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Data on weight loss jab link to suicidal thoughts needs ‘urgent clarification’

Data that suggests a weight loss jab may be linked to people having suicidal thoughts needs urgent clarification, experts have said.

According to a new study, figures from a World Health Organization (WHO) database suggest a bigger proportion of reports about the drug semaglutide (Wegovy) mentioned suicidal thoughts.

This is when compared to liraglutide (another weight loss drug, also known as Saxenda).

This study using the WHO database found a signal of semaglutide-associated suicidal ideation, which warrants urgent clarification

This was particularly the case among patients who also reported taking antidepressants, the study found.

The researchers of the study, published in Jama Network Open, say the findings warrant “urgent clarification”.

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Source: The Independent, 20 August 2024

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Trust to review year-long waiters after woman’s death

A mental health trust will review patients not seen by its services for more than a year after a woman died having waited 13 months for a follow-up appointment. 

Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust is set to scrutinise patient records of all those who have not been seen by trust staff in more than 12 months, according to a coroner’s report.

Assistant coroner for Birmingham and Solihull, Adam Hodson, said the review was taking place in a prevention of future deaths report issued after the death of Juliette Sewell.

Ms Sewell was reported missing on Valentine’s Day this year and was found dead two days later.

The 36-year-old had a history of mental illness since 2010 and had been under the care of BSMHFT and her GP.

At the time of her death on 16 February, Ms Sewell had been awaiting a follow-up appointment with BSMHFT’s mental health team since January 2023, which had been delayed due to staffing shortages.

Although the coroner said it was unlikely her death could have been prevented, he felt there was a risk of future deaths and said an incident review carried out by the trust after Ms Sewell’s death had mentioned a wider investigation.

He said the trust had “confirmed that a review of Rio records was being undertaken of those who have not been seen in more than 12 months, with actions to be identified”.

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Source: HSJ, 21 August 2024

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Clapping NHS like a ‘national religion’ is dangerous, health watchdog warns

Clapping the NHS during the pandemic may have had “dangerous” consequences by insulating it from criticism, the health ombudsman has suggested.

Rebecca Hilsenrath warned against treating the health service as a “national religion” as she called on its leaders to radically overhaul the culture and listen to those it fails.

She also accused the NHS of “doubly traumatising” those who had lost loved ones by refusing to even acknowledge the harm caused.

Ms Hilsenrath’s office has submitted evidence to an investigation of the NHS, led by Prof Lord Darzi, which is due to be published next month.

It shows a near 50 per cent rise in complaints about the NHS to the ombudsman – the highest authority for unresolved grievances – since 2020/21.

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Source: Telegraph, 17 August 2024

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140 women in England receive payout for vaginal mesh implant complications

More than 100 women who suffered traumatic complications after having vaginal mesh implants have received payouts in the first successful group claim in England.

The Guardian understands that 140 women have reached an undisclosed settlement with the manufacturers Johnson & Johnson, Bard and Boston Scientific. The total sum is expected to run into millions of pounds, although the size of the total and individual payments has not been shared.

The women claimed that the implants, used to treat stress urinary incontinence and prolapse, caused complications including chronic pain, bladder and bowel perforations, bleeding and mesh eroding through the vaginal wall. Many of the women underwent subsequent revision surgeries to remove the mesh and some continue to struggle with pain and other problems.

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Source: Guardian, 19 August 2024

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Government announces lifetime support for infected blood scandal victims


Victims of the infected blood scandal can receive support for life, while those who were subjected to “unethical” research will get up to £15,000 extra, under changes to a multibillion-pound compensation plan.

Payouts under the scheme will start by the end of the year for survivors, and by next year for affected people such as family members under a second set of regulations. Claims for those who have already died – of which there are more than 3,000 – because of the disaster can be made through their estate.

Support scheme payments – including for bereaved partners – will continue for life as part of the plan, the Government said, as it announced it had accepted the “majority” of recommendations from an independent review.

Victims who were used for research without their knowledge will also be eligible for an extra £10,000, with a higher award of £15,000 for those who underwent treatment as children in a notorious case at Lord Mayor’s Treloar’s College.

Infected people – both living and dead – will start receiving payments through the new framework by the end of this year, while for others affected by the scandal, payments will begin in 2025, the Cabinet Office said on Friday.

