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Found 59 results
  1. Content Article
    Young people and expert mental healthcare staff say patients are unlikely to receive in-patient mental health care unless they “have attempted suicide multiple times”, according to a new report published by Look Ahead Care and Support. Launched in the House of Lords, the report – funded by Wates Family Enterprise Trust and produced by experts Care Research – argues Accident and Emergency departments have become an ‘accidental hub’ for children and young people experiencing crisis but are ill-equipped to offer the treatment required.   Based on in-depth interviews with service users, parents and carers, and NHS and social care staff from across England, the findings from the Look Ahead Care and Support report draws on experience of treating depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts, eating disorders, addiction and psychosis.  
  2. News Article
    People could die because of Thérèse Coffey’s “ultra-libertarian ideological” reluctance to crack down on smoking and obesity, a Conservative ex-health minister has warned. The strongly worded criticism of the health secretary came from Dr Dan Poulter, a Tory MP and NHS doctor who served as a health minister in the coalition government from 2012 to 2015. Poulter claims Coffey’s “hostility to what the extreme right call ‘nanny statism’” is stopping her from taking firm action against the “major killers” of tobacco and bad diet. His intervention – in an opinion piece for the Guardian – was prompted by Coffey making clear that she opposed banning adults from smoking in cars containing children, even though the practice was outlawed in 2015 and is credited with reducing young people’s exposure to secondhand smoke. The government’s widely anticipated scrapping of measures to curb obesity such as the sugar tax and ditching of the tobacco control plan and health inequalities white paper – both of which previous health ministers had promised to publish – have led Poulter to brand Coffey’s stance “deeply alarming”. He writes: “More smoking and more obesity means more illness, more pressure on the NHS and shorter lives, particularly amongst the poorest in society. “I am acutely concerned that the health secretary’s ideological hostility to what history shows is government’s potentially very positive role in protecting us against these grave threats to our health will exacerbate the problems they already pose. “At its worst such a radically different approach to public health could cost lives, as it will inevitably lead to more people smoking and becoming dangerously overweight.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 18 October 2022
  3. News Article
    Scotland’s health services are failing to tackle a mental health crisis affecting thousands of people with drug or alcohol problems because the right policies are not being followed, an expert body has found. The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, a statutory body founded to protect the human rights of people with mental illness, said only a minority of health professionals were using the correct strategies and plans for at-risk patients. Dr Arun Chopra, its medical director, said there had been a “collective failure” to act: few local services were using the correct procedures despite so much evidence about the scale of Scotland’s drugs and alcohol problems. Nearly four in five of those professionals said their patients were not given the documented care plans required by national policy. Of the 89 family doctors interviewed, 90% had experienced difficulties referring patients to mental health services or addiction services. In some cases, mental health services then rejected patients because they were addicts, without helping them find the right support. The commission recommended far clearer policies, protocols, auditing and monitoring by health boards and the Scottish government, with better training for professionals. Health workers needed to stop stigmatising patients and see patients as people affected by trauma. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 29 September 2022
  4. News Article
    People with chronic pain that can’t be explained by other conditions should not be prescribed opioids because they do more harm than good, the medicines watchdog has warned. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has said people should instead be offered group exercise, acupuncture and psychological therapy. In new draft guidance, NICE said most of the common medications used for chronic primary pain has little or no evidence to support their use in patients aged over 16. Its latest guidance comes amid concerns over the level of opioid use. In September last year a review by Public Health England found 1 in 4 adults have been prescribed addictive medications with half of them taking the drugs for longer than 12 months. NICE’s new draft guidance said some antidepressants should be considered for people with chronic primary pain but it said paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen, as well as benzodiazepines or opioids should not be given because of concerns they might do more harm than good. Read full story Source: The Independent, 4 August 2020
  5. News Article
