Wednesday 10 July 2013

Named clinicians for vulnerable older people – how will it work in practice?

Named clinicians for vulnerable older people – how will it work in practice? Sipping my morning coffee on Friday, I caught BBC reports that the Secretary of State was announcing yet another initiative designed to assuage concern over the care of older people. ‘Elderly patients to be assigned named clinician’, ‘Mr Hunt will announce that a named doctor or nurse will be responsible for vulnerable patients at all times.’

Non-UK doctors 'face discrimination'

Non-UK doctors 'face discrimination' Complaints that foreign-trained doctors are suffering from discrimination in NHS exams to become GPs are being investigated by the General Medical Council. BBC News

Healthcare assistants training urged

Healthcare assistants training urged Healthcare assistants in hospitals, residential homes and the community in England have no minimum standard of training before they are allowed to work unsupervised, an independent report finds. BBC News

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Framework launched for nursing and midwifery

Framework launched for nursing and midwifery The new framework, launched by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, sets out a three-year strategy for assuring the quality of nursing and midwifery education and supervision of midwives. NHS Employers

NICE publishes guideline for treating people with acute heart attack

NICE publishes guideline for treating people with acute heart attack A new NICE guideline aims to improve the outcomes for people who have suffered the most severe type of heart attack. NICE

More than medicine

More than medicine This report argues that ring-fencing budgets may not be enough to help the NHS deliver the support required by an ageing population, as unhealthy lifestyles and the number of patients suffering from multiple long-term conditions continue to take their toll on the UK’s healthcare services. It calls for a complete overhaul of the healthcare operating model is needed if the NHS is to deliver better patient outcomes and care at lower costs. Key to this transformation, as pressure also increases to deliver higher quality care for less, will be the life sciences sector aligning its interests by partnering to share costs, data and risk to improve the value and effectiveness of the therapies offered to patients.

Getting on? Growing older with autism

Getting on? Growing older with autism This report sets out some of the key issues facing older people with autism and what government and other bodies need to do to make sure they have the services and support they need.

How CCGs are handling their new responsibilities

How CCGs are handling their new responsibilities One hundred days have passed since the official birth of CCGs, but how are they getting on?

A&E patients forced to wait more than 14 hours at struggling hospital

A&E patients forced to wait more than 14 hours at struggling hospital Patients are being forced to wait more than 14 hours to receive care at a struggling accident and emergency unit, a hard-hitting report has revealed.The Daily Telegraph

Redundancies cost NHS £1.1bn but more skilled staff are needed

Redundancies cost NHS £1.1bn but more skilled staff are needed The NHS has paid out hundreds of millions of pounds making staff redundant as part of its controversial health reforms, but skilled staff are still needed in key areas, official figures show. The Independent

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Government's bedroom tax forces carers to cut back on food

Government's bedroom tax forces carers to cut back on food Carers are being forced to cut back on essentials such as food and electricity because of the so-called bedroom tax. Despite Government promises to protect them from the under-occupancy charge, one in six carers forced to pay it are falling behind on their rent and face eviction, research by Carers UK shows. The Independent