survey and focus groups, 58% (404 of 692 respondents to this question) said that there was not enough space at the practice to allow reasonable privacy. The Patients Association

See also:

• Patients forced to whisper to GPs because walls are too thin The Daily Telegraph

Can a strong economic case be made for investing in the NHS?

Can a strong economic case be made for investing in the NHS? In September 2018, Professor Peter Smith delivered the 25th OHE Annual Lecture: Can a Strong Economic Case Be Made for Investing in the NHS? The lecture is now available as a publication, which can be downloaded for free.

Debate about funding has highlighted the difficulty of persuading sceptics that the NHS is a good use of public finance. There is a widely held view – particularly in finance ministries and some sections of the media – that health systems such as the NHS are ‘black holes’, constantly demanding increased funding without concomitant returns to society. Office of Health Economics

Home Office doubles charge for migrants to use the NHS

Home Office doubles charge for migrants to use the NHS Nurses and people who have been in the UK since childhood are among those who must pay the £400-a-year charge

he Home Office has doubled a charge for migrants to use the NHS, in a move that has been criticised for its impact on NHS workers and young people who have been in the UK since childhood.

The standard Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) will today double from £200 to £400 a year, a sum the Home Office says will bring much-needed funds to the National Health Service. Sky News

See also:

• Campaigners ‘desolate’ after Home Office doubles charge for migrants to use the NHS National Health Executive

Generation Z and Baby Boomers fear for future of the NHS, says survey

Generation Z and Baby Boomers fear for future of the NHS, says survey Concern that Brexit will harm the NHS, a surge in people turning to social media for medical advice, and ignorance regarding the pharmaceutical industry are among the findings of a new report into people's attitudes to health.

The majority (59 per cent) of young patients think Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union will have a negative impact on the NHS, compared to just 28 per cent of older patients, according to the report by health comms agency Pegasus.

It outlines the results of a poll of 500 members of Generation Z, defined as those aged 16-23, and 500 Baby Boomers, those aged 54-72, which was carried out in October 2018.

Both demographic groups are concerned about the long-term outlook for the NHS, with 69 per cent of Generation Zs and 72 per cent of Baby Boomers saying they are worried about its future. PR Week

See also:

• Generation Z: The Future of Health and Wellbeing Behavioural differences between generations (free but requires registration) Pegasus 

People at greater risk of death due to embarrassment over cancer symptoms

People at greater risk of death due to embarrassment over cancer symptoms Millions of British people are delaying getting their cancer symptoms checked due to embarrassment, putting them at increased risk of death.

New research suggests a fifth of UK adults – around 6.6 million people – have put off seeking medical advice.

Experts warn that delays in diagnosis can have a major impact on the success of treatment, and urged people to overcome their shame to ensure the best results. The Independent

Long-term NHS plan: Does the UK health service provide value for money?

Long-term NHS plan: Does the UK health service provide value for money? The government produced a “long-term plan” for the National Health Service on Monday.

This is designed to outline how the £20bn a year funding boost by 2023-24, announced last year, will be spent.

Labour, unions and various health group say the plan is underfunded and will not fill widening staffing gaps.

The Institute of Economic Affairs, on the other hand, complains that the plan does not allow for greater “competition” or “patient choice” and argues that ministers have refused to heed the lessons from superior and more efficient European health insurance systems.

So just how does the NHS compare to other countries’ health systems when it comes to value for money? Should we be learning from abroad? The Independent

See also:

• Without more staff, the NHS plan will fail. GPs will have to pick up the pieces | Zara Aziz The Guardian

Injection to halt the progress of Alzheimer’s 'available within decade'

Injection to halt the progress of Alzheimer’s 'available within decade' An injection capable of halting the progress of Alzheimer’s could be available to patients within a decade, Britain’s leading dementia organisation predicts.

The Alzheimer’s Society says a series of recent breakthroughs in treatments that disrupt harmful genes has brought scientists to a “tipping point” in their fight against the disease.

For decades, researchers have sought without success a treatment for Alzheimer’s based on targeting damaging proteins that build up in the brain. The Daily Telegraph