Trump state visit: President rows back on NHS trade remarks

Trump state visit: President rows back on NHS trade remarks Donald Trump has rowed back on his remarks that the NHS should form part of a future trade deal between the UK and US.

The comment, made during his state visit to the UK, prompted a backlash from Conservative leadership candidates, Labour and trade unions.

But on Wednesday, the US president told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "I don't see it being on the table."

He added that the NHS was something he would "not consider part of trade". BBC News

See also:

• ‘The NHS is not for sale’: Health Secretary hits back after US Ambassador says healthcare should be on the table in any transatlantic post-Brexit trade talks The Daily Mail
• The NHS cannot become a bargaining chip in our desperate deal-making with the US The Guardian

Sure Start programme saved the NHS millions of pounds, study finds

Sure Start programme saved the NHS millions of pounds, study finds Sure Start children’s centres delivered major health benefits for youngsters in the most deprived areas, reducing the number of people taken to hospital and delivering millions of pounds in savings to the NHS, a study has found.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies research found that where Sure Start offered high levels of service in poor neighbourhoods in England, visits to hospital to treat injuries fell among all children of primary school age, and by a third of all 11-year-olds. The Guardian

See also:

• The health effects of Sure Start Institute for Fiscal Studies

Why aren’t new homes fully accessible for older and disabled people?

Why aren’t new homes fully accessible for older and disabled people? | David Brindle Cuts to planning services have helped ensure that only 7% of England’s housing stock is even ‘visitable’ by a disabled person

Six years ago a House of Lords inquiry concluded that the UK government and society were “woefully under-prepared” for the needs of the ageing population. It was meant to be a wake-up call, a prompt for action, but new evidence shows that we continue to drift negligently on the crucial issue of housing.

If older people are going to live longer in their own homes, avoiding costly residential care, those homes must be suitable for the limitations of later life or capable of easy adaptation. Yet just 7% of England’s housing stock provides even the most basic features of accessibility, making a property “visitable” by a disabled person in the official jargon. The Guardian

Self-harm trebles among women in past 14 years amid calls for social media firms to protect vulnerable users

Self-harm trebles among women in past 14 years amid calls for social media firms to protect vulnerable users The number of girls and young women self-harming has tripled in the past 14 years as charities call on social media companies to take up their duty of care.

In 2000, 6.5% of 16 to 24-year-old girls and women reported having self-harmed at some point in their life. However this figure doubled to 11.7% in 2007 and 19.7% in 2014. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Prevalence of non-suicidal self-harm and service contact in England, 2000–14: repeated cross-sectional surveys of the general population The Lancet Psychiatry
• 'Alarming rise in self-harm - but only half get care' BBC News

Government accused of a 'cop out' over calorie labelling plans

Government accused of a 'cop out' over calorie labelling plans Ministers have been accused of a 'cop out' amid claims plans to force restaurants, cafes and takeaways to list calorie contents have been watered down.

The Government last year announced its intentions to introduce mandatory calorie labelling across England, in hope of tackling childhood obesity. The Daily Mail

The weekend effect IS real: Patients are 15% more likely to die on Saturday or Sunday

The weekend effect IS real: Patients are 15% more likely to die on Saturday or Sunday Patients taken to hospitals at weekends are 16 per cent more likely to die than those admitted during the week, a major study suggests.

Researchers found non-emergency operations - such as hip and knee replacements - are 70 per cent more deadly when performed on the weekend compared to a week day.

But experts believe while a 'weekend effect' exists, the higher death rates are not a reflection of poorer care in hospitals on Saturdays and Sundays. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Magnitude and modifiers of the weekend effect in hospital admissions: a systematic review and meta-analysis (open access) BMJ Open
• Weekend effect: The row that set the NHS against Jeremy Hunt The Independent
• Weekend effect: Study debunks government claim that staff shortages to blame for rise in deaths The Independent

Woman, 92, dies after Northampton General Hospital loses dentures

Woman, 92, dies after Northampton General Hospital loses dentures A 92-year-old woman died in hospital following weeks of weight loss after staff lost her false teeth.

Northampton General Hospital's board heard how the hospital failed to replace the dentures, which were lost during her admission.

The woman, who had dementia, also suffered from dehydration before her death in January.

Director of nursing Sheran Oke told the board meeting the "very sad" incident was being investigated. BBC Northampton

See also:

• Woman, 92, died at NGH following weeks of weight loss after false teeth lost by NHS Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Interim NHS People Plan

Interim NHS People Plan This interim report, developed collaboratively with national leaders and partners, sets a vision for how people working in the NHS will be supported to deliver that care and identifies the actions that NHS England will take to help them. NHS Improvement 

See also:

• NHS People Plan is welcome but will need investment NHS Employers
• “More staff not enough – NHS must also be best place to work” says new NHS people plan NHS England
• The King’s Fund responds to the interim NHS People Plan The King's Fund
• NHS staff quitting due to burnout and bullying, report says The Guardian
• Exclusive: Dido Harding: Boards should take culture as seriously as finance Health Service Journal

Sexual health

Sexual health This report finds that despite top line figures for sexual health appearing positive they hide a number of seriously concerning underlying trends and inequalities as poor sexual health outcomes fall disproportionately on certain groups. An enduring theme throughout the Health and Social Care Committee's inquiry was geographical variation in access to the highest standard of sexual health services, worsened by the impact of greatly reduced funding and increased fragmentation of services. The report concludes that sexual health must be sufficiently funded on a national level to deliver high quality sexual health services and information. House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee 

See also:

• People urged to practise safer sex after rise in STIs in England Public Health England
• Official Statistics: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): annual data tables Public Health England
• Syphilis: Public Health England action plan Public Health England
• Sex diseases on the rise in England BBC News
• Gonorrhoea cases reach a 40 YEAR high in England The Daily Mail

Whorlton Hall abuse: Care watchdog launches investigations

Whorlton Hall abuse: Care watchdog launches investigations The health watchdog is launching a review into how it handled a 2015 report raising concerns about Whorlton Hall hospital.

Former Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspector Barry Stanley-Wilkinson said he wrote the report four years before BBC Panorama revealed the alleged abuse of patients.

The CQC said there would also be a review of its regulation of the County Durham hospital between 2015 and 2019. BBC News

Nearly 10,000 beds lost from half of England’s local authorities

Nearly 10,000 beds lost from half of England’s local authorities Nearly 10,000 care home beds for the elderly have been lost in five years across half of England’s local authorities, figures show.

