Government likely to lose millions in dispute over PPE contract awarded via ‘VIP lane’

Government likely to lose millions in dispute over PPE contract awarded via ‘VIP lane’ The UK government appears unlikely to recover any money from a healthcare recruitment agency that allegedly failed to deliver on a multimillion-pound PPE contract awarded during the Covid pandemic.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has confirmed it is in a dispute over the £20m-plus contract awarded to SG Recruitment UK Ltd. However, the agency’s parent company has gone into liquidation, raising questions about whether the government can recoup any funds. The Guardian

Got high blood pressure? Why doing the plank or 'wall-sits' might be better than going for a swim

Got high blood pressure? Why doing the plank or 'wall-sits' might be better than going for a swim A brisk walk, cycle or swim is often the doctors' orders when it comes to high blood pressure.

But now scientists suggest doing the 'plank' or 'wall-sits' are better exercises for helping to control hypertension.

A review of clinical data found that while 'cardio', or aerobic workouts were beneficial, static exercises designed to work the muscles had the most impact. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Exercise training and resting blood pressure: a large-scale pairwise and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (free access) British Journal of Sports Medicine
•  Static isometric exercise, such as wall sits and planks, best for lowering blood pressure Canterbury Christ Church University

£1.7m surgical robot has performed 250 operations at Northampton General Hospital

£1.7m surgical robot has performed 250 operations at Northampton General Hospital A state-of-the-art Surgical Robot has now performed 250 operations at Northampton General Hospital to help improve care for patients.

The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group – which runs Northampton and Kettering general hospitals – has invested in the £1.7m Surgical Robot as part of its clinical strategy. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

First guidance published to support NHS workers after a colleague suicide

First guidance published to support NHS workers after a colleague suicide Researchers from the universities of Surrey, Keele and Birmingham have today (Tuesday) published the first guidance to support NHS workers after a colleague dies by suicide.

The recommendations are based on a two-year study identifying the impact on NHS staff who have been in this distressing situation, and the support they may need.

The guidance has been developed specifically for the NHS and for health service staff who are affected by a colleague’s suicide, and for those who will be supporting them. UNISON

See also:

• Postvention guidance: Supporting NHS staff after the death by suicide of a colleague University of Surrey
• The Impact of Colleague Suicide and the Current State of Postvention Guidance for Affected Co-Workers: A Critical Integrative Review (open access) International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Building equitable primary care: a toolkit for practitioners and decision makers

Building equitable primary care: a toolkit for practitioners and decision makers The findings of two academic projects – EQUALISE and FAIRSTEPS – have been brought together to produce a toolkit for addressing unequal access to primary care. It describes what equitable primary care looks like, and provides practical steps to help local decision makers address inequalities in health and healthcare. Queen Mary University of London

Government progress on pharmacy 'requires improvement', warns Expert Panel

Government progress on pharmacy 'requires improvement', warns Expert Panel The Health and Social Care Committee’s independent Expert Panel evaluating Government commitments on pharmacy has found that overall progress ‘requires improvement’ across a number of areas.

Evidence shows that demand for community pharmacy services has increased significantly with community pharmacies struggling to deliver services within the existing funding model, or even to remain open.

Millions of children get access to life-saving defibrillators

Millions of children get access to life-saving defibrillators The government has confirmed today (25 July 2023) that all state-funded schools in England now have a life-saving defibrillator, drastically increasing the chances of surviving cardiac arrest for all state school pupils in England.

Following the government’s £19 million rollout, over 20,000 defibrillators have successfully been delivered to almost 18,000 schools since January. Department of Health and Social Care

Acute inpatient mental health care for adults and older adults

Acute inpatient mental health care for adults and older adults Guidance to support the commissioning and delivery of timely access to high quality therapeutic inpatient care, close to home and in the least restrictive setting possible. NHS England

NHS England publishes data on first consultants strike in a decade

NHS England publishes data on first consultants strike in a decade Industrial action by consultants, over the recent 48 hours between 20 and 21 July, saw 65,557 rescheduled appointments and procedures.

The cumulative total of rescheduled appointments and procedures over eight months of industrial action across the NHS now stands at 765,000. NHS England

Police in England to attend fewer mental-health calls

Police in England to attend fewer mental-health calls Police officers in England will no longer respond to concerns about mental health if there is no risk to life or crime being committed, under new plans.

The government says the policy could save a million hours of police time every year.

Senior officers say forces have "lost their way" by dealing with less serious mental-health problems.

But mental-health charities say they are "deeply worried" at what could be a "dangerous" change. BBC News

See also:

• Right Care Right Person (RCRP) national guidance launched College of Policing
• Police to save 1M officer hours with new mental health approach National Police Chiefs' Council
• Forces adopt national scheme to reduce response to mental health incidents Police Professional
• Police will stop attending mental health calls to increase bobbies on beat The Daily Telegraph
• Ministers tell police to respond to fewer mental health-related 999 calls The Guardian
• Government backs reduction in police response to mental health incidents despite safety warnings The Independent
• Plans to cut back on police attending mental health callouts ITV News
• Police in England and Wales to drastically cut back on attending mental health callouts Sky News

Infected Blood Inquiry: Rishi Sunak to give evidence

Infected Blood Inquiry: Rishi Sunak to give evidence Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will appear in front of the Infected Blood Inquiry on Wednesday.

Bereaved families want Mr Sunak to accept compensation recommendations made three months ago by the inquiry's chairman, Sir Brian Langstaff.

