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Clive Flashman

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  1. Clive Flashman
    Over-55s are not being recommended useful health technology as GPs presume they cannot use a smartphone, say researchers
    Older patients are being excluded from beneficial health technology because “ageist” doctors presume they cannot work a smartphone, research has suggested. Experts have accused doctors of “stereotyping” older people as being incapable of using technology and warned patient safety was being put at risk by a failure to support them in using appropriate online health tools.
      GPs typically recommend NHS-approved health apps to about one in 10 patients aged under 35 to help them manage their conditions between appointments, such as by reminding them to take medications or monitoring their symptoms. However, doctors recommend the same apps to just one in 25 patients over 55 and one in 50 patients over 65, according to research by the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps (ORCHA), which assesses apps for the health service. The same research found 55 per cent of over-55s would be happy to try using a health app if it was recommended, while nine in 10 over-55s and eight in 10 over-65s who have used a health app felt satisfied or very satisfied with the experience.
      The NHS Long Term Plan states that patients should have access to “digital tools” to manage their health and studies have shown NHS-approved health apps can have clinical benefits. Older people ‘will benefit from digital products’
    However, Helen Hughes, the chief executive of the charity Patient Safety Learning, suggested ageist assumptions about older people’s technological ability meant they were missing out.
      “The data suggests that older people maybe being stereotyped, with assumptions they won’t be computer literate,” she said. “Plenty of older people are tech savvy – or at least willing to learn – and will really benefit from being able to manage their health from home, using digital products. Older patients need to be offered technology solutions with support on how best to use them, if this is needed.”
      She warned there was also “a significant patient safety issue” with the failure to advise patients about NHS-approved apps, as it left older patients at risk of inadvertently downloading one of the thousands of unreliable health apps available. To read the full article (paywalled), click here
    Original Source: The Telegraph
  2. Clive Flashman
    Five serious incidents, including the deaths of two children, spark “urgent” investigations at specialist trust Great Ormond Street Hospital FT has linked the incidents partly to what it described as a “faulty” batch of a type of glue used to close wounds during surgery Supplier says it followed the correct recall processes for the product Five serious incidents, including the deaths of two children, have sparked ‘urgent’ investigations into the processes through which clinicians are alerted to potential safety concerns over medical products used on patients.
    Great Ormond Street Hospital Foundation Trust has been investigating the incidents which happened between December 2020 and April 2021. The trust has linked the incidents partly to what it described as a “faulty” batch of a type of glue used to close wounds during surgery. The glue, called Histoacryl, is produced by B. Braun Medical Ltd, and the company issued three separate “field safety notices”, relating to different batches of the product, in March and April this year. The company has stressed that it followed the correct recall processes throughout.
    According to a report to GOSH’s public board meeting on 29 September, Histoacryl has been used for the endovascular treatment of brain arteriovenous malformations for more than 30 years, but earlier this year batches of the product were identified as hardening less rapidly than expected. The trust told HSJ in a statement: “A comprehensive serious incident investigation has been carried out to determine the impact of the faulty glue on all patients treated with it.
    “The investigation found that whilst the passage of glue through the intended vessel may have been contributory in some instances of harm, it was unlikely to be the sole or main factor. “Both patients who died had serious and complex medical conditions and the procedure to correct these always carries a high degree of risk which is discussed extensively with the families before any treatment takes place.”
    Read full article here (paywalled)
    Original source: Health Service Journal
  3. Clive Flashman
    The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published State of Care. The report, which draws on the experiences of care people have shared with Healthwatch England, has found that health and social care services face some highly concerning challenges, including:
    A workforce drained in terms of resilience and capacity, especially in social care, where the staff vacancy rate has risen; A rising number of people seeking emergency care, leading to unacceptable waiting times; and Tackling the health inequalities that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated. The report welcomes the additional funding that the Government has allocated to help the NHS and social care address their challenges. However, CQC has called for the extra investment to be used to:
    Develop new ways of working and don’t just prop up existing approaches and plug demand in acute care; and Improve the training, career development and terms and conditions of social care workers to help attract and retain more staff. CQC has also recommended that the short-term funding - currently in place to help discharge patients who are no longer in need of hospital care but may still require care services - be extended. 
    The HealthWatch response
    Responding, Sir Robert Francis QC, Chair of Healthwatch England said:
    “During the pandemic, people have told us about the challenges they have faced. Whether this not being able to access dental care, problems using online GP services or being discharged from the hospital without the proper support. It’s great to see this report drawing so much on the experiences people have shared with us. 
