Wednesday 20 December 2017

Plans submitted to build 400 en-suite rooms for nurses or students in Northampton

Plans submitted to build 400 en-suite rooms for nurses or students in Northampton An outline planning application submitted by a Northampton real estate firm to build hundreds of student or nursing bedrooms has been given the green light.

The masterplan for developers, Barwood Capital is to build on surplus land at the rear of Riverside House on Bedford Road to provide accommodation for up to 400 en-suite rooms over two or three blocks and up to six storeys. Northampton Chronicle and Echo

KGH given £2.6m to tackle winter pressures

KGH given £2.6m to tackle winter pressures Kettering General Hospital has been awarded £2.6 million in funding to respond to winter demand pressures.

The funding, part of an extra £350 million of national NHS money announced by the Chancellor Philip Hammond, will be used in a variety of ways. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Ageing UK population drove decision to direct more funds to adult care, says Northamptonshire County Council finance member

Ageing UK population drove decision to direct more funds to adult care, says Northamptonshire County Council finance member Northamptonshire County Council insists an increased demand for NHS services amid the UK's ageing population has added extra pressure on adult social care services in the county.

This, according to cabinet member for finance Councillor Robin Brown, has driven the decision to direct an extra £24.6m on adult social care as proposed in the 2018-19 draft budget released yesterday.

Bed-blocking and home care for the elderly were also cited as reasons to allocate the additional funds. Northamptonshire Telegraph

Innovation in housing, care and support

Innovation in housing, care and support With homelessness on the rise at an estimated cost to the public sector of £1 billion per year, as well pressures on mental health services, there is an emerging consensus that collaborations between organisations to provide care and support in residential settings have the potential to improve patient outcomes while also relieving pressures on public finances. This briefing contains four case studies on innovative support and care services delivered through collaborations between housing and healthcare providers. NHS Confederation

Framework for maximising the use of care homes and use of therapy-led units for patients medically fit for discharge

Framework for maximising the use of care homes and use of therapy-led units for patients medically fit for discharge This best practice framework aims to address two models and the implementation approach that needs to be taken by STPs and their provider organisations with ensuing threats to patient safety, during the winter months. NHS England

Good work, wellbeing and changes in performance outcomes: illustrating the effects of good people management practices with an analysis of the National Health Service

Good work, wellbeing and changes in performance outcomes: illustrating the effects of good people management practices with an analysis of the National Health Service This report illustrates the effect of good people management with an analysis of the NHS. It found Trusts that made the most extensive use of good people management practices were over three times more likely to have the lowest levels of staff sickness absence and at least four times more likely to have the most satisfied patients. They were also more than twice as likely to have staff with the highest levels of job satisfaction compared to NHS Trusts that made least use of these practices, and over three times more likely to have staff with the highest levels of engagement. What Works Centre for Wellbeing

UK's most googled health issue of 2017 revealed

UK's most googled health issue of 2017 revealed "What is cancer?" is the UK's most googled health question in 2017 (so far), data reveals.

According to experts at Google Trends, other pressing health issues searched for online by British people this year were diabetes, blood pressure and a condition called sepsis.

We've set out to answer some of these questions for you. BBC News

Contaminated blood report 'full of lies'

Contaminated blood report 'full of lies' Government officials have apologised for using a discredited report into the contaminated blood products scandal that left thousands of NHS patients infected with viruses including HIV.

Despite assurances that the "inadequate" document would be ditched, a health minister has referred to it this year, the BBC can reveal.

The government admits that the document was used for too long.

This week it will announce who will run its official inquiry into the scandal.

Critics say the whole process has taken far too long and have accused the government of a "whitewash". BBC News

Mum urges parents to talk about suicide

Mum urges parents to talk about suicide Gabrielle Joseph was 16 when she took her own life.

Her mother Julie Joseph, from Briton Ferry, Neath Port Talbot, said she "aches every day" for her daughter, who died seven years ago.

She also called for more parents to speak more directly with their children about suicide.

It comes as charities said more children and young people were calling their help lines about suicidal feelings. BBC News

NHS takes 40 days to diagnose patients with cancer, study finds

NHS takes 40 days to diagnose patients with cancer, study finds The average time for a patient in England to be diagnosed with cancer is 40 days, a new study suggests.

Health officials have set a target for all cancer patients to be diagnosed within 28 days by 2020.

The new study found that in 2014 the median number of days from first relevant presentation to the date of diagnosis was 40 days.

This ranged from 15 days to 86 days, according to the research published in the British Journal of General Practice. The Independent

See also:

GP Amanda Doyle: ‘The NHS revamp isn’t a big bang, it’s a gradual transition’

GP Amanda Doyle: ‘The NHS revamp isn’t a big bang, it’s a gradual transition’ The Blackpool GP and head of the region’s controversial sustainability and transformation plan says she wants to make services better, not make cuts

With the festive season upon us, Amanda Doyle is braced for a lot of hard work. As chief officer of the region’s controversial sustainability and transformation plan (STP) and its fledgling accountable care organisation, she is responsible for improving health and social care in Lancashire and South Cumbria. If that were not enough, the 53-year-old GP is also the chief clinical officer for Blackpool clinical commissioning group and co-chair of NHS Clinical Commissioners, the national body representing CCGs.

Doyle denies that she has too much on her plate, although she concedes that the hours are long. But she has had to cut back on the amount of time seeing patients. “I’ve been a GP for 22 years, in the same practice. Since the beginning of this year, I’ve done one day a week of general practice:I’m very loth to give that up. It gives me credibility. There’s nothing like seeing patients every week for knowing what’s actually going on. I know exactly what the waiting times are because I’m doing it every week.” Continue reading... The Guardian

Blood stocks of TWO major types are running low

Blood stocks of TWO major types are running low Stocks of two major types of blood are running low because of the bad weather, concerned health officials have warned.

The NHS fears there won't be enough B negative and O negative blood to last this Christmas.

Bosses are now urging people to donate their blood - despite thousands having already been put off due to the cold temperatures.

The start of the flu season, which has seen a 39 per cent jump in cases in the past week, is also to blame for the lack of blood.

Jon Latham, of the NHS Blood and Transplant, revealed anyone with either blood type will be able to walk in and donate at any centre. The Daily Mail