NHS crisis fuelled by closure of 1000 care homes housing more than 30000 pensioners The growing NHS crisis has been fuelled by the closure of almost 1,000 care homes housing more than 30,000 pensioners, research suggests. It comes as NHS figures show the worst Accident & Emergency crisis on record. The Daily Telegraph
Monday, 15 January 2018
NHS boss diagnosed with Alzheimer's tells of the disease
NHS boss diagnosed with Alzheimer's tells of the disease Three years ago, Wendy Mitchell was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Though devastated, the NHS manager, from Yorkshire, was determined to remain upbeat. The Daily Mail
Friday, 12 January 2018
NHS winter pressures: going home from hospital
NHS winter pressures: going home from hospital The spotlight on NHS performance during winter – and this series of blogs so far –lingers on problems getting to and (where necessary) into hospital quickly in an emergency. Problems at the hospital front door may seem more immediate, but the less visible delays at the back door are no less important.
Delays leaving hospital primarily affect older people (those aged 65 plus). In March 2017 the NHS Benchmarking Network suggested that 83% of delayed discharges involved people aged 65 plus and 39% involved people aged 85 plus (based on data from 47 NHS organisations from England, Wales and Northern Ireland). The Health Foundation
Delays leaving hospital primarily affect older people (those aged 65 plus). In March 2017 the NHS Benchmarking Network suggested that 83% of delayed discharges involved people aged 65 plus and 39% involved people aged 85 plus (based on data from 47 NHS organisations from England, Wales and Northern Ireland). The Health Foundation
Black alerts: for emergencies only?
Black alerts: for emergencies only? The Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care have said that the NHS is delivering more and has planned better for this winter than ever before, but news of long waits and over-crowded A&E departments is still making the headlines. The King's Fund
Fatigue and sleep deprivation – the impact of different working patterns on doctors
Fatigue and sleep deprivation – the impact of different working patterns on doctors This briefing highlights why doctors are at risk of fatigue and the acute and long-term impacts this can have. It also presents a framework for how Government, organisations and doctors themselves can manage this risk. British Medical Association
Thinking on its own: AI in the NHS
Thinking on its own: AI in the NHS This report illustrates the areas where artificial intelligence (AI) could help the NHS become more efficient and deliver better outcomes for patients. It also highlights the main barriers to the implementation of this technology and suggests some potential solutions. Reform
Sharp rise in flu cases
Sharp rise in flu cases Hospitals in England are now seeing very high rates of patients with flu, according to Public Health England figures.
A sharp rise in cases seen by GPs in the past week - up 78% on the week before - suggests it could be the worst flu season for seven years.
But PHE said the current levels of flu were "not unprecedented".
Deaths from flu remained static with 27 in the past seven days.
Around 5,000 people were admitted to hospital with flu in the first week of January, based on PHE figures for 22 out of 137 trusts.
Prof Paul Cosford, medical director from Public Health England, said: "The levels of flu being seen are high and of course that is contributing to the pressures in the NHS, but they are not unprecedented levels." BBC News
See also:
A sharp rise in cases seen by GPs in the past week - up 78% on the week before - suggests it could be the worst flu season for seven years.
But PHE said the current levels of flu were "not unprecedented".
Deaths from flu remained static with 27 in the past seven days.
Around 5,000 people were admitted to hospital with flu in the first week of January, based on PHE figures for 22 out of 137 trusts.
Prof Paul Cosford, medical director from Public Health England, said: "The levels of flu being seen are high and of course that is contributing to the pressures in the NHS, but they are not unprecedented levels." BBC News
See also:
- UK flu levels continue to increase according to PHE statistics Public Health England
- Syndromic surveillance: weekly summaries for 2018 Public Health England
- Flu rises again in England putting increasing pressure on general practice services Royal College of General Practitioners
- Why do the majority of NHS staff not get the flu vaccine? BBC News
- Flu deaths soar by 77% in a week, figures show The Daily Mail
- Flu levels soaring with one in five hospital cases suffering 'Aussie flu' The Daily Telegraph
- Flu epidemic will hit within a month if trends continue, new figures show The Daily Telegraph
- Flu cases double as UK faces medium-level epidemic GPonline
- Rate of flu patients placed in intensive care shoots up 65% in a week as 18-year-old dies from disease The Independent
Carillion share price collapse sparks fears Government could be left with cost of NHS contracts
Carillion share price collapse sparks fears Government could be left with cost of NHS contracts A dramatic fall in the share price of one of Britain’s biggest outsourcing companies has sparked fears that the taxpayer could be left to pick up the cost of contracts that provide crucial maintenance work in NHS hospitals.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said today that the Government was monitoring Carillion closely amid fears that it could collapse as the health service struggles to cope with the worst winter crisis on record. The Independent
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said today that the Government was monitoring Carillion closely amid fears that it could collapse as the health service struggles to cope with the worst winter crisis on record. The Independent
Six patients die amid 400 errors as NHS staff accidentally switch off oxygen supply
Six patients die amid 400 errors as NHS staff accidentally switch off oxygen supply An NHS investigation has been launched following the deaths of six patients when hospital staff accidentally switched off their oxygen cylinders.