    “We urge Government to act on this report. The health and care system upon which we all depend is facing a hard winter, but, as this report makes clear, the longer-term picture is also challenging.
    “The steps the CQC are recommending, like extending the extra funding to help people leave hospital safely and ensuring there is enough dental capacity, will help give services the breathing space they need to get through this winter.
    “However, come spring we need to grasp the opportunity to build a better NHS and social care system. A system that tackles heath inequalities head-on, ensuring that no matter who you are or where you live, you can access high-quality care that meets your needs. A system that is sustainable, is designed round the needs of people and breaks perennial cycle of winter crises.”
    Original source: HealthWatch
    CQC report here
  4. Clive Flashman
    NHS England has said that there is no ‘widespread issue’ with the national booking system for Covid vaccinations, despite eligible patients claiming they have been unable to book their booster jabs.
    It comes as Sajid Javid yesterday urged people to ‘come forward’ for their Covid vaccines if they are eligible and have not had an invite six months after their second jab, and the Government launched a new campaign to promote boosters and flu vaccines.
    Daisy Cooper, liberal democrat MP for St Albans, said yesterday in the House of Commons: ‘Many of my constituents are desperate to get their third jabs and their boosters. The Minister said that if their invitation has not arrived, they can book on the national booking service or 119, but that is simply not working. 
    ‘When they get on to the national booking service, it says they are not eligible if they have not received an invitation letter. If they call 119, it is telling them it cannot override the system.’
    Vaccines minister Maggie Throup assured Ms Cooper: ‘I will definitely look into that. If there is a problem in the system, we will get it fixed.’
    But NHS England told Pulse: ‘There isn’t a widespread issue with the system not recognising people who are eligible.’
    The NHS website currently says: ‘If you haven’t received an invite by 6 months and 1 week, you can try to book your appointment online without an invite.’
    Patients have also taken to Twitter to complain about not being able to book Covid boosters, despite receiving invitations to do so.
    Read full article here
    Original source: Pulse Today
  5. Clive Flashman
    A LACK of capacity is meaning vulnerable kids in England are being put into foster care and children’s homes in Scotland, a new report has revealed. An investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into social care in the UK found that stakeholders are raising concerns about the practice.
    They warned that young people are facing disruption at school after being placed into different legal and educational systems – all due to a lack of spaces near their home area. It could mean some kids from as far away as London are being placed into care in Scotland.
    The investigation also revealed difficulties in Scotland placing children with disabilities or complex needs. And it found Scottish children in the care system were more likely to be separated from their siblings than their counterparts in England. The CMA reported that in England in 2019/20, 1400 (13% of all siblings in care) siblings were not placed according to their plan. In Scotland, there were 200 sibling groups separated after being placed into foster care - more than 20% of all sibling groups in foster care.
    For the full article, click here
    Original source: The National
  6. Clive Flashman
    This survey looks at the experiences of people who stayed at least one night in hospital as an inpatient.
    The results show that, generally, people’s experiences of inpatient care were positive and overall differences between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients were small, suggesting that care provided was consistent. Most people said they were treated with respect and dignity, had confidence and trust in the doctors and nurses that treated them and observed high levels of cleanliness.
    Survey findings were less positive, however, for areas of care including people’s experiences of receiving emotional support, information sharing and hospital discharge.
    For the detailed findings, click here
    Original source: Care Quality Commission
  7. Clive Flashman
    As part of the UK Government’s efforts to tackle health problems, including mental health, earlier in the cycle, the newly-created Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has launched the latest Better Health – Every Mind Matters campaign to improve the general public’s mental wellbeing.
    The new campaign aims to empower members of the general public to look after their mental health through tips and practical advice, helping to find what works for them in reducing stress and anxiety, boosting their mood, sleeping better, and feeling in greater control of their lives.
    New research commissioned by OHID revealed nearly half of adults (49%) in England said the Covid-19 pandemic had a negative impact on their mental wellbeing. In the same research, more than a third of all adults in England (34%) said they did not know what to do to improve their mental wellbeing. That equated to 15.1 million people. Younger adults were the most significantly affected group with their mental health, with 57% of 18-34 year olds suggesting the pandemic had negatively impacted their mental health. Just under half (44%) reported not knowing what to do to help improve it.
