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Content ArticleThis case report in the journal Cureus examines the use of dalfampridine, a drug used to improve walking in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Dalfampridine can have serious side effects including inducing seizures. Although the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends stopping the medication permanently after a single seizure episode, this recommendation is not widely known by health care professionals. The authors argue that there is a need to raise awareness of the FDA recommendation and the potential for dalfampridine to cause seizures amongst primary and secondary care doctors and patients.
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Content ArticleThis report represents the views of organisations and experts who responded to the Department of Health & Social Care's call for evidence on its Women's Health Strategy. The call for evidence was released in March 2021. This report focuses on submissions received from 436 organisations and individuals with expertise in women’s health, including the charity sector (34%), academia (22%), industry (10%), clinicians (7%), professional bodies (7%), pressure groups (7%), NHS organisations (3%), parliamentary groups (2%), royal colleges (1%), local government (1%), think tanks (1%) and others (6%).
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Content ArticleYoung people with type 1 diabetes experience higher rates of psychological distress, periods of burnout and feelings of being unable to cope with the daily burden of living with diabetes, than those who are diagnosed as adults. This article in The BMJ considers approaches to reduce anxiety and stress in young people with diabetes including: family, peer, and psychological support and education on living with diabetes. psychological screening assessment tools at diagnosis and annually. ensuring there are adequate local mental health support pathways. psychological and behavioural interventions, such as solution focused therapy, coping skills training, motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapy.
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Content ArticleThe National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (NPDA) is performed annually in England and Wales and aims to provide information that leads to improved quality care for children and young people affected by diabetes. The audit is funded by the Department of Health through the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP). Key messages in this 2020-21 annual report on care processes and outcomes include: There was an increase of an increase of 20.7% in the number of children aged 0-15 diagnosed with type 1 diabetes compared with 2019-20. Completion rates on recommended health checks were lower than in previous years due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. There was wide variation between paediatric diabetes units in the completion rates of all key annual health checks. A smaller percentage of newly-diagnosed children and young people started insulin pump therapy compared to previous years. The national median HbA1c (a measure of blood glucose control) reduced from 61.5 mmol/mol to 61.0mmol/mol between 2019/20 and 2020/21, following several years of year on year decreases (improvement) in the national median. Children from ethnic minorities were less likely to be using insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) than white children. However, the highest percentage increase between audit years in the use of CGMs was seen in black children and young people with type 1 diabetes.
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Content ArticleNew data from the Office for National Statistics demonstrates that people with severe and potentially terminal health conditions are more than twice as likely to take their own lives than the general population. This press release by the Campaign for Dignity in Dying highlights the patient safety issues caused by current laws around assisted dying in the UK, including patients dying alone by suicide, without loved ones to support them.
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Content ArticleEpistemic injustice occurs when a person is not given authority and credibility as a 'knower' in a conversation, due to negative stereotypes associated with their identity. These stereotypes might relate to their age, gender, ethnicity, social class, education, sexual orientation or health. Young people with unusual experiences and beliefs are particularly at risk of experiencing epistemic injustice, and this can have a negative impact on their health outcomes. In this blog Joe Houlders, Matthew Broome and Lisa Bortolotti from the University of Birmingham talk about the risks of young people with unusual experiences and beliefs experiencing epistemic injustice in clinical encounters. This is the first in a series of blogs reporting outcomes from a project on Agency in Youth Mental Health, led by Rose McCabe at City University.
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Content ArticleThe article in the Journal of Global Health examines the unique patient safety risks that can arise in fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings (FCV), including humanitarian crises, conflict, extreme adversity, services disruption and immediate or protracted emergencies. Recent estimates suggest a large proportion of the total number of preventable deaths take place in FCV settings, including 60% of preventable maternal deaths, 53% of deaths in children under five years, and 45% of neonatal deaths. The authors highlight a gap in knowledge and research about healthcare in FCV settings, which prevents researchers from being able to effectively assess interventions for quality, safety and sustainability. They suggest that more academic research is urgently needed in order to make policy and practice more effective in improving patient safety in these settings.
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Content ArticleIn this blog for The Health Foundation, the authors make five recommendations for strengthening NHS management and leadership: Support providers and systems to tackle variation in management practice Improve access to training and development opportunities Ensure training equips managers and leaders with the skills they need today Tackle the reporting burden and 'priority thickets' facing managers Ensure the role of managers and leaders is better understood and valued
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Content ArticleThis article in the Journal of Global Health aimed to consider which patient safety interventions are the most effective and appropriate in fragile, conflict-affected, and vulnerable (FCV) settings. The authors examined available literature published between 2003 and 2020, using an evidence-scanning approach. They found that the existing literature is dominated by infection prevention and control interventions for multiple reasons, including strength of evidence, acceptability, feasibility and impact on patient and healthcare worker wellbeing. They identified an urgent need to further develop the evidence base, specialist knowledge and field guidance on a range of other patient safety interventions such as education and training, patient identification, subject specific safety actions and risk management.
