@HealthwatchNEL 
@HealthwatchNEL
News
COVID-19: Fraud and scams
03/04/2020
Information from North East Lincolnshire Council: Be alert to potential fraud and scams Be on your guard for fraudsters exploiting fears about COVID-...
COVID-19: Who to contact for help
03/04/2020
Information from North East Lincolnsire Council: Protecting everyone in North East Lincolnshire is our utmost priority, particularly the most...
Diabetes UK Message
01/04/2020
We are writing to provide a quick update on the help and support Diabetes UK is providing during the coronavirus pandemic, and hope this information...
Patients face long wait to see benefits from NHS funding boost
10/07/2019
New analysis from the King’s Fund suggests that patients face a long wait before they will see improvements in care as a result of the government’s £20 billion NHS funding boost. The think-tank’s latest quarterly monitoring report draws on analysis of NHS performance data and a survey of NHS trust...
Service users needed for Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education (GIFHE) programme
05/07/2019
The BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult) programme starts at the Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education (GIFHE) January 2020. The nursing team are looking for 2 service users to volunteer to deliver sessions aimed at ensuring student nurses understand what health and health care means to service...
Healthwatch report on the role of dementia care reviews
05/07/2019
Analysis of data from councils by Healthwatch shows that regular reviews of dementia care are not being carried out, despite evidence that such reviews are an essential part of effective dementia care. Healthwatch analysed data from 97 local councils.
Early cancer detection and survival to be prioritised by NHS
05/07/2019
Monitoring one-year survival will be central to measuring progress in transforming cancer care, the Department of Health and Social Care says. Screening programmes will be overhauled and diagnosis made faster and more accurate with new state-of-the-art technology as part of a blueprint for rapidly...
Eye health experts warn of dangers of smoking to sight
05/07/2019
The Association of Optometrists (AOP) is warning that millions of smokers in the UK are putting themselves at increased risk of blindness or sight impairment by continuing with the habit. This comes as almost all (96%) optometrists taking part in a survey said they examine a patient every month who...
Survey of adult carers in England 2018/19
05/07/2019
The survey covers informal, unpaid carers aged 18 or over who care for a person aged 18 or over, where the carer has been assessed or reviewed by social services. The survey sought carers’ views on whether they have a balanced life alongside their caring role.
Changes to the Access to Infertility Treatment Policy
04/07/2019
Have your say on some proposed changes to the Access to Infertility Treatment Policy - for more information and to have your say please click here.
Primary care networks open for business
04/07/2019
The 1 July go-live date for primary care networks (PCNs) has come and gone, with NHS England reporting that more than 7000 GP practices - more than 99% - have formed. Around 7,000 practices across England – more than 99% – have formed more than 1,200 PCNs. GPs will recruit multi-disciplinary teams...
Increase in adult carers feeling stressed or depressed
28/06/2019
60.6% of carers reported feeling stressed in 2018-19 (up from 58.7% in 2016-17), according to a survey of 50,800 adult carers in England, published by NHS Digital. The percentage of carers who reported feeling depressed increased from 43.4% in 2016-173 to 45.1% in 2018-19. More....
CQC finds Mental Health Act Code of Practice not being used as intended
28/06/2019
The Mental Health Act (MHA) Code of Practice is not being used as it was intended due to a lack of awareness and understanding of the statutory guidance amongst providers and staff. A report published by CQC found variation in providers’ understanding of the MHA Code of Practice and how it should...
Adult inpatient survey 2018
28/06/2019
Findings from the Care Quality Commission’s latest annual survey of people who stayed as an inpatient in hospital show that most people had confidence in the doctors and nurses treating them and felt that staff answered their questions clearly. However, there has been no overall improvement in the...
CQC report on oral care in care homes
24/06/2019
New report from CQC highlights the need for better support for residents in care homes and more training for staff to help people look after their oral health. To read more please click here.
Guide on biosimilar medicine updated
18/06/2019
NHS England has issued an updated guide on the role of biosimilar medicines in the NHS. The guide also provides support on the safe, effective and consistent use of all biological medicines, including biosimilar medicines, to support patients, in line with the principles of shared decision-making...
Adding folic acid to flour: public asked views
18/06/2019
Plans to add folic acid to flour in the UK could prevent up to 200 birth defects a year, according to government public health advisors who have launched a consultation to get views on their proposal to add folic acid to flour. Folic acid, or vitamin B9, is essential to the development of a healthy...
NHS waiting times for elective and cancer treatment
18/06/2019
A parliamentary report finds that increasing numbers of patients are being let down by the NHS’s failure to meet deadlines for waiting times. The percentage of patients treated within waiting times standards continues to get worse for both elective (non-urgent care) and cancer treatment. The report...
NHS Improvement figures show progress by hospitals
18/06/2019
NHS hospitals in England provided more urgent treatment and routine operations than ever before last year, according to figures from NHS Improvement. Despite the pressure of demand, the provider sector continued to improve quality and achieved one of the best financial performances in recent years...
Community pharmacy flu vaccination exceeds 1.4m
07/06/2019
Community pharmacists in England administered 1,431,538 flu vaccinations to patients under the national NHS flu vaccination service in 2018/19. The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) has published a full report including costs of drugs and fees.
Amanda Pritchard named as NHS chief operating officer
07/06/2019
NHS England has announced that Amanda Pritchard has been appointed as the NHS chief operating officer (COO). For regulatory purposes, she is also chief executive of NHS Improvement. Pritchard takes up the role on secondment from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust where she is chief executive...
NHS showcases innovations
06/06/2019
3D heart modelling to rapidly diagnose coronary disease and an advanced blood test which can cut the time it takes to rule-out a heart attack by 75% are among innovations being introduced by the NHS. NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens told a conference this week that more patients will...
Rise in sexually transmitted infections
06/06/2019
Sexually transmitted infections are on the rise, according to Public Health England which has produced data showing 448,000 cases were diagnosed in 2018, an increase of 5% from 2017. The number of consultations at sexual health services, both in clinic settings and online, increased by 7% to nearly...
NHS doctors to get more flexible pensions
05/06/2019
The government has launched proposals to make pensions more flexible for senior clinicians. The proposals are in response to criticisms that tax charges on pensions contributions are effectively penalising doctors for seniority and long service. The government will consult on proposals to offer...
Ambulance service wants more volunteers
03/06/2019
A report by the King’s Fund for the Office for Civil Society explores the role of volunteers in ambulance services in England and identifies examples of different ways in which volunteering opportunities are being developed. More....
Call for smoking ban on hospital grounds
03/06/2019
Public Health England is calling on all NHS trusts to become completely smoke-free by banning smoking in hospital grounds. More than two thirds (69%) of NHS acute trusts in England have implemented a ban. PHE wants the rest to follow suit. More....
Thousands more GP staff recruited across England
03/06/2019
NHS England has recruited 300 more family doctors and thousands more nurses, pharmacists and other staff to work alongside GPs delivering better care in the community. There are now 7,302 more full time equivalent (FTE) health professionals working in primary care than three years ago, NHS Digital...
Independent review of national cancer screening programmes in England
30/05/2019
Professor Sir Mike Richards is leading a major overhaul of national cancer screening programmes as part of a renewed drive to improve care and save lives. This interim report calls for practical measures to be used across the NHS to make screening more convenient and reverse the longstanding...