A safety alert has been issued after watchdogs uncovered more than 400 incidents in which cylinder controls were wrongly operated - including 24 cases where patients came to “moderate or severe harm”.
The blunders saw six patients die, while five suffered cardiac arrest or stopped breathing and five were left unconscious.
Incidents involved newborns, patients on resuscitation trolleys and those on cardiac units, a safety alert discloses. The Daily Telegraph
A safety alert has been issued after watchdogs uncovered more than 400 incidents in which cylinder controls were wrongly operated - including 24 cases where patients came to “moderate or severe harm”.
The blunders saw six patients die, while five suffered cardiac arrest or stopped breathing and five were left unconscious.
Incidents involved newborns, patients on resuscitation trolleys and those on cardiac units, a safety alert discloses. The Daily Telegraph
A&E waiting times hit their worst on record, figures show
A&E waiting times hit their worst on record, figures show The NHS is struggling with its worst winter ever as A&E waiting times hit their highest on record, damning figures released today reveal.
New data from NHS England shows the health service is operating at a poorer level than at the same point in 2016, which was branded a 'humanitarian crisis' and saw the British Red Cross drafted in to help.
The alarming statistics show:
See also:
New data from NHS England shows the health service is operating at a poorer level than at the same point in 2016, which was branded a 'humanitarian crisis' and saw the British Red Cross drafted in to help.
The alarming statistics show:
- One in five patients at major casualty units waited longer than four hours - the safe limit set by the Government - to be seen in December
- The statistics showed that for all A&E units, 85.1 per cent of patients were seen within the four-hour period - equaling last January's record low.
- More than 300,000 patients were forced to wait for at least four hours in all A&E units - the highest amount since figures began in 2010.
- Ambulance delays have also risen to record proportions, with more than 5,000 patients left stuck in the back of the vehicles waiting to be transferred to A&E.
- While bed occupancy levels have hit their worst point yet this winter, with 24 trusts declaring they had no free beds at some point last week, the figures show.
See also:
- Response to the latest NHS waiting time figures The King's Fund
- A&E chiefs warn PM that patients are dying in corridors The Daily Mail
- Hospital crowding soars amid rising cases of norovirus and 'Aussie' flu The Daily Telegraph
- Number of A&E patients treated within four hours at lowest ever level The Guardian
- How the NHS winter beds crisis is hitting patient care The Guardian
- The Guardian view on the NHS crisis: it’s not just the flu | Editorial The Guardian
Thursday, 11 January 2018
Northampton General Hospital to buy care home places as winter pressures hit
Northampton General Hospital to buy care home places as winter pressures hit A hospital is to start paying for care home places for people waiting to leave the site in a bid to ease what it calls "severe" pressure on beds.
Northampton General Hospital said it needed to double the number of patients with complex needs who left the hospital each day.
Many patients are fit enough to leave hospital but are awaiting social care assessments from the county council.
The hospital said it would spend about £1m on the care home places. BBC Northampton
Northampton General Hospital said it needed to double the number of patients with complex needs who left the hospital each day.
Many patients are fit enough to leave hospital but are awaiting social care assessments from the county council.
The hospital said it would spend about £1m on the care home places. BBC Northampton
Northampton hospital let patient's children stay overnight to spend last Christmas with their mum
Northampton hospital let patient's children stay overnight to spend last Christmas with their mum A family were able to spend one last Christmas together, enjoy bacon sandwiches and unwrap gifts, thanks to the efforts of their care team at Northampton General Hospital.
Ward sister, Sarah Dainty, and her team on Spencer Ward brought Christmas forward to make sure her patient, who was receiving end-of-life care, could spend one last Christmas Day with her family. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Ward sister, Sarah Dainty, and her team on Spencer Ward brought Christmas forward to make sure her patient, who was receiving end-of-life care, could spend one last Christmas Day with her family. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Residents withdrawn from Burton Latimer care home over management concerns
Residents withdrawn from Burton Latimer care home over management concerns A Burton Latimer care home at the centre of a police investigation into neglect allegations will be temporarily taken over by Northamptonshire County Council.
