Thursday, 27 February 2020

Coronavirus: How is the UK planning for an outbreak?

Coronavirus: How is the UK planning for an outbreak? Coronavirus has been seen in more than 30 countries, with signs it is getting a foothold in Europe. But what is the government planning to do if there is a major outbreak in the UK and how prepared is the NHS? BBC News

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Hundreds of social care residents allegedly sexually assaulted, watchdog reveals

Hundreds of social care residents allegedly sexually assaulted, watchdog reveals Hundreds of elderly and vulnerable social care residents have allegedly been sexually assaulted in just three months, a shock new report from the care regulator has revealed.

According to the Care Quality Commission there were 899 sexual incidents reported by social care homes between March and May 2018. Almost half were categorised as sexual assault.

In 16 per cent of the cases members of staff or visiting workers were accused of carrying out the abuse. The Independent 

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Food poisoning twice as common as previously thought, Standards Agency reveals

Food poisoning twice as common as previously thought, Standards Agency reveals Food poisoning is twice as common as previously thought, the Food Standards Agency has revealed as it warns lettuce is the most common culprit turning diner green.

Around 2.4 million cases of food poisoning are occurring every year - more than double the estimate in 2009, according to the Food Standards Agency. The Daily Telegraph

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Wednesday, 26 February 2020

Practice that looks after Northamptonshire's 'violent, vulnerable patients' rated 'safe' again by watchdog

Practice that looks after Northamptonshire's 'violent, vulnerable patients' rated 'safe' again by watchdog A Northampton town centre health care practice has now been rated 'safe' again by the CQC following a scathing report six months ago.

Maple Access Partnership was scolded by inspectors in June after the watchdog criticised it for failing to show it had "the capacity and skills to provide safe care". Northampton Chronicle and Echo
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Kettering hospice appeals for support for new home

Kettering hospice appeals for support for new home A Kettering hospice has appealed for support as it searches for a new home - with the north of the county potentially facing zero inpatient beds if it can't find one by 2023.

Cransley Hospice's lease on its cramped nine-bed inpatient unit adjoining St Mary's Hospital is nearing an end and won't be renewed by landlord Extracare. Northamptonshire Telegraph
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Prisoners missing out on hospital treatment, new research reveals

Prisoners missing out on hospital treatment, new research reveals New research shows four in ten hospital appointments made for prisoners are cancelled or missed and that over one in ten pregnant prisoners gave birth either in prison or on their way to hospital in 2017/18. Nuffield Trust

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Guidance: Health matters: smoking and mental health

Health matters: smoking and mental health This edition of Health Matters focuses on smoking among people living with a broad range of mental health conditions. Public Health England

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Research and analysis: Older people’s hospital admissions in the last year of life

Research and analysis: Older people’s hospital admissions in the last year of life This report explores the relationship between hospital admissions and age, sex, cause of death in people aged 75 years and older, who comprise the majority (~69 per cent) of all people who die. The hospital admissions considered include emergency admissions, planned admissions and day cases. It describes the number and type of admissions and the proportion of admissions that were emergency admissions within 30 days of a previous discharge. Public Health England
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NHS key statistics: England, February 2020

NHS key statistics: England, February 2020 This briefing summarises NHS demand, performance and capacity of services in England. It covers A&E statistics, waiting lists, ambulance data, delayed discharges, staffing levels including doctors and nurses, and more. House of Commons Library
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    The Care Quality Commission

    The Care Quality Commission This briefing explains the statutory role and powers of the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The CQC is responsible for the registration, inspection and monitoring of health and adult social care providers, including independent providers, under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. House of Commons Library
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      Sickest patients 'facing hours stuck on trolleys'

      Sickest patients 'facing hours stuck on trolleys' Many of the most seriously ill patients are waiting for hours on trolleys and in corridors as the NHS struggles to find them beds, BBC research shows.

      Nearly a quarter of patients admitted on to wards during December and January in England faced delays of more than four hours before a bed could be found.

      It has created a backlog outside hospitals with patients brought in by ambulance facing long waits too.

      Experts warned there was "little in the tank" to cope with the coronavirus. BBC News

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      Coronavirus: UK patients face 'random' tests to check spread

      Coronavirus: UK patients face 'random' tests to check spread Tests for coronavirus are being increased to include people displaying flu-like symptoms at 11 hospitals and 100 GP surgeries across the UK.

      The tests will provide an "early warning" if the virus is spreading, Public Health England medical director Prof Paul Cosford said.

      It comes as more schools closed or sent staff and pupils home following trips to Italy, which has over 300 cases. BBC News

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      Coroner says GPs' knowledge of anorexia 'woeful'

      Coroner says GPs' knowledge of anorexia 'woeful' A coroner said GPs' knowledge of eating disorders was "woeful and inadequate" after an inquest into the death of a severely anorexic woman.

      Madeline Wallace, from Peterborough, died in January 2018 from sepsis.

      Coroner Sean Horstead told the inquest at Huntingdon Law Courts "different clinical decisions" would not have prevented her death.

      He delivered a narrative conclusion saying Miss Wallace died of natural causes caused by severe anorexia. BBC News
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      NHS failing stroke patients with 'postcode lottery rehabilitation'

      NHS failing stroke patients with 'postcode lottery rehabilitation' Report warns provisions have ‘devastating consequences’ for patients in England.

      Patients are failing to recover properly from a stroke or heart attack because the NHS offers too little rehabilitation for people discharged from hospitals, a report has warned.

