St Andrew's Healthcare: Girl locked in psychiatric unit 'cell' to receive damages

St Andrew's Healthcare: Girl locked in psychiatric unit 'cell' to receive damages A girl with autism and extreme anxiety whose father said she was kept in "cell" at a psychiatric unit is to receive damages, a council and healthcare bosses have said.

Bethany, 18, was locked in a St Andrew's Healthcare seclusion room in Northampton for almost two years.

Her father Jeremy, from Birmingham, launched legal action to get her moved. BBC Northampton

UK investing less in health care infrastructure compared to other EU countries

UK investing less in health care infrastructure compared to other EU countries New analysis from the Health Foundation suggests that the UK is investing significantly less in health care capital – which includes buildings, equipment and IT – as a share of GDP compared to most other similar countries. As a result, the total value of capital in health care in the UK has fallen.

The value of capital per health care worker in the UK – which provides an estimate of the resources available to staff to deliver care to patients – has fallen by 35% between 2000 and 2017, while many other countries have seen significant and sustained rises over the same period. Of the countries analysed*, the value of capital per health care worker in the UK is the second lowest, above Greece, and only just over half the average value.

An outsider’s reflections on NHS primary care reform

An outsider’s reflections on NHS primary care reform Martin Hefford is Chief Executive of Tū Ora Compass Health, a primary health organisation in New Zealand. He has been on a 12-week sabbatical hosted by The King’s Fund and the Birmingham Health Services Management Centre. During his sabbatical, he met with NHS clinicians and managers from across England – from Torbay to Manchester, as well as Scotland, Denmark and Macedonia, looking at primary care challenges and innovations. The King's Fund

The state of medical education and practice in the UK: the workforce report 2019

The state of medical education and practice in the UK: the workforce report 2019 This report draws on the GMC's medical register data and findings from a new survey on doctors’ workplace experiences. It sets out recommendations to help inform emerging workforce strategies and people plans across the UK. The data shows that the UK’s medical register continues to grow, with many overseas doctors joining our workforce. However, the GMC states that health services must prioritise strategies to retain UK and non-UK trained doctors, and develop supportive workplace cultures with compassionate leaders. General Medical Council

See also:

• Gap between number of foreign doctors and UK trained doctors doubles in a year, new figures from GMC show The Daily Telegraph
• Failure to support international doctors undermining workforce, warns GMC chair GPonline

Investigation into pre-school vaccinations

Investigation into pre-school vaccinations This investigation sets out the system for providing vaccinations to pre-school children in England. It is prompted by public concerns about the levels of uptake of pre‑school vaccinations. It sets out:

• the current levels of vaccination uptake and cases of disease across England;
• Public Health England (PHE)’s and NHS England’s understanding of the problem; and
• PHE’s and NHS England’s response to the problem.

We use the MMR vaccination, the 4-in-1 booster and the Hib/MenC booster to highlight many of the challenges that exist in the system for pre‑school vaccinations and illustrate in more detail how uptake of vaccinations is falling. National Audit Office

See also:

• NHS ramps up drive to increase uptake of lifesaving vaccines NHS England
• Vaccine reminder system 'inconsistent', report concludes BBC News
• MMR vaccine could be offered in supermarkets under plans being considered by NHS England The Daily Telegraph
• Tory NHS shake-up blamed for fall in child vaccination rates The Guardian
• Falling vaccination rates among children blamed on difficulty booking GP appointments The Independent
• MMR take up still falling as NHS England criticised over pre-school vaccination rates Sky News

NHS England agrees price for 'unaffordable' cystic fibrosis drug

NHS England agrees price for 'unaffordable' cystic fibrosis drug Patients will get Orkambi by next month after years of price wrangling with manufacturer

Up to 5,000 children and young people in England with the life-shortening disease cystic fibrosis will soon get access to the new drug Orkambi, after the US manufacturer ended years of bitter wrangling and agreed a price with the NHS.

Campaigners celebrated the news, which NHS England’s chief executive said meant cystic fibrosis patients would get the drug within the month. “Given the time it has taken for the company to reach this agreement, there must be no further delay,” wrote Sir Simon Stevens to the chair of the House of Commons health select committee, Sarah Wollaston. The committee held hearings on the impasse earlier this year. The Guardian

See also:

• NHS England concludes wide-ranging deal for cystic fibrosis drugs NHS England
• Cystic fibrosis drug given green light in England BBC News

'NHS technology is so bad it takes me 17 minutes to log into my PC', country's most senior doctor reveals

'NHS technology is so bad it takes me 17 minutes to log into my PC', country's most senior doctor reveals NHS technology is so out-of-date it takes 17 minutes to log into PCs in the morning, the UK’s top family doctor has said.

Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners revealed she could almost complete two appointments in the time it takes to start up her 10-year-old IT system.

The Midlands GP said her practice is still forced to rely on Windows 7. The Daily Telegraph

More than HALF of GPs think ten-minute appointments are too short

More than HALF of GPs think ten-minute appointments are too short More than half of GPs say patients are put in danger because ten-minute appointments are too short.

A survey of 1,500 family doctors revealed that the majority do not think they have enough time to properly assess patients.

It prompted the head of the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) to warn that the entire profession could 'crumble'. The Daily Mail

British children face month-long delays in getting flu vaccine

British children face month-long delays in getting flu vaccine British children face a month-long delay in getting vaccinated against the flu on the NHS this winter, it has been revealed.

GPs have been told to prioritise vulnerable youngsters with underlying conditions, ensuring they are the first to get the nasal spray.