Two people were arrested last year after allegations were made over treatment at Latimer Grange Care Home in Station Road.
That investigation is ongoing but the county council has ended its contract with the home and is withdrawing residents who live there because of a number of concerns. Northamptonshire Telegraph
See also:
Two people were arrested last year after allegations were made over treatment at Latimer Grange Care Home in Station Road.
That investigation is ongoing but the county council has ended its contract with the home and is withdrawing residents who live there because of a number of concerns. Northamptonshire Telegraph
See also:
- Latimer Grange care home residents removed by council BBC Northampton
NHS at watershed moment: NHS Providers letter to the secretary of state for health and social care
NHS at watershed moment: NHS Providers letter to the secretary of state for health and social care NHS Providers has written to the secretary of state for health and social care, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, today (11 January 2018), to outline concerns over the pressures being experienced by frontline health and care services this winter. The organisation, which represents 98% of hospital, mental health, community and ambulance service trusts in England, says this is a watershed moment for the NHS, and the government must accept that the service can no longer deliver what is required of it within current funding.
See also:
See also:
- We've run out of beds, warn hospital bosses BBC News
- Time for an answer on the NHS? BBC News
- Jeremy Hunt urged to boost NHS budget as flu crisis marks 'watershed moment' for health service The Daily Telegraph
- The winter crisis has left the NHS running on empty – it needs a fix, now | Chris Hopson The Guardian
- Hospital bosses urge Jeremy Hunt: spend now to rescue NHS The Guardian
- NHS crisis: ‘I live in fear I’ll miss a seriously ill patient and they will die’ The Guardian
- Jeremy Hunt: NHS needs 'significantly more funding in years ahead ' – video The Guardian
- The NHS is in crisis. But it's not up to volunteers to rescue it | Dan Corry The Guardian
- NHS 'no longer able to meet standards in its constitution', health bosses tell Jeremy Hunt The Independent
Leading Large Scale Change: a practical guide: A guide to leading large scale change through complex health and social care environments
Leading Large Scale Change: a practical guide: A guide to leading large scale change through complex health and social care environments Leading Large Scale Change: a practical guide has been produced by the NHS England Sustainable Improvement Team and the Horizons Team, NHS England, to help all those involved in seeking to achieve transformational change in complex health and care environments. This guide has been fully revised from the original 2011 publication to reflect latest policy and practice. This guide has a number of different resources which can be used according to local needs and circumstances and has been designed to be interactive, offering many links to useful, external sources.
How your organisation can prepare for changes to data regulations under GDPR
How your organisation can prepare for changes to data regulations under GDPR Our Changes to data protection under GDPR factsheet, developed in conjunction with Capsticks, national specialists in healthcare employment law, outlines the key changes in the regulations. NHS Employers
Taking the temperature of nursing in the 21st century
Taking the temperature of nursing in the 21st century Nursing is no longer just a calling – it’s a profession. From running surgeries, to working in multi-disciplinary teams in the community, to carrying out medical procedures, nurses are at the forefront of care, says Kim Thomas
Nicole Broadbent, 28, is a neonatal staff nurse at the Royal Free London hospital, so her patients – premature babies who require intensive care – are tiny and vulnerable. “It’s a hugely responsible job, but also a satisfying one,” she says. “It’s amazing how a 24-week-old baby can be so sick, but then, three, four months down the line, you can see them going home. They fascinate you on a daily basis.”
Neonatal nursing is no ordinary job, requiring a high degree of both skill and commitment. Broadbent was a ballet teacher until a serious ankle injury led her into nursing, via a degree course at Bucks New University. She now finds herself in a professional role that requires familiarity with technology, decision-making abilities and the warmth and empathy to support worried parents. Continue reading... The Guardian
Nicole Broadbent, 28, is a neonatal staff nurse at the Royal Free London hospital, so her patients – premature babies who require intensive care – are tiny and vulnerable. “It’s a hugely responsible job, but also a satisfying one,” she says. “It’s amazing how a 24-week-old baby can be so sick, but then, three, four months down the line, you can see them going home. They fascinate you on a daily basis.”
Neonatal nursing is no ordinary job, requiring a high degree of both skill and commitment. Broadbent was a ballet teacher until a serious ankle injury led her into nursing, via a degree course at Bucks New University. She now finds herself in a professional role that requires familiarity with technology, decision-making abilities and the warmth and empathy to support worried parents. Continue reading... The Guardian
Shifting care closer to home will ease pressure on hospitals
Shifting care closer to home will ease pressure on hospitals | Ewan King There is growing evidence that a greater focus on prevention and self-care reduces demands on the NHS. We need to build on what works.