      “Patchy provision” means those with arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other long-term conditions also miss out on care that can make a huge difference to their health and quality of life, according to the report from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP), Royal College of Occupational Therapists and the charity Sue Ryder.

      Only 15% of those with lung problems deemed eligible for pulmonary rehabilitation are referred for it.

      Just 50% of people who have had a heart attack or stroke have cardiac rehabilitation after being discharged.

      Most cancer patients do not receive rehabilitation before they have treatment, even though that can boost the chances of success. The Guardian

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      Doctors need to stop moaning and take responsibility for improving NHS, leading medical chief says

      Doctors need to stop moaning and take responsibility for improving NHS, leading medical chief says Doctors should stop moaning and blaming the Government for the NHS's problems, a leading medical chief has claimed.

      Professor Carrie MacEwen, chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, said the health service had been given a 'substantial sum' of public money from ministers and had the power to use it wisely. The Daily Mail

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      Tuesday, 25 February 2020

      Dementia care costs set to rise by 93 per cent in next 10 years in Northamptonshire

      Dementia care costs set to rise by 93 per cent in next 10 years in Northamptonshire The cost of caring for loved ones living with dementia in Northamptonshire is set to soar by a frightening 93 per cent over the next decade.

      Research by the Alzheimer’s Society shows that many families are being forced to sell their homes and empty their life savings to pay for care because they do not qualify for state support.

      Latest figures show overall care costs across Northamptonshire will rise from £366million to £676m in 2030. Northamptonshire Telegraph
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      Mental health services: meeting the need for capital investment

      Mental health services: meeting the need for capital investment There there has been prolonged under-investment in facilities across the English NHS. However, while restricted capital funding is affecting all sectors of the NHS, there is a particular need for capital investment within the mental health sector. This briefing summarises the findings of a survey NHS Providers sent to NHS mental health trusts and foundation trusts to gather further evidence on the sector’s capital funding needs, to support the case they are making for the sector to receive its fair share of capital investment in future. NHS Providers
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        Time is running out: UK women facing fatal delays in ovarian cancer diagnosis

        Time is running out: UK women facing fatal delays in ovarian cancer diagnosis Women’s lives are being lost because of delays in ovarian cancer diagnosis, according to our new report: “Time is running out: The need for early diagnosis in ovarian cancer”.

        The contrast is stark. A woman with an early stage diagnosis of ovarian cancer has an over 90 per cent chance of surviving the disease. Yet one in five women (20 per cent) are too ill to receive any treatment by the time they finally receive a diagnosis, and a third of women (32 per cent) die within a year of their diagnosis.

        Our latest report highlights the way that lives are needlessly being lost due to lost time: the time it takes for a woman to visit her GP, the time it takes for a GP to consider ovarian cancer as a potential diagnosis, and the time it takes to carry out diagnostic tests. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We're calling on UK governments to commit to action. Target Ovarian Cancer

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        Poorest women's life expectancy declines, finds report

        Poorest women's life expectancy declines, finds report Life expectancy among women living in the poorest communities in England has declined since 2011, says a report warning of growing health inequalities.

        Overall, life expectancy growth has stalled over the past decade - for the first time in 100 years.

        Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there was "still much more to do".

        The largest decreases were seen in the most deprived areas of north-east England, while the biggest increases were in the richest parts of London.

        Similar trends can be seen right across the UK, the report said. BBC News

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        Coronavirus: Britons returning from Italy told to self-isolate

        Coronavirus: Britons returning from Italy told to self-isolate Britons returning from northern Italy are being told to self-isolate in the UK if they show coronavirus symptoms.

        Health Secretary Matt Hancock said those people coming back from north of Pisa are asked to stay at home for 14 days.

        The advice also applies to anyone who recently returned from Italy's quarantined towns even if they have no symptoms, he said. BBC News

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        Adults to be automatically enrolled as organ donors under new law

        Adults to be automatically enrolled as organ donors under new law All adults in England will be automatically enrolled as organ donors unless they choose to opt out, under a new law due to come into force in May.

        MPs are set to approve the system “deemed consent” on Tuesday as part of a bid to boost the number of transplants on the NHS.

        It is estimated that the opt-out method, known as Max and Keira’s law, will lead to an additional 700 organ transplants each year by 2023 and cut down the list of 5,200 people waiting for life-changing surgery. The Independent
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        Guilt and anger surface as infected blood inquiry hears evidence

        Guilt and anger surface as infected blood inquiry hears evidence Some victims’ diagnosis of HIV and hepatitis C was withheld from them for years, hearing told

        The guilt of infected blood donors and the anger of victims whose diagnosis of HIV and hepatitis C was withheld from them for years has emerged as evidence given in secret was read out to a public hearing in London.

        On Monday witnesses who did not want to appear in person had their testimony delivered by intermediaries who interviewed them for the infected blood inquiry. It is examining how as many as 30,000 people became severely ill after being given contaminated blood products by the NHS in the 1970s and 80s; many have since died.

        The infected blood inquiry will investigate how thousands of people with the blood-clotting disorder haemophilia were given blood products by the NHS which were contaminated with the HIV virus and hepatitis C. The Guardian
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        Open-backed NHS gowns which leave patients worried about flashing their buttocks should be scrapped

        Open-backed NHS gowns which leave patients worried about flashing their buttocks should be scrapped Anyone who has ever had to walk along a hospital corridor wearing an open-back NHS gown — split from shoulder to buttocks — can confirm it is an undignified experience.

        Even if it fits, the slightest draught can cause the gown to flap open, giving anyone passing a glimpse of the nether regions — or, if you're lucky, a pair of paper pants.

