New report on 10 promising AI interventions for healthcare

New report on 10 promising AI interventions for healthcare A new NIHR Evidence Collection has identified 10 promising AI interventions addressing five key healthcare challenges.

The Collection demonstrates the potential of AI in addressing these challenges, and highlights how AI can support the NHS and transform healthcare in future. The innovations could one day benefit the NHS and patients by saving time, money, resources. They could improve care and save lives. National Institute for Health Research

See also:

• Health experts call on public to 'trust' artificial intelligence Evening Standard

GP Patient Survey 2023 Results

GP Patient Survey 2023 Results The survey assesses patients’ experiences of healthcare services provided by GP practices, including experience of access to GP practices, making appointments, the quality of care received from healthcare professionals, experience of services when their GP practice is closed and patients’ experiences of NHS dental services. The survey also captures information about patient health, including patients with long term conditions, disabilities, or illnesses, and the support they receive to manage these. NHS England

See also:

• General Practice Workforce NHS Digital
• NHS Confederation responds to the latest GP appointments and GP workforce statistics NHS Confederation
• The trends we’ve seen over the past year can’t be allowed to continue, says College Chair Royal College of General Practitioners

Allergy emergencies double in recent years in England

Allergy emergencies double in recent years in England Dangerous allergic reactions are rising in England and now cause some 25,000 NHS hospital stays a year, data shows.

Health officials say the rate has more than doubled over 20 years, prompting them to issue advice reminding people how to recognise allergies and respond.

For severe food-related allergic reactions, the rise in admissions is even greater. BBC News

Private companies take over Newcastle sexual health service

Private companies take over Newcastle sexual health service An NHS-run sexual health service in Newcastle is set to be taken over by two private companies.

New operators will take on the city's service, based out of New Croft House clinic, from October.

A new contract was put out to tender after Newcastle Hospitals Trust did not make an offer to continue its contract for Newcastle City Council.

Hospital chiefs said they were "disappointed" but had been "unable to submit a sustainable bid". BBC News

Serving-size labelling leaves many confused- Which? survey

Serving-size labelling leaves many confused- Which? survey People struggle to estimate portion sizes for food such as chocolate, crisps and cheese, a survey of 1,265 Which? subscribers suggests.

They may need more help to assess how healthy products are, the consumer group says.

Unrealistic recommended serving sizes can mislead people into thinking they are consuming fewer calories, and less fat, sugar or salt, than they actually are, Which? says. BBC News

See also:

• The problem with portion sizes Which?

Obese people on weight-loss jabs ‘should be prepared to stay on them for life

Obese people on weight-loss jabs ‘should be prepared to stay on them for life Obese people taking weight-loss jabs should be prepared to stay on them for life, experts have warned.

Studies show that people who stop injections of drugs like semaglutide – sold as Wegovy and Ozempic – can regain much of the weight they have lost. The Independent

Can the NHS recover from record waitlists and ongoing strikes before winter?

Can the NHS recover from record waitlists and ongoing strikes  before winter? There are nearly seven and a half million people waiting for hospital treatment in England – and no sign of negotiations to avert more strikes.

So even though it’s only July, health leaders are warning it will be an extremely challenging winter.

NHS England announced plans to boost capacity and get patients back home sooner. They include extra beds and more use of virtual wards. But can it afford them? Channel 4 News

Daily chores which make you huff and puff for just four MINUTES might slash your risk of cancer

Daily chores which make you huff and puff for just four MINUTES might slash your risk of cancer Short bursts of daily activity that make you huff and puff — such as playing high-energy games with children — could reduce the risk of cancer, research suggests.

According to the study, a total of just four-and-a-half minutes of vigorous activity — done in bursts of around one minute each - during daily tasks could reduce the overall risk of cancer by 18 per cent, and the risk of some cancers linked to physical activity by up to 32 per cent. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity and Cancer Incidence Among Nonexercising Adults: The UK Biobank Accelerometry Study (open access) JAMA Oncology

Pregnant women and millions of Brits with conditions like diabetes are told NOT to eat any smoked salmon over listeria fears

Pregnant women and millions of Brits with conditions like diabetes are told NOT to eat any smoked salmon over listeria fears Pregnant women were today reminded that they shouldn't eat ready-to-eat cold-smoked or cured salmon because of the listeria risk.

Food safety chiefs also issued the same warning to millions of Brits with diabetes, cancer and liver disease.

Smoked salmon and trout are more likely to harbour the bug, which can be life-threating to at-risk people, as the foods are not fully-cooked during production. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Updated advice to higher risk consumers on ready-to-eat cold-smoked and cured fish following publication of a risk assessment Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland

The 11 GP practices in Northamptonshire with the worst NHS patient ratings in 2023

The 11 GP practices in Northamptonshire with the worst NHS patient ratings in 2023 NHS patients in Northamptonshire have reported mixed satisfaction ratings for local doctor’s surgeries in the area, according to the latest GP Patient Survey.

Produced by Ipsos on behalf of NHS England, the 2023 GP Patient Survey asked people across the country what they think about their local GP practice. It surveyed 2.7 million people between January and April 2023 and had a response rate of 29%. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Delays to NHS care: Understanding the impact

Delays to NHS care: Understanding the impact New research shows that people are currently facing multiple cancellations or postponements of care which are having a significant impact on their lives and symptoms, while further increasing health inequalities.  

We commissioned a survey of 1084 people who have seen their NHS care either cancelled or postponed this year to understand the extent of disruption to care amid rising waiting lists, workforce issues, and industrial action, and other pressures on the NHS. Healthwatch England

See also:

• NHS cancellations causing ‘catastrophic health impacts’, says watchdog The Guardian

National survey highlights decline in people’s experience of urgent and emergency care

National survey highlights decline in people’s experience of urgent and emergency care Findings from a survey of more than 36,000 people who used NHS urgent and emergency care services in September 2022 show that many people had a worse experience than in previous years – particularly those treated in an A&E type department.

