Severe constipation killed schizophrenic patient at Northampton mental healthcare unit:
A PATIENT at a mental healthcare facility in Northampton died after suffering from severe constipation believed to be caused by a drug he had been prescribed to treat his schizophrenia, an inquest heard. Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Friday 23 March 2012
Is patient engagement important in leadership? | Angela Coulter
Is patient engagement important in leadership? | Angela Coulter: If only NHS staff could be persuaded to do a better job of engaging individual patients in their own care, the effect on health outcomes could be far more dramatic than the sum total of all those extra meetings, consultations and service reviews that HealthWatch will be expected to endorse. (Blog, 22 Mar 2012) Kings Fund
the week: issue 240
the week: issue 240:
On the agenda this week: the 2011 NHS Staff Survey results are published with a summary plus full report for all trusts, the Department confirms £10 million of funding for children’s hospices, and the first national lung cancer campaign is announced, aiming to encourage people with a persistent cough to visit their GP and raise public awareness of the symptoms of lung cancer. Department of Health
Download ‘the week’: issue 240 16 – 22 March 2012 (RTF, 523KB)
On the agenda this week: the 2011 NHS Staff Survey results are published with a summary plus full report for all trusts, the Department confirms £10 million of funding for children’s hospices, and the first national lung cancer campaign is announced, aiming to encourage people with a persistent cough to visit their GP and raise public awareness of the symptoms of lung cancer. Department of Health
Download ‘the week’: issue 240 16 – 22 March 2012 (RTF, 523KB)
Abortion clinics get spot-checks
Abortion clinics get spot-checks: Inspectors have been ordered into abortion clinics across England to carry out spot-checks on how they work. BBC News
Extra smoking help 'doesn't work'
Extra smoking help 'doesn't work': Offering free nicotine patches or intensive counselling to smokers calling the English NHS helpline does not help them quit, a study in the BMJ says. BBC News
More health integration ''improved care''
More health integration ''improved care'': Greater integration in the NHS has led to more satisfied staff and reduced the use of hospitals, says study Public Service
National evaluation of Department of Health's integrated care pilots
National evaluation of Department of Health's integrated care pilots:
This evaluation, which commenced in 2009, looked at 16 sites across England which undertook different ways of integrating care, for example, between general practices, community nurses, hospitals and social services. It also provides information on evalution methods, data collection and analysis.
This evaluation, which commenced in 2009, looked at 16 sites across England which undertook different ways of integrating care, for example, between general practices, community nurses, hospitals and social services. It also provides information on evalution methods, data collection and analysis.
Sustainable health and social care: connecting environmental and financial performance
Sustainable health and social care: connecting environmental and financial performance:
This report is based on a literature review and stakeholder consultation carried out by The King’s Fund on behalf of the National Institute for Health Research and the Social Care Institute for Excellence. It provides an overview of current knowledge about the environmental impacts of health and social care and examines the evidence for a connection between sustainability, productivity and other system objectives.
This report is based on a literature review and stakeholder consultation carried out by The King’s Fund on behalf of the National Institute for Health Research and the Social Care Institute for Excellence. It provides an overview of current knowledge about the environmental impacts of health and social care and examines the evidence for a connection between sustainability, productivity and other system objectives.
Trust still overspends on wages despite pay freeze
Trust still overspends on wages despite pay freeze: NHS trusts are still overspending on wage bills, despite a pay freeze being in place.
An investigation by HSJ showed that acute hospitals have run up an estimated £300m overspend on wage bills so far this year.
In addition, while the number of pay increments withheld from staff has doubled in 2011-12 compared with 2010-11, many employees are automatically being handed incremental rises worth on average... Healthcare Today
An investigation by HSJ showed that acute hospitals have run up an estimated £300m overspend on wage bills so far this year.
In addition, while the number of pay increments withheld from staff has doubled in 2011-12 compared with 2010-11, many employees are automatically being handed incremental rises worth on average... Healthcare Today
New guidance points the way to tackling tuberculosis among hard-to-reach groups
New guidance points the way to tackling tuberculosis among hard-to-reach groups: New public health guidance from NICE provides a blueprint for improving the way tuberculosis (TB) is identified and managed among groups of people who are hard to reach through traditional health care services. NICE
NHS employers warn George Osborne against imposing local pay rates
NHS employers warn George Osborne against imposing local pay rates:
Health managers say reforms could lead to staff shortages, low morale and worse patient care
The government faces another bruising dispute with the NHS if it pushes ahead with full-blown local pay bargaining for millions of public sector workers, after health employers warned it could lead to staff shortages, low morale and worse patient care.
Chancellor George Osborne confirmed in his budget statement on Wednesday that he wants to see public sector pay "more responsive to local pay rates", to help the private sector recruit and expand.
Unions have also criticised the proposals, but criticism from the biggest public sector employer group will be harder to brush aside.
In its submission to the official consultation on the scheme, the NHS Employers group, which represents more than 2,500 hospitals and other health service bodies employing more than 1 million NHS workers who would be affected by the changes, said that it did not support localised pay rates, but would like more flexibility to help recruit and retain staff in areas with higher costs of living, for example.
