National congenital heart disease audit

National congenital heart disease audit The NHS is achieving very good outcomes for congenital heart surgical operations as well as improvements in antenatal detection of infant heart problems, according to the national congenital heart disease audit. NHS England

Mental Health: times they are a changing – Professor Tim Kendall

Mental Health: times they are a changing – Professor Tim Kendall In the latest of a series of blogs introducing a number of senior appointments within NHS England, the newly appointed National Clinical Director for Mental Health looks at what he sees as his main challenges. NHS England

CQC tells Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust to take urgent action to improve governance arrangements to ensure patient safety

CQC tells Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust to take urgent action to improve governance arrangements to ensure patient safety Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust has been told that it must make significant improvements to protect patients who are at risk of harm while in the care of its mental health and learning disability services. Care Quality Commission

See also:

• Southern Health inspection reports Care Quality Commission
• NHS Improvement intends to take further action at Southern Health Monitor
• Criticised NHS trust 'must improve' BBC News 
• VIDEO: Southern Health boss 'won't resign' BBC News
• NHS trust bosses worried patients are exposed to 'longstanding risks' The Daily Mail
• Inspectors warn Southern Health Trust to make "urgent improvements" ITV News

NHS eating disorder care waits revealed

NHS eating disorder care waits revealed Wide discrepancies exist in waiting times for mental health treatment for eating disorders in England, a BBC investigation finds. BBC News

Deadly diabetes in 'unrelenting march'

Deadly diabetes in 'unrelenting march' The world is facing an "unrelenting march" of diabetes which now affects one-in-11 people, the World Health Organization has warned. BBC News

See also:

• Global Report on Diabetes World Health Organization 
• World Health Day 2016: WHO calls for global action to halt rise in and improve care for people with diabetes World Health Organization  
• Soaring obesity sees to see people with diabetes QUADRUPLE to 422m in 35 years The Daily Mail

Warning over DIY teeth whitening kits

Warning over DIY teeth whitening kits Councils in England and Wales are calling for tougher penalties for "rogue" beauticians who offer teeth whitening using dangerous kits. BBC News

UK toddlers’ diet cause for concern’

UK toddlers’ diet cause for concern’ Young kids getting too much energy, protein and salt, but not enough iron or vitamin D. OnMedica

NHS expects 'difficult' second day of doctors' strike

NHS expects 'difficult' second day of doctors' strike Hospitals are readying themselves for challenges as the walkout over seven-day working continues.

NHS officials are bracing themselves for a “difficult” second day of strike action by junior doctors.

Junior doctors are on strike in a bitter dispute with the government over a new contract. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NHS England update on industrial action by junior doctors NHS England
• NHS braced for 'difficult' strike day BBC News
• Junior doctors go on strike AGAIN forcing another 5,000 operations to be cancelled   The Daily Mail
• Junior doctors' strike: fourth 48-hour walk out leaves 5,100 procedures postponed The Daily Telegraph
• Junior doctor contract 'worse than feared', say GP trainees behind £100,000 legal action GP Online
• Junior doctors strike for fourth time around the UK – video The Guardian
• Junior doctors strike again as government analysis stokes anger The Guardian
• Junior doctors make legal challenge to Jeremy Hunt's 'misconceived' contract The Guardian
• Green Wing cast join latest junior doctors' strike The Guardian
• Get back round negotiating table, junior doctors urge government OnMedica

Birth defect and paralysis may just be tip of the Zika iceberg

Birth defect and paralysis may just be tip of the Zika iceberg Top global Zika experts have now linked the mosquito-borne virus to encephalitis, meningitis and myelitis, as well - serious infections that can cause paralysis and permanent disability. The Daily Mail

NHS spends £15m a year on TAXIS to ferry patients to and from hospital appointments

NHS spends £15m a year on TAXIS to ferry patients to and from hospital appointments Some trusts are spending more than £700,000 annually - £2,000 a day - figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre show. The Daily Mail

Ambulance staff 'can't take breaks'

Ambulance staff 'can't take breaks' East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) overspends by almost £12m - with staff reported to be under pressure and unable to take scheduled breaks. BBC News

NHS ‘will bid to take Northamptonshire ambulance contract from criticised private firm’

NHS ‘will bid to take Northamptonshire ambulance contract from criticised private firm’ East Midlands Ambulance Service will try to take patient transport services back from much-criticised NSL, the trust has confirmed. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Improving patient experience through the physical environment

