Northampton MP praises ambulance service after spending a day with paramedics

Northampton MP praises ambulance service after spending a day with paramedics Northampton South MP David Mackintosh has praised the “dedication and professionalism” of the East Midlands Ambulance Service after spending a day with paramedics. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Public hospital spending in England: evidence from National Health Service administrative records

Public hospital spending in England: evidence from National Health Service administrative records This paper describes how costs vary across the lifecycle, and the concentration of spending among people and over time. It finds that costs per person start to increase after age 50 and escalate after age 70. Spending is highly concentrated in a small section of the population: with 32 per cent of all hospital spending accounted for by 1 per cent of the general population, and 18 per cent of spending by 1 per cent of all patients. There is persistence in spending over time with patients with high spending more likely to have spending in subsequent years, and those with zero expenditures more likely to remain out of hospital. Institute for Fiscal Studies

See also:

• New joints: private providers and rising demand in the English National Health Service Institute for Fiscal Studies

We need to talk about boards: Boards, leadership and the NHS

We need to talk about boards: Boards, leadership and the NHS "There is no legal form, structure or system that can completely inoculate NHS provider organisations against failure because organisations are led by people not systems or methodologies, and as in any industry, success is contingent on the cumulative behaviour of individuals. But good corporate governance provides a vehicle for the provision of sound leadership, clear direction and dynamic accountability." NHS Providers

Data on Written Complaints in the NHS - 2014-15

Data on Written Complaints in the NHS - 2014-15 The NHS complaints procedure is the statutorily based mechanism for dealing with complaints about NHS care and treatment and all NHS organisations in England are required to operate the procedure. This annual collection is a count of written complaints made by (or on behalf of) patients, received between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2015 and also includes experimental information on upheld complaints. Health and Social Care Information Centre

See also:

• 562 NHS complaints every day is 'just the tip of the iceberg' experts warn The Daily Mail

Children’s unit closure fears as rota vacancies pose threat to patient safety

Children’s unit closure fears as rota vacancies pose threat to patient safety 77% of respondents in a workforce survey say service is unsustainable

Children’s doctors have called for a shake-up in how hospital services are delivered as more than two thirds of lead paediatricians say they are concerned about how the service is going to cope in the next six months.

The annual ‘Rota Vacancies and Compliance Survey,’ found that vacancies and gaps on middle grade rotas continue to be hard to fill, with evidence suggesting there are not enough appropriate staff to plug current gaps. This has sparked fears over patient safety, trainees’ wellbeing and sustainability of delivering services. Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

See also:

• Rota compliance and vacancies Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
• RCN responds to RCPCH concerns about impact of staff shortages on children’s services Royal College of Nursing
• NHS children's units could be forced to close because so many female doctors are going on maternity leave The Daily Mail
• NHS children's units under threat from rise in female doctors The Daily Telegraph

Mental Health: Thousands Of Vulnerable People Are Not Getting The Support They Need In Police Custody

Mental Health: Thousands Of Vulnerable People Are Not Getting The Support They Need In Police Custody Hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable people in society are being denied the support they need during police interviews, it has been revealed.

Up to 280,000 people with learning disabilities, mental illness or autistic spectrum disorders are interviewed every year but only about 45,000 of these involve the use of a Appropriate Adult (AA) who supports them through the process to ensure they are safe, well, and understand everything that happens. Huffington Post UK

See also:

• There to help: Ensuring provision of appropriate adults for mentally vulnerable adults detained or interviewed by police The Home Secretary’s Commission on Appropriate Adults National Appropriate Adult Network
• 'Appropriate adults not being used' for many vulnerable people in custody BBC News
• Appropriate adult not available for many vulnerable people in police custody The Guardian
• It’s time we gave our most vulnerable people proper protection in custody The Guardian

1% public sector pay rise not guaranteed, treasury says

1% public sector pay rise not guaranteed, treasury says Doctors' leaders have slammed an announcement by government that a 1% capped pay rise may not be awarded to all public sector workers. GP Online

See also:

• RCN response to letter to Pay Review Body Royal College of Nursing

Cards and flowers almost twice as expensive in hospital shops than on high street

Cards and flowers almost twice as expensive in hospital shops than on high street WH Smith and Marks & Spencer say it helps to pay higher rents and covering staff wages during longer opening hours. The Daily Telegraph

Legal highs: Cases on the rise, say West Midlands paramedics

Legal highs: Cases on the rise, say West Midlands paramedics The number of patients suffering the effects of 'legal highs' has rapidly increased, paramedics in the West Midlands have said. The Independent

Corby has 40th worst rate for mesothelioma deaths in England and Wales

Corby has 40th worst rate for mesothelioma deaths in England and Wales Campaigners are urging more help for sick and dying workers, with latest figures revealing that 14 people in Corby died from the asbestos-related lung cancer mesothelioma between 2010 and 2014. Northamptonshire Telegraph

