New law criminalising supply of ‘legal highs’ welcomed by Northamptonshire Police

New law criminalising supply of ‘legal highs’ welcomed by Northamptonshire Police A Northamptonshire Police superintendent has welcomed the introduction of a new law that aims to prevent the production and supply of so-called ‘legal highs’. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Legal high ban comes into force as owner of shop selling psychoactive substances arrested after nine fell ill The Daily Telegraph

How local health and care plans overlook the needs of dying people

How local health and care plans overlook the needs of dying people More than a third (34 per cent) of Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWBs) do not consider the needs of dying people in their assessments of the health and care needs of their local populations, according to a new report which highlights that end of life care is being overlooked by many health and care leaders in England.

The report (download), published today by the charity Hospice UK, also shows that well over half (57 per cent) of HWBs do not include the needs of dying adults and children in their key strategies that inform local service planning, with no change since 2014.

Discharging older patients from hospital

Discharging older patients from hospital The health and social care system’s management of discharging older patients from hospital does not represent value for money, according to the National Audit Office. The spending watchdog estimates that the gross annual cost to the NHS of treating older patients in hospital who no longer need to receive acute clinical care is in the region of £820 million.

Longer stays in hospital can have a negative impact on older patients’ health as they quickly lose mobility and the ability to do everyday tasks. Keeping older people in hospital longer than necessary is also an additional and avoidable pressure on the financial sustainability of the NHS and local government. NHS guidance is that patients are moved out of acute hospital as soon as it is clinically safe to do so; it is important to achieve the correct balance between minimising delays and not discharging a patient from hospital before they are clinically ready. Caring for older people who no longer need to be in hospital in more appropriate settings at home or in their community instead could result in additional annual costs of around £180 million for other parts of the health and social care system. This would reduce the potential savings of £820 million arising from discharging patients earlier from hospitals.

See also:

• Why is it more difficult than ever for older people to leave hospital? The King's Fund
• NHS urged to control discharge delays BBC News
• 10 days in an NHS hospital can make a patient 10 years older The Daily Mail
• Delays in discharging older patients from hospital 'cost NHS £820m a year' The Guardian
• Older patients who don't need to be in hospital 'cost NHS £1bn a year' The Independent

Strategic quality improvement: an action learning approach

Strategic quality improvement: an action learning approach The King’s Fund was commissioned by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust to work with their Quality Board to facilitate an assessment of its existing approaches to quality improvement and to develop a strategy for future work. This case study details the approach and philosophy behind this work, which involved working with the trust’s five directorates to develop their ability to appraise their own approach to quality improvement with a view to improving performance, achieving better clinical outcomes and building further on the trust’s capacity as a learning organisation.

Dementia Rarely Travels Alone: living with dementia and other conditions

Dementia Rarely Travels Alone: living with dementia and other conditions A report on the All Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia’s inquiry that was held last year in to dementia and comorbidities. The inquiry has brought to light the scale of difficulty faced by people living with dementia and other health conditions. Despite significant progress to deliver integrated care services and support, the health and social system frequently treats conditions in isolation so that people with dementia and other health conditions receive disjointed, substandard care and treatment. The report identifies the changes needed across the healthcare system so that the NHS can meet the challenge of caring for people living with dementia and other conditions, supporting them to live fulfilled lives and makes recommendations as to how this can be achieved. Alzheimer's Society

Rise in NHS spend on private ambulances

Rise in NHS spend on private ambulances NHS England spending on private ambulances for 999 calls trebles to £68m in four years, data gathered by the BBC shows.

Exclusive: Growing financial constraints leave GPs 'prescribing with handcuffs on'

Exclusive: Growing financial constraints leave GPs 'prescribing with handcuffs on' Three out of four GPs say pressure on prescribing budgets has increased over the past year, with many reporting a negative impact on patient care, a GP Online poll has found.

