Search the hub
Showing results for tags 'Diagnosis'.
Found 465 results
-
Event
WPA Patient Safety Workshop: Diagnostic Errors
Sam posted an event in Community Calendar
Diagnostic error is the failure to establish an accurate and timely explanation of the patient’s health problem(s) or failure to communicate that explanation to the patient. The global burden of diagnostic errors is significant and has far-reaching implications for patients, healthcare systems, and society as a whole. Patient engagement plays a vital role in mitigating diagnostic errors by leveraging the unique knowledge, perspectives, and experiences of patients. Collaborative decision-making and open communication can significantly enhance the accuracy and quality of diagnostic processes, leading to improved patient care. Join the World Patient Alliance workshop on diagnostic errors and learn from leading healthcare providers and patient advocates on what is the global burden of diagnostic errors and how these can be reduced. Register -
News Article
AI to be deployed more widely across the NHS as new funding announced
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to be rolled out more widely across the NHS in a bid to diagnose diseases and treat patients faster. The Government has announced a £21 million funding pot that NHS trusts can apply for to implement AI tools for the likes of medical imaging and decision support. This includes tools that analyse chest X-rays in suspected cases of lung cancer. AI technology that can diagnose strokes will also be available to all stroke networks by the end of 2023 – up from 86% – and could help patients get treated faster and lead to better health outcomes. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the technology could help cut NHS waiting lists ahead of winter. Read full story Source: The Independent, 23 June 2023 -
Content Article
In 2022, an illustration of a Black foetus in the womb by Nigerian medical illustrator and medical student Chidiebere Ibe, went viral. The image sparked an important conversation around representation in medical imagery and the impact this has on health outcomes for patients who are Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC). Research showed that only 5% of medical images show dark skin and only 8% of medical illustrators identified as BIPOC. A collaboration between Chidiebere Ibe, Deloitte and Johnson & Johnson, Illustrate Change aims to build the world's largest library of BIPOC medical illustrations for use in medical education and training. So far, the library contains images relevant to the following specialties: Dermatology Eye disease General health Haematology Maternal health Oncology Orthopaedics -
Content ArticleIn this article, published by British Vogue, Alexa Chung shares her experiences of endometriosis and the barriers and attitudes she faced in seeking a diagnosis and treatment.
-
News Article
6,500 staff gap in government cancer plan revealed
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) — the government’s flagship policy for recovering cancer testing after Covid — will have up to 6,500 fewer staff than they need by 2025, according to NHS England projections seen by HSJ. The workforce “gap analysis” modelling highlights large and sustained staffing shortfalls across most professional groups required to run the CDCs until at least 2025. It was released after a Freedom of Information Act request to the Department of Health and Social Care, which said it was given the analysis by NHSE. The total gap between demand and supply for the programme by 2025 is estimated at 6,663, out of a total demand of 61,152 (about 1 in 10 staff). Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 8 June 2023 -
News Article
NHS struggling to provide safe cancer care, say senior doctors
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The Royal College of Radiologists is warning that all four UK nations are facing "chronic staff shortages", with cancer patients waiting too long for vital tests and treatments. Half of all cancer units are now reporting frequent delays for both radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Ministers say a workforce strategy for the NHS in England is due shortly. The plan, which is meant to spell out how the government will plug staffing gaps over the next 15 years, has been repeatedly delayed, to the frustration of some in the health service. In June 2022, Carol Fletcher, from South Wales, finally had her routine screening appointment for breast cancer, which was itself overdue. "It took another eight weeks after my mammogram before I was told there might be something wrong," she said. Since her cancer diagnosis, there have been more waits - for scans, tests, surgery and then chemo. "I was told that I might not get results back [quickly] after my mastectomy because they haven't got enough pathologists, so there was another eight-week delay for chemotherapy," she said. "I can't plan for the future and it's had a huge impact on my family." Read full story Source: BBC News, 8 June 2023 -
News Article
Doctor told cancer patient she had anorexia despite three ‘red flag’ signs
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A woman was “fobbed off” by her doctors who failed to diagnose her colon cancer for a year, an investigation revealed. In May 2019, Charlie Puplett, 45, expressed concern at her GP surgery in Yeovil, Somerset, about unexplained weight loss, lack of appetite and a change in bowel habits. But the surgery did not test her for colon cancer – with one doctor suggesting she had anorexia and was “in denial”, she said. She was not diagnosed until almost a year later when she was rushed to hospital after vomiting blood. Ms Puplett’s experience was detailed in an investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), which found that her symptoms should have been “red flags” leading to urgent testing within two weeks, and said she had been “failed” by her doctors. Read full story Source: The Independent, 4 June 2023 -
News ArticlePatients diagnosed with cancer in 2020 had “significantly lower” survival rates in Scotland a year after having their cases confirmed compared with the previous year, a report has found. The increase in deaths was an indirect result of the pandemic as coronavirus dissuaded people from getting check-ups or visiting physicians. Many cancer screening programmes were also paused and infection control measures in healthcare settings caused delays in both diagnosis and treatment. Andrew Elder, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said the government’s decision to pause screening programmes was “understandable in the extreme circumstances”, but added that the figures were “concerning”. He said: “Fewer and later presentations by patients who may have had more advanced disease clearly have had sometimes tragic consequences that are now being identified in the data.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Times, 31 May 2023
-
Content ArticleIn this presentation from the AD Awareness Day UK 2018, Dr Emma Redfern and Prof Mark Callaway provide a Masterclass in diagnosing aortic dissection in the emergency setting.