    This is the first campaign delivered by OHID since being officially launched on October 1, 2021. They have been set up with the aim of tackling health inequalities across the country.
    Minister for Care and Mental Health, Gillian Keegan, said: “The public showed great resilience throughout the pandemic, but it has served as a stark reminder that we all need to look after ourselves not only physically, but mentally. “There are simple steps we can all be taking to improve our mental wellbeing and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. For anyone who is unsure what they can do, I urge you to visit Every Mind Matters and take advantage of the expert advice and practical tips available to you.”
    Claire Murdoch, NHS National Director for Mental Health, added: “The last year has taken its toll on people’s mental health but NHS staff have responded rapidly to treat more people with mental health issues than ever before – rolling out 24/7 crisis lines across the country and mental health support teams in schools during the pandemic. “The NHS is here for you, so if you’re struggling with anxiety and depression our rapidly expanding talking therapy services are available, while anyone who needs urgent help can access our 24/7 NHS crisis lines – available to people of all ages. “I would encourage everyone to look after their mental health, and by answering 5 simple questions, get a tailored ‘mind plan’ which will give you tips to help boost your mood, sleep better and deal with stress and anxiety.”
    Over 3.4 million individual Mind Plans have already been created since the campaign was first launched in October 2019.
    Original source: National Health Executive
  8. Clive Flashman
    A team of world-leading medical experts have collaborated to improve patient safety and outcomes following high-risk surgery.
    The endeavour, which includes industry specialists such as anaesthetists, surgeons, and patient representatives, is called the Improving Patient Outcomes (ImPrOve) Think Tank. The ImPrOve team has recently published its European report that highlights and looks to address a severe patient safety and health issue in which death and serious complication rates in the 30-days following high-risk surgery are alarmingly high.
    The insightful report outlines an array of practices and innovations in the health sector that can improve patient safety and outcomes. These include calling for better physician training on the latest guidelines, funding for modern digital monitoring, utilisation of data from current technologies in health policies, and the right for patients to be involved in the discussion of the management of their procedure.
    Perils of high-risk surgery
    Around 2.4 million patients undergo high-risk surgery annually in Europe alone, with UK evidence indicating that 80% of postoperative deaths occur in a 10% sub-population of high-risk patients. If this startling trend continues throughout Europe, it is estimated that a staggering 192,000 people will die within the 30-day period following their surgery, demonstrating the immense dangers posed to patient safety and outcomes. There is an array of challenges during high-risk surgery; however, the ImPrOve Think Tank believes that potentially the most alarming complication is haemodynamic instability, which manifests as drops in blood pressure (known as IOH).
    Mitigating risks and increasing patient safety
    Professor Olivier Huet, the ImPrOve Chair and Professor of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, said: “Our mission is to work collaboratively with patient representatives, clinicians and policymakers to improve perioperative patient safety and experience with the help of advanced haemodynamic monitoring technologies.
    Full article here
    Source: Health Europa
  9. Clive Flashman
    The number of women in the UK who have not had vital NHS breast screening, which can stop people dying from breast cancer, has risen by an estimated 50% - to nearly 1.5 million women - since services resumed, the leading UK breast cancer charity warns during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  
    Breast Cancer Now reveals an alarming increase of around half a million women who haven’t been screened since services restarted in summer 2020, estimating that around 1,480,000 fewer women in the UK had breast screening between March 2020 and May 2021, compared to pre-pandemic levels. This comes a year after the charity reported that almost one million women had missed breast screening due to COVID-19 seeing services paused.
    According to the charity, nearly 12,000 people in the UK could have been living with undiagnosed breast cancer at the end of May 2021, due to the impact of the pandemic on breast screening services and fewer women being referred to specialists with possible symptoms of the disease since March 2020 – a frightening prospect when early detection can stop people dying from the disease.
    Full article here
    Source: Breast Cancer Now
    Also covered in the Independent
  10. Clive Flashman
    The latest edition of the Wolters Kluwer Journal of Patient Safety has just been published.