CQC to target inspections with better intelligence

CQC to target inspections with better intelligence Watchdog launches new five year strategy. OnMedica

EU referendum: NHS would face staffing crisis in the event of Brexit, survey of hospital leaders finds

EU referendum: NHS would face staffing crisis in the event of Brexit, survey of hospital leaders finds 80% of respondents felt that leaving the EU would have a negative impact on trusts' efforts to recruit health and care staff. The Independent

See also:

• First survey shows 75% of frontline NHS leaders say brexit would have negative impact on NHS NHS Providers 
• Brexit could hit GP workforce, academics suggest GP Online

Global report finds 2008 recession led to spike in cancer deaths – but not in countries with universal healthcare

Global report finds 2008 recession led to spike in cancer deaths – but not in countries with universal healthcare Researchers examined the link between unemployment, public health care spending and cancer mortality in more than 70 countries over a 20-year period from 1990 to 2010. The Independent

See also:

• Cancer deaths rose by 260k globally during the economic crisis The Daily Mail

Compassion – not bullying – is the path to improving NHS care

Compassion – not bullying – is the path to improving NHS care Health service leaders are under pressure to meet targets amid financial constraints, but a culture of cooperation and support is crucial for better care

Our recent report, The chief executive’s tale, paints a picture of a pernicious national environment where talented NHS leaders are leaving because the culture in which they work is anything but positive. The creation of a positive organisational culture that promotes innovation and quality has to have compassion as a central value and belief.

While we expect compassion from frontline NHS staff, they are not always well served by compassionate leadership in their organisation or from national bodies. Continue reading... The Guardian

Family of cancer patient lay dead for SIX HOURS before hospital staff realised receive payout and apology from the NHS

Family of cancer patient lay dead for SIX HOURS before hospital staff realised receive payout and apology from the NHS Bosses at Leicester Royal Infirmary bosses have admitted a catalogue of blunders which meant Sharon Ignatowics died following delays in treatment at the age of 54. The Daily Mail

Quadrupling in "off the books" payments to NHS bosses

Quadrupling in "off the books" payments to NHS bosses The number of hospital bosses being paid large sums “off the books” has quadrupled in one year since a supposed government clampdown.

Last year the Health Secretary ordered a clampdown on “excessive and indefensible rates” being paid to managers on short-term contracts, off the payroll.

The clampdown was ordered after a series of Telegraph investigations highlighted practices which had allowed roving NHS executives to earn up to £3,000 a day.

But new figures show that in 2015/16, 33 requests for “off payroll arrangements” were agreed by NHS regulators – compared with eight the previous year. The Daily Telegraph

Mental health problems in the LGBT community

Mental health problems in the LGBT community A case study describing how Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust introduced better mental health support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. NHS Employers

Mental health pilot scheme doubles numbers getting key physical health checks

Mental health pilot scheme doubles numbers getting key physical health checks Four mental health trusts almost doubled the number of people getting five key physical health checks during a pilot scheme now being shared for adoption across the NHS. Hundreds of patients with serious mental illness (SMI) were part of the two-year improvement programme to improve physical care in mental health inpatient units. NHS England

Preventing prison suicide: perspectives from the inside

Preventing prison suicide: perspectives from the inside This report, written in conjunction with the Howard League for Penal Reform, argues that prisons need to change to enable staff to build relationships with prisoners and reduce the risk of suicide. It focuses on the views and experiences of current and former prisoners about what contributes to vulnerability and what increases or reduces their risk of suicide. Prisoners described a culture where distress was often not believed or responded to with compassion. The report concludes that change needs to happen across the system to recognise the influence of the prison environment on people’s vulnerability. Centre for Mental Health

E-cigarette use in UK almost doubled in two years, says Europe-wide study

E-cigarette use in UK almost doubled in two years, says Europe-wide study The number of people in the UK who have tried e-cigarettes has almost doubled in just two years, according to a new study.

The research, from scientists at Imperial College London, examined e-cigarette use - and attitudes to the devices - across Europe between 2012 and 2014.

See also:

• Number of people using e-cigarettes DOUBLES in just two years The Daily Mail

Challenges, solutions and future directions in the evaluation of service innovations in health care and public health

Challenges, solutions and future directions in the evaluation of service innovations in health care and public health Policies and interventions in the health-care system may have a wide range of effects on multiple patient outcomes and operate through many clinical processes. This presents a challenge for their evaluation, especially when the effect on any one patient is small. This essay explores the nature of the health care system and discuss how the empirical evidence produced within it relates to the underlying processes governing patient outcomes. NHS National Institute for Health Research

'Big cut' in antibiotic prescriptions

'Big cut' in antibiotic prescriptions GPs in England have "dramatically" reduced the amount of antibiotic prescriptions they prescribe to patients, latest figures reveal. BBC News

Bursary cut 'may worsen NHS staff gaps'

Bursary cut 'may worsen NHS staff gaps' Plans to scrap student bursaries and charge nurses and other health staff for their degrees in England could backfire, unions are warning. BBC News