It comes after senior barrister and interim chairman of the compensation authority Sir Robert Francis KC made 74 proposals to address concerns with the current compensation plans.

These included an enhanced award for those involved in a “particularly egregious” case of unethical testing at the Treloar school and an increase in the “social impact” payment for some of those affected. Pupils at the college were treated for haemophilia using plasma blood products infected with HIV and hepatitis, and NHS clinicians continued with treatments to further their medical research despite knowing the dangers, the Infected Blood Inquiry found.

Jason Evans, who set up the Factor 8 campaign group after losing his father to the scandal aged four, said: “Compensation for those impacted by the infected blood scandal has taken far too long and too many have died waiting.

“Today, the picture of what compensation might look like has become clearer, and now it must be delivered.”

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Source: Medscape, 16 August 2024

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New covid vaccines for summer variants slated for approval late next week

Federal authorities are preparing to approve updated coronavirus vaccines targeting the latest virus variants late next week, a move that could make shots available before Labor Day, according to a federal health official and a person familiar with the plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a confidential process.

The mRNA shots manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna designed to target the KP.2 variant can hit the market within days of approval by the Food and Drug Administration. A third protein-based vaccine made by Novavax, preferred by people who are cautious about mRNA vaccines or who have had bad reactions to them, will probably take longer to be approved and will be distributed in subsequent weeks, according to the federal health official.

The arrival of new vaccines comes three months after the start of a summer covid wave that is receding in some places.

The timing of the release is too late for Americans who were looking to shore up their immunity before summer travel and the return of the school year, or for those who face heightened risk because of their age or underlying conditions. In recent weeks, some people weighed whether to get an outdated vaccine for partial protection more quickly or to hang on for the updated version. And those who didn’t want to wait discovered existing shots were no longer easy to find.

“That’s simply unfortunate timing, given the high levels of covid-19 circulating now and the large number of vulnerable people due for vaccination who didn’t get it months ago and are now motivated and anxious,” said Kelly Moore, president and CEO of Immunize.org, an organization that educates clinicians about vaccines.

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Source: Washington Post, 16 August 2024

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Targets ‘too constrictive’ as health expectancy gap widens

System leaders have warned that too many nationally set targets focusing on acute trusts are “constricting” efforts to tackle widening gaps in healthy life expectancy.

An NHS Confederation and Institute for Public Policy Research report published today  shows the gap in health life expectancy – the number of years a person can expect to live in full health – has now grown to more than 20 years between local authorities across the UK.

System leaders told the report, which has been shared with HSJ, that national targets for ICSs too focused on acute rather than preventive outcomes are “constricting change” around improving health expectancy.

The report adds that a “smaller set of targets may be beneficial” to tackle the widening health expectancy gap between local areas. 

It says: “Despite rhetoric on subsidiarity, local systems are still subject to a proliferation of targets. In turn, those targets tend to be focused on acute rather than preventative outcomes, constricting change.”

The report engaged with four integrated care systems – West Yorkshire, North East London, Sussex and Coventry and Warwickshire – and the Hywel Dda University Health Board in Wales. It found that health inequalities are “highly localised” meaning that systems are key to progress. 

However, it argued that ICS long-term working can be “blown off course by what politicians see as burning priorities”. This is usually waiting lists and emergency department performance “rather than population health outcomes that take time to change and deliver prosperity. High turnover of health secretaries, short-termism in Treasury and the politicisation of the NHS are all challenges here. Providing long-term funding, space to experiment and political acknowledgement that real change takes time would be useful,” the report continued.

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Source: HSJ, 16 August 2024

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Eating disorders in children double in eight years

The number of children being treated for an eating disorder has doubled over the past eight years, with some waiting more than a year for treatment, NHS data has revealed.

In the past school year there were 10,606 children beginning treatment for an eating disorder, compared with 5,240 patients in 2016-17.

Waiting times for treatment are rising, with 12 per cent waiting more than three months for an appointment, compared with 1 per cent three years ago, according to information disclosed by the House of Commons Library. It is three times longer than the NHS waiting times standard, which states that children should wait no longer than four weeks for treatment to commence and no longer than one week following an urgent referral.

However, some are waiting for more than a year. The longest time that a patient spent on the waiting list to receive treatment for their eating disorder was 378 days at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, according to data uncovered by Freedom of Information requests submitted by the Liberal Democrats.