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Content ArticleThis analysis in the Financial Times highlights that in early April 2022, the number of vacant NHS hospital beds in England was 5.4%, the lowest figure since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The joint pressures of dealing with the backlog of elective care and ongoing high rates of Covid-19 infections are leaving the health service dangerously close to capacity. The authors highlight that this is likely to cause longer waits in accident and emergency and the potential for patients to be sent to wards that cannot effectively cater for their needs.
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Content Article
This is part of our new series of Patient Safety Spotlight interviews, where we talk to people about their role and what motivates them to make health and social care safer. Ehi talks to us about how building a connection with patients makes their care safer, the safety issues caused by lack of regulation, accountability and transparency, and the moral responsibility each of us has to speak up when we spot safety risks or see a patient harmed. -
Content ArticleThis report by the charity Maternity Action looked at the lived experience of pregnant women seeking asylum in the UK. It highlights that pregnant women face barriers in accessing appropriate housing and nutrition during pregnancy, and that midwives and voluntary sector organisations play an important role in supporting pregnant women seeking asylum.
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Content Article
This visual guide by the UK Health Security Agency shows photographs of different vaccines used in the UK routine immunisation schedule and their packaging. It includes information on trade names and abbreviations, diseases each vaccine protects against and the age at which it should be administered. -
Content ArticleThis article examines the lasting impact of the tragic case of Daksha Emson, a 34-year old psychiatrist who took her own life and that of her baby daughter in an episode of postpartum psychosis. Daksha had a history of bipolar disorder and had attempted suicide before, and the inquiry into her death found that she received “significantly poorer standard of care than that which her own patients might have expected.” The authors highlight the impact of her story on the development in the UK of both specialist perinatal mental health services and specialised confidential services for health professionals, which remove some of the stigma attached to help-seeking.
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Content ArticleThese resources by the Royal College of Nursing provide practical and clinical guidance for vaccine administration. All information supports guidance in The Green Book - Immunisation against infectious disease published by the UK Health Security Agency.
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Content ArticleThis article in the journal Patient Safety describes a state-wide, population-based study into tracheostomy- and laryngectomy-related airway safety events. The Pennsylvania-based study aimed to assess the relationship of these events with associated factors, interventions and outcomes, to identify potential areas for improvement. The authors queried the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Reporting System (PA-PSRS) to find tracheostomy- and laryngectomy-related airway safety event reports involving adults age 18 years and older that occurred between 1 January 2018, and 31 December 2020.
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Content ArticleSally Percival is Co-Chair of the National Co-production Advisory Group at the organisation Think Local Act Personal (TLAP). In this blog, she reflects on what has changed in co-production over the past 12 years, including the increased desire from policy makers to listen to patients' lived experience. She also talks about the importance of creating the right environment for co-production to take place and TLAP's 'Making it Real' approach.
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Content ArticleThis guidance from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) should be used to help reduce the spread of Covid-19 in adult social care settings. It applies from 4 April 2022 and should be read in conjunction with: the infection prevention and control (IPC) resource for adult social care, which should be used as a basis for any infection prevention and control response the adult social care testing guidance, which details the testing regimes for all staff, as well as any resident and outbreak testing where applicable.
