Government shows 'striking poverty of ambition' on discharge delays

Government shows 'striking poverty of ambition' on discharge delays  A new report challenges the Government to address the scale and cost of delays in discharging older patients from hospital, concluding: "Patients and the NHS have a right to expect better."

It urges new measures to tackle discharge delays, which are bad for both patients' health and the financial sustainability of the NHS and local government, and finds there is a poor understanding of the scale of discharge problems, with official data substantially under-estimating the range of delays and the number of older patients affected. Public Accounts Select Committee

See also:

• The King's Fund response to the PAC report on discharging older people from hospitals The King's Fund
• Stop making excuses on delays, NHS bosses told BBC News
• NHS heavily criticised for lack of ambition to reduce bed-blocking The Daily Telegraph

The first ever FGM figures show nearly 6,000 new cases in England

The first ever FGM figures show nearly 6,000 new cases in England The first ever recorded figures for female genital mutilation (FGM) show that between April 2015 and March 2016 there were 5,702 new cases in England.

The data was recorded by doctors and nurses who have been obliged to do so since July 2015.

Most of the women and girls were born in Africa and underwent the procedure there. But 43 girls were born in the UK and 18 of those had it done here. BBC News

See also:

• First ever annual statistical publication for FGM shows 5,700 newly recorded cases during 2015-16 Health and Social Care Information Centre
• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) - April 2015 to March 2016, Experimental Statistics Health and Social Care Information Centre
• HSCIC study shows 16 new cases of FGM are reported in Britain every day The Daily Mail

Unconscious bias against BME doctors identified

Unconscious bias against BME doctors identified Black and minority ethnic doctors’ career prospects are being damaged by “unconscious bias” against them, suggests research and data* from the General Medical Council (GMC).

The GMC published new research and data on the progression of doctors from different ethnicities and backgrounds through exams and recruitment.

It shows that white UK medical graduates remain more likely to pass specialty exams than their black and minority ethnic (BME) counterparts, while doctors whose primary qualification was gained outside the UK or European Economic Area (EEA) are even less likely to do well in exams or recruitment. OnMedica

See also:

• How do doctors progress through key milestones during training? General Medical Council
• BME doctors face unconscious bias and remain less likely to pass exams, says GMC GP Online

NHS bosses launch 'reset' plan to tackle £2.45bn deficit

NHS bosses launch 'reset' plan to tackle £2.45bn deficit Five hospital trusts and 14 CCGs in England will go into financial special measures as campaigners voice fears for patient safety

NHS bosses have launched a plan to “reset” the health service’s broken finances that will see overspending hospitals taken into financial special measures, as part of a crackdown to tackle a £2.45bn deficit.

Five hospital trusts that are set to overshoot their budgets by a wide margin this year, and 14 GP-led local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) that are facing acute financial problems, are the first NHS bodies to be forced into special measures. Their bosses have been given weeks to devise an action plan to reduce overspending or risk being replaced. Continue reading... The Guardian

See also:

• NHS action to strengthen trusts’ and CCGs’ financial and operational performance for 2016/17 NHS England
• Impact of the spending review on health and social care Commons Health Select Committee
• Transparency data: NHS trusts accounts data for 2015 to 2016 Department of Health
• Corporate report: NHS England: assessment of performance 2015 to 2016 Department of Health
• Corporate report: Department of Health annual report and accounts 2015 to 2016 Department of Health
• Corporate report: PHE annual report and accounts 2015 to 2016 Public Health England
• Reports on Department of Health, NHS England and NHS Foundation Trusts’ consolidated accounts 2015-16 National Audit Office
• NHS financial crisis: Target rules relaxed BBC News
• DH accounts reveal 'financial crisis engulfing NHS' GP Online
• Health Foundation responds to the Department of Health’s annual end of year accounts The Health Foundation
• The King's Fund response to the Department of Health's annual accounts The King's Fund

NHS staff say they face a glass ceiling if they object to abortions

NHS staff say they face a glass ceiling if they object to abortions The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists was criticised for a policy which discriminates against the advancement of students who objected to carrying out abortions. The Daily Mail

Bursaries for student nurses and midwives to be scrapped by government

Bursaries for student nurses and midwives to be scrapped by government Health bodies and unions have reacted angrily after the Government confirmed plans to axe bursaries for student nurses and midwives.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said the changes were "unfair and risky" while the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) said it had "grave concerns" for the future of maternity services in England as a result of the decision, which it said would add to current staff shortages.

The Department of Health insisted it had listened to concerns raised during a consultation about the plans and would provide extra funding to help meet travel and childcare costs. The Daily Telegraph

See also:

• News story: Plans for changing healthcare education funding Department of Health
• Consultation outcome: Changing how healthcare education is funded Department of Health
• DH confirms changes to healthcare education funding NHS Employers
• Bursaries for student nurses will end in 2017, government confirms The Guardian