It is thought that 30,000 people in the UK were given contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 80s.

Some victims have received financial support but not all have been fully compensated. BBC News

See also:

• Infected blood doctors accused of ‘cover-up’ amid compensation warnings The Daily Telegraph
• Infected Blood Inquiry: Minister challenged over slow compensation for victims The Independent
• Campaigners to call on PM to pay full compensation when he gives evidence at Infected Blood Inquiry ITV News

AI: Researchers train artificial intelligence to help detect breast cancer

AI: Researchers train artificial intelligence to help detect breast cancer Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) system that may help doctors detect cancer.

The researchers from Cardiff University say it could help improve the accuracy of medical diagnostics and could lead to earlier breast cancer detection.

The system is aimed at supporting radiologists' decision making, Hantao Liu from Cardiff University said.

Cancer charity Tenovus said AI's potential use in diagnosing cancers early was "phenomenal". BBC News

Clinics told to stop prescribing medicines as weight loss drug hits diabetes supply

Clinics told to stop prescribing medicines as weight loss drug hits diabetes supply A government alert has been sent to private weight-loss clinics instructing them to stop prescribing slimming injections as “very limited, intermittent supplies” are putting the lives of diabetes patients in danger.

The national patient safety alert was sent to both NHS and private healthcare providers by the Department of Health and Social Care, warning of shortages to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) - including semaglutide (Ozempic), dulaglutide, liraglutide and exenatide - which are used to treat diabetes. The Independent

Two-thirds of people administering cosmetic surgery injections are not qualified medical doctors, survey finds

Two-thirds of people administering cosmetic surgery injections are not qualified medical doctors, survey finds More than two-thirds of people who are administering cosmetic surgery injections such as Botox in the UK are not qualified medical doctors, a new study suggests.

The study is the first survey of who is providing cosmetic injectable services, including botulinum toxin (Botox) and dermal fillers, in the country. The Independent

See also: 

• Profiling UK injectable aesthetic practitioners: a national cohort analysis (open access) Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery

Sciensus’s licence partly suspended after death of cancer patient

Sciensus’s licence partly suspended after death of cancer patient Britain’s health regulator has partly suspended the manufacturing licence of Sciensus, a private company paid millions by the NHS to provide vital medicines, after the death of a cancer patient who was given the wrong dose of chemotherapy.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said it had taken “immediate” action under regulation 28 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 law “where it appears to the MHRA that in the interests of safety the licence should be suspended”. The Guardian

'Dishonest' bodybuilder who sued NHS after 'lying' faces £100K bill

'Dishonest' bodybuilder who sued NHS after 'lying' faces £100K bill A bodybuilder accused of lying that a botched NHS surgery left him disabled was caught out by a Facebook video showing him lifting heavy weights.

Sean Murphy, 38, sued Wye Valley NHS Trust for £580,000 in compensation after claiming that an operation on his bicep left him unable to work or dress himself.

His claims started to unravel after photos and videos on social media emerged of the bodybuilder playing rugby and lifting weights, with one video showing him grunting while shifting a three-stone kettle bell. The Daily Mail

2.5 million more people in England projected to be living with major illness by 2040

2.5 million more people in England projected to be living with major illness by 2040 9.1 million people will be living with major illness by 2040, 2.5 million more than in 2019, according to a new report published today by the Health Foundation.

The analysis finds that 19 of the 20 health conditions studied are projected to increase in prevalence, including a rise of more than 30% in the number of people living with conditions such as cancer, diabetes and kidney disease. Overall, the number of people living with major disease is set to increase from almost 1 in 6 of the adult population in 2019, to nearly 1 in 5 by 2040, with significant implications for the NHS, other public services and the public finances.

See also:

• NHS Confederation responds to Health Foundation report projecting 2.5m more people in England will be living with major illness by 2040 NHS Confederation
• Surge in ill health will have major impact on NHS BBC News
• An extra 2.5million Britons will have major illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and dementia by 2040 with soaring obesity counteracting gains made by fewer people smoking, report warns The Daily Mail
• Additional 2.5 million people will have major illnesses by 2040 Evening Standard
• ‘Catastrophic’ forecast shows 9m people in England with major illnesses by 2040 The Guardian
• Rates of major illness such as cancer and diabetes to soar by a third by 2040 The Independent
• NHS faces further pressure as report finds one in five will have major illness by 2040 ITV News
• One in five adults in England will be living with major diseases by 2040, say researchers Sky News

Getting the fundamentals right: how to better prepare for discharge pressures next winter

Getting the fundamentals right: how to better prepare for discharge pressures next winter Delayed discharges, where a patient is medically fit to leave hospital but is not discharged, were a particular problem in England last winter. In this long read, Camille Oung highlights some possible solutions to help better prepare health and care services for discharge pressures next winter. Nuffield Trust

Improving regulation for the future: regulation survey 2023

Improving regulation for the future: regulation survey 2023 This report explores NHS trust leaders' views of regulation over the past twelve months. Most trusts said that regulatory burden (52 per cent) and the number of 'ad hoc' requests (59 per cent) grew last year, at a time when services were more overstretched than many leaders can ever remember. NHS Providers

UKHSA launches new strategy to tackle national and global health hazards

UKHSA launches new strategy to tackle national and global health hazards The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has today launched its 3-year strategy to combat both new and re-emerging threats and to protect health security.

The new strategy sets out UKHSA’s vision and goals for the next 3 years to prepare for and respond to health threats and build the capabilities and technologies to protect the country in the future.