NHS meeting to discuss plans for the future

NHS meeting to discuss plans for the future: A county NHS service will discuss its plans for the future at a public meeting this week. Evening Telegraph

Consultation on ambulance stations in Northamptonshire

Consultation on ambulance stations in Northamptonshire: People in Northamptonshire are being urged to have their say on the possible closure of ambulance stations. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Patients value care over longer hospital journeys

Patients value care over longer hospital journeys: Most patients who have studied NHS proposals to move obstetrics and emergency surgery services around the region, ranked journey times as the least important factor. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Patient-level costing: can it yield efficiency savings?

Patient-level costing: can it yield efficiency savings?: The report examines in depth the experience of one NHS trust with a patient-level information and costing system. These computerised information systems were introduced in the NHS in the mid-2000s, and are currently used in many other countries. NHS Networks

How threatening is the new coronavirus?

How threatening is the new coronavirus?: How worried should we be by new Sars-like bug? BBC News

'Convenience should not compromise confidentiality'

'Convenience should not compromise confidentiality': Medical Protection Society (MPS) raises concerns over the use of tablet computers for patient data Public Service

NHS rationing 'forcing patients to go private'

NHS rationing 'forcing patients to go private': More patients are going private because the NHS is increasingly cutting back on providing a range of treatments. The Daily Telegraph

Eye clinics 'can't cope with demand' for sight-saving drugs

Eye clinics 'can't cope with demand' for sight-saving drugs: Elderly patients with a common eye condition are needlessly losing their sight because doctors are not treating them in time, campaigners have warned. The Daily Telegraph

Cancer deaths 'to fall 17% by 2030'

Cancer deaths 'to fall 17% by 2030':
Cancer death rates in the UK are set to fall by almost 17 per cent by 2030, experts predict. The Independent

County consultation on health and well-being

County consultation on health and well-being: Residents are being urged to have their say on what health and well-being means to them as part of a public consultation launched this week. Evening Telegraph

NHS Northamptonshire failing heart, stroke and kidney failure patients

NHS Northamptonshire failing heart, stroke and kidney failure patients: Diabetes, heart stroke and kidney failure patients are being failed by a lack of important health checks being carried out by NHS Northamptonshire according to a new report from Diabetes UK. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Guidance published on sharing information to tackle violence

Guidance published on sharing information to tackle violence:
This Guidance highlights how Community Safety Partnerships  (CSPs) made up of local authorities, the Police and other local agencies can reduce violence in their community by encouraging A&Es to collect and share information on time, type and location of assault, as part of the Government’s commitment to deliver on Information Sharing to Tackle Violence.
Information can be anonymised, aggregated and shared with local CSPs to identify where violence is happening and inform local interventions to tackle it. Interventions such as restricting alcohol licensing and targeting policing can have a big impact on community safety.
This guidance should also support CSP partners to understand better ways of engaging with their health partners at a local level.
This guidance includes:

• advice and tools to support CSPs to share information to reduce violence
• advice on data collection, use and feedback
• information on how to engage with health partners effectively
• relevant information on NHS and Public Health reform

Read the guidance on Information Sharing to Tackle Violence Department of Health

GMC must investigate rationing and quality premium, says GPC

GMC must investigate rationing and quality premium, says GPC: Proposed quality premium payments for commissioning groups and rationing of NHS care are 'appallingly unethical' and should be investigated by the GMC, GP leaders have said. GP Online

Papering over the cracks: the impact of social care funding on the NHS

Papering over the cracks: the impact of social care funding on the NHS: Demand for both NHS and social care services is increasing rapidly, due to growing demographic pressure from an ageing population and an increasing number of people living with complex care needs. Funding is not keeping pace with demand. NHS Confederation

Carers and telecare

Carers and telecare:

According
to Carers UK, despite huge potential benefits of using telecare and
telehealth, families caring for ill, frail and disabled loved ones are
still facing barriers to accessing the service.

• Report
• Carers UK - press release

Delivering quality care for drug and alcohol users: the roles and competencies of doctors

Delivering quality care for drug and alcohol users: the roles and competencies of doctors:
This
guidance, published by the Royal College of General Practitioners and
the Royal College of Psychiatrists, highlights the need for services to
employ teams with the right mix of skills and clinical expertise to
support the recovery of people with drug and alcohol problems. It is
also intended as timely assistance in the transition towards new
commissioning arrangements for drug and alcohol services next year.

• Guidance
• Royal College of Psychiatrists - press release

Jeremy Hunt in new row over bid to hire adviser from private health sector

Jeremy Hunt in new row over bid to hire adviser from private health sector: New health secretary accused of privatisation agenda
Jeremy Hunt has again been accused of having too close links to private healthcare after it emerged that he is in talks to hire a personal adviser from the sector as one of his first moves as health secretary.

Closing one in three hospitals would improve patient care – leading doctor

Closing one in three hospitals would improve patient care – leading doctor: Centralisation of NHS services would put more doctors in one place, says Professor Tim Evans of Royal College of Physicians
Shutting a third of hospitals would improve quality of care and should be part of changes to the NHS that would let patients see their GP or have surgery at the weekend, a leading doctor has claimed.

Primary care holds the key to raising quality of dementia patients' lives

Primary care holds the key to raising quality of dementia patients' lives: New campaign launches to tackle dementia stigma and drive concerned people to consult their GP

NHS 'heading for disaster' over lack of nurses

NHS 'heading for disaster' over lack of nurses: The NHS is heading for "disaster" because nursing training places are being cut even though record numbers of nurses are set to retire, David Cameron warned. The Daily Telegraph