    Ambulance services have been urged to look at how suspected overdose and poisoning cases are prioritised after paramedics took 45 minutes to reach a woman with known mental health problems. Helen Sheath, 33, had been discharged from a mental health unit in early July last year and was still waiting for an outpatient appointment with a psychological assessment and treatment service when she took a fatal dose of sodium nitrate on 20 August. Her father called an ambulance at 6.20pm when she had locked herself in a bathroom and was threatening to take the sodium nitrate. But Bedfordshire and Luton senior coroner Emma Whitting said her father could not tell whether or not she had taken it, and that in view of her history of suicidal ideation, the call should have been treated as a category two – with an 18 minutes response target – rather than a category three incident. The first ambulance which was sent to her was diverted on route and it was only after a second call to the East of England Ambulance Service at 6.48pm, that the call was upgraded to category two – when the call handler selected a different set of questions, after being told she had ingested the chemical. A rapid response vehicle arrived at 7.05pm and the mental health street triage team attended six minutes later. Shortly afterwards she became acutely unwell and was taken to Bedford Hospital, where she received treatment but died shortly afterwards. In a prevention of future deaths report Ms Whitting said: “If the first call had been coded as a category two, it seems likely that the rapid response vehicle, mental health street triage team (and even possibly the double staffed ambulance) would have arrived on scene much earlier (potentially just before or just after Helen had ingested the sodium nitrate) which could potentially have altered the outcome.” The case comes just months after two other ambulance trusts were criticised in cases involving suspected or threatened overdoses. The prevention of future deaths report was sent to the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives and the emergency call prioritisation advisory group, which is run by NHS England. Neither would comment other than saying they would respond to the coroner. Read full story Source: HSJ, 15 June 2020
  6. News Article
    Problems with dispensing drugs during the COVID-19 crisis may be contributing to an “apparent increase” in deaths of patients receiving treatment for opiate addiction, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has said. The regulator has said the increase in deaths “may be a result of some services stopping all daily dispensing of opiates” and has taken enforcement action against a “large national provider of substance misuse services” which ”stopped all daily dispensing”. The provider has not been named by the CQC as it is “entitled to an appeal period,” but the regulator told HSJ the provider had not recorded their risk assessments for their clients in relation to changes in drug dispensing. The CQC said the provider had now “assured us” individualised risk assessments were in place. The CQC is now reviewing all deaths of people which have been reported by substance misuse services since 1 March due to concerns about the apparent increase and “that some of these deaths may be related to changes in prescribing practices in response to COVID-19”. Read full story Source: HSJ, 27 May 2020
  7. Content Article
    This report details an independent investigation into a homicide committed by an individual receiving treatment for mental health issues. It identifies lessons that can be learned from this incident and areas where improvements to services could help prevent similar incidents occurring.
  8. Content Article
    A review of government policies tackling smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity and harmful alcohol use in England.
  9. Content Article
    The Global Drug Policy Index provides a score and ranking for each country to show how much their drug policies and their implementation align with the UN principles of human rights, health and development. It offers an important accountability and evaluation mechanism in the field of drug policy.
  10. Content Article
    In this article, the journalist Peter Hitchens examines the link between mental illness, prescription and illegal drugs and violent acts of terrorism. He argues that more attention needs to be given to defendants' mental health record, medication history and any past substance abuse.
  11. Content Article
    Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) refers to the range of neurodevelopmental problems caused by pre-natal exposure to alcohol. The effects are diverse and impact on the individual throughout their life course. This document from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is a health needs assessment for people living with FASD, their carers and families, and those at risk of alcohol-exposed pregnancies in England. The needs identified for this population group focus on: a lack of robust prevalence estimates in England the importance of multi-sector working to support individuals through the life course better training and awareness for health professionals better organisation of services to improve accessibility a need to develop innovative approaches to support those living with the condition.
  12. Content Article
    This is the report of the Scottish Government's Ministerial Task Force on Health Inequalities. The report brings together thinking on poverty, lack of employment, children's lives and support for families and physical and social environments, as well as on health and wellbeing. It makes clear that the Scottish Government will not only respond to the consequences of health inequalities, but also tackle its causes.
  13. Content Article
    The United States has been the site of significant social and economic fallout during the course of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The last year has been marked by high rates of unemployment, stress, economic insecurity, and uncertainty. And for people with mental health and substance use disorders, the consequences of the pandemic have been felt deeply. As vaccines for people in the United States become more widely available, understanding the impact of the pandemic on substance abuse and treatment remains important for determining the next steps and helping those in need of care. In this blog, AddictionResource.net describe some of the ways that the coronavirus pandemic has affected the lives of people with substance use disorders over the past year.
  14. Content Article
    This competency framework has been developed and updated to support prescribers in expanding their knowledge, skills, motives and personal traits, to continually improve their performance, and work safely and effectively.
