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Social care assessors failing older people
16/01/2019
Social care assessors often fail to understand the disabilities and support needs of older people, according to a report by Human Rights Watch. The...
Handbook to the NHS Constitution for England
16/01/2019
Information about the rights and pledges in the NHS Constitution and what these mean for NHS patients and staff. Updated with 2019 edition of the...
Government consultation on restricting unhealthy foods
16/01/2019
The government is seeking views on its plans to restrict promotions of food and drink products high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS). This consultation...
Government promises more funding to fight superbugs
21/11/2018
The government has agreed an extra £10m to fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at home and abroad. More....
Registering vision impairment as a disability
21/11/2018
The Department of Health and Social Care has updated the certificate of vision impairment and referral of vision impairment letter template for consultant ophthalmologists and hospital eye clinic staff. More….
Priorities for adult social work research
19/11/2018
A report from the Department of Health and Social Care sets out the top ten priorities for adult social work research. It aims to ensure that future research answers the questions that are important to social workers and those who are in contact with them. More....
Feedback from people with personal health budgets
19/11/2018
NHS England commissioned an independent survey of people with a personal health budget (PHB) to understand their experience. Nearly nine in ten, 89%, said their personalised care and support plan reflected what mattered to them, 86% said they had achieved what they wanted as a result of their plan...
Cancer screening to be overhauled as part of NHS long term plan
19/11/2018
Professor Sir Mike Richards will lead a major overhaul of national cancer screening programmes as part of a renewed drive to improve care and save lives, NHS England has announced. Increasing early detection of cancers when they are easier to treat is at the heart of the NHS’s long term plan to...
New web resource to explore technology in care
16/11/2018
The CQC has added pages to its website exploring the use of technology in care. Updates will look at what providers will need to consider as they develop new ways of working with technology. More.....
NHS to provide glucose monitors for type 1 diabetes patients
16/11/2018
Tens of thousands of people with type 1 diabetes across the country will benefit from life changing glucose monitors on the NHS. To coincide with World Diabetes Day, Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, is announcing action to end the current variation patients in some parts of the...
Improving access and continuity in general practice
15/11/2018
A report by the Nuffield Trust sets out the evidence on continuity of care, its impact on clinical outcomes and wider health services, its importance to patients and GPs, and the relationship between improved access initiatives and continuity of care within general practice. The report aims to help...
Health care needs of people with multiple conditions
15/11/2018
A Health Foundation report found that one in four adults in England (14.2 million people) had two or more health conditions. This group accounts for over half (55%) of hospital admissions and outpatient visits and three-quarters (75%) of primary care prescriptions. The report also found that people...
Digital maturity of maternity services
15/11/2018
NHS England has published a “digital maturity assessment” of maternity services across England, described as a baseline for improvement at both a national and local level. More.....
Encouraging people to choose self care for life
15/11/2018
More than 22 million people are being targeted as part of Self Care Week which launches this week. The slogan “ Choose Self Care for Life ” aims to engage and empower people to look after their own health better including self-treatable conditions, long term conditions, or lifestyle choices to...
Public Health England warns travellers of rabies risk
15/11/2018
PHE is reminding travellers to avoid coming into contact with animals when travelling to rabies affected countries due to the risk of catching the disease. More.....
Latest figures on prescribing for diabetes
15/11/2018
NHS Digital has published its latest annual report on prescribing for diabetes covering the ten years to 2017/18. It examines prescribing trends on medicines prescribed in primary care in England for the treatment and monitoring of diabetes during the period April 2007 to March 2018. The report...
AOP calls for tighter vision regulations for drivers
09/11/2018
The Association of Optometrists (AOP) is inviting practitioners to get involved in its second driving and vision campaign ahead of Road Safety Week (19-25 November). The Don’t Swerve a Sight Test campaign , which in 2017 attracted significant national media interest, highlights the importance of...
All parents should be offered the opportunity to engage with the review of their baby’s death
09/11/2018
When a baby dies in hospital, a perinatal mortality review (PNMR) takes place. Currently, parents are largely unaware these reviews even take place and in most cases, bereaved parents are not given the opportunity to be involved and share their perspective of their care. A new study tested the...
Understanding the performance and potential of specialist hospitals
09/11/2018
A report commissioned by the Federation of Specialist Hospitals and produced with the Innovation Agency, outlines how high-performing specialist trusts have the potential to do more to benefit the wider NHS. A review of around one-third of England’s 21 specialist trusts looked at why they...
Major home care provider future 'at risk'
08/11/2018
Vital home care services for the elderly and vulnerable could be disrupted, regulators say. The Care Quality Commission has issued a notice saying it has serious doubts about the future of Allied Healthcare. The CQC said it was concerned about its prospects from the end of this month, but the firm...
People with type-1 diabetes 'missing out on life-changing glucose monitors'
08/11/2018
Tens of thousands of people with type-1 diabetes in England are being denied access to a "life-changing" blood sugar monitor due to a postcode lottery, data suggests. The Freestyle Libre, used by Prime Minister Theresa May, was made available on the NHS last November. Click here to read more
Smoking, diabetes increase heart attack risk more in women
08/11/2018
Women who smoke, have diabetes or high blood pressure increase their risk of a heart attack more than men faced with the same risks, a large study of UK adults has found. The researchers, writing in the BMJ, said women should receive the same treatments as men and be offered support to stop smoking...
NHS Learning Disability Newsletter: Winter 2018-19
07/11/2018
In this edition of the NHS learning disability newsletter you can find out about supporting children and young people, sharing health information, Ask Listen Do, and lots more. Click here to view the newsletter
NHS prevention plan aims to boost life expectancy
05/11/2018
People in England are being told to cut back on alcohol, sugar, salt and fat in a bid to boost the nation's life expectancy by five years. Health Secretary Matt Hancock is setting out his long-term vision for the NHS on Monday - and it will focus on preventing illness. He says that 10 times more...
Budget 2018: 'NHS will face cuts as well as gains'
05/11/2018
Spending on public health, and doctors' and nurses' training in England is set to fall next year according to the fine print of the Budget documents. The chancellor announced annual real-terms funding increases for NHS England which provides front-line services. But other areas of health spending...
Finances at northern Lincolnshire hospital trust stabilised as target set for leaving special measures
02/11/2018
Finances at the trust which runs hospitals in Grimsby and Scunthorpe have stabilised after they had been "escalating out of control", according to the organisation's chief executive. Dr Peter Reading has set a target of next year for the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust to be...
Stronger protection from violence for NHS staff
02/11/2018
Secretary of state for health and social care Matt Hancock has announced measures to reduce assaults on NHS staff. This is a growing problem which is also thought to be under-reported. The new, zero-tolerance approach aims to protect the NHS workforce against deliberate violence and aggression from...
Obesity is second biggest cause of cancer after smoking
02/11/2018
Obesity is the biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking and around 22,800 cases of cancer in the UK are caused by excess body weight every year, according to Cancer Research UK. The charity has produced a resource containing answers to common questions from patients, tips on how to discuss...