    Original studies include:
    Is There a Mismatch Between the Perspectives of Patients and Regulators on Healthcare Quality? A Survey Study The Ideal Hospital Discharge Summary: A Survey of U.S. Physicians Impact of an Original Methodological Tool on the Identification of Corrective and Preventive Actions After Root Cause Analysis of Adverse Events in Health Care Facilities: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial Detach Yourself: The Positive Effect of Psychological Detachment on Patient Safety in Long-Term Care Patient Safety Activity Under the Social Insurance Medical Fee Schedule in Japan: An Overview of the 2010 Nationwide Survey Sustaining Teamwork Behaviors Through Reinforcement of TeamSTEPPS Principles Prescribing Errors With Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Speaking Up About Patient Safety Questionnaire Descriptive Analysis of Patient Misidentification From Incident Report System Data in a Large Academic Hospital Federation Medication Errors at Hospital Admission and Discharge: Risk Factors and Impact of Medication Reconciliation Process to Improve Healthcare Reducing and Sustaining Duplicate Medical Record Creation by Usability Testing and System Redesign Full articles are payalled but the abstracts may be viewed free of charge.
    Access the Journal here
  11. Clive Flashman
    Patients are starting to suffer because health and care workers are unable to purchase fuel.
    The fuel crisis is starting to have an effect on the care of vulnerable patients, community and mental health service providers have warned. Many petrol stations are running short of fuel as a result of panic buying, after the oil firm BP warned that it would have to close some of its petrol stations because of the lack of lorry drivers. Currently there is a shortage of about 100,000 HGV drivers.
    Crystal Oldman, chief executive for the Queen’s Nursing Institute, which represents community nurses, told the journal HSJ that the fuel shortage was already affecting them: “This potentially means nurses cannot get to the patients they need to if they are unable to access fuel. At the very least, it will mean more time searching for petrol stations that have a supply, taking valuable time from their working day and more unpaid overtime will be undertaken as nurses will always prioritise their patient care.”
    Patient transport has also been affected. A source at a patient transport provider in the West Midlands told HSJ that it had been “a bit of a nightmare”. The provider had had to turn down a request for a patient going to London because of the fuel shortage and because of climate protesters disrupting motorway transport: “Ultimately those patients are either at home and distressed carrying a big risk in the community or [accident and emergency] departments which [are not] the right settings.”
    Read the full article here
    Source: Future Care Capital
  12. Clive Flashman
    Covid has created an urgent need, and a unique opportunity, to get the true waiting list out in the open.
    The English waiting list continues to break new records in the aftermath of Covid, and even the Secretary of State says it could reach 13 million patients. But the referral-to-treatment data – bad as it is – doesn’t reveal the full scale of the backlog, partly because not all waiting lists fall under RTT rules, but also because the RTT waiting list data is inaccurate and incomplete.
    The scale of these hidden delays could be vast - millions of patients. Some could wait for years, some indefinitely, always taking second place to the swelling RTT waiting list and the targets that surround it. Some patients who need urgent care will end up with disability or death. Others are already in terrible pain. All deserve better.
    Read full article here
    Source: HSJ (Paywalled). 20 September 2021
  13. Clive Flashman
    Bristol Children’s hospital tried to ‘deceive’ Ben Condon’s parents about his death, NHS ombudsman says
    An eight-week-old baby died after “a catalogue of failings” in his treatment at a children’s hospital, which then tried to “deceive” his parents about his death, an official inquiry has found.
    Doctors failed to spot that Ben Condon was suffering from a deadly bacterial infection and did not give him antibiotics until an hour before he died, the NHS ombudsman said.
    “We found that Ben and his family suffered serious injustice in consequence of the failings we found in his care and treatment,” the parliamentary and health service ombudsman said in a report that contained damning criticisms of Bristol Children’s hospital. The errors were all “lost opportunities” to help Ben recover from his illness and so increased the risk of him dying.
    Read the full article here
    Source: The Guardian
    Also covered in the Independent
  14. Clive Flashman
    The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has been officially launched by the UK Government, aimed at preventing health disparities across the country and supporting people to live longer, healthier, and happier lives.
    OHID will focus on stopping debilitating health conditions before they develop and represents a distinct step-change in focus from the Government towards a more preventative, rather than reactionary, approach to health.
    One of the key intentions of this is to reduce the backlog and also put social care on a long-term sustainable footing, tackling health issues much earlier in their presentation, tackling the underlying causes of many of these, or preventing them altogether.
    The new government office will see Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer, provide professional leadership to the organisation.