The Lib Dems are pushing to establish walk-in mental health hubs for young people in every community and mental health professionals in every primary and secondary school.

Hope Virgo, a mental health campaigner who survived anorexia and founded the DumpTheScales campaign, said many medical professionals do not believe children when they come for help. “Through my campaigning every day I hear more and more stories of young people and adults being diagnosed with eating disorders and unable to get support,” she said. “People with eating disorders are often being told they are not sick enough for treatment and by the time they come back for support, they are told they are too sick.”

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Source: The Times, 19 August 2024

Related reading

In conversation with Hope Virgo: “The withdrawal of treatment from people with eating disorders is a national crisis that’s being ignored.”

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Mpox: People urged to get vaccine before travelling to impacted areas of Africa

People travelling to areas affected by the recent mpox outbreak in Africa have been urged to get vaccinated by the EU’s public health body.

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) updated its advice to people going to “epidemic areas” to “consult their healthcare provider or travel health clinic regarding eligibility for vaccination against mpox”.

The alert comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global emergency as cases of the disease surge. This week WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the emergence and spread of a new variant of mpox as “very worrying”.

More than 17,000 mpox cases and at least 571 deaths have been confirmed in Africa this year alone, and at least two cases have now been confirmed outside of the continent.

A new strain, named clade 1, has been identified and is spreading through physical contact. WHO says it has been identified in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda – all countries that have never reported cases of mpox before.

One case of this new strain has now been detected in Sweden, the country’s public health agency has confirmed. They say the person, who is now in isolation, had contracted it during a stay in an African country where other cases have been reported.

Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes milder symptoms like fever, chills and body aches. People with more serious cases can develop characteristic lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals.

Pamela Rendi-Wagner, director of ECDC, said: “As a result of the rapid spread of this outbreak in Africa, ECDC has increased the level of risk for the general population in the EU/EEA and travellers to affected areas. Due to the close links between Europe and Africa, we must be prepared for more imported clade I cases.”

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Source: Independent, 19 August 2024

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GPs at 'breaking point' say they must cap appointments - but could it harm patients?

GPs in England have launched a work-to-rule action in a dispute with the government over what they say is a lack of funding. It threatens to bring chaos to the system.

The British Medical Association (BMA) announced the action earlier this month, and surgeries are now taking a variety of steps, with some limiting the number of patients each GP can see to 25 per day. That could reduce the number of available appointments by a third.

But with many patients already finding it difficult to get to see a doctor, there's increasing concern it could put patients at risk.

Dr Tom Gorman says taking part in the work-to-rule is a last resort, but he feels compelled to do it to protect his patients. The 41-year-old has been a GP for eight years and says the system is at “breaking point”. He said, “We can't deliver for our patients. They’re struggling to get appointments. We don't want to take action but we’re being forced to protect our patients and staff.”

As a partner in a practice in Newcastle, Dr Gorman is in charge of deciding what action to take next. That is because GPs are effectively independent businesses – so this is not a strike or campaign of industrial action in the traditional sense.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has suggested GPs can pick-and-choose from a range of options. These include capping the number of patients that are seen each day, not doing tests and check-ups for hospitals, ignoring rationing guidelines which could result in a deluge of referrals for hospital care, and refusing data-sharing requests.

NHS England has warned this work-to-rule action could push more people into seeking help from A&Es as well as having a wider impact on the system, such as delaying discharges from hospital.

And patient watchdog Healthwatch England believes this could ultimately harm patients. “GP access is the most common issue we hear about," says chief executive Louise Ansari. “We’re worried the work-to-rule could make problems worse or even deter people from seeking help altogether. Any delay to care can have a huge impact on people’s physical and mental health.”

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Source: BBC News, 19 August 2024

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NHS commits to ending deadly delays in Parkinson medication

The NHS has committed to ending deadly delays in giving “time critical” medication to Parkinson’s patients in hospital, The Telegraph can reveal.

The health service announced a three-year “medicines safety improvement programme” to improve how prescribed drugs for hospital inpatients with conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy are managed.

It comes after The Telegraph exposed that tens of thousands of patients with Parkinson’s were being put at risk of “irreversible harm” because NHS staff were not giving them critical medication on time.

Prof Sir Stephen Powis, the national medical director of NHS England, has intervened and the health service will incorporate the issue into its patient safety strategy, in a move backed across the sector.