In total, 9,772 care home beds have been lost in England in the 75 local authority areas that have struggled to keep up with provision since 2014, the analysis of Care Quality Commission (CQC) data shows. OnMedica

Plan to hire thousands of foreign nurses for NHS is axed

Plan to hire thousands of foreign nurses for NHS is axed Target was politically difficult for a government committed to reducing net migration

A controversial target of hiring 5,000 foreign nurses a year for at least 15 years has been cut from a flagship plan to deal with the NHS’s staffing crisis, the Observer understands.

The move will frustrate health chiefs, who are desperate for a clear strategy to reduce NHS staffing pressures, which are expected to worsen. The Guardian

See also:

• NHS turns to Mumsnet to fill nurse vacancies BBC News
• NHS turns to Mumsnet to find nurses The Daily Mail
• NHS bosses to recruit Mumsnet users in a bid to help fill nursing vacancies The Daily Telegraph

Matt Hancock pledges to lift immigration limits on NHS medics

Matt Hancock pledges to lift immigration limits on NHS medics Centrist Tory candidate advocates free movement of foreign doctors and nurses

The UK should allow complete freedom of movement for medics from around the world, the Tory leadership hopeful Matt Hancock will pledge on Monday.

The health secretary, who is one of main contenders from the party’s centre-left in the 13-strong race to be the next prime minister, will promise to lift all immigration restrictions for qualified doctors and nurses of any nationality who have secured a job in the NHS. The Guardian

Austerity to blame for 130,000 ‘preventable’ UK deaths – report

Austerity to blame for 130,000 ‘preventable’ UK deaths – report Two decades of public health improvements have stalled, says IPPR thinktank

More than 130,000 deaths in the UK since 2012 could have been prevented if improvements in public health policy had not stalled as a direct result of austerity cuts, according to a hard-hitting analysis to be published this week.

The study by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) thinktank finds that, after two decades in which preventable diseases were reduced as a result of spending on better education and prevention, there has been a seven-year “perfect storm” in which state provision has been pared back because of budget cuts, while harmful behaviours among people of all ages have increased. The Guardian

See also:

• Ending the blame game: The case for a new approach to public health and prevention IPPR

Most doctors never read patient feedback, report finds

Most doctors never read patient feedback, report finds Patient feedback about the performance of doctors is ignored by the vast majority of the profession, a report has found.

Research revealed that only one in five doctors read comments directly concerning them. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Online patient feedback: a cross-sectional survey of the attitudes and experiences of United Kingdom health care professionals (open access) Journal of Health Services Research and Policy

Obesity has become 'the new smoking' and will fuel weight-related cancers, head of NHS warns

Obesity has become 'the new smoking' and will fuel weight-related cancers, head of NHS warns Obesity has become “the new smoking” and is set to fuel double the number of weight-related cancers within two decades, the head of the NHS today warns.

Simon Stevens raised fears that the UK is apeing the United States, as medics warned that today’s deadly lifestyles could set back decades of medical advances.

The NHS forecasts show that by 2035, the health service is set to be treating more than 40,000 cases of cancer linked to excess weight - a rise from around 22,800 in 2015. The Daily Telegraph

One person in 10 is mistaken about the identity of their father, reveals NHS chief

One person in 10 is mistaken about the identity of their father, reveals NHS chief One person in 10 is mistaken about the identity of their father, genetic tests for hereditary illnesses are revealing, according to an NHS chief.

The era of genomic medicine is allowing doctors to screen rising numbers for preventative action against diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.

About 220,000 such tests are carried out by the NHS in England and Scotland each year. The Daily Telegraph

Postcode lottery for UK heart failure patients: Hospitals are not meeting care standards

Postcode lottery for UK heart failure patients: Hospitals are not meeting care standards Heart failure patients across the UK face a 'postcode lottery' in the NHS care they receive, according to a report.

Researchers uncovered a 'worrying wide variation' and 'lack of consistency' in the level of care received across the home nations.

The British Heart Foundation described the differences as being 'stark' - the worst-performing regions were not named.

Health watchdog NICE updated its guidelines for the treatment of chronic heart failure nine months ago. The Daily Mail

Government help may be needed for cost of new children's trust for Northamptonshire

Government help may be needed for cost of new children's trust for Northamptonshire Government help may be needed to fund the cost of setting up a new trust to oversee children’s services in Northamptonshire.

The admission came from county council leader Matt Golby during a debate on how much the transformation to two new unitary councils in 2021 would cost.

The county council’s overview and scrutiny committee was told that the cost of establishing the trust, which was announced by Secretary of State for local government James Brokenshire, was not included in the £43million budget estimate for the two new councils. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Achieving a digital NHS: Lessons for national policy from the acute sector

Achieving a digital NHS: Lessons for national policy from the acute sector As a new body, NHSX, becomes established to lead national policy for technology, digital and data, and with the Secretary of State firmly behind plans to create a fully digital NHS, this report seeks to understand how national policy for digitisation is working from the perspective of acute trusts. Do digital leaders feel the commitment to digital over the last two decades is helping to move things forward? And what could be done differently to support digitisation on the ground? Nuffield Trust

See also:

• Going digital: three crucial areas for NHS policy Nuffield Trust
• Inability to recruit key staff and untested standards undermine NHS technology push Nuffield Trust

Saving lives, supporting communities

Saving lives, supporting communities At the frontline of NHS emergency care, the ambulance service is probably the last place you’d expect to see volunteers – but you’d be wrong. There are now over 10,000 people who volunteer in ambulance trusts across England. The King's Fund

PHE calls on all NHS Trusts to ban smoking on hospital grounds

PHE calls on all NHS Trusts to ban smoking on hospital grounds Public Health England (PHE) has found that Trusts are making steady progress in becoming smokefree, with smoking now banned completely on the grounds of more than two thirds (69%) of NHS acute Trusts in England. Yet despite this progress, almost a third (31%) have not yet enforced total smoking bans across hospital premises.