        Although they're meant to be worn mainly in operating theatres and for X-rays, many patients get stuck in the gowns for the entire time they're in hospital. The Daily Mail

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        Monday, 24 February 2020

        Award nomination for Northampton mental health nurse's podcast about life in a psychiatric hospital

        Award nomination for Northampton mental health nurse's podcast about life in a psychiatric hospital A Northampton mental health nurse's podcast aimed at demystifying what life is like at a psychiatric hospital has been nominated for a national award.

        On the Ward, hosted by John-Barry Waldron from St Andrew's Hospital, is on the shortlist for 'student innovation in practice' at the Student Nursing Times Awards 2020. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
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        The risks of NHS reorganisation: lessons from history

        The risks of NHS reorganisation: lessons from history With it reported that ministers might be considering a ‘power grab’ for the NHS, Nigel Edwards looks at lessons from the past that the government would do well to heed. Nuffield Trust
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        What can we learn from the updated GP contract?

        What can we learn from the updated GP contract? Good news rarely makes the headlines. So, after the furore caused by draft service specifications for primary care networks (PCNs) and the rejection of the revised GP contract by GP leaders last month , the sudden outbreak of peace between the BMA and NHS England went relatively unnoticed. Here are four reasons why this is a significant moment. The King's Fund
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        New pharmacy referral service to help patients avoid hospital readmission

        New pharmacy referral service to help patients avoid hospital readmission Patients who have recently been discharged from hospital will get greater support from local pharmacy teams to manage their medicines. Department of Health and Social Care
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        Coronavirus: Rapid spread raises fears of global pandemic

        Coronavirus: Rapid spread raises fears of global pandemic Fears are growing that the coronavirus outbreak could reach pandemic scale as more cases emerge around the world.

        Most infections are in China but other nations like South Korea, Italy and Iran are battling the virus, which causes respiratory disease Covid-19.

        A pandemic is when an infectious disease spreads easily from person to person in many parts of the world.

        About 77,000 people in China, where the virus emerged last year, have been infected and nearly 2,600 have died. BBC News

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        Painkillers 'mask, not kill' long-term pain

        Painkillers 'mask, not kill' long-term pain Excessive use of painkillers is on the rise. Now the NHS in Sunderland, which has one of the highest prescribing rates, is running a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of long-term use.

        Jazmine Allen, 23, who already has a 10-year history of using prescription painkillers, is taking part in the 'Painkillers Don't Exist' campaign - which aims to raise awareness that the medications can simply be masking the pain rather than "killing" it - and encouraging patients to seek support from their GPs. BBC News
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        Fall in school nurses prompts fears that children’s lives are ‘at risk’

        Fall in school nurses prompts fears that children’s lives are ‘at risk’ The number of nurses in schools has fallen in recent years, prompting fears that pupils’ lives are being put “at risk”.

        Teaching assistants are being asked to carry out medical interventions, such as injections, without adequate training or support, the GMB union, which represents school staff, has said. The Independent

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        Tory cuts to councils making local patients’ groups ‘unviable’, health secretary warned

        Tory cuts to councils making local patients’ groups ‘unviable’, health secretary warned Cuts to council budgets are making watchdog organisations for local patients “unviable”, the health secretary has been warned.

        In a letter seen by The Independent, Sir Robert Francis QC, chair of Healthwatch England, said that funding to dozens of its branches, which are statutory bodies set up to champion patient interests locally, has been cut by 37 per cent since 2013.

        Sir Robert, who chaired the public inquiry into the Stafford Hospital care scandal, told Matt Hancock that the cuts risked “stifling” the voices of patients across the country.
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        Hospital ‘bed blocking’ numbers hit highest level since 2017

        Hospital ‘bed blocking’ numbers hit highest level since 2017 The number of patients stuck in hospitals because they could not be transferred is at its highest quarterly level since 2017, reversing years of progress amid ongoing crises in health and care services.

        “Delayed transfers of care” – often known as “bed blocking” – rose in the mid-2010s as austerity hit council-run adult-care services, meaning hospitals were unable to discharge patients into the community.

        The number of “delayed days” in the NHS increased from an average of 114,000 a month in 2012 to more than 200,000 in October 2016, before extra funding and higher council taxes brought the numbers back down. The Guardian
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        Nurses to carry out surgery under NHS plans to slash waiting times

        Nurses to carry out surgery under NHS plans to slash waiting times Nurses will be trained to perform surgery under new NHS measures to cut waiting times.

        Nursing staff will be urged to undertake a two year course to become “surgical care practitioners” as part of the drive to slash waiting times but critics have warned it will worsen the nursing shortage. The Daily Telegraph

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        Two MILLION more people could become diabetic by 2025

        Two MILLION more people could become diabetic by 2025 A national obesity crisis could see another two million people become diabetic in the next five years.

        The number of people with 'pre-diabetes' – those on the brink of type 2 diabetes and who must take urgent action – has leapt from an average of 1.3million to almost two million in only a year.

        Already a sixth of the entire NHS hospitals budget is spent treating those with diabetes, which affects an estimated record four million people in Britain, costing taxpayers £14billion a year. The Daily Mail

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        Oxfordshire plans to become the first 'smoke-free' county in England 

        Oxfordshire plans to become the first 'smoke-free' county in England Oxfordshire is planning to become the first 'smoke-free' county in England as local health chiefs want to kick the habit by 2025.

        Government officials hope to slash the number of people smoking in the UK to just five per cent of the population by 2030.

