Healthcare watchdog personally steps in to end 'risk of continuing harm' to young people at Northampton's St Andrew's Hospital

Healthcare watchdog personally steps in to end 'risk of continuing harm' to young people at Northampton's St Andrew's Hospital After three years of failures, the CQC has put Northampton's St Andrew's Hospital on its last warning.

Young patients being "dragged" on the floor, "a risk continuing harm" and incidents of bullying being passed off as "a bit of fun".

This is what the healthcare watchdog found in its latest inspection of how children and young people are being cared for at Northampton's St Andrew's Hospital Fitzroy House - leading them to put the site on its very last warning. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Man, 85, 'died after nine-hour A&E wait'

Man, 85, 'died after nine-hour A&E wait' An 85-year-old man died after a nine-hour wait in A&E and "several lapses and omissions" in the way he was monitored, an inquest has heard.

Mohan Acharya died from pneumonia and acute renal failure at Northampton General Hospital on 8 March 2018.

Emergency medicine consultant Dr Mike Pearce said the hospital "should have done more observations".

But he added the failings were "unlikely to have directly contributed" to Mr Acharya's death. BBC Northampton

See also:

• 'Dangerous overcrowding' was not major factor in death of 85-year-old who died in Northampton's A&E, inquest hears Northampton Chronicle and Echo

UK strategy for rare diseases: 2020 update to the implementation plan for England

UK strategy for rare diseases: 2020 update to the implementation plan for England A summary of the strategy's progress and actions for the government and partner organisations for 2020. Department of Health and Social Care

Productivity of the English National Health Service: 2017/18 update

Productivity of the English National Health Service: 2017/18 update This report updates the Centre for Health Economics’ time-series of NHS productivity growth for the period 2016/17 to 2017/18. Between 2016/17 and 2017/18, NHS productivity grew by 1.26 per cent when using the mixed measure of NHS input growth, which includes a direct (volume) growth measure for NHS staff and an indirect (based on expenditure data) growth measure for materials and capital. The report also considers a range of alternative scenarios including using a fully indirect measure of growth inputs. Centre for Health Economics

Coronavirus: How is the UK planning for an outbreak?

Coronavirus: How is the UK planning for an outbreak? Coronavirus has been seen in more than 30 countries, with signs it is getting a foothold in Europe. But what is the government planning to do if there is a major outbreak in the UK and how prepared is the NHS? BBC News

See also:

• CMO for England announces 2 new cases of novel coronavirus Department of Health and Social Care
• COVID-19: Health Secretary's statement to Parliament Department of Health and Social Care
• Detailed guide: Coronavirus (COVID-19): latest information and advice Department of Health and Social Care
• New surveillance system for early detection of COVID-19 Public Health England
• Guidance: COVID-19: decontamination in non-healthcare settings Public Health England
• Two more coronavirus cases confirmed in UK BBC News
• Coronavirus: Five countries, five responses BBC News
• Coronavirus: How to self-isolate BBC News
• Britain's hospitals have 'little fuel in the tank' to cope with coronavirus, warn experts The Daily Mail
• Is Britain heading for a coronavirus lockdown amid confusion over dangers from Europe The Daily Mail
• Health Secretary confirms anyone who self-isolates because of coronavirus WILL get sick pay The Daily Mail
• Shocking animation shows how the new coronavirus has outpaced SARS, MERS or Ebola The Daily Mail
• Keep offices and schools open despite coronavirus fears, ministers urge The Daily Telegraph
• Network of 100 GP practices to carry out coronavirus surveillance testing GPonline
• Coronavirus: no reason to close schools for now, minister says The Guardian
• Coronavirus: Patients could be denied lifesaving care if virus overwhelms NHS hospitals The Independent
• Spike in coronavirus cases across Europe sees rest of world overtake China for Covid-19 infections The Independent
• Coronavirus could kill half a million Britons and infect 80% of UK population, government documents indicate The Independent

Hundreds of social care residents allegedly sexually assaulted, watchdog reveals

Hundreds of social care residents allegedly sexually assaulted, watchdog reveals Hundreds of elderly and vulnerable social care residents have allegedly been sexually assaulted in just three months, a shock new report from the care regulator has revealed.