See also:

• Almost one in three NHS hospitals still allow smoking on their premises The Daily Mail

MAC recommends all doctors are added to shortage occupation list

MAC recommends all doctors are added to shortage occupation list The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has recommended that all medical practitioners are now added to the shortage occupation list alongside a number of other suggestions for government. NHS Employers

We still need to talk about boards

We still need to talk about boards This briefing sets out NHS Providers' rationale for board leadership now and in the future. It argues that board leadership, and sound local accountability, are critical in managing risk, and must remain a key component of system working. The briefing is a revised version of a paper NHS Providers published in 2015. NHS Providers

GM fungus rapidly kills 99% of malaria mosquitoes, study suggests

GM fungus rapidly kills 99% of malaria mosquitoes, study suggests A fungus - genetically enhanced to produce spider toxin - can rapidly kill huge numbers of the mosquitoes that spread malaria, a study suggests.

Trials, which took place in Burkina Faso, showed mosquito populations collapsed by 99% within 45 days.

The researchers say their aim is not to make the insects extinct but to help stop the spread of malaria. BBC News

See also:

• Transgenic Metarhizium rapidly kills mosquitoes in a malaria-endemic region of Burkina Faso (abstract) Science
• Malaria mosquitoes wiped out with GM fungus in first controlled ‘real world’ tests The Independent

GP surgery closures in UK 'hit all-time high' in 2018

GP surgery closures in UK 'hit all-time high' in 2018 Research, disputed by NHS, shows 138 practices shut with smaller surgeries worst hit

GP surgery closures across the UK have reached an all-time high, affecting an estimated half a million patients last year, research has found. An investigation by the medical website Pulse found 138 doctors’ premises shut their doors in 2018, compared with 18 in 2013.

GPs said under-resourcing and recruitment difficulties were forcing surgeries to close. They said many smaller practices were merging with others to survive, which allowed them to avoid having to disperse their patient list to other practices much further away. The Guardian

See also:

• Revealed: more surgeries than ever closed last year Pulse
• Urgent action needed to prevent more 'heart-breaking' practice closures, says College Royal College of General Practitioners
• GP retention just as vital as recruitment, says RCGP responding to latest workforce figures Royal College of General Practitioners
• NHS has lost 700 GPs in three years The Daily Mail
• Record 138 surgeries closed down last year as more GPs take early retirement or change carer The Daily Mail
• The diary of a GP driven to despair The Daily Mail
• 2018 saw highest ever number of GP practice closures, with small local surgeries worst affected The Daily Telegraph
• Over half a million patients forced to swap GP surgeries after closures last year, investigation finds The Independent

Nasal flu spray to be offered to all primary school children next winter

Nasal flu spray to be offered to all primary school children next winter The flu vaccine in the form of a nasal spray will be offered to all children in primary school next winter in a bid to boost uptake, health chiefs have announced.

Currently the vaccine is not available in all schools and for many older children it is only on offer in injection form. The Daily Telegraph

Tourists are spreading superbugs across international borders, report warns

Tourists are spreading superbugs across international borders, report warns Holiday-makers are at risk of picking up and bringing home superbugs, according to a study looking at the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) worldwide.

Drug-resistant infections are already responsible for some 700,000 deaths globally each year, but it is estimated that this figure could rise to 10 million annually by 2050 if left unchecked. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Global Geographic Trends in Antimicrobial Resistance: The Role of International Travel (open access) Journal of Travel Medicine

Health Secretary Matt Hancock asks for help to halve childhood obesity in the UK

Health Secretary Matt Hancock asks for help to halve childhood obesity in the UK The Health Secretary today asked for help to deliver the Government's promise to halve childhood obesity over the next 10 years.

Matt Hancock called on England's Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, to prepare an urgent report by September on how best to help children lose weight.

Some 29 per cent of children aged two to 15 are now overweight or obese in England, with 16 per cent of them being obese. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Chief medical officer considers recommending tax on unhealthy food BBC News
• Chief medical officer considers taxing all unhealthy food The Daily Telegraph
• Matt Hancock backs parenting classes as calls for 'targeted support' to help combat obesity epidemic The Daily Telegraph

On call with the community first responders saving lives every day in Northampton

On call with the community first responders saving lives every day in Northampton Ambulances and paramedics are more stretched than ever. The pressures on the NHS’s emergency services means crews are faced with more 999 calls than ever before – so many that at its worst, they have to decide which jobs need their attention first.

But at least in Northampton, a team of some 40 volunteers are making sure there is always someone there when an emergency strikes. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Campaign launched in Corby to prevent ‘dangerous’ wrong decisions over NHS care

Campaign launched in Corby to prevent ‘dangerous’ wrong decisions over NHS care Patients who choose the wrong NHS service may not only be delaying their care but could also be making a ‘dangerous’ mistake, Corby health chiefs warned today (Tuesday) at the launch of a new campaign.

With the introduction of new services and healthcare providers in the town, the awareness campaign is aiming to help patients select the correct NHS service at the first time of choosing. Northamptonshire Telegraph

How apprenticeships are just the starting point for great careers in healthcare - Training Journal

How apprenticeships are just the starting point for great careers in healthcare In 2017, Government reforms sought to improve the quality of apprenticeship training and boost the number of apprentices in the UK to 3m by 2020.

Apprenticeships are an excellent training route into healthcare for people starting their careers, as well as for individuals looking to develop and progress, and we place huge value on our apprenticeship programmes.

Not only are they a way of addressing staff shortages and boosting the workforce, but apprenticeships enable individuals to gain on the job training and build their knowledge, confidence and experience. As employers, we can upskill our teams and plug skills gaps. Training Journal

Untapped potential: investing in health and care data analytics

Untapped potential: investing in health and care data analytics This report highlights nine key reasons why there should be more investment in analytical capability. Action and investment is needed across the system so the NHS has the right people with the right tools to interpret and create value from its data. This could result in an NHS that can make faster progress on improving outcomes for patients. The Health Foundation

Yet another case of history repeating

Yet another case of history repeating With poor care for people with learning disabilities once again in the news, Helen Buckingham laments the NHS’s failure to learn from what’s gone on before, while arguing that the future doesn’t have to see the same mistakes. Nuffield Trust

RCPsych calls on NICE to update its antidepressant withdrawal advice

RCPsych calls on NICE to update its antidepressant withdrawal advice OFFICIAL guidance on coming off antidepressants needs to reflect the full range of patients’ experiences; the Royal College of Psychiatrists says today.

Existing advice from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) – which provides national guidance to improve health and social care in England – suggests most people should be able to come off antidepressants over four weeks.