“People who need time critical medicines should be able to receive them on time and safely when in hospital,” Sir Stephen said.

“We have included time critical medicines as part of the national patient safety strategy and we are very committed to this work.”

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Source: The Telegraph, 15 September 2024

Further reading on the hub:

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Inquiry into Welsh healthcare-acquired Covid cases concludes

Investigations into the unusually high number of healthcare-acquired COVID-19 incidents recorded during the pandemic's onset have concluded, says NHS Wales.

Between March 2020 and April 2022, there were 18,360 suspected cases of healthcare-acquired COVID-19 in Wales. Despite being in healthcare settings, patients in hospitals and other in-patient environments faced an increased risk of hospital-acquired COVID-19. 

In response to this, the National Nosocomial COVID-19 Programme was set up in April 2022 as a collective membership of health boards and trusts in Wales, supported by the NHS Wales Executive. Following the review process, a new report from NHS Wales has identified a number of 'national learning themes' which include the benefits of bereavement support, and the importance of clear family communication in times of restricted visits.

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Source: South Wales Argus, 15 August 2024

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ICB pauses ADHD referrals to service for many adults as expansion is ‘unaffordable’

A mental health trust has stopped accepting ADHD referrals for many adults, after integrated care board chiefs warned it was “unaffordable” to expand the service due to financial pressures, HSJ understands.

Adults referred in Hertfordshire will now only be taken on by Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust’s ADHD service if their case is considered complex, despite soaring demand. 

The move comes as Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB, which commissions services in Hertfordshire, told HSJ that the scale of increased commissioning required to cope with “unprecedented demand” in the adult ADHD service was “unaffordable”, given its deficit position. 

Read full story.

Source: HSJ News, 15 August 2024

Related reading

Long waits for ADHD diagnosis and treatment are a patient safety issue (Patient Safety Learning, 15 May 2023)

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NHS plans review of adult gender services following Cass criticisms

The NHS has set out plans for a review into the safety of adult gender services, in response to detailed concerns raised by the author of the Cass Report on gender care for children and young people.

Dr Hilary Cass, the leading consultant paediatrician, listed 16 separate points of concern about the quality of treatment being offered to adults with gender dysphoria in a strongly worded letter to NHS England.

In response, NHS officials have committed to expediting a review of these services, and announced that clinic inspections would begin in September.

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Source: The Guardian, 15 August 2024

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Trust’s AI data-sharing deal ‘breaks national guidance’

An agreement to share patient data struck between a specialist trust and a start-up company does not comply with NHS England guidance, HSJ has discovered.

The 10-year agreement between the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and population health company Naitive Technologies contravenes NHS England and government guidance, which warns against granting “exclusive” use of patient data to private companies.

RNOH said it is currently in negotiations with Naitive to amend the agreement to reflect current NHS guidance, particularly around the exclusivity issue. It said it had “conducted [itself] appropriately at all times” and taken account of the guidance around exclusivity in subsequently agreed contracts.

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Source: HSJ News, 16 August 2024

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Contaminated blood scandal payouts to start by end of year, says UK government

Victims of the contaminated blood scandal will begin receiving compensation before the end of the year, and some people will be entitled to more than £2.5m, the government has confirmed.

An outline of the long-awaited compensation scheme was set out in May, after the final report of the infected blood inquiry laid bare what Rishi Sunak, the then UK prime minister, called “a decades-long moral failure at the heart of our national life”

More than 3,000 people died and many more had their lives ruined because of diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C caused by infusions of contaminated blood given between the 1970s and 1990s. Campaigners spent decades urging successive governments to take responsibility, and compensate victims and their families.

The government is expected to introduce regulations setting up the new scheme by 24 August, allowing survivors who were infected to start receiving payments before the end of the year. For those who have already died, payments will be made to their estates.

A second set of regulations covering victims’ families and others affected will follow in the coming months, with payments for these individuals to be made, starting in 2025.

Read full story.

Source: Guardian, 16 August 2024

Related reading

Infected Blood Inquiry: The Report (20 May 2024)

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Cancer diagnosis delayed by skin colour, say patients

People from ethnic backgrounds have said they believe their cancer diagnoses are being delayed due to a breakdown in communication across the healthcare system.

Israel Eguaogia who speaks on behalf of iAssist-NI, said he was advocating for nine people who felt their colour, religion and language had hampered their access to healthcare.