Improving patient experience through the physical environment This guide draws on the experience of the American health system about the impact of the physical environment on patient experience. Hospitals in Pursuit of Excellence

NHS braced for fourth doctor strike

NHS braced for fourth doctor strike Junior doctors in England are preparing to take part in their fourth walkout in their long-running contract dispute. BBC News

See also:

• Junior doctor and consultant contract negotiations British Medical Association
• Junior doctor contract negotiations Department of Health
• Junior doctors' 2016 contract NHS Employers
• NHS England statement in advance of industrial action on Wednesday April 6 NHS England
• Junior doctors strike: why are they taking action and how will it affect you? The Daily Telegraph
• Junior doctors begin fourth strike in contract dispute The Guardian
• Junior doctors' strike: Patients Association says it is 'glad to see contract imposition being challenged' The Independent

Asthma 'over-diagnosed and trivialised'

Asthma 'over-diagnosed and trivialised' Too many children are being incorrectly diagnosed with asthma, with inhalers becoming almost "fashion accessories", two specialists say. BBC News

See also:

• Is asthma overdiagnosed? Archives of Diseases in Childhood (open access)
• RCGP response to BMJ research on asthma diagnosis in children Royal College of General Practitioners
• Asthma: Overdiagnosis in children sees inhalers dished out like 'fashion accessories' claim health experts The Independent

GP workloads hit 'unsustainable' levels as study shows doctors dealing with more consultations than ever

GP workloads hit 'unsustainable' levels as study shows doctors dealing with more consultations than ever GP workloads have reached “unsustainable” levels researchers have said after a major study showed doctors are dealing with more consultations than ever.

Workloads in general practice increased by 16 per cent over the last seven years as family doctors in England deal with more frequent and longer consultations while the rate of GPs has decreased. The Independent

See also:

• Clinical workload in UK primary care: a retrospective analysis of 100 million consultations in England, 2007–14 The Lancet (abstract)
• RCGP response to The Lancet study showing that general practice in England is reaching ‘saturation point’ Royal College of General Practioners
• Immigration and lack of doctors behind huge waiting times at GP surgeries The Daily Mail
• GPs at crisis point as new figures reveal 'unsustainable' pressures from immigration and ageing population The Daily Telegraph
• Mounting workload pressures forcing GPs to 'saturation point', study warns GP Online
• NHS loses £700m a year on treating EU citizens, Brexit campaign claims The Guardian
• GPs "struggling" to find locum cover OnMedica

'Soaring' numbers of under-16s admitted to hospital for self-harming

'Soaring' numbers of under-16s admitted to hospital for self-harming The number of under-16s admitted to hospital in England for self-harming has increased by 76 per cent in the last five years, according to new statistics.

Data from the Health and Social Care Information Centre obtained by The New Day shows that the number has soared from 6,882 in 2009/10 to 12,119 in 2014/15. The Independent

Researchers turn to crowdfunding to develop Alzheimer's drug

Researchers turn to crowdfunding to develop Alzheimer's drug With money for basic and clinical research squeezed, some health researchers – including the UK team behind a dementia drug – are trying crowdfunding

Tests on a drug with the potential to stop Alzheimer’s in its tracks are being funded by raffles, pensioners’ donations and a sponsored walk – because the research team cannot find money for pre-clinical safety tests any other way.

The team of researchers led by Dr David Allsop at Lancaster University’s division of biomedicine and life sciences is running a crowdfunding campaign, Defying Dementia, to carry out the necessary preparatory testing on their drug in the belief they may be looking at a cure for the progressive brain disease. So far they have raised £52,000 towards their target of £165,000. Continue reading... The Guardian

What can the NHS learn from the 1940s fashion industry?

What can the NHS learn from the 1940s fashion industry? What can the NHS learn from the fashion industry? Quite a lot it turns out. Just as the NHS is going through a period of unparalleled austerity today, the clothing industry experienced its own era of austerity during the second world war in the 1940s. The Guardian (Ara Darzi)

Scarlet fever and TB have doctors worried as new cases are being reported in UK

Scarlet fever and TB have doctors worried as new cases are being reported in UK Since 2010, the number of people in the UK falling ill with whooping cough, cholera and scurvy has been rising steadily. The Daily Mail