Monday 10 September 2012

Figures show fall in number of complaints about hospital

Figures show fall in number of complaints about hospital:
The number of complaints made about Kettering General Hospital has fallen over the last few years, according to latest figures. Evening Telegraph

'Four million could benefit from telecare'

'Four million could benefit from telecare': Four million people in England could benefit from telecare technology, but families need more help, says report. Health News

DH tenders for new electronic staff record system

DH tenders for new electronic staff record system: NHS record system to 'transform' pension and record administration services Health News

Government response to Health Select Committee inquiry into education, training and workforce planning

Government response to Health Select Committee inquiry into education, training and workforce planning:
The Government has published its response to the House of Commons Health Select Committee inquiry into education, training and workforce planning. The Committee reported on 23 May 2012.
This government response to the House of Commons Health Select Committee first report of session 2012-13: Education, training and workforce planning provides further detail and clarity on the reformed education and training system as requested by the Committee.
The Committee supports the changes being made to the education and training system, which were fully endorsed by the NHS Future Forum. Since the Department of Health presented its evidence to the Committee, a great deal of progress has been made in establishing the new system of education and training.
Department fo Health

Hip fracture hospital stays down

Hip fracture hospital stays down:

The latest report from the National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD) has revealed that the length of hospital stay for hip fracture patients has fallen by 5% over the past year.
Although the reduction is small it is nevertheless important, says the report, as it amounts to significant annual savings with the care costs for hip fracture now topping £2 billion a year in the UK.
Healthcare Today

Good practice guidance

Good practice guidance: Advice to support best practice in medicines management and use in the NHS, including good practice guidance on developing local medicines formularies. NICE

How can the NHS be more innovative? Live discussion

How can the NHS be more innovative? Live discussion:
Join our panel of experts on Wednesday 19 September between noon and 2pm to discuss innovation in the future of the NHS
Patients will soon be able to see information about how local hospitals and primary care organisations are providing new treatments, according to the latest government proposals.
Every hospital and trust will be rated by an "innovation scorecard" allowing the public to compare the speed at which NHS hospitals roll out new care methods and drugs.
The scheme is intended to prevent "postcode prescribing" – where some areas and trusts provide certain treatments and others do not. A recent report found that more than 70% of NHS trusts ignored guidance from the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (Nice) to offer infertile couples three chances at IVF, and some stopped funding treatment altogether.
The Department of Health says that under the scheme, "the NHS will have no excuse not to provide the latest Nice-approved drugs and treatments". But what will this mean for the NHS and the way in which new treatments are administrated? Recent statistics published by the National institute for Health Research (NIHR) revealed that hospitals "have made a significant step-change in their research activity", however what more can be done?
Do hospitals and trusts need to up their game under the new proposals, and, if so, how? Is better exchange of best practice the way forward? And how can NHS leaders manage a culture change to push more innovative research and projects forward?
Join us from noon until 2pm on Wednesday 19 September, along with our panel of experts to discuss all this and more. You can also leave your questions below ahead of the discussion, or tweet us at @GdnHealthcare.
Guardian Professional.

Standard Evaluation Framework (SEF) for physical activity and dietary interventions

Standard Evaluation Framework (SEF) for physical activity and dietary interventions: These SEFs aims to describe and explain the information that should
be collected in any evaluation of an intervention that aims to increase
participation in physical activity. It is aimed at interventions that
work at individual or group level, not at population level.

Kings Fund

Quality profiles for CCGs published

Quality profiles for CCGs published: Source: Department of Health (DH)

Practice profiles enable commissioners to compare the relative quality of their providers, to enable providers to benchmark their performance against the national average, and to share with patients and the public information on the quality of the services being provided. Quality profiles have also been published for CCGs - please see the link below for details. NeLM News

Stoptober campaign will encourage smokers to quit for 28 days

Stoptober campaign will encourage smokers to quit for 28 days:
Smokers are being asked to give up smoking for 28 days from 1 October in the first ever mass quit attempt launched today by the Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies.
The innovative campaign, Stoptober, is backed by Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation, and is the first 28-day quit attempt of its kind to encourage the nation’s 8 million smokers to give up.
People who stop smoking for 28 days are 5 times more likely to stay smokefree, so smokers who sign up will be given support and encouragement throughout the month.
They will be able to download the Stoptober app (available free from the Smokefree website) and access the Smokefree Facebook page where they will get additional tips and advice. They will also get a daily message providing additional support and encouragement throughout the month.
Smokers interested in giving up can search for ‘Stoptober’ online, or ask their local pharmacist for a free support pack. Smoking remains the biggest cause of premature death in England and is responsible for the loss of more than 100,000 lives in the UK every year.
For more information visit smokefree.nhs.uk/Stoptober.
Department of Health

New rules to end secrecy over safety of medical implants

New rules to end secrecy over safety of medical implants: New rules to end the secrecy over the safety of devices such as hip replacements and breast implants are being drawn up after a series of scandals.Telegraph

Litigation culture draining billions from hospitals and schools

Litigation culture draining billions from hospitals and schools: The growth of the "litigation culture" is draining hospitals and schools of money, a report published on Monday warns.Telegraph

New Suicide Prevention Strategy published by the Department of Health on World Suicide Prevention Day

New Suicide Prevention Strategy published by the Department of Health on World Suicide Prevention Day: The Government have launched their new strategy for reducing the suicide rate and supporting people who are bereaved by suicide. Care Services Minister Norman Lamb will highlight the existing call for research proposals when he launches the strategy today. The strategy has 6 key areas for action: A better understanding of why people take their [read the full story...]