‘Health services must improve’ inspectors order Northamptonshire NHS Trust

‘Health services must improve’ inspectors order Northamptonshire NHS Trust NHS services for people with mental health problems require improvement, inspectors have found. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is rated as Requires Improvement Care Quality Commission
• NHFT insepction report Care Quality Commission
• News: Care Quality Commission inspection report results Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Northamptonshire hospital launches country’s first community police surgery

Northamptonshire hospital launches country’s first community police surgery Kettering General Hospital and Northamptonshire Police have joined forces to launch the country’s first hospital-based community hub. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Five million people at high risk of Type 2 diabetes

Five million people at high risk of Type 2 diabetes Five million people in England have blood sugar levels indicating a high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a new report published today by Public Health England.

See also:

• Research and analysis: NHS diabetes prevention programme: non-diabetic hyperglycaemia Public Health England
• Research and analysis: Diabetes prevention programmes: evidence review Public Health England
• Five million 'at risk of diabetes' BBC News
• 5m adults at risk of diabetes as 1 in 9 over-16s have high blood sugar level The Daily Mail
• NHS to provide 'motivational coaches' in war on flab The Daily Telegraph
• Obesity and sedentary lives put 5m Britons at risk of type 2 diabetes The Guardian
• Type 2 diabetes: One in ten UK adults 'at high risk' of developing condition The Independent

People with diabetes suffer 200,000 complications

People with diabetes suffer 200,000 complications People with diabetes suffer 200,000 devastating complications such as amputation, heart attack and stroke, according to new analysis..

The analysis, based on National Diabetes Audit data , shows that in 2012/13 there were 199,537 cases of debilitating diabetes-related complications in England and Wales. Diabetes UK

See also:

• Wide variation in control of diabetes sparks call for improved care GP Online
• GPs should draw up individual targets for type 1 diabetes patients, says NICE GP Online
• Diabetics suffer 200,000 complications per year OnMedica

VIDEO: Civilian amputees 'face discrimination'

VIDEO: Civilian amputees 'face discrimination' Treatment for amputees varies greatly for patients, included injured veterans returning to civilian life, according to charities. BBC News

See also:

• VIDEO: Army veteran amputee 'wants normal life' BBC News
• VIDEO: 'Why am I less worthy than army amputee?' BBC News

Researchers 'a step closer' to universal flu vaccine

Researchers 'a step closer' to universal flu vaccine "Universal flu vaccine comes closer, scientists say," BBC News reports after two independent teams of researchers each found ways to target multiple strains of the influenza virus – but, as yet, the research has only involved animals.

Because there are many different strains of flu and they constantly change, people need to be vaccinated with a different flu vaccine every flu season. Scientists would like to be able to develop a universal flu vaccine that would be active against all strains of the virus.

The studies developed two different vaccines. Both vaccines were able to protect mice against what would usually be a lethal dose of flu, and one vaccine reduced fever symptoms in monkeys. Both vaccines were based on the principle of attacking specific sites on the virus that are less likely to mutate as new strains come along.

This analysis focuses on the second study, which advanced as far as testing on monkeys, as these results are more likely to apply to humans.

We can't yet be certain that the vaccines will be effective or safe until they are tested on humans, and more animal and lab research will be needed before this can be started. NHS Choices

Fatal heart attacks strike 200 people every week

Fatal heart attacks strike 200 people every week Almost 10,000 working people in the UK had a fatal heart attack last year. OnMedica

UK teenage pregnancies fall to lowest level on record

UK teenage pregnancies fall to lowest level on record The latest teenage pregnancy rate for the three months to June last year stands at 23.3 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 17, down from 47.1 in 1969 when records first began. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Teen pregnancy rate falling BBC News

People would use the NHS less if they knew the true price tags | The Secret Doctor

People would use the NHS less if they knew the true price tags | The Secret DoctorA survey shows people vastly underestimate NHS costs. If they understood the real expenditure, they might use the service more responsibly

I first learned about the value of equipment in my early years at A&E. A woman had a laceration to her hand and I was happily stitching away and moving on to the second pack of kit. A male nurse from Nigeria obligingly brought me what I needed but he politely commented on my liberal use. “Back home we have to make it last – we don’t have enough to waste.” That has stayed with me ever since.

One of the first steps in saving the NHS has got to be increasing patient understanding of the price tag on treatments Continue reading... The  Guardian

Ebola: Did experimental drug used on British patients stop them developing the virus?

Ebola: Did experimental drug used on British patients stop them developing the virus? A drug used to treat British healthcare workers who came into contact with Ebola-infected blood may have protected them from the disease, UK doctors have said, and has the potential to help contain any future outbreaks. The Independent