  15. Content Article
    The rise in opioid overdoses warrants a review of the symptoms of akathisia writes Russell Copelan.
  16. Content Article
    The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) has partnered with the anti-smoking charity ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) to support surgeons in encouraging patients to improve their survival chances by quitting smoking ahead of surgery. Fewer postoperative complications, shorter hospital stays and better long-term outcomes are some of the evidence-based benefits the College’s members are being asked to highlight to patients. The campaign urges all surgeons to view patient consultations as ‘teachable moments’, during which patients may be more receptive to intervention and more motivated to quit. As part of the discussion of risks associated with a procedure, surgeons should outline the reduction in risk associated with smoking cessation, with the recommendation to stop at least two months before the operation.
  17. Community Post

    Better use of data for medication safety in hospitals

    Kenny Fraser

    Kenny Fraser posted a topic in Medicine management

    NHS hospital staff spend countless hours capturing data in electronic prescribing and medicines administration systems. Yet that data remains difficult to access and use to support patient care. This is a tremendous opportunity to improve patient safety, drive efficiencies and save time for frontline staff. I have just published a post about this challenge and Triscribe's solution. I would love to hear any comments or feedback on the topic... How could we use this information better? What are hospitals already doing? Where are the gaps? Thanks
  18. Content Article
    Too many women are dying from disadvantage in one of the poorest parts of England, according to ground breaking new research which serves as an urgent wake-up call for levelling up efforts.  The report by Agenda Alliance and Changing Lives, Dismantling disadvantage has found that in 2021 a woman in the North East of England was 1.7 times more likely to die early as a result of suicide, addiction, or murder by a partner or family member than in the rest of England and Wales. Today’s new research was conducted to better understand the lives and needs of disadvantaged women in the North East, including Newcastle, coastal areas and Gateshead and Sunderland; some of the poorest regions in the country. Working with women with lived experience at every stage, the study involved 18 in-depth interviews, 47 survey responses; focus groups; data analysis and multiple meetings with affected women, practitioners and policy makers.
  19. Content Article
    The public health grant is paid to local authorities from the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) budget. It is used to provide vital preventative services that help to support health. This includes smoking cessation, drug and alcohol services, children's health services and sexual health services, as well as broader public health support across local authorities and the NHS.
  20. Content Article
    The opioid crisis in the United States (US) is one of the most high-profile public health scandals of the 21st century with millions of people unknowingly becoming dependent on opioids. The United Kingdom (UK) had the world’s highest rate of opioid consumption in 2019, and opiate-related drug poisoning deaths have increased by 388% since 1993 in England and Wales. This article, published in the British Journal of Pain, explores the epidemiological definitions of public health emergencies and epidemics in the context of opioid use, misuse, and mortality in England, to establish whether England is facing an opioid crisis.
  21. News Article
    Thousands of children are falling through the cracks in youth addiction services owing to Covid, staff shortages and funding cuts, psychiatrists have said, as figures suggest the number able to get help has fallen to the lowest on record. Analysis of data from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) found that 11,013 under-18s were in treatment for drug and alcohol dependency in England in 2020-21, which was 3,278 fewer (23% less) than in 2019-20. It was the sharpest annual fall since records began, and means 13,481 fewer children were being treated than at a peak in 2008-09. The vast majority of children in treatment (89%, or 9,832) had a problem with cannabis and 41% (4,459) had a problem with alcohol. About 12% (1,333) were struggling with ecstasy use and 9% (976) reported a problem with powder cocaine. The Royal College of Psychiatrists, which analysed the data, said the pandemic, together with “drastic” historical funding cuts, was preventing young people from accessing the drug and alcohol treatment they need, potentially condemning them to a life of addiction. Dr Emily Finch, the vice-chair of the addictions faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “Children and their families up and down the country are having their lives blighted by drug and alcohol use due to drastic cuts, workforce shortages and the impact of the pandemic. “Addiction is a treatable health condition. Intervening early will mean many kids won’t go on to have an addiction in their adulthood, keeping them out of the criminal justice system and helping them to live full lives. It’s now time for the government to act on their promise and deliver the multimillion-pound investment into drug services.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 3 February 2022
  22. News Article
    Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton is calling for more cash to be invested in drug and alcohol services after “utterly heart-breaking” figures showed at least 852 babies have been born addicted since April 2017. A total of 173 such births were recorded in both 2019-20 and 2020-21, down from 205 in 2018-19 and 249 in 2017-18. In addition to this, a further 52 babies were born addicted in the first part of 2021-22, according to the figures, which were compiled by the Scottish Lib Dems using data obtained under Freedom of Information. Mr Cole-Hamilton described the figures as being “utterly heart-breaking”, adding: “It is hard to think of a worse possible start in life for a newborn baby to have to endure.” He criticised SNP ministers, saying: “In 2016, the Scottish Government slashed funding to drug and alcohol partnerships by more than 20 per cent. Valuable local facilities shut their doors and expertise was lost which has proved hard to replace." “Scotland now has its highest-ever number of drug-related deaths. The Scottish Government has belatedly begun to repair that damage but there is so much more to do." Read full story Source: The Independent, 6 January 2022
  23. News Article
    A promise to ensure that people with severe asthma and smokers who want to quit can get the drugs they need has been broken by ministers and the NHS, a health service report reveals. Health charities criticised the persistent lack of access to vital medications for patients in England as very worrying and warned that it could damage the health of those affected. In 2019 the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS England, Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and makers of branded medicines signed an agreement, called the voluntary scheme, to increase the number of patients able to obtain cost-effective medicines on the NHS. It covered five key areas of disease in which receipt of drugs would result in “high health gain”. These were cystic fibrosis, severe asthma, stopping smoking by using the drug varenicline, hepatitis C and atrial fibrillation and thromboembolism. However, a report which NHS England commissioned – but has not published – shows that while the target has been met for cystic fibrosis and hepatitis C, it has been missed for severe asthma and smokers seeking to quit using varenicline. It compares England’s progress against that in 10 other European countries, including France, Spain and Italy. “It’s deeply concerning that England languishes near the bottom of the league table for uptake of biologic treatments for severe asthma, the deadliest form of the condition,” said Alison Cook, the director of external affairs at Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 20 December 2021
  24. News Article
    Britain’s lockdown drinking habits may have had fatal consequences. Deaths caused by alcohol in 2020 increased by almost 19%, marking the biggest rise since records began, according to the Office for National Statistics. There were 8,974 deaths from alcohol specific causes registered in the 12 month period, up from 7,565 deaths in 2019 – the highest year-on-year increase since the data series began in 2001. It bucks a trend in which fatalities from alcohol remained stable for the previous seven years. In England, the number of people drinking more than 14 units a week increased after the first national lockdown, according to surveys by Public Health England (PHE), and has remained at similar levels since. As pubs shut, drinking at home soared, with off-licence sales of beer rising 31% and spirits 26% compared with 2019. Dr James Tucker, the head of health analysis, said: “There will be many complex factors behind the elevated risk since spring 2020." “For instance, Public Health England analysis has shown consumption patterns have changed since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, which could have led to hospital admissions and ultimately deaths. We’ve seen increases in loneliness, depression and anxiety during the pandemic and these could also be factors. However, it will be some time before we fully understand the impact of all of these.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 7 December 2021
  25. News Article
    There has been a 27% rise in people dying while in treatment for drug and alcohol addiction during the pandemic, an official report shows. Changes to support and reduced access to healthcare during lockdowns are likely to have been factors, it says. Between April 2020 and March 2021, 3,726 people died while in contact with drug and alcohol services - up from 2,929 the year before. The figures, published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, for England, show a small 2% rise in the overall numbers of adults receiving help for drug and alcohol problems from 2020 to 2021. Out of more than a quarter of a million people affected, more than half were in treatment for problems with opiates - medicines to treat pain - and a quarter with alcohol problems. The proportion of deaths in treatment for alcohol addiction rose by 44% to 1,064 and for opiate addiction by 20% to 2,418. UKAT, a group providing residential detox treatment, said a "concerning" number of services closed their doors to addicts during the pandemic. "But drug and alcohol treatment is critical care intervention and cannot be simply put on pause," said Nuno Albuquerque, head of treatment for the group. "It cannot be a coincidence that more people have subsequently lost their lives when they were in fact trying to save it." Read full story Source: BBC News, 25 November 2021
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