Children who often visit A&E to be logged on national database

Children who often visit A&E to be logged on national database: Children who often visit A&E to be logged on national database:

Plan to help doctors and nurses spot children suffering from abuse or neglect and avoid cases like that of Baby Peter. All children who visit hospital accident and emergency departments or have out-of-hours GP consultations will be logged in a national database, according to health services minister Dan Poulter.
Medical staff will be able to see if the children they treat are subject to a child protection plan or are being looked after, meaning they are already identified as being at risk. Doctors and nurses will also be able to check if a child has been a frequent visitor to A&E over a period of time – an indication of abuse or neglect.
Under the new system, when a child arrives and is logged in at an emergency department or urgent care centre, a flag will appear on the child's record if they are subject to a protection plan or are being looked after by the local authority. Guardian

Primary care IT services: Operating model published

Primary care IT services: Operating model published:
The NHS Commissioning Board has published a document today setting out how the management of IT systems will be organised for primary care providers (dentists, pharmacists and optometrists) from April 2013.
Securing excellence in IT Services: Operating Model for Community Pharmacies, Appliance Contractors, Dental Practices and Community Optometry explains how the accountability for the delivery of primary care information services will transfer from primary care trusts (PCTs) to the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB).
It follows the publication of the Operating model for GP IT services Securing Excellence in GP IT Services earlier this month which described how responsibility for operational management of GP IT services, along with associated funding, was being discharged to clinical commissioning groups to manage on behalf of the NHS CB.
Under the new system the NHS Commissioning Board will commission access for use of national IT services – such as the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) or NHSmail – for primary care contractors. As part of this it will need to provide the support and assurance linked to these services. This may be through its regional/area teams, commissioning support units (CSUs) or any other IT provider.
Primary care contractors will remain responsible for local implementation of national services and will provide the necessary support services including training, associated hardware and network services. They will be free to choose any local IT delivery organisation.

• Primary care IT Operating Model
• Primary care IT factsheet
• Primary care IT frequently asked questions

NHS Commissioning

Brain scan can sort dementia by type

Brain scan can sort dementia by type: Scientists say they have found a way to distinguish different types of dementia without the need for invasive tests.BBC News - Health

'Arrest' follows GP notes request

'Arrest' follows GP notes request: A 67-year-old retired scientist is escorted in handcuffs from her doctor's surgery after demanding to see her amended medical notes. BBC News

Drinkers will spend Christmas in hospital after festive binge

Drinkers will spend Christmas in hospital after festive binge: Irresponsible drinkers were the main cause of a 24 per cent spike in 999 call-outs on Friday night, East Midland Ambulance Service said. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Reassurance on future of hospital care - Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Reassurance on future of hospital care - Northampton Chronicle & Echo:

Northampton Chronicle & Echo

Reassurance on future of hospital care Northampton Chronicle & Echo That is the latest estimate of NHS leaders who are examining whether some services at Northampton General Hospital and four other hospitals can be centralised. Some patients fear that specialised maternity and A&E care will be moved away from their ... and more »

Advance care planning toolkit

Advance care planning toolkit: The toolkit enables care providers to empower individuals to discuss and plan the care that they would prefer to receive at the end of their lives, including where they would like to die. NHS National End of Life Care Programe

PiP one year on: thousands of women have turned to NHS for help

PiP one year on: thousands of women have turned to NHS for help: One year on since serious problems with PiP breast implants emerged, almost 8,000 women, who had their implants put in privately, have turned to the NHS for help.

VIDEO: Poetry unlocking dementia memories

VIDEO: Poetry unlocking dementia memories: A poetry reading project has had unexpected benefits for dementia sufferers. BBC News

Hospital apologises to 38 families for appalling care that saw a patient starve to death

Hospital apologises to 38 families for appalling care that saw a patient starve to death: An NHS hospital has apologised to 38 families after a patient starved to death and it left other dying people screaming in pain. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Victims of neglect at the Alexandra Hospital The Daily Telegraph
• NHS hospital trust apologises for 'appalling' neglect The Guardian
• Hospital that left patient to starve to death and another unwashed for 11 weeks forced to pay £400,000 in compensation The Daily Mail
• 'Disgust' over hospital's neglect BBC News

Updated immigration 'quick guides'

Updated immigration 'quick guides': The NHS Employers organisation has published updated versions of three immigration 'quick guides', designed for use when recruiting individuals who require a sponsor to work in the UK. NHS Employers

Politicians who oppose NHS closures 'secretly support them'

Politicians who oppose NHS closures 'secretly support them': Politicians are publicly opposing hospital closures but secretly agreeing that they would benefit patients, according to a senior NHS official. The Daily Telegraph