Among the problems highlighted by NHS Employers were difficulties hiring or keeping staff who could earn more in nearby areas. It said the changes could also lead to the NHS paying much more for staff in some areas, so increasing the total wage bill, and would add greatly to bureaucracy and administration, with hundreds if not thousands of different wage negotiations.
"Getting rewards wrong could have a significant impact on the quality of patient care and safety," the group said.
Instead, the organisation said that existing flexible terms, such as premiums for recruitment and retention in difficult areas and London weighting payments to compensate for higher housing costs in the capital, should be extended.
The National Union of Teachers, the country's largest teaching union, also warned that the plans would lead to "real teacher shortages" in areas where pay is dragged down.
The chancellor sent evidence to pay review bodies on Wednesday to make the case for moving to local pay rates. The document suggests a pay "premium" of about 8% currently exists for those working in the public sector compared with similar jobs in the private sector, and that the public sector "pays more than is necessary" to recruit, retain and motivate staff.
It goes on to say: "The evidence suggests that the quality of public services would directly benefit if public sector pay became more responsive to local labour markets. In places where private sector firms have to compete for workers with public sector employers offering a large pay premium, the introduction of more local, market facing pay could help private businesses, particularly in some sectors become more competitive and expand."
The Local Government Association, whose members represent another major segment of public sector employers, abandoned national pay bargaining 15 years ago.
The move was taken because some councils in south-east England were finding it hard to recruit staff in areas with relatively high costs of living. However it is understood that before the recession some councils had the opposite problem, of hiring or keeping hard-to-recruit groups like social workers in areas with lower pay scales. The Guardian
The government faces another bruising dispute with the NHS if it pushes ahead with full-blown local pay bargaining for millions of public sector workers, after health employers warned it could lead to staff shortages, low morale and worse patient care.
Chancellor George Osborne confirmed in his budget statement on Wednesday that he wants to see public sector pay "more responsive to local pay rates", to help the private sector recruit and expand.
Unions have also criticised the proposals, but criticism from the biggest public sector employer group will be harder to brush aside.
In its submission to the official consultation on the scheme, the NHS Employers group, which represents more than 2,500 hospitals and other health service bodies employing more than 1 million NHS workers who would be affected by the changes, said that it did not support localised pay rates, but would like more flexibility to help recruit and retain staff in areas with higher costs of living, for example.
Among the problems highlighted by NHS Employers were difficulties hiring or keeping staff who could earn more in nearby areas. It said the changes could also lead to the NHS paying much more for staff in some areas, so increasing the total wage bill, and would add greatly to bureaucracy and administration, with hundreds if not thousands of different wage negotiations.
"Getting rewards wrong could have a significant impact on the quality of patient care and safety," the group said.
Instead, the organisation said that existing flexible terms, such as premiums for recruitment and retention in difficult areas and London weighting payments to compensate for higher housing costs in the capital, should be extended.
The National Union of Teachers, the country's largest teaching union, also warned that the plans would lead to "real teacher shortages" in areas where pay is dragged down.
The chancellor sent evidence to pay review bodies on Wednesday to make the case for moving to local pay rates. The document suggests a pay "premium" of about 8% currently exists for those working in the public sector compared with similar jobs in the private sector, and that the public sector "pays more than is necessary" to recruit, retain and motivate staff.
It goes on to say: "The evidence suggests that the quality of public services would directly benefit if public sector pay became more responsive to local labour markets. In places where private sector firms have to compete for workers with public sector employers offering a large pay premium, the introduction of more local, market facing pay could help private businesses, particularly in some sectors become more competitive and expand."
The Local Government Association, whose members represent another major segment of public sector employers, abandoned national pay bargaining 15 years ago.
The move was taken because some councils in south-east England were finding it hard to recruit staff in areas with relatively high costs of living. However it is understood that before the recession some councils had the opposite problem, of hiring or keeping hard-to-recruit groups like social workers in areas with lower pay scales. The Guardian
Number of children with autism soars by more than 50 per cent in five years
Number of children with autism soars by more than 50 per cent in five years: The number of schoolchildren who are classified as being autistic has soared by 56 per cent in the last five years.
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
Health workers to vote on pensions
Health workers to vote on pensions:
Almost half a million health workers are to vote on the Government's controversial public sector pension reforms, with rejection leading to the prospect of fresh industrial action. The Independent
Almost half a million health workers are to vote on the Government's controversial public sector pension reforms, with rejection leading to the prospect of fresh industrial action. The Independent
Doctors 'are breaking abortion law'
Doctors 'are breaking abortion law':
Some doctors are breaking the law by “pre-signing” abortion consent forms, the Government said today. Spot-checks at more than 250 abortion clinics found evidence of blank forms being signed in anticipation of patients seeking a termination. The Independent
Some doctors are breaking the law by “pre-signing” abortion consent forms, the Government said today. Spot-checks at more than 250 abortion clinics found evidence of blank forms being signed in anticipation of patients seeking a termination. The Independent
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