        But Ansaf Azhar, the county council's director of public health, wants Oxfordshire to achieve the target in just five years' time. The Daily Mail
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        Friday, 21 February 2020

        Northampton student nurse who will do 'everything in his power' for equality shortlisted for diversity award - Northampton Chronicle and Echo

        Northampton student nurse who will do 'everything in his power' for equality shortlisted for diversity award A young man who will do ‘everything in his power’ for equality in his role as a student nurse has been nominated for a diversity award.

        Solomon Jones, who is ‘born and bred Northampton’, is halfway through his four-year Open University course.

        The 22-year-old has worked as a healthcare assistant and an apprentice nurse for nearly two and half years, but has actually been employed by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) for four years. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
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        Health visitors’ fear for children’s wellbeing due to relentless service cuts

        Health visitors’ fear for children’s wellbeing due to relentless service cuts Public health budget cuts have left health visiting services unable to offer the minimum level of support in many areas

        Many health visitors across England have been robbed of their ability to protect vulnerable families by devastating cuts to public health budgets. That is the headline finding of an annual survey of health visitors in England, published by the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV), alongside calls to ring-fence new funding for the profession.

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        Tackling social inequalities to reduce mental health problems

        Tackling social inequalities to reduce mental health problems We all have mental health and we can all experience mental health problems, whatever our background or walk of life. But the risks of mental ill-health are not equally distributed.

        The likelihood of our developing a mental health problem is influenced by our biology, and by the circumstances in which we are born, grow, live and age.

        Those who face the greatest disadvantages in life also face the greatest risks to their mental health. Mental Health Foundation
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        Evaluation of the Integrated Personal Commissioning (IPC) programme: final evaluation report

        Evaluation of the Integrated Personal Commissioning (IPC) programme: final evaluation report Integrated Personal Commissioning (IPC) is an approach to joining up health and social care, and other services where appropriate. This report outlines the findings of an independent evaluation of IPC and finds that whilst IPC costs more than standard care, it resulted in positive patient experience and increased social care quality of life. Centre for Health Economics, University of York
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          Walk-in GP services divert more patients from A&E but may not be cost-effective

          Walk-in GP services divert more patients from A&E but may not be cost-effective An analysis of the impact of GP-led health centres - around 250 of which were set up between 2008 and 2012 following a review by Lord Ara Darzi under former prime minister Gordon Brown - found that GP services divert significant numbers of patients away from A&E. GPonline

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          NHS 'took 18 months to help after suicide attempt'

          NHS 'took 18 months to help after suicide attempt' Poor treatment and aftercare for people who self-harm or attempt suicide is putting their lives at risk, the Royal College of Psychiatrists says.

          Many patients treated in A&E for self-harm do not receive a full psychosocial assessment from a mental health professional to assess suicide risk.

          Simon Rose, who has attempted suicide many times, told BBC News it once took 18 months to receive aftercare.

          NHS England said reducing suicide rates was an "NHS priority".

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          Coronavirus: Britons on Diamond Princess cruise ship to disembark and fly home

          Coronavirus: Britons on Diamond Princess cruise ship to disembark and fly home An evacuation flight for Britons trapped on a coronavirus-hit cruise ship in Japan has been delayed by a day, the British embassy has said.

          About 70 UK nationals who have spent 16 days in quarantine on the liner had expected to fly home on Friday.

          But the flight is "logistically complicated" and will now leave on Saturday, the embassy says.

          The group are expected to land in Wiltshire before being quarantined at Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral. BBC News

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          The poster project spreading 'happiness and kindness' to NHS staff

          The poster project spreading 'happiness and kindness' to NHS staff Artist Andy Leek is best known for his posters spreading positive, motivational messages in cities around the world.

          In his latest project, his notes directly address NHS staff workers.

          Over 600 of the posters have appeared in staff rooms and breakout areas around the UK. BBC News
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          NHS hails next generation of surgical robots to help treat bowel cancer

          NHS hails next generation of surgical robots to help treat bowel cancer Next generation surgical robots have been hailed by doctors as “a leap forward in surgical precision” in the UK.


          Western General Hospital in Edinburgh was first to use the new Versius robotic arm technology in Europe, followed by Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Trust in Buckinghamshire.

          The tool is used to perform minimal access surgery – also known as keyhole or laparoscopic surgery – and could reduce patient recovery times and pain. ITV News
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          Patients at risk in ‘crumbling’ mental health wards, NHS leaders warn

          Patients at risk in ‘crumbling’ mental health wards, NHS leaders warn Patient safety is at risk in “crumbling” NHS mental health hospitals starved of the money needed to improve dilapidated buildings, new data has revealed.

          Hundreds of vulnerable mentally ill patients are still being cared for in 350 old dormitory-style wards, 20 years after the NHS was told to provide all patients with en-suite rooms.

          A lack of funding to refurbish hospitals has also meant too many wards still have ligature points that patients can use to try to harm themselves. The Independent
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          Hospitals wrongly medicating thousands of dementia patients

          Hospitals wrongly medicating thousands of dementia patients Almost two-fifths of NHS hospitals are medicating dementia patients with anti-psychotic drugs rather than offering alternative therapies, it has emerged.

          Experts have warned the trend is concerning and goes against guidelines by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) which says alternatives should be tried to help prevent patients becoming agitated and confused in hospital. The Independent

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          UK’s expensive visa fees 'could deter NHS staff and scientists'

          UK’s expensive visa fees 'could deter NHS staff and scientists' High cost of entry under immigration overhaul will put off applicants, says thinktank

          The UK’s “sky-high” visa fees could deter vital NHS staff and the “brightest and best” scientists that Boris Johnson wants to attract with his new immigration policy, experts have warned.

