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New Long COVID Triage and Assessment Service launches for Humber
08/04/2021
For patients living in the Humber area, which includes Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, North and North East Lincolnshire, the new Humber Long COVID...
Improving the lives of autistic people and their families
06/04/2021
World Autism Awareness Week was the 29 March to 4 April, Amanda Pritchard has recorded a short video message underlining commitments to improving the...
Vaccine advice for adults living with adults who are immunosuppressed
31/03/2021
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised the government to prioritise people for the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine who...
TPP SystmOne to roll out phase 4 of the electronic prescription service
01/11/2019
The national roll-out of phase 4 of the electronic prescription service (EPS) for SystmOne, which allows EPS to be used for patients without a nomination, will start from Monday, 18 November 2019. The switch-on date depends on your CCG and could be in several months’ time. CCG will notify providers...
78 NHS trusts to receive new cancer screening machines
01/11/2019
Seventy-eight trusts will receive funding for new machines that will improve patient experience and lead to earlier diagnosis. The new machines are part of the government’s commitment to ensure 55,000 more people survive cancer each year. Last month the prime minister announced plans to spend £200...
People with learning disabilities in England
30/10/2019
Public Health England has published updated national statistics about people with learning disabilities in England and the services and support available to them and their families. More....
Sexual orientation monitoring survey
29/10/2019
Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) patients can face serious health inequalities. Sexual orientation monitoring (the collection of data on patient sexuality with patient consent) helps the NHS understand the health challenges and experiences of LGB people so it can improve their care. NHS England and...
LGBT patients’ experience of primary care
24/10/2019
LGBT patients are being asked about their experiences of primary care services in a survey from LGBT Foundation. The charity aims to build a picture of healthcare provision for the LGBT community and a forthcoming report is expected to recommend what more primary care can do to meet the needs of...
Grant awarded to improve the health of people sleeping rough
24/10/2019
A £1.9m grant has been awarded to six projects to support people who are – or are at risk of returning to - sleeping rough. The projects , which are partnerships between local authorities and CCGs, will test and evaluate models that improve access to health services for people who have both mental...
The right to appeal in adult social care
23/10/2019
A report from an older people’s charity looks into how people can challenge decisions about the care and support they receive. It reveals that as few as one in five local authorities have put in place a separate appeals process, with the majority instead relying on a complaints process that can be...
National roll-out of electronic prescriptions
23/10/2019
In future all prescriptions will be issued electronically, with the national rollout of the existing service starting next month. The electronic prescription service (EPS) helps GPs and pharmacists prescribe and dispense medicines faster and more securely and makes it easier for patients to pick up...
Mental health support for NHS doctors and dentists
23/10/2019
All NHS doctors and dentists in England now have access to a comprehensive mental health service, the government has announced. More than 180,000 doctors and dentists can get confidential advice and support, in person or over the phone, if they’ve faced a stressful incident at work or feel they are...
NHS screening 'needs to fit with busy lives'
18/10/2019
There needs to be easier access to NHS screening programmes in England, including evening and weekend clinics, to increase uptake, a review says. The report by Prof Sir Mike Richards also called for tests to be offered in a wider variety of locations, including mobile units. And it recommended...
Rough sleepers to benefit from NHS mental health outreach
16/10/2019
Towns with high rates of homelessness are set for investment in specialist mental health care, as part of NHS services for rough sleepers across the country. The NHS-funded services in seven parts of the country will bring in new psychiatrists, psychologists and other experts to offer homeless...
NHS whistle-blower support scheme to roll out across the country
10/10/2019
The NHS in England is to roll out dedicated support for members of staff who raise the alarm on unsafe practice. Following successful pilots, the NHS will soon offer practical support to any doctor, nurse, or other worker across the country who needs additional support to build their career after...
Groundbreaking new platform launched to support mental health
08/10/2019
Public Health England (PHE), in partnership with the NHS, has launched Every Mind Matters to help people take simple steps to look after their mental health, improve their mental wellbeing and support others. It is increasingly recognised that taking care of our mental health is as important as...
The politics of health: what do the public think about the NHS?
07/10/2019
As we head towards another general election, what do patients and the public think of the NHS? A report from the King’s Fund explores whether the country’s views have changed since we last went to the ballot box.
25 million to be offered free NHS flu jab this winter
07/10/2019
Record numbers of people in England will be offered a flu vaccine this winter. For the first time, all primary school children will be offered the nasal spray. The health service in England has prepared for its largest ever flu protection drive to help keep people well and ease pressure on urgent...
Flu vaccination: The main things to know about the 2019 programme
04/10/2019
The main things to know about the 2019 programme > https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2019/10/04/flu-vaccination-the-main-things-to-know-about-the-2019-programme/
Mind urges NHS leaders to prioritise mental health in local plans
03/10/2019
Mental health charity Mind has written to leaders of NHS sustainability and transformation partnerships (STPs) to ensure mental health is front and centre of planning for the next decade. Mind urged STP leaders to include the priorities in the national plan, including support for pregnant women and...
Taking the worry out of CQC inspection
03/10/2019
This year CQC has simplified the inspection regime so that the 96% of GP practices that are already rated good or outstanding get an annual phone call with site visits at up to five-year intervals. Even so, says former practice business manager Tracy Green, when the time comes for inspection or the...
Prescription exemption checking materials coming soon
03/10/2019
NHS England and Improvement will be re-running its campaign to ensure that only people entitled to free prescriptions receive them. The “check before you tick” campaign focuses particularly on those receiving benefits who may mistakenly believe they are automatically exempt from charges. Campaign...
Recommendations for an NHS bill
03/10/2019
The NHS long-term plan suggested changes to the law to help implement the plan. In spring 2019, NHS staff, partner organisations and interested members of the public were invited to give their views on the proposals. This document sets out the NHS response to the views it received during engagement...
Five more clinical audits published – recommendations for commissioners
24/09/2019
Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) has published five reports on mental healthcare, diabetes, maternity and perinatal weight management, ophthalmology and congenital heart disease. The reports can all be found on HQIP’s website.
People’s experience of cancer care remains positive
24/09/2019
The results of the 2018 national cancer patient experience survey revealed overall experience is very positive, with patients rating it at an average of 8.8 out of 10. This continues an improving trend from 8.74 in 2016 and 8.70 the previous year. Since 2015, 29 survey questions showed improvements...
Review of adult social care complaints 2018/19
23/09/2019
The local government and social care ombudsman has found problems in nearly two out of every three adult social care complaints it has investigated in the past year. It revealed it is investigating a greater proportion of complaints than previous years – and finding fault on average in 66% of cases...
Loneliness and mental health concerns afflict students
20/09/2019
A report by student accommodation provider Unite Students and the Higher Education Policy Institute finds that loneliness and mental health are growing issues for students making the transition to university. More than one in five (22%) admit to often being lonely. More....
Smoking rates falling faster than ever
20/09/2019
The latest data from a national smoking study shows that adult smoking rates fell 2.2% from January to July 2019 - equivalent to 200 fewer smokers every hour. Latest figures from University College London suggest that smoking rates in England are dropping at the fastest rate in over a decade. Not...
