Tuesday, 12 June 2012
Public satisfaction with NHS plummets in 2011
Public satisfaction with NHS plummets in 2011: Why has the British public's satisfaction with the way the NHS runs taken a nose dive in 2011 – falling from 70 per cent (its highest ever level) to 58 per cent? (Blog, 12 Jun 2012) Kings Fund
NHS waiting lists 'recategorised'
NHS waiting lists 'recategorised': The Royal College of Surgeons condemns NHS Trusts in England for changing clinical criteria and dropping patients from operation waiting lists without notice. BBC News
New medical and dental pay circular published
New medical and dental pay circular published: NHS Employers has published an updated pay circular. It contains the pay scales and allowances for medical and dental staff effective from 1 April 2012. NHS Employers
New summary guide to prevention of illegal working
New summary guide to prevention of illegal working: The UK Border Agency has produced a summary of its full guidance for preventing illegal working in the UK. NHS Employers
Health visitor employment: from training to practice - a guide for employers
Health visitor employment: from training to practice - a guide for employers:
This briefing outlines an employment model to help meet the required increase of health visitor training places. It describes the employment model, its benefits and what you need to consider if you decide to implement this approach. It aims to help provide a commitment of employment to students, increasing the confidence of undecided potential applicants to move into the profession.
This briefing outlines an employment model to help meet the required increase of health visitor training places. It describes the employment model, its benefits and what you need to consider if you decide to implement this approach. It aims to help provide a commitment of employment to students, increasing the confidence of undecided potential applicants to move into the profession.
Taking stock: assessing the value of preventative support
Taking stock: assessing the value of preventative support:
This report argues that elderly and vulnerable people are being put at risk by cuts to home-based care. It is the result of a survey of GPs and the general public and highlights concerns that a lack of support for people in their own homes is having a negative impact.
This report argues that elderly and vulnerable people are being put at risk by cuts to home-based care. It is the result of a survey of GPs and the general public and highlights concerns that a lack of support for people in their own homes is having a negative impact.
Stats show record fall in NHS satisfaction – but ministers say it's at a high
Stats show record fall in NHS satisfaction – but ministers say it's at a high:
Ministers clashed yesterday with health experts over whether public satisfaction with the NHS is holding up despite the harsh economic climate. The Independent
Ministers clashed yesterday with health experts over whether public satisfaction with the NHS is holding up despite the harsh economic climate. The Independent
Elderly patients win right to sue if medical treatment is denied because of age
Elderly patients win right to sue if medical treatment is denied because of age:
Elderly patients are to receive legal protection against being denied medical treatment simply because of their advanced years, ministers will announce today. The Independent
Elderly patients are to receive legal protection against being denied medical treatment simply because of their advanced years, ministers will announce today. The Independent
Monitor publishes independent report into 'Enablers and Barriers to Integrated Care and Implications for Monitor'
Monitor publishes independent report into 'Enablers and Barriers to Integrated Care and Implications for Monitor': Monitor has published an independent report today to inform the development of its policy on integrated care. The report titled Enablers and Barriers to Integrated Care and Implications for Monitor was commissioned by Monitor from Frontier Economics, the Nuffield Trust, the Kings Fund and Ernst & Young and is another part of the growing evidence base that Monitor will use to determine its approach as sector regulator.
Monday, 11 June 2012
Emergency calls rise over Jubilee
Emergency calls rise over Jubilee: Ambulance crews in Northamptonshire experienced a 25% increase in emergency call-outs over the Jubilee weekend, figures show. Evening Telegraph
Concern that rise in child neglect cases could cripple services in Northamptonshire
Concern that rise in child neglect cases could cripple services in Northamptonshire:
The NSPCC is warning that a sharp increase in reports of neglect cases will place additional pressure on already stretched children’s services across Northamptonshire.Northampton Chronicle & Echo
The NSPCC is warning that a sharp increase in reports of neglect cases will place additional pressure on already stretched children’s services across Northamptonshire.Northampton Chronicle & Echo
Small rise in Legionnaires' cases
Small rise in Legionnaires' cases: The number of confirmed and suspected cases of Legionnaires' disease in the Edinburgh outbreak rises slightly to 82. BBC News
Doctors' tribunal service begins
Doctors' tribunal service begins: Doctors will be referred to a new independent tribunal service if they are involved in fitness to practise hearings, as part of reforms by the General Medical Council. BBC News
Health visitor employment: from training to practice – new briefing
Health visitor employment: from training to practice – new briefing: NHS Employers has published a briefing outlining an employment model to help meet the required increase of health visitor training places.
