Behind the headlines: are older people and families really to blame when their hospital discharges are delayed?

Behind the headlines: are older people and families really to blame when their hospital discharges are delayed? Almost three million (2,998,273) hospital bed days have been lost between June 2010 and January 2016 due to a lack of social care provision at a cost of £910 million, according to a new report by Age UK

See also:

• Age UK claim hospitals are 'evicting' OAPs to free up beds The Daily Mail

Health and care bodies reveal the map that will transform healthcare in England

Health and care bodies reveal the map that will transform healthcare in England National health and care bodies in England have published details of the 44 ‘footprint’ areas that will bring local health and care leaders, organisations and communities together to develop local blueprints for improved health, care and finances over the next five years, delivering the NHS Five Year Forward View. NHS England

Research for all: building a research-active medical workforce

Research for all: building a research-active medical workforce This report argues that that the greatest barrier doctors face in engaging in research is a lack of time, even though they are eager to do so. Drawn from the findings of a survey of almost 2,000 doctors, the report shows that respondents cited the lack of time as having a ‘significant impact’ on their ability to engage in research. Royal College of Physicians

Eye risk from 'overstretched NHS'

Eye risk from 'overstretched NHS' Hundreds of patients are suffering irreversible sight loss every year in England because services are overstretched and under-resourced says the president of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, Prof Carrie MacEwen. BBC News

Apprenticeships open the door to fulfilling and rewarding healthcare careers

Apprenticeships open the door to fulfilling and rewarding healthcare careers Apprenticeships and other training programmes offer alternative routes into many roles in the healthcare sector – and are gaining popularity among both school leavers and employers

When James Lowell finished school at 16 in the early 90s, he walked away with just three GCSEs. The south Londoner was left disillusioned by formal education and wanted to pursue a more vocational form of training where he could also earn some money at the same time. So he got a job as porter at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital in London.

“I was working from 3.30pm to 11pm so it wasn't the most desirable hours, but it allowed me to get into a hospital environment and see what careers were available,” he says. And it wasn't long before opportunity knocked. Continue reading... The Guardian

Antibiotics becoming ineffective at treating some child infections

Antibiotics becoming ineffective at treating some child infections Study finds overuse is to blame for bacteria becoming resistant to drugs in urinary tract infections caused by E coli.

Children are becoming powerless to fight off common infections because antibiotics they take are unable to kill the bacteria involved, experts warn.

New research shows that overuse of antibiotics by children is to blame for bugs becoming drug-resistant for up to six months at a time in cases of urinary tract infections (UTI) caused by E coli. 'Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• How antibiotic resistance could wreak havoc on health, food and travel The Guardian
• Antibiotic resistance is not theoretical: the threat is real and immediate The Guardian

The care homes at the vanguard of better health

The care homes at the vanguard of better health Homes in Hertfordshire have successfully reduced hospital admissions and improved residents’ wellbeing through a specialist NHS training programme.

In England, one in six people aged over 85 live in a care home. The NHS’s 2014 five-year vision for the future of health and care wants care homes to offer older people better, joined-up healthcare and rehabilitation services.

For more than 3,000 people in east and north Hertfordshire, “home” is one of the 92 care homes clustered in and around the county’s towns. Most residents are elderly, many have complex health conditions. On average, each takes seven prescribed medicines a day and they’re more than three times as likely to be admitted to hospital as other over 65-year-olds in the county. For the residents, particularly those living with dementia, every hospital visit has the potential to be confusing and disorientating – particularly as around a quarter of hospital admissions are for less than 24 hours. Continue reading... The Guardian

New running blades for 500 amputee children after £1.5million NHS boost in 2016 Budget

New running blades for 500 amputee children after £1.5million NHS boost in 2016 Budget Revealed: The Chancellor will say today that he has found £500,000 to be spent on new "child sports prosthetics" to allow 500 amputee children to run or swim. The Daily Telegraph

'Doctors are too afraid to mention meningitis' parents warn

'Doctors are too afraid to mention meningitis' parents warn Families call for better awareness of meningitis B symptoms and call for quicker precautionary action to be taken by medics. The Daily Telegraph

“Significant improvements” in ambulance handovers at KGH after introduction of new system

“Significant improvements” in ambulance handovers at KGH after introduction of new system Kettering General Hospital says it has seen a “significant improvement” in ambulance handovers since it introduced a new system to tackle increasing time pressures. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Former KGH nurse struck off after falsely claiming she held qualifications to gain promotion

Former KGH nurse struck off after falsely claiming she held qualifications to gain promotion A nurse who falsely claimed she held specialist heart qualifications to gain a promotion at Kettering General Hospital has been struck off. Northamptonshire Telegraph

The role of the NHS in reducing health inequalities: moving beyond fair access to care

The role of the NHS in reducing health inequalities: moving beyond fair access to care All the evidence shows that the NHS is one of the fairest health systems in the world, but it is not perfect. The much-maligned Health and Social Care Act 2012 introduced a new duty on the Secretary of State, NHS England and clinical commissioning groups to ‘have regard to the need to reduce inequalities’ in access to care and outcomes of care. However, given the wider furore over the Act and what followed, you would be forgiven for not having noticed that. The King's Fund

Key facts and trends in mental health: 2016 update

Key facts and trends in mental health: 2016 update The Mental Health Network (MHN) has published the fourth edition of its factsheet on key statistics and trends in mental health. NHS Confederation

Best care will come from collaboration not competition – Jeff Johnston

Best care will come from collaboration not competition – Jeff Johnston As the New Care Models Programme marks its first anniversary, the Associate Director of Operations at Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust and one of the partnership’s programme directors, discusses the progress they’ve made so far. NHS England

'Not enough doctors' for 7-day NHS

'Not enough doctors' for 7-day NHS There are not enough doctors to run a seven-day NHS in England, according to a leading doctor. BBC News

Doctors raise £70,000 for legal challenge over imposed junior doctor contract

Doctors raise £70,000 for legal challenge over imposed junior doctor contract Doctors and NHS staff who launched a bid to raise £25,000 through crowd funding to kick start a legal challenge over government plans to impose a new contract on junior doctors have raised almost three times as much as their original target. GP Online

Doctors call for better training in end-of-life care

Doctors call for better training in end-of-life care A major report by the British Medical Association reveals that while there are examples of excellent end-of-life care across the UK, there is too much variation between geographic areas and between medical conditions. OnMedica

See also:

• End-of-life care and physician-assisted dying (download) British Medical Association
• Doctors may treat dying patients for too long, finds BMA report The Guardian

£20m boost for GP pay and services

£20m boost for GP pay and services Cash package will also provide IT upgrades and improve locum cover. OnMedica

Anorexia charities criticise Joan Bakewell for unhelpful comments'

Anorexia charities criticise Joan Bakewell for 'unhelpful comments' Baroness Bakewell sparked controversy by claiming eating disorders arise from society becoming more narcissistic. The Independent

See also:

• Teen anorexia 'sign of narcissism' BBC News
• Bakewell 'sorry' over anorexia comments BBC News
• Joan Bakewell is right that anorexia is linked to vanity The Daily Telegraph

GP Clare Gerada calls the NHS a 'toxic' place to work amid Junior doctor strikes

GP Clare Gerada calls the NHS a 'toxic' place to work amid Junior doctor strikes Former chair of the Council of the Royal College of GPs, Dr Clare Gerada, claims junior doctors work an atmosphere of fear - and the strikes are vital to protect their mental health. The Daily Mail