The most serious cases involve delays in detecting the spread of cancer, with some patients now facing a terminal illness.

The Department of Health said while there was support to aid accessibility for those from ethnic minority backgrounds, it acknowledged some patients may "still find it challenging".

Israel Eguaogia highlighted two cases of patients who have died after finding out their cancer had spread and it was too late for medical intervention.

"A big challenge is the language barrier, and we are asking for more interpreters so we can mitigate these challenges," he said.

One recurring theme among those he represents is a sense of not being taken seriously or a feeling of being "prejudiced".

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Source: BBC News, 15 August 2024

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Radiographer shortage in England ‘is delaying breast cancer treatment’

Women are receiving late breast cancer diagnoses and experiencing treatment delays due to a shortage of specialist staff who can deliver breast cancer scans, according to leading radiographers.

Specialist scans that are used to detect breast cancer are undertaken by radiographers, also known as mammographers, who specialise in breast imaging.

According to the Society of Radiographers, the latest vacancy rate among screening mammographers stands at 17.5%, and for symptomatic mammographers, who scan women who find a lump in their breast or those who have a family history of breast cancer, at almost a fifth of the workforce (19.8%).

Dean Rogers, the director of industrial strategy at the Society of Radiographers, said that the shortages were leading to women experiencing delays in cancer diagnoses, and that more mammographers needed to be recruited urgently.

“Our members work incredibly hard in order to provide a comprehensive service, despite staff shortages. But there’s no way that a department with 20% – or higher – vacancies can do the work of a full complement of mammographers. And, unfortunately, this may mean that some women’s cancers are not detected as promptly as they should be. Inevitably, any delay in detection and diagnosis means that cases become more complex and harder to treat.”

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Source: The Guardian, 15 August 2024

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Warning over antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea cases

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is warning about a small but significant rise in cases of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea.

Most cases of the sexually transmitted infection (STI) can be treated quickly, but there's growing concern over strains that can't be dealt with so easily.

Between June 2022 and May 2024, scientists working at the UKHSA identified 15 cases in England that were resistant to the antibiotic ceftriaxone, the first option drug used to treat the condition in the UK.

That compares to just nine cases that had ever been found before 2022.

If left untreated, gonorrhoea can cause major health issues, including problems with your pelvis and infertility.

So far all cases found were picked by heterosexual people. Most were in their 20s and got the infection abroad.

But some of the UKHSA's top epidemiologists say even though the numbers are small, they still need a major response.

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Source: BBC News, 15 August 2024

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WHO declares mpox global health emergency

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the mpox outbreak in parts of Africa a public health emergency of international concern.

The highly contagious disease - formerly known as monkeypox - has killed at least 450 people during an initial outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It has now spread across parts of central and east Africa, and scientists are concerned about how fast a new variant of the disease is spreading and its high fatality rate.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond "is very worrying".

"A co-ordinated international response is essential to stop this outbreak and save lives," he said.

Mpox is transmitted through close contact, such as sex, skin-to-skin contact and talking or breathing close to another person. It causes flu-like symptoms, skin lesions and can be fatal, with four in 100 cases leading to death.

Outbreaks can be controlled by preventing infections with vaccines, though these are usually only available for people at risk or those who have been in close contact with an infected person.

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Source: BBC News, 14 August 2024

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NHS to run seven ‘tests’ to prepare for emergencies

NHS England has told organisations to run seven ‘tests’ to prepare for emergencies after admitting “further work” is needed to improve the resilience of the health service.

The national plan to prepare for emergencies, which covers until 2030, was revealed in a NHSE letter to trust and system leads this week.

NHSE lead on emergency preparedness, resilience and response Stephen Groves said in the letter: “We are committed to driving this programme forward but also recognise further work is needed to strengthen collective resilience.”

In his letter, Mr Groves said NHS organisations will be set the one of the following themes to exercise each year:

  • Casualty and mass casualty
  • Hazardous materials and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear
  • Business continuity
  • Cyber and digital
  • Infections disease and pandemics
  • Adverse weather
  • Security, shelter and evacuation

Mr Groves said the new programme would start in October, and would create a “more holistic learning environment” through systematic testing.