    Announcing the official launch of OHID, the Government pointed to some of the clear trends shown in recent figures, which highlight how geographical location can play a significant role in a person’s life expectancy and the years that they can expect to live a healthy life. For example:
    men in the most deprived areas in England are expected to live nearly 10 years fewer than those in the least deprived. Women in the same areas can expect to live 7 years fewer smoking is more prevalent in more deprived areas and one of the leading causes of inequalities in life expectancy; an international study found it accounts for half the difference in mortality between the least and most deprived men aged 35 to 69 obesity is widespread but more prevalent among the most deprived areas; prevalence is almost 8% higher among those living in the most deprived decile of local authorities (66.6%) compared to those in the least deprived areas (58.8%) Under its new remit, OHID will work to coordinate across local and central government, the NHS and wider society – utilising expert advice, analysis, and evidence – to drive improvements in the public’s health which may be able to have preventative roles and level up health across the UK.
    Preventative approaches to health can, it is intended, reduce the pressure on existing healthcare services, saving significant resource and money, and ensure that record investments into health and social care services can go further.
    Source: National Health Executive
    Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid said: “The pandemic has laid bare the health disparities we face not only as a country, but as communities and individuals.
    “This must change, and this body marks a new era of preventative healthcare to help people live healthier, happier and longer lives.
    “The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities will be the driving force across government, supported by communities, academics, industry and employers, to level up the health of our nation, which will reduce the pressure on our NHS and care services.”
  15. Clive Flashman
    There is a mental health crisis in England, with rates of depression doubling since the COVID pandemic began. Strategies of “speaking up”, mindfulness sessions at work, and national “happiness” campaigns have been touted as an effective approach to tackling mental health at work, but therapists are unconvinced.
    But what of mental health services offered by the state? This has been equally unconvincing. Over the past decade or so, mental health services in England have been undergoing a process of “Uberisation”. This refers to how services are effectively treated as commodities marketed through online platforms, changing the way they are delivered as well as making the jobs of the people delivering them more precarious – similar to the effect of ride-hailing apps on taxi drivers.
    Specifically, this has happened through the introduction of a standardised and digitalised model of therapy called Increased Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT). This Uberisation appears to be contributing to a mental health crisis within the therapy profession itself.
    IAPT, which was introduced in 2008, provides psychotherapy for depression and anxiety to over a million people each year – the largest NHS programme in England. It uses a model of cognitive behavioural therapy – made up of short-term interventions of four to 12 sessions – that use techniques, such as relaxation exercises, to encourage positive mood and behaviour.
    With extremely high levels of depression and anxiety among therapists, there is a genuine question about patient safety that is being overlooked. If the mental health model itself is broken, are services deepening the mental health crisis, rather than solving it?
    Read the full article here
    Source: The Conversation
  16. Clive Flashman
    Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn carried out a transparent review of 389 Covid infections
    An NHS trust has apologised to hundreds of families whose relatives caught Covid-19 in hospital and died, after a review found a lack of private rooms contributed to the spread of the virus.
    The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, has carried out a review of all 389 cases of patients who either definitely or probably contracted Covid while in the hospital between March 2020 and February this year. Of those, 151 patients died. 
    The trust is the only NHS trust to have carried out a full and transparent review of hospital acquired infections of Covid-19 with staff speaking with each family to understand their concerns and views.
    Read full article here
    Source: Independent
  17. Clive Flashman
    The country’s largest clinical study is being launched in Greater Manchester to investigate the best gap between first and second Covid-19 vaccine doses for pregnant women.
    Led by St George’s, University of London, the Preg-CoV study will provide vital clinical trial data on the immune response to vaccination at different dose intervals – either four to six weeks or eight to 12 weeks. This data will help determine the best dosage interval and reveal more about how the vaccine works to protect pregnant mothers and their babies against Covid-19.
    Pregnant women are more likely to develop severe Covid-19 or die from the disease but are excluded from clinical trials with new vaccines. This means there are currently very limited clinical trial data on the immune response and side effects caused by the vaccines for these women.
    Read the full story here
    Source: National Health Executive
  18. Clive Flashman
    Mental health patients who were discharged from or admitted to acute mental health services during the first Covid-19 lockdown experienced loneliness and social isolation, according to a new study. Published in the British Journal of Psychiatry Open the 34 patients, carers and clinical staff were interviewed by a team of researchers from The University of Manchester. 