          Nurses, lab technicians, engineers and tech experts who currently flock to the UK from the EU may not be able to afford to do so if the prime minister’s proposed immigration overhaul becomes law.  The Guardian
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          Scientists discover new antibiotic that kills bacteria resistant to all known drugs

          Scientists discover new antibiotic that kills bacteria resistant to all known drugs Scientists have discovered a new antibiotic that can kill even the toughest superbugs that have become resistant to all other known drugs, a new study reveals.

          Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers ran about 6,000 molecules through their artificial intelligence program, searching for those that could kill E. coli.

          Of all those, the AI picked out exactly one that appeared most effective against the bacteria and didn't structurally resemble any of the 1,700 FDA-approved compounds included in their library. The Daily Mail

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          Thursday, 20 February 2020

          Concerns raised about health effects of Northamptonshire's high radon levels and air quality

          Concerns raised about health effects of Northamptonshire's high radon levels and air quality Concerns have been raised about the poor quality of indoor air in Northamptonshire, particularly the effects on children who are on average spending just over an hour a day outside.

          Respiratory problems among children may be exacerbated by indoor air pollution in homes, schools and nurseries, according to the study, published last month. Northamptonshire Telegraph

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          What are health inequalities?

          What are health inequalities? Health inequalities are avoidable, unfair and systematic differences in health between different groups of people. There are many kinds of health inequality, and many ways in which the term is used. This means that when we talk about ‘health inequality’, it is useful to be clear on which measure is unequally distributed, and between which people. The King's Fund
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          What does the 2019 NHS Staff Survey truly tell us about how staff needs are being met?

          What does the 2019 NHS Staff Survey truly tell us about how staff needs are being met? Chronic excessive workload in the NHS is causing staff stress and illness, and results in health care professionals quitting the service and patients not getting the quality of care they expect. Such workloads have become like the pattern in the wallpaper we no longer see. But we must acknowledge, address and continue to address this issue. It can’t be right that a sector focused on promoting the health and wellbeing of our population is putting at risk the health and wellbeing of 1 in 20 of its national workforce (increasing to 1 in 9 if we also include social care). The King's Fund
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          Improving health by tackling market failure

          Improving health by tackling market failure This long read explores what market failure is, its relevance for health, and how the government might intervene to improve the population’s health.

          We look at two examples: the success of reducing smoking and how we might use a market failure approach to tackle obesity. The Health Foundation
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          1 in 5 Mental Health Patients Don't Feel Safe in NHS Care

           1 in 5 Mental Health Patients Don't Feel Safe in NHS Care A new survey published today by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman found that one in five people did not feel safe while in the care of the NHS mental health service that treated them.

          Over half of people with mental health problems in England also said they experienced delays to their treatment, while four in ten (42%) said that they waited too long to be diagnosed.
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          Sharp rise in lung disease deaths over past 27 years

          Sharp rise in lung disease deaths over past 27 years Numbers of people dying or experiencing disability due to chronic respiratory diseases over the past three decades have risen sharply, according to an analysis of data from 195 countries. OnMedica

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          Number of people with dementia in Europe to almost double by 2050

          Number of people with dementia in Europe to almost double by 2050 The number of people with dementia in Europe is set to almost double by 2050, on the basis of current trends across the continent, concludes a report from Alzheimer Europe.

          The report, which draws on recent studies and population trends data, charts changes in the prevalence of the disease for 37 countries. It shows that nearly 10 million people were living with dementia in 2018, a figure that is projected to rise to just under 19 million by 2050─equivalent to 3% of the total population of Europe OnMedica
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          Coronavirus: Britons on Diamond Princess cruise ship to be flown home

          Coronavirus: Britons on Diamond Princess cruise ship to be flown home Britons stranded on a quarantined cruise ship in Japan will be able to board an evacuation flight home on Friday, the foreign secretary has said.

          Only those who are showing no signs of illness will be able to travel, and they will be quarantined on their return to the UK, it is understood.

          Those who have tested positive will remain in Japan for treatment. BBC News

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          'I want Matt Hancock to look at this photograph': Mother releases picture of her cradling stillborn baby who died because of NHS maternity failings

          'I want Matt Hancock to look at this photograph': Mother releases picture of her cradling stillborn baby who died because of NHS maternity failings A tear rolling down her cheek, Stephanie Broadley holds her baby son Beau for the first and final time.

          Beau had been stillborn minutes before the photograph was taken, after avoidable mistakes by midwives at the hospital in Grimsby.

          The 28-year-old from North East Lincolnshire has released the picture to highlight what she says is the failure to learn from mistakes in maternity services and she called on health secretary Matt Hancock to take urgent action. The Independent
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          Woman plays violin while undergoing brain surgery – video

          Woman plays violin while undergoing brain surgery – video A musician played the violin while surgeons operated on her brain to remove a tumour at King’s College hospital in London. The medical team asked Dagmar Turner, 53, to play the instrument to ensure parts of the brain that control delicate hand movements and coordination were not damaged during the millimetre-precise surgery. Turner was diagnosed in 2013 with a brain tumour after suffering a seizure during a symphony. The Guardian

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          The facemask that can spot tuberculosis: Gadget being tested by the NHS

          The facemask that can spot tuberculosis: Gadget being tested by the NHS Bacteria expelled from the patient's mouth is collected in the 'world-changing' mask, designed by researchers at the University of Leicester and the University of Pretoria. The Daily Mail
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          Wednesday, 19 February 2020

          Isolation 'pods' for anyone who goes to Northampton General Hospital with coronavirus symptoms

          Isolation 'pods' for anyone who goes to Northampton General Hospital with coronavirus symptoms Two 'pods' for anyone who goes to Northampton General Hospital (NGH) with symptoms of coronavirus have been set up opposite the emergency department.