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Source: HSJ, 14 August 2024

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HR changes save NHS Wales board £740k and improve wellbeing

Changes in HR practices have helped an NHS Wales organisation save more than £738,000 a year and boosted employee wellbeing, new research has revealed.

In a study backed by Birkbeck, University of London, a shift in an employer’s approach to HR – specifically by not carrying out disciplinary investigations in the first instance and using informal methods of resolution, such as coaching and mentoring and training – was found to cut sickness absence and improve wellbeing.

According to researchers, NHS Wales organisation Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which has more than 16,000 employees, implemented the HR changes and benefited from a 71% drop in employee investigations. It also saw a reduction of annual sickness absences by 3,000-plus days and annual savings of more than £730,000.

Dr Kevin Teoh, senior lecturer in organisational psychology at Birkbeck, University of London, said: “The findings support wider research which shows that we need to focus on improving the working environments and experiences of healthcare workers as a key part of supporting their wellbeing. Often the response has been that this is not possible, or that nothing will really change. However, this intervention provides evidence demonstrating that we can, and should, make such changes.”

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Source: Personnel Today, 6 August 2024

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Doctors practising despite sexual assault and rape allegations

Hundreds of doctors and nurses have been left free to practise unchecked despite being accused of serious sexual assault and rape in the last six years, The Independent can reveal.

Between 2018 and 2024, some 248 doctors faced allegations of rape, sexual assault or attempted rape without their licences being suspended, according to new figures from the General Medical Council (GMC).

The Independent can reveal:

  • Between 2018 and 2024, 11 doctors were accused of possessing indecent images of children but no interim orders were made.
  • Over the same period, 261 doctors faced no restrictions despite allegations of physical assault.
  • In 2018, one doctor accused of murder had no restrictions placed on their ability to practise.
  • A doctor found to have sexually assaulted colleagues was able to practise as long as he informed the GMC of his job movements.

The shocking figures, obtained via a freedom of information (FOI) request, call into question the decision-making of the UK’s two biggest health watchdogs after a series of exposés by The Independent.

Helen Hughes, chief executive of the charity Patient Safety Learning, said the figures were “deeply troubling” from both patient and staff safety perspectives.

She said: “In healthcare, patients are often faced by a significant power imbalance. When serious allegations are made against healthcare professionals, there must be robust processes in place to safeguard both staff and patients while these are being investigated.”

Read full story

Source: The Independent, 12 August 2024

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PPP, in partnership with Patient Safety Learning, launches new patient safety policy programme

Press release

12th August 2024

Public Policy Projects, in partnership with charity Patient Safety Learning, is today announcing a patient safety policy and conference programme. The programme, chaired by Patient Safety Learning Chief Executive Helen Hughes, will consist of three roundtable events and a conference in early 2025.

  • The new programme is designed to embed patient safety as a core priority across national and local health systems.
  • PPP and Patient Safety Learning will develop the programme with a focus on how technology can enable patient centred patient safety.
  • A new editorial board will be established, chaired by Helen Hughes, where key stakeholders, including industry partners and patient leaders, will set editorial direction.
  • Global enterprise software company, RLDatix, is the first programme partner and will join the editorial board.

As Patient Safety Learning has recently highlighted, we are not getting safer. Prioritisation of patient safety remains inconsistent across health and care and there is a need for a fresh forum through which stakeholders can engage in collaborative, challenging and meaningful debates that lead to action.

PPP’s new programme, Harnessing technology to enable a system wide approach to patient safety, is the product of a unique collaboration between Public Policy Projects and Patient Safety Learning. Both organisations have established track records of engaging with system leaders and key stakeholders and will leverage their networks to convene a unique and influential audience.

PPP and Patient Safety Learning argue that patient safety needs to be a core purpose of health and care, not just one priority of many. There is a need for a new system-wide forum and network, for insight and analysis to position patient safety at the core of integrated care systems, NHS and independent health organisations, and care providers.

PPP and Patient Safety Learning, along with a range of strategically selected partners, will develop a unique programme of engagement and policy to deliver actionable insights that support systems to drive improvement and reduce avoidable harm. The programme will centre on patient safety across UK health and care, and discuss it through the lens of technology, digital innovation, and data-driven transformation.

As the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has recognised that industry collaboration will be essential to getting the NHS back on its feet, this programme aims to unite industry experts with sector leaders in strategic partnership. This will ensure the insights and policy delivered reflect all pertinent stakeholders and their ability to drive forward the improvement of patient safety in UK health and care.