-
Content Article
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects people's behaviour. It has a wide range of symptoms and can affect both children and adults—people with ADHD may find it hard to focus on or complete tasks, feel restless or impatient, experience impulsiveness and find it hard to organise their time and their things.[1] ADHD can have devastating mental health implications and research studies have linked ADHD to increased suicide and mortality rates. This means that being unable to access effective treatment can be a patient safety risk for people with ADHD. In this blog, Lotty Tizzard, Patient Safety Learning’s Content and Engagement Manager, explores the state of ADHD diagnosis and treatment in the UK. She looks at why many are concerned about the waiting times for adults and children seeking an ADHD assessment and speaks to Elsa*, who was diagnosed with ADHD in her 30s, about her experiences. *Name changed -
Community Post
Long waits for ADHD diagnosis and treatment - share your experience
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a topic in Conditions
- (and 3 more)
The impact of living with undiagnosed ADHD can be significant, but adults and children in the UK are sometimes having to wait years for an initial ADHD assessment. Have you been diagnosed with ADHD? Are you or your child on a waiting list for ADHD diagnosis or treatment? Or are you a healthcare professional that works with people with ADHD? Please share your experiences of assessment and diagnosis with us. You'll need to be a hub member to comment below, it's quick, easy and free to do. You can sign up here. You can read more about the issues related to ADHD diagnosis in this blog: Long waits for ADHD diagnosis and treatment are a patient safety issue- Posted
- 9 replies
-
- (and 3 more)
-
News Article
Hepatitis C home test kits available to most-at-risk in England
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Home test kits for a virus which attacks the liver are now available to order online in England, as the NHS tries to reach those needing treatment. Hepatitis C tends to affect current or past drug users and people who have had contact with infected blood through a tattoo or medical procedure abroad. It can lead to liver disease and cancer, but symptoms often go unnoticed for many years. The NHS website says it can usually be cured by taking a course of tablets. More than 70,000 people are thought to be living with the virus in England. Some may not know they have it, so would be unlikely to go to their GP for a test. Read full story Source: BBC News, 13 May 2023 -
News Article
Quarter of people with dementia symptoms delay seeing doctor
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Almost a quarter of people with dementia symptoms waited more than six months before seeing a doctor, new research shows. A new survey for the Alzheimer’s Society to mark Dementia Action Week also found one in three people who notice they or a loved one has symptoms keep their fears to themselves or dismiss them as old age. Just 15% of the 1,137 people surveyed raised the issue straight away and 11% said they hadn’t raised concerns after first spotting symptoms. Kate Lee, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “We can’t continue to avoid the ‘d’ word – we need to face dementia head-on. “As soon as you realise something is not right, come to Alzheimer’s Society – you can use our symptoms checklist to help have that all-important first chat with your GP.” An early diagnosis is crucial to help manage symptoms, according to the charity, which has launched a new campaign called – It’s not called getting old, it’s called getting ill – to encourage people to seek support in getting a diagnosis. Read full story Source: The Independent, 15 May 2023 -
News Article
ADHD: Private clinics exposed by BBC undercover investigation
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Patients are being offered powerful drugs and told they have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) after unreliable online assessments, a BBC investigation has discovered. Three private clinics diagnosed an undercover reporter via video calls. But a more detailed, in-person NHS assessment showed he didn't have the condition. Panorama spoke to dozens of patients and whistleblowers after receiving tip-offs about rushed and poor-quality assessments at some private clinics, including Harley Psychiatrists, ADHD Direct and ADHD 360. The investigation found that: Clinics carried out only limited mental health assessments of patients. Powerful drugs were prescribed for long-term use, without advice on possible serious side effects or proper consideration of patients' medical history. Patients posting negative reviews were threatened with legal action. The NHS is paying for thousands of patients to go to private clinics for assessments. Commenting on Panorama's findings, Dr Mike Smith - an NHS consultant psychiatrist - said he was seriously concerned about the number of people who might "potentially have received an incorrect diagnosis and been started on medications inappropriately". "The scale is massive." Read full story Source: BBC News, -
News Article
Artificial intelligence could ‘transform’ heart attack diagnosis, scientists say