          A hospital trust spokesman said NHS 111 pods mean patients can be kept isolated and avoid causing unnecessary pressure in A&E, as per national guidance.

          “Over the coming weeks, many people may need to self-isolate at home for a period to reduce this virus' spread," the spokesman added. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

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          NHS staff morale improves but too many facing abuse

          NHS staff morale improves but too many facing abuse NHS staff say they are now happier and more likely to recommend their organisation as a place to work than last year, but too many still experience unacceptable abuse from patients and the public.

          569,000 NHS employees across 300 separate organisations responded to this year’s NHS Staff Survey, with the results showing staff morale has improved across the NHS.Staff also reported that the quality of care in the NHS has improved over the last year, with more than seven in 10 saying they would recommend their organisation to their family and friends for treatment, a proportion that has increased every year for the past five years. NHS England

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          The health of the nation: a strategy for healthier longer lives

          The health of the nation: a strategy for healthier longer lives This report aims to help set the UK on a clear path to achieve the government's goal "for everyone to have five extra years of healthy, independent life by 2035." It proposes policy and cross-sector collaboration to narrow the life expectancy gap between the richest and poorest. All Party Parliamentary Group for Longevity
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            Training in Addiction Psychiatry: Current Status and Future Prospects

            Training in Addiction Psychiatry: Current Status and Future Prospects This report looks into addictions psychiatry provision and how we can support and reinvigorate the decreasing number of training posts across the UK. Royal College of Psychiatrists

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            Children facing uncertain future, experts warn

            Children facing uncertain future, experts warn No country offers a child both the chance of a healthy upbringing and an environment fit for their future, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.

            Experts say climate change and harmful advertising encouraging fast-food consumption and under-age drinking are putting children at risk.

            The UK was ranked among the top 10 countries in the world for the overall health and wellbeing of children.

            However, it fell behind in safeguarding the environment for their future. BBC News

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            Heart doctors 'held back stent death data'

            Heart doctors 'held back stent death data' Doctors working on a clinical trial for treatment of heart disease held back key data, Newsnight has been told.

            The Excel trial tested whether stents were as effective as open heart surgery at treating patients with a heart problem called left main disease.

            The data suggested more people fitted with stents were dying after three years.

            It was eventually published - but only after treatment guidelines that partly relied on the trial had been written. BBC News
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            Care provider Hft to shut services due to 'underfunding'

            Care provider Hft to shut services due to 'underfunding' A care charity that provides services for about 90 adults in Oxfordshire says it will shut them by the end of May.

            Hft, which runs several services in Milton, near Didcot, said running them was leaving it with a £5,000 shortfall every week.

            Its chief executive said that was the result of "chronic underfunding of adult social care". BBC News
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            Work visa shake-up: What the new migration system means for the NHS, social care, hospitality and construction

            Work visa shake-up: What the new migration system means for the NHS, social care, hospitality and construction Ministers have warned businesses they have less than a year to prepare for the new immigration system to be put in place.

            The Home Office is launching a campaign of outreach to ensure that firms are prepared to lose access to a pool of lower-skilled EU migrants.

            The department says: "UK businesses will need to adapt and adjust to the end of free movement, and we will not seek to recreate the outcomes from free movement within the points-based system. As such, it is important that employers move away from a reliance on the UK's immigration system as an alternative to investment in staff retention, productivity, and wide investment in technology and automation." iNews

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            Thousands of patients potentially harmed by undelivered NHS mail

            Thousands of patients potentially harmed by undelivered NHS mail Safety inquiry launched after private contractor failed to send 28,563 confidential letters in IT bungle

            The NHS has launched a patient safety inquiry after a private contractor failed to send more than 28,000 pieces of confidential medical correspondence to GPs, the Guardian can reveal.

            NHS bosses are trying to find out if any patients have been harmed after 28,563 letters detailing discussions at outpatient appointments were not sent because of a mistake by Cerner, an IT company. The Guardian

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            Tuesday, 18 February 2020

            St Andrew's Healthcare: Overhaul for 'failings' mental health charity

            St Andrew's Healthcare: Overhaul for 'failings' mental health charity A mental health hospital charity which made "repeated and systemic failings" in its leadership is to overhaul its current services.

            Several concerns were raised at St Andrew's Healthcare, based in Northampton, following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

            The charity will replace its facility at Fitzroy House, which could hold 110 patients, for a smaller service.

            Chief executive Katie Fisher said its current model of care was "wrong". BBC Northampton
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            Record number of people visit Northampton's A&E for help with mental health crises

            Record number of people visit Northampton's A&E for help with mental health crises More people than ever went to Northampton's A&E last year asking for help with their mental health.

            Northampton General Hospital was visited 1,870 times in 2018/19 by people suffering from a mental health episode.