However, it is increasingly apparent from the experiences shared by some patients and clinicians, including GPs, that some patients can suffer from more severe symptoms that can last much longer. This may affect those who have been prescribed antidepressants over a long period and who have stopped their use too quickly. Royal College of Psychiatrists

See also:

• Royal College of Pyschiatrists warn doctors anti-depressants have dangerous side effects The Daily Mail

NHS WiFi now available to millions of patients

NHS WiFi now available to millions of patients Free NHS WiFi is now available in 6,749 GP practices and 212 acute, mental health and community NHS Trusts across England, benefitting millions of patients.

95% of GP practices and 98% of NHS trusts are already connected with the remaining four trusts and ten CCGs all underway with their own procurements and set to be live this year. NHS Digital exceeded its target to have 95% coverage, by 31 March 2019, in GP practices and NHS trusts.

Patient safety essentials toolkit

Patient safety essentials toolkit This toolkit includes documents on improving teamwork and communication, tools to help you understand the underlying issues that can cause errors, and valuable guidance about how to create and maintain reliable systems. Each of the nine tools includes a short description, instructions, an example, and a blank template. Please note that free registration is required to access the toolkit. Institute for Healthcare Improvement

English council funding: what’s happened and what’s next?

English council funding: what’s happened and what’s next? This report finds that overall spending on local services by English councils fell by 21 per cent between 2009-10 and 2017-18. Some services have seen much deeper cuts though. Spending on planning & development and housing services fell by more than 50 per cent while cultural & leisure services and highways & transport also saw cuts of more than 40 per cent over the same period. This has allowed councils to protect social care services from the full force of budget cuts. Spending on adult social care fell by 5 per cent between 2009–10 and 2017–18 – although the numbers receiving care fell by much more – and spending on acute children’s social care services (such as social work, safeguarding and fostering) actually rose by 10 per cent. Institute for Fiscal Studies

Ultra-processed food linked to early death

Ultra-processed food linked to early death Ultra-processed foods - such as chicken nuggets, ice cream and breakfast cereals - have been linked to early death and poor health, scientists say.

Researchers in France and Spain say the amount of such food being eaten has soared.

Their studies are not definite proof of harm but do come hot on the heels of trials suggesting ultra-processed foods lead to overeating.

Experts expressed caution but called for further investigation. BBC News

See also:

• Ultra-processed food and adverse health outcomes The BMJ
• Ultra-processed food intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: prospective cohort study (NutriNet-Santé) The BMJ 
• Eating too much ultra-processed foods raises the risk of death The Daily Mail

Transgender no longer recognised as 'disorder' by WHO

Transgender no longer recognised as 'disorder' by WHO Transgender health issues will no longer be classified as mental and behavioural disorders under big changes to the World Health Organization's global manual of diagnoses.

The newly-approved version instead places issues of gender incongruence under a chapter on sexual health.

A World Health Organization expert said it now understands transgender is "not actually a mental health condition".

Human Rights Watch says the change will have a "liberating effect worldwide" BBC News

2,000 domestic abuse survivors placed at risk of homelessness a year, report finds

2,000 domestic abuse survivors placed at risk of homelessness a year, report finds Two thousand domestic abuse survivors a year are put at risk of homelessness or being forced back into the arms of their abuser due to local authority rules saying they are not vulnerable enough to access housing.

An estimated 1,960 households fleeing domestic abuse in England are not being provided with a safe home by local authority housing teams because not everyone escaping domestic abuse is considered in “priority need”, finds a report by Crisis and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Ending Homelessness (APPGEH). The Independent

Woman left infertile after surgeon removes wrong fallopian tube

Woman left infertile after surgeon removes wrong fallopian tube Doctor phoned Chelsie Thomas, 27, to say he had mistakenly removed her left tube

A woman was left infertile after a surgeon removed her healthy fallopian tube by mistake.

Chelsie Thomas, 27, was admitted to Walsall Manor hospital, in the West Midlands, suffering from an ectopic pregnancy in March last year. Though the pregnancy was in her right tube, the doctor mistakenly removed the left fallopian tube during surgery. The Guardian

UK fails to back international agreement on reducing drug costs

UK fails to back international agreement on reducing drug costs The UK has been accused of acting in bad faith after backing away from an international agreement aimed at reducing the cost of drugs worldwide.

In the run-up to this month’s World Health Assembly – the decision-making body of the World Health Organization – member states spent three weeks negotiating the agreement aimed at increasing transparency over drug pricing, with the UK, United States, Germany, Japan and Switzerland demanding changes to the text.

However, when the final agreement was signed on Monday the UK, Germany and Hungary formally dissociated themselves from it as they said they needed more time to consider its implications. The Daily Telegraph

Self-harm increased 50% in middle-aged men after the 2008 financial crisis

Self-harm increased 50% in middle-aged men after the 2008 financial crisis There was a 50 per cent spike in self-harm among middle-aged men after the financial crash of 2008, according to scientists.

A study has found the numbers of men harming themselves rose 'significantly' after the credit crunch.

People aged between 40 and 59 are the most likely to self-harm, according to researchers, and common triggers include alcohol problems and financial trouble. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Self-harm in midlife: analysis using data from the Multicentre Study of Self-harm in England British Journal of Psychiatry

Cruel rationing of vital cataract ops has DOUBLED since 2017

Cruel rationing of vital cataract ops has DOUBLED since 2017 Cruel rationing of vital cataract operations has doubled since NHS officials were ordered to stop refusing patients the surgery, a shocking report has revealed.

At least 2,851 people were turned down for a cataract operation in 2018/19 after their doctor had referred them for the procedure, according to figures published in the British Medical Journal.

Astonishingly, the number of refusals have doubled since guidance published by NHS watchdog NICE in October 2017 was supposed to spell an end to people being denied the operations. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Leading ophthalmologist vows to stamp out “unjustified” screening for cataract surgery The BMJ
• Cataract patients across England being denied NHS surgery The Medical Technology Group
• Investigation reveals doubling in NHS rationing of cataract surgery The Daily Telegraph
• NHS surgery rationing on the rise as thousands rejected for cataract surgery, investigation finds The Independent
• CCGs rationing cataract surgery against guidelines OnMedica

English councils warned on 'running out' of reserve cash

English councils warned on 'running out' of reserve cash Some councils in England (including Northamptonshire County Council) have been warned they risk running out of cash reserves if recent spending continues.

Analysis by the BBC has identified 11 authorities the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (Cipfa) said would have "fully exhausted" reserves within four years unless they topped them up.