According to the Care Quality Commission there were 899 sexual incidents reported by social care homes between March and May 2018. Almost half were categorised as sexual assault.

In 16 per cent of the cases members of staff or visiting workers were accused of carrying out the abuse. The Independent 

See also:

• Build a culture that supports people's sexual needs and keeps them safe from harm, says new report Care Quality Commission
• Promoting sexual safety through empowerment (report) Care Quality Commission

Food poisoning twice as common as previously thought, Standards Agency reveals

Food poisoning twice as common as previously thought, Standards Agency reveals Food poisoning is twice as common as previously thought, the Food Standards Agency has revealed as it warns lettuce is the most common culprit turning diner green.

Around 2.4 million cases of food poisoning are occurring every year - more than double the estimate in 2009, according to the Food Standards Agency. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• FSA research suggests new higher estimates for the role of food in UK illness Food Standards Agency

Practice that looks after Northamptonshire's 'violent, vulnerable patients' rated 'safe' again by watchdog

Practice that looks after Northamptonshire's 'violent, vulnerable patients' rated 'safe' again by watchdog A Northampton town centre health care practice has now been rated 'safe' again by the CQC following a scathing report six months ago.

Maple Access Partnership was scolded by inspectors in June after the watchdog criticised it for failing to show it had "the capacity and skills to provide safe care". Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Kettering hospice appeals for support for new home

Kettering hospice appeals for support for new home A Kettering hospice has appealed for support as it searches for a new home - with the north of the county potentially facing zero inpatient beds if it can't find one by 2023.

Cransley Hospice's lease on its cramped nine-bed inpatient unit adjoining St Mary's Hospital is nearing an end and won't be renewed by landlord Extracare. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Prisoners missing out on hospital treatment, new research reveals

Prisoners missing out on hospital treatment, new research reveals New research shows four in ten hospital appointments made for prisoners are cancelled or missed and that over one in ten pregnant prisoners gave birth either in prison or on their way to hospital in 2017/18. Nuffield Trust

See also:

• Locked out? Prisoners' use of hospital care Nuffield Trust
• Prisoners suffer cancelled appointments and poorer healthcare The Independent

Guidance: Health matters: smoking and mental health

Health matters: smoking and mental health This edition of Health Matters focuses on smoking among people living with a broad range of mental health conditions. Public Health England

See also:

• Case study: Designing a smoking cessation intervention Public Health England

Research and analysis: Older people’s hospital admissions in the last year of life

Research and analysis: Older people’s hospital admissions in the last year of life This report explores the relationship between hospital admissions and age, sex, cause of death in people aged 75 years and older, who comprise the majority (~69 per cent) of all people who die. The hospital admissions considered include emergency admissions, planned admissions and day cases. It describes the number and type of admissions and the proportion of admissions that were emergency admissions within 30 days of a previous discharge. Public Health England

NHS key statistics: England, February 2020

NHS key statistics: England, February 2020 This briefing summarises NHS demand, performance and capacity of services in England. It covers A&E statistics, waiting lists, ambulance data, delayed discharges, staffing levels including doctors and nurses, and more. House of Commons Library

The Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission This briefing explains the statutory role and powers of the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The CQC is responsible for the registration, inspection and monitoring of health and adult social care providers, including independent providers, under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. House of Commons Library

Sickest patients 'facing hours stuck on trolleys'

Sickest patients 'facing hours stuck on trolleys' Many of the most seriously ill patients are waiting for hours on trolleys and in corridors as the NHS struggles to find them beds, BBC research shows.

Nearly a quarter of patients admitted on to wards during December and January in England faced delays of more than four hours before a bed could be found.

It has created a backlog outside hospitals with patients brought in by ambulance facing long waits too.

Experts warned there was "little in the tank" to cope with the coronavirus. BBC News

See also:

• Working in A&E for the NHS: 'Every day is relentless' BBC News
• 'Corridor nursing' becoming norm in packed A&Es, warn medics The Guardian
• Treating A&E patients in hospital corridors becoming ‘norm’, nurses warn The Independent

Coronavirus: UK patients face 'random' tests to check spread

Coronavirus: UK patients face 'random' tests to check spread Tests for coronavirus are being increased to include people displaying flu-like symptoms at 11 hospitals and 100 GP surgeries across the UK.