Other children across the UK may have to wait until late November to be vaccinated, Public Health England (PHE) has warned. The Daily Mail

Number of hospitals running short of nurses TRIPLES in five years

Number of hospitals running short of nurses TRIPLES in five years The amount of hospitals regularly understaffed with nurses in England has almost tripled in five years, figures show.

The number of NHS trusts which had 10 per cent or fewer nurses than they needed each month increased from 20 in June 2014 to 55 in June 2019.

Some of the worst hit departments included critical care, geriatric medicine, acute medicine, cardiology and neonatal care – where quality care is essential to save lives. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Exclusive: Hospitals substitute nurses as staffing crisis worsens Health Service Journal

Northampton General Hospital rating drops from 'good' to 'requires improvement' amid reports of 'bullying culture'

Northampton General Hospital rating drops from 'good' to 'requires improvement' amid reports of 'bullying culture' Northampton's hospital has been given orders to improve after a watchdog found issues ranging from bullying to an unexpected maternity ward death during an inspection.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) also found incidents of staff failing to store medicines properly while waiting times for those requiring treatment were found to be consistently worse than national standards.

The hospital, which employs almost 4,500 staff, has been rated as requires improvement overall today, falling from good, which it was awarded in its previous report in 2017. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

See also:

• Northampton General Hospital inspection report Care Quality Commission
• Northampton General Hospital has 'culture of bullying' say inspectors BBC Northampton

Kettering A&E to get £46m for new urgent care hub

Kettering A&E to get £46m for new urgent care hub An A&E department where doctors' offices and broom cupboards were used as extra space for patients is to receive an extra £46m from the government.

Kettering General Hospital bosses had demanded new investment "here and now" for an urgent care hub.

Its A&E was built to accommodate 100 people a day, but now regularly has 300 patients. BBC Northampton

National survey shows most people experience good urgent and emergency care, but lengthy waiting times remain a problem

National survey shows most people experience good urgent and emergency care, but lengthy waiting times remain a problem Findings from a survey of more than 50,000 people who received urgent and emergency care from services provided by 132 NHS trusts across England show that the majority are positive about most aspects of their care and treatment. However, a significant number continue to report long waits, particularly those attending major accident and emergency (A&E) departments. Care Quality Commission

See also:

• Urgent and emergency care survey 2018 Care Quality Commission
• Four in ten A&E patients are forced to wait over an hour before being seen by a nurse or doctor The Daily Mail
• A&E patients left waiting in unnecessary pain, watchdog warns The Daily Telegraph

Steps to expand placement capacity

Steps to expand placement capacity The NHS Long Term Plan sets out ambitions to increase the number of people in learning placements across the NHS. To meet these ambitions, employers will have to scale up the ability to offer a safe and high-quality learning environment that supports workforce development. Based on conversations with those organisations which have already grown their capacity, this briefing sets out a series questions and actions, under six key areas to help employers reflect on what more they can do to increase placement capacity in a way that is sustainable for their organisation. NHS Employers

Babies born at 22 weeks 'can now survive'

Babies born at 22 weeks 'can now survive' Improving survival rates for extremely premature babies mean it is now possible to save the lives of babies born at 22 weeks, guidance says.

Previously it was recommended that only babies born at 23 weeks or later were given treatment to save their lives.

But there is now evidence those born earlier can survive - although only in small numbers - the British Association of Perinatal Medicine said. BBC News

See also:

• New BAPM Framework on Extreme Preterm Birth Published British Association of Perinatal Medicine

Almost half of women with breast cancer 'experience sexual problems after treatment'

Almost half of women with breast cancer 'experience sexual problems after treatment' Nearly half of women diagnosed with breast cancer have experienced sexual difficulties as a result of treatment, a new survey suggests.

The research, conducted by Breast Cancer Now and YouGov, questioned more than 1,000 women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in the last 10 years. The Independent

See also:

• “I was too embarrassed to ask for help”: Devastating impact on thousands who face sexual difficulties after breast cancer Breast Cancer Now

Don't make yourself comfortable: GPs to trial standing appointments to 'set an example'

Don't make yourself comfortable: GPs to trial standing appointments to 'set an example' GPs are to pilot standing-up appointments to “set an example” to patients about the perils of a sedentary lifestyle.

Backed by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), the study will also investigate whether doing so will shorten the length of consultations.

Starting in the Midlands, the pilot scheme will see family doctors equipped with £2,000 desks that can switch from sitting to standing formats at the push of a button. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• Doctors will get standing desks as part of trial The Daily Mail

Parents urged to vaccinate children against whooping cough as number of cases rises four-fold

Parents urged to vaccinate children against whooping cough as number of cases rises four-fold Parents have been urged to vaccinate their children against whooping cough, as the number of cases has risen four-fold this decade.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly-contagious bacterial infection which is spread through the coughs and sneezes of an infected person. The Daily Telegraph

High blood pressure drugs more effective if taken at night before bed, study finds

High blood pressure drugs more effective if taken at night before bed, study finds High blood pressure patients are being urged to take their medication before going to bed to slash their risk of an early death.

A study found adults with hypertension were less likely to suffer heart attacks, heart disease or strokes, if they took the drugs in one go at bedtime.

Spanish scientists looked at more than 19,000 patients on medication for high blood pressure, who were tracked for an average of six years. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Bedtime hypertension treatment improves cardiovascular risk reduction: the Hygia Chronotherapy Trial (open access) European Heart Journal

These are the faces of all the award-winning staff and volunteers at Northampton General Hospital

These are the faces of all the award-winning staff and volunteers at Northampton General Hospital Staff and volunteers at Northampton General Hospital were recognised for their hard work and around the clock care at the hospital's annual awards ceremony. Northampton Chronicle and Echo