    Mental health service users also reported ‘working harder’ to avoid admission due to fears around environmental safety as a result of COVID-19.  “Even before the pandemic, there are lots of safety concerns associated with recent discharge from inpatient mental health services, for example suicide and self-harm,“ said lead author Dr Natasha Tyler, researcher at the GM PSTRC and The University of Manchester. Dr Tyler added: ‘Our patients and carers felt that because of the national need to free-up hospital beds, the quality of discharge and admission planning was compromised at times. “That meant discharging patients from hospitals who were not ready to cope in the community or not admitting patients who needed in-patient care. “The closure of most community support services meant patients had minimal opportunities for accessing care via alternative routes.  This worsened  their feelings of helplessness and loneliness.” 
    Full article here
    Source: Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre
  19. Clive Flashman
    New analysis published by the Health Foundation shows that while the waiting list for hospital care continues to grow, so too does the number of ‘missing' patients who have not yet been added to the list. There were 7.5 million fewer people referred for routine hospital care between January 2020 and July 2021 than would have been expected based on numbers prior to the pandemic. These ‘missing patients’ are in addition to the record 5.6 million people already on the waiting list.  
    This lower than expected number of people referred for hospital care, including for routine procedures such as hip or knee surgery, is likely to be due to a number of reasons. Some people may not have sought treatment for health concerns during the pandemic, while others may have seen their GP but not yet been referred due to the pressure on hospital services during the pandemic. In some instances, care may no longer be needed. 
    The analysis comes alongside a BBC Panorama documentary (Monday 27 September) revealing the scale of the elective care backlog and the impact delays are having on people’s lives. The Health Foundation analysis, shared with Panorama, also shows that the pandemic had a much worse effect on the hospital care provided in some areas of England than it did in others. The analysis of 42 local integrated care systems (ICSs) shows that the pandemic significantly reduced the level of routine hospital care performed across the country – in the worst affected area routine hospital care dropped by 37% while in the least affected area there was a 13% reduction.  
    Read the full article here
    Source: The Health Foundation
  20. Clive Flashman
    NHSX have revealed that they will fund and support 14 new projects across the country to help half a million people receive care at home using digital technology. This will include remote cardiac rehabilitation services and digital self-management systems, as well as parental support services for families of children with eating disorders.
    Tara Donnelly, Chief Digital Officer at NHSX, said: “Through our Digital Health Partnership Award, these organisations will have access to the expertise and support they need to adopt or expand their digital capabilities safely and effectively, allowing many more patients with long term conditions to receive their care from the comfort of their homes rather than always having to attend primary and acute settings.”
    In addition to innovation in digital technology, a number of the projects build on existing services to ensure more patients can benefit from remote services.
    One of the projects also includes the expansion of secure video services at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, which will make it possible for patients and carers, as well as their doctors, to share seizure videos across their neurology service. Cambridgeshire Community Services are also expanding their remote health monitoring service.
    Read the full article here
    Source: National Health Executive
  22. Clive Flashman
    GP practices will be included in the remit of a new patient safety watchdog, due to come in from 2023 under the new Health and Care Bill, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has said. DHSC said that it expects the new Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) to be ‘fully operational’ in England from April 2023 – ‘subject to parliamentary clearances’. 
    It confirmed that the statutory independent body will investigate NHS care in GP practices, although it said that the HSSIB’s ‘focus is likely to be predominantly on investigating patient safety incidents in NHS trusts’. The body will also investigate care provided by the independent healthcare sector.
    RCGP vice-chair Dr Gary Howsam said: ‘It is important that we have further details about how this regulator will interact with general practice, and the expectations it will have of GPs and our teams, including ensuring GPs are not implicated for systemic issues out of their control.’
    Read the full article here
  23. Clive Flashman
    U.S. News has just released its list of the best hospitals with associated rankings and ratings.
    Scores are based on several factors, including survival, patient safety, nurse staffing and more. U.S. News reviews hospitals performance in 15 adult specialties, 10 pediatric specialties and 17 surgical procedures and medical conditions affecting millions of people across the country.
    Find all of the rankings and ratings here
     
  25. Clive Flashman
    In ‘Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed For Men’ author Caroline Criado Perez writes about Rachael, a woman who suffered years of severe and incapacitating pain during her period. 
    It takes, on average, eight years for women in the UK to obtain a diagnoses of endometriosis. In fact, for over a decade, there has been no improvement in diagnostic times for women living with the debilitating condition. You might think, given the difficulty so many women experience in having their symptoms translated into a diagnosis, that endometriosis is a rare condition that doctors perhaps don’t encounter all that often. Yet it is something that affects one in ten women – so what is going wrong?
    Read the full article here in The Scotsman
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