The tests will provide an "early warning" if the virus is spreading, Public Health England medical director Prof Paul Cosford said.

It comes as more schools closed or sent staff and pupils home following trips to Italy, which has over 300 cases. BBC News

See also:

• Secretary of State makes new regulations on coronavirus Department of Health and Social Care
• Coronavirus (COVID-19): latest information and advice Department of Health and Social Care
• Coronavirus: primary care briefing note NHS England
• Guidance: COVID-19: guidance to assist professionals in advising the general public Public Health England
• Guidance: COVID-19: guidance for employers and businesses Public Health England
• Guidance: COVID-19: investigation and initial clinical management of possible cases Public Health England
• Guidance: COVID-19: specified countries and areas Public Health England
• Coronavirus: What are health officials saying? BBC News
• Coronavirus: Will I get paid if I self-isolate? BBC News
• Coronavirus: Outbreak spreads in Europe from Italy BBC News
• Coronavirus: Tenerife hotel with hundreds of guests locked down BBC News
• Pupils in Cornwall told to self-isolate after ski trip to coronavirus-hit Lombardy region of Italy The Daily Mail
• As the coronavirus goes global, what should we expect? The Daily Telegraph
• Coronavirus advice updated on patients returning from Italy and other affected countries GPonline
• Britons returning from coronavirus-hit Italy told to self-isolate The Guardian
• Coronavirus: UK schools close and isolate pupils as pandemic fears grow The Independent
• Northampton school says it is following Government coronavirus advice "to the letter" after students' Italy ski trip Northamptonshire Telegraph

Coroner says GPs' knowledge of anorexia 'woeful'

Coroner says GPs' knowledge of anorexia 'woeful' A coroner said GPs' knowledge of eating disorders was "woeful and inadequate" after an inquest into the death of a severely anorexic woman.

Madeline Wallace, from Peterborough, died in January 2018 from sepsis.

Coroner Sean Horstead told the inquest at Huntingdon Law Courts "different clinical decisions" would not have prevented her death.

He delivered a narrative conclusion saying Miss Wallace died of natural causes caused by severe anorexia. BBC News

NHS failing stroke patients with 'postcode lottery rehabilitation'

NHS failing stroke patients with 'postcode lottery rehabilitation' Report warns provisions have ‘devastating consequences’ for patients in England.

Patients are failing to recover properly from a stroke or heart attack because the NHS offers too little rehabilitation for people discharged from hospitals, a report has warned.

“Patchy provision” means those with arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other long-term conditions also miss out on care that can make a huge difference to their health and quality of life, according to the report from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP), Royal College of Occupational Therapists and the charity Sue Ryder.

Only 15% of those with lung problems deemed eligible for pulmonary rehabilitation are referred for it.

Just 50% of people who have had a heart attack or stroke have cardiac rehabilitation after being discharged.

Most cancer patients do not receive rehabilitation before they have treatment, even though that can boost the chances of success. The Guardian

See also:

• Community rehabilitation: Live well for longer (report) Right to Rehab
• Manifesto for community rehabilitation Right to Rehab
• NHS will ‘pay the price’ if at-home rehab not offered to patients ITV News

Doctors need to stop moaning and take responsibility for improving NHS, leading medical chief says

Doctors need to stop moaning and take responsibility for improving NHS, leading medical chief says Doctors should stop moaning and blaming the Government for the NHS's problems, a leading medical chief has claimed.

Professor Carrie MacEwen, chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, said the health service had been given a 'substantial sum' of public money from ministers and had the power to use it wisely. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Academy statement on professionalism Academy of Medical Royal Colleges

Dementia care costs set to rise by 93 per cent in next 10 years in Northamptonshire

Dementia care costs set to rise by 93 per cent in next 10 years in Northamptonshire The cost of caring for loved ones living with dementia in Northamptonshire is set to soar by a frightening 93 per cent over the next decade.

Research by the Alzheimer’s Society shows that many families are being forced to sell their homes and empty their life savings to pay for care because they do not qualify for state support.

Latest figures show overall care costs across Northamptonshire will rise from £366million to £676m in 2030. Northamptonshire Telegraph