Guidance on the appointment and employment of locum doctors
Guidance on the appointment and employment of locum doctors: The NHS Employers organisation has published guidelines and standards for the appointment and employment of NHS locum doctors in order to safeguard the quality of patient care.
Low cost and high quality integrated care: what can we learn from Japan?
Low cost and high quality integrated care: what can we learn from Japan?:
Natasha Curry, of the Nuffield Trust, explores Japan's long-term care insurance system and the lessons we can learn about caring for an ageing population
While changing demographics are putting considerable pressures on health and care systems in all Western countries, nowhere is it more acute than in Japan. A baby girl born today in Japan can expect to live to 86 and a baby boy to 79. By 2030, almost one in three people will be 65 or older.
Meeting the needs of an ageing population, against a backdrop of a diminishing total population, presents an enormous challenge for its Government. Yet Japan manages to provide universal health care coverage for its population (albeit with some co-payments) while spending around 8.5% of GDP – lower than the UK, Germany, New Zealand and a whole host of other OECD countries.
Just how is Japan managing to do it? To explore this question (among others) the Nuffield Trust organised a study visit to Japan with the generous support of the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.
Part of the answer to Japan's relatively low expenditure lies in its tight grip on costs. It operates a fee for service system but, instead of restricting access, it uses the fee schedule – which is revised every two years – to keep prices under control.
Another key part of the answer lies in Japan's long term care insurance system (LTCI). Established in 2000, LTCI was designed to socialise the care of older people, shifting responsibility away from family and into the public domain.
In so doing, the scheme sought to lift the burden of care from families (particularly women), enabling them to enter the workforce, and to relieve pressure on the health system.
Introduction of the scheme entailed significant cultural and systemic change and was not without controversy. Historically, there was stigma attached to putting your elderly parents in a care home yet there was no stigma attached to admitting them to hospital as it was seen to be a medical issue.
Lengths of stay grew and the number of institutional beds used for long-term care expanded rapidly. The trend towards older people living alone was also putting increasing pressure on health services.
Twelve years on, the scheme is embedded, well-established and widely considered a success. As such, it provides an interesting model for us as we grapple with the thorny issue of social care funding.
Part insurance-based and part tax-funded, the scheme operates alongside the existing health system, which is similarly part insurance-based and part tax funded. When people turn 40, they are required to start contributing to LTCI. Contributions vary according to locality but are typically around £30-40 per month.
Interestingly, debates at the time of its introduction focused on the possible erosion of traditional family values, and less on the extra financial burden on top of existing compulsory health insurance premia.
On turning 65, people become entitled to wide-ranging social care support, from home-based help with cooking and dressing to residential respite, intermediate and permanent care. Unlike our narrow definition of social care, long-term care in Japan includes some nursing and medical care for long-term conditions.
An individual's needs are assessed and they are assigned a care level which determines their entitlement. Individuals are required to pay some co-payments and 'hotel costs' for residential services (means-tested). The oil in the machine is the care manager who holds the budget and puts together a package of care.
Long-term care services have developed to wrap around mainstream health services. A competitive market of provision has emerged and many thousands of providers offer services. Many established hospitals have branched out into social care provision, extending their services to include home-based support and residential homes for those with dementia.
Of course, it's not perfect and growing financial pressures are giving rise to debates about eligibility and access. Before advocating for such a scheme to be introduced here, we must consider the context.
The Japanese scheme was introduced at a time of relative financial and political stability and in a very different cultural setting. In addition, the very limited system of provider regulation and quality assessment are elements that few here would find acceptable.
However, as the debate rages in England about how we might tackle the same issues, Japan offers one example of how wide-ranging reform can be achieved.
And, with 12 years of experience under their belts, we have the luxury of being able to observe and learn about what works and what doesn't and just how a parallel system of care can work and take the pressure off an overloaded health service.
Natasha Curry is senior fellow in health policy at the Nuffield Trust. Guardian Professional.
While changing demographics are putting considerable pressures on health and care systems in all Western countries, nowhere is it more acute than in Japan. A baby girl born today in Japan can expect to live to 86 and a baby boy to 79. By 2030, almost one in three people will be 65 or older.
Meeting the needs of an ageing population, against a backdrop of a diminishing total population, presents an enormous challenge for its Government. Yet Japan manages to provide universal health care coverage for its population (albeit with some co-payments) while spending around 8.5% of GDP – lower than the UK, Germany, New Zealand and a whole host of other OECD countries.