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Artificial intelligence (AI) could be “transformational” in improving heart attack diagnosis to reduce pressure on emergency departments, a new study suggests. Doctors could soon use an algorithm developed using AI to diagnose heart attacks with better speed and accuracy than ever before, the research from the University of Edinburgh indicates. It could also help tackle dangerous inequalities in diagnosing the condition, scientists suggest. Researchers found that, compared to current testing methods, the algorithm called CoDE-ACS was able to rule out a heart attack in more than double the number of patients, with an accuracy of 99.6%. Nicholas Mills, British Heart Foundation (BHF) professor of cardiology at the Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, who led the research, said: “For patients with acute chest pain due to a heart attack, early diagnosis and treatment saves lives. “Unfortunately, many conditions cause these common symptoms, and the diagnosis is not always straight forward. “Harnessing data and artificial intelligence to support clinical decisions has enormous potential to improve care for patients and efficiency in our busy emergency departments.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 11 May 2023 -
News ArticleA breakthrough AI model can determine a person's risk of developing pancreatic cancer with staggering accuracy, research suggests. Using medical records and information from previous scans, the AI was able to flag patients at a high risk of developing pancreatic cancer within the next three years with great accuracy. There are currently no full-proof scans for pancreatic cancer, with doctors using a combination of CT scans, MRIs and other invasive procedures to diagnose it. This keeps many doctors away from recommending these screenings. Over time, they also hope these AI models will help them develop a reliable way to screen for pancreatic cancer — which already exists for other types of the diseases. "One of the most important decisions clinicians face day to day is who is at high risk for a disease, and who would benefit from further testing, which can also mean more invasive and more expensive procedures that carry their own risks," Dr Chris Sander, a biologist at Harvard who contributed to the study, said. "An AI tool that can zero in on those at highest risk for pancreatic cancer who stand to benefit most from further tests could go a long way toward improving clinical decision-making." Read full story Source: Mail Online, 9 May 2023
-
Content ArticleA formal diagnosis of dementia can help people living with the condition and their families gain a better understanding of what to expect and help to inform important decisions about treatment, support and care. Alzheimer’s Society estimate that in England, Wales and Northern Ireland there are over 300,000 people living with dementia who do not have a diagnosis. In this report they highlight barriers to accessing a timely and accurate dementia diagnosis and advocate for practical changes and tangible solutions to overcome them.
-
News Article
AI poses existential threat and risk to health of millions, experts warn
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
AI could harm the health of millions and pose an existential threat to humanity, doctors and public health experts have said as they called for a halt to the development of artificial general intelligence until it is regulated. Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionise healthcare by improving diagnosis of diseases, finding better ways to treat patients and extending care to more people. But the development of artificial intelligence also has the potential to produce negative health impacts, according to health professionals from the UK, US, Australia, Costa Rica and Malaysia writing in the journal BMJ Global Health. The risks associated with medicine and healthcare “include the potential for AI errors to cause patient harm, issues with data privacy and security and the use of AI in ways that will worsen social and health inequalities”, they said. One example of harm, they said, was the use of an AI-driven pulse oximeter that overestimated blood oxygen levels in patients with darker skin, resulting in the undertreatment of their hypoxia. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 10 May 2023 -
News Article
Barclay refusing to approve diagnostic centres that cannot be opened this year
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Steve Barclay has refused to approve about 30 proposed community diagnostic centres (CDCs) – designed to speed up cancer treatment – unless they can be delivered in 2023, HSJ has learned. Mr Barclay’s stance means the CDCs which were due to open in 2024, and which officials say cannot be brought forward, have been left in limbo. NHS England and local systems are now exploring workarounds, such as temporarily using mobile imaging units while the CDCs are established in attempt to win Mr Barclay’s backing. Cancer Research UK director of evidence and implementation Naser Turabi said: “Community diagnostic centres can help the NHS diagnose cancers more quickly, but they require capital investment and funding for staff if they are to meet rising demand. “Restricting the promised expansion of these centres will only lead to longer waits and worse outcomes for cancer patients in England.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 9 May 2023 -
EventuntilIn the context of the complex challenges across the health and care landscape, including significant workforce shortages and limited clinical capacity, this free online event will consider the role of diagnostics in supporting those working in the system and keeping people out of hospital. The King's Fund event will explore: the potential that increased access to diagnostic testing, and in particular in vitro diagnostic testing, in primary care, the community and in community diagnostic hubs offers to diagnosing people earlier and avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions what innovations in patient pathways mean for those working across the system and how they are being supported to make changes, in the context of the significant challenges they are facing the role integrated care systems can play in developing diagnostic services that encourage innovation and are designed with people and communities at their heart. Register