The Local Government Association said councils faced "systemic underfunding".

The government said councils were responsible for managing their funds. BBC News

£4.4bn funding gap projected for social care in England as spending per person falls further behind other UK countries

£4.4bn funding gap projected for social care in England as spending per person falls further behind other UK countries New analysis from the Health Foundation shows that there will be a social care funding gap of £4.4bn in England in 2023/24 to meet rising demand and address critical staffing shortages in the sector.

In the absence of an additional funding commitment, the money available for adult social care will rise at an annual average rate of 1.4% a year. This is much lower than the 3.4% a year the government has committed to the NHS and crucially, far below rising demand of 3.6% a year, with increasing numbers of elderly and younger adults needing help with day to day activities such as washing, eating and dressing.

The Health Foundation also point to poor pay and conditions in social care as a major threat to the quality of care and future sustainability of the sector. Staff turnover has been increasing since 2012/13 and there are over 110,000 vacancies in adult social care. Over 40,000 nurses work in adult social care but almost a third are estimated to have left their role within the past 12 months. Adult social care wages are low and below equivalent salaries in the NHS.

See also:

• The real cost of a fair adult social care system The Health Foundation
• English 'short-changed on care funding' BBC News

Five myths of compassionate leadership

Five myths of compassionate leadership The NHS is facing a crisis in staffing with large gaps in the nursing and medical workforces in both primary and secondary care. Recruitment is proving ever more difficult, absenteeism is high and staff are leaving or retiring early. There is no magic solution in sight. Part of the reason is the sustained work overload staff face, which has been increasing over time. This leads to high levels of staff stress (50 per cent higher than in the working population as a whole), harming the physical and mental health of staff across the NHS. It is an unsustainable position which demands a wise and powerful response. The King's Fund

The impact of primary care incentive schemes on care home placements for people with dementia

The impact of primary care incentive schemes on care home placements for people with dementia The interface between primary care and long-term care is complex. In the case of dementia, this interface may be influenced by incentives offered to GPs as part of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) to provide an annual review for patients with dementia. The hypothesis is that the annual reviews reduce the likelihood of admission to a care home by supporting the patient to live independently and by addressing carers’ needs for support. Centre for Health Economics

Evaluation of Babylon GP at hand: final evaluation report

Evaluation of Babylon GP at hand: final evaluation report Ipsos MORI, working in partnership with York Health Economics Consortium, and with advisory input from Professor Chris Salisbury (University of Bristol), were commissioned by NHS Hammersmith and Fulham Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS England in May 2018 to undertake an independent evaluation of the Babylon GP at Hand (BGPaH) practice. This report sets out the final results of the evaluation.

Homeless and disabled: ‘I’m at my wits’ end’

Homeless and disabled: ‘I’m at my wits’ end’ The number of physically disabled people affected by homelessness in England increased by three quarters during an almost 10-year period, according to official statistics.

Now new government figures show thousands of vulnerable people are struggling amid a shortage of suitable accommodation – with many living on the streets.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government says it's "providing councils with almost £1 billion over the next two years to adapt properties for disabled people."

The BBC 's disability news correspondent, Nikki Fox, has been to meet three homeless disabled people in Birmingham to hear their stories. BBC News

Nurses struggling to look after dying patients due of staff shortages, survey finds

Nurses struggling to look after dying patients due of staff shortages, survey finds Nurses are struggling to look after dying patients because of staff shortages, according to a survey.

Two-thirds of nurses (65 per cent) said staffing levels are the main “barrier” to providing good care in the final stages of patients’ lives, according to an annual poll by magazine Nursing Standard and charity Marie Curie.

Last year, 38 per cent reported the same reason.

Meanwhile, more than half (57 per cent) of nurses reported time constraints as an issue, compared to 25 per cent last year. The Independent

See also:

• Two thirds of nurses struggle to provide good care to dying patients due to staff shortages Marie Curie
• Nurses need more support to care for dying people Marie Curie
• End of life care: what thousands of nurses told our annual survey Nursing Standard

Government policy makes people ill – and the NHS pays the price

Government policy makes people ill – and the NHS pays the price Poverty and pollution are political choices. Ministers should be accountable for the burden they put on our health system.

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens has been remarkably successful in prising more money for the health service out of the government, but short-term ministerial thinking about the service and its resources has resulted in an unedifying, dysfunctional scramble for cash in austerity Britain. Finally, though, ideas are emerging that could change all that. The Guardian

Nearly five million children and young people at risk of measles across Europe

Nearly five million children and young people at risk of measles across Europe Some 4.5million young people in Europe are at risk of catching measles because they have not been vaccinated against this highly infectious disease, research has shown.

An analysis of vaccination rates across countries in the European Union and European Economic Area shows that about four per cent of the people born in the region since 1999 are not fully protected against the disease. The Daily Telegraph

Working night shifts is NOT linked to an increased risk of breast cancer

Working night shifts is NOT linked to an increased risk of breast cancer Women who work night shifts do not face a higher risk of breast cancer, according to a major scientific analysis.

For decades, it has been suggested that burning the midnight oil could raise the risk of the killer disease.

But researchers have now quashed the fears, after finding no evidence of any greater odds of breast cancer in female night shift workers. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Night shift work and risk of breast cancer in women: the Generations Study cohort (open access) British Journal of Cancer
• Working night shift does not increase likelihood of developing breast cancer despite previous evidence to the contrary, WHO study says The Daily Telegraph
• Night shifts do not increase breast cancer risk, study concludes The Guardian

Hospital builds a replica bus stop in A&E department to calm dementia patients

Hospital builds a replica bus stop in A&E department to calm dementia patients A hospital has built a replica bus stop inside its A&E department to help people with dementia feel at home.

Southend University Hospital has constructed the stand with its own sign, timetable and bench – but no buses will be driving through the department.

It's hoped the stop will provide a familiar sight for people suffering from the brain-damaging disease, which can leave them feeling lost, confused and anxious. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Doctors install replica bus stop inside hospital's emergency department to help dementia patients feel more relaxed The Daily Telegraph

The prevention Green Paper

The prevention Green Paper Prevention is one of the three pillars (alongside workforce and technology) of the Secretary of State’s stated priorities, and his Department has been working towards a Green Paper, due relatively soon as far as we can tell. What’s likely to be in it, and what should be in it? The King's Fund

NHS hands 50,000 people control of their own care

NHS hands 50,000 people control of their own care More than 50,000 people have taken charge of their own care after being handed control of how their NHS funding is spent.