The programme will also include the establishment of an editorial board, which will bring together some of the country’s foremost leaders in patient safety, along with industry experts, system and patient leaders to set the programme’s editorial direction, ensuring the outputs of the programme are practical and credible.

Commenting on the programme, Helen Hughes, Chief Executive of Patient Safety Learning and programme chair, said: “Patient safety needs to be core to health and care. Despite the efforts of many, globally and nationally, the challenges of delivering safe and effective care are as great as ever.

“To make the transformational change needed, we need to collaborate system-wide to address often complex systemic issues, using the opportunity of technology innovation and user engagement to drive improvement. Bringing multi-disciplinary leaders together across the health and care system with a focus and drive on patient safety technology is an exciting and much needed innovation. We are delighted to partner with PPP on this exciting impact-focused programme with the support of RLDatix as our first programme partner.

Policy for impact

The first series of roundtables within this programme, Harnessing technology to enable a system wide approach to patient safety, will both highlight the essential role of technology and digital innovation in ensuring standards for patient safety are met, as well as stressing the importance of ensuring technology and innovations are developed and implemented with the patient front and centre.

Each roundtable will focus on a distinct area of technological advancement in health and care, and will host collaborative discussion between sector leaders, industry experts, as well as patient and end-user representatives.

Topics:

  • Session one: Uniting system partners and integrating approaches to patient safety.
  • Session two: Data, insight and safety performance: harnessing patient safety information.
  • Session three: Safety design and user engagement: the power of digitally enabled people.

Conference

PPP has a rich, vibrant and varied portfolio of conference events convening hundreds of carefully selected stakeholders for vital debate and networking.

Following the completion of the roundtable series, PPP and Patient Safety Learning will collaborate to produce an annual Patient Safety conference. These events will be used to present findings from the roundtable series as well as engaging a broader audience.

The conference will convene the patient safety community and drive strategic prioritisation of patient safety across the health system.

Programme contacts:

 

 

About Public Policy Projects

Public Policy Projects (PPP) is an organisation operating at the heart of health and life sciences policy delivery. We bring together senior leaders and practitioners in the public and private health and life sciences sectors to find realistic solutions to the most pressing issues relating to health and care delivery.

We facilitate effective collaboration between public and private sector organisations. We help businesses to grow their profile within the NHS and wider public sector. In turn, we support public sector leaders and organisations with practical recommendations on implementing policy to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for local population.

About Patient Safety Learning

Patient Safety Learning is a charity and independent voice for improving patient safety. We harness the knowledge, enthusiasm and commitment of healthcare organisations, professionals and patients for system-wide change and the reduction of harm.

We support safety improvement through policy, influencing and campaigning and the development of ‘how to’ resources such as the hub, our free award-winning platform to share learning for patient safety, and our unique Patient Safety Standards and support tools.

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Family doctors in Scotland say patient safety now 'at risk' as they battle to source supplies of vital prescription medicines

GPs in Scotland last night warned patient safety is at risk due to a chronic shortage of prescription medicines.

Medics said their ability to effectively treat people is being compromised and that the battle to source vital medicine has reached crisis point.

A survey of practitioners, including GPs, by the Medical and Dental Defence Union Scotland (MDDUS) found nine out of ten members said the ability to ‘practise medicine safely’ has now been ‘impacted’.

Forty-five per cent said they were "seeing patients whose overall health has deteriorated’ as a result of the ‘shortage of medicine".

The issue is affecting a range of conditions and includes drugs used to treat cystic fibrosis, diabetes and epilepsy, as well as hormone replacement therapy, opioid painkillers and medicines for heart conditions.

Manufacturing and logistical problems caused by Brexit, the conflict in Ukraine and the Covid pandemic have previously been cited as reasons for the supply problem.

One GP stated: ‘It is very demoralising working as hard as we can – and still being unable to meet patients’ needs due to constraints outside of our control. It makes workdays harder than necessary and mentally exhausting."

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Source: Daily Mail Online, 10 August 2024

Have you (or a loved one) ever been prescribed medication that you were then unable to get hold of at the pharmacy? 

Are you a pharmacists working in community or hospital settings?

To help us understand how these issues impact the lives of patients and families, please share your experience and insights in our Community conversation on medication shortages.

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