Services may go but no change for most KGH patients

Services may go but no change for most KGH patients:
Health chiefs predict that following a review of services at Kettering General Hospital, eight out of 10 patients now receiving acute treatment there would continue to do so. Evening Telegraph

Digital strategy: Leading the culture change in health and care published

Digital strategy: Leading the culture change in health and care published:
The department has published its digital strategy, setting out its ambition to become a Digital First department of state, with digital tools and techniques embedded throughout its work.
The strategy responds to the Government Digital Strategy published on 6 November, which set out 14 specific actions for government.
All government departments are publishing departmental digital strategies in December 2012.
The Department of Health strategy includes specific commitments to:

1. improve the development and impact of its open policymaking
2. increase the effectiveness of its communications to, and engagement with, audiences and stakeholders
3. develop the digital skills it needs across the organisation
4. improve its day-to-day efficiency
5. steward the health and care system towards a health information revolution

Read the full strategy, including case studies and commitments on the department’s Digital health site
Download a printable version of the Digital strategy Leading the culture change in health and care
 Department of Health

Update on use of antivirals for flu prevention and treatment published

Update on use of antivirals for flu prevention and treatment published:
The Chief Medical Officer and Chief Pharmaceutical Officer have written to the NHS to advise that antiviral medicines may now be used for the prevention or treatment of flu in line with NICE guidelines.
This update sent to GPs and other health professionals advises for a final push this season to offer vaccination to those in the at risk groups, so that they are protected before the level of flu increases significantly.
This action is being taken because surveillance data from the Health Protection Agency indicates increased levels of the influenza virus is circulating.
Read the letter from the CMO and CPhO on flu antiviral use

Department of Health

Communications strategy agreed for potential flu pandemic

Communications strategy agreed for potential flu pandemic:
This is a companion document to the UK Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Strategy, published in November, and the Health and Social Care Influenza Pandemic Preparedness and Response Guidance for the health and social care community, published in April.
This strategy covers health-related communication in the stages leading up to a UK pandemic, during a pandemic itself, and during the recovery phase.  It focuses on mainstream communications channels with targeted elements for specific audiences. NHS Networks

NHS Equality and Diversity Council

NHS Equality and Diversity Council:
In November 2012, the NHS Equality and Diversity Council (EDC) announced that it was to change its name to the Personal, Fair and Diverse Council in response to the Council’s new responsibilities for health inequalities and human rights as part of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Feedback is important to us and we understand that the name change has met with some concern and debate... and we look forward to inviting your views on this.
In light of these considerations, we have agreed to operate as the NHS Equality and Diversity Council whilst further engagement is carried out.
Find out more about the work of the EDC. NHS Commissioning

NHS CB supports Blackpool Hospitals’ flu video!

NHS CB supports Blackpool Hospitals’ flu video!:
Communications assistant at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Lee Rayner created a video to raise awareness about the importance of flu vaccinations and encourage all staff to get the inoculation to help protect patients and visitors and help to ensure services run smoothly and efficiently throughout the winter months.
But what he did was raise awareness worldwide!
His video, depicting porter Phil Smith becoming a hero for a day after getting the vaccine, became a massive YouTube hit, and now he is the face of the Flu Fighters campaign. When the video went viral it was seen by NHS Commissioning Board Chief Executive, Sir David Nicholson, who wanted to add his name to Phil’s growing list of fans. So Phil hopped on a train to the NHS Commissioning Board’s offices in Leeds where he was greeted with staff and national directors applauding his flu jab heroics.
Now the film has been re-launched by Blackpool Hospitals for the national Flu Fighters campaign advising all NHS staff to protect patients, family and themselves, and you can watch the film on Blackpool Hospital’s YouTube channel.
Follow @NHSFlufighter on Twitter for all the latest flu updates and developments across the service and join the conversation #flufighter. NHS Commissioning

DH to use Facebook to fight future flu pandemic

DH to use Facebook to fight future flu pandemic: The DH has published plans for clearer communication to the public and between health officials in a future flu pandemic, including greater use of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. GP Online News

Health Survey for England - 2011, Health, social care and lifestyles

Health Survey for England - 2011, Health, social care and lifestyles: Source: NHS Information Centre

The Health Survey for England (HSE) is part of a programme of surveys commissioned by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. The surveys were designed to monitor trends in the nation's health, to estimate the proportion of people in England who have specified health conditions, and to estimate the prevalence of certain risk factors and combinations of risk factors associated with these conditions. The survey is also used to monitor progress towards selected health targets.