Personal Health Budgets can be used to purchase personalised wheelchairs, assistance dogs and respite care to manage complex health problems, as well as tech devices that can control curtains, lighting, heating and door intercoms to help people live independent lives.

The rollout of the Budgets across the country is two years ahead of scheme and being ramped up further as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. NHS England

More convenient cancer screening services must be rolled out to boost uptake, says Professor Sir Mike Richards

More convenient cancer screening services must be rolled out to boost uptake, says Professor Sir Mike Richards The NHS should roll out online booking, out of hours appointments and text reminders to boost the uptake of breast, cervical and other screening services, leading expert Professor Sir Mike Richards said.

Sir Mike, who was the first NHS cancer director and is a former CQC chief inspector of hospitals, is leading a major overhaul of national cancer screening programmes as part of a renewed drive to improve care and save lives.

Increasing early detection of cancers when they are easier to treat is at the heart of the NHS’s Long Term Plan to upgrade services and make sure patients benefit from new technologies and treatments. NHS England

See also:

• Review of national cancer screening programmes in England - interim report NHS England
• 'Cancer screening should be as easy as booking a flight' BBC News
• 'Difficult if not impossible' to check safety of NHS screening programmes amid litany of failings, expert warns The Daily Telegraph

NHS violence: Nurses talk of attacks by patients in hospital

NHS violence: Nurses talk of attacks by patients in hospital Urine bottles being thrown, doors broken off their hinges and threats of violence.

These are just some of the experiences nurses have faced at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital in Dorset.

They have spoken to the BBC to highlight the issues that many NHS staff face in the work place. BBC News

Ten arrested over Whorlton Hall 'abuse'

Ten arrested over Whorlton Hall 'abuse' Ten workers have been arrested over the alleged abuse of patients with learning difficulties at a specialist hospital.

Seven men and three women were arrested at addresses in Barnard Castle, Bishop Auckland, Darlington and Stockton.

Undercover filming by BBC Panorama at Whorlton Hall in County Durham appeared to show patients being mocked, intimidated and restrained. BBC News

See also:

• Ten staff members are arrested over alleged abuse of patients at scandal-hit NHS-funded hospital The Daily Mail
• 10 Whorlton Hall staff arrested on suspicion of physical and psychological abuse The Daily Telegraph
• Whorlton Hall investigation: 10 arrested over care home ‘abuse’ of patients with learning disabilities The Independent

PIP breast implant scandal: Victims visited by bailiffs

PIP breast implant scandal: Victims visited by bailiffs Women given faulty breast implants fear thousands of them may have to pay back compensation after visits by bailiffs warning them of legal proceedings.

German safety body TUV Rheinland was found liable for the global PIP implant scandal in 2017 and ordered to make payouts to victims by a French court.

The firm has begun an appeal and some 13,000 victims awarded compensation have been issued legal papers. BBC News

Wellness influencers like Belle Gibson promote dangerous pseudoscience as a cure for disease

Wellness influencers like Belle Gibson promote dangerous pseudoscience as a cure for disease Former social media influencer and “wellness guru” Belle Gibson first caught public attention after claiming she cured herself of terminal cancer by rejecting conventional medicine in favour of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Her story was documented on a blog and social media, which became the basis for a successful book and app, featuring lifestyle advice and healthy recipes.

In 2015, however, Gibson was exposed as a fraud. It was revealed that she never had cancer and failed to donate the proceeds from her app to charity, as promised. Now, she has been summoned to appear in Federal Court following her failure to pay a A$410,000 (£224,000) penalty for misleading health claims. The Independent

Cuts may leave NHS short of 70,000 nurses, leaked report warns

Cuts may leave NHS short of 70,000 nurses, leaked report warns Abolition of bursaries for nursing students led to severe fall in number training for the profession

The NHS could be short of almost 70,000 nurses within five years, according to a leaked copy of the government’s long-awaited plan to tackle the staffing crisis.

Blaming the government’s decision to abolish bursaries for nursing students, a draft of the NHS people plan says: “Our analysis shows a 40,000 (11%) shortfall [in the number of nurses needed in England] in 2018-19 which widens to 68,500 (16%) by 2023-24 without intervention, as demand for nurses grows faster than supply.” The Guardian

NHS bosses accused of breaking law in cancer scanning privatisation

NHS bosses accused of breaking law in cancer scanning privatisation Oxfordshire councillors tell health secretary contract for InHealth endangers patients

NHS bosses stand accused of endangering patients, “flagrant” lawbreaking and intimidating a leading hospital trust over their controversial privatisation of cancer scanning services.

Oxfordshire councillors have warned that cancer patients in Thames Valley will receive a poorer service because NHS England has decided to take a contract for PET-CT scanning away from Oxford university hospitals (OUH) trust and hand it to the private firm InHealth. The Guardian

Scientists discover compound that tackles antibiotic resistant bugs

Scientists discover compound that tackles antibiotic resistant bugs Scientists have discovered a new compound that could pave the way for new treatments to tackle superbugs.

Researchers from Sheffield University’s department of chemistry are testing the new compound on gram negative bacteria - the most difficult to treat of all infections.

There have been no new treatments for gram negative infections in the last 50 years and they are top of the World Health Organization’s list of priority pathogens for which new medicines are urgently needed. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Using Nanoscopy To Probe the Biological Activity of Antimicrobial Leads That Display Potent Activity against Pathogenic, Multidrug Resistant, Gram-Negative Bacteria (abstract) ACS Nano
• Economists can help to solve the antibiotic resistance crisis The Independent

'Burn-out' is officially recognized as a disease by the World Health Organization

'Burn-out' is officially recognized as a disease by the World Health Organization 'Burn-out' is officially a disease, according to the World Health Organization.

The agency, currently holding the World Health Assembly in Geneva, added the condition to its catalog, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), on Monday, a year after it was recommended by global health experts.

It will become globally recognized in 2022, giving healthcare providers and insurers precedent to acknowledge, treat and cover symptoms of 'burn-out'. The Daily Mail

St Andrew's Healthcare: Up to 50 patients stuck in secure units

St Andrew's Healthcare: Up to 50 patients stuck in secure units Up to 50 patients, some with learning disabilities and autism who should be released, are stuck in secure units run by a mental health hospital charity.