            It compares to 1,214 people in 2016/17, a jump of more than a third in just two years. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
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            First Patients Begin Gene Therapy Treatment For Blindness As Part Of NHS Long Term Plan

            First Patients Begin Gene Therapy Treatment For Blindness As Part Of NHS Long Term Plan The first patients have received a revolutionary new gene therapy that can restore eyesight as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. Babies born with an inherited retinal disorder, known as Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), have poor sight which swiftly deteriorates, with many ultimately losing their vision completely in childhood. NHS England
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            The health, safety and wellbeing of shift workers in healthcare environments

            The health, safety and wellbeing of shift workers in healthcare environments The guidance explores: how shift work can impact on health, safety and wellbeing; what can employers and employees do; and the importance of partnership working on shift working patterns. NHS Employers
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              Advancing population health management

              Advancing population health management Population health management (PHM) – the use of data to identify specific groups within a population that may have similar characteristics and similar needs, and develop targeted interventions to meet those needs – was a notable theme of the NHS Long Term Plan. But it’s something that clinical commissioners have been doing for some time. This report brings together PHM stories from ten different areas of England – led by clinical commissioners – to demonstrate the progress that has been already been made in advancing this approach to healthcare, and what more will need to be done. NHS Clinical Commissioners
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                Rescue plan 'considered' for virus cruise Britons

                Rescue plan 'considered' for virus cruise Britons The Foreign Office is "considering all options" for Britons trapped on a quarantined cruise liner in Japan struck by coronavirus - including flying them home.

                Some of the 74 UK passengers and crew on the Diamond Princess said they felt "forgotten", as other countries flew citizens home.

                The ship was quarantined on 3 February. BBC News

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                Rapid tests to help tackle Glasgow's HIV outbreak

                Rapid tests to help tackle Glasgow's HIV outbreak New HIV tests that provide results in minutes have been introduced in Glasgow to help tackle the worst outbreak of the infection in decades.

                Drug users sharing needles are in the group most affected by the surge of HIV cases in Scotland's biggest city.

                Previously, test results could take up to two weeks to come back from the laboratory and it could be difficult to trace people to tell them the outcome. BBC News
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                Transgender patients self-medicating over NHS waits

                Transgender patients self-medicating over NHS waits Transgender patients are choosing to self-medicate with hormones bought online from unregulated sources due to waiting times to see NHS specialists, the BBC has learned.

                In many areas, some patients wait over two years to be seen, new figures show. England's target time is 18 weeks.

                One woman said she was so low it felt like a choice between self-medicating or suicide.

                NHS England said it had increased investment to respond to rising demand. BBC News
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                Women As Young As 35 Are Being Denied NHS IVF Because Of Their Age. This Is The Impact

                Women As Young As 35 Are Being Denied NHS IVF Because Of Their Age. This Is The Impact Data analysed by HuffPost UK reveals one-in-nine CCGs in England that offer IVF is imposing its own age restrictions on women under 40.

                “I won’t ever get to experience carrying a child. I won’t get to have my baby that I grow and that I feel move, and that’s really hard.”

                These are the words of Steph Coath, a 38-year-old woman who is unable to access NHS IVF because of her age.

                Despite official recommendations stating women should be eligible for IVF up to the age of 42, Steph’s local clinical commissioning group (CCG) has decided it will only offer treatment to women under 35. Huffington Post UK
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                Female domestic abuse survivors '44 per cent more likely' to die from any cause

                Female domestic abuse survivors '44 per cent more likely' to die from any cause Women who have been subjected to domestic abuse are 44 per cent more likely to die from any cause than the wider population, a new study has found.

                Researchers at the University of Warwick and Birmingham discovered domestic abuse survivors are at increased risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

                The study stresses the prevalence of domestic abuse – noting an estimated one in three women have experienced it globally and one in four women in Britain have suffered it. The Indepdendent

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                Take action now to avoid worse winter NHS crisis next year, hospitals chief inspector warns

                Take action now to avoid worse winter NHS crisis next year, hospitals chief inspector warns Action must be taken now if the NHS is to avoid an even worse winter crisis next year, the chief inspector of hospitals has warned.

                The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said the use of corridors to treat sick patients in A&E was “becoming normalised”, with departments struggling with a lack of staff, poor leadership and long delays leading to crowding and safety risks. The Independent
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                The great vape debate: are e-cigarettes saving smokers or creating new addicts?

                The great vape debate: are e-cigarettes saving smokers or creating new addicts? The US is cracking down on vaping while the UK is promoting e-cigarettes as an aid to giving up smoking. Where does the truth lie? By Sarah Boseley

                Gone With the Smoke is already no more than a distant whiff of bubblegum-flavoured vapour. The vape shop and lounge, one of many in San Francisco, has been forced to close. So have Vapor Den (“eclectic lounge & hipster go-to”) and Happy Vape. From late January, it became illegal to sell e-cigarettes and e-liquids in San Francisco. Even online sales to addresses within the city limits have been stopped. Stores outside the city that dispatch e-cigarettes to an SF postcode will face prosecution. The Guardian
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                Monday, 17 February 2020

                Locked away: the national scandal you may have missed

                Locked away: the national scandal you may have missed | John Harris The way the NHS, local authorities and private providers treat our most vulnerable people should shame us all.

                Adele Green is a mother of four, who lives in the Northern suburbs of Bristol. I spoke to her last week about her son, Eddie, who is now 20 years old, and living in hospital in Doncaster, 180 miles from his family.

                That may seem unbearable enough, but it pales into insignificance next to what Eddie has suffered elsewhere. Variously diagnosed with autism, dyspraxia, ADHD and more, he is now officially understood as having a learning disability with complex needs. As a child who liked cycling and dancing, and had the same caring nature he still displays, he moved through an array of educational placements before, in late 2012, he ended up at a now-defunct residential school near his home. As his mother told me last week, soon after arriving “he had a really big meltdown – it was something he couldn’t cope with, from being at home to being somewhere completely different”.