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EventuntilThe Healthier Nation Index (HNI) is Nuffield Health’s annual survey of the nation’s physical and mental health. The HNI aims to understand how people are feeling, how they are managing their own physical and mental health, and explore some of the factors that are impacting the health of the nation. This session run by Public Policy Projects will explore the findings of the HNI and provide useful insights into the issues policymakers and stakeholders within the health sector should be focusing on as we move on from the pandemic and into the ‘levelling up’ landscape. The findings of this year’s HNI survey show the long-term impact of the pandemic on the nation’s physical and mental health, including how waiting times and the elective care backlog are having a detrimental effect on people’s wellbeing, as well as changing traditional models of healthcare. As we emerge from the pandemic, what lessons can be learned? How can we rebuild the nation’s health? Discussion points 1. What role can prevention and interventions outside the hospital setting play in relieving pressure? The HNI adds to a growing body of evidence which demonstrates that people are finding it difficult to access health services. What role can prevention and interventions outside the hospital setting play in relieving pressure on an overburdened NHS and tackle the elective care backlog? 2. What is the effect of the pandemic on how people use the NHS? What impact are long NHS waiting lists having on mental and physical health? Has the pandemic changed the way that people seek health advice and access healthcare? 3. How can we address health inequalities? How can we widen access to healthcare? Are the ‘Levelling Up’ health missions the right ones to improve the health of under-served populations? 4. What are the opportunities of Integrated Care Systems and Partnerships? As the fledgling bodies are brought into statutory footing in July 2022, what should the new structures be focusing on? Register for this webinar
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EventuntilDevelopment Partnerships, whilst common in other sectors, are rare in the NHS. However, these have proven remarkably successful when they’ve been implemented. HUC, one of the highest performing NHS 111 and GP OOH providers in the country, provides Integrated Urgent and Emergency Care for a population of 3.3M in the East of England. For the past six years HUC has worked in a joint Development Partnership with Content Guru, whose storm® contact centre solution is Europe’s biggest and most advanced cloud-based communications platform. The Development Partnership has jointly adapted Content Guru’s storm platform to meet HUC’s specific and evolving requirements across its service. This has grown to become the exemplar communications model for IUEC in England. It is currently being rolled out across all 16 NHS 111 providers in England. Development Partnerships, whilst common in other sectors, are rare in the NHS. However, these have proven remarkably successful when they’ve been implemented. In this webinar HUC’s CEO and Content Guru’s Head of Healthcare will discuss their journey together, share their key tips for success, and showcase some of the resulting innovations. Register for the webinar.
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Content ArticleIn this blog for Refinery 29, journalist L'Oréal Blackett discusses the additional risk and associated worries faced by black pregnant women in the UK. With black women four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women, and 40% more likely to suffer a miscarriage, she examines what action the government is taking to improve outcomes for black women and their babies. She speaks to a number of campaigners who highlight the importance of including black women at every stage of research and policy to tackle race-based health inequalities, and who question whether this is being done by the UK government's new Maternity Disparities Taskforce. She also argues that empowering women to make informed, evidence-based decisions is the most effective way to improve maternal safety for black women.
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Community Post
GP experiences of rejected referrals and access to secondary care
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a topic in GP and primary care
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Are you a GP or other healthcare professional working in primary care? Have you noticed an increase in rejected referrals to outpatient services/for scans and other investigations? How have changes to the referral system affected you? What communication relating to referrals have you received recently from the NHS? What has the impact been on your own workload and wellbeing, and the safety of patients? Please share your experiences with us so we can continue to highlight this important issue. -
Content ArticleAn increasing number of cancer patients are using the internet to better understand their disease and connect with others facing the same challenges. Online cancer communities have developed into resources that highlight new research and evolving treatments. Combined with increasing health literacy and social media, they have enabled some patients to become experts in their cancer. This article in the journal JCO Oncology Practice examines the role of expert patients (e-patients) in advancing cancer medicine, and looks at opportunities available to those who wish to become more involved in research advocacy. The authors found that e-patients play a greater role in their own care and in larger conversations regarding practice, research, and policy. They highlight that clinicians can engage e-patients as partners in cancer care to work together towards improving healthcare access and outcomes for people with cancer.
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EventuntilOur societies are currently at a crossroads. Demographic change, growing inequalities, the climate crisis, COVID-19, and the impacts of the war in Ukraine are all having a negative impact on the health and well-being of our societies. These challenges are straining public resources and the social fabric of our communities. How can we overcome these issues and grow stronger in times of crisis? The early years and later years of life are crucial stages in the life-course. How we approach health and wellbeing during these phases has a direct impact on the long-term resilience of our health systems and our wider societies. We must prioritise health equity and wellbeing among children, youth, families and older people to ensure they have the essential conditions and resources to thrive, setting them up for lifelong health and wellbeing. Alternative economic and care models, such as the Economy of Wellbeing – as well as socially-conscious public and private investments offer the potential to grow stronger and more sustainably out of the current crises. This in-person seminar will gather experts and policy makers to explore the necessary conditions in which all members of society, including young and older people, feel like capable and valued members of their immediate and wider communities. New and innovative approaches and investments will be presented, in the context of current European policy developments, and with a critical focus on their impacts on health equity. Discussions will be centred around the following themes: Securing conditions for health equity and wellbeing in childhood and adolescence in times of uncertainty Prioritising public investments for healthy and active ageing in the wake of multiple crises Exploring how we can turn our current uncertainties into opportunities for strength, through concepts like the Economy of Wellbeing Sign up for the seminar
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Content ArticleHealth literacy is about people having enough knowledge, understanding, skills and confidence to use health information, be active partners in their care and navigate health and social care systems. Health literacy levels in the UK are low, with 43% of 16 to 65-year-olds in England struggling with text-based health information and 61% unable to understand health information that includes both text and numbers. This e-learning resource by Health Education England and NHS Scotland aims to help people working in health and social care understand and promote health literacy.