Just how is Japan managing to do it? To explore this question (among others) the Nuffield Trust organised a study visit to Japan with the generous support of the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.
Part of the answer to Japan's relatively low expenditure lies in its tight grip on costs. It operates a fee for service system but, instead of restricting access, it uses the fee schedule – which is revised every two years – to keep prices under control.
Another key part of the answer lies in Japan's long term care insurance system (LTCI). Established in 2000, LTCI was designed to socialise the care of older people, shifting responsibility away from family and into the public domain.
In so doing, the scheme sought to lift the burden of care from families (particularly women), enabling them to enter the workforce, and to relieve pressure on the health system.
Introduction of the scheme entailed significant cultural and systemic change and was not without controversy. Historically, there was stigma attached to putting your elderly parents in a care home yet there was no stigma attached to admitting them to hospital as it was seen to be a medical issue.
Lengths of stay grew and the number of institutional beds used for long-term care expanded rapidly. The trend towards older people living alone was also putting increasing pressure on health services.
Twelve years on, the scheme is embedded, well-established and widely considered a success. As such, it provides an interesting model for us as we grapple with the thorny issue of social care funding.
Part insurance-based and part tax-funded, the scheme operates alongside the existing health system, which is similarly part insurance-based and part tax funded. When people turn 40, they are required to start contributing to LTCI. Contributions vary according to locality but are typically around £30-40 per month.
Interestingly, debates at the time of its introduction focused on the possible erosion of traditional family values, and less on the extra financial burden on top of existing compulsory health insurance premia.
On turning 65, people become entitled to wide-ranging social care support, from home-based help with cooking and dressing to residential respite, intermediate and permanent care. Unlike our narrow definition of social care, long-term care in Japan includes some nursing and medical care for long-term conditions.
An individual's needs are assessed and they are assigned a care level which determines their entitlement. Individuals are required to pay some co-payments and 'hotel costs' for residential services (means-tested). The oil in the machine is the care manager who holds the budget and puts together a package of care.
Long-term care services have developed to wrap around mainstream health services. A competitive market of provision has emerged and many thousands of providers offer services. Many established hospitals have branched out into social care provision, extending their services to include home-based support and residential homes for those with dementia.
Of course, it's not perfect and growing financial pressures are giving rise to debates about eligibility and access. Before advocating for such a scheme to be introduced here, we must consider the context.
The Japanese scheme was introduced at a time of relative financial and political stability and in a very different cultural setting. In addition, the very limited system of provider regulation and quality assessment are elements that few here would find acceptable.
However, as the debate rages in England about how we might tackle the same issues, Japan offers one example of how wide-ranging reform can be achieved.
And, with 12 years of experience under their belts, we have the luxury of being able to observe and learn about what works and what doesn't and just how a parallel system of care can work and take the pressure off an overloaded health service.
Natasha Curry is senior fellow in health policy at the Nuffield Trust. Guardian Professional.
Handling concerns about a practitioner's behaviour and conduct: an NCAS good practice guide
Handling concerns about a practitioner's behaviour and conduct: an NCAS good practice guide:
This guidance sets out principles and practical steps for handling concerns regarding poor professional behaviour and conduct within the NHS.
This guidance sets out principles and practical steps for handling concerns regarding poor professional behaviour and conduct within the NHS.
Quality, innovation and value in cardiac rehabilitation: commissioning for improvement
Quality, innovation and value in cardiac rehabilitation: commissioning for improvement:
This interactive digital resource captures all the learning from the development, roll out and implementation of the DH Commissioning Pack for Cardiac Rehabilitation (2010) together with other leading NHS Improvement work driving up quality and efficiency in cardiac rehabilitation services.
This interactive digital resource captures all the learning from the development, roll out and implementation of the DH Commissioning Pack for Cardiac Rehabilitation (2010) together with other leading NHS Improvement work driving up quality and efficiency in cardiac rehabilitation services.
A glossary for NHS finance and governance
A glossary for NHS finance and governance:
This briefing covers a variety of terms regularly used by both commissioners and healthcare providers when discussing the key areas of NHS finance and governance.
This briefing covers a variety of terms regularly used by both commissioners and healthcare providers when discussing the key areas of NHS finance and governance.
Red Cross warns of 'false economy' of 'dangerous' social care cuts
Red Cross warns of 'false economy' of 'dangerous' social care cuts: Elderly people are being put in jeopardy by "dangerous" cuts to basic home care which will end up costing the taxpayer thousands of pounds, GPs today warn.
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
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