Published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the survey reveals the responses from patients who attended either a major consultant-led A&E department (Type 1) or an urgent treatment centre or minor injury unit (Type 3) run directly by one of 122 acute hospital trusts in England during September 2022.

See also:

• A&E experience is now the worst on record as damning study reveals a third of NHS patients wait over an hour just to speak to a doctor or nurse while nearly a fifth wait more than FOUR hours to be examined The Daily Mail

We deserve better: ethnic minorities with a learning disability and access to healthcare

We deserve better: ethnic minorities with a learning disability and access to healthcare This five part review examines two decades of research looking into discriminatory barriers preventing equitable health care treatment. It finds that people with a learning disability from Black, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi heritage) and minority ethnic backgrounds face shorter life expectancy triggered by poorer health care access, experience and outcomes. It also captures the lack of reasonable adjustments and failure to recognise individual needs. Other obstacles identified include language barriers, cultural and religious insensitivity, a lack of information in easy read format, and a lack of information during transitional care in hospital and home. NHS Race & Health Observatory

NHS platform a ‘major force for good’ after identifying millions of savings in its first year

NHS platform a ‘major force for good’ after identifying millions of savings in its first year A Crown Commercial Service-funded digital platform used by the NHS has identified millions of pounds of potential savings in its first year, the government has announced. Department of Health and Social Care

Agreement to support mental health care and free up police time

Agreement to support mental health care and free up police time Patients experiencing a mental health crisis will be treated by the most appropriate agency, helping free up police time and ensuring care is provided by someone with the most relevant skills and experience, as a new national agreement is signed between health and policing partners. Department of Health and Social Care, Home Office and NHS England

Junior doctors to strike for four days in August

Junior doctors to strike for four days in August Junior doctors in England are to stage a four-day strike in August - their fifth strike in this pay dispute.

The walkout will start at 07:00 BST on Friday 11 August and end on 07:00 on Tuesday 15 August.

The British Medical Association has asked for a 35% pay rise to restore pay to 2008 levels after a series of below-inflation pay rises. BBC News

See also:

• Junior doctors urge Government to come to the table as they announce fifth round of strikes BMA
• Strike action: Junior doctors in England announce fifth walkout in August The BMJ
• Junior doctors announce ANOTHER strike: Four-day August walk-out by the BMA will bring struggling NHS to standstill again The Daily Mail
• Welcome to the NHS, fancy striking? New crop of junior doctors are being urged to join August's four-day BMA walk-out (which kicks off just 9 DAYS after they join) The Daily Mail
• NHS under increasing pressure as junior doctors announce another strike The Daily Telegraph
• Junior doctors urged to strike nine days after starting work in the NHS Evening Standard
• Junior doctors in England to stage four-day strike in August The Guardian
• Junior doctors to stage fresh strike next month in bitter pay dispute The Independent
• Junior doctors to stage fresh four-day walkout despite Sunak saying negotiations over Sky News

Extra hospital beds made available for winter - NHS England

Extra hospital beds made available for winter - NHS England An extra 5,000 hospital beds will be available this winter to help the NHS in England to cope, health bosses say.

It will mean nearly 100,000 permanent beds accessible at the busiest time of the year - a 5% rise on current levels.

NHS England is also promising quicker discharge arrangements to get patients out of hospital when they are medically-fit to leave.

This will be achieved through the rollout of what have been dubbed "care traffic control centres". BBC News

Herpes deaths: Why did our daughters die after Caesareans?

Herpes deaths: Why did our daughters die after Caesareans? In 2018, two new mothers died of herpes - a common, normally mild infection - just weeks apart, shortly after giving birth by Caesarean section at the same NHS Trust. Following an inquest into both deaths, their families say they will continue their fight to find out what happened. BBC News

NHS Ambulance trusts unable to access patient records following cyberattack

NHS Ambulance trusts unable to access patient records following cyberattack Attack on Ortivus's data centre last week has left two trusts in the south of England resorting to paper-based records

Two NHS ambulance services have been unable to access electronic patient records for over a week following a cyberattack on Swedish health tech company Ortivus. Computing

See also:

• Cyber attack hits two ambulance services in England BBC News
• Cyber attack hits two ambulance trusts leaving hospitals without access to electronic patient records The Daily Mail
• Cyber attack leaves NHS ambulance trusts unable to access patient records The Daily Telegraph

‘Awful lot of nothing’: families denounce Sunak’s response to blood scandal inquiry

‘Awful lot of nothing’: families denounce Sunak’s response to blood scandal inquiry Victims and family members have expressed frustration and dismay with Rishi Sunak for not committing to a compensation framework for those affected by the contaminated blood scandal.

Before the prime minister’s appearance on Wednesday at the public inquiry into the unparalleled treatment disaster, there were protests by campaigners carrying photos of bereaved loved ones and banners saying: “Dying for Justice.” The Guardian

See also:

• Blood-inquiry families heckle PM over compensation BBC News
• Prime Minister jeered while giving evidence during infected blood inquiry Channel 4 News
• Extraordinary moment Rishi Sunak gets heckled by outraged victims of infected blood scandal as PM dodges compensation questions at inquiry The Daily Mail
• Sunak heckled at infected blood inquiry for saying government working ‘at pace’ The Guardian
• 'Betrayal': Sunak attacked over performance at infected blood inquiry ITV News
• Infected Blood Inquiry: Shifty Sunak appears evasive... again Sky News