St Andrew's Healthcare, which treats up to 900 patients, told the BBC there was a lack of suitable community places.

Footage of a teenager locked in seclusion, able to touch their parent only through a door hatch at one of its units, has been shown to the BBC.

The hospital said seclusion was used as an emergency response only. BBC News

Outstanding models of district nursing

Outstanding models of district nursing This report, written in conjunction with the Royal College of Nursing, calls for urgent investment in district nursing, as new figures show the number of district nurses working in the NHS has dropped by almost 43 per cent in England in the last ten years. It explores all the elements which need to be in place to support an outstanding district nursing service. Queen's Nursing Institute

Learning Disability Mortality Review (LeDeR) programme: action from learning

Learning Disability Mortality Review (LeDeR) programme: action from learning This report provides examples of the local changes that have been made to services so far and highlights the extensive work which is happening nationally in response to common themes raised through LeDeR reviews across the country. NHS England

Independent review of local government spending need and funding

Independent review of local government spending need and funding This report identifies a funding gap of over £50bn over the next six years for councils in England. It estimates that by 2025, 78 per cent of the 36 county authorities’ spending will relate to four key service areas: adult social care, children’s services, public health and education services. County Councils Network

Taking the p***: the decline of the great British public toilet

Taking the p***: the decline of the great British public toilet The report explores the state of the UK’s public conveniences, the impact this has on health and wellbeing, and public perceptions of what should be done. It sheds light on the health burden of this declining public toilet provision, which falls disproportionately on people with ill health or disability, the elderly, women, outdoor workers, and the homeless. For example, fear of or knowledge of a lack of facilities nearby can tie people to within a small distance of their home, acting as a ‘loo leash’ for many. Royal Society for Public Health

Mumps and measles cases in England prompt vaccine call

Mumps and measles cases in England prompt vaccine call A significant increase in mumps cases and continuing outbreaks of measles in England have led to calls for people to ensure they are immunised.

Public Health England said even one person missing their vaccinations was "too many".

There were 795 cases of mumps in the first three months of 2019, compared with 1,031 in the whole of 2018.

Most mumps cases are linked to teenagers mixing when they go to university. BBC News

See also:

• MMR vaccination call following high numbers of measles cases Public Health England
• Research and analysis: Measles, mumps and rubella: lab-confirmed cases in England 2019 Public Health England
• Scientist behind anti-vaxxers' favorite study says 'it's just not even a valid' The Daily Mail
• Measles outbreaks in Europe spark calls for children to be vaccinated The Daily Telegraph

Surgeons warn of serious hand injuries from dog leads and collars

Surgeons warn of serious hand injuries from dog leads and collars Surgeons are warning dog owners not to wrap leads around their fingers or wrist because of the dangers of serious hand injury.

They say thousands of people could be at risk from lacerations, friction burns, fractures and ligament injuries.

There were 30 serious hand injuries caused by dog leads last year in Cornwall alone, the British Society for Surgery of the Hand said. BBC News

See also:

• Dog owners are suffering hand injuries because they’re holding their leads wrong The Daily Mail

GPs must maintain commissioning role as CCGs merge

GPs must maintain commissioning role as CCGs merge The role of GPs in organising care must be maintained as part of significant changes to commissioning arrangements in the NHS in England, according to a report published yesterday.
The report by NHS Clinical Commissioners, the representative body of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), warns that planned changes to commissioning as part of the NHS Long Term Plan must not result in any less of a role for GPs and clinicians in this area.

The report The changing face of clinical commissioning highlights the strengths and successes of nine CCGs across England while stressing that clinical leadership must not be lost as the NHS works towards the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan. OnMedica

NHS and care regulator missed care home abuse of vulnerable patients on multiple occasions

NHS and care regulator missed care home abuse of vulnerable patients on multiple occasions Health watchdogs had no concerns when they twice visited a private hospital at the centre of a police investigation into the abuse of patients in the months after it had been inspected, The Independent has learnt.

The government said it was “deeply sorry” for the abuse of patients at Whorlton Hall in County Durham, which cares for people with learning disabilities, autism and complex needs.

See also:

• Whorlton Hall: Care home abuse missed despite at least 100 official visits BBC News
• Care minister Caroline Dinenage 'deeply sorry' over hospital abuse BBC News
• Years after my son died in NHS care, state-sanctioned torture continues The Guardian

Big pharma poured £57m into UK patient charities which could influence NHS drug decision makers, report finds

Big pharma poured £57m into UK patient charities which could influence NHS drug decision makers, report finds Drug companies poured £57m into UK patient groups who research and lobby for new treatments into specific conditions – in many cases the same drugs being marketed by their donors.

An investigation by Bath University researchers into donations by big pharma and other industry bodies found the number of donations between 2014 and 2016 rose by a third and the value more than doubled. The Independent

See also:

• Exposing drug industry funding of UK patient organisations (open access) The BMJ

NHS to sign up patients for 'virtual' A&E in tech revolution

NHS to sign up patients for 'virtual' A&E in tech revolution Exclusive: Patients checking systems will be told by chatbot if they need to go to hospital

Millions of patients will be encouraged to use digital technology to assess how ill they are under a groundbreaking initiative by a leading NHS hospital, as part of a drive to reduce the use of A&E and outpatient appointments.

A revolution in the NHS’s embrace of technology will see patients in Birmingham advised to use online – live and automated – chat services, online symptom checkers and video consultations with doctors and nurses to help relieve the “unsustainable” pressure on services. The Guardian

Four pharma companies ‘worked together to inflate a drug price 700% in just four years’

Four pharma companies ‘worked together to inflate a drug price 700% in just four years’  The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has accused pharmaceutical firms Alliance, Focus, Lexon and Medreich of breaking competition law by setting up a controlled supply of a medicine. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Drug firms accused of illegal market sharing over anti-nausea tablets Competition and Markets Authority
• Colluding drug firms 'cost the NHS millions of pounds' BBC News
• Collusion by drug firms cost NHS millions of pounds, watchdog finds The Independent

Nurses are routinely told by NHS bosses to put up with sex pest patients

Nurses are routinely told by NHS bosses to put up with sex pest patients Nurses are routinely told by hospital bosses to put up with sexual harassment at work because it is an ‘occupational hazard’, a conference heard.

Staff said the ‘sexy nurse stereotype from Carry On films’ persists and meant patients felt they could get away with inappropriate comments or touching.