                Eddie was moved to a so-called assessment and treatment unit (ATU) in Northampton, run by St Andrew’s Healthcare. The Guardian
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                Smaller hospitals: deserving of support at every level

                Smaller hospitals: deserving of support at every level Smaller hospitals provide care to nearly half the population of England and are often the linchpin of rural communities. Yet their position is precarious despite recent pledges to tailor operating models to meet their needs more equitably. Nuffield Trust
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                ‘Our NHS people matter’ – five years of the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES)

                ‘Our NHS people matter’ – five years of the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) As the fifth annual Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) data report is published, Yvonne Coghill, Director of the WRES Implementation Team at NHS England, looks at race equality progress over time. The King's Fund
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                Give GPs the right to NHS salaries in switch from system of independent contractors

                Give GPs the right to NHS salaries in switch from system of independent contractors Historic GP ‘partner model’ should be phased out in England to tackle workforce crisis, provide better care and ‘let doctors be doctors’

                A new IPPR report calls for general practitioners to become salaried employees of the NHS, rather than independent contractors, known as partners, who run their own GP practices. This move would overturn the historic model of general practice that has been in place since 1948.

                The think tank’s researchers argue that this shift, to be phased in, would enable the NHS in England to deliver better access to and quality of primary care in the community. It would also help to address the workforce crisis in general practice, they say. Institute for Public Policy Research
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                Coronavirus: Schools to be advised not to close over suspected cases

                Coronavirus: Schools to be advised not to close over suspected cases Schools do not need to close or send staff and pupils home if there is a suspected case of coronavirus, new guidance is to recommend.

                Public Health England will say no restrictions or special control measures are needed while tests are carried out on a suspected case.

                If a case is confirmed, health protection teams will speak to the head teacher and action will be taken.

                PHE is expected to issue the new guidance later. BBC News

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                How safe are breast implants?

                How safe are breast implants? Breast enlargement is one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries worldwide. There are millions of satisfied patients, so just how safe are implants? BBC News
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                Mumps: Why adults might still need the MMR jab

                Mumps: Why adults might still need the MMR jab Health experts are warning young adults are at risk of developing mumps because many of their age group missed out on getting two doses of the MMR jab as children.

                Latest figures show cases of mumps in England have reached their highest level in a decade.

                So why is mumps a risk, and how effective is the MMR vaccination? BBC News
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                NHS hospitals have only a few weeks left to get rid of their fax machines and are in 'desperate need of new systems'

                NHS hospitals have only a few weeks left to get rid of their fax machines and are in 'desperate need of new systems' With an NHS ban on fax machines due to come into force next month, Dean Kirby asks why this outdated technology is still in use on the wards.

                In an NHS hospital somewhere in the UK, a doctor is standing over to a fax machine waiting for a patient's medical records to arrive from a GP surgery.

                The machine finally whirrs into life - only to be halted midway through delivering its life-saving message because of a paper jam.

                This isn't a scene from a 1980s TV medical drama. It is happening right now in hospitals across 21st century Britain. iNews

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                Watchdog warns of maternity risks at scandal-hit hospital – despite minister’s claim wards are safe

                Watchdog warns of maternity risks at scandal-hit hospital – despite minister’s claim wards are safe An NHS hospital at the centre of a maternity inquiry is still putting babies and mothers at risk, the care watchdog has warned – contradicting claims by a minister to the Commons that the unit was a safe place to give birth.

                Bosses at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust have been told by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to take action after it warned of safety risks following inspections at the end of January and earlier this month. The Independent
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                A drug can stop HIV infection – so why isn't it available on the NHS in England?

                A drug can stop HIV infection – so why isn't it available on the NHS in England? Major studies have shown that the prophylactic PrEP effectively ends the threat of contracting HIV. But gay men and other users are currently left to self-source it online

                In August 2017, George was living in Glasgow when he received a call from his partner in South America. They had remained together despite the distance, a physical rather than emotional separation. George answered, and the voice on the other end of the phone dissolved into tears.

                “He had just been diagnosed with HIV,” says George. “I was worried about him. I was worried for myself and my future health. And I was worried about what my family would think.” The Guardian
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                Our personal health history is too valuable to be harvested by the tech giants

                Our personal health history is too valuable to be harvested by the tech giants | Eerke Boiten Action to prevent deeper access to our private lives and data is more essential than ever

                Health data paints a rich picture of our lives. Even if you remove your name, date of birth and NHS number to “anonymise” yourself, a full health history will reveal your age, gender, the places where you have lived, your family relationships and aspects of your lifestyle.

                Used in combination with other available information, this may be enough to verify that this medical history relates to you personally and to target you online. Consequently, whenever the NHS shares health data, even if it is anonymised, we need to have confidence in who it goes to and what they can do with it. The Guardian
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                BAME trainee doctors in 'climate of fear' over racism

                BAME trainee doctors in 'climate of fear' over racism Many black, Asian and minority ethnic trainee doctors are experiencing a “climate of fear” at medical schools amid a failure to address widespread racism, according to the British Medical Association.

                Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chairman, said the schools’ inadequate response to racism had left many BAME medical students afraid to speak out. The Guardian
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                Judges rule that doctors can stop providing life-support treatment to brain-damaged baby

                Judges rule that doctors can stop providing life-support treatment to brain-damaged baby A couple who want doctors to keep providing life-support treatment to their brain-damaged baby have lost another legal battle.

                Karwan Ali and Shokhan Namiq, who live in Manchester, had appealed after a High Court judge concluded that four-month-old Midrar was brain stem dead and said doctors could lawfully stop treating him. The Daily Telegraph
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