-
News Article
Six systems pulled up by NHSE over poor cancer diagnosis performance
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
NHS England has demanded recovery plans from six systems with a poor record on delivering urgent cancer checks. NHS England has told the chief executives of the six integrated care boards they must “present and deliver a plan” to make more use of their diagnostic facilities for patients who need urgent cancer checks. The “facilities” referred to are all community diagnostic centres. The six were selected because they diagnosed or ruled out fewer than 70% of urgent cancer referrals within 28 days during February. This benchmark is known as the “faster diagnostic standard”. A letter to the chief executives said: “improving waiting times for patients referred for urgent suspected cancer will be a critical priority for the NHS over the coming year”. It adds: “it is essential… our national investments in diagnostic capacity are more clearly prioritised for patients being investigated for urgent suspected cancer”. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 28 April 2023 -
Content ArticleThe COVID-19 Recovery Committee has published its report on Long Covid and post-Covid syndrome, urging the Scottish Government to take action to address the stigma surrounding the condition and improve awareness among the public and healthcare professionals. The inquiry focussed on the awareness and recognition, therapy and rehabilitation, and study and research linked to Long Covid, with the Committee noting “concern” in their findings over reports of patients being unable to get the correct diagnosis and the lack of treatment for common conditions associated with the condition. The Committee said it was “deeply saddened” to learn about the stigma faced by those with lived and living experience of Long Covid, and the report highlights the impact that the lack of awareness and recognition of Long Covid can have on those with the condition.
-
News Article
Dr Michael Watt tribunal was 'unlawful corner-cutting exercise'
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A tribunal which allowed a doctor's voluntary removal from the medical register was an "unlawful corner-cutting exercise", a judge has said. Neurologist Michael Watt was at the centre of Northern Ireland's biggest recall of patients. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) allowed him to voluntarily remove himself in 2021. It meant he would not face a public hearing about any fitness to practice issues. More 2,500 patients who were in his care had their cases reviewed - with around one in five having their diagnosis changed. Having already quashed the decision to grant removal, Mr Justice McAlinden delivered a scathing assessment of how the application was handled on Monday. In Belfast's High Court, he described the process where Dr Watt's request was heard without the necessary jurisdiction as a "fiasco". The court also heard how Dr Watt appeared to have a "get out of jail free card" where patients were denied public scrutiny of their medical care. Read full story Source: BBC News, 17 April 2023 -
News Article
Parkinson's disease biomarker found
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
In an enormous leap forward in the understanding of Parkinson’s disease (PD), researchers have discovered a new tool that can reveal a key pathology of the disease: abnormal alpha-synuclein — known as the “Parkinson’s protein” — in brain and body cells. The breakthrough published in the scientific journal The Lancet Neurology, opens a new chapter for research, with the promise of a future where every person living with Parkinson’s can expect improved care and treatments — and newly diagnosed individuals may never advance to full-blown symptoms. The tool, called the α-synuclein seeding amplification assay (αSyn-SAA), can detect pathology in spinal fluid not only of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s, but also in individuals who have not yet been diagnosed or shown clinical symptoms of the disease, but are at a high risk of developing it. By helping to identify people at the earliest stages of PD, “We could then study what happens at different biological stages of the disease,” says Dr. Sherer. Says Ken Marek, MD, PPMI principal investigator, “αSyn-SAA enables us to move to another level in effecting new strategies for prevention of disease.” Read full story Source: The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson' research, 13 April 2023 -
News Article
I was in so much pain I’d faint — yet doctors ignored me for decades
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
“You’re just unlucky,” the doctor told me. Whichever GP I saw, wherever I was, male or female, I would be asked the same questions. Do you drink alcohol? Are you sexually active? Is your underwear too tight? If I heard another woman being relentlessly quizzed like that today, I’d probably call it victim blaming." "... when you’re told, over and over, that it’s just bad luck and that some women suffer more than others, you believe it. You put your trust in the professionals. You don’t advocate for yourself because you don’t understand that there’s anything that needs fighting for." Claire Cohen, 39, had spent much of her life since her mid-teens in acute pain, begging for help. Now she’s finally been diagnosed with endometriosis, she looks at how medicine is still failing to treat a condition that can have a devastating effect on one in ten women Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Times, 13 April 2023