Speaking at the Royal College of Nursing annual congress in Liverpool, nurses said they had received rape threats, sexual comments and been followed to their cars – only for NHS managers to laugh it off. The Daily Mail

Northamptonshire health boss reveals plans for the future

Northamptonshire health boss reveals plans for the future Toby Sanders has a big job. As chief executive of Northamptonshire’s two NHS clinical commissioning groups he has responsibility for an annual budget just shy of £1bn and it’s his role to make sure the health services in the county are performing well and meeting the needs of our ever growing and ever ageing population.

Appointed in November last year after a successful seven years in the same role in West Leicestershire, the new chief executive has plans to shake up the county’s healthcare system in line with the NHS’s new 10-year plan that was published earlier this year. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Nurse at Northampton GP surgery cautioned by police after prescribing Class C drug to wife

Nurse at Northampton GP surgery cautioned by police after prescribing Class C drug to wife A Northampton nurse is facing possible sanctions after admitting to doling out medication in a "cavalier" manner without proper authority on several occasions.

Kyle Hastings, who works at St Luke's Primary Care Centre in Duston, has been facing a Nursing and Midwifery Council panel over incidents dating between 2016 and 2017 involving misuse of prescriptions. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Kettering General Hospital out of 'special measures' after CQC inspection

Kettering General Hospital out of 'special measures' after CQC inspection A hospital criticised for its safety standards has been taken out of special measures after two years by inspectors, but remains as "requires improvement".

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said all areas of Kettering General Hospital have been rated "good" or "requires improvement". BBC Northampton

What does NHSX have to learn from other countries’ experiences of digitisation in health systems?

What does NHSX have to learn from other countries’ experiences of digitisation in health systems? What are the fundamental challenges facing policy-makers who want to see the widescale adoption of effective digital technology in the health and care system? The King's Fund

Joining the dots: connecting behavioural insights to improvement, and to our humanity

Joining the dots: connecting behavioural insights to improvement, and to our humanity Behavioural insights – often referred to as ‘nudging’ – are lessons from psychology, cognitive science, social science and behavioural economics that shine a light on how we make choices. At their core is the recognition that we are not always consistent nor rational in our choices and behaviour. Rather, our behaviour is determined by a fallible brain that is greatly influenced by the context in which our choices are made. The Health Foundation

Social care: Free at the point of need - The case for free personal care in England

Social care: Free at the point of need - The case for free personal care in England Adult social care is one the most important public services in the UK. For hundreds of thousands of people it provides vital care and support – in their homes or in a residential setting – to ensure that they can maintain their independence, dignity and quality of life as they age. This may involve receiving help with basic tasks such as getting up or eating, or 24-hour support for people with complex needs such as dementia.

But unlike its sibling service – the NHS – social care has been consistently undervalued. This can be seen in the different principles which underpin the two services: whilst the NHS is free at the point of need, social care is means tested, with only those on low incomes entitled to receive statutory support. As a result, approximately half of all people formally receiving social care, privately finance at least part of their care – and this figure has been growing. Institute for Public Policy Research
See also:

• 21st century social care: what’s wrong with social care and how we can fix it Policy Exchange
• Personal care should be free for over-65s, says thinktank The Guardian

Hospital 'abused' vulnerable adults in Durham

Hospital 'abused' vulnerable adults in Durham The abuse and mistreatment of vulnerable adults at a specialist hospital has been uncovered by the BBC's Panorama programme.

Undercover BBC filming shows staff intimidating, mocking and restraining patients with learning disabilities and autism at Whorlton Hall, County Durham.

Experts said the culture was deviant at the privately-run NHS-funded unit with evidence of "psychological torture".

A police investigation has been launched and 16 staff suspended. BBC News

See also:

• Undercover hospital abuse scandal (Available until March 2020 on iPlayer) BBC Panorama
• The failings in learning disability services in six charts BBC News
• Hospital staff 'abused' vulnerable patients in Durham, BBC's Panorama reveals BBC News
• Undercover footage shows autistic patients 'tortured' in repeat of Winterbourne View scandal The Daily Telegraph
• Secret filming reveals abuse of disabled and autistic patients The Guardian
• Staff filmed bragging of assaulting and abusing vulnerable patients at care home run by US multinational The Independent

Cannula sleeves: 'Simple solution for dementia patients'

Cannula sleeves: 'Simple solution for dementia patients' When singer Sharon Wallace volunteered at a hospice in her local area, she noticed how small things can make a huge difference.

"It can be heartbreaking when you see people affected by dementia," she said. "They're often in another world, but music can really help," she told the BBC.

She also noticed how some of the residents with dementia could be quite fidgety. BBC News

NHS warning: Drivers wearing lanyards 'risk injury'

NHS warning: Drivers wearing lanyards 'risk injury' NHS staff are being warned not to wear their lanyards when driving or travelling in cars because of the risk of injury if an airbag goes off.

It comes after an NHS worker, who crashed while driving home, suffered a perforated bowel from keys attached to her lanyard. BBC News

Three-quarters of food bought in UK hospitals is unhealthy, audit shows

Three-quarters of food bought in UK hospitals is unhealthy, audit shows NHS staff, patients and visitors shun nutritious snacks in favour of crisps, sweets and cakes

Researchers have called for radical restrictions on junk food in UK hospitals after an audit of NHS health centres found that people overwhelmingly bought unhealthy snacks and drinks on the premises.

Three-quarters of the best-selling snacks in hospital cafes and canteens were rated as unhealthy, along with half of the most popular cold drinks, according to a report by the audit’s authors.  The Guardian

See also:

• Mapping the snack and drink landscape in a large UK hospital site PsyArXiv
• Junk food should be banned from hospital shops, experts warn  The Daily Mail

Ten million in rural areas now lack basic services like GP surgeries, hospitals and nursing homes

Ten million in rural areas now lack basic services like GP surgeries, hospitals and nursing homes Huge swathes of rural Britain have become ‘healthcare deserts’ where millions struggle to access GP appointments and hospital treatment, nurses have warned.

The ten million people who live in the English countryside are served by grossly inadequate healthcare, they say. And with GP practices, community hospitals and nursing homes closing, things are getting worse.

While other parts of the NHS are turning to revolutionary online systems and app-based healthcare, patchy mobile service and substandard broadband means this is a pipedream in many rural areas. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Swathes of countryside becoming 'healthcare deserts' with £100 trips for hospital care The Daily Telegraph