New year is associated with hope and optimism. But for the NHS, the headlines tell a different story: hospitals at full capacity. As you might expect, these articles focus on what is going wrong: headlines such as “NHS in crisis”, stories of beds in corridors and stressed-out nurses. Clearly these problems are real, but focusing only on hospitals won’t solve the problem. We need to think more broadly if we are to find lasting solutions; we must think about prevention, and how far it is embedded in local systems.
For some time, health and care reforms have been about shifting care closer to home. The programme of vanguards and sustainability and transformation plans was intended to herald a greater focus on prevention and self-care to reduce pressure on hospitals. There is some evidence that these reforms are working: Hertfordshire’s prevention-focused Better Care for Care Home Residents Vanguard, for instance, led to a 45% reduction in hospital admissions and A&E attendances between April 2015 and May last year. Continue reading... The Guardian
New year is associated with hope and optimism. But for the NHS, the headlines tell a different story: hospitals at full capacity. As you might expect, these articles focus on what is going wrong: headlines such as “NHS in crisis”, stories of beds in corridors and stressed-out nurses. Clearly these problems are real, but focusing only on hospitals won’t solve the problem. We need to think more broadly if we are to find lasting solutions; we must think about prevention, and how far it is embedded in local systems.
For some time, health and care reforms have been about shifting care closer to home. The programme of vanguards and sustainability and transformation plans was intended to herald a greater focus on prevention and self-care to reduce pressure on hospitals. There is some evidence that these reforms are working: Hertfordshire’s prevention-focused Better Care for Care Home Residents Vanguard, for instance, led to a 45% reduction in hospital admissions and A&E attendances between April 2015 and May last year. Continue reading... The Guardian
NHS cancer hospital may have to delay or reduce treatment
NHS cancer hospital may have to delay or reduce treatment Leaked memo says nursing shortage means patients could have to wait longer for chemotherapy, or be given less treatment
An NHS cancer hospital may have to make patients wait to undergo chemotherapy, or reduce the amount of treatment that dying patients receive, because it has so few nurses, a leaked memo has revealed.
Macmillan Cancer Support said the prospect of the Churchill hospital in Oxford in effect rationing life-extending and potentially life-saving chemotherapy was “deeply worrying”, especially for people dying of the disease.
The UK has fewer doctors and nurses than many other comparable countries both in Europe and worldwide. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Britain comes 24th in a league table of 34 member countries in terms of the number of doctors they have relative to their populations. Greece, Austria and Norway have the most; the three countries with proportionately the fewest medics are Turkey, Chile and Mexico. Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, regularly points out that the NHS in England has more doctors and nurses than when the Conservatives came to power in 2010. That is true, although there are now fewer district nurses, mental health nurses and other types of health professionals. Continue reading... The Guardian
An NHS cancer hospital may have to make patients wait to undergo chemotherapy, or reduce the amount of treatment that dying patients receive, because it has so few nurses, a leaked memo has revealed.
Macmillan Cancer Support said the prospect of the Churchill hospital in Oxford in effect rationing life-extending and potentially life-saving chemotherapy was “deeply worrying”, especially for people dying of the disease.
The UK has fewer doctors and nurses than many other comparable countries both in Europe and worldwide. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Britain comes 24th in a league table of 34 member countries in terms of the number of doctors they have relative to their populations. Greece, Austria and Norway have the most; the three countries with proportionately the fewest medics are Turkey, Chile and Mexico. Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, regularly points out that the NHS in England has more doctors and nurses than when the Conservatives came to power in 2010. That is true, although there are now fewer district nurses, mental health nurses and other types of health professionals. Continue reading... The Guardian
Aussie flu is more severe than the Swine flu, expert warns
Aussie flu is more severe than the Swine flu, expert warns The dreaded 'Aussie flu' is more severe than the Swine flu pandemic of 2009 which killed nearly 300,000 people across the world, an expert has warned.
Peter Horby, professor of emerging infectious diseases and global health at Oxford University, believes this winter 'may well be worse than others'.
His fears come amid the emergence of H3N2, an aggressive strain of influenza A that rocked Australia during its winter and triggered triple the usual number of cases. The Daily Mail
Peter Horby, professor of emerging infectious diseases and global health at Oxford University, believes this winter 'may well be worse than others'.
His fears come amid the emergence of H3N2, an aggressive strain of influenza A that rocked Australia during its winter and triggered triple the usual number of cases. The Daily Mail
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